Z is for Zinnia

Z is for Zinnia

~ the end ~

Getting To Know You

I don't know why but this song just popped into my head. That just happens sometimes! You may recognize these words from the movie "The King and I."  The song was written by Oscar Hammerstein.

Getting to know you,
Getting to know all about you.
Getting to like you,
Getting to hope you like me.

So then I got to thinking I should maybe share some facts about mysef so that you can get to know me.  It would take forever and then some to really get to know me, so I will just start with the 'short list.'  lol

1.  I wish all children could have my childhood, it was wonderful.
2.  I dream in colors.
3.  God blesses me in numerous ways on a daily basis.
4.  I broke my back in a horse accident when I was 12 years old.
5.  I'm the wife of one fantastic man, mother of three great kids and grandmother of six facinating, wonderful grandchildren.
6.  I was married at age 18 and then again thirty years later at the age 48.  
7.  I am the middle child of 9.
8.  My car was totaled in a flash flood. 
9.  I was widowed at age 46.
10. I know that we all have an inner strength that comes from God but it's our choice whether or not we grow spiritually.

Your turn!

Physical, Physical

I Wanna Get Physical, Physical ... sounds kind of like Olivia Newton John's song of the early 1980s.  My doc came in the room and took my blood pressure himself.  I have a hunch he didn't trust his nurse could have possibly been right showing such good results.  But even after checking it himself he affirmed that it was GREAT.  I said, 'not bad for a fat chick huh?'  He kind of laughed and said it was wonderful.  So then he proceded with listening to what needed to be listened to and with another nod of the head he said all was good.

When I left the visit he had this advice:

and he informed me I should have a mammogram. 

Even though this guy seems way too willing to help, I will opt for a professional.

And after all the blood and urine tests, I'm happy to say my physical turned out fantastic.

Get your physicals!
take care of yourselves.

Kitchen Solutions

When we bought our home a few yeas ago it was advertised with an 'eat in kitchen' with breakfast bar and a formal dining room.  Well after setting up the kitchen with a small table and chairs, we soon discovered we most often used the breakfast bar and the table was going unused and fast becoming a catch all space as we walked through the door.

We also discovered that we both hated 'digging' for appliances ~ so we solved two problems with the purchase of one cabinet.  It holds a lot of the appliances and being at fingertip level, no more digging. It even has two deep drawers for all the cake and pie pans.

Having several cookbooks we found it appropriate to add a small bookshelf in that same area.  The cabinet to the left holds the dishes used on a daily basis. I'm short and hate reaching for dishes, so these too are at a very accessible height.

and I love, love, love having my cookware within my sight and grasp. Most used utinsels hang alongside.  In case you didn't know ~ I love to cook and bake and I love my kitchen.  

Thanks for letting me share my 'kitchen solutions!'

A Flower Tale

Once upon a time there were four little seeds attached to a Christmas card.

Come spring those little seeds were planted with hopes that one day they would sprout into some healthy little plants.

They did sprout and they grew and grew and grew and then one day they blossomed ~ and blossomed.

At night they unfurled, one after another, they unfurled.

Amazing how they only show off their blooms

through the night,

 

  but then again they are called Moon flowers.

Thank you Dar, for my Christmas card.

Glad I Grew Glads

I'm so 'glad' I grew some 'GLADS'

Herding Cats

Trying to get a picture with all my brothers and sisters at a family wedding is like trying to herd up a bunch of stray cats.  We were all there, but by the time the cameras were pulled out ~ everyone was heading in a different direction! So we took some more casual pics the following day. The best I could do was to get MOST of us, but we are still missing our two brothers Doug and Randy whom I will have to work my magic and photo-shop them into the picture later.  Those two trouble - makers, I'll get them yet! lol

Front: Mom and our brother Eric

Back: From left to right

Cheryl (me) and Thom

Linda and Jim

Darla and Bill

Melody and Perry

Colleen and Mike

AND ... we finally had a nice pic of just the two of us taken:

~ thanks Staci ~

what a fantastic wedding my niece Sara and Don had

Sara is the daughter of Mel from http://www.upnorthwithmel.blogspot.com/

I will let Mel share the more detailed pics of the bride and groom

after all, it was their daughter's wedding. I love them all!!!

more later, time to can some green beans

Night's White Wonder

Just as the day is

bidding us goodnight

Out come Moon Flowers

night's wonder of white.

all photos property of CherShots

do not copy without permission

Aug 1 - Flowers, Vegetable Garden

I just wanted to share some updated pics of my garden and the flowers planted to attract the pollenators.  And look at the height of our peas!  Thom is just shy of 6' to give you a visual-meter. 

This year we extended our garden

the squash and tomatoes are loaded,

with more blossoms just wating to produce

I just love squash and pumpkin vines

Yes Mel, I planted pumpkins! Thanks for the tip.

and I can hardly wait for the three

hibiscus plants to bloom

and I'd also like to thank Dar

for the moon flower seeds!

My sisters rock!

What Happened to July???

OMG it's the last day of July already!

Enough said!

Little Pleasures, Little Surprises

 I like to 'treasure' hunt at flea markets, garage sales etc. I found this cute birdhouse wreath at our local Good Will store .  It certainly wasn't a  need, just a want because I liked it. It's what I call a 'little pleasure.'

I love the garden background and

the rock garden foreground.

Our bluebirds hatched out their second batch of babies. The first hatching was 4 eggs, this batch has 5. Yeah, Our bluebird population is booming!!

and in our 'peek-a-boo' birdhouse

we found this

have you figured out what it is yet?

it's a Cope's Gray Treefrog!

We took the house off its post and set it in the garden; he was gone the next morning.  I'm sure he's hanging around somewhere in their. Maybe hidden under the squash or pumpkin leaves ~ or in the beets or beans ~ maybe in the flowerbeds or tomatoes ~ corn or peas? Come out, come out where ever you are!

(All photos property of Cher Shots - please do not copy without permission)

Whoa! ~ What a Storm

KABOOM, over and over again

lightshow beyond belief

non stop thunder rolling

and torrential downpours

with little repreive in between

now this is what I call a storm!!

Rough storms tonight

sister called to see if we're alright

sweet of her

 I suggested she check agian

in the morning! 

LIGHTNING STRIKES!!

not a good time to be on the phone

more storms on the way

(pics from net)

Surprise Visitor

we had a surprise visitor drop by

it was just a short visit

but a pleasant one

we've seen her mom before

but this is the first

we've seen of the fawn

all photos personal property of Cher Shots

do not copy without permission