Friday, August 31, 2018

DOA's Monthly Wrapup


Gardening

It was mostly a gardening month.  I'm now looking at a big fall list that includes bringing in all my clay and ceramic pots for the winter, and tucking all of my garden shelves and plastic ornaments into the shed.



Also on the fall list is washing all of the windows and screens.  Someone nearby has a Cottonwood tree that floats little cottony bits out that my screens love to snare.  Also, in the dead of winter, there are those rare bright sunny days and you want every ray of the sun to sparkle it's way right into the house.  My houseplants will thank me.

State Fair

We visited the fair this year, and walked just about everywhere but in the Midway.  I used to like to stroll down through The Midway because there were exciting, thrilling new rides each season.  It was fun to watch them, and hear all the screams of delight.  It seems that the danger days are over.

Book Groups



I joined two book groups, both Mystery.  I really like them both.


Recipes

I only tried one new recipe this month.  It is Chocolate Chip Loaf from the Love From the Oven site.  It was simple, not too sweet, and surprisingly filling.   I need butter on top of any quick bread, and that made it extra lovely.   I made it yesterday morning, and it tasted just as good this morning, sipping some nice coffee alongside it.

https://www.lovefromtheoven.com/chocolate-chip-loaf/

Mine looked pretty much like this picture from the site, so ta da.



Speaking of recipes, I wrote up the new Baking Blogs I've found, but logged out of blogger without saving the configure blog list box.   Zzzzz don't mess with your blog at midnight.   I've fixed it and the links are now all there.

I'm hoping to once again to try one new recipe per week.   I've a nice little stack of printed and saved recipes from various sites.  If I could get myself to rough out a full month's menu, I could get the one per week.

Craft Ideas I Admired This Month

I wanted to note here a couple of neat blog posts from others on my blog list.

From Flamingo Toes, a set of embroidery hoops with a combination of painted/embroidered little houses.  It is so wonderful.  

https://flamingotoes.com/stenciled-neighborhood-embroidery-hoop-art-gallery/



 In My Own Style had a great post on tackling projects large and small.

https://inmyownstyle.com/free-printable-diy-decorating-project-planner.html

It is so hard to know where to start sometimes, and she gives good advice, plus has a project plan template you can use to organize and visualize how to get your project done.   I think it could be adapted to any type of household or craft project you'd like to work on.



This post puts the blog at 26 posts for the year.   As we know, the goal is 100.  I'm planning to make good progress towards my goal in September.

Lots of TV to talk about despite not a single new broadcast television show being of interest to me.

Saturday, August 18, 2018

New to the Blogroll: Baking



As we head into cooler weather, it's time think about baking in earnest.  Warm kitchen, warm house! I've added these new Baking blogs to the blog roll.

Real Baking With Rose 



Call Me Cupcake



Broma Bakery





Hint Of Vanilla






Butter and Brioche









The Vanilla Bean Blog





Sunday, August 12, 2018

The Garden This Week

Another Roaster of a week.  Most garden time was spent watering.  In some cases, apparently overwatering, as many of my tuberous begonias shrank to nothing in their too wet pots.  Oops.


My charming little bird trellis looks great all painted in. 


It's hanging in the shed awaiting it's seed packet display. 


Shed Reorganization

I finished the big blue shelf, but, no picture of it for this week.  It made me think, though, if I am painting all these nice iron pieces, I'm storing them in the shed for the winter.  So I began the shed reorganization I'd normally be doing in September to prepare everything for winter storage.  It's really nice in there again.












Work in Progress

My sister moved and was going to leave an old garden bench behind in her yard.  Eeek, I've never apparently met a garden bench I didn't like.   So I stuffed it in my car, and decided to paint it, let's guess, PINK.

The same dark rose I used on the bird trellis for the legs and arms, and the Candy Floss Pink I used on my milk can for the seat and back.

This is going to take some time getting in all the crannies.



















The Candy Floss goes on light and dries a bit darker.




Saturday, August 11, 2018

Rebus Madness

I had a comment awaiting moderation that asked for the answers to two Rebus puzzles from 2010.  In my initial post, I said the answers would be up May 30th!

https://librariandoa.blogspot.com/2010/05/rebus-puzzle-makers.html?showComment=1533964869407#c1994710498446563145


Yikes, Yikes.  The answer didn't show up till November!!! Sorry!

https://librariandoa.blogspot.com/2010/11/rebus-answers-at-last.html


So there they are, together at last.   I'm more careful now, and write and post the answer the same day I write the puzzle.

Librariandoa

Sunday, August 5, 2018

This Week in the Garden

Less time in the garden this week than the last.  Rain, some crummy virus...bleh.

While scooping the dog's area, I saw this little guy.  Do they predict fall coming early?  Is the all white fuzzy guy predicting blizzards ahead?  Stay tuned.



One of my beans (only one!)  was snipped off, then snipped off some more.  Dastardly creature, stay away from my beans.



See? My Pole Beans (Kentucky Blue Wonder) are ok, and are climbing their teepee.





A new birdbath with a nice sized bowl.  It looks pretty though it's plastic.  The birds and other beasties are really enjoying the birdbaths in the yard this year, so I've been on the lookout for more.  Many are almost flat and hold no water, which defeats the purpose of providing drinking and bathing water.




My tiny cucumber plants continue to grow though I haven't seen any tiny cucumbers on them yet.  They do, as advertised, make a pretty little plant in the garden.



My Big Boy Tomato plant finally has a few flowers on it, meaning tomatoes for meeeeee.  Sometime.



Tiny farm needs a better spot. At least the little animals haven't been carried away by anything.



My little table overturned.  I didn't think it was that windy this week, but I pushed the legs into the soil somewhat after putting it upright again.


Friday, August 3, 2018

Photo Lightening, Just Testing, Nothing to See Here

Ignore this.  I'm testing out photo lightening to see if it's worth the time it takes to do it before posting pictures.

Original     Magnolia Bakery Grand Central Station NYC 



With Minimal Contrast and Light Adjustments


Of course it isn't me in the pictures, I just wanted to get the cakes and things in the shot.