Does It Make Your Head Hurt

It does mine!

Papers,  Papers,  Papers.      Paperwork.     Too many Papers.

It is a busy time. For some reason I have so many places where money has to go at this time of year.   Property taxes, Automobile insurance, Home owners insurance, and even Income taxes (even though I don't have to pay any because my income is so low) but I still submit completed forms.

My organizational skills are not what they have been in the past.  And, that can create a situation that requires more time to accomplish fairly simple tasks.

I think I have gotten all the bills taken care of. It is always such a good feeling.

And, I have finally cleaned out some files and tossed a lot of no longer needed paper. But, I still have a lot more to do. I don't imagine my good organization will ever be what it has been in the past. To many medical issues and days that I call wasted when very little is accomplished. It is just what it is!

The weather has been so unpredictable, one day it rains and then the next day the sun is shining. The soil has not been able to dry out very much. The many rains have brought more weeds than I have seen in years.  We have also, had a lot of winds and it can be quite cool when the wind blows. I have done very little outside in the garden. In addition, I have found that my back is giving me a lot more pain than last year. So I am not quite sure what is going to happen with my gardening.

The white tulips and daffodils are blooming along with quite a few other plants. I love it.

Hoping all of you have a Great Weekend.

Mary

Is It Ever Going To Stop

I am beginning to think not! Every other day or there abouts this is the view of outside from my window. This particular day also brought lots of thunder and lightning. And, some of the heaviest rain fall I have ever heard or seen.

Just look at the water coming off the roof even though the gutters and downspouts are functioning as they should. And, then the Hail came down. The rushing  water is very visible by the gate and other areas.

It's a little difficult to get much done in the garden with this unpredictable weather.  Joyfully, I noticed that my recently (last fall) replanted Iris Bed is doing very well.  As a result of that activity, I have lots of iris plants popping up where ever I dumped  my buckets of garden debris, mostly in my yard waste dump area behind the garden shed.  Hopefully, I can share some of the new iris plants with others that may be interested. I think that is called "pass along plants". And, I like that!

It will be fun to see how many of the iris will match up with some of the iris that bloomed and I photographed a few years ago.

I hope I am not boring you with my Iris Flower Bed project. I am hoping to show you some results from all my hard work. Not surprising, Iris are one of my favorite flowers. They are right up there with Roses !

Wishing you a Wonderful Weekend.

Mary

Finally The First Day Of Spring

At least on the calendar. 

Lovelies In My Garden

Is there anything more special than the first blooms of Forsythia in the Spring garden.  Maybe Quince!  I have a very large Quince in my garden but sadly, it does not get enough sun to give its full potential.

Sunlight in my garden is cherished by me because it can be very limited. The following google photo will give you an idea why.  Look at all those trees!

Rain was forecast for last night but it doesn't look like we had any. And, the sun comes and goes today. Hopefully, we will get more sun than rain in the days to come.

Have a Great Day.

Mary

A Little Grey Poupon Mustard Please

There was no way I was going to let St Patrick's Day slip away without making Corned Beef and Cabbage.  The thought of Reuben Sandwiches and Corned Beef Patties added to my enthusiasm to get into the kitchen and make it happen. The corned beef turned out nicely with great flavor and tenderness.

Yesterday was also our Annual St. Patrick's Day Festival. These are just a few photos from the newspaper. The weather was perfect and the crowds were huge. In the thousands, honestly, be sure and look at the last photo. I did not go this year even though I only have to walk about two blocks and I would be there. My mobility and endurance isn't what I would like it to be or what it has been in the past.

Besides all the activities with the Parade, Craft and Food Booths and Music Venues the town was also hosting the Annual Mother Lode Spring Daffodil Show at Ironstone Vineyards which is one mile from my house. It is a fabulous show. And the country road leading to the show is flooded with growing daffodils on both sides of the road.

I hope your weekend is enjoyable. I am very grateful for the sunshine.

Mary

I Think My Garden Is Starting To Wake Up

Happy St. Patricks Day.

Mary

The Best I Can Do For Today

Have A Great Day

Mary

More Vacation Memories Of California Coast

This is a continuation of my post Vacation Memories.

This is a nice photo of The Wharf that shows its relationship to the "colorful motel" and surrounding area. We walked all around the area and to the end of the wharf. We considered going to dinner the first evening at the Wharf House at the end of the wharf but changed our minds after reading reviews and taking into consideration the walk to the end and back at night time. So, of course, we had to check it out in the daytime.

And, here we are at the Wharf House.

I guess I would say that it is pretty typical of an "end of the wharf" restaurant. It reminds me of the Crab Shack at the end of Santa Cruz wharf which is just up the coast a bit.

Now, we have many photos of the sights around and from the wharf. 

 Meet me on Sunday!

Don't miss the sign on the boat!

 Let's play volley ball   - Misty Mae and Kerri Walsh?

                                      (Olympic Stars)

 The weather was overcast in the mornings but transformed beautifully to sunshine.

The surfers were having a great time and there were lots of them but not in this picture.

Beautiful Homes! Love the purple accents.

After walking all around the area, it was time to find a place to eat lunch.  So, we walked back to The Esplanade and decided on the Paradise Beach Grille after poking our noses into several doorways.

 From our seats we had a view of the area that we had been walking around. Isn't it pretty?

 And, the Tomato-Carrot Bisque Soup was sooooo good.

 Look at these scrumptious Fish Tacos.

 The food was great and restaurant was nicely appointed with flowers and art work.

The Esplanade with lots of outdoor seating and beautiful views.

Next time - The Shadowbrook Restaurant and the communities of Soquel and Aptos.

Such a beautiful area in California.  And, the seafood is so Fresh and Flavorful.  

Hope you enjoyed visiting with me.  

Mary

Second Blooming Stalk On Red Amaryllis

This is a nice surprise to have another lovely flower in March. This Amaryllis is about 36 inches tall and as you can see the blossom is huge.  It is called Giant Red Lion Hybrid Amaryllis.  I guess that says it all. I think the Amaryllis  bulbs were slow to bloom this year because the house has been a lot cooler than what it was last winter. I have kept the thermostat lower in order to keep  the bill lower. The bill has been more than double this year because of the colder weather.   

And, guess what?  The other Amaryllis are putting out more stalks with the lovely pink and white blooms. So, when they open a little more, I will take some photos to show you.

With our continuation of winter weather there isn't much happening in the garden.  It seems like many states are having strange patterns, more than usual.

I hope your week is going well. Unfortunately, my hypertension is giving me problems again and I'll have to go to the doctor soon.

Bye for now.

Mary

White Stuff - This Time It's SNOW

For weeks we have been hearing with each weather forecast that there might be snow!

Well, this morning when I pulled open the dining room drapes, look what I saw. I was really surprised! Perhaps, I shouldn't have been but I was. Look at that precious Pink Camellia all alone trying to start it's long awaited time to shine. This is the same bush that is loaded with buds.

The forecast is SNOW periodically throughout the next 24 hours. And, then rain for days.

When the SUNSHINE decides to come and visit again I invite it to stay so our gardens can start to show us what beauty they have in store for us.

Until next time.

Mary

And It Is So Good

And, it will be perfect for the weekend when we expect the next storm.

                                         Today, I made Lentil Stew.

This is a recipe that I have had for a long time but I have not made it for quite a while.     It is so easy.

1 cup dry lentils
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3 Italian Sausages or chicken Italian-style sausages (about 12 ounces)
2 cups tomato sauce
1 cup canned diced tomatoes
2 bouillon cubes dissolved in 1 cup hot water (I use Better Than Bouillon Beef Base)
1/4 Tsp chili pepper ( I use Chipotle Chile Pepper)

Wash and sort lentils. In a large kettle, bring 2 quarts of water and lentils to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 25 to 30 minutes or until tender. Rinse and drain.

Meanwhile, cook onion and garlic in olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until onions are slightly soft. (I used a cup of chopped celery, also)

Crumble 1 sausage into skillet mixture and cook about 3-4 minutes. Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and remaining sausages (cut in half) and simmer over medium-low heat about 30 minutes. Mix in lentils and add bouillon and chili pepper and continue to simmer for about 10 minutes. Serve.

It was 2003, I was thinking about going to Umbria, Italy for a week long Italian Cooking Class. The trip was sponsored by a Health Spa on the East Coast. Unfortunately, I was not able to find anyone to go with me. So, anyway, this recipe was inspired on that cooking tour. They called it Lentichie e sasicce in umidol.

The picture of the Camellia above is to remind me that spring is getting closer.

And, this is what one of my Camellia bushes looked like last week.

We are having a very nice sunny week and it feels so good.

Hope your week is going well.

Mary