5 thing Friday - Mother's Day, corner gallery, meeting up with friends, yard care, car care

Its been another busy week here, with Mother's Day, book club, a calligraphy class, meeting with friends, and car care, among other things.  Mother's Day was lovely - although I worked all day, the workload was relatively light.  I visited with a couple of sweet co-workers who brought me some treats.  Got messages from my peeps.  Bought myself some flowers, inexpensive perfume, and sweets to come home to.  

But I came home to more flowers and a sweet card added to the mix by The Girl. Later in the week, Scout dropped in with a couple of goodies and a beautiful card.  Awww...the notes they wrote me brought a tear to my eyes!

I moved the shoe bench in order for it not to clash with the coffee table. Since all of the furniture in this room is the same style, the small bookcase came back.  But I want to style this little corner and I have the following two inspo pictures:

I like the combo of shapes here and the way they wrap into the corner.

On this one, I like the art choices and the mix and match of the frames.  I am going to thrift or reappropriate most of the art I get for this area.  Slooowww decorating for the win.

Yesterday I met a friend for our every other month "beer and widow talk" at a brewery halfway between both of our houses.  The miles may be many, but we are managing to stay connected and be supportive of each other.  I get a very different perspective from her, and she from me.  One of the things I am really looking forward to as a retiree is being able to connect with others on a more regular basis.  Whenever I meet with a friend to catch up, the hours seem to melt away.  I will be glad to be on my my own schedule some day!

All the rain has been great for the grass and landscaping in my yards.  They still aren't going to win any awards, but they are neatly mowed and edged.  I have lots to do on the outside of my house, but I am trying to do it one small step at a time.  Especially since its a One Woman Project and it feels like summer is here!  

Brigid got an oil change this morning at the dealership.  I love that they have a cafe with free coffees and treats, and plenty of space to spread out while I wait.  This afternoon, she will get cleaned up inside and out.  Also this afternoon: a little bit of tidying in the landscape rocks, a walk in the neighborhood, a nice dinner, a good book, and an early bedtime.

Happy weekend!

Gina

5 thing Friday - Rusa, landscape lights, reading, unfinished projects, eating in

One of the ladies I work with brought me a Rusa on Monday. 

Holy cow was it good.  It's made with fresh orange and lime juice, chamoy sauce, Tajin, fresh fruit, and citrus soda, topped with a chamoy straw.  A little sweet, a little spicy, very refreshing!  I need to buy the ingredients so I can make these at home this summer - they are delightful!

This week has been all about starting, then stopping, on projects.  Exhibit A are the pieces to the landscape lights.  I washed the spiders and dried mud off and removed the batteries to reorder fresh ones.  The bottom part to the stakes are still sunk in the landscaping.  Part two is to dig those out and reposition the lights.  I will also need to use black Gorilla duct tape to reinforce the pole part of the stakes.  

Also.  You would think the rainy days mean I was getting ahead on the photo album project, but you would be mistaken.  However, I did give it at least three hours this week, and I am currently on album 3 of hopefully only 4.   Its a very slow process involving editing, trimming, and tears.

I have reading to catch up on for book clubs. Which wouldn't be hard but I got a couple of chapters through the top book (When Two Feathers Fell from the Sky) and realized it was meh.  Still, I want to finish it so I can contribute to the discussion.  The next two books are for the clubs that meet at a brewery.  I finished 4 books in April - a lot for me.

(friend me on Goodreads if you are a reader!)

And lastly, sewing - I need to hem one of the new tops I bought recently since it's too long and needs a couple of darts added - otherwise I love the color, print, and fabric. I probably should have ordered a smaller size.  Oh well. Hopefully I can get to that today.

But not before I do some random cross stitiching.

Yesterday I was going to take myself out for breakfast, then I realized I had everything at home to make migas with green chile salsa, homemade refried beans, sausages, and skillet potatoes.  It kept me full until lunch and cost me zero dollars of eat out monies, not to mention time I can spend on leisure activities.

And it was delish.

Happy weekend!

Gina

5 thing Friday - shoe bench, sammiches, rain, yardwork, empty day

Please forgive all of the dark photos - we've had nothing but gloomy days and rain rain rain.  After a few tweaks, I can't make these pics look that much better!

I was tired of the shoe basket in this corner by the front door.  The Shoe Basket was something we started when the kids were small.  It was a way not to play the "hunt for your shoes before we have to run out of the door to school" game.  Instead I now have a nice bench to stow my work/tennies/house shoes, and to sit when taking them off and on.  No more holding onto the wall, ha ha.

I have entered my Sandwich Era.  Toasting the bread with some cheese on top, adding some sliced tomatoes, plenty of Miracle Whip - my kind of lunch or dinner.  Cheaper than takeout, although I'm not sure its all that healthier.  But it gets me out the kitchen fast and makes for fewer dishes to wash.  Wins all around.

During a break in the clouds I took pics of the Wandering Jew in the backyard.

I know its considered an invasive species, but I like it.  I haven't had a lot of time to do yardwork in between storms.  I managed to get it mowed, and even sprinkled some grass seed.  That's about all Mother Nature is allowing right now.

On my "empty day" I took myself to Bertram for a trip to Donut Plus (an old favorite), 

a pedicure (sweet lilac color) followed by yet another sandwich, and a trip to "my" winery.  It was a lovely day, high of 63!, thunderstorms that shook me to my bones as I sat wrapped in a Mexican blanket on their patio, journaling and making plans.  I really don't have many complaints right now, and I will strive to get better at acknowledging that every day.

Gina

Crafty key art

I saw these cute shadow box framed keys at an antique mall in Burnet:

I thought, well, I have some old keys I could use for a craft.  They were on various keyrings of  Mark's so they have sentimental value to me.  Who knows?  They may have been to our first apartment, first house, the Galveston home he grew up in - I have no idea exactly what each one went to, only that they were important enough for him to hold onto.

I didn't have a small frame, but I do have several embroidery hoops.  I laid out the keys I wanted to use: two big keys for parents, four smaller ones for kids.  Six in all, to represent our family.  I stretched some burlap into a hoop, and trimmed off the excess on back. Then I added a dab of hot glue on the back of each key and set them on the burlap.  Done.

I kind of love the meaning here: each person "key" to the family that we built.  This was a very sentimental craft.

Symbolism was always big to Mark, as well.  Two peas in a pod we were.

Gina

Little project: cute curtain for laundry nook

I made a sweet cafe curtain for my laundry nook this week.

I saw this idea on a couple of blogs and thought it would be perfect for hiding the plugs and hoses behind the washer and dryer.  Plus, maybe it would add a touch of boho vibe to the area.

I decided not to hang a curtain to replace the doors to the laundry nook.  I would just be moving it out of my way, and it would bunch up at either end - just like the folding doors did.  Having no doors on this nook has made the hallway look roomier, too.  So I fished around and found some leftover oilcloth from several projects, including seat pads for folding chairs.

Originally given to me by a friend, I loved it so much I ordered the last of it from a seller on Etsy.  It doesn't "drape" as softly as regular fabric, but it is sturdy and splash-proof.  With time I think the fabric will hang nicely.

I painted the bottom half of the lower shelf's brackets so they would be less noticeable behind the tension rod and clip rings combo I planned to use.  I also hung the washer's surge protector on the wall, easily accessed from behind the curtain.

It looks dark in here, but it was such a cloudy day.

There is actually plenty of light in here to see the laundry!  And it looks finished and boho cute.

I like owls, but it looks like I'm obsessed with them, ha ha.

I took down the tension rods near the dryer as they were just visual clutter and I wasn't really using them for more than hangers.  And I love that I have the surface space to fold items, so I will probably leave the top of the dryer clear of clutter.  This was a sweet little project for a rainy week!

Gina

Jeannette's Peach Cobbler

 One of the things I wanted to rescue from Mom's house was her recipes.  I gathered up as many cookbooks as I could fit in my arms, and most of her recipe cards, many handwritten.  An oldie but goodie is this cobbler recipe, which she made fairly often, especially in the summer.  (If you use fresh, peeled peach slices, be sure to add about 1/2 c. water and 1/4 c. sugar to the syrup you make to pour over the peaches. This will sub in nicely for the syrup in the canned peaches)

Jeannette's Peach Cobbler

29 oz. can peach slices

3/4 c. brown sugar

1 T butter

2 T cornstarch

all of the syrup from the can of peaches

1/2 t. each ground nutmeg, cinnamon, ground ginger

dash salt

Biscuit topping: 1 c. flour, 1 1/2 t. baking powder, 1/4 t. salt, 1/2 stick butter, 2 T sugar, 1/4 c. milk, 1 beaten egg.

Preheat oven to 425. Drain the syrup from the peaches into a small saucepan.  Place peaches in a buttered 8x8 baking dish. (I like to cut mine up a little so its easier to take normal sized bites!)  Bring the brown sugar, butter, cornstarch, salt, spices, and reserved peach syrup to a boil.  Let boil one minute.  Pour over peaches.  Combine the dry biscuit ingredients.  Cut in small pieces of butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Add milk and egg. Stir just until moistened.  Drop by spoonfuls over peaches.  Bake about 20 minutes.

Serve warm with your choice of ice cream!  Mom always had Blue Bell in her freezer and loved the old fashioned vanilla.  Every time I make this I will think of her and wish she were here to enjoy a bowl of it with me.

Gina

5 thing Friday - weatherstripping, cobbler, El Rancho, KFire Winery, mornings

 I finally got around to changing out the weatherstripping on the attic door in the hall ceiling.  Took me an hour or so.

One package of this stuff was just enough - about $3.

I also used these small detail sanders to help smoothe out the wood so the adhesive sticks better.

It was painstaking work - someone before had not only used adhesive weatherstripping, but bolstered it with a power stapler.  I scraped and sanded and made a huge mess on the carpet.

But I think I did a good job.

There are a couple of spots that I may add staples to - we'll see.

I made a peach cobbler from an old recipe card of Mom's - I will post it on Monday.  It was so good and really hit the spot!  I enjoyed it with butter pecan ice cream and man, was it good.

On my "empty day" I took myself to Burnet and Bertram - just a short drive from Austin.

I ate at a restaurant that Mark and I visited often, and had an amazing $10 breakfast of barbacoa, beans, eggs, potatoes, and corn tortillas.  It held me throughout the day.

Then in the afternoon I visited a winery in nearby Bertram and joined their wine club!  It has been years since I have visited this particular one.  The wine is good, priced reasonably,  and the owners are very friendly.

It being in the middle of nowhere is a PLUS.  Its time to reclaim things I once enjoyed doing.

I have been heading out to my deck each morning to catch the sunrise.  I get there just after it breaks, and I light a candle and enjoy my coffee, sans creamer.  Its been a very pleasant 5 days off and now I am recharged for the weekend!

Gina