Work in progress - Sistahood of the traveling sketchbooks

I haven't had a chance yet to post this, well actually I was hoping to get more done on it before I posted this but oh well here is some artwork that I've managed to create in the midst of gardening mayhem for the Sisterhood of the Traveling Sketchbooks. Canning jars are cooling behind me as I write this. More beans. And more work is to be done on this tonight (hopefully).

Here is another shot, including my feet... hee hee

This is for a June installment in Kathy's book. I've gotta crank out July as quick as I can... we're a little behind due to the Canadian Post Office strike.

Happy Happy Joy Joy!

Yay! Thermo-O-Ware

I had to share my excitement with everyone. I have finally found my favorite cups that I drink absolutely everything out of except milk. I like a glass with milk. Look at that happy orange color! These are actually a tiny bit different from the ones I've used since I was 7. I was using Bolero brand and these are Olympian brand but they are both Therm-o-ware types. The main thing is the mouth rim is the same. I think I even like this Olympian brand better because the base is more flat so it doesn't fall over easily. I got these for a steal, just $3 for a set of 5. I've been looking on ebay and those people are crazy for what they are asking for their cups. I'm not a "collector", these are just my most favorite cups to drink out of ever! Just thought I'd share ;)

mmmmmm

My favorite drink with my favorite cup! Iced tea :)
Have a great day!

Is your grass greener?

Do you ever think about the grass being greener on the other side of the fence? I do sometimes. It always cracks me up to see horses and cows stretching and creenin' their neck to eat a little something greener on the other side of the fence.

So my greener side of the fence is this: Since I'm almost in the throws of peek tomato season. They are just waiting to turn red (and yellow and mixed)! *squeals* and I am already eating them as they come in. I was wondering when tomato season was down south. I'm thinking they've got this yummy goodness all year round, right? While we hafta eat hard tasteless impostors from October through July. Up here in Zone 6b, it's a mad rush to get them in the ground about the last of April, pray for good rain but not too much and pray again to get maters by July 4th which I did this year - yay!  By September they are slowing down and kinda get a wonky taste by October if a early frost doesn't get em first.

Mom used to pick all her green ones before a frost and put 'em in brown paper bags and we'd have tomatoes till almost Christmas if we rationed them. To her and I a feast during the summer was cornbread, fried potatoes, doctored up pork n beans and a big plate full of garden fresh tomatoes. Oh man, that is making my mouth water just thinking about it. Heaven!

Off to go paint something in my Sistah hood books :)

Let's Stroll

Isn't inspiration and beauty everywhere? As I take these pictures of the beautiful flowers around my house I always have plans of painting or drawing them. I'm building quite a reference file. Ironically, keeping all these beauties going is time consuming thus taking away from some creative time.... Ah well, I need to have these around me. Literally, my soul needs to have green growing things around me that require my attention, touch and love.

I came by it naturally, maybe even genetically. The nut didn't fall too far from the tree. My mom was a gardener and I have the fondest memories of her digging in the dirt. Even when the dirt came by the way of just being pots on our apartment balcony. She always had gobs of plants inside and out and had the greenest thumb of anyone I've ever known. That woman could put a stick in the ground and it would grow. I miss talking plants with her as I walk my paths that I always walk, looking at my summertime beauties. When I would visit her she would always take my arm and we'd stroll through her garden together even though we had just done the same thing a couple days before. There is always something new and exciting popping up somewhere, you just have to slow down and look. Whenever I'd ask her "where did you get that?" She'd reply "A little bird brought it to me". I'm fairly certain she stole that line from my grandpa, her dad, cause I remember him saying that too. Her nut didn't fall far from his tree either, he was a great gardener and had the most beautiful and bountiful sweet peas. They still remind me of him.

Well I have no idea where I'm getting the energy for this. I did corn all day today then it was trash day, plus I cleaned out the freezers (had to cause there was no room for more corn!). While doing that, I didn't have room to put a pie crust back in without assaulting it, so I made an apple pie! Last night I didn't go to bed until 3:30 and now here it is 2:20 and I'm still awake. Granted, I'm sitting in my most comfy chair and not doing much but letting my mind wander and fingers do the walking. I should be upstairs in my art studio creating something in my journals for the Sitsterhood and PPF but that would require the stairs and I'm far too lazy for that. In fact, I think I'll go to sleep now.

Oh, but first take my arm and stroll around my gardens with me.... won't you?

be still my beating heart ~ a glorious Zinnia

The boys follow me as I give you the tour for this year but I think we're getting the cold shoulder at the moment

Sunflowers make me happy

my greenhouse

inside plant getting a summer vacation outside

huba huba ~ doesn't this Mandevilla look like the sexpot of the flower world?

I love to have color all around even if there aren't many flowers and these coleus are tried and true

Ditch lilies ~ love 'em

see my little toad house in the background? Vacancy...

sweet little guy ~ look at his little antennas, precious!

Coral Bells

never mind the Johnson grass...

look at me! the bouganvilla screams

Alright tour's over... good night!

Beans and corn and corn and corn and beans

Sweet Corn - temperatures so hot the camera kept fogging up - but how cute is my little helper?!

So the garden has come in and in a big way. Every year about this time, gardening... vegetable gardening that is, becomes hard work and makes me want to give up quit and just buy grocery store food. Between the mosquitoes that think I'm a free all-you-can-eat smorgasbord for them and my sensitive skin blistering up from just rubbing against the leaves and weeds it's been a trying season.

Especially like the last couple days. I've picked beans, snapped beans, canned beans and they never end. Hours and hours of beans. Yesterday in the sweltering 98 degrees (F) with heat indexs of about 105+ we picked corn, cut down the corn, schucked the corn blanched the corn and wrapped each cob in Saran wrap and then froze the corn.

Today... still more corn to schuck, blanch and this time cut the corn with this blood thirsty little machine that sliced me up good all to get the kernels off and then freeze for creamed corn (but don't freeze the bloody corn). Now the dang beans need to be picked again. I feel like Jack and the Beanstalk, only it's the beans that just keep coming and coming. Oh and guess what I'm doing Thursday (today technically after I go to bed and wake up)... you guessed it, more corn. Plus, the tomatoes are just coming in too so that means salsa and canning tomatoes and maybe some sauce. Wow, no wonder I've got no time for creating any new art!

Yeah, yeah I can hear you all now saying Dang... she's crazy! Well, yes. Yes I am. I've turned into Psycho Suzie Homemaker haha... living off the land but bitchin' about it the whole time. But come December when I'm cracking open those jars of home grown green beans and heating up that sweet corn that tastes like I just picked it I'll be feeling pretty good about myself... haha.  Not to mention munching tortilla chips with my to die for Dee-licious Salsa! Yummy! see it here cooking

Jaime's Dee-Licious Salsa
Makes 8 pints + a half pint to eat right then! ;oP


Ingredients:
9 cups tomatoes, peeled, chopped and drained (I don't bother seeding, but you can)
2 1/2 cups onions, chopped
1 1/2 cups green peppers
1 cup jalapeno pepper, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tablespoon cumin
2 teaspoons pepper
1/8 cup canning salt
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup vinegar ( I like apple cider vinegar)
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (12 ounce) can tomato paste

Mix all together and bring to a slow boil for 10 minutes. I can it and I've also froze it in jelly jars with great results. It smells divine and you'll have to beat off the people with a big stick to get them to leave you alone trying to get you to make more. But believe me, you'll wanna make more.