Lord have mercy, I feel the temperature rising!

      I don't mean that in a sacrilegious way, either! It's just so hot here now! We don't usually get these kind of temperatures until much later in the summer! It is 92 degrees in the afternoon, as I write this! We haven't had a good rain, in I don't know when! Some parts are getting too much rain! Wish we had some of that! The sunflowers are starting to lean sideways, so I hope watering them this evening will help.

      I want so badly to be outside, but with that heat, I can't take it for very long! I need to walk, weed, water, and the list goes on. Are ya'll experiencing unusually warm temperatures like this? I hope not!


      I've been cooking on my small table top grill lately and last night my son gave me the sweetest compliment! He kept saying 'ummm' as he was eating and that "I sure did know how to cook on the grill!" That made my day! I just grilled peppers, onions, and zucchini and then I grilled some boneless, skinless chicken breast that I flattened out a little. I used the Sweet Baby Ray's bbq sauce and I think that is what makes the chicken taste so good! Tonight, I will use the leftover chicken and veggies on a pizza.


      I hope ya'll have a safe Memorial Day weekend and try not to eat too many hot dogs! We're cooking out here this weekend and making ice cream and all the goodies to go along with a cookout! Stay safe! Blessings from Bama!

Using the Vitamix again!

I used beets, small tomatoes, spinach, beet greens, carrots, and blueberries in this juice. Beets are good for liver detox.

Zucchini bread and a glass of juice. Did I eat all that bread?

Maddie was here today. She took out her hair holder and messed up her hair as I was taking this photo.

My little orange grill. Hubs in under cover.

You can kind of tell they are leaning in this photo. The weight of the flowers make them droop, I think.

Finally, some ripe figs! 

I pulled these two and ate one. They are not quite ripe enough for me yet.

A man was banging on my door this morning and this is what he gave me! Aren't these beautiful plums?

When they get a little riper, I hope to make jelly.

It's been a very beautiful week here!

      I could say that about every week here, though. The weather has been mild and a little cool compared to the weeks past. The blackberries are in full bloom and so are many other flowers. The garden is coming along nicely, and I've been working very hard on the wood chips. That wheelbarrow gets heavy pushing it up an incline! I love doing this, though, and wouldn't have it any other way! My blogging is lagging, but at least I do manage to get one or two posts in a week. I don't know if I'll be able to do more, it just depends on the heat. Hope you all are doing well! I'm still taking time to read blogs and I guess I could use that time to write blogs, but I learn so much from reading! I'll eventually share with ya'll; it just takes me time to get things down pat and into practice. Hope ya'll have a wonderful weekend! Blessings from Bama!

I think this is called a 'candy-stripe' amaryllis.

This looks like two different clematis. I think it is. I need to find a trellis and permanent spot for them.

Can you guess what this is? Take a guess... homemade red-wine vinegar!

A new iris blooming out!

Son requested this soup prepared in the VitaMix. It's chicken enchilada soup with roast beef instead of chicken!

Guess what I did with all of these carrots?

We got a 'new' to us wood chipper!

It really eats up those branches!

This is what I did with all of those carrots! I pureed some raw, and roasted, then pureed the others. I then placed them in ice tray and muffin tins, put that in the freezer; popped them out and into freezer bags and then in the freezer. I will use them in soups, sauces, smoothies, etc.

The new iris.

A closer view.

How do you like these strawberries?

Here's the rest of them.

I really love the color of this clematis!

The bees are doing good!

We took the big jar off the other day. They are doing very well now without it.

Blackberries in bloom.

Nectarine tree is full of nectarines!

Close-up of the nectarines.

This wisteria didn't bloom this year.

Several hens taking a dirt 'bath' under the hen house.

Hubs is painting the arbor.

Apple blossoms. I don't think the cold snap hurt them.

Peach tree with netting to keep birds off.

Are we having an early Spring?

      With temps. in the lower seventies yesterday and lower sixties today, one would think so. Especially after the early morning tornadoes that came near this area yesterday! Some places were hit hard and several deaths have been reported. Nothing like April 27, 2011, though. I am thankful once again that we were spared during this weather! It happened at like 4:00 in the morning this time and some folks slept right through the tornado sirens! I don't know how they could, because the sirens are loud! Anyway, it's scary now when those sirens go off! Hubby got up and watched James Spann the weather man, in Birmingham, and at one point, the tornado was predicted to come right through our town. It weekend, however, as it encountered cooler temps., therefore dying down to just severe storms. I don't like talking about this kind of weather, so on to other things!
      I have been in the kitchen all day, loving every minute of it! I finally got the carrot cake made! It's delicious! I also got out my Vitamix and filled it with delicious veggies and turned them into a soup. Yes, the Vitamix cooks! It also freezes! I love my Vitamix and plan on using it a lot this year! The food prepared in it is whole food, meaning you use the whole vegetable, or fruit. I ESPECIALLY love smoothies made in it! I just ate my soup, along with a piece of homemade oatmeal bread baked in my bread machine. That is the best bread I make! Guess what else I'm going to make after I work out with weights? Strawberry jam! I walked outside, today, since it's so warm, then I ate my soup. Now, while it's digesting, I'm writing this post; then I'll go upstairs and use my weights. Next, I'll make my strawberry jam. I got the strawberries at Aldi for $1.99 a quart. My friend made some and gave me a jar and it was the best strawberry jam I ever tasted! Now I've got to make my own! Isn't it nice to have friends and family to share your food with? I'll have to give most of this carrot cake away so I won't eat too much of it. Would you like a piece? Thanks for reading, following, and commenting! Blessings from Bama!

Soup in the Vitamix!

Served with homemade oatmeal bread!

Yummy strawberries waiting to be turned into jam!

Can you believe I'm dressed like this in January, outside?

The sky is so clear and beautiful!

Yes we have chickens, ducks, and geese! I love our fresh eggs!