CAUGHT ME OFF GUARD

WANTING TO MAKE A QUICK TRIP TO MANHATTAN meant heading out around one in the afternoon.  As far as I knew the rain wasn't expected until this evening.  By 2:30 there was a downpour while I was driving into town.  A HEAVY rain that made it difficult to see.  Caught me off guard.  Our car windows fogged over and I had to drive slower than usual.  

The streets were flooding which made me extremely tense.  I found a way to Raising Cane's where we ate chicken in the car.  Salad tonight to counter balance the chicken.

Star Buck's Green Tea for our 4 o'clock break followed.  Right on schedule.  Yesterday, I had planned on having Tea @ 4 each day like royalty.🫖  Work this into my daily drama.  

Off to MENARDS for a couple of decorative containers and the hunt was on for LAVENDER.  They had zero.  Drove over to a country Nursery and they had a few small plants of English Lavender which has purple flowers and a Rosea which will have PINK flowers!  I don't believe I've ever seen PINK LAVENDER.  

This huge Nursery was nearly out of Lavender.  Getting close to the end of June and some plants sell faster than others earlier than late June.

LAVENDER must be one of those.

THE TOMATO PLANTS AT THIS COUNTRY NURSERY WERE HUGE.  Almost what I would call MONSTERS.  I have never seen Tomato Plants huge like this.  🍅Eye opening.  Gorgeous to see and I can only imagine what the fruit of this plant taste like.  I'd like to return to this Nursery when I can doddle.  Take it slow and stay a while.  

Noticing the THYME, I debated if I should get some or not.  

Some went HOME with us!  So pretty.  Counting the containers I have already at HOME, I needed two more for herbs so back to MENARDS we went.

All my container pots for holding herbs match.  Want to keep it this way.

On the way HOME, the skies were full of clouds with sunlight streaming down on the golden wheat in the fields.  We stopped so Hunny could snap some pictures of the beautiful Kansas sight.  I can see a oil painting coming on.

When we got back to town, I stopped the car where I know is the half mile marker to HOME and told my Hubby that I would walk HOME from here.  This way I'm pretty sure I got a mile in walking between shopping and this 1/2 mile HOME.  I worked up a terrible sweat that took some time to cool down from.  

NO NAP.  I have to retrain my body to go to sleep at night instead of taking a nap that wrecks my sleep pattern making me stay up until 2 in the morning after waking from the nap.

Back to shutting down around 11 at night and waking around 7 or so.  I've been a night owl for a very long time, but I know I can train my flesh to sleep at a decent hour.  Crack the whip. 

🪴The new plants will get taken care of tomorrow.  I think we have our container garden complete.  🌿In the herb department we have mint, peppermint, cilantro, thyme, rosemary, basil, now two types of lavender.  I wonder if we should have picked up some oregano?

🍅🫑🎃Several types of Tomatoes, 3 types of Bell Peppers as well are in containers.  A couple of pumpkins have been planted in the ground.  Excited about the pumpkins.  It's been probably over 40 years since we grew some. 

Well the creative juices are flowing.  Thinking about how to create flowerbeds with some character in the future.  Giving thought to how to decorate our small COTTAGE and garage. 

Blessings to you,

~d🪴👩

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🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿

🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴

MIDDLE OF THE WEEK WEDNESDAY

YES-SIR-REE, tis the middle of the week.  How am I doing at decluttering, dieting and such?  In some cases not so good and other doings not so good.  At the end of the week, the Dining room table will be completely cleared off and the Pantry completely finished.

The DECLUTTERING has been slow as molasses.  The DIETING is slow as molasses, but seeing a little  progress.  I stepped on the scales this morning and decided the weight I am had made progress.  I understand that slow weight loss is the better kind as it is less likely to bounce back on you.  I never want to be as heavy as I have been AGAIN.  NEVAH.  

Since 2020, I have lost, put on again, taken off again 40 to 50 pounds.  AT present date, it would be 40 pounds.  I lost 50, put 10 on.  Took it off...put it back on.  Took it off and put it back on and took some off.  Put it back on and added more.  A twenty pound battle. Took 12 off.  Working at losing more.  Oh boy, this is tricky.  Come my birthday, I pray that I am 10 pounds lighter.  

The weight I am is still in the obese category.  Oh boy, the day when I can say I AM JUST OVERWEIGHT will be a HAPPY DAY.  When have you heard someone tell you that they were rejoicing because they were finally in the OVERWEIGHT category???  I dreaded being overweight before, but the obese part took over and I felt out of control.  I was out of control and didn't know why.  My weight steadily climbed after I had my thyroid taken out. 

I told the doctors I was gaining weight.  I guess I should have asked the Endocrinologist what to do about this.  My primary doctor told me to cut calories and exercise more.  There was no mention about hormones being out of whack or cutting carbs.  

Gosh....it's been something else. 

The direction of my life has had to change.  Hours of reading about health issues filled my resume.  HOURS that turned into years of it.  

My LIFESTYLE has had to change.  It can be done.  This morning my Breakfast was Cottage Cheese sprinkled with cinnamon and topped with a handful of BLUEBERRIES.  I loved it.  Of course I LOVE COTTAGE CHEESE.  I have no trouble eating it.

The recipes on the internet where Cottage Cheese is used are limitless.  Of course I have not tried them, but have plans to after I get some more COTTAGE CHEESE.  Ice Cream, fudge and cakes galore.  Gluten-free and keto friendly. 

👒👒👒👒👒👒👒👒👒👒👒👒👒👒👒

After I walked yesterday, I heated up being red in the face and burning up.  I slowly cooled down.  I enjoyed the weather and the sights I saw as I walked.  That's a bonus.  NOW to break in some tennis shoes I have.  Before I go walking at the fitness center, I'll have to wear tennis shoes and not my outdoor, everyday shoes.  Plus I need to gather up some walking clothes.  I have plenty of tee-shirts, but no decent shorts or sweats.  Making a plan and sticking to it.  

TODAY, it will be a quick trip to MANHATTAN to get a couple of containers and look for LIVE LAVENDER to plant in them.  I LOVE LAVENDER, so I will boost my spirits having some flowering lavender on my property.  Free to enjoy the beauty.  Eye candy and fragrance to my nostrils.

MIDDLE OF THE WEEK HAPPY

and all is well,

~d

SIMPLY MONDAY

 

I placed sprigs of faux lavender in a metal container.  A surge of satisfaction went through me.  I like lavender and until our real crop blooms, I will have eye candy in my HOME with artificial lavender.  

This metal container with faux lavender is my EASTER present instead of a new dress.  I can't wear this, or at least I shouldn't, but I don't need a new dress this year for EASTER. I'll be HOME this year and will praise the Lord on Resurrection Sunday. 

I like the way my craft project turned out.  Simple and easy to copy.

In the SPRING I think the lighter and softer shades of purple are beautiful. Calming. 

When our real lavender actually blooms, I'll pick some sprigs and insert them in with the artificial to give some real fragrance.

I have a galvanized container that I will fill with shorter sprigs of lavender later.  I know it will be as pretty making a statement. 

For now, I'm enjoying my WALMART sprigs and metal container together.  hmmm. Maybe I should purchase more sprigs to make a wreath for the front door?  Lovely and simple. 

As my Monday unfolded this morning, I walked to the nearby Post Office pulling a small wagon filled with packages for Easter.  Getting outside and walking made for a nice way to exercise my 'ole body.

Lunch was left over homemade pizza with a combination salad on the side.  After eating slowly, I am very contented.  I feel full.  Sipping on spring water.  I'll skip a nap and clear off the dining room table, shake the lace tablecloth and replace it with a soft green quilt for Easter.  

This week I will be handling dishes and glassware from out of the dining room furniture. Box them up and start priming the walls for fresh coats of paint.  I know it will change the feel of the room.  Going neutral will be more down to earth than the dark blue walls.  By the time I finish this project, we will have lived in this house for 4 years.  I have enjoyed my dark blue and white walls the entire time.  The new shade of color will add something to the room.

I have plans of not returning the two curio cabinets into this room.  Getting excited about this change that will take place.  This means I have to rearrange the dishes I will leave displayed. Hoping I can pull this off.

If you are working at redecorating, changing your theme, painting a room, etc.  All the best to you.  May you have more than enough energy to accomplish the task.

Simply Monday,

🏡d  

Lavender Wishes

HOME to cool off.  I walked over to the Post Office placing a birthday card in the mail for my Sister-in-law who will be celebrating turning 60.  

Twas HOT out, but wasn't in it for very long.  Cooling off as I type.

The sky's puffy clouds of white and grey suggest rain tonight.  Not sure.  Could use the moisture to cool things down and water this place.  If it does rain, I'll try to put the patio furniture that is in the screened-in porch outside to bathe.  They need a good washin' since wintering outside.  The dirty porch will get washed this month. 

Quickkly I organized the freezer, t-shirts folded then put away, Barbie dolls relocated, watered the plants, studied up on nutrition, moved some boxes, laundry gathered, etc.  A little here and a little there.  It's ongoing.

Over the week-end we bought 4 lavender plants and will be planting them this week.  Lavender helps keep the pest away warding off mosquitos.  Yep. Around the porch they shall go.

Lavender has a fragrance that last.

Great for sachets, soaps, and room fresheners.

Slowly we are getting things done around here.  Slowly.  I hope to have a small vegetable garden next year in a raised bed.  Knew I couldn't get my act together this year.  Have been giving the flower garden much thought.  When the irises can be transplanted some will moved to line the sidewalk and go in front of the carriage house.  Daylilies will run along the fence.  Small veggie garden in raised bed.

Last Saturday of the month, KSU Gardens has a Iris sale every July.  Hoping for some grab bags.  In past years we did this.  We had so much beauty from the bags, I couldn't have been happier.

Falling in love with yet another lovely plant, 

Lavender.

LAVENDER WISHES.  

Fragrance should be lovely,

d