Green Acres...Lite

We're still alive..

2010-01-02T06:40:00.000-08:00

We didn't die, or get sucked into a vortex.

I'll play catch up this weekend..toss a few photo blog entries out.
The delightful below 0 windchill is keeping me indoors more than I like, so plenty of time.

Photo blog

2009-06-23T12:24:00.000-07:00

Catch up...

2009-06-23T08:28:00.000-07:00

Starting another cycle of cluster-blogging. Things are very busy here (growing season)..plus, I'm spending my time swimming with the dogs.

And..I'm just damned lazy about blogging.

My fierce guard dog, Irie the Akita, is finishing her Shy Dog class today. Yes, Shy Dog. She's very gentle and sweet with everyone once she is allowed space to get to know them. The people who scream "Akitas are SO MEAN!"..HAHAHA!
People aggression is not a breed norm, but they are in fact a guard breed. They aren't supposed to fawn over strangers, dumb ass.
If you're "one of those people", ask yourself this:
Why does a guard breed feel the need to dislike me?

What kind of energy are YOU putting out, hmmm?

Anyway,
we're finishing up shy dog class, and looking around for other classes that are micromanaged. Hard to find here in WV.
I've got a few photo posts coming up- the new raised beds, some fun shots of the dogs, etc.

"You eat my cookies.....

2009-04-23T04:25:00.000-07:00

..and I'll eat your SOUL"

That is one CREEPY ass cookie jar!
*gulp*

But, all soul-eating clowns aside.. I love that site.
I love vintage kitchen goodies.

Golly-G

I especially love kitchen utensils in 50's green. Not 70's avocado, mind you.
Avocado green kitchen stuff is more frightening than soul-eating clowns.

Easter Sunday

2009-04-12T17:53:00.000-07:00

Very, very nice day here in the Chaos Household.

We did a ton of yard work, hauled some lumber across the property (why in hell do we live where there are so many hills?!?)

I baked a lime angel food cake with raspberry sauce. BLISS!
I'll get photos of that tomorrow (need better light). Look at the mess! I managed to get flour on Henry's head.

This is Irie's Halti. She doesn't pull, but it gives me a little more direction and control when she's having a fearful moment. People, for reasons I don't get, think it's a muzzle. She also looks moderately scary (according to others)...soooo...we Cuted it. Now people say how adorable she looks, and they don't pull a U turn when they see her coming.

We took Voo and Irie for a long drive...LOVELY weather.

Easter ducks! Easter Beaver!

Voo says, "If there is a God, they will let me out of this car."

No luck, Bucko.

It's That Time of the year...

2009-04-06T04:50:00.000-07:00

I've got gardening on the brain.
I got my very first gardening sunburn of the year..so of COURSE there is snow in the forecast. 1-3 inches, and 15 degree windchill. Woo.

I'm going with square foot gardening this go-round. I'm damned tired of fighting through clay and shale...bring on the fabulous rock-and-clay free soil of a raised bed!
(I will miss the Shovel Drills...you get a true picture of your balance when you sink a shovel into the ground a few inches, hop on with both feet and immediately hit rock. It takes speed and agility not to fall on your ass. Over and over. I do not heart northern WV soil.)

The Planting List:
Squash- Sunburst, Golden Dawn, Richgreen and Magda
Peas- Sugar Sprint and Frosty
Cauliflower- Early Dawn and Veronica
Beans- Valentino and
Beets- Bull's Blood (the young tops are REALLY good in salad)
Cabbage-Stonehead
Eggplant- Fairy Tale
Corn (wont be in raised bed)-Luscious and Polka
Broccoli- Coronado Crown
Potatoes- No idea! I'll get there.

I know I forgot a few things......

I considered planting carrots and bell peppers, but I can get huge bags of really nice organic peppers/carrots at freakin' Costco for $3. It just didn't justify the space/expense of planting my own.

Square foot gardening is supposedly more cost/effort efficient. We'll see. As it stands, I need roughly 76 12in squares. Holy soil, Batman. Michael will be SO THRILLED with our next few weekends. *snort*

And squash shall overcome Earth.

Sunday's photos

2009-04-05T17:08:00.000-07:00

"I like to feel the wind up my nose."

tidbit from Saturday night...

2009-04-05T16:59:00.000-07:00

I'm in the shower, long day swirling down the drain. I'm talking myself down from taste-testing the vanilla buttercream body wash (it can't smell that good and taste bad, right?).

Michael pops his head in the door and asks, "Hey honey, how do I get room temperature goat cheese out of Voodoo's tail feathering?".

Sometimes I question my life choices.

Hey, moron...

2009-04-04T16:40:00.000-07:00

You're concerned Obama is going to take away your guns...
so you shoot police officers?!
Oh..well hell, not JUST the Obama thing. You also lost your job. You must be the first person ever.

My heart goes out to those families, and the city of Pittsburgh...
I'm too shocked and astounded to add anything to this.

One of "those" recipes..

2009-04-03T07:11:00.000-07:00

that strike fear into the heart of a Foodie.

The words "Sweet and tangy tilapia with fresh veggies covered in mozzarella cheese!" scare the hell out of me.
For the same reasoning I love horror flicks, I decided to read the recipe.
It also contains poultry seasoning.
Another of my Worst Nightmares.
-(I like the ingredients of poultry seasoning well enough, it's the obscene amounts of that are slathered on any chicken or turkey by fauxcooks...that's what sends me screaming)

Pile the vegetables in a baking dish, toss on the marinated fish, slather with cheese and bake!
Bake it ON the vegetables, so that weird white cooked fish juice stuff slimes them up.
Nothing like a stringy, cheesy mess on top of all that, hey?

If this is your recipe...or if this is one of your families favorites.. I am sorry for pointing and laughing.

We all have our recipes that make other people cringe and shudder.

Last photos of March..and I lived.

2009-03-31T18:09:00.000-07:00

I lived. I survived the dentist.
But I have to go back! This week! What bullshit!

Because I was so traumatized *cough*, Michael and I went for a drive/walk in our local wildlife management area.

Of course, I took the camera.

Before we even left the house....
A Great Blue Heron flew over

And the very first flower blooming in my yard

Very cool old house at the edge of the state land, with a dirt cellar and huge root cellar. It's a shame it's all..broken.

It angers me- this is the best photo of a Kingfisher I've ever gotten. Little jerks!

Yipe yipe yipe!!!

2009-03-31T09:10:00.000-07:00

I've got a dentist appointment in an hour. I hate the dentist.
Loathe.
Detest.
Sweaty, shaking, nauseous hate.

It's ridiculous...I know this...that's why they call it a phobia, Sporto.

Anyway, photos for the day:

Random thought...

2009-03-30T07:19:00.001-07:00

There are... 32 feet in this house. 16 dog feet, 12 cat feet and 4 human feet.
Finding tough, reasonably priced flooring is my holy grail. Easy to clean is, without a doubt, a biggie for me.
It's not just the dogs tracking in mud...

Post-hike, in my car. I think most of the mud came out of the tread. I think. If not, I'll blame the dogs.

So far- I'm thinking concrete is my only option!

Sunday's hike, March 29

2009-03-29T14:39:00.000-07:00

We hiked along the creek...down there. Way down there. *gulp*

Beaver!

What happens when you stop to mess around with the camera. You get left.

Weekend stuff

2009-03-28T18:23:00.000-07:00

We hiked with Irie and Strider today...NICE trip. Well behaved dogs, pleasant weather. We heard two Great Horned Owls calling, which was wonderful...a little odd/eerie at 2pm.

I was tempted just to post the photos with no explanation...what an odd grouping! :D

Friday morning fog

Friday evening sunset

Saturday's dinner. I think I've perfected my pizza crust recipe.

Day 8 of removing undercoat from Irie. Just Irie. She should be naked by now, but no..there is still fur coming out.

Frequent dinner guest.

Friday 3-27

2009-03-27T04:10:00.000-07:00

"Can you NOT see I'm too busy for you and that damned camera?!"

"Let. Me. Out."

We rollin'?

I think we need..

2009-03-26T19:54:00.000-07:00

A bit of spring cleaning here. New layout, etc.
The massive amount of pics loading on one page... *shudder*
I'm even sick of the title! Input...input is good.

...sometime this weekend, I'll tackle the blogcrap.

Lemon buttery goodness for Jen

2009-03-26T13:15:00.000-07:00

I'm warped..sick..for posting photos of this pound cake, when Jen won't get any. Even worse, she had to listen to my "oh dear god, it smells wonderful" and "oh my god, it's so buttery". I'm shocked she didn't come through the phone and hurt me.

Please...warm your eggs before making a pound cake. Please.

No. No butter at all. It's practically diet cake.

Cream the butter and sugar carefully.

One. Egg. At. A. Time. Don't dump all 5 eggs in at once. It matters.

Get a book if you have to, but mix slowwwly.

Nope. No butter here. You're mistaken. DIET cake, I tell you.

Lemon glaze, buttery pound cake. Bliss.

I don't like much glaze, these were Michael's slices.
(I ate my slice while the cake was still warm. Patience is not my thing.)

Dear Horde

2009-03-25T05:18:00.000-07:00

I share everything in my life with you...my home, my bed, my couch, and in a pinch my $32-a-bottle shampoo.

I cannot remember to take a multivitamin- yet every single day I remember to add vitamin C, fish oil, Missing Link supplements and fresh fruits and vegetables to your meals.

I turned my shiny new car into the Dogmobile... dog seat belts, seat covers that are non-slip/cushioned for your riding pleasure, padded bumpers for the window edge so you don't bruise your delicate selves . My first aid kit is in storage, but the dog first aid kit is there. There are toys, training gear, travel water bowls and water, maps of dog friendly trails and dog friendly parks.

Please consider these things..frankly, just the tip of the What I Do For My Dogs iceberg...when you start barking at 2 am. Every. Single. Night.
It's the same damned owls! Every. Single. Night.
They don't care that you bark. I care.
I feed you.

You see where this is going?

Regards,
The Management

Weekend DogStuff

2009-03-23T16:07:00.000-07:00

Michael and I hiked with Strider and Voodoo on Saturday. Voo is turning into an excellent trail dog. He's rocking it. We took him off about 50 feet off the trail -multiple times- and asked him to Find It.. he nailed it every time. Right back to the trail, no messing around. He walks ahead of us (on lead of course), and is managing to follow the trail with no input (slack lead, no verbal). Amazing fella.
Strider, as always, was a peach (unless you're Michael and then he pulls on leash. Stop cuddling and train him for 2 minutes! ;) )

Henry and Irie hiked on Sunday.
Henry LOVES trails, but he's in it for him..we're just there to provide transportation to/from the parks.
For whatever reason, he loves walking up downed trees. Michael keeps a close eye on him (and he's wearing a RuffWear harness, complete with 'luggage handle').

Irie is doing SO well on the trails. Hard to believe she's only nine and a half months.
I have high hopes for her.
We're taking it easy on those maturing puppy joints, and slowly working on our personal trail commands...she's doing well :)

Enough babble.

Yay Benadryl!

2009-03-12T17:18:00.000-07:00

A stressful week resulted in hives on my chest, neck and cheek.
What.. you don't find bumpy/itchy/inflamed skin the height of sexy?
I am moments from scooting face-down the length of my gravel driveway.

No really.
If not for Benadryl and hydrocortisone cream I might be getting a little crazy.

On a more pleasant note, I saw a ROBIN today. Right after the friggin' snow.

On an even more pleasant note...
I had the dogs out for a good long run this evening. Nothing clears my head like being out with the dogs. Having multiple dogs, I really have to focus on THEM..all the LifeGarbage falls away. I've always been oddly annoyed by the phrase "live in the moment", but as a dog owner I certainly understand it.

Voodoo and Irie did really well walking with the coupler (God bless Ruffwear).
We walked around the property for a long while..just letting them sniff and chose the path.
What the dogs fail to realize? I'm not 2 feet tall.
Duck-walking under blackberry canes is a good workout, though.

Good Sundays

2009-03-01T16:04:00.000-08:00

I really enjoy Sundays...

Michael and I usually run an errand or two (today was grocery store and Tractor Supply), hike with the dogs/run them hard on our property, and cook something really good for supper. I'm a big fan of Sunday suppers.
I made pizzas today. I think I finally mastered pizza crust. I asked Michael's opinion, I got a thumbs up and a garbled "grmple" kind of noise.

We watch a few trash tv shows on Sundays, too. One thing about reality tv...you feel a little bit better about the crazy in your own life.

Quiet day, but really nice.

Last hike of February

2009-02-28T17:29:00.000-08:00

..and I'm not sad about it. Enough of this winter crap. Bring on the heat and sunshine.

Regardless, we bundled up and braved the mud today. It's a luxury, having a state park 4 minutes away.

Note the good dogs on the metal bridge. No hesitation from Thing One and Thing Two.

Also, I don't know why in hell my HEAD didn't make the pics...my legs make an appearance.

The Freaky ..and the Awwww

2009-01-29T06:08:00.000-08:00

Freaky! :
Yes, that is a bald squirrel giving me Satanic Squirrel Glare. Yes, I'm just mean enough to have chased the naked little bastard away from my feeder.

The Awwwww! :
Akita and kitty love. So cute it'll make you throw up.

Random dog butt.

2009-01-26T14:04:00.000-08:00

Well..random dog tail, rather. Irie's Akita curl.

Shopping links...and Voo Shoes

2009-01-22T06:10:00.000-08:00

Because I'm feeling lazy..and cold..and I still haven't finished cleaning the kitchen cabinets..we'll shop online instead.

I heart shopping here and here.
Lookie here annnnd here. My absolute favorite place.

And on the flip side. Here, too.

Just because he's damned cute in his fleece jacket and boots: Voodoo in Shoes
Give the guy a break...it was -23F.

My perfect balance

2009-01-07T06:46:00.000-08:00

Functional.. and superfun.

Nothing says "mature adult" like pink and white skull rubber boots.

Whoa.

2009-01-06T05:32:00.000-08:00

Last publish date was September 15th.
Maybe not a bad thing, to step away from blogging for a bit.

Same old, same old here in WV! Except we're in the deathgrip of winter. Joy.
Puppy Irie is 72 pounds, still a baby (brindle Akitagirl). Just a Super Sized baby.

I'm already planning next years garden. Seed/flower catalogs get me through Jan and Feb..the two most delightful months in the Ohio Valley.

Lessee...I had oral surgery in November. FUN!
Ummmm..I have to have a CT scan this coming Friday. SUPERfun!
I am happy to report the barium will be oral.
Not thrilled with the whole concept, but given the alternative methods of barium delivery.........pass the barium shake!

I'll gather my thoughts (ahahahhahahaha!) and post a slightly less "all over the place" blog this afternoon.

@#$% Ike.

2008-09-15T08:05:00.000-07:00

Living in northern WV, I should never receive weather warnings in my inbox that contain the word "hurricane". *snarl*
I should never have to think about cleanup from said "hurricane weather". *snort*

The remnants of Ike that tore through the Ohio Valley did make for some gorgeous skies.

The damage..not so gorgeous.
The tip of the iceberg:

Chili dogs and bantha skulls..

2008-09-14T06:02:00.000-07:00

Hot Dog Shoppe? Let's Roll!

Friday evening, I had the brilliant idea to get a local favorite for dinner..Hot Dog Shoppe.
Fake cheese and mediocre chili combine on a hot dog or french fries to create a culinary masterpiece.
Bliss on a steamed bun...or hand-cut fries.
Yes, I know it's fat and sodium galore..preservatives..yadda yadda.
Do you get the feeling I don't care? :)

Because...we're nerdy like that.

"Ridin' Dirty" for LabRat. *teehee*

Mmmmm..that *hack* Ohio *cough* smell! Waste Technology Industries providing brown, chewy air for us all!

A rare OH moose, surveying his domain from atop the ..Moose Lodge.

Masochist hot dog man...he LIKES getting devoured!

Truly, a sight to behold. Hot Dog Man on Weathervane. You can't tell in the pic, but he's spiked through his middle. And he's grinning. And holding condiments.

Lacey, just for you:

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Revolting, 'make you throw up' cuteness

2008-09-10T12:46:00.000-07:00

Things my dogs say

2008-09-09T10:11:00.000-07:00

Well, their eyes say..
or maybe I need meds...anyhoo

Doing some obedience-for-fun stuff with the The Crew today. It started out just working with Irie, but everyone had to come along (like JLo..I have an entourage).
I realized...yet again...my dogs think I'm an ass.

Henry was sleeping peacefully on the chair. I called him to me and asked him to sit, then down. As his *reward* I scratched his chest and shoulders (his "hoooyeah" spots). My cheerful "All done, Henry!" was met with a blank look.
"What the hell was that about?"
"It's basic obedience. It's good for our relationship. Trust me, Henry."
"Trust you? Didn't you once glue your ass to the floor with tile cement? Wake me when you've prepared dinner."

~~
Voodoo is..ah..enthusiastic. About everything. He's almost 2 1/2, and is just now starting to mature.
"Voo, sit!"
"YAY SIT! I LOVE SIT! This one time? Outside? I SAT! It was awesome!"

It's hard to get frustrated in the face of so much joy..yet, somehow, I manage.
~~
Strider is Michael's dog..his canine BFF.
He's wonderful and loving with me, but he's Michael's boy. They eat chips and watch football and MMA.
No.. really.
"Strider, sit!"
"Sure!" *sits* "What time is He coming back?" *wagging*
"Same time as always..Strider, down!"
"Sure!" *downs* "He's been gone a LONG time. I hate weekdays. He is just.....*sigh*. I mean I love YOU, but..He's just amaaaazing."

It figures the easy dog isn't Mine!
~~
Irie is a little over 12 weeks..a total doll.
Right now, she's a bimbo. A complete party-girl. BUT, she did bark fiercely at Intruders last night. Granted, the intruder was a yearling doe in the yard..but still.
She's a bad ass bimbo.
"Irie, down!"
"I totally know Down! Down is superfun! I ..like..heart training! Let's find someone to PLAY! Playing is sooo funnn! If they won't play, I will like..totally..kick their butts! Seriously!"
Oh dear God. My dog is Pamela Anderson as Barb Wire.

When someone lovingly croons to their dog, "Oh Sparkie, I wish you could tell me what you were thinking"..it gives me chills.
The stuff of nightmares, I say.

Feeling Irie

2008-09-07T04:56:00.000-07:00

At some point, I'll grow weary of singing every song I can think of with the word irie..until then, Michael and the dogs suffer.
Our new beloved, Irie:

The whole story is quite odd and *meant to be*.
Michael and I were doing some breed research, thinking ahead to our Next Girl. We lost our German Shepherd to cancer in August.
Talking to LabRat about her wonderful Akita duo, and the breed in general..she said she would ask her breeder about a good kennel in my area.
She had a recommendation, and the dogs looked really good, but not K&K good. C, the breeder, then mentions she has a pup.

Exactly. What. We. Hoped. For.

Things flew along from there and Irie landed at Pittsburgh airport on Friday night. :D
We are elated.

Granted, she's making noises like a monkey in a blender right now (crate training is FUN)..other than that? She's been AMAZING.
I can't thank LabRat enough for setting things in motion.

Gotta buck?

2008-08-23T09:56:00.000-07:00

It’s a helpless feeling, watching someone you love battle Alzheimer's disease. So, I decided to take action. I am participating in a very special event called the Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk®.

I am walking for the more than 5 million Americans currently living with Alzheimer’s disease. I am walking because I can, and because I should.

The Alzheimer’s Association, the world leader in Alzheimer’s research, care and support, is dedicated to finding prevention methods, treatments and an eventual cure for the disease.

I hope to be able to raise at least $500 to support the local Alzheimer’s Association, which provides consultation, information and referral, and support programs to those affected by Alzheimer’s.

I know I can do this with the support of friends like you. Would you please consider making a donation? Please visit my online fundraising headquarters at Team Lolly's Chickadees , to learn more and to make a donation directly online, or mail in a donation using the enclosed pledge form. Please note that checks should be made payable to the Alzheimer's Association, and are tax deductible.

Thank you in advance for your time and generosity. Please ask your employer if they have a matching gift program. They may double your donation.
---
Sorry for the guilt-trippy form letter. But hey, whatever works.

I'm walking in honor of my grandmother..Alzheimer's Disease affected one of the funniest, brightest women I will ever know.

If you're close to Pittsburgh, join our team...we're a good time :)

I've been fighting with the website/sign-up stuff..if the links are screwy, let me know. I just got the damned thing to load!

We're boring...and annoying!

2008-08-19T20:24:00.000-07:00

After dinner, Michael and I were talking about cleaning the kitchen cabinets.
A 20 minute discussion on the best way to clean the cabinets.

He stops and looks at me, "Holy gods, are we boring?"
I froze.."Shit! We ARE boring! We're so boring my hair hurts!"

I think Michael's vacation days are starting to wear on us. 24/7 of..well..US.
Michael and I have been together for 13 years (!). We spend a LOT of time together, when he isn't at work. We like each other. Our differences knock the other out of their comfort zone, and yet we've got each other for a bit of safety net. We're disgustingly hand-holdy and kissyface.
Still...24/7 of anyone. I don't even want to be around ME that much.

I was cleaning our bedroom last night...Michael gathering trash for pickup day.
Michael: What do you do with all the lids from the bottled water?
Me: I lose them.
Michael: How?!
Me: Actually, I'm building a castle in the woods with them. To hide my lover.
Michael: I don't understand how you lose them on the nightstand.
Me: My lover is going to live in the plastic lid castle..and one day..we'll kill you and run away.
Michael: There's no logic.. the nightstand is RIGHT THERE.
Me: Is it still a nightstand in the morning? :D
Michael: exits, while muttering "Oh ..Jesus".

*I edited the sweet, loving part where I told him I was saving bottle lids to stuff them in a body part of his.

We agreed the last 5 days of his vacation should be spent eating great dinners, taking the dogs to the parks in our area and watching movies. No more home repair.

We're heading to a "new" park. I went there years ago..as a teenager..when I was still an Innocent *sniffle*.
To drink with my supercool boyfriend and his band...heh. We would pack up the cooler with cheap beer and spend an evening at the overlook.

Now, I'm packing a husband and 3 dogs..and poop bags. Annnd homemade organic dog biscuits.
I'm really ok with that.

Wild chickens ...and skim milk

2008-08-18T07:39:00.000-07:00

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
with a side of HEHEHEHEHEHEHE!

I think..that is one of the funniest things ever. I nearly died.
"Roaming the streets"..like..thugs? Ahahahaha.
Federal agency?! BAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHA

Moving on...
One part skim milk, to 8 parts water. That's the organic way to deal with powdery mildew. Spray the top and bottoms of leaves.
Seems to be working on the one squash plant affected.
Of course, that does leave the problem of raccoons showing up with their Oreos.

Presque Isle

2008-08-17T15:13:00.000-07:00

Presque Isle State Park in Erie, Pa...easily one of my favorite places.
It's a 5 hour round-trip, but it's an easy drive.

We had a good day on the beach. The dogs LOVE the waves.
Our very first trip to Presque Isle was with Isis. Bittersweet realization on the way there.

Our Amazing Girl

2008-08-14T10:58:00.000-07:00

We chose to let Isis go this morning.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You are loved, Good Girl.

I rested well with you here, your big white head close to my side.

I am glad we could release you from lymphoma and old age...after all you've given us.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Do not stand at my grave and weep;

I am not there. I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow.

I am the diamond glints on snow.

I am the sunlight on ripened grain.

I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you awaken in the morning's hush

I am the swift uplifting rush

Of quiet birds in circled flight.

I am the soft stars that shine at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry;

I am not there. I did not die.

Paint, odd sky and Buddha

2008-08-13T12:17:00.000-07:00

I starting painting our spare room this morning...Michael's *stuff* room/the cats' room/etc.
I let Michael pick the color.
Blue.
Of course.
It's not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. Softer...a Martha Stewart-ish hue.
Should be ok.
If left up to Michael, it would get painted in 2103, so I jumped in and went at it.

The color looks good on Voodoo's tail. *sigh*
~~~~
Very pretty sky this morning, but odd.
Wish I had taken a few minutes to fool with the settings, but I was in a rush.
~~~~
Picked up a birthday gift for my mom. $15 at Walmart. That amused me to NO end.
Buddha don't sell good in WV Walmarts. :D

Works for me, however. $75 at the trendy store where I first found one I wanted (well, my mom wanted).

FINE! Go ahead and pout!
We still aren't stopping for ice cream.

This thing weighed about 7500 pounds, so strapping it in was a safety thing.. and not just amusement. The cargo area of the Vue was full of freaking paint, or the Big B woulda been riding in the back!

How come...

2008-08-08T14:10:00.000-07:00

When you say "I do not like -insert political figure-", most often the person replies "Oh and you think -insert opposing figure- would have done a better job?! At least ExampleA is worried about blahblah!"

Not to be impolite...but shut the fuck up already?
Your opinion is just that...your opinion.

So.. enjoy a big, icy cold glass of ShutYourPieHole and let me have my own misguided political beliefs, ok?
thanxmuch.

Is it...fall in WV?!

2008-08-08T12:38:00.000-07:00

My toes are chilly? What the hell??? Our temp tonight will be 50 degrees. In August?! Global warming my ass.

Yesterday evening, a storm was coming in....STUNNING skies!

We had a brief, hard shower this morning.
(You know, views like this out my kitchen window...makes up for living like a freaking mountain goat on this hillside !).~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nica was yesterday's perfume test.
First sniff:
Freesia was very strong. Never detected musk, which was ok with me.
Later:
YUM. Blueberry/tangerine/sandalwood bliss.
Liked it very much. Not "buy a $150 bottle" liked it, but "wanna buy another sample" liked it.

I smell, part 2- perfume reviews

2008-08-05T05:42:00.000-07:00

Next up:
Tiptoeing Through The Chambers Of The Moon
Yes, I know how dippy that sounds. But, dippy smells damned nice!
--amber, tuberose (and secret ingredients that we are not allowed to divulge).
A tad worrisome? What the hell did I just put on my wrists?

Anyway, to my totally unrefined nose
First sniff:
Amber, for sure..tuberose, strong but not overpowering.
Something under it like sandalwood..?? Very quiet.
Very feminine and lovely, with no hideous powder.

I hate most floral perfume. With my chemistry, they tend to smell like powder and nasty-ass Victoria's Secret perfumes. GAG.
Now, if you wear Victoria's Secret perfume and you like it, more power to you.
It makes my sinuses burn like I was doing lines of Ajax...and, on me, it smells like powdery/perfumed vomit. Don't get all offended if I can't stop sneezing when you walk past. It isn't personal.

Here's a request:
If you wear perfume, cologne, whatever...
APPLY WITH A LIGHT HAND.
Going grocery shopping should not be an exercise in the powers of Benadryl. I don't want to smell you when I pass by (10 feet away!).

Save your scent for your intimates...
and yes I mean your beloved people, not your underwear.

I think Tiptoeing is a keeper. 3 hours on, and I'm still liking it. I just might not use the real name.

Scary, scary pit bull mix.

2008-08-04T19:44:00.000-07:00

Nothing says fierce and terrifying like an 80 pound Pit/Rotti mix in magenta stripes.

I smell.

2008-08-04T14:15:00.000-07:00

I ordered some perfume samples, trying to find a scent that doesn't make my sinuses burn or my head hurt.
Luckyscent has a trillion samples. W, wherever you are...I don't love you anymore.

I got my goodies in today.
I ripped open the package and tried the first one I snagged. Geisha Noire.
First sniff:
Powdery, teenage scent. GAG.
Michael sniffed. Not exactly a scent to drive my man wild
(I do that with baked goods)...especially since he said "It smells..like powder. Girly powder".
After half an hour or so:
Can definitely smell the amber and sandalwood now. STILL offensively powdery. I'm washing it off.

Next Up.. Chocolate Greedy
First sniff on skin.
Oh My God ...amazing.
VERY adult scent. This is not Bonnie Bell Lip Smacker chocolate (which I feared). I can't stop smelling this.
Warm, creamy high-end chocolate...orange peel scent keeps it up and a tiny bit sharp. Very complex, but still feels yummy and decadent.
Vanilla notes are NOT vanilla extract or Walmart candle vanilla...once again, I was worried about that.

~~Update~~
Michael just called me a sexy, expensive dessert. He's standing beside me and has one wrist held under his nose.
I so need a ROFLMFAO emoticon right now. I'll let you know how this pans out..as of right now...

Dayum. This is AMAZING.

Pahhh for Kpants.

2008-08-03T16:10:00.000-07:00

As in pie (that was for my dear Miss K..who thinks I can't say cool, wolf or pool).

Michael and I picked blackberries and peaches today. Voodoo helped. We learned that Llewellin setters (at least ours) have no problem standing on their hind legs and carefully picking berries. Always the perfectly ripe berries.
Michael and I are standing in the brambles, swatting bugs and sweating, while Voo grabs the best ones.

Michael picking, Henry eating:

Picking peaches and blackberries resulted in pie:

note the broken crust on the top right. I snapped. I heart pie crust. Not so big on pies. I know.

I want it made clear, my pie crust was golden brown. The flash bleached my crust. Don't question me.

I would kill for some pie weights. Ya know, in case any of you are shopping for me.
Or, I could get off my butt and buy some.
I have a wish list 39 feet long at several baking sites.
For balance, I also have "new tattoo" ideas bookmarked.

I have a pic of Michael mowing down a slice, but he threatened physical harm if I posted. He's not a good sport.

Muffins, pasta salad and ..stuff

2008-08-03T10:33:00.000-07:00

The garden is doing really, really well.
We have zucchini everywhere. Seriously everywhere. I realized this morning I had forgotten a zucchini somewhere in the house. Found it in the hallway on the windowsill. Yeep.
I've been trying out every zucchini recipe that sounds remotely appealing. If ya got one, please for the love of god, SHARE.
I made muffins this morning:

These are serious, full-bodied muffins. Honey, pecans, and apple pie spice. Very, very good!

Yesterday's early morning vegetables ended up in the muffins and the pasta salad. My yellow bell pepper gives some weird shaped peppers every so often. Ah well. This was what I picked in the morning...yesterday evening I picked a huge batch of stuff.

I hate pasta salad. A lot. Yet, by some warped twist of fate, everyone asks me to make it for gatherings. I don't know why...it's freaking pasta salad. Cook pasta, add stuff. This was 4 lbs of pasta...it got hoovered at a smaller family gathering yesterday.

Now, just some random shots from yesterday.

Voodoo's idea of Bliss:

Strider's idea of Bliss:

One side of my back porch is covered with Cardinal Climber vine...very pretty.

My lovely old girl, and her now constant companion. He knows she isn't doing so well. What a good guy, huh?

The Downfall of Humankind

2008-07-30T11:22:00.000-07:00

I....wow. Huh.
Where to start.

I have a not-secret but slightly shameful addiction.

Fashion and chick magazines. InStyle and Cosmo, for example.
I can't afford 99% of the stuff in InStyle, and I have one too many firing neurons for the stuff in Cosmo. None-the-less, I love 'em.

Until now.

If you're sensitive or delicate...run away now. I may go off.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Yeah, I didn't think anyone would leave.

I just stumbled across an article in Cosmo titled..ahem..:
What His Down-There Grooming Says. Clues to his boyfriend potential.

Yes, I did so say that. His down-there grooming.
Because we aren't grown uppy enough to say pubic hair.

Anyway, after my initial chortle, I made the mistake of reading the arti-- ...er..words (which, by the way, have a little HOT icon next to 'em in the index. Just so you know it's gonna be naaaughty!)

I am absolute NOT going to go into detail on the examples of Manscaping (their word!) and how to read 'em.
Because fucking seriously? EW. Ew ew ew ew ew.
Maybe be a tad more concerned about the 3 restraining orders from ex girlfriends. Or how he has his mom's framed swimsuit photo in his underwear drawer.

Or maybe...MAYBE...he's a pretty typical guy..and just does not give a rat's ass about his pubic hair/its message to the world?!

I have impacted wisdom teeth..so..pretty much anything is pissing me off right now...but..EW.

I know. Supposedly funny, and kinda bad grrrl.
Gag. A. Maggot.

This just kinda stuck me in the not-fucking-funnybone.
I know, I know. What did I expect.
Not that, I tell ya.

My heart goes out to any man with.. ah.."totally untamed" pubic hair.
Just ask if the chick reads Cosmo before you get attached. :|

Salsa recipe for MizB

2008-07-30T07:49:00.000-07:00

* 3 lbs plum/roma tomatoes (or whatever you have around!)
* 2 jalapeños (seeded, if you aren't a masochist like me)
* 1 large sweet onion, sliced
* 2 green onions
* 4 teaspoons chopped, roasted garlic (TicTacs for later)
* handful-sized bunch of your herb of choice
* 1 teaspoon salt (SMOKED sea salt is what makes my salsa the 'party favorite')
* 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (sounds nasty, try it anyway)
* 1 tablespoon lime juice
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
* 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1 tablespoon olive oil

Huge "pain in the ass" version:
Fire up the outdoor grill. If you use propane, make a boat out of foil for wood chips, or use the fancy wood chip metal things. Make sure you take the grate off first.

Clean and prepare vegetables for grilling. I wrap them in a foil packet.

When the grill is hot place wood over coals or gas flame.

Replace grate, and place tomatoes, jalapeños and onions on a hot grill - over hot coals, or low flames.
.
Lightly blacken all on both sides. 10 minutes per side MAX usually works for me.

Place jalapeño peppers, tomatoes, onions and herbs and pulse in a food processor until just coarsely chopped.

Transfer to a bowl, add remaining ingredients and mix well.
------------------
Sam's version:

Get a BIG cast iron skillet good and hot...blacken/roast the damned veggies in the house where the air conditioner is.

Continue steps from there :D
~~~~~~~~~
Makes about 4 pounds. I usually keep a pound to eat within a week and separate the remaining into 1/2 pound baggies and freeze. Thaw (duh) and warm it a little before serving.

Photo, as promised!
I like mine chopped pretty fine (I don't do onion chunks).
Michael asked why I had the camera and a bowl of salsa..hehe

Babble

2008-07-29T20:47:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is my little brother's birthday. I can't believe he's going to be 19. How in heck did THAT happen?!
Got his gifts, and I'm making the bruschetta he wanted.

Spent a lot of time outside in the garden/yard today. My haul included blackberries, peaches, banana and bell peppers, Roma tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini and yellow squash.
I finally feel like the back-breaking labor of planting this stuff was worth it!
Our soil leaves a lot to be desired...things like..oh..dirt. I think we have shale and clay with a fine sprinkling of dust. I'm sure we had the garden center all confused when I insisted (loudly) that I needed, must have, cannot live without 150 pounds of organic, dried manure.
I REALLY confused my uncle when I called and asked if I could have some really fresh horse manure (manure tea). Stinky, but it works wonders.
Hey....I have 4 dogs and 3 cats. I'm not afraid of a little herbivore dung.
~
Michael is impatiently waiting for just a few more tomatoes..the man loves my salsa.
Smoked sea salt..I'm telling you, People. I also skip the cilantro and throw in whatever herbs are taking over the herb bed.

Had the camera while I was pillaging. I do a bastardized Cottage Garden. Flowers by the ton, with veggies stuck in here and there.

On that note, I'm taking my 800mg of ibuprofen and heading to bed. Damned wisdom teeth, anyway!

Friday..Phlox and Dogs

2008-07-25T09:12:00.000-07:00

Phlox, with our foggy woods behind them

The boys enjoying Outside:

My lovely, wonderful old girl:

Storm photo

2008-07-08T20:39:00.000-07:00

In my flustered state, I forgot to post yet another storm photo!
I love the pics I get during these beastly storms..but uh...enough storms already!

Maybe you didn't get the memo...

2008-07-08T19:55:00.000-07:00

Beware the rant!

I am..totally astounded.
A friend of mine is very upset because I won't be home tomorrow when she wanted to drop in.
Pardon me for having a doctors appointment.

I think a large chunk of Humankind didn't get the "It Isn't All About YOU" memo.

The text msg I received said, "Well great. We never see each other, and that's the only day I have free!" She goes on to say that she's having a hard time right now, with the new house they are building and all, so I should try a little harder.
Mmm hmmmm.
I'm sure things are very stressful for her...no debate there.
But, at some point, things are stressful for everyone..and it's all relative to your own situation...
Does that mean we should all cater to everyone, all the time?

No one is catering to our every whim, my dears.
And if they are, WE need smacked around for allowing it! ;)
No, really..we do...all winkie faces aside.

NO one deserves that, no matter how tough their life has been.
Treating someone with extra kindness and tenderness is one thing..that's what we deserve from our fellow humans.
Expecting someone to arrange their life around your big ol' grown-up self?
Yow.

Part of Dear Friends problem is..she's been spoiled and coddled and appeased her whole life.
I've known her for years..since childhood..
If she didn't get her way, she acted like a Raging Bitch. Her family, then most friends and lovers, would quickly change things just to shut her up.
"No" and "do it your damned self" are/were just NOT in her vocabulary.

Weird, what we realize about people we've known forever!

Annnnnd that's the end of my giant rant.
Bless you if you managed to read the whole damned thing!

Deep breath...

2008-06-24T05:52:00.000-07:00

My cousin has been suffering with MS for 25 years...the family called in her priest for Last Rites this morning. She's been in agony for the last decade. Paralyzed almost totally, to the point of being fed by feeding tube for 5 years. Nothing by mouth, at all. I cannot imagine.
Death is very much a blessing sometimes.

My little guy is having surgery today. I'm confident in our vet team, but still scary as hell.
~~~

Feeling pretty calm and centered. Very frazzled yesterday, and then a big storm came through. I felt balanced afterward...odd, huh?

Summer blues

2008-06-19T17:27:00.000-07:00

I've been having a craptastical few days...little bits of this and that...all just piled up. There are some pretty amazingly great things happening, too..don't get me wrong!

I am totally and completely blessed with good friends. Kindness, support, laughter, sisterhood..all those cheesy Hallmark sentiments have been my emotional saving grace of late.
I very much appreciate you, Friends. Bitterly sarcastic and witty, sweet and sunshiny..all of you make a HUGE difference. *kisskisskisskisskiss*

Just a quick check in for this entry, and thanks for getting in touch to see where I've been :)

Dad's Day photos

2008-06-15T15:05:00.000-07:00

Instead of taking the day off, Michael asked if we could take the dogs to the park.

For those that don't know our dogs, that's like asking "Can we give 3 toddlers some meth and take them to Toys R Us?" Well, sure! Sounds like a par-tay to me.

Very good time, aside from it being too damned hot and humid to really hike.
We took the dogs to the woods and into the creek.
Henry tried to eat this:

When the frog took off, Henry went a-hunting.

Even though he's an 82 pound Rotti/Pit/Houndy mix and scares the crap out of everyone..you know he's adorable. Bask in the Stridery Goodness.

Henry (r) and Voodoo, not so patiently waiting
"C'monnn, Naked Ape! S'go s'gooooo" (please god someone get that)

Big giant shock, Michael didn't ask for tacos *faint*
He wanted cantaloupe, havarti and ham panini..with broccoli slaw.

I can't believe it. The man has suggested tacos for almost every meal since we met.

The broccoli slaw is another hot weather staple. I found some organichappyhappy brand..pre-shredded..broccoli, carrots and red cabbage. I cannot leave well enough alone so I toss in a handful of pecans or walnuts, extra carrots and a handful of really freaking sharp cheddar. We love it.

I forgot to toss some basil in the panini this time. They were every bit as good, but I really like that clean, sweet basil flavor. Michael said, "What basil??" *sigh*

Happy Father's Day

2008-06-15T08:02:00.000-07:00

Michael got to sleep in today..in honor of Father's Day. The dogs and cats, you know.

He's also getting Dinner of Choice (tacos), and Dessert of Choice (cherry pie).
Two things I detest.

I sat for an hour pitting sour cherries.
When I first gathered up my pretty earthenware bowl full of cherries I felt like Ye Olde Farm Wife...in a cool, funky, retro way.

Now I'm just pissed off and sticky..
I feel very much like taking him to Taco Bell.

That's my kitchen garden out the window...tomatoes, cucumbers, squashes, herbs..and some marigolds for natural insect repellent. Lots of flowers in there, too. I love cottage gardening.

Very @#$%^ BAD DOG. Kind of.

2008-06-14T07:12:00.000-07:00

Instead of my easy dinner last night, I made pizzas. Grilled pizza is one of my favorite foods..which isn't saying one hell of a lot.

Michael's pizza was ultra meaty and cheesy and sauced to death. Not my thing at all.

My pizza had shrimp, shrooms, olives (black and feta stuffed green), artichoke hearts and a mix of cheeses (Havarti, fresh mozzarella..I had a round of Babybel so that got slapped on there, too).

I make my own sauce..I like it with a little bit of bite. Not traditional pizza, I'm sure. Oh, and I tossed some ground rosemary in my crust. I had a lukewarm reaction to it, so probably won't bother again.
The result was a stringy, olivey mess that had me closing my eyes in ecstasy with each bite.

I made little pizzas for us both. Maybe not *little* by definition, but little considering I usually feel I'm cooking for a family of 11. I don't do small batches of anything. It's a problem.

I left the pizzas on the kitchen table while we had supper.
No, we don't eat at the table. Our meals are eaten where the mood strikes. All part of my *meals should indulge all the senses* way of life.

The Very @#$%^ Bad Dog part.

I'm sitting on the couch, making out with my supper, and I hear an odd dry, slithery sound. In a house of 4 dogs and 3 cats...meh..weird noises abound.
I went back to my book (The Egg and I) and my food. I then hear the weird, snorty breathing of a Llewellin setter with something big clamped in his mouth.
Oh yeah.
You know where this is headed.

Voodoo had my remaining pizza (the dry slither was the crust sliding off the cooling rack)..today's fabulous lunch..and was bringing it to me to "trade for something good".

*gulp*

Now. Here's where it gets hard. Do I freak out and strangle the dog...or...stick with what I've trained and get him something good (bitch, that pizza IS good. What the hell am I supposed to trade up with!? Kobe beef?!).

Michael, the love of my life, made a fatal mistake.
He said, "Well, that will teach us to not leave food out."
Absolutely true, BabyDarlin', but SO NOT THE TIME.

I found something to trade up with. The slice in Michael's hand. teehee!

The moral of the story:
Dogs will be the scavengers they are. Even if you've spent countless hours training. Voo saw an Opportunity and ran with it.
Even more important:

Don't piss off She Who Just Threw Her Fabulous Leftovers In The Trash.

Just wow.

2008-06-13T19:42:00.000-07:00

Very, very dumb girls
I do have sympathy for the lifelong consequences of their dumbfuckery...but wow.
Count your blessings, ladies

Giant, festering ass boils for this man...for all eternity.

I'm taking my grumpy ass to bed.

A little goaty kindness...

2008-06-13T10:13:00.000-07:00

Will score you a gift card for "cleaning supplies" and a thank you card...AND a potential new friend!
A few weeks ago, we had 3 stray goats show up.
Yes.
I did so say stray goats.

Living in SmallTownButInTheCountry, we were able to track down the owners through the little country store owner (ie, Local FBI Operative).

The owners just stopped and dropped off a thank you card..how nice is that?!

You couldn't pay me to live anywhere else! :D

Roots..and what's for supper.

2008-06-13T08:07:00.000-07:00

I spent years and years fighting any hint of WV accent, not admitting the farming/coal mining history in my family...you name it, I fought it.

I feared being a country song.

Years ago, I was chatting with an elderly woman who knew my family. After listening to me talk for a while, she raised her eyebrow and asked, "Where you FROM, girl?".
Holy gods. What a fierce question.

I'm a lot more comfortable in my own skin these days.
Yep, my grandparents owned a huge farm. Yep, my grandpa was a coal miner.
Yep, I barely pronounce L in the middle/end of words. My dear friend K giggled when I said, "Those damned owls are getting started". I'm sure it came out, "Those damned ows are gettin' started."

*Cue Dueling Banjos*

I can pluck a chicken, with speed and skill.
I know when to plant corn, by the size of new oak leaves.

10 years ago, I would have set myself on fire before admitting that.
---
Friday, in my house, usually includes massive housecleaning. As if we've had plague here. No idea why I feel such a drive to have the house immaculate for the weekend, but I do.
We usually errand run and grocery shop on Friday night..dinner is something simple but Weekend Worthy.
Michael asked for "that pasta with the hot sausage":
Penne pasta, with a tiny bit of homemade alfredo, grilled hot sausage and steamed broccoli..hurl it in a bowl and toss it. Instant Michael Happiness.

I'm not a fan, so I'll be eating my summer standby:
Fresh mozzarella, roasted grape tomatoes, chopped kalamata and black olives, and a big handful of fresh basil..tossed in a wee bit of "tuscan something" dressing. I like it on a hunk of fresh, crusty bread. It's really good with grilled chicken in it, too.
I can eat alarming amounts of this stuff..and I usually have a bowl of it in the fridge.

~~~~~
I e-mail pics of really good meals to my friends, with the recipe included. Maybe, ala Brenda, I'll start posting them.

Yeah, we have a good time...

2008-06-12T12:19:00.000-07:00

My definition of "good time" has changed considerably.

Yesterday evening was a "good time". When Michael got home we worked in the yard together and talked, the dogs were out with us.."sun shining, birds singing, flowers in bloom" kind of evening.
I grilled dinner while he watched the dogs swim (our little patio area is by the pool), so we were able to talk and make some weekend work plans.
Just one of those delightful evenings together...cooking supper, doing yard work, bathing a maggot covered dog.

Maggots.

Henry found half a rabbit in the field and rolled his brown and white self in it.
No finer perfume for our canines.
Michael and I gagged and cracked up while bathing him. Our idyllic evening HAD to include maggots, or it wouldn't have been US.
--
Three shampoos later and Henry was back to his handsome self.
Until today:

I laughed long and hard as he dug his mud pit...totally worth the cleanup.
I got some video of him digging and snorkeling in mud...will upload it later.

Photos from today..

2008-06-11T14:11:00.000-07:00

Between the message boards and blog sites, I think I'm going to overdose on pics.....

I forgot to post these earlier (well, here, anyway. They were posted on my other blog):

Someone has to be the skunk cabbage

2008-06-11T07:53:00.000-07:00

I was browsing around this morning, looking for fun applications for this blog.
I added a "What Flower Are You" a few days ago -found on one of my garden forums. Out of curiosity, I changed my answers around to see what else I could be (HEY! Instant personality makeover!)...
All of the options are "pleasant" flowers.

No one wants to be the skunk cabbage or crab grass.

Everyone is a woods violet or a yellow rose.

Charlotte, one of my David Austin roses

Everyone is a monarch or a luna moth..nobody is admitting to being the bot fly.

So that got me thinking... Would I be willing to slap a "I'm a skunk cabbage" link on my page?
Sure!
Everything has its place and function in nature..and for the most part, things are fairly happy in their place, doing their thing. Evolutionary changes don't count, because, that's part of the plan!
Nature doesn't try to be more popular or have X amount on their friends list, more blog hits..or suffer that feeling of "what the hell!?" when their blogs go un-commented.
I'm sure there's an argument out there for nature's "Bigger, Better, Faster" plan ..but you get where I've gone with this train of thought:
Nature isn't about the blog hits, darlin', it's about surviving!

There's one helluva lot to be send for the unsavory characters in nature..foul smelling, invasive, parasitical...they have seized the day and moved forward...embracing their flesh-eating, stinky selves.
----
No sooner than I went looking for some hideous bot fly pic, did I find a quiz that didn't sugar coat my not so charming personality!
Find your Inner Insect

WHEE! I'm a grasshopper!
You are a grasshopper. There's no surplus of social niceties here - the moment you land, you start eating. You are insatiable in every respect; people get tired just looking at you. You know exactly what you want, and you go after it singlemindedly, which is admirable - but the odd "please" and "thank you" wouldn't go astray.

Wait...I dont wanna be a grasshopper..... I'm a delicate butterfly, damn it!

I hope everyone takes note..this delicate butterfly is dining on a squashed toad

I have no *message* for anyone...ooh wait. How about
"Embrace Your Inner Botfly?"

Sleep ...and Jesus Beams

2008-06-10T19:23:00.000-07:00

Run, Sinners, run! It's the Jesus Beams!

*As a young teen, I pissed off several family members and their neighbors by referring to the sun beams in the last pic as "Jesus Beams''.

I meant as in the sunbeams you see in inspirational religious posters. Not as in..alien Jesus beams.
Didn't help that I cracked up for days (years?) over it! Ah well.

We had a big storm roll in...a lot of huge black clouds..very dramatic...and heavy rain. NO hail, thunder or lightning. YAY! The garden is safe.

Anyone wanna come let the dog crew out in the morning? I need some serious sleep..sleep like I got as a teenager. 10 hours of delicious, deep sleep!

Nooo!

2008-06-10T04:45:00.001-07:00

We're under severe storm watch again...and I swear...if the "damaging hail" hits..and ruins the garden *foams at mouth*.
I JUST got every single thing planted and mulched. Give me at least ONE damned vegetable before damaging the garden!
This is WV. We are not known for this insane weather. What the hell happened?!
Tornado watches, microbursts, a week of 95 degree temps in June? APOCALYPSE!

My sunburn feels a ton better! I did deplete Earth of its aloe supply. Whoops. Sorry!
Pardon me while I plug some favorite stuff:
This is Heaven In A Bottle, folks! I have yet to find better sunburn relief (aside from vodka)

I keep one of these in my purse, one in the console in the car, and one by the back door in the pool stuff. My nosie burns fast, damn it.

If you don't mind smelling like this(and hell, who would?!) this stuff is wonderful!

After the Great Sunburn Even of 2005, when I couldn't wear a shirt for 2 days or a bra for 5...I'm an Ocean Potion Madame, whoring their products across the land. They have a spray block I'm pretty fond of, but still heart my Banana Boat Sport spray sunblock.

I'm on FAHR!

2008-06-09T19:45:00.000-07:00

Translation from WV-ese..."I'm on FIRE".

Ow ow ow ow sunburn ow ow ow ow.
If I was a cartoon, I would have those little sizzle lines coming off my shoulders and chest. If anyone caught Reno 911 the other night..I'm Lt Dangle!
SPF 50 is only SPF 50 if you remember to reapply.
*sigh*

I finally got ALL the veggies in/mulched/etc. I have peas to plant for a fall crop, and some lettuces to start. The lettuce is a constant crop, though, so no rush on that.
Now. In theory: We are in the maintenance stage of gardening. We'll just see about that.
I ended up with about 11 more plants than I intended. Hope my family wants some of this stuff.

I reseeded the front yard and in front of the parking space. I need to do it every year, because of The Heathen Four.
I'll reseed the back yard sometime this week. Also, need to decide on what to do with my grilling area. I have 16x16 in path stones under and in front of the grill, but I would like some grass around that spot. Hmmmm. Maybe transplant one of the hydrangeas to that area, on the corner of the house.

I need to go shower, but I am dreading it!

I'm making a new chicken recipe tomorrow..will post that recipe and reviews.
Night, All!

Forgot the Pics of the Day!

YIPE!

2008-06-05T07:34:00.000-07:00

I DO live under an Evil Cloud...

Can you see the scary evil face?!

Really...freakin'...tired.

2008-06-04T20:31:00.000-07:00

Completely ripped off from my other blog, but I'm too tired to be creative:
---
Busy friggin' day.
We took Henry to his holistic appointment...left him for xrays...ran home and took my moms dog for shots...took him home...ran to get Henry...took Henry home...ran to the store...stopped in drug store for aunt J...

I decided to make a few chilled dishes to eat over the next few days. Heat index of 97 tomorrow, and today was only 67. BIG freaking switch.
Made pasta salad and baked some cookies for Michael's lunches, made a shrimp salad-y thing, and some more broc salad (we are living on the stuff).

It has rained for 3 days, so the humidity is 95% or so...lovely.

Michael and I worked outside for 2 hours:
Moved another slew of gladiolus...about 75 plants.
Moved Scentimental rose
Moved the bush delphinium
Moved the Russian sage
Planted a bunch of sunflower seedlings, marigold seedlings, zinnia and calendula seedlings....
Transplanted my poor tomatoes from the Pots Of Death into the ground
Planted a few Goblin gaillardias
Hauled more plants down from Grams' house and planted them (11 daylilies, 2 Japanese peonies and 15 scabiosas)

We are a new and exciting kind of filthy. I had mud smeared on my eyelid.
Michael had some mud in his teeth.

I adore this man..he could probably come home with a dead hooker in the trunk and I wouldn't get mad...
That's my guy snuggling our dog Henry...nothing more studly than that, right? :)

Sooo...chicken news...
I picked the coop plans. Now, to find the perfect spot and get buildin'. My uncle will be giving us 3 hens. That will leave 3 for me to track down.

On that note, I'm going to bed.
One more pic ...from my front porch looking west! Kinda the same view as the pic of Michael and Henry.

Certain Truths

2008-05-29T12:52:00.000-07:00

Here's a few truths about me..most not so pleasant:
-I would rather schedule intensive ob/gyn appointments than paint the trim on my house.
-I am completely OCD about the condition of my house (clean and tidy)..yet..my bedroom looks like that of a 15 yr old.
-I'm part vulture. I can smell and track down dead things with worrisome speed and accuracy.
-Every year I will purchase $30 worth of SPF 597 sunblock..and it sits in the medicine cabinet.

*sigh*

Ow already.

2008-05-28T11:28:00.001-07:00

Spring and summer are absolutely my favorite seasons. Swimming, grilling, fires, hikes.
Coffee on the front porch in the morning, watching the fog in the valley..it's pretty amazing.
All but the yard work...er..property work. Now THAT makes me yearn for a city lot.

I'm clearing brush right now..making a spot for the future hens. Their coop with be at edge of the yard/start of the field. Currently, it's a mass of blackberry canes and hedge rose.
Ow x 10.
My poor legs. I see commercials for "sexy summer skin" and I have to laugh.
Uh...how about scratched, scarred summer skin? Bleeding, scabbed summer skin?
That probably wouldn't sell enough self tanner. (Try clearing brush for 4 hours...that'll put a healthy glow on ya).
I'm dotted with neon bandaids. Michael thought it would help me stop bumping my hurt spots. Actually, I'm afraid I'm banging them more...that neon is damned distracting.

We had...a pig loose in the yard. A really big sow. This, after the stray goat trio.
I don't have the words to express how funny I find this!

My uncle dropped off a bucket of tiny chestnut trees...need to find somewhere to plant them. He also dropped off cucumber plants and some onion sets.
YAY more organic goodies! Boo more digging and rock picking!

I better haul my rear outside...no rain today, and no reason not to be cutting brush!

OH..have an amazing recipe for lemon cake to post later.

I may not be wealthy, or brilliant..

2008-05-27T07:10:00.000-07:00

Or Heidi Klum....

But damn it, I'm GAME!

In our effort to eat and live well, we decided on growing as much organic fruit and veggies as we can. Not so bad, right?
I already have blackberries galore and a peach tree in the front yard.. my mom has apples, pears and plums. We've planted peppers, herbs, squash and tomatoes.
I foolishly commented on how much I missed fresh eggs...and Michael decides I need (yes..I need) chickens "just like you had growing up".
Granted, I loved the turkeys, chickens, ducks and geese we had...I also didn't have the full care of said fowl.
We're talking 6 hens here, not a massive flock, but still.
More Living Beings to care for?!

I'm hoping most of you have never had to clean a chicken coop on a humid summer day...for those that have, my heart goes out to you.
I'm already the plumber, electrician, carpenter, lawn expert, cook, housekeeper, dog-and-cat wrangler, ad nauseum...
This is NOT to say Michael doesn't bust his butt when he's not working..but..he's always working (and I thank you for it, BabyDarlin!).
We'll see how this goes.
We'll also see if I can maintain a manicure while Hen Wrangling. ;c)