Monday, August 12, 2019

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

24 comments:

easyweimaraner said...

I love this season when summer turns into fall... I wish it would be the whole year like that ;O)

Carol R. said...

Keep an eye on that zucchini! We had a garden one year and went crazy planting all kinds of veggies, including zucchini and summer squash. When they finally came in, we'd pick all we could find in the morning but by the next morning, there was another bunch ready to pick.... some were HUGE! I have two grandsons who live in Wyoming with their mother (my daughter) and I bought the twenty year old gson, the first four in a series of C J Box books; gson said he and his books are quite popular there. Hope your back feels better - that's part of the reason that it takes me forever to get much of anything done.. bad back, arthritis in knees, carpal tunnel... aw heck, I'm just falling apart bit by bit. lol

Rebecca Grace said...

Goodness, your interests are wide-ranging! I need to borrow a page from your notebook because lately, my husband accuses me of talking about nothing but quilting all the time (not true! Just MOST of the time). Hah! Your Christmas hexies are adorable. What size quilt are you making with them?

LA Paylor said...

time will tell, but small enough to go down the center of my dining room table...

Sandee said...

I'm ready for some cooler temperatures, but I'm not ready for winter.

Have a fabulous day and week. Scritches to Milo. ♥

Mary in Boulder said...

Yes, that's Russian Sage. Don't know why it's called that since it blooms like crazy around the Front Range this time of year. Nice to see that you got some fresh veggies from your garden and friends. Using harvests from the garden seems to be a team sport! Hope your back continues to heal.

Tails Around the Ranch said...

While I know some areas of the metro area are getting hit with decent rain showers daily, only about 12 drops have fallen here. Rain makes for tastier veggies. 😕 Enjoy reconnecting with old friends and continue to make progress with your injury.

piecefulwendy said...

What a fun post to read, a little of this and a little of that. I sure hope your back heals soon. I woke up with a sore back this morning, which I think is from quilting a quilt top yesterday. Are your I Love Thursday posts every Thursday? I'm thinking of joining in. Thanks!

LA Paylor said...

yes Ma'am and you'd be a welcome addition! Let me know to add in your link!

Jean said...

That sage bush is beautiful! Maybe I'll try again with some (I had some in the wildflower mess my well-meaning neighbor mistook for weeds). Enjoyed reading your post. Hope you have a great week!

Julierose said...

I've been cooking up that small Italian eggplant --so yummy in a salad...and zucchini, of course. Trying to rest a bit more and take it slower with everything in this heat...hugs, Julierose

Sara said...

I can't believe it is mid August already. Time needs to slow down!! Enjoy your week - lots of yummy things from the garden to look forward to.

Jodi said...

Ooo love the fountain! Love the quilting project! Pretty sunflower! Have a great Monday/week!

Su-sieee! Mac said...

Oooh, I love the Russian sage. We don't have enough flowers for the butterflies, bees, and beneficial bugs.
We're watching Big Brother, too. I'd like to see Nicole win, but I doubt she'd get the votes.
Today while getting bit by fruit flies or gnats, I thought that the Husband and I may need to establish a daily routine of picking up fallen fruit in the backyard.

Molly the Airedale said...

What a beautiful sunflower and it will make a gorgeous painting! Love the scent of fresh basil!

Mari said...

Ohh, I love CJ Box! Have you tried the Longmire books? It's also a series on Netflix, but not as good as the books. Have a great week!

Luludou said...

It's fun when it's time to start eating from the garden! Have a great week

Ann said...

You sound so busy. New friends and old. Perfect.

Sandra Nachlinger said...

Sounds like you've got a lot going on. LOVE the hexies. I haven't tried to make those, but I'd like to.

Angie said...

LA - I envy your eggplant - I love it so. I struggle enough with all the critters that want to eat my garden; I can't imagine if I added vegies to the mix. I know from my time in the working world that the complex long-term tasks get pushed to the side in favor of the short-term get 'er done tasks. I have always found that breaking things down into smaller chunks really helps. Enjoy your week ahead!

Angie said...

P.S. That's not Russian Sage, but I don't know what it is.

Marsha Cooper said...

I love sunflowers and our giant ones didn't grow this year like they have in the past.
I haven't worked on my hexies in maybe 2 years! They are on my list to get to work on again.

Susan said...

Enjoy the bounty from your garden!

threesidesofcrazy said...

Running a lot late this week - just been busy! LOVE the Christmas grandmother's flower garden pieces and your idea of what to do with them. Hope you had a GREAT week.