Drift Rose pics!

Here are a few shots of my new rose bush just prior to planting, and a few close ups of buds from yesterday, and a few that opened this morning! This is going to be a proliferative plant...I can see that already!!! Yeahhh!!!

My new plants!

Well, wonder of wonders...today I found out from my boss that I was doing way more work than I had to!!! I am able to utilize more of the resources available to assist me later in the day so that I can finish up everything I need to and still get home at a reasonable hour!!! Glory be! I nearly cried...I wanted to...since I have been working way over an 8 hour day and with a 1 hour drive each way!!! I feel such relief now!

Well, being as she sent me home early today, I went shopping at a new nursery I had been wanting to visit...called ART BY NATURE, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. It was incredible! The gal there, named Jackie was so helpful and so nice. I bought 4 things! I had gone to see if they had any Rugosa roses, which she did not...but she showed me a large (in a big pot) Drift rose, called Meijocos! Here is a pic from a website @ The Conard-Pyle Company. They are so old fashioned looking, and similar in style to the Rugosa. It is already about 1.5 ft. tall, and 2.5 ft. wide! Perfect for one of my tires. Oh, and she gave it to me for half price...marked 18, I paid 9! See below:

Next she had three small gardenias! I had been thinking about planting one outside of a window that I might open more to let the heavenly scent in...so I bought 3! I couldn't resist.

Photo and more info on gardenias from LOVE TO KNOW!
I will show pics tomorrow after I get them planted. The leaves are dark green and the plants look like visions of health! I have to pic a good spot, because she said they will do best with protection from the afternoon sun...I hard thing to find here...

Oh, BTW...in honor of the Royal Wedding today, we went out and ate British food tonight! I had Shepherds Pie, and DIL had Fish n Chips! My husband had prime rib...does that count??? The wedding was so beautiful, and I am so happy for them!

TGIF! I am so ready for 2 days off! Hope everyone has a fun weekend!
xoxo- Julie

More paper making fun!

When I got home from work last night, some entertaining of the grands was needed,so we made some more paper! I immediately put some of my soaking recycled paper in the blender, ground it up, and we all went out back to the wheelbarrow! My grandson (age 6) made his first piece all by himself! He enjoyed it!!! Here is Emily with hers.

We used mostly a recycled McDonalds Happy Meal box, which had red, yellow and blue color on the box, and some white napkins from same place. I was surprised it turned as brown as it did!

Prior to drying it, it had little specs of red, yellow and blue in it...but once dry, you really can't see them anymore, which was disappointing...

Our objective was to make the paper from scratch, and then each kiddo choose a piece to make a picture for their Mom. What fun. Here is Donovan with his picture for his Mom.

By the time we finished, it had started raining outside, and their Mom walked through the door. Perfect timing.

My gosh, it is 4:40am here and Blogger Uploader is taking it's sweet time on the photos again! Good grief...things had gotten faster, now slow as molasses again!

After this paper making session, I was able to stay awake through American Idol (YEAH, James)...and then I tried to have a look at my newest Organic Gardening magazine, but my eyes slowly closed, and I was out. I woke at 4am, and decided I had to get up and have a cold drink...so here I am!

Oh, in this magazine, they have a large spread on Rugosa roses, which I had maybe only heard that term one time before...but it was interesting, because I had stopped in K-Mart tonight and had seen one that had been trained like a tree. It was stunning, with white roses all over it (I'm talking tons of roses), and they are old fashioned and very sweet looking!

Photo and more info at Fine Gardening.com.
This is something I may look into for a tire, because they are self sufficient the article said...no need for fertilizer, or any special soil...they like it all! I can't even begin to tell you how beautiful this rose bush was...hold on...let me see what the name of it was...OK, it is called 'Henry Hudson' Rosa Rugosa hybrid. Gorgeous!!!

My new blog header is a pic of the Mexican Sunflowers outside...they are really blooming right now!

Update on vegetable garden: The eggplants are giving me anywhere from 2-5 eggplants a day! We are cooking eggplants with everything...adding into almost every dinner we make! This giant one that I found last night, was hanging down inside the bucket and I had not seen it, so it had already lost it's sheen. You are supposed to pick them before they lose their shine, but it will still taste just fine!

The tomatos are coming to the end...the plants are looking shabby, and there are maybe 12 left to ripen, and that will be over until October. I still have kale production on about 4 plants...so we have that maybe twice a week, and the okra plants are ramping UP! They love the summer heat...and they are getting bushier now, and the past few days I have tons of blossoms...so you know what that means!!!

A few pics!

Here were my grands, Emmie and Donovan on Easter Day! Do you like the sandals with the tie??? LOL. I keep thinking he was going for a surfer dude look!!! :) On a side note...just have to tell you that this little doll keeps telling us that she LOVES Batman, and wants to kiss him on the lips! WHAT??? Where did this come from??? Grandma Julie does not want to hear of such Tom Foolery!!!

My fence and gate are covered in Jasmine right now...and I love walking through there to water the garden! Smells devine!

Here are some new, nearly RED colored Vincas to plant around in different areas. I stuck the flat of them in the white Vinca garden...and they look so cute peeping out, until I can plant them! I think Saturday will be the day!

Here are the Cosmos seedlings that Donovan, Emily and I planted a few weeks back. They are coming up nicely! Don't look like much yet...but will show flowers soon! This pic was taken after Emily snuck over and gave them 2 gallons of water...they have revived since then, thank God!!!

I have about 13 of the 15 Sparaxis bulbs coming up! Here are a few just popping up, in one of the tires! I REALLY can't wait to see these blooms!!!

Hope everyone has a wonderful Wednesday!!!
xoxo- Julie

Happy Succulent Easter day!!!

Happy Easter to all! My Kalanchoe daigremontianum is looking lovely and thought I would share a few pics to enjoy this day!

Deuteronomy 32:2
Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants.

Job 8:19
Surely its life withers away, and from the soil other plants grow.

Genesis 9:3
Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.

Genesis 1:12
The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.

Love to you all...Julie

Happy Easter, and Days # 23 and 24- My fav vacation and Something I've learned!

I am going to combine two days of the meme, which will get me through Easter. I sure hope everyone has wonderful holidays, if you are celebrating, this season! If not...have a few boiled eggs anyway! It seems we never have egg salad except around Easter time. The darn bunny always leaves enough to sink a battleship!
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PHOTO COURTESY OF VINTAGE EASTER IMAGES!
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Day # 23- my favorite vacation...you all know already where that would be, so no need to revisit that! LOLOL!
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Day #24- Some things I've learned!

1. Prior planning prevents poor performance.
2. The choices you make will determine the course of your life.
3. Go with the flow.
4. "Put on your big girl panties and get over it", or "Build a bridge and get over it"....go ahead and do it...might as well. The way I figure it...you will eventually get over something...might as well do it sooner rather than later, and save yourself a lot of grief.
5. California is wonderful!!!!! Hehehee.

Day # 22- My favorite city!

San Diego, California! The reasons are too many to list. Sunny, cool, breezy, dry, and wonderful. Gorgeous architecture! Lovely succulents everywhere! It is paradise on earth! The beach parks, museums, gardens, restaurants, etc...Mexican food galore too! You really can't find a city any prettier...I'm sorry (Well, I know you can, but I challenge you to)!!! LOL.

OK...maybe I should just say almost every city in California!!! I guess you can know I also left my heart in San Francisco, LA, Hollywood, San Juan Capistrano, Palm Springs, Julian, and everywhere in between!

California, here I come....one day!!!

Days 20 and 21

Days #20 and 21- My nicknames and a picture of myself!
MY NICKNAMES
Not to exciting...Jules, JuJuBee, ....and my sister and I call each other one of three things...Pib, Pibby, or Pibette! Don't ask me how that got started. Sometime in high school...and it has stuck all these years! Her real name is Judie.

A COUPLE OF PICTURES OF MYSELF
I am a woman of few pictures...I am camera shy! Seriously though, I got to thinking about it, and it is really because I am always the one with the camera in hand! I was looking around to try and find a picture I hadn't put on here before, and I came upon my photobook of all the five years worth of Renaissance Festival...in costume! I think this must have been around year 3 or 4, judging by the age of my daughter. She is on the left, and I in the middle. I blurbed out my friends face, cause I haven't had time to ask them if they can be shown on here. This costume was sewn up in a few hours by my lovely Mom! She held some dark cordurouy to my top and just started cutting, and BAM...we put some grommets in the front to lace up a leather string. I sewed the green skirt (elastic waist...easy), and I was ready to go! That was a magical year!

This second pic must have been year 2...because after my friend, daughter and I had gone the first year, we gathered a few more friends for the next! This was a really fun year with everyone there. I had three nurse friends, one husband, and 2 teenage sons with us! We had a blast! I am in yellow, daughter in purple.

Hope you enjoyed seeing me in my fantasy finery!!! LOLOL. xoxo- Julie

Day's # 18 and 19.

I am behind again on my meme. So I will do two days in a row again to keep up!
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Day 18- Something I regret!

I'm sure there are too many things to mention here, but the one thing that always immediately comes to mind is that I wish I had kept up my playing of the flute!

I played until middle school, and quit completely for high school, when I think it would have been so great to have been in the marching band! It could have changed my life...broadened my horizons.
and...
I regret not having become a librarian.




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Day #19- Something I miss.

I miss my Dad. He died many years ago, and I still talk to him under the stars at night. He was a great Dad/person. I was so fortunate to have had him.
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Life has been so busy...flying by each day! I am even doing paperwork at home in the evenings, which just busts my arse! I swore I wouldn't do it...but I have to. I just keep going further and further in the hole if I don't...sadly. Maybe things will change one day...I hope so. Well...actually I am due to have laptop training in May, as we are going paperless at work, so hopefully that will help.

Hope everyone has a lovely hump day (Wednesday)!
xoxo- Julie

Day #16 and #17

Day #16- My dream house!

I think it would have to be brand new, using "green" technology, in a very upscale, yet old Florida/California feeling community, with large land lots, and an attached shopping area with restaurants and coffee shops, bookstore, and a place like Cracker Barrel, where I could walk to and order all the old favorites! My house would be very spacious with about 6 bedrooms (one for an art room, and two always set up for guest rooms). A big garage, and a dedicated laundry room. No pool, as I don't want to deal with all that that comes with (insurance, fear of drowning, cleaning, cabana boy, etc.)!!! Hehehe.

PHOTO FROM: CITY-DATA.COM

If I lived in California, it would have a Catholic Mission-like appearance, adobe, and with strolling gardens, and on a serene lake with swans, and all sorts of birdlife!
If in Florida, it would be on a lake in the central part of the state, with old oak trees filled with moss all around, and millions of azalea bushes everywhere! It would be surrounded by a state park that had well maintained grounds and trails, and a fantastic campground right nearby so that I could be out there on cool evenings and listen to the bugs and frogs and talk to visiters about where they are from, and swap stories! That might be a nice feature also, in California!

PHOTO FROM:AHRECO.COM

My community would have people of all ages and facilities to accomodate all. I would have the nicest neighbors in the whole wide world, and they would be comprised of all my blogging buddies from around the world. Oh...it could be called the World Blogging Neighbors Association. We would all get together to do crafts, and art. There would be nothing but fun, love and support!
How's that for a dream???
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Day #17 (cause I am catching up)- Something I am looking forward to!
I am really looking forward to the day my husband and I can travel more. I have had to go to Germany without him twice...and I feel he missed out on so much. I simply MUST get to the Metropolitan Museum of Art before too much longer...and Central Park.
So many places to see and experience. I am going to re-connect with Elderhostel, where you do wonderful lifelong learning adventures around the world!

PHOTO FROM: ELDERHOSTEL
Check it out...it's amazing.
I think travel is the number one thing I look forward to the most! First, I've got to get some money, and some time! Minor details, right??? LOL

First try at homemade paper!

I finally got bold and took matters by the hand around here! I have been wanting to try to make homemade paper from my shredded stuff for weeks, but something always stopped me! Finally, I just started the process and made due as I went.

First I made a big pot of the shredded paper from my shredding machine...mostly white but a few other colors mixed in as well.

I boiled it gently for a while, then left it sitting on OFF for a few hours while I went away for a while.

When I came back, I put three batches of my shredded stuff, with water added (enough to make it easily blendable) into my Vita Mix blender. It turned to pulp almost immediately.

I poured it into a large pot, and took all of it out to my wheelbarrow out under a tree in the backyard. Poured it in, and added more water with the hose, until I had a nice watery/pulpy mixture (I guessed on the consistency, but it seems I did OK on this).

Now, I know a lot of people use an old picture frame, and remove the glass, etc, and staple a peice on screen on the bottom, but I wanted something stronger...so I used a flat bottomed grill basket for vegetables. It has larger holes all over it to allow the water to run out. It has a flat bottom that is about 7 inches square.

I cut a peice of nylon screen to fit into the bottom, and then I just held the screen in place while I scooped my basket down into the wheelbarrow and got a layer of watery pulp over the top of the screen, as even as I could.

I let a lot of the water drip out the bottom, then I sat the basket on the grass, and used a peice of white felt to cover the top. Then you take a sponge and press down repeatatively all over the surface to press out all the water. I had to keep squeezing the sponge after one or two presses to keep it as dry as I could as I kept pressing more and more water out. You can tell when you are not really pressing much out anymore.

Then I took the basket in the house to the table, where I turned it upside down over a towel. I used a pencil to poke through the holes in the grill basket to push the screen out and the paper and screen would fall onto the towel.

I let my sheets of wet paper lay there for a few hours...(mainly due to having to attend to other things...and came back later to dry the sheets. I did that by placing them on a dry towel and covering with one of my husbands hankerchiefs, and pressing with a dry iron over and over...moving until I felt it was fairly dry on one side, then turning and repeating until they were fairly dry.

Now I just have to wait a few days (probably) with them in the airconditioning, to finish drying completely.

Oh...please remember that this was my first time. I think there is another ingredient you can throw in to make the paper behave better with ink (when you write on it)...and I want to say it is glycerin (But I must research before I can say for sure). I added a few drops of food coloring onto the surface of the paper when I first pulled it out of the pulp/water bath, and before pressing with the felt and sponge. I thought it would have swooshed the color more than it did, during thins water stage, so I am going to make more tomorrow and add some ingredients...like grass, flower petals, and glitter (just a little).

Will let you know how it turns out. This was fun...seriously fun. OH...and I have a question for you? I like the sort of deckled edges for an artsy look, but what do you think...should I cut them to be like straight paper edge, or leave artsy? I am trying to think of how I could fashion them into a journal and not lose the neat edge aspect. Any ideas???

Day # 14 - A picture I love!

A few things to live for!!!

Day #13-My goals

This is tricky!!!

1. I hope to keep my job for at least 10 years. My super-goal is to be able to retire by then, and not have to work my whole life!!! I mean that. I had thought 30 years was long enough, but please let 40 be.

2. I hope to have some good travels still left in me. I am talking to hubby about a trip this fall. Fingers crossed.

3. Get all of my children and grandchildren self sufficient before I die so I can rest in peace!

4. Have time in my life for arts and crafts from this point forward.

5. Keep my blog up and be able to visit all my blog friends till I die (at least 40 more years)!

6. Finish reading the Bible all the way through for the second time (very shortly...I am up to I Corinthians, so not much more to go)! The first time I read The Daily Bible, which tells the whole Bible in order that it occured. The books and chapters are all mixed together to give a flowing, historical account. This time I am reading a standard Bible written especially for women, with side notes of special interest to women.

7. To try and continue my garden as long as I can, adding new and different plants (flowers and vegetables) each season.

Well, nothing major here...just keepin on keepin on (as my friend, Karen always says)!!!

Li'l chick art coutesy of Vintage Holiday Crafts!

Day #12- What I believe

What do I believe??? Well, about what??? There are loads of things. Mostly I guess I believe this is a dumb question...because whatever I believe in or about, there will be a billion others who believe the exact opposite. Politically, you can see that right now around the world, and it is demonstrated every election here in the U.S. I am starting to believe that it doesn't matter if I vote, for example...polititians are gonna do what they are going to do anyway. Does it matter who we vote for, if special interest groups are still out there and everything is pulled in every direction regardless??? Forgive me all women who fought for my right to vote.

One thing I do believe is that the Ten Commandments are good advice for anyone. That being said, I believe there is a lot of good teaching within all religions of the world.

I believe in Blue Diamond flavored almonds! They are mighty powerful (and delicious)in my view! My favorite flavors are Wasabi Soy, and Chili Lime. They are making chocolate cinnamon ones now too...which I simply must find again. They were sold out at my favorite Blue Diamond finding location (Walgreen's) tonight.

Now, I believe I am too tired to keep writing such trivial stuff as to what I believe (who cares???)...whatever that means....so goodnight for today...sleep tight....goodnight!

Day #11- What TV shows do I watch???

I can tell you that quite easily. I do not watch news anymore...too depressing. Monday through Thursday I am the happiest camper...being entertained each evening after a hard day at work with Dancing With The Stars on M & Tu, and American Idol on W & Th.
Friday is no TV night, as it is "DINNER OUT" night.
Sat morning I like to watch the PBS shows on sewing, crafting, scrapbooking, and jewelry making in the mornings. I can also be found on the Mormon channel (BYU TV)watching a lot of the shows for the ladies on same subjects.
I love to watch HGTV, and especially Househunters International.
Sunday evening my grandson, Donovan and I like to watch Extreme Makeover.
The truth is, I rarely EVER watch any TV...I would much rather be reading blogs, researing something online, or gardening, playing with my grandkids!!!

Day #10- Something I am afraid of.

There are many wild animals I would probably never want to run into, that I would be petrified of. First would be a snake that suddenly fell into my personal space. Oh God. I would have a heart attack for sure!

Then if a bear came to my tent and started shredding it up...luckily I don't really have many bears to worry about here in south Florida. I always worry about them when we are in the mountains though.

And, last but not least, I fear alligators and crocs in the wild. This is a reality here...and we just had a bit of a scare at a nature preserve a few weeks ago. We were on a boardwalk out over the water, and the water came right up on the shore to the path out. A rather large gator swam over to where we were, and we were fairly concerned about walking back to the car. These creatures may or may not try to attack, but it still scares you. There had been a couple with a baby in a stroller who had just left, and we were so relieved they had gotten out of there...I could see something happening where no one realized the danger. The area was wet, a lot of shrubbery around the waters edge...I was watching for gators and listening too as we walked in...definately spooky. I will not go back there...no way!

Day #8- Places I've travelled to, and some I still hope to see one day!

Here are the states and countries I have been to in order of wonderfulness to me (on many different levels)!

1. Germany (two trips...one the Baumholder, and one to Buedingen). Frankfurt was where we landed both times, and got to travel through that city and a bunch of small country towns all over Germany. These trips changed my life.

2. Southern California from Yosemite to San Jose, and all the way down to down to San Diego....down Big Sur, stayed on Wilshire Blvd, saw Hollywood, L.A.and beyond. I cannot describe how beautiful California is to me. I think it is the most beautiful place on earth...I haven't been everywhere on earth, but my gut feeling is that it is!

3. Chicago...oh my. Chinatown, the L Train, the Sears tower, the Museum of Science and Industry!!!

4. Des Moines, Iowa (my birthplace). I went there many times over my growing up years, but most memorable was when we went up during winter and for the ONLY time in my life, I got to toboggan, sled, ice skate, etc. It was fun, but after the 1rst day, I just cried. I hated having to put on all the clothes, scarves, gloves, etc., and my lips were severely chapped. I was seriously miserable! I wanted to come back home to sunny south Florida!!! I remember when we took off from the airport there, and looking down on the ground, everything was gray and brown...and then when coming in for a landing at PB International, everything was GREEN!!! Such a sharp contrast...I have never forgotten that!

5. I've been to Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, North and South Carolina, Virginia, West Birginia, Missouri, Misissippi, Kentucky, Kansas, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin (oh that was fun...going to a huge Fly-In there in Oshkosh...camping in a tent, and seeing the most amazing airshows EVER!

6. My brother took my husband and I and his wife to the Bahamas one Saturday morning...on his boat. It was clear and the seas were flat as could be. We had a wonderful trip over (about 2 hours by boat). We stayed Sat night and tried to come home the next day but the seas were about 8-9 feet and we had to fly home. (only a 20 minute flight). I will say it was fun to see the Bahamas, but I have no urge to ever return. The food was very boring, I thought. The scenery was very similar to where we live, so other than the gigantic hot tub at the hotel that was awesome...it held about 15 people and we got to talk to locals and tourists in there...drink wine and eat chips and salsa.....ahhhhh, the life, eh???

Where do I want to go???
1. New York city to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and cental park!
2. Ochos Rios, Jamaica
3. Ride the train that takes you across Canada from east to west.
4. Utah to see the state parks there. (ROCK formations)
5. Back to California to see more of the northern part (and western).
6. See more of Texas (western)
7. Oh, and two places I would dearly love to go, but probably never will... South Africa, and the Canary Islands! Succulent paradises!!!

8. Australia to the outback...gotta see some kangas and roos in the wild...how awesome would that be??? Oh, and koalas.
9. I would love to see Holland with the windmills, flowers in spring (tulips) and go to Gouda for some cheese.....

Oh gosh, I could go on forever...sorry if I bored you to death.....
xoxo- Julie

Days 6 & 7......

OK...Day #6...A pic of something that makes me happy! Well, I decided I couldn't do only one pic and get all my family into it, so then I thought of flowers, succulents, plants of all sorts, bees, bugs, weather patterns, rocks, petrified wood (seriously), the beach, clouds, new finds from the thrift store, friends (right up there with family), my HP mini, my desktop, my fun playing with arts and crafts of all sorts, and I finally decided it should not only be a picture of something that makes me happy, but something that makes me happy by EATING it!!! BREAD!!! It seriously could have been pies, cakes, cookies, muffins, but seriously what smells better than fresh baked bread out of your own oven??? NOTHING!!!!!

OK...Day 7 (I missed a day and have to catch up)...My favorite movies!
Well, I will be general here...but I love romantic comedies best, then comedies. I love old films too...like Holiday Inn, Sabrina, etc. I guess I am kinda old fashioned. I will not watch a film (generally) that is rated higher than PG13. I am not interested in watching others have sex, or killings. I don't particularly enjoy foul language. Thats just me...ask anybody...they know my rules on movies!!!

Day # 5...my siblings!

I have one brother and one sister. I am the oldest. My sister was born 2 years later. She was the tall sexy girl growing up, and I was shorter, plump and a reader. While she was at the beach in a bikini with boys flocking around her, I was home reading!!! Or playing tennis! Anyway, she married and had 2 boys (grown now) and she lives in Texas. She is a nurse, but she also got a Masters degree in business, and has a big job working for a major hospital chain.

My brother is a master of all. He learned to fly as a young boy (my Dad was a private pilot too), he had many jobs while he was a young adult...including finishing pools, buiding and installing kitchen cabinets, ...he is an insurance broker, and a boat captain. At this point he is a captain full time for a man who owns a luxurious small yacht. He takes him and his wife and dog on trips wherever they want to go, and maintains the boat all year. He is a very loving and generous guy (even though he tortured my sister and I in our youth) and turned out to be a wonderful brother.

I should mention that my sister happens to be a really great sister too, I just wish she was a little more crafty!!! LOL! :0

So there you have it!

Day # 4...my parents.

My Mom and Dad met in the most unusual way. My Grandma took her three daughters to the movie theater...but the two oldest girls stayed in the car while Grandma took the youngest girl in to see a movie. My Mom and my aunt were the two in the car! Well, these two handsome young fellers came walking by the car and struck up conversation with them. The two guys were BEST FRIENDS! They were both in the Air Force, and were airplane mechanics. They managed to ask them out on a date, which they were allowed to do since it was a double date! Well, my Aunt and Uncle married first, and a few years later, my Mom and Dad married!!! Both couples had a daugher the same year (my cousin and I), and two years later they both had second daughters! That was the end of kids for my Aunt, but my Dad really wanted a boy! They tried again and got one, my little brother who is 6 years younger than me.

Mom and Dad led a very interesting life. My Dad got out of the Air Force and went to college to become an aeronautical engineer. He designed jet and rocket engines for Pratt and Whitney his whole career. After we kids got mostly grown, my Mom went to school to become something she always wanted to be...a Registered Nurse! There was no holding her back...and she greatly influenced my sister and I who also became RN's.

They were a good couple together. My Mom was very outgoing, and gregarious, and my Dad had much less social abilities, so they balanced each other out.

Sadly my Dad passed away 12 years ago, and my Mom still lives in the house I grew up in, just 5 doors away from me and my husband. She is, and has always been my best friend...I feel so blessed to have had such amazingly wonderful parents!!! Thanks Mom and Dad!!!

Day #3...My first LOVE!!!

Well....my VERY first love was a boy in elementary school...I want to say in grade 2. My teacher was a witch, and this boy and I used to hide under his jacket when we put our heads down on our desks for quiet time...and one day as we were coming out from under the jacket he kissed me! I have never forgotten that glorious surprise kiss!
Do I remember his name...no.

My first serious love came after high school...the summer after. I attended a small church near my home with a friend, and 2 guys from high school were there and they both asked me out! Well, I found out later that one of them had come to me just to get my number for the other one. The one that I actually dated, later asked me to marry him, but I had just started college and felt it was too early for that kind of nonsense! I ran into him years later, and we were both married to others, we had both finished college (although he was finishing a Masters degree). I was so happy for him. I haven't seen him since, and I pray he is having a wonderful life!

Days #1 & 2...A meme...all about ME!

My blogger pal, Cindy is doing this one-a-day meme that runs for 30 days. I thought I would try it with her for the month of April. I hope some of you will join us! Here's what it consists of:

Day 1-Introduce, recent picture, 15 interesting facts
Day 2-Meaning behind your blog name
Day 3-Your first love
Day 4-Your parents
Day 5-Your siblings
Day 6-A picture of something that makes you happy
Day 7-Favorite movies
Day 8-A place you’ve traveled to
Day 9-A picture of your friends
Day 10-Something you’re afraid of
Day 11-Favorite TV shows
Day 12-What you believe
Day 13-Goals
Day 14-A picture you love
Day 15-Bible verse
Day 16-Dream house
Day 17-Something you’re looking forward to
Day 18-Something you regret
Day 19-Something you miss
Day 20-Nicknames
Day 21-Picture of yourself
Day 22-Favorite city
Day 23-Favorite vacation
Day 24-Something you’ve learned
Day 25-Favorite memory
Day 26-Picture of your family
Day 27-Pets
Day 28-Something that stresses you out
Day 29-3 Wishes
Day 30-a picture

OK...Doozey and I just posed in front of the mirror in the bathroom! LOL. I like that view from above, to block the double chin!!! LOLOL.

OK...now to 15 things about me that are interesting! Hmmm...weird, maybe, but probably not too interesting!!!
1. I always wished I had become a librarian! It is probably too quiet in there, and I would have lost many a job to not being shushed.
2. My dream librarian job was to have MY OWN library near a middle school, where the kids could hang out after school. The main library space would have ultra groovy music playing and there would be a juice and snack bar as well. There would be quiet rooms available for the boring Julie's of the world...and I was planning to have a young social worker there, available to talk to the kids about anything they chose. I think we would have certain days where there would be group interactivity...like art sessions, etc.
3. I still dream about that a lot.
4. I no longer dream (during sleep) in my old age. (54). At least not that I can remember.
5. I graduated from high school in 1974.
6. I was married then divorced, and remarried again in 1980 to my hubby now, and we are really soul mates. I put him through a lot of tests to see how he would react to situations, before I allowed myself to think past "friends".
7. We have 4 grown kids and 4 grandchildren. You all "know" Emily and Donovan, but we have Shelby and Georgia Ann in Louisiana also.
8. I think you all know by now that I am a hospice nurse for the past almost 12 years. Before that I worked 20 years in 2 different hospitals. 10 years in each.
9. I am looking forward to retirement. My husband hopes to retire in about 2 more years. I will get to be the one to work for insurance until I reach Medicare age.
10. I like/love the color orange...and I have been thinking of doing a post showing all of the orange stuff in my house...I am looking in this one room, and I have an orange plaid curtain, an orange wall, and an orange computer desk!!! Not to mention an orange pen and pencil set my blogger friend, Marianne sent me from the Netherlands!!!
11. I used to drive a convertible orange Fiat Spider...at age 19 and 20. Oh my god did I have fun!
12. My religious beliefs come out closest to a Quaker! To take a short test to see what your beliefs come out closest to, go to HERE.
I had to buy a few books and study up online to find out about them. They are very peaceful people, and live very simply. That's me. I also do not believe in shoving my beliefs down anyones throat...we all find our own paths!
13. I love cooking in my crockpot. I am all about easy ways to do anything!
14. My family is very close...my Mom lives 5 doors away, and my brother lives within 5 miles or so.
15. Whew...I'm glad this is almost over. Hmmmmm...one more thing.....hmmmmm...OK, I was always a cat person, but then when I got Doozey, I changed to a dog person!

That's all...basically a fairly boring person, eh??? OK...now since I missed starting this on April 1st, I am going to do day # 2 right now...the meaning behind my blog name. It is self explanatory...as I had started collecting succulent plants, and when I first started blogging I got kinda caught up with a bunch of general gardeners. I found I really wasn't very interested in flowers! I was all about succulents...and now my blog has gone more of a general blog about anything I choose. I have lost some of the interest in my succulents, although they are in my screenroom, and in my tire gardens, I have shown them all on here, and generally feel any more of them, and everyone will be yawning...which you probably already are...so, anyway that is the way it got it's name! I could never change it, because it has sort of become ME...I feel like I do lead a succulent life, although VERY modest...it is more a way of thinking than anything!

Giveaway winner!

OK...I have the results for the cookbook giveaway! I added the following names in a jar: Mandy and Candy (because they knew the name of the succulent). Then I decided I had to add Judi (because she asked to be added, and I know she is a bigtime cook), and I added Lancanshire Rose (because she cooks Prickly Pears and I thought she would be someone who might like to have a look at the cookbook). So I bent my own rules, but I'm sure you will all agree that it was essential!!! Hehehe.

I put everyone in a jar, and as you can see, my sweet daugher-in-law drew one out for me...

and it was

JUDI!!!!!

I am looking around for your address Judi. I will let you know if I can't find it so you can re-send. I will hold off mailing it until you get back from vacation. Congratulations!!! Thanks to everyone who participated! I'm glad someone can get some use from this pretty little book! Knowing Judi, she will not only cook something, but will give us a whole photo layout! (I hope so...hehehe). :)