The Weekend

 

Saturday Morning Clouds

On Saturday morning, when I was outside taking pictures of pink flowers for my Ten on the Tenth post, I noticed that the clouds were starting to move in.

Saturday Afternoon Clouds

We started off the week with temperatures of 100F which cooled down to 90F by Friday.  On Saturday, the high was 80F and the forecast called for light showers.

Pomegranates

Daughter and I picked all the pomegranates from our tree on Saturday afternoon and we put them in a big pot of water to wash them and make sure there were no insects and spikers hiding in them:

Pomegranates

This year, we had a very good pomegranate harvest.  Some of the fruit were small, but, there were several bigger fruit.  Daughter spent several hours cutting them open and removing the arils from them.  We froze some of the arils to be used later and the rest are in the fridge until we decide what we want to do with them.  

Rain Clouds Moving In

While the pomegranates soaked, we decided to pick the rest of the calamondin fruits:

Calamondin

We have been picking them and juicing them for several weeks, but, this weekend, we decided to pick all the rest of the fruit that were still on the tree:

Calamondin Soaking In Water

They, too, were put in bowls of water to soak to remove dust and cobwebs!  Daughter juiced about half the fruit and filled a large jar with the juice.  We'll juice the rest, later.  They are too small to be juiced using the citrus juicer and need to be cut and squeezed by hand.

More Rain Clouds

While we picked the calamondin, Henny Penny and Niwatori enjoyed themselves pecking at things around the garden:

Henny Penny and Niwatori

A hawk flying overhead caused Niwatori to make a run to the coop enclosure, but, Henny Penny decided to squat under a small loquat tree, until daughter carried her into the coop enclosure and closed the door!

More Rain Clouds

Later in the evening, it drizzled a little bit.  

Raindrops on Roses

On Sunday morning, however, we received the light showers we had been expecting.  It had stopped raining by the time I went out to feed the chickens in the morning, but, the ground was wet and there were raindrops on the roses:

More Raindrops on Roses

Sunday's high was only 69F.  I had another small grocery delivery in the morning and in the afternoon, daughter and I went to a department store to return an item she had ordered, online.  Afterwards, we went to the nearby dollar store to buy a few items.  She mostly wanted some crafts items and I wanted a few things, including a white plastic table cover and a package of paper plates.  

After we came home, daughter tended to the chickens while I cooked a chicken curry.  I froze two portions of the chicken curry and kept a portion in the fridge for next week.

This weekend, I was grateful for:

- Pomegranates from our tree
- Calamondins from our tree
- Daughter processing the fruits we picked
- The chickens were safe from the hawk

- Rain for the garden

Joyful activities included picking our garden fruit.

Plumbago Flowers

How was your weekend?

Ten on the 10th - In the Garden

Blog friend Joy has started a monthly Ten on the 10th photo post.  I joined in April for the first time, but, didn't post anything in May.  However, I am joining in again, in June.  Once again, as in April, I am back in the garden for these photos taken on the 10th of June.

Iris

Gazania

Schefflera (Umbrella Plant) Berries

Calamondin

Pomegranate

Pomegranate

Lsntana

Bee on Lantana Flowers

Neighbor's Sunflowers

Bougainvillea

And those are my Ten on the 10th for June.  Thank you, Joy, for starting this monthly photo theme.  

MidWeek Catch-Up

 

Stumpery on Wednesday, May 27, 2026

I was happy to see the scaredy cat plant flowering among the stumps in the stumpery this morning. 

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend and are having a good start to this last week in May.  Time sure goes by quickly, doesn't it?  I didn't realize i hadn't posted after the grocery delivery post on Saturday!

Time for a quick catch up, I think. 

On Saturday, after the groceries were delivered and I put things away, I made a quick trip to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription my oncologist had called in and was ready for pick up.  I used my Extra Care bucks to pick up two boxes of granola bars that were on sale for $1.99 per box.

After I came home, I picked more peaches.  Later, my daughter joined me and we picked most of the rest of the peaches that were on the tree. We left about half a dozen peaches on the highest branches for the birds to enjoy.  Thank you, peach tree; you blessed us with an abundance of peaches, this year.  

Daughter peeled and sliced the majority of the peaches we picked and I froze three bags of peaches, with six cups of sliced peaches in each, for making jam, etc., later on.  Daughter also ordered more canning jars and new lids for jars that I will be reusing, so I have plenty of supplies for future batches of jam and chutney.  

Neighbor S had asked if the guests attending her husband's birthday party could park in my driveway and I had said yes.  Later on Saturday evening, she brought us dinner and dessert:

Saturday Dinner Compliments of Neighbor S

I gave her some freshly picked peaches in return; about half an hour later, she called me to ask, very apologetically, if it would be possible for her to have just one more peach!  Apparently, she shared the peaches with her guests and one guest didn't get any!  Of course, I gave her about eight more peaches, not just one, and she was very happy.  I also set aside another dozen or so peaches to give my friend R.

I made a compote with some of the peaches, after dinner, and baked a tray of chicken drumsticks to have over the week.

On Sunday, I did a little housework, dusting and vacuuming the living room and doing a load of laundry.  Friend R called to say that a package she had ordered had been delivered to my address and could I keep it for her.  I told her I could bring it to her in the evening, along with some peaches, but, she said she will come on Monday to collect it.  Later, neighbor S called to ask if she could borrow my recycling bin as she had more items than could fit into her bin, so I told her she could borrow it.  

We had leftovers from Saturday's dinner for brunch on Sunday and for Sunday dinner, I cooked hamburgers using one of the packages of frozen hamburger patties I had bought.  I cooked the whole package (8 patties) so we could have them for brunches during the week.

Purple Daylily

Monday was Memorial Day.  Friend R messaged me in the morning saying she was not able to come to pick up the package and she was expecting more packages to be delivered on Tuesday, so could she come on Tuesday, instead?  I said that daughter will be working, but, Tuesday would be fine.

We had a relaxed day on Monday.  I made waffles for brunch and we had that with bacon and peach compote.  I watered the garden, picked blueberries, and put away the laundry I had done on Sunday.  Later in the evening, daughter's friends V and A came over for a visit.  V spent the evening to play board games with daughter while A mostly came to drop off some oatmeal chocolate chip cookies she had baked!  Daughter shared the cookies with me and they were delicious.  

Monday Brunch

Tuesday was an overcast, cool day with the highs in the mid 60s.  I brought in the emptied trash cans, checked on the front garden, and was greetedwith a hug by one of my young neighbors who lives with her parents and younger sister in a rental unit a couple of doors down (she's a very friendly, outgoing teenager) which totally made my day.  At noon, daughter took a lunch break from work and I accompanied her when she went to the post office to mail a package to one of her friends.  

I made a version of a Sri Lankan street food known as "kottu roti" for brunch.  The traditional kottu rotiis made with a type of leftover Sri Lankan flat bread or roti.  I used Armenian lavash bread that neighbor S had given instead of the more traditional roti and added onions, shredded cabbage, leftover chicken curry, etc. to make my kottu roti.  

I had been expecting friend R to come in the afternoon, but, she messaged me to say she will come on Wednesday, instead.  

Later in the afternoon/early evening, I made a batch of blueberry muffins, in part to have with our tea and in part so that the oven could warm up the house a bit.  

In the evening, daughter went to do her gymnastics and I went with her for the ride.  I stayed in the car and read while she was at the gym and after it got too dark to read, I spent a little time praying and people watching while I waited for my daughter.  After we came home, we had leftovers for dinner and cookies for dessert.

Bread Roll with Spinach, Mushrooms, & Cheese Filling

On Wednesday, it was mostly sunny, but, still on the cooler side, with a high of only 63F.  Friend R messaged that she will be arriving around 1:30 p.m. and when she came, she brought some bread rolls with a spinach,mushrooms, and cheese filling from a nearby bakery.  Daughter was working and in a meeting, so she didn't join us, but, R and I enjoyed the bread rolls as well as some of the blueberry muffins and the drop biscuits with chives that I had baked earlier and a cup of tea. 

Gardener friend M arrived, too, as Wednesdays are one of his regular days, and he brought me a six pack of corn seedlings to plant in the garden.  There were more than six seedlings, however, so he planted out all the seedlings and watered the garden.  He, too, enjoyed the chive drop biscuits and the blueberry muffins I served him.  I gave R a tour of the garden and picked her some curry leaves to take with her.  

Daughter enjoyed her bread roll after she finished work.   I cooked sauteed green beans in the evening and daughter had rice, dhal, and green beans for dinner, with chutney.  I had half a leftover hambutger and strawberries for dessert.

I didn't make a meal plan as such, this week, other than baked chicken drumsticks and hamburgers as the main entrees.  I will probably make some fried rice for brunch on Thursday, and there is a loaf of "bake at home"  garlic bread that neighbor S brought over on Saturday, so I might make some pasta for dinner on Thursday night to have with the garlic bread.  

This week, I am grateful for:

- This year's peach harvest
- Neighbor S bringing us dinner on Saturday
- Friend R's visit on Wednesday
- M's help with the garden
- Daughter's help with the peaches

- The sound of laughter as daughter and her friends visited 
- Sharing and exchanging gifts of food with friends and neighbors
- Blueberries from the garden
- Working appliances
- The availability of medications
- Being able to help out a neighbor with parking and lending her my recycling bin

I am a bit behind with my blog reading.  I plan to catch up, on Thursday.

How has your week been?  Hope everyone is keeping well.

May Flowers

 

Iris 

I took a stroll in my own garden, this week, on Tuesday, to see what was in bloom.  No sculptures of pollinators or model trains in my garden, but, the majority of these flowers have a story behind them (many of them are rescued plants that M has rehomed in my garden) and sometimes, a flower can hold a secret!  

Neptune Rose  

The Neptune Rose plant was a birthday gift to me from my gardener friend M.

Iceberg Rose 

The iceberg rose grown as a standard was rescued by M and rehomed in my garden.

And Friend (Earwig)

Rescued Pink English Rose with Anise Scent

This is the first flower to appear on the rescued rose that M rehomed in my garden.  I found the rose  on the ground when I was watering the garden on Tuesday; it had not broken off, but, it was blooming on such a slender stem that the flower was too heavy for the stem.  I propped it up on another stem to take this picture.  The next day (Wednesday), when M was here, I saw that there was a second rose on the same plant, but, I didn't take a picture of that one.  M doesn't know the name of the rose.  I am wondering if it is a climber and might need some support?

Double Petalled Kalanchoe (another rescued plant)

Daylily

Chive Flowers

Nasturtium

Four O'Clocks/Mirabilis

Scaredy Cat (Coleus Caninas)

The flowers on the scaredy cat plant (which doesn't seem to scare any of the garden cats) are nearing the end of their blooming period, but, there are still enough flowers to keep the bees happy.

Gaura

Potato Flowers

For the first time since I've tried growing potatoes, I've flowers on one of my potato plants!  I am thrilled to bits!  I've three potato plants growing, this year, from some supermarket russet potatoes that started to sprout before I could eat them.  

Calla Lily

And Friend (Grasshopper)

And those are some of the flowers blooming in my garden in May.

I am grateful for:

- May flowers

- For M bringing me bulbs and rescued plants

- For M's help with the garden
- For the joy these flowers bring to me
- For water for the garden

On Saturday

 

Nasturtiums

There will be no shortage of nasturtium seeds, this year, to plant again, next year!  I am looking forward to scattering them in other parts of the garden to see if they will grow.

Saturday was a cloudy, overcast day. The forecast called for rain showers but we only received a little drizzle which didn't do anything for the garden.  

The white pigeon was gone and since there was no pile of white feathers anywhere, we are hopeful that it flew away, safe and sound.

We had a rather relaxed day on Saturday.  Daughter and I walked outside in the driveway for 10 minutes and then, we strolled around the front garden and the backyard.  She did her laundry and cleaned her bathroom.  I shredded and cooked the kale I had picked yesterday and froze it for later.  

For brunch, I cooked a package of breakfast sausages (from the freezer) and made French toast.  For dinner, I cooked some pork chops(from the freezer), with onions, the rest of the carrots we picked from the garden, some celery from the garden, too, and boiled some frozen corn.  We had some leftover rice with it:

Saturday Dinner

On Saturday, I was grateful for:

- Walks with my daughter
- Garden produce
- Working appliances
- Good food
- Another relaxed day

Saturday's joyful activities included spending time in the garden with my daughter.

Plans for Sunday include more of the same - time spent in the garden, maybe a load of laundry, maybe some baking.

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

On Friday

 

Amaryllis

On Friday, the fourth flower on the amaryllis stalk opened fully.

Another Pink Rose

And another pink rose bloomed.

More Kale

And I picked more kale!  This is the kale growing in daughter's raised beds.  I picked more blueberries, too, but, didn't take a picture.

A package arrived the other day, well before the estimated date of delivery, and I had stored it in the garage.  My daughter opened it up on Friday:

Box with Contents

And started to take out the contents:

The Contents of the Box

It was something she needed to put together.  Can you guess what it is?

Back View

It took her four hours to assemble it, with just a manual screwdriver.

Front View

Yes!  It is the new chicken coop!  The coop will go inside an enclosure that she has to put together, next.

M was here in the evening and he continued to clear out the area behind the shed as we will put the coop and enclosure there.  He had to dig up and transplant some of the gazania pants and the one bauhinia seedling that were growing there.  

I gave him some of the kale to take home and also, gave him some of the kale mallung I had cooked.  

On Friday, we had a visitor:

Mostly White Pigeon 

M saw this mostly white (with some dark grey patches) fly down from the garage roof and it stayed near the blueberry bushes for the rest of the evening.  It seemed very unafraid of people as it completely ignored us.  We offered it some blueberries, but, it didn't seem very interested in them.  But, it enjoyed the small piece of bread I gave it, had a drink of water, and settled down for a nap!  It seemed to have a greyish band on one foot and I've been checking online to see what that signifies.  I went out, later, to check on the pigeon and it wasn't near the blueberry bushes, so, I don't know if it moved to another spot for the night or what happened.  If it is still around in the morning, I shall try to contact a pigeon rescue organization to ask what I should do.  

I had a cold cuts sandwich for brunch and daughter had the last leftover pancake with chicken curry.  For dinner, we had rice, chicken curry, sauteed cabbage, and carrot/kale mallung.  

On Friday, I was grateful for:

- A relaxed day

- Making progress on the raising chickens project
- M's help with the garden
- Garden produce
- Flowers to brighten the garden

Friday's joyful activities included sitting outside in the garden, enjoying the sunshine while daughter put the coop together.

How was your Friday?  Any plans for the weekend?