mid-may home doings

We've been deluged with rain again here in the Chicago area. Just like last year, there's localized flooding. My back yard has standing water in several places, but thank goodness our basement is dry. I much prefer the few sunny days we had before all this rain. 

Clementine loves to be outside with me. I sometimes let her out on the front porch and I stand right there and watch her, but after a few minutes, she tries to run away. I found this pet tent on Amazon and ordered it for her. This way she can be safely outside with me. The tent is six feet long, so a nice size. Not sure what she thinks about it though.

I haven't done much in the way of flowers yet this year since we're just now warming up, but so far, it looks like yellow is the predominant color theme. There's still sooo much yard work to be done and more plants and flowers to be purchased.

I'm sprucing up my patio furniture this year with new cushions. I ordered these blue Sunbrella cushions from Target. Love the color!

Now all I need are cushions for the backs of the seats. I picked out two sets of these colorful paisley cushions from Overstock. They have all the summer colors I love and will go perfectly with the blue Target cushions, the red wicker stand on the patio, the red vintage bench that sits nearby, and all the yellow flowers. (I also noticed how dingy this wicker settee is. Power washing is yet another thing on our outdoor to-do list.)

This past Saturday when it was warm and sunny, wet got a nice start on the yard work. We planted the coleus plants in-between all the hostas and ferns in this shady area on the north side of the house. The coleus is tiny right now, but I know from past experience that they fill out beautifully. I might buy a shepherd's hook with a hanging plant on it for this area for some height interest.

Hubby got the tomato plants planted in pots. He mixes potting soil with our own compost. I believe three of the plants are cherry and pear tomatoes (one or two yellow) and one is San Marzanos. We've never planted that kind of tomato before, so I'm excited to see if they grow well. If you are a cook, you probably know that San Marzanos are the best tomatoes.

More spring beauty from a walk around our neighborhood:

I believe both of these are crabapple trees...

An empty lot on the next block filled with blowy dandelions...when I was a kid, I loved to pick these, blow on the fluffy, white seeds and make a wish.

I haven't been doing a lot of baking because I would fill up on sugary goodies, and we all know that's not good for us. But my rhubarb was prolific, so I wanted to put it to good use. And nothing goes better with rhubarb than strawberries. I made a strawberry-rhubarb crisp last week and delivered some to a friend so that we wouldn't eat the whole thing. 😉 This past weekend, I made yummy strawberry rhubarb muffins. This recipe calls for vegetable oil, which I never use, as it's a toxic oil. Please substitute a good baking oil, such as avocado or coconut. If you'd like a streusel topping (and who wouldn't), I used the one found in this recipe. I noticed she has other strawberry rhubarb recipes on her site, too but I haven't tried any of them. 

I just looked at our 10-day weather forecast online and it looks like this Tuesday - Thursday will be the only days without rain or thunderstorms. Ugh! Looks like I won't get all my planting done until June.

Hope you all are keeping well and sane(ish).

xoxo

in my neighborhood

There's a long, winding, hilly road right around the corner from my house that I travel often. It takes me to and from physical therapy twice a week. It's always been one of my favorite drives as it outlines the edge of the State Park, so the scenery is always beautiful.

There's one particular house that I've always loved. It's a beautiful, well-manicured brick ranch set way back from the road. In front, there's a penned in area with chickens, sheep and llamas. Today I decided to park my car alongside the road and walk over and say hello to the animals and take their pictures. Yes, I do talk to animals. I greeted them with an enthusiastic, "Hi, babies!" This is the look I got from the llama.

The sheep had the same reaction.

Spring is still blooming here. It's been very rainy and unusually cool. What a beautiful view these homeowners - and the animals have - on the side of their property.

Off to the side of this property are these antique farm implements. Aren't they interesting? I like how the owners use them as sculptures in their landscaping.

Back at my own home, I don't have llamas, sheep or chickens to say hello to, but I do have three kitties that I always talk to. Sometimes they do talk back in meows; other times they display the "don't look at me" pose. Furry paws = built-in eye masks.

Happy Thursday!

well, hello

 Sorry I've been MIA for a week. No big deal ~ just busy with life. Nothing news-worthy. So, just a random post for now. :-)

 I can't believe it's the last day of August already. I love summer and wish it lasted longer. I know a lot of you out there are excited that it's almost fall and are already decorating for that season. Not me! I'm hanging on to summer as long as possible.

We had fall-like weather last week with the temperatures mostly in the 60's. Leaves are already starting to turn red. The skies were gloomy, the air smelled like that wet blanket of fall, and the neighborhood was eerily quiet during the day with all the kids in school. It was just too soon. Which is perhaps why it's going to be 90 again here all week and the AC is back on.

 I take a walk around my neighborhood most evenings and wanted to share this house with you all. Isn't it cool? I call it the Hansel and Gretel house. Even though I prefer light-filled houses, this one does look like it'd be cozy inside, especially in the winter.

 Master bedroom re-do update...the hardwood flooring is being installed September 11th. I've been touching up the tiny blotches of gray wall paint that got on the ceiling when hubby painted. He used painter's tape, but it didn't work well. And he's not expert enough at painting to do the cutting-in technique. (Not dissing him - I can't do it either!) This trying-to-touch-up is a huge pain. Not as easy as it looks and doesn't work well either. And my neck gets sore from constantly looking up. Let's put it this way: Now I know why we've hired professional painters in the past.

Clementine wanted to help, but I declined her offer.

 

Speaking of kitties, Zippo (on the right) had a senior check-up at the vet last week. He turned 16 in May. He had an exam and blood tests. The blood tests showed slightly elevated BUN and amylase levels which can indicate kidney trouble in cats. A fairly common problem, especially as cats get older, but one you don't want your fur baby to have. He eats a healthy diet, so for now we are trying a digestive enzyme powder in his food. Zippo also has a sinus problem...some fluid in his ear and a tender jaw, so a 1/4 crushed baby aspirin every three days is also going in his food. The vet said this should also help with the arthritis in his back legs. It breaks my heart that he's having these problems. He's been with us since he was about three months old and he is the sweetest, loving, personable cat. I want him to have the longest life possible, but a healthy one, of course. We will do whatever it takes ~ unless he's suffering. Otherwise, he is doing fantastic. He still runs around and plays a bit and has no problems with using the cat box. Now that naughty Monkey on the left...he looks so sweet and innocent snuggled up next to Zippo, doesn't he?

Don't let his cuteness fool you. He's been a naughty boy since day one! He's currently on a waking-mom-up-very-early-in-the-morning kick. And he's very persistent about it. He walks all over me, claws at my covers, rubs his head all over whatever body part is exposed (and if my hand, arm or head isn't exposed, he claws continually at the covers), meows, walks all over the top part of my pillow, jumps on my nightstand and paws at things...and repeat. If I try to push him off the bed, he digs his claws in and won't budge. We can't close the bedroom door - he scratches on it. I even tried squirting him with water from a spray bottle. I hate to say it, but he's umm...rather dumb. He comes right back after I spray him! And then he's all wet and I feel guilty. Sigh. I may have to resort to locking him in the basement at night, but that makes me feel guilty, too because he hates it. He scratches at the door and howls. He's actually destroyed the door from all his scratching. Any other ideas out there from you cat people? Oh - I've done the ignoring thing, too and that hasn't worked either. He's very persistent. 

  

Happy Monday!