How Does Your Garden Grow?

This tomato

looks like Bert from Sesame Street

Marigolds

Bumblebees loving the Goldenrod

The morning glory vine attached itself to the bungee cord

The Eldest's Sedum 

Sow thistle gone to seed

One potato

White Snakeroot

Jewel weed 

two potato, three potato, more!

How does your garden grow?

Fun Facts About the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

Johnny Appleseed U.S. postage stamp; photo by Ben Hutchison on Flickr (noncommercial use permitted with attribution / share alike).

The state folk hero is John Chapman (1774 - 1845) better known as Johnny Appleseed. He was born in Leominster, Massachusetts. 

As children we heard the story that Johnny Appleseed wandered across New England to the Ohio River Valley scattering apple seeds as he went along. What we weren't told was that Mr. Chapman planted orchards by trade and was not a homeless person aimlessly wandering around tossing apple seeds. 

The Friday Five

 Five good things that happened this week.

1. I signed up for two online classes Modern Storybook 2 and Holiday Flourishes

2. Rain showers, but no long, sustained downpours, and the sun room roof didn't leak

3. The Young One met a friend at the BPL, and he fixed her computer.

4. The Young One and I wrangled the kitties into their carriers for a trip to the groomers without as much fuss as I expected. Quill who is mute most of the time let out a very loud MEOW!

5. Beautiful day for a ride to the cemetery to visit my folks and then stopping for brunch at The Cracker Barrel 

How was your week?

Long Sands Beach - York, Maine

On the way up to Ogunquit, Teague decided to get off the highway and to travel the Shore Road through York Beach. Back in the early 1980s when Teague had moved out to California, a friend I worked with at the hospital and I used to go every weekend during the Summer to York.

We stayed at the Anchorage Motel. A two story 1950s, 1960s cheap hotel. I don't think we paid more than $25 per night. Not anymore! 42 years later, the motel is now The Anchorage Inn. Rooms are over $300 per night!

Mary and I would run across the street to eat at a little clam shack on the beach. The little clam shack is now a big restaurant. The cars next to the curb are parked for a day at the beach.

Across from the Anchorage is Long Sands Beach. Mary and I never had a problem finding a parking spot. And if by chance all the street parking was gone, the Anchorage let people park on their lawn for $5 for the day! Not any more.

It doesn't look like it but Long Sands was packed with people. There was hardly any space to lay out a towel. I don't ever remember Long Sands being that busy. How times have changed.

Whatcha Doin?

 

I'm working in the travel journal I brought on my trip to Maine. Teague called our trip Camp Ogunquit. While I brought some art materials and the journal to work in, I forgot an important tool, my magnifying visor so didn't get much done.

Whatcha doin?

T Stands For Cold Brew

For my birthday gift, I ordered a lovely iced tea pitcher and told Himself he gave it to me. The pitcher is slim and made from borosilicate glass so one can use hot/boiling water to brew tea. I also like the fact that the infuser is in the lid.

The Plum Deluxe Tea Co. had an Earl Grey tea sale in July so I ordered a pineapple Earl Grey blend that I thought would make the perfect glass of iced tea.

Instead of using boiling water, I made iced tea using a cold brew method. Add your loose tea or teabags ( 1 teaspoon or teabag per cups of tea you want to make) and a couple of cups of water.  Let the tea steep 3 to 5 minutes. Then add more water for the total number of cups you want to make. I made 8 cups. Put the pitcher in the fridge or 8 hours or overnight.

After the tea has finished brewing, add ice. Serve over ice and with a slice of lemon or other garnish (orange, mint, etc.)

The pineapple Earl Grey made a very refreshing ice tea especially with the very hot and humid weather we had this Summer.

Drop by hosts, Bleubeard and Elizabeth's blog to find out what the rest of the T Stands For gang is 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.

Happy Mail

A lovely envelope and card from the Modern Storybook Script exchange I'm participating in.

Another exchange envelope and fun postcard insert from Rochester, NY

The last exchange partner sent a pretty envelope addressed on the diagonal

She included my initial beautifully decorated with acanthus leaves. Her envelope also had lovely flourishes in the corners.

From blog buddy, Jean at Pushing the Envelopes a fun envelope with clothesline writing. Jean shows lots of envelope designs to steal inspire.

Back in 2020, Jean had asked if anyone had any of the cardinal Winter bird stamps. She needed to use them in a project. I had some leftover so sent them to her using the clothesline writing. 

Her envelope was translucent so she did her clothesline writing on an insert card. And she said my clothesline writing has inspired her to play with the lettering.

Thank you all for brightening my mailbox.