SUMMER READING

Some were gifts, some are borrowed and some I bought throughout the year. All together I call them my Summer Library. Tomorrow is the last day of school so I will have 83 days to read 11 books which would be at the rate of 1 book a week. There are a total of 3560 pages which means I need to average 43 pages per day. When I break it down to numbers like that it seems feasible, but realistically I'm pretty sure it's not going to happen. I'm not a reader who can skim through paragraphs or read with the TV on or music playing. I need to have a quiet corner and a comfy chair to be able to devour each word. Mornings with a cappuccino on the front porch in my red chair can prove to be productive with few interruptions as long as the mosquitoes stay away. I enjoy reading but I can be easily distracted by mundane things like laundry, weeding, dishes, blah, blah, blah ... but I also get distracted by things like sunshine, float days with the girls, going for a bike ride, beer ... I think you get the picture. As I end this post I'm going to go iron my "last day of school outfit" and do a little "sunshine dance". Happy Summer Everyone!

 

UPDATE: I'm happy to say that after 3 days of summer vacation I've read 202 pages. Phew, I'm not sure I can keep up with this pace. Side note: I think my "sunshine dance" helped a bit ... going to get out and enjoy some right know.

UPDATE 2: JULY 15: I'm happy to say that I'm really enjoying my summer but I've been having to much fun going places that I haven't taken the time to read. I've only totaled 438 pages so far. That's only averaging 12.5 pages per day.

MIXED MEDIA

 

In anticipation of the planting season I decided to fill my planter with my favorite flower, the Black-Eyed Susan. This flower is a wild species that I enjoy seeing in clusters in ditches and fields. To bring it closer to home I used ribbon, jute and wooden beads ... no water needed. To create this framed photo I took a picture of my planter and then toned down the green saturation in Photoshop to make the blue enamel pop. I then sketched out my design and punched holes where the ribbon was threaded. The stem is a simple embroidery stitch and the wooden beads are glued. 

APPLE BLOSSUM

 

Okay so it isn't April showers, but May showers that will bring May flowers and June flowers. Today the rain perked up the spring colors and made the birds sing a little louder. I kind of had the same feeling which translates into I want to go shopping for some bright new clothes and sing really loud to the radio ... just like mother nature meant it to be.

SURVIVOR

 

I’ve heard that if you’re a contestant on Survivor you’re allowed to take one luxury item. Watching Survivor Caramoan I think they all chose to take teeth whitener. In honor of Cochran Outwitting, Outplaying and Outlasting I’ve created a quiz. If I were stranded on Survivor Island what one item would I take with me? What would your luxury item be? (Leave your answer in the comment section below.)

  

A. Diet Dr. Pepper
B. My iPod with over 2000 songs loaded
C. Chapstick
D. An Onion



GRIN

 

What is a toads favorite place to eat?                         ihop

BEER IT

Wine drinkers aren’t the only ones that can enjoy an evening, or afternoon for that matter, of taste testing. Beer drinkers can too with a “flight” of beer. The concept is simple. Choose a selection of beer on tap and begin tasting. A typical flight consists of four to six small glasses, each holding about 4 ounces. In most cases the beer is tasted from the lightest to the darkest to ensure you can appreciate the nuances of the more gentle brew before the more intense and flavorful dark beers. In between tastes, cleanse your palate with pretzels. (Here is where I could explain the “pretzel necklace” but I’ll save that for another day.) For years I was stuck in the light beer rut. Then I decided to take “flight” and began touring breweries and learn more about my favorite adult beverage. A person doesn’t have to travel to far from home to find a microbrewery and since my home state is Wisconsin it isn’t too far for your big name breweries either. So grab your friends, raise your hand if I’m talking about you and a “flight” and see where it takes you. Be sure to have a pilot so your return “flight” home is a safe one. Cheers to Beer!



OLD -VS- NEW

 

As I reach the halfway point of my life, (yes, I'm going to live to be 102), I'm beginning to take offense to the old adage "Out With The Old & In With The New". I realize it's all a matter of perspective but isn't there a comfort in something that you're familiar with no matter how used and worn it is. Today I had to take the plunge and replace the fire pit on our deck. I like my old one better and read a lot of good books, enjoyed a lot of conversation and drank a lot of beer around it, but it was rusty and holey. The fear of the bottom dropping out while enjoying a fire was what forced me to replace it. Tonight I will read a book and enjoy a beer around the new fire pit. I will create new memories and make a wish that when I'm rusty and holey I get repaired instead of replaced before my bottom drops out. Cheers!





WINDOW CLEANER

 

Washing windows WAS my least favorite part of house cleaning until I discovered the best homemade concoction to aid me in making my windows sparkle. Mix equal parts of ammonia, rubbing alcohol and water to your spray bottle and then add a few drops of Dawn dish soap. Shake, spray and clean using paper towels. Honestly .... you will have streak free windows and that is pretty darn exciting. While the sun was shining today I cleaned my windows ... now I have to wait until the pollen season comes and goes and I can do it all over again .... Yippee! Just so you don't think I'm totally crazy, I still like ironing better than washing windows.

GRIN

 What do you call a dog that likes science experiments?                                   A lab-rador!

FINALLY SPRING

The anticipation of sunshine and snowmelt has been a long time coming. With the beginning of spring and a renewed source of energy, I've decided to hatch a blog. What you will find here will be completely random. If you get any enjoyment or entertainment from it, I must have done something right ... if not, I'll try harder next time.