Goals for the Week of June 12-18, 2016

Spiritual
     ABF/Church
     Daily Bible Reading
     Prayer by Richard Foster

Physical
     Exercise DVD 5X
     Water 32oz. daily
     Healthy Breakfast

Quilting
     Scrap 9-Patch

Reading
     The Life of Birds by David Attenborough 
     About Face by Donna Leon

Cooking
     Pancakes and Sausage
     Tuna Salad Sandwiches
     Chicken Tenders, Baked Sweet Potato, Asparagus
     Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff, Noodles

Home
     New 4th of July wreath for front door
     Get rid of almost dead ponytailed palm on front porch and replant with rose moss

Personal
     Housecleaners come Monday! Yea!
     6 month dental cleaning Tuesday
      

Interesting Critters around OakMeadows

Just Kidding About This One!

Around OakMeadows

Although I was a Bernie supporter, I am happy for Hillary. She's certainly put the years of work into it.  I will be voting for her in November.  One thing I will not do though is listen to any of the horrid things that the Republicans will be saying about her. (In all honesty though, I won't be listening to anything about The Donald either but that is because I just can stand anything about him.) 

I listened to Fresh Air last night and Terry Gross interviewed Jeffrey Rosen about his new book, Louis Brandeis: American Prophet.  It sounds so interesting! I added it to my GoodReads To Read list at #92.  There are just so many interesting books to read. 

Speaking of reading, I am still in David Attenborough's The Life of Birds.  Even if the book weren't well written and interesting, the gorgeous pictures would make it worthwhile.  My current book of fiction is About Face by Donna Leon. It is a Commissario Brunetti mystery. 

I'm still piecing my Scrap 9-Patch.  I can't do any more on Starz until my DD comes over to help us layer it. It is just too unwieldy for me to manage. Then I can get it basted and start quilting on it.  

I've bought theater tickets for the Alley's Summer Chills production of Agatha Christie's Spider's Web.  They do a murder mystery every summer just for fun.  I'm looking forward to it.  I am also looking forward to The Book of Mormon which is coming in January, 2017. 

Lots of cooking.  JMM and I made Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice Soup; it is so good and nutritious and low fat/calorie.  It is so nice to have several bowls of it in the refrigerator for quick lunches.  Other cooking: Shrimp Jambalaya and Chicken Cacciatore.  What did we have for dinner this evening?? Burgers & Fries.  LOL!!

The rains have let up and the Brazos River is down about 5-6 feet.  We have never seen it so high before.  Now if it just won't rain for a week or two, we can get dried out! My yard looks like a jungle! The mosquitos have been light so far but will probably be out in the bazillions in a few days.  

There are still at least 6 Monarchs twirling around the property. I haven't seen any caterpillars in the last couple of weeks.  The milkweed has recuperated from being eaten down by the earlier caterpillars, so there is plenty for them now.  We have a fresh nest full of baby swallows pooping all over the front porch.  All I can say is that it is a darned good thing they are so cute when they are learning to fly.  

That's about it for now. 

June Meditation

"Wishing to be friends is quick work, but friendship is a slow ripening fruit." -  Aristotle

June Poetry

Peacefully
 The quiet stars came out, one after one;
The holy twilight fell upon the sea,
The summer day was done." 
-  Celia Thaxter 

Around OakMeadows

Because you can't have as much rain as we've had and not have mosquitos.  

We are celebrating our 48th wedding anniversary today.  Sunday we went to Taste of Texas with our daughter and son in law.  Very pleasant. I love everything on the menu there.  From the salad bar to the Asparagus with Hollandaise sauce to the 6 oz. steak fillet, everything is perfect, just perfect.  And then there's the dessert tray.  I wish I could post photos but since Blogger has gotten rid of Picasa, I have no idea how to post photos.  

JMM has been working on the back flower bed.  We are gradually finding plants that the bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds like but that the dratted deer will leave alone.  He planted about 10 milkweeds and 3 Mexican Heathers and then spread 2 yards of mulch. 

I've finally gotten back in quilting mode and am working on my Scrap 9-Patch. Again, I would love to post photos; maybe I should move the blog to Word Press??

I have several good books going. About Face by Donna Leon is a pleasant Commisario Brunetti mystery set in Venice.  David Attenborough's The Life of Birds is stunningly beautiful, well written, and very interesting. 

The Rainpocalypse is supposed to return Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday so I have to get all my errands run tomorrow. The Brazos River is supposed to crest tomorrow breaking the previous record high set in 1934.  So far we are high enough that we've had no flooding around us but we are on the flat coastal plain and it is always a possibility.  The rice farmers are the happiest people around this year; you should see the emerald green rice fields, just gorgeous.  

Planning our trip to Montpelier, Monticello, and Mount Vernon for the first week in October. 

161 days until the election circus/nightmare is over.  

That's about all that is going on Around OakMeadows. 

June Menu

June Menu

1. Baked Fish, Carrots/Thyme, Cabbage

2. Fruited Chicken Salad

3. Beef and Bok Choy Stir Fry

4. Leftovers

5. Out

6. Baked Potato, Veggie Tray, Bacon Sandwiches, Oven Fries

7. Veggie Soup

8. Shrimp Jambalaya 

9. Chicken Rice Bake

10. Steak, GMP, GB

11. Leftovers

12. Out

13. Baked Potato, Veggie Tray, Bacon Sandwiches, Oven Fries

14. Schlotzsky's

15. Baked Fish, Carrots/Thyme, Corn 

16. Oven Fried Chicken, Baked Sweet Potato, Asparagus 

17. Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

18. Leftovers 

19. Out

20. Baked Potato, Veggie Tray, Bacon Sandwiches, Oven Fries

21. Mac and Cheese

22. Tuna Salad Sandwiches

23. Slow Cooker Chicken Stew

24. Spicy Sausage Ragu with Red Peppers SCR p.169. 

25. Leftovers 

26. Out

27. Baked Potato, Veggie tray, Bacon sandwiches, Oven fries 

28. CB Hash

29. Shrimp, FF, Cole Slaw

30. KFC