T Stands for Anniversary Dinner

 

For our 36th wedding anniversary, we decided to go out to dinner at our favorite special occasion restaurant, the UxLocale. Even though it had been hot and humid during the day, the restaurant has a nice patio and as there was a bit of a breeze, we opted to eat al fresco. Since I wasn't driving, I had a prosecco for my beverage. Himself had a ginger ale.

The owner and chef de cuisine, Elaine, used to work at the Worcester Art Museum where I teach. She spotted us and came over to chat. She apologized that she didn't have any clams for my favorite dish, linguine a la vongola. Elaine is so sweet to remember and I told her it didn't matter as I'm sure there would be other delicious things from her menu to choose from.

She showed me the hops she had planted. I asked if she was planning on starting a micro brewery for the restaurant, but she said with the well water, that wouldn't be possible. The hops just looked pretty and unusual.

Elaine then said she almost wore the necklace. When she left the museum, I gave her a small, pearl necklace as a memento, and because she's a pearl of great price. 

 

For our appetizer we had an antipasto so there would be no need for a side salad. I hate making salads, but enjoy a salad when I go out to eat.

We also had Bacon Crator Taters. Fried Yukon Gold potatoes with bacon and pecorino romano cheese

For my entrée, I had sausage in a vodka cream sauce over penne

Himself had garlic and herb roasted tomato carbonara with burrata and prosciutto

I also had a glass of sparkling water with a slice of lemon

Since it had been so hot, we opted for raspberry and blood orange sorbet for me and pistachio gelato with fresh peaches for Himself. We each had a taste of the other.

The sun set and another year in the books.

Drop by hosts, Bleubeard and Elizabeth's blog to find out what the rest of the T Stands For gang are up to. If you want to play, include in your Tuesday post a beverage or container for a beverage. Don't forget to link your blog to Bleubeard and Elizabeth's page.

Henry's Cousin, Leo

 Not many Leo sightings this month

Send a Friend Greeting

How Does Your Garden Grow?

 Another back to front story courtesy of Blogger

I put out the bird feeders and lighthouse after Tropical Storm Henri last Monday

The bunny wondering where all the delicious tall grass went to as the Lawn Guy showed up.

Tiny, Tiny Bunny. This little one likes to nibble grass by the step to the sun room slider. S/he is one of Clover's babies. Clover was one of the bunnies from last Summer that liked to nibble the clover and had a white spot on his/her head. Tiny, Tiny Bunny has the same white spot.

There are so many bunnies of varying size they remind me of matryoshka dolls. One of the bunnies enjoyed the morning glories. Since the morning glories were twisted around the shepherd's hook, I just lowered the planter and hook to the ground. Didn't get out there fast enough to stop some bunny from having a morning glorious feast.

Bunny posing like a chocolate bunny

Another hazy, hot, and humid day. 89 oF, but a feels like temp. of 98 oF.

Morning glories and the petunia not doing too well with all the heat, humidity, and rain.

Tiny Bunny sneaking up on the Chocolate Bunny

Boo! Chocolate Bunny freaks and leaps into the air.

Pepper plants not looking too good after all the rain from Tropical Storm Henri followed by heat and humidity.

Catching some rays

Henri was a bit of a dud  in my area. Just a couple of leaves and twigs blown down. I'm not complaining.

I had forgotten to take Dedo inside.  He was well protected by the hydrangea.

The wind did blow the ivy from the middle to the side of the window box.

This little tree peep must have weathered the storm inside the petunia plants I brought into the front porch. He hopped out onto the top step when I opened the door.

How does your garden grow?

Saturday Morning at the Library

 

When I was 5 years old, I was forced to take dancing lessons while the Brother was forced to take accordion lessons. I hated dancing class. The Knights of Columbus Hall where the classes were given had no heat or it wasn't turned on. I hated wearing the pink beginner tights. I liked clacking around in the tap shoes, but Ma wouldn't let me practice inside the house on the wood floors. I spent most of my time in class being miserable and crying. Eventually, I was taken out of class.

While the Brother still had to endure accordion lessons, Dad took me to the library. He would leave me upstairs in the children's library where I could look at the books and choose to take some books home with my own library card. As I got older, I would go downstairs to the adult library and wander among the stacks enjoying the scent of the books before going to find Dad in the reference area consulting the law books and catching up on his work.

So for the next several weeks, a list of my favorite books, some I have read as a child, others as an adult and some  I have read more than once.

This week, Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. If you haven't read this book, you can read it for free at Project Gutenberg. You can also find a copy at your local public library or favorite bookstore.

The Friday Five Good Things

 Five good things that happened this week.

1. Himself bought some muffins and picked a special chocolate and vanilla chai muffin for me.

2. Spent Saturday preparing food that could be eaten cold in case of a power outage from the storm. I made so much food that I didn't have to cook for 3 days.

3. Received an Ancestry message from distant cousin from my mother’s side of the family . Maybe some clues.

4. Chatted with my cousin and The Brother. Conversation take-away is we're getting old.

5. The Tesla Powerwall app stopped working a couple of months ago. After hunting around, I found a tweak, and now the app is working again.

How was your week?

For the Hitchhikers

 

Whatcha Doin'?

 

Today, I'm cleaning some pens. Whatcha doin'?

T Stands for the Little Kitchen and Happy Teapot

 

Waiting for the christening party to begin, one couldn't help notice the Grand Niece's little kitchen in the corner of the living room. It brought back happy memories of my girlies, especially the Eldest, playing with the little kitchen we had that took up a corner of the living room. 

I couldn't help smile at the happy teapot. Later on, one of G's male cousins came up to play with the kitchen. The tea set was brought out and there was lots of food prep as well as kitchen pieces all over the floor. Lots of pieces. 

I had to laugh when The Nephew told me he spent a lot of time picking up scattered kitchen pieces after G plays. Trying to find all the pieces. Putting them all away. Trying to teach his daughter to put all the pieces away.

I remember doing that, too. And washing all the pieces every night. By the time the Young One came around, I gave up. A little dirt never hurt anyone. 

Drop by hosts, Bleubeard and Elizabeth's blog to find out what the rest of the T Stands For gang are up to. If you want to play, include in your Tuesday post a beverage or container for a beverage. Don't forget to link your blog to Bleubeard and Elizabeth's page.

New Stamps

 Some new postage stamps were issued by the USPS. I couldn't resist so enjoyed some retail therapy. Also an increase in first class postage will take place on Sunday, 29. August 2021. First class postage will increase by 3 cents from $0.55 to $0.58. If you send a lot of holiday cards, you might want to stock up now before the rate increase. 

Western Wear. Look, there's Heath's hat!

Heath from the 1960s television program, The Big Valley played by Lee Majors

Quirky, colorful letters like bent paper clips spell out a Mystery Message. Can you read it?

Gorgeous solar images from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory. The images highlight different features of the sun. The stamps have a holographic effect which my camera didn't capture..

Raven Story. This stamp is based on the art and story telling of the Indigenous People of the West Coast

This is the solution to the Mystery Message stamp.

I don't collect stamps per se though I have quite a few stamps. I like the little bits of art and history you can hold in your hand and using stamps as complementary design elements in  mail art.

You can find out about the new stamps to be released for 2021 here.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

 

Very tall Goldenrod

A new weed called a Groundnut. A climbing vine apparently related to peas and beans

Timex left a stash of sunflower seeds

Bee but sticking out of the Touch-Me-Not or Jewelweed.

A red hornet

 Milkweed Tussock Moth. Don't touch!

Lots of rain, heat, and humidity causing the Morning Glory leaves to yellow

Bee in the Goldenrod

Audrey 2 emerging from the greenhouse

Bird enjoying the new feeder out front

Hydrangea looking better than it has the past couple of years

A new garden flag no sooner went up and had to be taken down

as all the lawn gewgaws and plants had to be moved inside as we prepare for Hurricane Henri. A category 1 hurricane (winds at 75 mph) moving up the Eastern seaboard of the US and expected to make landfall Sunday morning somewhere between Long Island, New York and  eastern Connecticut

Ink and Beggar safely inside

The greenhouse buttoned up. Hopefully, the house will provide a bit of a wind break for the greenhouse.

Morning Glory pots and their hooks laid on the ground. All the Zensical garden stuff brought in.

Bird feeders taken down.

Hatches battened. All we can do is hope that those in the storm's path come through it safely.

How does your garden grow?