What to do in Kansas when it's really, really hot!

 

It's been work week in "the yard that is never quite done"!

 

First I painted outdoor furniture...

"I like everything and anything with a coat of white paint"

 

  

Vintage deck chairs "decked" out in white paint and new red striped cushions.  I couldn't find narrow enough cushions so I fashioned these using grommets and nylon cording.

 

How do they look?

 Doc wanted to paint the back doors red---so red they are!

D

 

Cowgirl-n-Pearls and I, your lovable host, painted chairs and doors, pulled weeds, picked up pine cones, swept up debris, fought wasps and swam.  We got great tans and chiggers!  

Oh, joy!

For those of you who follow Pioneer Woman Blog, you will recall her tutorial on how to build fence on a working ranch.

Well we have a little tutorial of our own...

"How to Replace Fence When it's 105 Degrees in the Shade"

  

First:  It is important not to start until around noon or so.

 

Secondly:  Leave the new building materials in every one's way so that all work in the immediate area is impeded. 

 

Then:  When it is hot enough to fry an egg, start measuring and cutting ... take frequent breaks to jump in the pool.

 

Lastly  (and this is very critical to the process): Screw the lattice securely into place and then realize that the gate bolts have yet to be installed and you'll have to remove the lattice.  

Put tools away and start over again tomorrow.

This is my next project:  Put a coat of paint on this old light fixture so it can be hung on the back porch.

  It has been a busy week around the "casa" this week. 
I am aware that most of you have completed your spring projects and are just relaxing and enjoying your backyard spaces now.  I only have this to say about that---

"How can you really appreciate your yard work if you haven't about killed yourself getting it done?" 

We're off to church and then home again to finish up yesterday's fence project!!!!  

 That's it for now my cute little lady bugs!

Love, Jammie

I haven't fallen from the face of the earth...

...and no excuses now, but I just can't seem to find enough time in the day to get all my fun squeezed in.  Each 24 hours has been a beautiful gift lately.  I've have been extremely selfish, doing whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted for days now. It has been blissful.  I'll make you no promises and I'll tell you no lies... but I'll try to do better in the days to come!

Here's what we did last week...

 

The Sweet Seasons and I and our spouses took Hi-way 36 west to Estes Park and spent the night in a vintage Motel.

 

We stopped along #36 to take a few "Americana" photos..

  

The hometown of Sweet Momma Ruth...Agra

A vintage style (Discovery Lodge) lodge in Estes became our home away from home for a few days.  It was idyllic...great views...a fishing pond...great recommendations for dinner!

 

How do I relax while the love of my life risks his life climbing rocks?  2 words...Life Insurance, Baby!

  

 

Our favorite shop in Estes...Cottage Bliss...please check them out if in the area.  If you do visit, make sure to ask them who owns the shop.  The answer might surprise you.  Hint:  He owns everything.  Thank you Cottage Bliss, you were a blessing to us!

We took a "zoomed to the max" photo of what we thought was a twister touching down --way off south of I-70 --as we tooled along  home.

  

Was it a tornado?  We don't know but the wall cloud and tails pointed to tornado weather.

"In God We Trust' --Amen, brother.  

Keep on Trucking!"

 

Finally, back to the little city on the edge of the prairie....

....and the giant windmills that guard our little part of the great big prairie!!!

This week...painting.  Painting rooms, painting doors, painting furniture....Painting!

Check in later to see if I actually accomplish anything on my 

To Do list!!!

And they lived happily ever after...

The Bride and Groom are in Mexico this week.

The MOB and FOB of the Bride are with Doc and I exploring country highways

and backwater towns this week.  We may even venture as far as the Rockies Mountains.

  The weather was wonderfully sunny during rehearsal!

Saturday was a lovely day for a wedding even if it did rain "cats and dogs"...Stacey had a Plan B and it worked 

BEAUTIFULLY!!!

Oh, Sweet Marmalade! will be away for another couple of days.  I'm planning on having time at the end of the week to catch you all up on the wedding "news".

My prayer for all of us this week...

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Romans 15:13 

Some thoughts I've stolen from others and have been passing off as my own:

"Embrace your inner weird!"

"There's a skinny lady inside me, screaming to get out----I keep her sedated with chocolate!" 


"I'd give up chocolate but I'm no quitter!"

 So I've been a busy little homemaker...

... a picnic basket all packed up with shade loving plants!!
See the enamalware soap dish on the wall?  We got it in Missouri in a great little town called "Greenwood"...Love it!

 I finished the second in the Andes series, this one is called "The Peace de La Paz".  Translated that is "the peace of the peace".  Doc's hometown is La Paz, Bolivia.  This is my tribute to that city and to mount Illimani (the blue mountain behind the city).

 

This little guy lives right by my favorite outside seat!

   

Doc does enjoy a siesta!!!

 

  

I'm using this old fence as a climbing cage for my cukes!!  We adopted it last weekend along with the piece on table below.

 

A treasure found on our Memorial Day jaunt!!

 

 

I snapped this wheatfield through the car window

as we whizzed by at 65 mph!

Last night we went to the Rodeo!

 

Small town rodeos are standard fare around here.  We love them and try to go to as many as possible!!

 

Oops-a-daisy!!!

It was hot...98 degrees at 6:30! 
I love this little guys boots!!
...all my little guys wore their boots last night, also!

So, other than trying to teach the pups some manners regarding how to greet guests, that just about sums up the last couple of days!  (The pups and I are exhausted from our new "Manners Program"!)

Tomorrow is supposed to be cooler...we'll see!!  

Here is some of my inner weird....sometimes when I see the countryside on a hot summer evening...I just want to cry...I don't know why...just part of the inner weird that I am learning to embrace!