What I Wear

When I was selling real estate I was a major clothes horse...I could spend a ton on all kinds of outfits and shoes.  First thing I did after closing my real estate office was to donate all of the clothes and shoes to a local program outfitting homeless women for job interviews...I was glad to get rid of the closets full of clothes and happy to help women in my community.  During my 4 year retirement my daily Spring and Summer "uniform" became a tank top with knit shorts/or denim capris.  In the Winter I wore leggings, sweatshirt type tunics and Uggs.  If I needed to muck out a chicken coop or mow a lawn I had a couple pair of Big Mac overhauls and rubber boots. I had saved back 4 "dress-up" outfits for weddings and funerals.  Now I'm back at work...but when you're the Lunch Lady you don't have to have an appropriate "Uniform".  I started out as a sub and followed my work mates' lead: worn jeans, ugly tee shirts (most with stupid logos) and sneaks...you wear an apron, so who really cares...I DID.  I always felt grubby and kinda' dumb...and I'm not dumb.  When I was made Head Cook and supervised my own kitchen and staff I dressed in nice slacks, white oxford shirt with a dark cardigan...that was too business-like and I was "out-dressing" my boss (she wears nice sports wear...tee shirts and denim capris).  I ordered 5 pair of Chef's baggy pants in different patterns (food and garden patterns) and matching solid colored knit tops.  Bingo!  The perfect outfit for the School Lunch Lady...no hair net... no yucky tee shirts, or whiskers on my chin. On their own, my staff started wearing hospital scrubs and boy do they look spiffy.  My original chef's pants are just starting to wear out, so I'm making new ones...the kids are going to love these, they're a cross between scrubs and Chef's wear!

An my Granddaughter has taken up sewing, so we now sew together...this table has four sewing machines set up on it!  She's making an apron for her mom...actually she's taking out a seam on her apron and will re-sew it...we both are sticklers for perfection!  Everything is more fun when you have a partner!

My Secret Stash

I make my own laundry soap...have for years.  My husband is a Tide Man...his Mom was a Tide Mom.  So, to keep the peace I make laundry soap and pour it in a big almost empty bottle of Tide...the bottle contains about an 1/8th of the liquid Tide.  My husband is none the wiser...I just keep the 5 gallons of "homemade" stuff in the storage space under the staircase.  I have a front loader washer and the homemade stuff works just fine.  Twice a year I do a special "bleach and blue" on all of the "whites"...they can get dingy...but I noticed they got dingy with the full strength Tide, too.  Today after making my semi-annual laundry soap I gathered up all of the whites and did some bleaching and bluing...mmmmmm...very nice!  Now out on the line for a bit of California sunshine! It's 80 degrees with a slight breeze...perfect weather for doing the laundry!

Promises

Artichokes

Strawberries

The garden is teasing me with the first of her many promises:

Tomato

Onion

Figs

Today

I'm harvesting some fantastic lettuce from the garden daily.  I have a tray of transplants ready and waiting...as a lettuce is harvested a lettuce transplant replaces it...along with a small scoop of my awesome new compost.  If all goes well, I'll have daily lettuce until the middle of June and then I'll replant in August for lettuce daily from Fall to Early Summer.  There's just such a short period of time it's too hot for lettuce.  I then turn to roasted corn and black bean salads; tomato, onion and cucumber salads; tomato, basil and mozzarella salads, chilled 3 bean salad, but I do miss a nice crisp leafy salad during that period of time.

William Thomas Reynolds

Introducing the latest "Little":

6 pounds 6 oz of PERFECT!

Slot Machine Jackpot!

For my birthday a few weeks ago, my family took me to dinner at the local Native American Casino just a few miles down the road.  After a wonderful dinner, my kids and their kids all headed home.  My husband handed me a $20.00 bill and I went over to the Penny Slots and promptly won $200.  I gave my husband his $20 back and we headed home.  Today I used my winnings for this delivery:

We Have Spring!

The lilacs, wisteria, roses and tulips are blooming...as are ALL of the fruit tree!  The almond bloom is ending, so the bees have headed my direction! Thank you, thank you!   Although we are still in the worst drought in recorded history, I am hopeful.  Met with my gardening family and friends and we divided up what we will grow this season and will each share with the other...just not enough water to do it all.  I will grow as much as I can, but I'm sure I will run out of water by August.  There will be no sweet corn.  The squash and watermelon will be grown close to the river by a friend.  I'm growing the onions, potatoes, artichokes and green beans.  I will have to wait until the Fall for the cole crops.  Usually I grow a bit of everything and manipulate the plants' environment...can't risk doing it this year...cannot waste a drop of water.  I have enough tomatoes, herbs, lettuces, chard, beets and berries for our own use and will baby them along.

Next Season's Potatoes

New Seeds, New Company

Love, Love, Love The Packaging and Art Work

Non-GMO Sugar Beets...Took Forever
To Find!!