Canning, Pickling and Camping

Hello sweet blogging friends,

I have been having some busy,

but fun weeks.

The garden is ready and I have

been canning salsa and tomatoes.

 

 

 

A few years ago I discovered that 

if I stuck a plastic bag under

the corner of my cutting

board it was easy to sweep 

all my waste right in 

and eliminate a lot of mess.

 

 

Here's the tomatoes, peppers, 

onion and garlic all chopped

and ready for a batch of salsa.

 

 

 

 

Next I made a batch of my first ever

refrigerator pickles.

A friend bought some to a pot-luck

and they were so good that I asked 

for her recipe. 

 

 

 

Now's the fun part . . .

I went camping with Steve's sister

and her husband.

The following photos are from my trip . . .

 

 

These are all at Steamboat State Park

in Washington. 

This is where we camped.

 

 

On my drive home I stopped at the marina 

where Steve and I used to moor our sail boat. 

I have so many wonderful memories 

of those years. 

 

 

This is a favorite swimming

and kayaking spot that I stopped 

at too. There were two ladies around

my age getting ready to go swimming.

I would have joined them,

but it was very hot and I had

the dogs with me.

There is no shade and they 

would have had to been leased.

 

Well, now I'm home safe and sound.

With chores to catch up on.

The grass and weeds never take a vacation :)

 

 

Remember to look around you,

and count your many blessing.

Our God is good all the time!

 

Oh, I celebrated my birthday

while camping and my sister-in-law

made be a marvelous birthday dinner.

Steak, baked potato and salad,

followed by chocolate cake and ice cream.

How sweet is that!!!

Seventy-seven years and good health. 

Now that's a blessing for me to count. 

 

Keep Smiling,

Connie :)

Hammocks and Beds

 

My melons are growing 

up a trellis this year . . .

 

so I'm creating little hammocks

to cradle them as they grow :)

 

 

 

The other day I found this 

red and white polka dot fabric

on sale for $3.99 a yard.

 And decided to make bed skirts

for my twin beds.

 

 

 

Then I remembered that I couldn't

make them until I raised the bed height,

something that I have wanted to do 

for two years. 

So out to Steve's shop 

to look for wood.   

 

 It's amazing how one little job,

leads us into more than we 

expected, but I couldn't do all

that sewing and still not be 

satisfied with the height of

the beds. 

Four inches made a huge difference.

 

 

 

I'm happy to have both jobs

done and behind me . . .

 

And I'm delighted with the new 

height, the bedroom looks so

grown up now.

 

 

 

And ready for guest.

 

Two decorations that are in

this room that I love

are these vintage pillow cases

on this old antique hanger,

given to me by a dear friend.

 

And these two pieces of art

done by our granddaughters

back in 2011 when they were

4 and 5 years old.

 

 

Thanks for visiting . . . 

and for being such 

lovely blogging friends. 

 

God bless you all!

 

Connie :)

Dish Drain Pad Makeover

 

Okay, who has a drain pad

for doing dishes that has seen 

better days.  

 

I grew up in a waste not -

want not family . . .

so making this over was

an obvious task.

 

 

 

I just made a pillow case

to fit it snugly.

Inserted pad and sewed

closed.

It doesn't get any easier.

 

 

 

This is one side

 

 

 

This is the reverse side.

 

 

 

Then I covered this one 

with the same fabric

on both sides.

 Good as new :)

This is a good way

to use up old fabric

or scraps and even make

your drain pads 

match your decor :)

 

Well, that's my post,

I hope I inspired 

someone to make something

old, new again :)

 

Have a sweet day . . .

keep God first in your life

&

God bless you.

 

Connie :)