Looks Only Skin Deep

Corn......it is a strange vegetable. It grows on cobs but most often you find it in the grocery store off the cob, in a can or a frozen bag. We grew corn last year and it was fabulous I wish we had grown more. This year our corn got off to a poor start. The weather was cold and wet....just not good growing weather for corn. Well it finally got more than a foot tall and kept growing. It did get ears but they didn't look like they were ever going to be very big. A couple of weeks ago Jeff even picked one and shucked it and it looked terrible. He gave it to the "girls"....they wouldn't even eat it. Yesterday I went out to the Garden and thought I should pick that corn because it was going to rain and it would be ruined for sure. It looked beautiful!
Determined Corn!

Success an ear of Corn!

I picked all the corn yesterday. I had to schuck it all because there were little bugs all over the leaves, grossed me out! I think it was because they were so wet. But inside I found these beatiful ears of corn. I was so excited and could not wait for Jeff to get home from his trip to Las Vegas and have dinner. I cooked it my usual way, sat down and was ready to enjoy our home grown corn! I took a bite and there was absolutely no taste.......I asked Jeff what his tasted like and he said nothing......So I guess the saying "Looks are only Skin Deep" even pertains to Corn!

Fushias a Summer Flower

For those who think Fushias are only a Summer Flower. Mine think this cool rainy weather is the best! They have so many blooms!
I wished it was Summer all over again!

I am going to try and winter these but does anyone have suggestions on when I should cut them back and bring them inside. They are so beautiful I hate to do anything with them right now.

Nail Day

Every Saturday is Nail day here at Helsdonia......which means that every dog that is here on a Saturday has to have their toenails ground. Now I have to say they are all pretty good about it but it is not without its challenges. First you do Matt and Hayley who know there is no way they are getting out of this so they just volunteer to be first......might as well just get it over! Maria hides in her crate and comes out only when called.....hoping I might forget her! Toni runs wherever she can run and then I have to say "If I have to come and get you...you are in big trouble" She knows it is the inevitable so she gives up and comes. Burke is another story you have to make sure the door is closed to the outside because she will go to the farthest part of the yard and lay down.....now she is so stubborn there is really no convincing her she is going to be in trouble so you have to outsmart her in the beginning. Sizzle......oh Sizzle she has got the best escape she runs out the dog door and then just peeks in the whole time to see if the coast is clear! That just makes me laugh....no wonder she is such a brat!

Fall Vegetables

This year due to the weather and I think some lack of interest due to the weather our vegetable garden was kind of a bust. It got so bad we just turned the chickens loose in there and they pretty much made a mess of it. Some things did survive and some things actually produced. It is time to clean it up for the Winter and start over next year!

Corn! I am not sure how it is going to turn out. Jeff picked a small one the other day for the girls and they wouldn't even eat it! Now they do like theirs cooked with a little butter and salt on it! What was he thinking!

Finally some red tomatoes! Funny shaped but red!

Pumpkins!

I think these are called Sugar Pumpkins....I got the starts from Basket Gal so I will have to ask her what to do with them?

There are other things out there like Zucchini, lemon cucumbers,carrots and maybe some potatoes (not likely) I have rhubarb to pick also. This weekend's chore list is getting longer and longer!

September flowers

It is about this time of year that I begin to lose interest in watering! This summer of course we didn't have to water like we did the year before but all the same it starts to get that Fall air and I lose interest. It is also the time of year that flowers in pots just seem to have had it water or no water. But I decided this past weekend to venture out into the garden and see what was still blooming. To my suprise there was still many flowers and vegetables hanging on and in need of some water. I drug out the hose and refreshed everyone, turned on the sprinkler and everything was quite happy! Enjoy the pictures!I love flowers!I could post pictures of flowers all day!
But I need to get ready for work. Vegetable Garden next!

Water Lily

As most of you know this past May we put in a pond/waterfall. We have enjoyed it all Spring and Summer and are looking forward to the changes it will go through during the Winter. But the biggest surprise this weekend was the Water Lily! To be honest I have been so busy the last two weeks I haven't got out there much. So Sunday morning out I went to take some pictures of the last remaining blooms (Post to come) And to my surpise out Water Lily was trying to bloom. In just a few hours and with a little sunshine it opened up and it is just beautiful! We have been waiting all Summer and finally here it is.....

Look how cute it is! I think this plant is just amazing, just sits on top of the water and then all of a sudden it does this!

In just a few hours it went from the above to this!

A perfect bloom to end a not so perfect Summer! But there is always next year! Gardners must always have hope.

Shoes vs. Bones

Jeff asks me all the time..."How many shoes do you need?" Now this is coming from a man who has worn the same shoe for the last 10 years! He has two kinds, lace up and slip on.....the lace up are the same shoe but in two different colors and same with the slip on. Talk about someone who doesn't like change. I don't know what he will do if they stop making that style. He doesn't even go shopping for shoes I just go to the store pick up the same ole shoe in the same ole size. How boring is that? Me.....I like change, well at least when it comes to shoes. I love shoes! I could buy a new pair of shoes every week if I could and I would find time to wear them all.

Jeff's shoes.

My shoes.....now I have to admit I have not taken some of my Fall shoes and boots out of the boxes yet.....but some of the sandals will go back in their boxes until next year! And I think there is plenty of room on the floor for more! :)

Sizzle feels the same way about bones as I do about shoes. She has many and can never really decide which one she should chew on....so she just keeps them all out where she can see them. Now at the end of a day the family room, the stairs, the office and everywhere she goes is littered with bones! I Have not been successful in teaching her to put them away yet! Still working on that one.
Not quite as neat as my shoe line but it works for her!

A stray one!

Bringing that one back to the pile!

Decisions...Decisions....which bone to chew on first!

But at the end of the day.....whether it be shoes, bones or just being together we all seem very happy!

Favorite Toy

Remember when your children were little and you were so excited to buy them the best birthday or Christmas gift and all they did was play in the box! I miss those days but Sizzle has found her favorite toy. It was a cheap toy, I think I bought it at the Grocery Store for Grace when she was a puppy. Which was 6 years ago! It was a pink rubber thing with a rope attached to it. Grace loved it! The rope thing is long since been gone but the old pink rubber thing still exsists. Sizzle found it in the bottom of the toy box and it has been her favorite ever since. She has tons of toys some way too expensive but what she loves best is this cheap little toy that has been around forever!

Here it is in all it's glory.....minus the rope tug and a bit chewed!

Ahhh....found it!

I love this toy! You can chew on it.

You can play tug with it.

You can laugh at it!

You can even offer to share it.

But after all that playing the best thing is sharing the couch with your big sister!

Apple pie?

Last year we planted some fruit trees. We were excited to watch them grow. They got a few blossoms last year but that was it. We didn't expect much the first year but we were looking forward to this year and of course this year was a terrible growing season for just about everything. But much to my surprise Jeff came in with 2 Apples from our very own tree! I couldn't believe it. The skin on one is a little wrinkly and one had a dent in it at the stem but we thought they were perfect just the same. I was surprised to see that they are actually the size of a real apple. Not enough to make a pie but when we cut into them and taste them I will be sure to let you know how delicious they are. And maybe next year there will be more. Hurry up Spring because I think Winter is already here.

My Stool

As most of you have read Darcie's post about Mine, Mine, Mine it is true that has been an ongoing fight for years. It first started out rather mild and I always won with the excuse being you don't have a place of your own! It always worked, but I guess she figured now that she is married to a wonderfu guy and expecting my first grandchild that must mean she has a place of her own. The argument got a little tense with Jeff even saying if you take your Mom's stool you are out of the Will. Now it really was all in fun and what Darcie said was true....I was going to hide the stool and not give it to her! You have to understand I have had the stool at my house longer than she and so by all rights it should be mine. It does have her name on it and a date and a really cute little bear but what does that matter. I did have every intention of letting her take it but I was going to fight for it to the end. And actually I knew my dad would make me one if I asked but I had no idea that Darcie had already done that. It was a big surprise when he brought it out and gave it to me. It has my name on it and the year and so now no one can take it from me!

My Stool with my name!
The year it was given to me!
And it's very own place in the kitchen! Thanks Dad and Mom!

September Surprises

I cannot believe it is September 3rd already. In less than 1 month Jeff, Sizzle and myself will be taking a road trip for a brief stop in Topeka Kansas and then on to St. Louis to see Darcie and Anthony. I am pretty sure that Jeff and I will be more excited about this than Sizzle as she still gets terribly car sick. I figure this trip should either cure it or kill her! But on to September Surprises! Today is the 3rd and much to my surprise in the garden.....finally......3 RIPE TOMATOES! They might be small but I hope they are delicious! They are the first red tomatoes we have had all season. I am not sure if it was the weather or if my plants were just not good plants this year. I will for sure look elsewhere next year! Enjoy the picture and try not to laugh but think about Jeff and I tonight when we have them in our salad!

I think they are suppose to be Romas.

Sorry for not posting!

Sometimes in life we are too busy to do the things we enjoy! This has been one of those weeks. It is finally Thursday and soon it is going to be a 3 day weekend. Hopefully I can get back to posting....I will sure try!