Best/ worse/ ? did you learn today #43 visit with friends...

Thought I'd move us over for those who are not on high speed...

Our Judy didn't see that we moved over so I'll move her post over for her....lol


Good Morning!

Welcome Teresa...Yep you linked up to some of the most Beautiful people in Daves Garden! Gate always open...

How awsom for you Cat! whew, lots of driving but oh so worth it.

Ha, Liz...hand on hip, I read, I read...ROFL brings a tune to mind,
...Clowns to the left of me, Jokers to right...hear i am stuck in the middle of you...
Yep miss tattle tale did text me first thing this AM. LOL...(Um should we give our Shar a call again?)
So glad your visit with family was quiet too. Well mine was LOUD but no arguments!
But I have to tell you all...We kept baby Alexander for the day. Even Great grandma held him! So, left her in the kitchen and when i returned she had him on the floor in the corner, tossed like a ol sack flour! So I gave her a little shove in the arm and said hey is that how ya treat my grandkid?? Picked him up and put him back in the bassinet. Told her I was telling his Ma. LOL...hehehe, I did too later, but Breenie told me grandma already told on herself...apologized even! She was so cute, She said aw it's my first motherday too...so we had to have a picture.

Thanks for the hug Ves! Glad your deer got scared away. They did eat my tulip afterall. But I did manage to get a shot first! Oh How Lovely your tulips are, thank you for sharing them with us. Made me smile big this morning!

OMG Dawn...I can't beleive Parv won on survivor. I really was hoping Amanda would win..LOL poor young Eric.

Shar, yep, hand on the hip here...you do know it's Thelma's fault right? she just brings out the mischif in me...ROFL you should hear us on the phone, DH just shakes his and walks away! Oh such a wonderful bracelet you are wearing!

Hi Laura, You hang tight...the boss lady, Well, since Shar's watching I'll Behave and not say what i am thinking about her...Just know you are doing great so don't let her get to you. Hugging you tight.

Betty...Was so glad to see your day was wonderful...The boys helping you in the gardens. I loved the photo of grandsons...you should have that one framed!

So, I also received a beautiful bouquet of flowers and enjoyed my day very leisure like. Julia modeled for grandma, she did get her Shawl and white gloves. LOL don't know who is more excited about her prom me or her! Oh and Liz, she isn't going to go with the hair sytle we chose...So i don't know, wants waves but not curls...holy moly does that even make sense?

Well i best get to work!
So here is my lil ma.

You my dear Judy are soooo funny..loved the photo..
Sounds as though we all had a 'special day' yesterday...

Paul just left, hope he took his germs with him!!!

Last night I woke up around 9 or 10 and a show was on..Celebrity Star (????) forgot ..lol...but they had some pretty big celebrities on dealing with drug/alcohol issues...was amazed, tried to watch the entire show but fell asleep..do any of you watch it or know of it...tonight GG it's our "Dancing with the stars" won't be long and it will be the finale...

Hello to Betty and Everyone - Sorry that you thought I had gone missing Betty. Only missed yesterday I think. I was busy cooking on Saturday and then picnicking yesterday, so was busy. I got to see Emily twice this past week, so that was special. I will be going out of town on Thursday, so won't see her this week. We took her to our family reunion yesterday and she was a real hit. She is a very good baby and grins all the time. She has begun eating baby food for a while now and her mom was also feeding her a few things off of her plate. That is so fun to watch, a baby experiencing new tastes.

On Saturday, Gita, myself and a few other Daves Gardeners are meeting at Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania for a great garden tour. It has been planned for a few months now. I believe there will be at least ten or twelve of us going. We will be staying Thursday, Friday and Saturday night at my niece's home which is not too terribly far from Longwood. I have a shopping day planned for Friday at a store that I first found last fall and there are not any in Virginia. The prices are so good. I have a wedding gift to buy and of course Emily's birthday is coming up this month.
Hmmm.......maybe I can find something for my secret pal. Fun, fun, fun.

Well, I have been sitting here for several hours. I need to get up and about. Going to prepare a toss salad to have with pasta later on. I hope that everyone is having a good day. Will check on all of you later on. Welcome to all the new ladies recently.

Ruby

Nothing more of a hit with family members than a 'young child'..must have warmed your heart to get to spend time with her twice in one week.
Give Gita a hug for me..will tell Gita the same, hug you for me..wish Penn. wasn't so far away that I could visit..was almost tempted to cross the border this long weekend coming but thought better of it..you all live far enough that it would take me at least 1 day to get to visit someone...so might have to wait until my summer holidays..2 weeks off..lol...have you met Gita before???

Sounds as though you've a full slate of activities and visits planned and of course the shopping..I'd love the opportunity of shopping for a 'little girl' but no luck..am sure that by the time my grandsons are married I'll be much too old to think about 'shopping'..lol...take lots/lots of photo's, we'll want to hear all about your adventure

Welcome Theresa. It's nice to 'meet' you.

I have to tell you about my mother's day. Sonora had warned me that I wasn't allowed to get up early so I dutifully stayed in bed till she woke me up. I came out to the living room and she had balloons blown up. I opened the cards that the kids made for me at school. After that we had oatmeal pancakes for breakfast that Sonora had made from scratch all by herself. She put red food colouring in them for a festive flair and also put chocolate chips in some of them. She also had orange juice made up and some nice fruit ready. I was very impressed. She has cooked pancakes before but this was her first time making the batter all by herself. Keith asked me what I wanted for mother's day and I asked for a book that I really liked as a child. Of course it's really hard to find and I'm better at that sort of thing so I get to track it down. He did get me a nice long stemmed rose though - one that was printed on the box of a big Toblerone bar.

It's hard to get nice flowers/plants here so I'll just wait for my own flowers to bloom. The crocuses have been blooming for a little while now so that's encouraging. A few of my hoyas are in various stages of blooming too so that is very exciting.

It's been raining all day here so I've been staying inside. If it was just me I don't mind being out when it's wet. I don't really want to take Ella out in the rain though (even though she'd probably love it). This week is Education Week here so there are special things going on at the school. Today the kids got to wear their pyjamas to school and tomorrow is 'messy hair day'. It's nice when they have fun things like that.

Ruby, your upcoming weekend plans sound great. I hope you enjoy yourself lots.

Well, I have a little boy who needs some help with school work so I better go.

Betty,

Ruby and I met at hart's Plant Swap in the Fall of 2006....I think.....VERY nice lady!!!!!

Gita

Hi everybody!
Brrr. Chilly here today. Spent Saturday in the garden transplanting seedlings while DH dug out crazy amounts of poison ivy by the woods. (i'm too afraid to!) i swear those woods get closer every year. i have been pruning back the huge weed shrub/trees up there in the hope of reclaiming some land. Or at least getting rid of some of the underbrush - nothing good can come of it - it just hides the PI, and woodchucks, and lots o'bugs we don't want...
But today it was just too cold!
Could anyone tell me how long it took your castor bean seeds to germinate? Thanks...

amy
*

I am still waiting for mine too, Amy...maybe another week I hope. I haven't had castor beans in a long time, so I can't remember. I planted MGs the same day and they are already up, I have been checking every morning.

i am always a little too eager...
i am pretty sure cosmos and strawflowers sprout the second you walk away. i like that...
^_^

Hi everyone,
Nice to hear about your Mother's day....and all your adventures. Loved Sharon's description of us all...
Hi Theresa..she got us spot on I think...
Gilli..Mother's Day when the kids are young are the sweetest I think. The children really get a kick out of doing special things for Mom.
Mine was wonderful ..all the food I cooked was a success..and I had leftovers for yesterday for me. My three children and their families were here..except for my eldest grandson who was away in Pennsylvania. But my other grandson brought his girlfriend..so that made 13 of us. I am so happy when we all can get together.

My eldest son brought the "traditional hanging basket" he said..it is a beauty..lots of trailing lobelia and trailing verbena with geraniums in the centre.

My second son gave me a candle lamp..green apple aroma with a pretty frosted shade...and a bag of pinks seeds with medium to grow them right in the bag..I have planted those already.

I gave each of my DIL's and my daughter a hanging basket with the most vivid fushia geraniums in them.

My daughter gave me a zero gravity lounger..so comfy..I look forward to spending time reading a book in the sunshine. Yesterday I sat in it with my coffee for about 10 minutes..so many little jobs to do around the garden...
I'm still bringing pots and do-dads out and placing them..making plans for what I will plant in them.
I fertilized all the roses, cut grass, timmed some a few things, dug afew weeds, touched up a little statue with some paint..etc. etc.

I wore myself out..so much that when my friend invited me to come over for a game of Scrabble in the evening..I said I'm sorry..too tired..had to watch Dancing with the stars..with one eye open..LOL
Betty..did you manage to stay awake?

This is my daughter's family..me in my new lounger..

Eldest son and his family..

Middle son and his family..missing my eldest grandson.

morning all,

cat, glad everything is ok with you,
terrible saw on the news the pictures.
sounds like you had a wonderful time with your daughter and dg get togeather.

carol, lovely family how nice to get all togeather nice flowers you received and gifts how exciting!

shar, love the bracelet, bet he grew a foot! how is that little rascal doing?

ruby, how wonderful this weekend will be!! you will have to take pictures for us have a wonderful time.. how are thing otherwise,feeling ok?

theresa, now there they go again he he he going to my quiet corner... :)

vicki, how are you doing sinus issues gone away? lol that was funny with your son calling to cute.. tulips are beautiful!
oh here go's the saga the theif... lost her other job,guess they figured out she stole lol,
so on saturday our other girl said she had a guy in the store, was swearing at her mother on the phone and the best yet! julie went outside to dump the trash and saw a glass pipe on the grass, oh how i wish i was there i would of broke it then called the district mgr!!!!
i have to work with her wed night i hope she does this!!!! "grinning" she needs to go so it just proves now they havent put cameras in the store yet sigh :(

jeannine, how are you doing? you must be busy

hi amy, see you have been busy to.

jaye, i think betty needs a name asap lol she is to excited, how is everything with you

gita, wonderful pictures.

bev. how are things with you.

gilli, oh what a wonderful day you had, bet she was so excited, how soon before you can enjoy the warmer weather?

laura, what a wonderful day for you to ,has winter started for you or is it still fall?

betty, oh for petes sake hurry up and win the lotto lol, pauls sick hope you dont catch something.. oh and speaking of catching you have your appt on wed, you taking off the whole day? betty you better get busy with your trash to treasure names drawn on the 17 lol, i think you did the same went for the r/w/b first lol swaping is so much fun

oh boy now look im runnng late well everyone have a great day

Hey guys, Betty has not checked in this morning.....what's up?

I've been wondering the same thing. Maybe she's just getting around late.

Hey Sharon, I finished the book. One of his good ones!

Morning everyone..had to meet Suzanne in Hillsdale, 1/2 drive from home, left early and just enjoyed a very slow drive, was looking at homes, their flowers etc...the sun was shinning brightly (suppose to be the hottest day so far this year) and so many different colors of greens, came over a hill on the back concession and there were 4 deer, a stopped as 2 crossed in front of me and it was so cute, the other 2 just stood at the side of the road looking at the 2 who had just crossed over as if to say 'you weren't watching for cars!' so nice to see nature at it's best....then I passed a little river and stopped, OMG the yellow plants that I was going to pay $12.98 for at the nursery for inside my pond are growing wild..so, tomorrow on my way home early for Dr's I'll stop at Elmvale nursery and pick up the new plant floats that you simple put a pot in and they float around in the pond..so that made me happy, then onwards toward Oar Lake, speed limit is 50K (probably 35 mph) and just as I came down the hill the entire gully had fog all around the lake with the sun shinning through..what a vision...so met Suzanne in Hillsdale, will find a way home because she is also quite ill, she's doing her 11am appt. and then leaving..so it was a quiet ride in, we get as far at the outskirts of the city and there is a multiple car accident and it was bumper to bumper and we didn't arrive until 9:30..noticed a message was on my tel. it was Paul saying it was 7:30 and he was on his way to emerge..this virus/flu is said to last 90 days before completely out of your system..Wilena, Paul's wife had it for a few weeks, she had to be monitored because she had kidney transplant and has to be watched closely..so, not sure if the emerge is Paul or Wilena..said he'd call when he got out of the hospital..yuk..sure hope it's not something I catch..especially this weekend with it being the long weekend...

So, that has been my morning so far...

Last night I worked outside for 2 hrs. - got the pond back running, planted some seeds, did a bit of weeding..still no top soil, will have to give my guy a call..sure would be nice to have it for this weekend...
Want to get my friendship garden going because next weekend I believe it the Church plant sale and I always purchase at least $100.00 at their sale...

Liz, sign outside the variety store said the lottery would be $25 million this week, so will certainly purchase a few tickets..cross your fingers so I can win and visit with you...lol...I'll be busy for the red/white/blue swap but need to get myself in gear for the trash to treasure..this weekend I'll get both completed and they'll be ready to ship as soon as I get my name...

Carol, beautiful family..seems you hit paydirt this Mothers Day as well..lol...beautiful lamp and seeds, flowers and chair, what more could you want...are you pretty well organized in the garden? just upkeep now?

I have two of those chairs sitting near the pond that I got last year for Mothers' Day, they are indeed very comfortable BUT who has time to sit..so funny, Bernice and Cliff usually walk over and sit for an hour or so on nice days..glad someone enjoys them...one has a shade top which makes it even better on a sunshine day! Baskets sound gorgeous...when I passed the corner variety store this morning he was putting out his baskets and my eye went to the geranium baskets, lordy they were gorgeous..better not take that route home tonight or one will end up in my car...should cut the side yard now that the 'Foxy Lady' has been moved, notice the grass it quite long...another chore..I sure can fill a 'to do' list quickly...this gardening can become obsessive can't it? Thanks goodness I don't drink, smoke,gamble because all my $$$ need to be spent beautifying my yard....lol....

Carol, did watch Dancing with the Stars and you know who I think should 'be gone' yes Melissa but the general public still keep voting her in...she's come a long way but it's time to go home...tonight just might be the night..who do you want to win?

I'm here, just seemed forever to get myself organized..how are you both Cathy and Shar?

Forgot to tell you that June left on my counter last night a ziplock bag with the starter batch for Amish Sweet Bread - also known as the friendship cake..omg it is so good..anyway it's a 10 day process..then you bake and make 2 loaves and give away 2 zip lock bags of starter mixture...

So I'm on Day 2 and I get to - Mush the bag..you mush it for 5 days, day 6 add more ingredients then mush for 3 more days and then prepare the batch for division and for baking by adding yet more ingredients..so must find 2 people to give each a batch to..lol I'll give it a try because it's the tastiest cake I've ever had.. can't keep all the batches or I'll be putting on more weight...

Hi Betty. I've heard of that cake. Never tried it though. Someone gave my daughter a start a few months back and she threw it away cause she wasn't sure what was in it!!!! Silly girl!

I also hope you don't catch whatever they have. You don't need anything else.

Cathy, June brought me cake 2 or 3 times and OMG I've never tasted anything so moist...Will try to find out how one starts an original batch and get your the recipe..right now it's 1 cup of mixture in a plastic baggie and what amazes me is you don't refrigerate...so I screwed up last night..came home in the fridge it went, then this morning I started to read...she was dropping off another today incase I knew someone that wanted one so might just keep it incase the first bag doesn't turn out...

That would be great Betty. I can start my own that way & taste what everyone is raving so much about! Thanks

Hi Betty,
You painted a lovely picutre in our minds of your drive in..till the accident part...
That flu sounds terrible..do be careful..
Just in for a break..no where near finished in the garden..but making progress.
Today I spray painted more things..put industrial sand around the Hostas to see if it helps deter the slugs.
Brought more plants up from downstairs..the weeds are poping up everywhere..weeding is not my favorite thing to do..gave the tropical hibiscus another spray for the whitefly that is all over them.

I think Melissa should have been gone long before this..but she has great enthusiasm..I think Jason should win.
But I believe it will be Christy who takes the trophy.

Hey Liz...so the story of the bad employee continues....hope the problem is resolved soon for you all..it must be a big distraction for the rest of you.

Ok..time for me to get back to work in the garden.
These dwarf iris are in bloom today..Iris Cherry Garden

Yes, Was lovely description of your ride Betty. I am glad you are having such a pretty day.
I sure hope Paul gets well soon...My these flu's this year are bad..

Carol, how pretty your drawf iris is! Now I am thinking about you as i work in my gardens this mighty fine day.
But I am Weeding, yuk got some very healthy dandelions...roots shoot way the heck down. And wouldn't you know the deer stay clear of those too. Oh, wanted to say how neat it is you have all those nests in your secret gardens. I love to watch the babies.
Hoping you'll be able to catch some on your camera.

Ok.Ok. you know how special something has to be for me to want to cook it or bake it so AMISH FRIENDSHIP BREAD also known as FRIENDSHIP CAKE

Amish Friendship Bread is a great bread for those special occasions. When you've made your bread, you can give your friends a sample and the starter that came from the original batter that helped to make the sample bread! Then your friends can make their own and pass it along to their friends. This is why the bread is called "friendship bread". It's time consuming, but it's worth it. Amish Friendship Bread is a starter bread. If you know someone with a starter, you are in luck. For those of you without access to a starter, I have placed the directions for the starter in step one. When passing the recipe on, be sure they realize that part of step one is not day one for them. Or you may want to eliminate the part of step one that does not pertain to them when passing on your starters.



Ingredients Needed:

2 1/2 cups milk
3 cups sugar
4 cups flour
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup milk
3 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 (6 ounce) box vanilla instant pudding mix
1/2 cup nuts (optional)
1/2 cup raisins (optional)


Directions for Starter Batch

Combine 1 cup milk, 1 cup sugar, and 1 cup flour in a large zip lock bag and mush to mix ingredients. Make sure you've taken all the air out of the bag...

Leave sitting on the counter "DO NOT REFRIGERATE" and "DO NOT USE ANY METAL SPOONS OR BOWLS"

Make sure your bag is always sealed..when sealing bags, be sure to remove excess air AND make sure you don't mush the bag too much and it lands all over the place..lol...

Note: When it says much the bag do so a few times a day..you give even do this to relieve stress!!!

Day 1 - is when you make your batter OR you receive your batter

Day 2 - Mush the bag

Day 3 - Mush the bag

Day 4 - Mush the bag

Day 5 - Mush the bag

Day 6 - Add to the bag, I cup of flour, 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of milk
Mush the bag

Day 7 - Mush the bag

Day 8 - Mush the bag

Day 9 - Mush the bag

Day10 - Pour entire contents of bag into a non-metal bowl.
Add 1 1/2 cups of flour, 1 1/2 cups of sugar,
1 1/2 cups of milk. Mix well...measure out 1 cup into 4 separate
large ziplock bags, remove air and seal ell.. Be sure to put
todays date on the bags so you can keep track of working days.
Keep one for yourself and give the others to friends along with
a copy of the recipe. This will be their starter base...

Preheat oven to 325 F.

To the remaining batter in bowl (about 1 2/3 cups) add 3 eggs 1 cup of oil OR (1/2 cup of oil and 1/2 applesauce) ***prefer the oil and applesauce*** 1/2 cup of milk, 1 cup of sugar, 2 tsp. of vanilla, 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder, 1 1/2 tsp. of baking soda, 1/2 tsp of salt, 2 cups of flour and 1 large box of instant pudding mix (whatever flavour you like-I prefer lemon)

Optional: Add nuts, raisins or chocolate chips...

MIX WELL

Grease 2 loaf pans. Mix 1/2 cup of brown sugar and 1 1/2 tsp of cinnamon..dust the greased pan with 1/2 of this mixture. Pour batter evenly into the 2 pans and sprinkle the remaining mixture over the top of the batter.

Bake for 1 hour at the 325. Cool until bread loosens from the sides of the pans. Turn out onto serving dish and serve hot or cold...

If you keep a bag for yourself you will be baking every 10 days. Dated bags help keep track of the working days.

This is the cute, cute, cute elephant toothbrush holder that my secret pal sent me. I just wrote a long note telling how much I loved everything that was in a great big box that I received yesterday and poof, it be gone. Hate that so much!!!

Anyway, there are several photos to show all the beautiful gifts that I received. Secret Pal, I love everything!!!! You really paid attention to my favorite colors and elephant collection. Thank you so very much.

Ruby

This is the absolutely gorgeous glass bowl that SP sent. I love it and it is already in a place of honor in my china press. Thank you so much.

Ruby

The are all my goodies together. There are the most beautiful color hand towel and wash cloth. I washed them already and they are soooooo soft. There is a basket cornucopia or horn of plenty that I will use at Thanksgiving as a table centerpiece with fruit coming out the end. Also the very cute little welcome sign.

Thanks so very much for all the goodies. I love them!!!

Ruby

Just a fun thing to share with friends...

Carol, I've been finding a lot of slugs in my gardens as well...is that what you do, add a different soil???

IF I could call in to vote for Dancing with the Stars it would be the man who can only use 1 of his arms - Houlio (?) ...think he's greatly improved..but know it will likely be Christy...I'll just give up watching lol if Melissa makes one more week..I voted her out from the beginning...we sure get trapped into these shows...it's about the only one I watch but, if on earlier I might watch the celebrity undergoing treatment one..found it interesting..and boy were they ill going through detox. What do you have planned for the long weekend Carole???

Judy, saw as I was having my coffee this morning a morning dove enjoying my hanging basket..sure hope she doesn't think it's a good place to have her babies...I must drop in on my way home tonight and pick up more bird seed..lordy those guys can eat (or is it the squirrels)..keep thinking about those brats who visited over the weekend and told me my yard looks 'junky' now I'm second guessing myself...did tell them though it does look junky to a certain degree ONLY because there are no flowers, once everything is mature and 2' or 3' tall then most of it will be hidden and it will look as pretty as a picture - right?
Wonder when you cross the line from beautiful to junkie??? maybe Carol I'd best just sit in those chairs and forget some of my bright ideas...lol

Looking out my window, blue sky, fluffy clouds, no work to do, trying to pass the day...yuk, I want to go home...only working 1/2 day tomorrow so better be patient..should have cancelled the girls tomorrow night but I'll manage..then it's Thurs. and 1/2 day Friday and a long weekend..oh happy days!

Ruby, isn't it so much fun to go to the post office or mail box and see a package..lordy I'm getting use to it and am loving it..sure does make ones day! Lovely items...now someone was paying ATTENTION...

Betty, I just went back and read what you typed after I listed all of my plans for you all. You forget that HERBIE is talking about possibly getting a group together either at Niagra Falls, or New York City at some point. I am definitely going to try to do those things and am hoping that you will be at those. Of course, you never know, maybe John and I will be your first B & B guests at some point. ha-ha Watch out Canada!!!

Anyway, I started reading this thread about 9 AM and am just now getting to post. In the mean time my weekly cleaning help is here and we just finished stocking a new corner china cabinet that John inherited from his parents recently. That was quite a job. It looks very pretty. Let me try taking a picture. Am gonna close this note before I lose it and post picture in a minute.

Ruby

This is the new cabinet. We love it.

How lovely Ruby..a place for all your special 'treasures'..look antique???
Guess you are packed and ready to travel..is it tomorrow you leave..I should have made arrangements for the animals and planned something for the long weekend...too late...maybe next long weekend...we'll be waiting to see your treasures and hear of your travels...

A close up.

This is a few pieces of my Bavarian China.

The plates, are they Currier Ives???

Mish mash.

This cabinet was my mothers. It is at least 50 plus years and maybe more.

Beautiful, so very soft in color...

When Roger died and I sold the place on the water I gave all my Royal Albert china to DIL and the other DIL all the silver..goodness knows where it is now as the younger generation I think aren't interested...

I've an old china cabinet that I often think of throwing out but it's there in the entrance..one day I'll get the urge to do so...

This is my third china cabinet. I told you all that I love glassware.

ha-ha

Together along the wall of dining room.