The Week Ahead... mid august 2019

our garden harvest

Welcome to this week's happy homemaker post!

we set the fountain back up

 The Weather in Aurora
It's summer... in the 90's, chance of rain (pretty much daily) with some part of the day blue skies, some part densely cloudy, some part dry, some part rain. I've been told, it's usually slightly cooler in August, by a few degrees. This bush flowered last week, attracting hundreds of bees and insects, as well as humming birds!

is it Russian Sage?

To Do
the harvest is rolling in here with ripe bell peppers, eggplants, and miracles! a ripening zucchini.
The above pic is two peppers, one with blossom end rot, grrrr, an eggplant and a neighbor brought over his zucchini (he likes to grow vege but not eat them). More about them later in "eating"
sort through the week's art supply purchases
back to the library to return one overdue book (went yesterday but they hadn't sent notice)
mail some things (meaning a dreaded trip to Post Office)
return to chiro for my back? (I'm afraid so)
clear off the kitchen table? (as if...)
Call two friends to catch up, this week. 
Do what I can to sort and clean,  with my recovering weak back
Have you noticed there are daily to do's and there are major goals to work towards... How do you keep moving forward with things?

smell the fresh basil???

eating
we made a lovely fresh pasta sauce with three purple eggplants this week. Onions, peppers, garlic, sliced eggplant, tomato sauce all saute on stovetop over angel hair. VERY good.
I harvested another handful of lima beans, and cooked them in filtered water in the microwave with a bit of salt. There were not a lot of them, but we three shared them and they were incredibly sweet! No butter, just the fresh just picked beans. SO sweet
This week, the white eggplant are about large enough to pick, so I hope to make a casserole with them, turkey sausage, a white cheese sauce and some chopped tomatoes. I plan to slice the zuke my neighbor gave us, and put olive oil and panko crumbs on the circles, and bake them.
(Milo says he expects to get more dog food, oy)

reading
I'm reading the next teahouse series book at night, and listening to Clockmaker's daughter on disc in the studio. Pugmom suggested a new to me author, C J Box and I got his first book on disc to listen to in studio after finishing the Kate Morton book.
I read 8 magazines last week, because I was sidelined with my back, and it felt good to hand them off to neighbors after enjoying the pretty pictures and articles.

watching
We watched the first season of Pitching In (BBC comedy on ACORN) and enjoyed it a lot. The lead was the father actor from Gavin and Stacy, one of our all time favorite shows.
I'm watching Master Chef, and big brother now and then but it's confusing and annoying.
I am having a great romp watching Bachelor in Paradise! More marriages have come from that than the bachelor franchise.
We have moved on to watching a new to us Irish comedy , Joy. So cute! It's going to be fun.
We have to skip around with seasons on youtube but we're trying to watch "Time Team" still
Songland is returning soon, and I can't wait for This is Us as well as my other shows to return

I am still searching youtube online for painting tutorials and TED talks

Making
We went on some car trips this weekend, so I sewed on an old hexie Christmas project, and now want to just finish it. I was going to piece in some hexies to the center but I'm not sure... maybe applique it. I think it would be cute with hexies in white and metallic gold in center, and just quilt it with gold threads.

My neighbor invited me over to meet her college aged daughter who also draws and paints, for a lesson in shading. I had a nice afternoon comparing art and learning more about technique.

I talked to a friend in SC this week, and one of our discussions was about our mutual retirement and recent moves, and what we have for goals artistically. We both want to prepare hand work to take to do while watching TV at night, as we both have a lot to make but tend to not do it if it's not prepped.
Make more art!
I would like to finish some older projects, to paint on fabric more, to get some art projects done to show my group next week. My back spasm has gotten in the way of making last week, so I hope to try again this week.

I'd like to paint a version of this!

That's about it for now. I write a list of things I've liked for the week, on Thursdays, and a paint party post on Fridays. No fiction writing for the summer, but it's in my heart to do soon, as is beading.

I hope to call two long distance friends this week. I called three last week, and talking with good friends raised my spirits so much. Distance doesn't matter when you share your lives with someone!
I also had a call from a neighbor who came over for a visit, and we laughed and talked while enjoying the garden from the porch. It's the relationships in life that make it special, and it's the love we share that makes it meaningful.
Why are we here? Not to fight or hurt others for sure.

Linking to
Esther's blog Wednesdays 
Midweek makers wednesdays
all seasons
design wall Mondays at smallquiltsanddollquilts
Our World Tuesday
happy homemaker monday