A Snowy February

We've had some snowy weather in our part of Missouri this month.  It hasn't amounted to as much as in other places in the U.S. but it has been pretty.  Here are some photos out our window

 The snow has been quite heavy at times and the sky dark.  Fortunately, we haven't had more than 3-4 inches with either storm

 Doesn't the snow make ordinary things look extraordinary?

 J and Sallie coming in for lunch.  

 You can see how big the snowflakes were!  We have an expression around here when they're that big - "hamster-sized snowflakes."  LOL! 

 The cardinals (both female and male) and woodpeckers visited the bird feeder.

I find sunrises and sunsets the most dramatic in the winter, don't you?  These photos were taken facing east early one morning.

I'm also celebrating a special birthday this month!  Jack and his mommy and daddy has us over for a delicious steak dinner. 

I hoped to share a new sewing project I'm excited to start but this post is long enough.  I'll share it next time.  Wishing everyone sunny skies and warm weather!  I know I'm ready for both!

Zenda

A New Year!

Oh my, it's been a long time since I posted!  Life happens and I just never seem to get around to sharing all my blessings and opportunities.  We had a wonderful 2019 and hope you all did, too!  With the new year, I HOPE to post monthly ... that's one of my goals anyway.  I'm retired and just like to share a bit of my life with my blogging buddies, so that is the focus for the foreseeable future!  Thanks for stopping by now and then to catch with us!!

We had a fun Christmas holiday.  We celebrated with family at our home and at my MIL's, 

and even with Santa!

Our little Jack had lots of fun opening his presents!  Here he is in his new rocking chair from Grammy and Grandpa and with his new comfy chair and guitar from Cami.

One fun tradition that Andy and his friends do over Christmas is go to a movie.  It has usually been a Star Wars movie.  They let me go along, too!

J and I continued another tradition, eating New Year's Eve lunch out then shopping for dinner and preparing it at home.  This year, we enjoyed grilled trout, sea scallops and delicious sides!

We still keep Jack once a week.  He and Grandpa like to have long talks sometimes.

Sallie has to get in on the discussion, too.































I've been keeping busy making some warm wraps.  I gave hand knitting a try making this afghan for Jack,

and a grey one for Andy's girlfriend, J.  She says she's really enjoying how soft and warm it is.  Jack likes to snuggle with his on the floor.  I made these out of chenille but the first ones I made out of a wool type yarn.

This cream cover is in our bedroom and I made one of sage green for our daughter and son-in-law to put at the end of their bed.  Although both are soft, the chenille yarn is more durable.  Jack likes to pull the woolen strands apart.

This winter, I've also been working on a couple of quilts.  Our Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) chapter finished and presented the Quilt of Valor we've been working on.  The recipient is an Army veteran who is battling cancer.  She is also a member of our chapter.  It was a true blessing to create and then present this quilt to her!  She is a real inspiration to us all!

And finally, I started a different quilt, just a fun one for me.  The pattern is Square Knot from Missouri Star Quilt Company.  I've had this fabric for years and thought it would be pretty for a Spring quilt.

I hope to start quilting it pretty soon.  

That pretty much catches you up on our world.  Thanks for stopping by!  I'm wishing you a happy, healthy 2020 and look forward to reading about the adventures and opportunities that await us all in the new year!

                                                       Zenda

This And That

Well, life has kept me happily occupied these last two weeks!  

Here's a little of what I've been up to.

Precious Daughter and her family got tickets for Mother’s Day to the St. Louis Muny Opera, a lovely outdoor theatre venue in Forest Park, St. Louis.  We live about an hour away so she and I left mid afternoon and did a little shopping before eating at a 

lovely French bristro in the Central West End section of St. Louis.

Precious Daughter ordered trout with asparagus while I enjoyed this delicious spring tart.  We were both very happy with our meals!

Then we were off to the Muny to see 1776!  It was really good, and put us in the 

mood for the 4th of July! 

 Forest Park is a large and beautiful municipal park in west St. Louis and was the site of the 

1904 World's Fair.  There are lovely structures throughout the park as well as a golf course, numerous ball fields and trails, museums (Art, History and Science), our wonderful St. Louis Zoo and, of course, the Muny!  The St. Louis area LOVES Forest Park!!

Favorite Son was home for awhile!  He and J went on a hunting trip to 

Argentina the first week of July.  

Precious Daughter and her handsome husband went to Chicago for a short vacation so little Jack's Grammy and Cami stayed home and spent a lot of fun, quality time with our little grandson and each other!  We took GG (Great Grandma) to brunch one day.  Jack had a great time, too!

Even though our vegetable garden has had a slow start this year with all of the rain and cool weather, THIS week I've been busy with some of the vegetables that are coming in.  We're enjoying cucumbers, peppers, beets and the last of the lettuce.   

 The green beans in the raised bed have been great!  We've had lots of fresh beans for dinner and I've been able to put up 12 quarts and 5 pints.  

More beans have been planted where the peas were so, hopefully, we will have another good harvest in late summer. 

Our county fair has been this week.  I was asked to judge the open class (non-4-H members) on stitching, crochet and quilting.  Here is a fun example of one of the quilts.  The lady who entered was 75 years old!!  Isn't it beautiful?  

Our Master Gardener group has a demonstration garden at our county health department.  Another MG and I put in this succulent garden in an elevated raised bed.  This bed is on legs which makes it higher and easily accessible for those with bad backs.  It has a tendency to dry out quicker than our other raised beds so we decided to see how succulents do.  It actually looked really pretty when we finished.  We will see how each variety does in this environment.

The day lilies and wildflowers around our house are gorgeous now!

Coneflowers

 Vervain

Rudbeckia

And I have to leave  you with a darling picture of J with our little Jack.  

Isn't this a sweet photo?

Thanks for stopping by!  I'm wishing each of you lots of blessings this week!!

Zenda

Summer Solstice in the Gardens

The first day of summer has just occurred but it has not felt 

like a normal Missouri summer yet.  We've had so much rain and the temperatures have remained relatively cool.  The upcoming forecast is including some HOT, HUMID weather so it seems summer will finally come waltzing in!

I'm not too excited about hot and humid weather but the vegetable garden is really needing some warm, dryer times to get going.  The squash and okra plants are just peaking their little heads above the soggy soil, after being replanted several times.  Let's hope the third time is the charm!

This post is just a little walk around our house (in my mud boots) 

to see what's blooming.  

These are some of the lilies starting to bloom as you walk down to the Secret Garden on the north side of the house.

I believe these white and maroon lilies are called Cecil.

These two different shades of yellow are pretty but I'll be adding 

several different orange lilies to this garden for next year. 

In the Secret Garden,

the hostas have filled out nicely. 

I have two Viburnum bushes a friend gifted me the year before we moved.  She said to keep them in their pots and plant them at our new place.  She was right!  They have really taken off!

 

The berm near the front of the house is also filling in.  It's planted in mostly natives and perennials.  Russian Sage, Blazing Star, Oak Leaf Hydrangea, Coneflower, Cosmos, and more!

 

Common Milkweed has become a coveted plant in our our area as it's a favorite 
egg-laying site of the Monarch Butterfly.

I've seen a couple of Monarch caterpillars this spring, sorry no pictures.  The bumble bees are sure loving them these days.  I noticed several Japanese beetles, as well.  Sure wish those bumbles would chase the beetles away.

Shasta Daisies

Blazing Star with a little honey bee on top!

This is my view on my walk to the mailbox. 

The Queen Anne's Lace, Rudbeckia, Meadow Weed, Wild Daisies and red clover are all blooming in our CRP fields 

(Crop Reduction Program, a 10-year agriculture program) 

We have planted numerous wildflowers in these areas to help the fields rejuvenate as well as attract lots of pollinators.

Here a two shots right around the house.  It's been a good spring for petunias.  I'll have to keep my eye on them as the temperature start heat up.

 What do you do with that awkward spot that's home to your satellite dish?  Make it your kitchen herb garden!  Sallie is showing off our efforts in growing parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.  
There's also lavender, oregano and lots of basil and dill!
This garden is just off our grilling porch which is right out of the kitchen door.  

YOU might see the ugly satellite dish first 
but Sallie and I see our beautiful herbs!!

I'll save the vegetable garden for next week....maybe it will look better in that time!  The raised beds are looking good, though.  

I hope you're enjoying your world whatever the season!  

Thanks for stopping by!  

Zenda