A Second Look, August 3, 2011

The heat continues and I don't want to be outside. I don't think many of the plants are happy out there either. However, I am excited that a small plant I got from a friend several years ago has finally started to bloom. I thought she gave me a hydrangea, but it turns out that I have a hibiscus. Also, when I first starting doing a Second Look, I thought I wouldn't repeat any plants. I would only take pictures of new things blooming. However, I have tossed that idea by the wayside. This time of year, I will show you anything that can survive the weather.


Here's what a found on a Second Look around the yard this week.

Balloon flowers

 

Yellow pear tomatoes

New hibiscus bloom

 Lone coneflower growing in middle of hibiscus bush

New sweet gum ball along with one hanging on from last year.

Marigolds

Coleus (Kong variety)

The deer are eating closer to the house as more plants are dying from the heat.

Food Waste Friday, 7-29-11

It's time for Food Waste Friday, when the Frugalgirl encourages us to post pictures from the previous week of wasted food from our household. This accountability hopefully will help us to be more careful with our food and maybe save some money. 


Here it goes for this week.

We had some "out-of-sight, out-of-mind" waste and some "I don't like it, but I don't want to tell you" waste.

Yogurt with a sell by date of June 2, 2011

The first thing to hit the trash this week was a container of yogurt that got shoved to the back of the refrigerator. It slowly aged almost two months past the sell by date on top with no one noticing. I did a little googling and found that yogurt is okay to keep two weeks past the sell by date, but two months is a little too long.

The next was some homemade hummus. My son, Theodore, has been experimenting with hummus recipes and the last one was okay, but not really a favortie of anyone. Since a lot of effort went into making it, we ate a little, but didn't have the heart to throw it away. However, we waited long enough, that the fuzzy mold took care of our problem.

Fuzzy hummus

Next week, we need to be eating potatoes, or you will be seeing unappetizing pictures of rotten potatoes. (Good thing they haven't figured out smell-o-gram pictures yet.) My goal is to spare all of you from that. Wish me luck!

A Second Look--July 27, 2011

We were on vacation last week, so the yard didn't get its usual inspection. It has not fared well in 90-100 degree weather we have been having with little rain. Large (1/2"-1") dry cracks are forming in the ground and most plants are brown and drooping. The deer have discovered the hostas and tomatoes by our patio. Even with all of that being said, there are a few hearty flowers that are managing to provide some color.

Note: There are two pictures of Queen Anne's Lace (wild carrot). The first is a lacy white bloom and the second is similar with a dark spot in the middle of the bloom. This is the first time that I have noticed a dark spot and at first thought it was a bug--but it is part of the blossom. The legend has it that the flower was named after Queen Anne and the dark spot represents blood from a needle prick that happened while the Queen was making lace.

See what I found on a Second Look around the yard this week.

Day lily

I hope the deer enjoyed their hosta feast.

Black-eyed Susan

Queen Anne's Lace (wild carrot)

Queen Anne's lace with dark red bloom in middle

Downed branch from tulip poplar tree

Spike gay feather

Dry, cracking dirt

Road Trip, Day Nine, Home again

 We got an early start this morning and had a good drive home. We have the car unloaded and the washer going. Even though the cats had excellent care from Aunt Martha and Uncle Billy, they are fighting over lap space. 

Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home.

Road Trip--Day Eight, Animals, animals, animals

Today we ...
--Visited Toronto zoo-- heard interesting keeper talks about Amur tigers and Komodo dragons.
--Went through customs--reentered the states at Buffalo after being stuck for an hour in Canadian traffic.
--Got a head start on our trip home by driving to Olean, NY to spend the night--had a great a great steak dinner in this small town and enjoyed their squirrel art.

Take a look of some of the sights we saw today.

Butterfly

Pygmy hippos

Sneaks thought this sign didn't apply to him.

Ronald McSquirrel in Olean park.

Gorilla

Amur tiger

Santy Squirrel

Jellyfish

Sneaks should not have been teasing the Komodo dragon.