The header illustrates, in my mind, what my world was like when I was a small kid. We lived several miles out of town, one of four houses behind a country store, nearly surrounded by fields and orchards which I explored. I've become aware that our front and back yards may be reflecting my long-ago playground. Here are two views of the lower half of what was the former lawn. It's been over two years since we pulled out the lawn. We don't miss it at all. The daisy bushes have exploded all over the yard. Pow! Pow! Pow! I like the volunteer wild grass that has grown in a pathway. In May, or April, I'll pull it out. Soon, poppies will start showing their orange selves. And, here's part of the backyard that looks like it belongs in a storybook. So I thought when I saw the photo. This spot gets nice shade in the afternoon. If we set a little round table there, we can sit and eat snacks or play at being an artist. Of maybe, instead, we can put a sofa there so we

Sewing machines, bicycles, and vehicles are the things that I like to push pedal to the metal. Here are 13 of my favorite ones from today to long ago. Kenmore portable sewing machine. About a decade ago, good friend BB gave me her 1970s portable sewing machine when I was having a sewing fix and she was in a down-sizing mood. After a thorough tune-up, the machine was good to go. Vrrrroom, vrrrooom. I'm going through another spurt (and probably last) of sewing. This morning I started sewing curtains for the upstairs hallway. Yup, that's them in "draft mode" in the above photo. Eliza Do-a-lot. Some of you know about dear 25-year old Eliza.  She's a no-nonsense old lady's white sedan with hardly any blind spots. Eliza was Mama's last car. When Mama broke her hip in 1997, I started driving Eliza back and forth from El Cerrito where the Husband and I lived. By the time Mama felt confident to drive again, she needed to renew her license. She couldn'

Hey Missus Lady, come down and roll with me on this warm cement. You don't know what you're missing. Purrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Molly invites me every time she notices me having noticed her rocking back and forth on her back. She exudes happiness, that girl does. Thank you, Missy Molly by Golly. Hey Missus Lady, here's the perfect place to hang out when you want some shade. Purrrrrrrrrr. Molly Girl came home with the Husband and me seven years ago. Here's how her majesty looked that first week with us and the Beloved Mama.   Today's hang-out is ABC Wednesday . Head there by click here . Thank you, ABCW hosts!  

All of a sudden I was hearing cowbells. No moooo. None at all. It had to be one of the chimes on the other side of the backyard. I looked over to see what may be swaying in the wind. Ha! The Husband stood outside the patio door, clanging on the triangle. "Come and get it," he called. "Coffee and pancakes." Whooo-hooo! We've had some tasty breakfasts the last several mornings because, one, we finally went to the grocery store and, two, we were without peanut butter, our breakfast staple. The other day I made strawberry brie biscuits, which looked more like scones. Biscuits or scones, they were delicious. You can't go wrong with brie or strawberries.  We happened to have frozen organic strawberries from last summer. Very flavorful, they were. My concoction began with a mixture of 2 cups of flour and about 1 teaspoon of baking powder and a couple of dashes of baking soda. (I added the latter because I ran out of the former.) To that, I cut in

Last year I discovered that I enjoy repurposing stuff into colorful planters and whatevers to hang out in the garden.  The last couple of days I've been getting ready for when I can set up my work table on the patio. I've already got a whole bunch of things set aside that have potential into becoming garden art. a bunch of plain tiles a plastic storage bin (from a freezer?) a metal Christmas tree stand cut pieces of garden hose rocks soup bowls part of a bougainvillea stump the Husband pulled out from the front yard a floor lamp with several arms  a vanity dresser 2-gallon black plastic pots wine glasses wire food wrap organizer old decayed boards A lot of fun coming up ahead.   :-) I'm hanging out at several memes. Hope you have a chance to check them out. Thanks to all the wonderful hosts! ABC Wednesday Thursday 13 I Like Thursdays   

Hey ya, Hi ya! How ya? It has been awhile, two weeks awhile more or less. I like to think that in a parallel universe, the Husband and I were away on holiday, because in my reality I was simply being out of sorts. The first week I was feeling bummed as I was doing another round of sorting through Mama's stuff. Along the way I caught a virus and nursing that into a short run distracted me. The Husband and Molly the Cat were wonderful caretakers to this grump of a patient. So, here I am, raring to go, again. We've had rain for nearly all of this past week.  Hurrah! All the different birds in the backyard enjoyed the rain, too. Chirp, chirp. Molly the Cat wants you to know she is raring to go, too. For her, it is outdoors. A (cute) black cat has invaded her territory. Where am I hanging out this time? At Jesh's All Seasons , Angie's Mosaic Monday , and Jeana's Say Cheese! I hope you check out their memes, possibly join in. Thank you, Ladies! All S

"It's snowing!" "Did you see the snow on the mountains?" Everyone we talked to yesterday, both friends and strangers, bubbled ebulliently about the snow on the mountain ridges around us. "I don't have to go to the Sierras now," said a guy in the Target parking lot. Not that it was a lot of snow. Simply a decent dusting on the forward peaks that lasted all day and a thick enough coating on the back peaks to be saying "Hello! Snow here!" today. The temperatures have been in the 30s and 40s, which probably sound like the tropics to some of you. I don't recall the last time our tap water is as cold as water in a mountain lake. It tastes refreshing. It has probably been 10 years, more or less, since we've seen snow in our area. Last time, the Husband and I drove up to the end of a long country road to wander in the snow and throw a snowball at each other. Not this time. We were afraid of flooding Eliza if we went thr