How To Can Tomatoes And Preserve A Husband

Who needs the internet when you have grandma's Ball Blue Book.

 That is my kind of price, 35 cents.

 My 28th edition was published in 1969.

 Just follow the step by step instructions with pictures,

and voila, 14 quarts of canned tomatoes.

Then I just noticed this gem on the last page.  Very fitting for our 29th wedding anniversary today.

This Week In The Garden

There has been lots going on this week in the garden. 

 The tomatoes have come in full force.  V helped me can 7 quarts today.  I would have done more but I didn't have anymore lids. 

 Okra anyone?  I tried stir frying some with onions, garlic and peppers.  J took one piece and followed it with a big bit of toast.  Then he said, "See, I ate some okra."  I thought it was ok, but not my favorite.  The plants are doing great.

 The cucumbers did their quick dying thing and I pulled them all up.  The grape vine has taken over the frame now.

 Something is eating my beans, well the leaves anyway. 

 The peppers are doing good, both the green peppers

 and the banana peppers.

 I just don't understand the mandevilla vine.  It said it should grow to 9 - 12 feet.  It still hasn't gotten any taller than the original trellis.  But the blooms have been beautiful.

And then, just because it was a pretty sky, Bea (background) and Jewel.

Beach Finds

I don't think it is possible for me to go to the beach without picking something up.  There are so many interesting things.  

 Shark tooth hunting was very good this trip.  I found many just in front of the house. 

 And I found some more fossilized fish poo.  (at least that is what I am calling it.  E doesn't understand why I bother to pick it up)

 And I found lots of faces.

 Some in profile. 

 This was my favorite.  I think it looks like Grandpa from The Simpsons. 

I think there is a definite resemblance there.

 Then there was this treasure.  "What is it?" you might ask.   Well, a man stopped me and asked if I had ever heard of a moon shell.  No I had not but he described a type of snail.   He said this was the last piece of the shell left as it erodes. 

Apparently, you can tell by the flat side.  He said it is calls a sharks eye and it was his favorite shell and he has over 500.   I don't think I will be competing to find more.  They really look too much like the sand.

Airlie Garden, Butterflies

Up next, I had a request for the butterflies at the garden.  There were all kinds, 

 This metal butterfly bench was very pretty, but the sun was shining on it and the metal got very hot.  I couldn't sit for long.

 There was a beautiful butterfly arbor,

 Butterfly mosaics,

 and one side of the bottle house was a butterfly. 

 We also saw caterpillars,

 and actual butterflies all throughout the garden. 

 But the butterfly highlight was the butterfly house.  Here, the butterflies were almost tame. 

 I guess they have been photographed so much they didn't mind.

 Several were congregating on the watering sponge. 

 And there was another beautiful butterfly sculpture on the ceiling. 

One even landed in E's hair.  There was a double door entry and exit.  I didn't understand what the mirror was in the area between the two doors until we were leaving.  Guess they don't want any hitchhikers leaving the building.

Airlie Gardens, Gnome Invasion

E and I with sister L went for a short, 4 day trip to the beach this weekend.  Sunday, we decided to do something other than hang out on the beach.

 E picked out a trip to Airlie Gardens, "More than a century of gardens by the sea." in Wilmington.

 It is also the home of the Airlie Live Oak, dating back to 1545 and the NC state champion live oak. 

 When we got there we were greeted by the Gnome Invasion, a collaborative art display featuring 15 over sized garden gnomes placed throughout the 67 acre garden.

 I decided it was too predictable to take a picture of the front of the gnomes.  So, I took pictures of "What the Gnome Sees."  Sometimes its a shady sandy patch.

 And sometimes it has a nice plant filled view. 

 There were real mushrooms,

 some very colorful,

 and some fake mushrooms. 

 E was in charge of the map and self guided tour.

 The sun was out and it was very hot, and I about melted when I got close to this mirror covered Gnome.

 E even let  me take a picture of her next to the nature gnome.

 This one had a view of the Bottle Chapel, featuring over 2,800 bottles, multiple sculptures and mosaics.

And in case you are wanting to see the front of all 15, here is the brochure.  More of the garden tomorrow, there is a lot to see in 67 acres.

Coupon Saturday #14

So, who goes to the beach and goes couponing?  I do!  I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to try out a new Dollar Greneral.  And this one had the 6 count Aleve for $1 that the recent $4 off Aleve works on.  I just had to try. 

My goal was to get the toilet paper as cheap as possible.  So I bought 4 shampoos, tooth paste, floss picks,  2 packs of finish and the Aleve. 

So, how did I do? $2.25 plus tax for a 12 pack of Angel Soft.  Nice vacation. 

Summer Storm

J and I had just run to the dump when a big thunderstorm hit.  We had to wait 15 minutes before we could get out and unload the now saturated mattress.  

 When we got back to the house I noticed my zinnias had blown over.  The rain gauge showed 0.75 inches.  J went off to check the cows up the road.

 And he hit a road block.  He went around from the other way and there was another tree down from that end.  So he came back to get his chain saw. 

 He was halfway through this one when the State road crew showed up.  They did a little sawing but left most of it to J. 

 Miraculously, we didn't end up with any poison ivy. 

We weren't expecting to be gathering wood this time of year, but I guess you get it when you can.