5 thing Friday - beer shack, rainy days, easy meals, gallery wall, walking

Way back when, Mark and I used to drive up the road 2 minutes to have a beer at the Whole Foods beer shack and bop around the grocery store. We brought our growler and used to fill it up, then sit on their patio.

The other day I did an Amazon return there (didn't know they had an Amazon desk!) and stopped by the middle of the store to see if the shack was still there.  Lo and behold.  I think I might have found a great place to sip a beer and journal in the middle of the day.

The rain here makes for moody afternoons.

Its nice to have the covered patio while a storm moves in, but I have really been struggling with cloudy day blues.  I am ready for summer and sun and not having 86% humidity every day!  While I was sitting here, small birdies were hopping in and out, looking for shelter.  That's enough rain for now, thanks.

Grocery shopping has been minimal and cooking has been, too.  One night I enjoyed some blackened tilapia, mushroom rice, and corn on the cob.  I had my labs drawn earlier in the week and things look good, so eating at home definitely has health advantages for me.  Still, I am picking very easy things to cook.

The corner gallery is moving along. I shopped my house and found a couple of things to add.

I traced around each one on some kraft paper so I could play with the placement.  Its going to be a process - finding the art I want to add and figuring how to arrange it.

The bunny art got a bit of gold paint, I added a lace heart to the small carved frame, and the MCM frame still needs art. All of these items were thrifted, though there is some art at Hob Lob I am eyeballing.  I will consider this a long-ish term project.  And I need to finish up other projects I've started.

I hate to make excuses, but I just cannot get behind walking or exercising in rainy weather on my days off.  So yesterday was the first time in a long time I was able to get back over to the park track and walk.  However, I have today and tomorrow off and will add it into my morning routine, plus I go in late on Monday so I can walk 5 days in a row next week.

Bring on June!

Gina

Jeannette's Easy Apple Cake

 I had some wrinkly apples to take care of and thought of this snack cake recipe.  Seeing these well-loved handwritten recipe cards is very nostalgic for me.

Easy Apple Cake

2 c. diced apples (I didn't even peel mine)

1 c. sugar

1/3 c. oil

1/2 t. vanilla

1 egg

1 1/2 c. unsifted flour

1 t. EACH baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon

1/2 c. raisins (optional)

dash of milk if batter seems too stiff

The sugar needs to sit on the apples for about 10 minutes to draw out the juice.  But you can get your wet and dry ingredients ready while that happens. (I didn't have raisins to use, so I added in the rest of the chopped dates I buy for my Sunday oatmeal.)

Stir in the wet ingredients first, then add the dry and mix well.  Add a splash of milk if you think the batter is too stiff.  I just happened to have this finishing sugar I wanted to try - so I sprinkled the top of the cake after I poured it into my dish.

If you spray your glass dish with oil, the cake will easily release.

Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.

It doesn't need frosting because its delicious by itself, but I won't come at you for serving it warm with Bluebell vanilla ice cream.  Wish Mom were here to share it with me...

Happy Memorial Day.  I will be at work.  Maybe enjoying a slice of this cake with my lunch!

Gina

5 thing Friday - Kites, parking for Brigid, thrift shopping, books, Sugar

One day as I was sitting on the deck near sunset, I saw these three birds, obviously hunting, and swirling around above my house.  I have really been loving bird-watching back here.  I use an app that helps me identify birds by their calls.  But these birds were mostly silent.

Turns out they are Kites.

They mainly visit this area April through September.

At one point there were three of them sitting on the power lines above my backyard.  Pretty birds!  Come eat all the insects you want!  I fished my binoculars out of the hall closet so I could use them more often on the deck.  Mostly I see Bluejays, White-winged Doves, Woodpeckers, Carolina Wrens, and Cardinals.

We've had a couple of storms here that threatened hail.  So I put on my Big Girl panties, opened the garage door, folded in Brigid's rear view mirrors, and pulled her into the garage for the night.  Twice. Can I overstate how much I LOVE being able to do this?

 

Just for reference: it looked like this for years.  I will never tire of the before and after of this space.  I am most proud of myself when I see where it stands now.  I love coming out here.

I did some thrift shopping this week.  The lamp was $4, glass baking dish $3,  dress $4, framed art was $14 total (before discounts), and the books around $2 each.

I like these authors and consider them palate cleansers for the heavy hitters we have been reading in the book clubs lately.  I am very happy to have rediscovered reading for pleasure!

A little over 10 years ago we lost Sugar - she was 13 years old.  Someone recently asked me if I had a pet photo to add to the wall they are creating at work, so I sent in this one.  She was so lovely.  A quirky old lady cat, who got easily confused, and loved to scream for more wet food just after she puked what she ate.  But a sweet girl who also loved warm laps.  I won't discount owning another cat someday - but for sure I am not ready now.

Gina

Little project: landscape lighting

 I was finally able to deal with this pile of parts to my solar landscape lights.  I had taken them apart and cleaned with some sudsy Simple Green cleaner, then let them air dry on a towel in the garage.  Then I ordered batteries so each one would have the same bright light.  Then they sat in here for a couple of weeks!

When I pulled them up from the landscaping, my little voice said "don't forget the stakes", but I got lazy.  You need needle nose pliers to get those suckers out of the dirt.  This week, I was happy to find all of them, and even a couple from a previous set - still embedded in the landscaping.

I cleaned those up a bit, too, just so I didn't make a mess in my garage.

I gathered everything together to get each one assembled and ready.  I bought some black Gorilla tape for reinforcement, as well.

 A few of the posts have split over the last three years or so.  Probably from me moving them so much, trying to get the spacing right.  Also the Texas heat!

Split or not, I wrapped both ends of all of the posts.  I used the edge of the tape to act as a sort of gauge for the height of each light when I was putting them back outside.  Worked great.

Its hard to see them during the day, but at night, they are lovely.  And all of them have nice bright lights now that the batteries have been replaced and the clear plastic cups cleaned.

The next day I mowed and edged, and the yard doesn't look as sad as it did in the winter.  I still have more weeds than grass, but everything is green.  I also sprayed deer spray on all of the shrubs.  I'm not running a deer buffet over here.

The lights in the backyard work the same way, they are just heavier.  I only have two of them at either end of the deck, and getting them cleaned up was super easy.  They are so pretty at night.  Now all that's left to do is power wash the concrete slab and clean and reseal the deck, and those are on my bucket list for summer.  Once the weather gets too hot, I plan on relaxing out here more than working on projects!

Gina

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