7 watt lights
20 watt light
These photos do not do justice to the impact and presence of down lighting.
We had four different styles of low voltage lighting on the perimeter of foundation plantings….metal, plastic, spot and glowing….all replaced. After 20 years, this is a modern look which lights the brick masonary and siding! We bought the materials from Lowe’s for less than $200.
This is our photo journal for Mom’s 80th Birthday party.
Click here to view this photo book larger
Party!
We have had perennial and annual herbs in the patio garden for years. Aromas of lavender, oregano, basil, sage, etc are wonderful. Unfortunately, the seasons change before I use the herbs for cooking. I have tried drying them. I’ve even done little gift bags of catnip at the holidays.
I am inspired by the idea of herbs chopped and frozen in ice-cube trays. Last weekend, I froze a tray of basil. Today, two trays of parsley. Filling each cube with a tablespoon of herbs, it takes about two cups for a full tray.
http://www.simplycanning.com/freezing-herbs.html
I expect to use all of these cubes preparing soup through the winter.
Ahhh! A lazy summer day.
This summer has been extraordinarily hot and dry. Record breaking. Corn and soybean crops lost.
That said, after a few inches of rain and cooler temperatures over the weekend, it was time to cut back the lilac by the driveway. It is over 20 years old and had grown into the adjacent lilac, spruce and tulip tree.
Trailer full for green cycling
Every so often is it time to clear, sort, clean and reorganize. This weekend was one of those times.
During the seven years we have had cats, we have found reusing the buckets from cat litter a great convenience. We probably use them most often for recycling bins, collecting weeds and trimmings, transporting plants, storing corn for the squirrel feed, utility for hand tools, etc. This week our buckets held the clearance of used paint cans headed to recycling. Memories of nearly twenty years of painting projects are contained in these buckets with sturdy handles.
That is a LOT of cabinet space freed up!
The primary goal was to organize a pantry system (in the absence of having a designated pantry).
Mission Organization 2
That’s more like it!
Having a small collection of tea towels from vacations in the 1980s, my interest was renewed on a trip to London last month. I brought home three more. One each celebrates the Queen’s diamond jubilee, Westminster Abbey and Harrod’s (with a peacock).
This morning I found this outstanding example for do-it-yourself tea towels using Spoonflower to print the fabric. Added to my TO TRY list.
http://blog.spoonflower.com/2012/07/turn-recipes-into-tea-towels.html
Last week I had the pleasure of returning to Talbot Street Art Show with Mary and Kyle Sonnenberg. I purchased two more pairs of soup bowls in green and purple, hummingbird yard art and a pendant.
Mary and Kyle @Talbot Street Art Show
From a post in February:
My favorite dishes are basic white Corelle, however I do not like serving soup nor chili in thin bowls. Over each of the last three years, I purchased a pair of pottery bowls at Talbot Street Art Show (mid June). I matched them with department store plates in in coordinating colors.
Stacked mugs
elfcroft 