Bottle Trees

I have been looking at these bottle trees since May. I know that you can make some wooden ones on your own. You can make them out of rebar also but you need to have the welding tools. I started pricing them on the internet and they can get pretty pricey. I think that I have found a solution. EBay. I am going to try to bid on some of the bottle trees sans the bottles. I'll keep you posted.

Oh Happy Day!

Oh happy day! Sara Jane has been going to class since school let out because she needs to get some more education classes under her belt before the fall. She has been working like crazy and has down time but doesn't seem to know what to do with herself.

We set the sewing machine up in her bedroom and she has been a sewing maniac. She is attacking it like she attacks her classes - with abandon! She has made two very cute dresses - learning how to do it on the internet. These are her first sewing attempts and they are very impressive. I was going to post pictures of them - but of course, my camera has grown legs and has wandered off somewhere.

I am so proud of the work she has been doing!

Happy Father's Day

We had a great Father's Day today! First of all we were lucky that the weather cooperated. It was sunny and not too humid. A beautiful day to sit on the deck and talk. Secondly, everyone made it to the house without incident. The only person we were missing was my nephew , Jake, 15 who is away at Diabetic Camp. Finally, we had great food. It was all delicious, chicken, macaroni salad, spaghetti salad, baked beans, corn on the cob, Italian cookies and Boston Cream pie! Whew! A lot of food but it was all fantastic!

Everyone had a very relaxing day. I got to show off my garden as well - even though it was AGM (After Groundhog Munched).

The pictures show Haskell and Sara Jane; Joe, Matt and Dad, and Joe and Dad.

RIP Clarence

Groundhog in My Garden

I thought I had gotten rid of the squirrels in my garden. I was walking through it and noticed that the green beans looked different. Next thing you know a groundhog comes running out of the garden!

I walk over to the peas and green beans and really check it out. Bastard groundhog! Most of the peas are gone and my green beans that had climbed to the top of their poles. Razed. Looks like that fat groundhog was rolling in them and stuffing his face.

I sprinkled Epsom salts around my garden, moved my owls around -- this morning I went out and bought some fox urine spray (the depths have plunged to). It has been raining for most of the day and it is supposed to rain tonight. At $15 a bottle I don't want to go out and spray until the threat of rain has passed.

Now I sit in my house and a sense of unease creeps over me. Is he out there right now, munching away? I get up, check out the garden, sit back down. Then my thoughts wander... now...now is he out there chomping away?

I can see becoming totally psychotic over this....I think I'll go out and check.....

Yo Yo Flag

I joined a "yo yo" swap over at MJF a couple of weeks ago. I had never made a yo yo before in my life. I knew that there were patterns to buy to help with the yo yo making. I went to JoAnns Fabrics - no go, Walmart no go, Michaels - no go and finally AC Moore - no go. I go online and order a few different ones.

Since I am the High Queen of Procrastination I waited for about a week before they were supposed to be mailed out to everyone to start making 72 yo yos. The first few were disasters. I started researching ebay to see if I could buy premade ones to fulfill this swap. But I persevered. I had a few days of subbing (babysitting) and brought them with me.

I actually got the hang of it. I was making them left, right and center. And, quite possibly, it saved many a middle schooler's life, because my hands were busy and they were transfixed by them).

In a few days i got them all done - and mailed them out.

But now I am addicted. I feel I must be making yo yos at all times. It keeps my hands busy, its quick and yes - its fun!

While surfing the net I found pictures of yo yo creations. The picture above is someone else's completed yo yo flag. I took myself to the store today and bought red, white and blue fabric. I am in an Americana patriotic swap and I want to make the yo yo flag for my swap partner.

I think I'll start now.

First Official Day at the Beach

Today Sara Jane and I spent our first official day at the beach. We go to the beach in Ocean Grove and we love it. Last year and this year we bought beach badges so that no matter our financial status - we can always got to the beach.

It started out windy and a little cold this morning. It was about 68 degrees. We ran a few errands for Father's Day and we noticed that it was warming up. We ran home, put on our bathing suits, and to the beach we went!

It was really nice. very hot but a little breeze. We walked down to the water and it felt good. Thing was - no lifeguards on duty. And last week the next town over a teenager got caught in the rip tide and was dragged out to sea. So we weren't taking any chances today.

We only spent about two hours there but it was relaxing. The last day of schools for most places is this Friday. I'm sure that this weekend and next week the guards will be there... can't wait to get my boogie board out!!