The sad decline of our garden

Its sad but the garden is coming to an end. The tomatoes still have some green and varying shades of red on them. The cabbage are rather small. The crowder peas are still growing and doing well. The lettuce and cucumbers are gone. The collard greens are growing kind of slow but still growing. The broccoli is growing but I am not getting any heads, the same thing happened last year. I wonder if its just too hot for it to flower??



Can you guess what this mess is???? How about watermelon gone wild, green peppers fighting to survive and somewhere the collard greens are in there also. We learned an important lesson this year - the watermelon needs it own plot. Yeah without trying hard I won the battle to expand the garden for next year!!! Greg wants to put the watermelon in its own plot and I'm working on a second place to put more crowder beans in.

We are very happy with the garden, except the broccoli. So far the 15 tomato plants have produced a wonderful display of canned tomatoes!!! And I am not done yet!!!

How did your garden grow this year? where you able to put in one? any idea what's up with my broccoli?

Thanks for reading and blessings, Laura

The value of a smile

I am generally a happy person but yesterday I was treated to a special smile. It was one of those days I had to get up early, little caffeine and a 9:30 am visit to the doctor. After all that, and we all know that I am not a morning person, I was feeling a bit down.

I was waiting for the bus, leaning on a light pole and happened to look up at a car. In the passenger seat was an older lady and when she caught my eye she gave me the sweetest kindest smile and nodded her head. That kind smile lifted my spirits and made me aware of how much a smile can lift anyone’s spirits.

Well that led me to pay attention to others and their smiles. The smile from the old man I let go ahead of me at Walgreen’s, the cashier who checked me out, the guy at the bus stop that I talked to, my Pastor when I got to church and especially my Dad.

So share your special smile with everyone you see today. You could be the one good thing that happens to that person.

And in case you haven't had a special smile here is one from my brother Tommy



Blessings

Scary thought

We need to clean out our freezer.



That's just way to scary right now so I will take it in small steps. This week at the store it was necessities only - no meat. So we are eating out of the freezer. Dinner tonight is BBQ cups (using hamburger from the freezer) and one night will be mac & cheese with ham either mixed in or on the side.

Wish me luck
Blessings to you

What is so interesting????

Tweet is in the bedroom raising such a fit. So I went in to see what his problem is - nothing until I look out the window.







Now I am left to wonder what they were so interested in? That part of the filed had not been cut today.

Recipe review

Seafood & cream cheese stuffed shells
Taste of Home magazine Aug/Sept 2010 page 31

Prep time 50 min + chilling time
Makes 3 doz

Ingrediants
1 pkg (12 oz) jumbo pasta shells
2 pkgs (8 oz each) cream cheese softened
1/3 cup mayonnaise (I used Miracle whip)
2 tsp sugar (I used Splenda)
1 ½ tsp lemon juice
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp coarse ground pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
3 cans (6oz each) crab meat, drain
½ lb frozen cooked salad shrimp, thawed
12 green onions, chopped

Directions
Cook pasta following directions. Drain and cool to room temp. You also want to make sure they are dry – trust me.

Mix everything but the crabmeat, shrimp and green onions. Make sure everything is mixed well then gently add in crab, shrimp and onions. Stuff the shells with about 2 Tbsp of stuffing. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Results and tweeks: This stuff was great and I am not a fish eater!!! Stuffing the shells was bothersome as they were slippery!!! This mix would also be great for just plain serving with crackers and not bothering with the shells. Greg liked the shells. Don’t be afraid of the Cayenne its not noticeable just adds a small bit of zing. I also did not use cans of crab meat I found a 18 oz bag at the store and used that. I do recommend chopping the crab and shrimp up before adding the large lumps were a slight pain.

July freebies

July freebies adding to the list of freebies I will also mark down anything that I get for free from the stores, by mail or any person that gives me something.
coupon bogo fire ring
2 - 16 ct Stayfree pads
tube of Crest Pro-health toothpaste
Sobe BOGO coupon
Crystal Light Pur samples plus 3-$2 coupons from Vocalpoint
Purina Pro life dog food sample plus coupon (Simba the cat is NOT impressed)
16 oz bottle BBQ sauce
2 coffeemate sticks 20 ct
gal of Clorox bleach
sample Old WI sausage snack
Bounty $2 coupon
10 stamps Quadreaders
single load Tide detergent
tube of Cover girl mascara and coupons (Bzagent)
sample Propel water mix
Black & Mild smoking jacket t-shirt
Bi-monthly Taste of Home magazine (1 year free with cookbook purchase)
20 oz Diet Coke (Kmart contest)
2 Reach toothbrushes
tube Colgate toothpaste
2-3 pks Rite Aid scotch tape
3 Lady Speed stick
TN Pride sausage gravy
3 Kitten chow bags
Ace sportswrap

My donation box runeth over

This is the stuff I am taking to church on Sunday. Yes our pantry loves the health and beauty items. Somewhere in the spare room I have a package of Poise pads that I am giving them - freebie from Kroger.

The remaining goodies in the box.


As I stuffed more stuff in the box I realized its just to small for my stash. I've removed what I could but I have the makings for 4 Samaritan's Purse Christmas shoe boxes taking up a good amount of the room.

Guess I'll find another box.

No post tomorrow my Baby Bears are having a House Party and I'm spending the day with them.
Thank you and blessings.