Do You See What I See?

 

Early Girl Tomato

It was M who spotted the teeny tiny tomato, about the size of a green pea, today!  But, I got all excited about it!  I guess the tomato plant (Early Girl) is living up to its name!  I do hope that there will be more tomatoes to follow!  

Meanwhile, in the front garden, we have:

Pomegranate Flowers

Pomegranate Flowers

But, no baby pomegranates, yet.

No potatoes, yet, either, but, the sprouting potato I planted in a pot seems to be coming along, nicely:

Potato Plant

Daughter had as restful a night as she could have had with a painful jaw.  I stayed up till after 3:00 a.m., partly to keep an eye on her, while she slept, then went to bed.  I heard her get up at 7:30 a.m. to take her next dose of antibiotics and pain medication, but, I didn't get out of bed and fell back asleep.  She, too, had gone back to sleep and was still sleeping when I woke up later in the morning.  I let her sleep in as sleep helps with the healing.  She is feeling a lot better, today, but, still not fully recovered, of course.  She has a new video game to play, so she's entertaining herself with it while she recovers from the extraction.  

It was another warm day, today, with a daytime high of 94F.  I walked around the garden a bit in the early afternoon to check on the plants.  Even though I had watered the back garden, yesterday evening, some of the plants were drooping!  The garden cats were hiding in their cool spots and I watched a little sparrow hopping around the yard with its beak open due to the heat!  

M came to tend to the garden in the early evening.  He applied fertilizer to the citrus trees, weeded around the tomato plants, and watered the back yard.  After he left, I weeded a little more and watered the front garden.

When I went out to water the front, I saw another bunny!  A little smaller than the white one and a light brown color.  I didn't have my cell phone with me to take a picture (in any case, it was a bit dark by then), but, I hope I'll see it again during the day time to take a picture.  

Afterwards, I practiced the piano and then, made what I called "curry soup" for my daughter for dinner (blended rice, fish curry, and a little chicken stock); she called it Sri Lankan baby food!  LOL.  Earlier, I had blended garbanzo beans (chick peas) with chicken stock, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper for her breakfast and rice, ground beef, corn, and chicken stock for lunch.  I also made another batch of "whipped potatoes" and there is ice cream, etc., as well.  Tomorrow, we will do some fruit smoothies.  

Today, I am grateful for:

- Daughter seems to be recovering nicely
- Another sunny and warm day
- Baby tomatoes!
- M tending to the garden
- Phone calls from family and friends

Today's joyful activity was gardening.

And just like that, the month of April comes to an end!

Plans for tomorrow include more weeding and maybe some housekeeping (laundry, etc.)

How was your Friday?  What are your plans for the weekend?

   

Thursday

 

Desiccated Rose

Today was another warm day, with a high of 96F.  I love the heat, but, the roses don't!  One hot day and the roses just dried up on the bushes!

"Sun Burnt"

Today, I took my daughter to the dentist's to have her wisdom teeth extracted.  The dental surgeon reviewed the CT scan and was a bit concerned because one of the wisdom teeth was rather close to a nerve.  He spoke with me and said he would like to treat her at his other clinic (where we went to have the CT scan done) as it was better equipped to handle more complicated procedures.  I rather like his other clinic as it is less crowded (located in a medical building where daughter used to go to have her eyes checked) and definitely more upscale!  He said to take our time getting there as he had one other surgery to do in the clinic we were in, but, he'll be at the other clinic in half an hour.  

So, I drove daughter to the other clinic and we waited in the nearly empty waiting room until the dental surgeon arrived.  The one other person waiting was called in by someone else and then, daughter was called in.  I waited in the now-empty waiting room, reading my prayer book.  While I was waiting, one other person came in - she was apparently an anesthesiologist who was there to assist in another procedure that was going to be done under general anesthesia!

Daughter's extractions didn't take long as she only had two wisdom teeth extracted, today, after all!  Apparently, because she has asthma, that affected the type and amount of local anesthesia she could receive at one time.  So, the upper and lower wisdom teeth on the right side were extracted today and she is to return in two weeks' time to have the third wisdom tooth removed.  The dentist has said that the fourth tooth should stay in place, as long as it doesn't hurt her, because it is too close to the nerve to try and remove it at this time.  He suggested she had it checked again in the future to see if there is any change because, sometimes, the tooth or the nerve could shift with age.  

On the way home, we stopped at daughter's pharmacy to pick up the prescribed antibiotics and pain medications.

Her appointment had been at 12 noon, so we left the house around 11:30 a.m.  It was exactly 3:00 p.m. when we got home.  Ice packs, antibiotics, pain medication, ice cream, gelatin, and applesauce, etc., in the afternoon for daughter and a bit of lunch and responding to blog comments for me.

Later in the evening, I put water to the back yard and did a bit of weeding.  I had finished weeding the second flower bed, yesterday, but, I took the picture, today:

Weeded Flower Bed

Today, I continued weeding the third flower bed.

Later I made some chicken broth for daughter, but, had to chill it first, because she is not supposed to have anything hot, today.  I also made her some extra creamy mashed potatoes (again, served chilled; it's a good thing she doesn't mind eating cold food) because she asked for something savory.  More ice cream and jello, afterwards.  

In the evening, I practiced the piano, called and chatted with friend R, texted with cousin N who was inquiring how daughter was, and cleaned the litter box.  

Today, I am grateful for:

- Daughter's teeth extraction went as smoothly as it did
- Dental insurance
- Pain medications and antibiotics
- A safe drive to the dental clinics and back
- A working fridge!

Today's joyful activity was spending time in the garden,

Plans for tomorrow include taking care of daughter and tending to the garden with M.  

How was your Thursday?  What are your plans for Friday?

Grocery Shopping on Wednesday

Garden Visitor: Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)

This beautiful butterfly visited my garden, yesterday.  I was surprised at how close it let me get to take this picture.  

Today we've had a lovely sunny, warm day with a high of 86F.  My kind of weather! 

Today, I did another grocery shopping pick up!  We ordered and I picked up: 2 containers of ice cream (1 vanilla, 1 chocolate @ $2.99), instant cups of noodles (@$.49), a package of split peas ($1.69), another half gallon of half and half ($3.99), a box of cream of wheat ($4.99), a smoked sausage ($2.50) to replenish the freezer stock, a bag of egg noodles ($1.19), fresh vegetables (green beans @ $1.99/lb. and tomatoes @ $.99/lb.), fresh fruits (bananas @ $.65/lb., 5 mangoes @$1, and apples @ $1.49/lb.), and a half gallon container of A2 milk (@3.50) for friend R.  In addition to groceries, I bought a couple of health and beauty products for daughter.  The total came to $52.84.

After picking up the groceries, I drove straight to friend R's to give her the milk she wanted and a piece of the sponge cake that I had set aside for her.  Then, came home to put away the groceries (daughter helped to sanitize and put them away).  I cut up and froze three of the bananas and two of the mangoes to make smoothies for my daughter.  I cut up one other mango to make mango pickle for us to snack on, today.

We ate some of the leftover stir-fried shrimp noodles for lunch.  Haven't decided what to have for dinner, but, there is a variety of leftovers in the fridge (just need to cook a little rice, I think).  

Plans for rest of the evening include doing some weeding and piano practicing.  The only plan for tomorrow is taking daughter for her teeth extractions.

Today, I am grateful for:

- A sunny, warm day
- Curbside grocery pick up
- A safe drive to the grocery store and back
- A quick curbside visit to see friend R
- Time spent in the garden

Today's joyful activity was being able to present friend R with the milk she wanted and a piece of cake.  

How was your Wednesday?  What are your plans for Thursday?

Sunny Tuesday

 

Double Colored Rose: Unintended Close Up

The above picture is what I got when I held the cell phone close to the flower and clicked to photograph without being able to see exactly what I am photographing because of the glare!  LOL.  But, I like how it looks!

Double Colored Rose

There, that's a bit better!

Did anyone see the pink super moon, last night?  It was too cloudy to see it, over here, most of the evening and night.  However, just before I went to bed, early this morning, I looked out the window and was able to catch a glimpse of the moon as it emerged from behind one cloud and before the next cloud blocked it, again!  I know it wasn't the full effect as seen when it was rising, but, it still appeared to be larger than usual.  

Today was a sunny day (still a bit cool, though).  I am afraid I didn't do any housework, as such.  Instead, I brought the trash cans in, practiced the piano, took some pictures of the garden flowers, did some weeding, took a very short (15 minutes) nap in the afternoon, watered the back garden, had my piano lesson (a good lesson; S was very happy with my practicing and progress), ordered more groceries for a pick up, tomorrow, chatted with friend R, did the dishes, cleaned Dancer's litter box, and cooked dinner:

Stir-Fried Angel Hair Pasta with Shrimp

I used angel hair pasta in lieu of noodles, the last of the peapods from the garden, three end-of-the-bag carrots that I cut into thin strips, and a package of frozen peeled shrimp (purchased back in February for $5.99).  I added some minced garlic and chili flakes along with soy sauce, a bit of sesame seed oil (mixed with vegetable oil), and a little salt.  I stirred in a bit of chili sauce into my serving just before eating.  There are enough leftovers for another meal, tomorrow.  

I also picked the last two oranges from my tree:

The Last Oranges

I was glad that my daughter was able to enjoy this year's oranges.  Now, we have to wait until next year for more oranges from the tree.

Today, I am grateful for:

- A sunny day
- An afternoon nap
- Oranges from the tree
- Being able to order groceries online
- Time spent in the garden

Today's joyful activity was playing the piano and feeling like I am making progress!

Plans for tomorrow include picking up the groceries and vacuuming.  

How was your Tuesday?  What are your plans for Wednesday?

Monday

Monday has been partly cloudy and rather cool. 

It was another fairly relaxed day.  I accomplished most of the items on my to do list - dusted the living room and dining area, did two loads of laundry, took the trash cans to the curb, did some weeding in the back garden, watered the newly transplanted zucchini seedlings, and watered the indoor plants, as well. 

The pharmacy texted to say that the doctor didn't authorize one of my medication refills, so I called them to find out what was going on - as I suspected, they sent the request to the wrong doctor - the one I haven't seen in over three years!  They have the current doctor's information on their system because I've given them the information, but, we keep having this problem.  However, they said they will send the request for a refill to the newer doctor.  

I haven't been meal planning, lately, but, today, I cooked a mackerel curry, sauteed zucchini, and a cashew curry to have with rice for lunch, and coconut flat bread and chicken curry for dinner.  There are leftovers for tomorrow's meals.  I haven't quite decided what to make for Wednesday - maybe curry puffs or stir-fried noodles.  I'll be making some soup for later in the week.  And that's the extent of my meal planning for the week!

I practiced the piano in the evening, watched news, and a program on TV.  Chatted with friend R, too.  

Today, I'm grateful for:

- Working appliances
- Electricity to run the appliances
- Garden flowers
- Water for the garden
- Relaxed days

Today's joyful activity was spending the day relaxing at home.

Plans for Tuesday include my piano lesson and tidying/dusting the family room.

How was your Monday?  What are your plans for Tuesday?

 

Sunday

Sunday didn't live up to its name!  There was hardly any sun at all!  It was cloudy and cool, with the afternoon highs only in the mid-60s (F).  I took it easy, today, and relaxed.

Neighbor T called in the morning and I chatted with her.  Later, I called friend A and, still later, in the evening, I chatted with friend R.

I didn't feel like weeding, today.  But, I watered the front garden.  I will get back to the weeding, tomorrow.

Later, I practiced the piano.  I have three pieces I am currently working on playing without mistakes and I have a new piece as well (and another piece waiting in the wings).  My newest piece is called River Flows in You by Yiruma.  Something tells me that I'll be working on this one for a long time!  There are too many notes crammed into each measure for my comfort!  

In the evening, I used the spiralizer to make more spiral cut potatoes, but, this time, instead of frying them, I baked them, well seasoned with garlic salt, chili powder, and fresh rosemary I picked from the garden.  They turned out well.  

I also baked a sponge cake using one of my old recipes.  I used to make it all the time, but, then, stopped making it for some reason.  Probably because it calls for the ingredients to be weighed and I was too lazy to pull out my kitchen scales.  The recipe calls for 1/4 lb. butter, 1/2 lb. sugar, 2 eggs, 1/2 lb. sifted flour mixed with 3 tsp. baking powder, 1/2 cup milk, vanilla, and salt.  You cream the butter and sugar until pale in color, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then, add the flour and baking powder mixture and the milk, alternating, a little at a time; finally, add the vanilla and salt (my recipe doesn't specify the amounts) and bake in a moderate oven for about 30 minutes.  Daughter wanted some rose syrup added, but, I added rose water, instead, but I probably should have added more or not put any vanilla, because the rose flavor was very faint.  I baked it at 350F for 40 minutes (30 minutes was not quite enough).   We sampled the cake while still warm from the oven and, later, with some ice cream!  Now I know why I don't bake this cake that much, any more!  One piece is never enough!  LOL!

Today, I am grateful for:

- Daughter has recovered from the vaccine side effects
- Water for the garden
- Chats with neighbors and friends
- Cake fresh from the oven
- Restful days

Today's joyful activity was baking a favorite cake!  Eating some of it was pretty joyful, too!  LOL.

Monday's To Do List:

- Dust (living room, dining area)
- Laundry
- Take the trash cans to the curb for pick up
- Piano practice
- Weed the back garden
- Take a piece of cake to friend R

How was your Sunday?  What are your plans for Monday?  Do you have a favorite cake recipe?

Saturday

Today has been a lovely day.  Cloudy and cool in the morning, but, sunny with a high of 70F in the afternoon, turning cloudy and cool, again, in the evening.  Daughter is feeling much better, today, and almost back to normal.

I started off the morning having a video chat with a good friend, which was very pleasant.  A few years ago, she suggested having an online video chat on my birthday and ever since then, it's become a bit of a tradition to video chat on our birthdays!  The rest of the time, we email back and forth, on an almost daily basis!  Yes, she reads my blog, too.  :)  Today, we chatted for almost two hours.  

Afterwards, I had brunch (cornflakes) and then, headed out to check on the newly transplanted seedlings.  The zucchini seedlings were in need of watering and I was going to water only them and the sweet potatoes, but, then, the fruit trees looked like they needed watering too, and I ended up watering the whole backyard, after all!  

Later, I read the owner's manual for the fridge and read up on cleaning the coils.  It said that the coils don't need to be cleaned for regular household use, HOWEVER, if the kitchen is very greasy or dusty or there is heavy pet traffic, then, the coils should be vacuumed every three months or so!  I don't think my kitchen is that greasy or dusty, and I wouldn't consider one cat to be considered "heavy pet traffic", but, the fridge is about 3 1/2 years old now and I guess I should do some cleaning of the coils one of these days.  In the meantime, I discovered that the air vents on the top of the fridge (according to the manual, cool air enters the freezer from the bottom, circulates to the top and enters the fridge side from the vents located at the top, then, goes back to the freezer from the vents located at the bottom of the fridge (near the crisper drawers).  Blocking the top vents would prevent the cold air from entering the fridge.  Well, guess what?  A bag of coffee was blocking the top vents!  That might be the reason why the fridge hasn't been as cold as before and why the milk has been turning sour so quickly!  I moved the bag of coffee aside and I think the fridge is already a bit colder than it has been. 

In the late afternoon, I practiced the piano for about 30 minutes.

After which, I went into the backyard, again, to do some weeding!  Remember this flower bed from earlier in the week?

Flower Bed: Before Picture

I had started weeding it, yesterday, and I continued weeding it, today.  I weeded for about one and a half hours and this is how it looks now:

Flower Bed: After (View 1)

View 2

I'd say about half the bed has been weeded.  This is another bed that was made smaller as rose bushes died.  But, there might be enough room to tuck in some vegetable seedlings in the weeded area, if I decide to do so.  Maybe something like a few chili plants?

I took a couple of pictures of the type of grass I am weeding from these beds:

Weeded Runner Grass

Long Underground Stolon/Rhizome

The blue stool is what I sit on when I am weeding.

The next step is to break down more cardboard boxes to spread as a weed barrier.  I might use some newspaper, too, if I don't have enough cardboard.  

I managed to find a few sticks to put around the newly transplanted zucchini seedlings:

Zucchini Transplants with Sticks

I came indoors when it got a bit too cold for me to be out in the garden (around 6:30 p.m.), had a cup of tea, watched some news and a documentary about L. Frank Baum (author of the Wizard of Oz books), had dinner, chatted with aunt C and friend R, and texted with cousin N.  Afterwards, I cooked some chicken I had kept to thaw and did the rest of the dishes (daughter had washed some of them).  Overall, it has been a very nice day.

Today, I am grateful for:

- Daughter is feeling much better

- Technology that enabled me to video chat with my friend
- Her friendship over the years
- Being able to garden
- Clearing the fridge vent seems to have helped!

Today's joyful activity was video chatting with my friend.

Plans for tomorrow include more weeding (I'd like to finish that flower bed), watering the front garden, and piano practicing.  

How was your Saturday?  What are your plans for Sunday?

Gardening on Friday

Cornflowers/Bachelor's Buttons

The one cornflower plant has several flowers blooming on it, now.  I am hoping to collect some of the seeds to plant elsewhere in the garden, next year.  

Today was another cloudy, cool day.  I watered the back yard and started to weed one of the other flower beds.  Very slow going and I need to find some more cardboard boxes to put down there, once the weeding is done.

When M came to tend to the garden in the early evening, I asked him to plant the four sweet potato slips I had rooted.  We planted them in the area near the side wall that I had weeded, earlier.  There is room for the vines to grow and it will be easier to dig up any sweet potatoes that might actually grow:

Sweet Potato Slips

Then, we thinned out some of the zucchini seedlings that are growing around the peach tree, spaced about four inches apart:

Zucchini Seedlings

There are twelve seedlings, altogether.  We kept the majority of them in place until they are a little bit  bigger, but, removed four of them. 

Zucchini Seedlings After Being Thinned Out

The four plants that were thinned out were transplanted in the flower bed I weeded, earlier in the week (the one with two rose plants and new nectarine tree).  M just cut holes directly in the cardboard and planted the seedlings:

Two of the Transplanted Zucchini Seedlings

I've been instructed to water them every day for the next several days.  If all these zucchini plants grow and produce, I will have an abundance of zucchini!  So far, that has never happened to me!  The most zucchini I have ever harvested have been two!  

Tomorrow, I will need to place some sticks around the transplanted zucchini plants, because, already, one of the garden cats have decided that the cardboard makes a good bed:

Making Sure No Weeds Grow!

Today, I am grateful for:

- Cool, cloudy days for gardening
- M helping with the garden
- Cardboard boxes for weed control
- Water for the garden 
- Pretty flowers to brighten up the garden

Today's joyful activity was gardening.

What are your garden plans?  

Grocery Shopping and Stringhoppers on Thursday

 

Stringhoppers and Pol (Coconut) Mallung

Thursday was a gloomy, rather cool day (highs in the low 60s). 

Daughter was feeling a little better, but, still headachy and fatigued.  She took the day off from work and rested.  

I walked around the garden in the morning and checked on the plants;  the pea vines are all but dead, but I managed to pick about five or six small peapods.  I'll add them to the others I've picked this week and make a stirfry over the weekend.

In the early afternoon, I went to pick up the groceries.  Again, no waiting or delays at the store and, this time, they had everything I ordered!  I bought:

2 boxes frozen chicken potstickers/gyoza @ $6.99
1 can cream of celery soup @ $1.59
1 package flour tortilla @ $2.99
1 box raspberry flavored gelatin mix @ $1.99
1 jar dry roasted peanuts @ $2.19
2+ lb. bananas @ $.65/lb = $1.44
1.7 lb. grapes @ $1.29/lb. = $2.19
1 cucumber @ $.99
2 trays (family packs) of chicken thighs (buy 1 get 1 free) = $10.49
2 lb. pack ground beef = $8.98
1/2 gal. half & half @ $3.99
1 doz. large eggs @ $2.89
10 lb. bag potatoes @3.99
Total = $57.70

Some of the items, like the gelatin mix is for daughter when she has her wisdom teeth extracted (yes, all four of them!), next week!  The canned soup is to replace the one I used when I made the ham tettrazini, last week, but, it can be made into a soup, too, if needed (I'm planning to make her some homemade chicken soup, as well or some other soups which I will blend for her and, of course, mashed potatoes).  The potstickers (dumplings) are in lieu of meals out, but, they are also soft enough for daughter to have once her gums have healed a bit.

Daughter helped me to sanitize and put away the groceries.  I froze the package of ground beef without portioning it.  Each tray of chicken held 12 thighs.  I froze the contents of one tray and four pieces from the second tray, in portions of four pieces each.  I cooked the remaining eight pieces from the second tray and made a chicken curry with them.   

Later in the afternoon, daughter and I received a delivery of stringhoppers and coconut mallung (grated coconut cooked with turmeric, onions, curry leaves, and other spices), compliments of friend R!  She had ordered some for herself and some for us!  How very kind and considerate of her!  She is truly a blessing in our lives.  The person who delivered them (the husband of the lady who made them) delivered my portion first as I am located on his way to R's apartment; I sent R a container of bread pudding and some curry leaves through him.  I also offered him curry leaves any time he needed them; he was very appreciative of the offer.

I had eaten leftover waffles with the last bit of the old chicken curry for breakfast and daughter had the leftover gyoza (potstickers).  But, after I made the new batch of chicken curry, daughter and I enjoyed a late lunch of stringhoppers, chicken curry, and coconut mallung.

After lunch, daughter took a long afternoon nap!  I debated doing some gardening, but, it was so cold and gloomy, that I didn't feel like doing anything.  Instead, I, too, took a nap!  A shorter one than daughter, though!  But, daughter said she felt much better after her nap, so, obviously, she needed it!

In the evening, I practiced the piano, although, currently, I am having a bit of a struggle with it.

Dinner was more of the stringhoppers with chicken curry, etc., although there were other choices in the fridge.

Speaking of the fridge, I think I need to figure out a way to vacuum the coils.  I feel the fridge is not keeping the food cold enough and, probably, the coils are full of dust and cat fur!  I've never vacuumed the coils before and the instructions say to unplug the fridge before you do anything else.  But, in order to unplug it, I need to pull the fridge out of its spot between the wall and the kitchen cabinet.  It is a side-by-side fridge/freezer and I am not strong enough to pull it out by myself (or, even with daughter's help).  I might ask M if he can pull it out for me.  Or, do you think it will be safe enough for me to vacuum the coils (which I believe are located under the fridge) while it is still plugged in?  Has anyone vacuumed their fridge coils?  Do you unplug the fridge before you do so?

 On Thursday, I was grateful for:

- Friend R treating us to having a meal delivered to us
- Curbside grocery pickup
- Receiving everything I ordered
- Daughter feeling better, especially after her long nap
- A safe drive to the grocery store and back

Thursday's joyful activity was taking an afternoon nap of my own!  LOL.

Today, Friday, is another cool and cloudy day (high of 64F).  Daughter is feeling well enough to work, today. I practiced the piano and watered the back yard.  Did a tiny bit of weeding in the front and chatted on the phone with neighbor T who called with a question.  I am expecting M, later in the afternoon/early evening, to tend to the garden.

How was your Thursday?  How is your Friday coming along?    

Wednesday Update

Another Cornflower/Bachelor's Button

Daughter fell asleep on the sofa, yesterday evening and slept for about four hours!  Then, of course, she couldn't fall asleep in the night!  She was experiencing some side effects from the vaccine, so I stayed up with her until nearly 5:30 a.m. and then, went to bed.  Woke up at 7:00 a.m. to check on her - she was fast asleep on the sofa, with the overhead light on.  I turned off the light, had a snack as I was feeling hungry, and went back to sleep!  Woke up midmorning and daughter was still sleeping!  I was glad she had taken the day off from work so she could sleep in and rest.  

It was an overcast, cool day.  The sun never made it through the cloud cover, all day!  An ideal day for gardening as it wasn't sunny and hot!  I deep watered the fruit trees in the back garden and watered the vegetables.  Something (a rabbit?) has removed all the new flowers on my cosmos plant!  The old, faded flowers are there, but, the new flowers have been neatly bitten off the stems!  Not a single petal on the ground, however.  It's like someone cut off the new flowers!  Very curious!

After I watered the garden, I made waffles for brunch.  After brunch, I went back out to the garden and started weeding.  It took me another hour and a half or so, but, I finished weeding that flower bed:

Finally Weeded!

Once upon a time, this bed looked more like a large circular flower and was planted with several rose bushes; as the roses began to die and weeding an empty bed became a chore, I had M make the circle smaller and it became more lop-sided than circular!  Currently, there are two rose plants (I really can't call them bushes as they each have only a couple of canes on them!) and the nectarine tree growing in this planting bed.  But, now that I've weeded it, I think I might have plenty of room to transplant some zucchini seedlings or, even plants a few green beans in the middle area.  After I weeded it, I put the flattened cardboard down to keep the weeded area covered.  The rocks are there to hold the cardboard down.  It's quite unsightly, isn't it?  But, it can be covered with some bark mulch, later.  

Weed Barrier Cardboard In Place

The Pile of Grass that was Weeded

There are at least two other flower beds waiting to be weeded!  These are the before pictures - the flower bed I weeded looked a lot like these do:

Awaiting Their Turn - Bed 1

And Bed 2

Bed 1 has four rose bushes and a huge osteospermum growing in it while Bed 2 has three rose bushes and a buddleia (butterfly bush) growing in it.  Once properly weeded (the grass growing in them is a type of Bermuda grass, which spread on long, underground stems or rhizomes; it's a pain to dig and pull them out), Bed 2 will have room for another couple of zucchini transplants or maybe some other plants.  

After I finished weeding for the day, I made tea and watched some news.  Then, I practiced the piano for a bit.  Today, I felt rather discouraged with my progress, or should I say lack of progress?  Later, I cooked dinner (bacon cheeseburgers), browned the rest of the ground beef to make curry puffs another day, and made a bread pudding to use up some bread ends that were in the fridge.

Daughter was feeling very fatigued and sore by evening, today, and took an ibuprofen.  She felt better after that.  She thinks she will feel well enough to work, tomorrow, but, she'll see how she feels in the morning.  

We also put in another grocery order for pick up, tomorrow.  We ordered more half and half (the container we bought last week turned sour, today!), tortillas, bananas, grapes, a cucumber, more chicken and some ground beef, a packet of gelatin (for when daughter has her teeth extraction, next week), potatoes, and another box of frozen potstickers.  Hopefully, we'll receive all the items we ordered.

Today, I am grateful for:

- Daughter was able to take a day off to rest
- Her side effects aren't too severe or unusual
- Ibuprofen
- Good weather for gardening
- What I was able to accomplish

Today's joyful activity was completing the weeding of one planting bed.

Plans for tomorrow include going to pick up the groceries, doing the vacuuming I didn't do today, and maybe more gardening.

How was your Wednesday?  What are your plans for Thursday?

Vaccines and Other Happenings on Tuesday

Tuesday was sunny and relatively warm, although cooler than Monday (a high of 72F).  Daughter had taken the day off from work, so we both slept in a bit.  Then, we drove to the pharmacy for her second Covid vaccination.  The vaccination went well and while she sat and waited for the 15 minutes of observation, I looked around the drug store and bought a small bag of cat food for Dancer (a blend for indoor cats, it said).  

After we came home, I made us a salad for lunch and turned on the TV to watch the news.  But, I didn't watch the news for long because daughter received an email that required her immediate and full attention and I didn't want the news to be a distraction.  It took daughter all afternoon to deal with the issue raised by the email and, as a result, she couldn't even rest and relax after her vaccination.  

Later in the evening, I had my piano lesson.  Afterwards, I made a quick dinner (frozen potstickers/gyoza to the rescue!), washed the dishes, chatted with friend R, and exchanged emails with a friend.  No gardening, today, but, I will water the back yard, tomorrow.

Today, I am grateful for:

- Vaccinations and their availability
- A safe drive to the pharmacy and back
- Weekly trash collections
- Piano lessons
- Frozen foods!

Today's joyful activity was taking daughter to get her second vaccination dose.

Plans for Wednesday include watering the back garden, weeding, piano practicing, and vacuuming!

How was your Tuesday?  What are your plans for Wednesday?

More Weeding on Monday

I spent another couple of hours in the garden, this evening, weeding in the back yard and watering the front!  Ideally, I should garden in the morning, but, for one reason or another, I seem to end up gardening in the evening.  It doesn't really matter when I garden; I am just glad that I feel up to gardening.

It was a warm and sunny day, today, with an afternoon high of 86F.  I spent a relaxed morning responding to blog comments, reading other blogs, practicing the piano when daughter took a break for lunch, etc.  In the afternoon, I did my Monday cleaning (dusted the living room, etc.) and read.  Later, I watched news and knitted.

Then, in the evening, I gardened, took the trash cans to the curb, let neighbor S's husband borrow my recycling bin, cooked the chicken I had put to thaw, ran the dishwasher, practiced the piano a little more, and chatted with friend R.    

All in all, it was another good day that was nicely balanced between housework, gardening, and relaxing.  

Today, I am grateful for:

- A sunny, warm day
- Being able to open the windows to let in the fresh air and breezes
- Time spent in the garden
- Water for the garden
- Garden flowers

Today's joyful activity was spending time in the garden.

Plans for tomorrow include taking my daughter for her second vaccination dose.  Her appointment is at noon.  In the evening, I might or might not have my piano lesson, depending on S's schedule.  She will call and confirm, tomorrow afternoon.

How was your Monday?  What are your plans for Tuesday?

Sunday

It was a warm and windy day, today.  I spent a fairly relaxed morning and afternoon, chatting with friends, neighbor T, and cousin P.  Later, I did a little housework, watched the evening news and knitted a bit; I finished the back of the sweater I am knitting.

In the evening, however, I was very productive!  I watered the back garden, staked another iris flower stalk that had fallen, and did some weeding.  This time, I started on one of the circular flower beds with rose bushes at one end and the newly planted nectarine tree at the other end.  This whole bed had been overgrown with grass.  Back when I wasn't able to do much gardening, I told M to just weed-whack the grass in the flower beds, because he didn't have time to weed them.  He dug up and cleared a spot for the nectarine tree and we covered the center of the bed with cardboard.  Today, I decided to weed that circle.  I weeded for almost 1 1/2 hours and barely made a dent!  But, I will continue to keep weeding until that bed is done.  I will then cover it over with cardboard and probably cover the cardboard with a layer of mulch.  Or, maybe transplant one or two of the zucchini plants there.  

After I came indoors, I did two loads of laundry, did the litter box, and cooked dinner - ham tetrazzini - using egg noodles, a can of cream of celery soup, milk, a little bit of mozzarella cheese (recipe called for cheddar cheese which I didn't have), onions, green peas, and ham.  It turned out quite well.  Brunch had been leftovers from last night's dinner, followed by a salad, a little later.

Today, I am grateful for:

- Phone chats with family, friends, and neighbor
- Water for the garden
- The new gardening gloves
- No damage to the house or garden from the strong winds 
- Working appliances

Today's joyful activity was spending time in the garden.  

Plans for tomorrow include more weeding!

How was your Sunday?  What are your plans for Monday?

Tomato Cages and Other Garden Delights

Eileen had asked for a photo of the tomato cages that M bought for me, so here they are:

Tomato Cages

Sticks around the pepper plants

They are wire rounds, smaller at the bottom and larger at the top, held together by 3 (or is it 4?) metal rods, the ends of which are set into the ground.  They are meant to provide support for the tomato plants as they grow so that the plants remain vertical rather than sprawl on the ground, not to deter attention from garden cats.  I might still need to poke some sticks around the base of the plant to discourage the cats.

In the meantime, the zucchini seeds have come up and the first true sets of leaves are starting to form:

Zucchini Seedlings

I will have to thin them out a bit.  I'd like to transplant the seedlings I thin out, but, I will wait until later, next week, to do so, because we are supposed to warm up to 90F on Monday and it might not be the best time to transplant them!  It's supposed to be a little cooler, later in the week.

Nearby, the avocado seedling I grew from a seed is coming along, nicely:

Avocado Seedling

We've a long way to go before we can even think about picking avocados from it, but, the leaves are supposed to be edible, used as a culinary herb or to make a tea, so, maybe I can harvest a few leaves once it grows big enough to have a few leaves to spare!  Right now, I am leaving all the leaves in place to produce food for the plant!

Nearby, the double colored rose has another bud opening:

Double Colored Rose Bud

I really need to weed the rose beds, one of these days!  The grass roots migrate to the flower beds because I water there.  

I've been seeing lots of butterflies in the garden; the majority of them are the white cabbage butterflies, but, every now and then, I've been seeing swallowtail butterflies.  I haven't been able to photograph them, however (my cell phone camera leaves a lot to be desired!)  But, today, this Western Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio rutulus)  obliged me:

"You are too well camouflaged, Butterfly; it's hard to see you"

"Oh, that's much better, Butterfly!  Thank you!"

I was reminded of the time when I saw this Giant Swallowtail butterfly a couple of years ago.

One of the things I've been doing in the garden has been collecting all the small rocks and stones that keep coming up when M digs in the garden.  There are a couple of spots on either side of the back steps where there is bare ground and the grass hasn't been growing.  I have started to place the smaller rocks and stones there to help cover the bare spots.  I've a bit more to go on this side and then, I'll probably put a little soil on them to fill in the spaces between the stones.   It's sort of what I want to do in the side yard, too, eventually, although I will need to buy a load of stones to put down, there, not to mention proper weed barrier! 

Stone-scape?

Today, I woke up early to watch the news coverage of Prince Philip's funeral.  Then, went out into the back garden to take the pictures and do a little gardening.  I dug up and transplanted one of the small asparagus ferns to the side yard - I hope it will grow there.  Later, I picked some chard and beet greens and watered the front garden.  I cut up and sauteed the chard and beet greens, added them to some cooked "noodles" (angel hair pasta) and had that with chicken curry for dinner.  

Today, I am grateful for:

- Television
- Butterflies in the garden
- Tomato cages
- For all the plants in the garden
- Phone calls with aunt and friends

Today's joyful activity was being out in the garden, tending to the plants, enjoying the sunshine and the birdsongs.

Plans for tomorrow include watering the back garden and maybe some weeding.

How was your day?  Do you grow tomatoes?  If so, do you use tomato cages for your tomato plants?  

Doctor's Appointment on Friday

I had my doctor's appointment on Friday afternoon.  The freeway going to downtown was bumper to bumper!  Traffic was definitely back up to pre-Covid levels!  I was glad I had allowed myself plenty of time to get to my appointment!  As it was, I got to the clinic right on time!  The appointment went well.  My weight had remained more or less the same, but, my blood pressure was good, my blood sugar level was good, and the lab test results were all good, too.  I am to return in July for another check up.  I received my next appointment and the blood test orders for that visit and came home.  

Daughter made me a salad for lunch when I got home.  I had just finished eating when M came to tend to the garden.  He checked on everything, laughed at my caution tape cat barrier, and told me I needed to water more often and more deeply!  So, I watered the garden while he pruned an asparagus fern that was overgrown and was trying to take over the garden!  It's not something my mother or I had planted.  I remember my mother trying to remove it, but, it keeps coming back!  It was growing over the star jasmine vine and trying to climb up the curry leaf tree!  I asked him to cut it all the way to the ground and he did.  I have two other smaller asparagus ferns growing in the garden (again, volunteer plants) that I will keep for now.  He also pruned the curry leaf tree that is growing closest to the house, in order to allow more sunlight to reach the bed where the okra seeds were planted.    

M also bought me two metal tomato cages for the tomato plants!  So I pulled out the makeshift stick ones and he put the proper cages in place.  LOL.  The pepper plants still have the circle of sticks around them.  

Later in the evening, I watched the evening news and cut up some green beans to cook for dinner.  Daughter cooked them for me while I practiced the piano.  Later, she baked some cornbread for dessert.  Dinner was rice, chicken curry, sauteed green beans, and peach chutney.  

Still later, daughter played "make up artist" and did my eyes for me!  LOL.  I rarely wear make up, these days, but, today, I put on some eye make up when I went to the doctor's appointment.  When I mentioned it to daughter, she said my eye make up had been so light that she hadn't even noticed.  Then, she brought out some new make up she had received as a gift and did my eyes in a more dramatic fashion, with eye shadow, liner, and mascara!  Never let it be said that we don't know how to entertain ourselves!  LOL.

Today, I am grateful for:

- The blood test results were good and the doctor's appointment went well
- A safe drive to the clinic and back
- M helping with the garden
- Proper tomato cages!
- Having daughter home and spending time together

Today's joyful activity was playing "beauty salon" with daughter!  

Plans for tomorrow include more gardening, piano practicing, and maybe some housework!

How was your Friday?  What are your plans for Saturday?

Grocery Shopping on Thursday

Thursday morning, I spent a little time out in the back yard, checking on the plants, etc.  The green beans are starting to sprout!  I think M planted 24 beans and only about 6 have germinated, so far, but, hopefully, the others will come up in the next day or two.  A second iris flower stalk has started to bloom, but, the first stalk, with a couple of flowers on it, had toppled over!  So, I found two more sticks and staked the flower stalks. 

In the early afternoon, I went to pick up the groceries we had ordered.  I didn't receive a text message about substitutions, this time, but, when I arrived at the grocery store, I was notified that they didn't have the salmon fillet I had ordered or the tray of chicken thighs.  Instead, they had substituted a smaller pack of four chicken thighs and I was asked if that would be acceptable.  I said it was.  

This was my second grocery pick up so far in April.  I did a grocery pick up on April 2, to stock up on coffee (on sale for $5.99) and a few other items, including some snacks, salad dressing, salmon, fresh produce, and milk/half and half.  The total for that trip came to $74.05. 

Today's grocery shopping included 1/2 gallon milk, 1/2 gallon half and half, a package of chicken thighs (4 thighs), a packet of 6 plain bagels, one more packet of coffee (because I've started drinking coffee with daughter!), fresh produce, a deli pizza ($5), and a 1lb. package of bacon.  The bacon was on sale for $3.77 with club card and digital coupon; $4.99 without the coupon with only the club card and $9.99 without club card!  A long time ago, my price point to buy bacon was $2/lb.  More recently, it was $3/lb.  But, I figured that, under the circumstances, $3.77 was acceptable.  Bacon is not something I eat a lot of, but, every now and then, I do enjoy having it with scrambled eggs or pancakes.  It is an occasional treat and will become even more of an occasional treat if prices keep going up!  When we put in the order, the estimated cost was shown as $90, but, the actual receipt showed $62.26.  I anticipate I'll need to do at least one more grocery pick up, later this month.  

Daughter helped me put away the groceries and I baked the pizza for our lunch.  Fresh red grapes for dessert.

After lunch, I took a nap on the sofa!  Later, daughter made me a cup of coffee and I watched the evening news and knitted for a bit.  Afterwards, I watered the front garden and practiced the piano.

Later, I cooked a chicken curry and rice for dinner (there were leftover vegetables to go with them, as well as peach chutney).  Fresh raspberries for dessert.

Today, I am grateful for:

- Curbside grocery pick up
- A safe drive to the store and back
- As always, being able to afford to buy groceries!
- Time spent in the garden
- Phone calls and emails from friends

Today's joyful activity was spending time in the garden, tending to the plants.

Tomorrow, I have an appointment for a regularly scheduled check up with the oncologist, to go over the blood test results, etc.  My appointment is in the afternoon; I should be back home just in time for M to tend to the garden.  

How was your Thursday?  What are your plans for Friday?

New Year Celebrations

Roses for my Mother

April 13 and 14 are when we celebrate the Sri Lankan cultural New Year.  It is known as Sinhala and Tamil New Year because it used to be celebrated mostly by these two major ethnic groups, but, almost everyone in Sri Lanka celebrates this event, so I prefer to call it the Sri Lankan New Year.  I've written about it in previous years (here, and here, for example) so I won't go into details about it, again.  It is a holiday in Sri Lanka.

But, it isn't a holiday over here, and daughter had to work, today.  However, I did my best to mark the occasion with a small celebration.  I picked fresh flowers from the garden - jasmines for the altars and roses to place next to my mother's picture on the mantelpiece.  Then, I cooked kiribath (milkrice) and seeni sambol (spicy onion relish) for brunch.  

It was a chilly, cloudy day, today.  I spent the afternoon reading blogs and playing sudoku, etc.  In the early evening, I watered the back garden and did a little more weeding, in the side yard, this time.  I had put down flattened cardboard boxes in the side yard in an attempt to control the weeds and it is working for the most part.  However, a few weeds had found a few openings where the boxes left some gaps and they were coming up!  I managed to pull most of them.  

Afterwards, I tried to make a barrier of sorts to discourage the garden cats from trying to dig around and fertilize my tomato and pepper plants:

Cat Defense

   

Tomato "Cage"

June, over at Live and Learn-Toss and Turn, has posted pictures of the beautiful fences her husband and son had built to protect her raised beds vegetable plots.  Now that's what I need for my vegetable garden!  Proper raised beds and sturdy fences!  But, that's a "someday" project.  

In the meantime, I collected some sticks and placed them around each plant to deter the cats.  When I ran short of sticks, I broke a few branches from the curry leaf tree and used them, instead.  I am particularly proud of my tomato "cage" made of three sticks tied together with a long strand of runner grass stem that I had weeded, earlier!  LOL!  Is that natural and organic or what?  

The tomatoes and peppers are planted next to the bed with the green beans and I noticed that a few of the beans have started to sprout!  The tomato and pepper plants were an after-thought!  Otherwise, I would have asked M to make the bean planting bed a little wider and planted the tomatoes and peppers in the bed.  Maybe something to consider for next year!  Or when we plant the next cool weather crop!

Meanwhile, the wildflowers are enjoying the cooler weather:

Mixed Wildflowers and Irises

Bachelor's Button or Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus)

Later in the evening, I watched news, practiced the piano, and spoke with friends A and R.  Daughter and I also placed a grocery order to be picked up, tomorrow.  

Dinner was rice with leftover chicken and green beans stir fry.  

Today, I am grateful for:

- Being able to celebrate our New Year with daughter, this year
- Flowers from the garden
- Being able to order groceries online for curbside pick up
- Water for the garden
- Chatting with friends

Today's joyful activities include celebrating the New Year and gardening.

Plans for tomorrow include picking up the groceries.

How was your day?  What are your plans for tomorrow?

Blood Tests and Piano Lessons

Tuesday was a very overcast and cool day (59F when I woke up and a high of 64F in the afternoon).  I am afraid it might be too cold for my okra to germinate!

I took it easy in the morning, responding to blog comments, reading other blogs, etc.  Then, I went for the blood test.  My appointment was scheduled for 1:00 p.m., but, I still had a 20 minutes wait!  The waiting room was full (only 6 people are allowed at one time to keep the required social distancing) and I waited out in the hallway, but, that was a bit crowded too, with the overflow patients.  After over 20 minutes of waiting, I was called in, even though there was one other person ahead of me in line (I was told that they were waiting for a fax from that person's doctor before they could attend to her).  The blood test, itself, went smoothly.  My favorite lab technician attended to me and we chatted for a few minutes (she was the one who gave me her phone number on a previous visit and told me to call her if I needed any groceries picked up, etc.)

Came home by 2:00 p.m. and ate brunch (I had gone fasting for the blood test; I had a granola bar with me to eat in the car, if I needed to, but, preferred to come home and eat).  Then, read and relaxed for a bit before practicing the piano.

My piano lesson was at 6:00 p.m.  I was given an A+ (no stickers, though, unless I give myself one!) on the theme from Godfather, Hedwig's theme, and an etude.  I still need to work on the minuet from the last lesson.  Today, I received two new pieces: Minuet in D Minor by Leopold Mozart (I think; the title and composer's name are in Russian on the sheet music that S photocopied for me) and Arabesque by Johann Burgmuller.

Daughter had leftover rice and curries for dinner; I was not very hungry after having noodle soup for brunch, so I had a toasted cheese sandwich.  I also made some fresh fruit salad with an apple, a plum, an orange, a handful of blueberries, and some cashews for us to share; I added raisins to my portion only because daughter doesn't like raisins.  

Later, I chatted with friend R.

I'm afraid that I didn't get through my To Do list, today.  I will have to be extra productive, tomorrow!  

Today, I am grateful for:

- A safe drive to the lab and back
- The blood test went smoothly
- Medical insurance
- S teaching me to play the piano
- Working appliances

Today's joyful activity was playing the piano.

How was your Tuesday?  What are your plans for Wednesday?

Productive Monday

Another Rose

I've had another productive day, today.  A relaxed morning, during which I replied to blog comments, etc., and walked around the garden for a bit.  I picked three oranges from the tree.  The oranges are coming to an end; there are maybe 3 or 4 left on the tree.  After those are gone, there won't be anymore until next year.  I also did some dusting and two loads of laundry.

In the late afternoon, I took my daughter to get her dental CT scan done.  It didn't take long and they gave the results on a CD which daughter dropped off at the dental clinic on our way home.

After we came home and daughter made me a cup of coffee, I did the rest of the tasks on my To Do List - cleaned the fridge, took the trash cans to the curb, practiced the piano, and ran the dishwasher.

Brunch had been fried rice.  For dinner, I cooked a chicken stir fry with green beans served over rice:

Dinner:  Chicken and Green Beans Stir Fry over Rice

There's enough of the stir fry left for tomorrow's dinner.  I haven't been making any meal plans, lately, but, we've been eating well.

Today, I am grateful for:

- Daughter's dental scan appointment went well
- A safe drive to the clinic and back
- Oranges from the garden
- Roses
- A productive day

Today's joyful activity was picking fresh oranges from the tree.

Tuesday's To Do List:

- Blood test

- Dust family room and my bedroom

- Put away the dried laundry

- Water the house plants

- Piano lesson

- Plant the sweet potato slips that have been rooting

How was your Monday?  What are your plans for Tuesday?