Feeling Groovy!

Loving the clouds we've had recently as they helped keep direct sun off the Actinic keratoses (sun related skin damage, a sort of pre cancer) as well as a basal cell cancer I had treated with liquid nitrogen. The daily care is to avoid sunlight exposure! These conditions are not uncommon for Arizona natives, and unfortunately I added to the daily sun assult with active unbathing in my earlier years. It's hard not to get sun exposure here! I walk, garden and stay on my patio swing for hours. What's a girl supposed to do? I'm going to have to be more diligent with my use of SPF 50 UVB/UVA sunscreen. Better late than never. They say these things take decades to show up from sun damage, so I'm paying the price for my earlier activities. Seems the chickens always come home to roost!



It has been such a wonderful spring! The wonderful weather has kept me motivated to stay on track with my walking and hiking routine and the loose clothing keeps me on my diet! Thirteen pounds lost so far, enough to elevate my mood. I AM GOING TO STAY ON THIS DIET!

Look what I found! Tomatoes! Hoping they will ripen before the heat hits. I planted four plants in the garden, looking for the best spot. So, far, that's proven to be my northern exposure block fence area. This area has produced the most beans and tomatoes.

My first "mess of beans" and just enough for me! They were delicious--I added them to my Nutri System mashed potatoes. What a treat!

A great sunset to end another great day!

The Good Life

Clouds rolled in, but it turned out to be a beautiful day on the lake!

My veggies are doing just fine without any help from me! No weeds to pull and the sprinklers are working. I just wait for the right time to harvest. It's hard to leave the carrots alone--this baby stage is when they taste the best!!

Cabbage hasn't produced a head yet, but

the cauliflower can be picked now. However, I am waiting until I have all the ingredients for my famous eleven-vegetable organic soup. The two heads on this plant have purple streaks running throughout. Could the plant have picked up some DNA from the beet seeds that never came up last year? LOL.

Only one broccoli plant this year.

Three heads on this plant.

Ivy geranium plant has new flowers each day!

The wildflower bed is full! I planted lots of seeds--first pack didn't come out so I added another-that didn't come up fast enough for me so then one more and now it looks like they all came up! Should bloom in February, March, April, and a few in May. Can't wait to see all these!

Nasturtiums are looking good as usual. I have pots of these all over!

I'm so glad I planted a few sweet peas in a couple of pots. Something happened to the soil or who knows what, because only about 8 plants came up out of 6 packets of seeds. I always have two long beds full, hope whatever the problem is this time will resolve next season.

I added a few stocks in the sweet pea bed. I love the sweet smell mixed with the alyssum and petunias. Pretty nice life here!

Little Lolly Bee. My little girl. Kids say she has it much better than they ever did! My life sure changed after Hubby brought her home for Valentines Day. She is with me everwhere I go. She now weighs 4 lbs, 6oz.

Brox is now 4 months in this pic. She is the best little girl! Always has a smile-loves her big brother Ryder. Yes, life is good here!

Fall in Arizona

I love this photo so much that I had it enlarged to 11" x 15" and framed. I have three of my favorite lake sunrise/sunset photos hanging on my family room wall.

TurrTull finally went in for the fall/winter season. He just missed his favorite habiscus in bloom.

Remember when I painted this set purple? Well, now it is going on the front patio and it had to match the mosaic wall in progress so it got the colbalt blue treatment. Nothing last around here very long as it is!!

I have so many beautiful sunrise photos I decided to make a photo book of the many I have taken over the past few years. I love my home and I'm so grateful that I wake to such a daily blessing.

Artichoke Flowers

Beautiful artichoke flowers! I have about 6 dried and on display. I just love these flowers, probably more than the artichokes!

Sun rays over my roof line. So beautiful.

Catch Up Time!

My little Lolly Bee loves her new hat! I've tried to get her to wear it for a cute picture, but she wouldn't have any part of it! Of course she is the boss in this family!

I finished cleaning the sweet pea bed and other flowers that were on the wane, and I harvested the last of my vegetables! This year I grew pole beans--the birds only left me a few to try--and they were good. I had quite a lot of broccoli this year. The bedding plants were mislabeled AGAIN as cauliflower--and the lone tomato plant is loaded with blooms and green fruit!

This year's cauliflower wasn't as good as last year's creamy yellow one. I'm planning on having at least 6 plants next year--if I can get something that's labeled right.

Left in the bed is Swiss chard, eggplant and artichoke. The sunflowers surrounding the bed are now over 5 feet tall.

All my annuals are still growing and looking good, although any day now they will wilt and will have to be pulled up. In their place I will plant Vinca plants that will last for all our long hot summer!

Turr Tull came out a few weeks ago and met Lolly Bee for the first time. He didn't stop eating while she sniffed around him, so I guess he likes her. I know they will become best buds!

I planted trailing rosemary on top of Turr Tull's house hoping the roots will help stabilize the dirt on top. The Gargoyle sits on the roof to keep away turtle monsters.

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I'm using this post to catch up for the time that I slacked off blogging: It's been hectic here so I'll explain what's been happening.

Hubby's still in remission--another test in June and we are expecting another good report!!

My grandson's wedding was flawless! The feathers used in place of some flowers were striking-- and everyone loved it! It was a good way to save money too! My deployed grandson acted as best man in absentia. His toast to the bride and groom was recorded on video and played, and there was not a dry eye in the crowd!

I broke my camera yet again--dropping it at the wedding reception. I got smarter this time and bought insurance on my new replacement camera!

My car was towed from downtown Phoenix after it broke down in major traffic--another expense not planned for--but thankfully, I have AAA, and they towed my car home. It's still not running. Hope it's fixable.

A daughter, granddaughter and I celebrated our birthdays in March and April, and there were wedding showers, the wedding and our granddaughter's tryouts and acceptance to the University of Arizona's Pom Line! She was chosen as one of the 22 who will be on the line. Well over 150 tried out, so getting on the line is quite an honor as in incoming freshman. She's a wonderful dancer and has been at it since she was two!

I had mini school pal reunion at my home, and then a sleep over! Just like half century ago!

This month there is my granddaughter's senior graduation, party, and my pregnant granddaughter will be visiting from NC. It will be her last trip home before the new baby arrives.

I'm planning my trip to Hawaii for next month--my graduating granddaughter is being gifted the trip by her parents and all of us go along--just like when our other granddaughter graduated years ago.

After all this, and then going on our annual camping trip means that I should plan on buying all my clothes from Lane Bryant. If I could just say no--but no, I can't! I did start the Sunday morning on a diet but guess who came over on Mother's day with a homemade lemon cake!! I couldn't refuse my granddaughter--she went to a lot of trouble making it and all....

Blooms

It's springtime in the desert! See what's blooming in my garden

LARKSPUR

BLUE ELF ALOE

DESERT SENNA

BAJA FAIRY DUSTER

BRITTLE BUSH

PETUNIA

SOLAR MULTI PLASTIC

ALYSSUM

SNAPDRAGON

DAFFODIL

DESERT BLUEBELL

PANSY

NASTURTIUM

SWEET PEA

NASTURTIUM

IVY GERANIUM

TIDY TIPS

SCARLET FLAX

DAISY

WINTER JASMINE

LOLLY BEE VERSUS GARDEN ANT--SHE LOOKS LIKE THE WINNER! LOLLY weights 1.35 lbs. She loves the garden and swing as much as I do! We are in LOVE with our little girl!

RYDER ENJOYING THE INDOOR POOL

Granddaughter and Ryder (18 months now) will be here the end of March for the wedding of my oldest Grandson! Ryder will be fitted for his tux and Granddaughter will hopefully fit into her bridesmaid dress. I haven't even shopped for a dress as I hope to lose 40 lbs before the wedding. The wedding has been scheduled for quite a long time. But, true to form, I put off dieting until the last 4 weeks! Think I can do it? I only have to lose 10 pounds a week to reach my goal. Of course, I can't even lose two pounds in six months, but this time will be different. Yeah, that's the ticket. Positive thinking. Or is that called magical thinking?