What happened to the sun???

 You know...there's a reason they call it Sunny Southern California...but for some weird reason...

 It seems like it's been cloudy all Summer long...

 There's a chance of rain again...and humidity...oh...don't get me started...I know...you're probably saying...what's she complaining about...this is normal...but not for me! 

 Even this guy is a bit concerned....

 But a few rain drops won't stop the gardening going on over here...

 It's been a bit of a challenge some days...

 But I HAVE to garden...

Or sew...at any rate...if it starts raining too hard...I'll make more of these...

Until next time...enjoy your day!!!

It's been a busy week...

 Last week was a busy one...we went to the 66er's game...that's the minor league team here in my town...

 Spent four days tering up the front flower bed...I come up with these lame brain ideas all the time...

 Don pretty much goes along with me...

 I wanted to put this edging in...for an inexpensive seperation between the grass and flower beds...

 Much better! Now to add sod...but then it rained and rained...that's weird here in my neck of the woods...we rarely get Summer rain...this month we have gotten several days of rain...

 So I decided to go in and piece together these little rectangles I've had for a loooong time...

 Then I quilted them...nothing fancy...I just want some little mats on a shelf in the living room under pictures...

 I made two...about the size of a large place mat...the perfect size for where I want them...now I just have to put the binding on...actually...as I type this...one is finished...

 Don barbecued between rain storms...flank steak...yum...one of my favorites! Fresh veggies from the garden...and our take on South Dakota tin foil taters...

Just trying to enjoy the Summer over here...it's nice when you have someone to enjoy it with!!

Yesterday we went to San Diego to have a visit with the boys and girls...we took a nice long walk around Hillcrest...had snacks on the patio of a great little Mexican place...then the rain came again...walked back to Joey and Selin's house in the rain...that was interesting! Took Stephen home and got pizza for dinner to eat at his place because Anna had to work...so we got there right after she got off...Mahgarita pizza...my favorite...Yum! Now I'm ready to start a new week!! 

Off to the sewing machine!!

Until next time...enjoy your day!!!

More ramblings...

 Its getting hot again...ugh! Today we are back to triple digits...walking this morning was a bit rough because it was clear and the sun was shining strong...even at 7 in the morning! Here are a couple little visitors who were enjoying some lavender in the front yard...I am not exactly sure what breed they are...I think they might be California Gnat Catchers...those are on the endangered list...and I have not seen them before...there are 3 or 4 of them in this group that we've seen hanging around the yard for the last couple weeks. They are hard to photograph...very tiny...about half the size of a finch...and skittish too! I used my zoom lens and tried very carefully to sneak up on them...

 This is what they were eating...its a French Lavender...so many more blooms than the English one I have...it smells stronger too! It is a great plant for this corner of the front yard near the sidewalk...because not much water hits it...it is very drought tolerant...in fact...I think it prefers the dry conditions...

 These gals love the drought too...Moss Rose....I love these ...they come back year after year...and spread out all over...very low growing...

 And so many colors! There are 5 or 6 different colors on every plant...it adds a nice amount of color in this heat when everything else is trying to rest.

 Our big Magnolia tree is blooming...I like the shade  and flowers on this tree...but holy cow...what a messy tree...we are raking and raking the leaves...we have to...they are all over the front lawn and big and leathery...our whole street is lined with these big beauties...

 Our apple tree still has a ton of apples...Don and I have been making these...apple crisps...to freeze for later...

 Good thing we have a big freezer in the garage! We will be glad we made them this Fall and Winter...

 Aren't these pretty cucumbers? They are Armenian cucumbers...fresh from the garden...they remind me of flowers...

 I cut up these guys too...Japanese cucumbers...ready for cucumber onion salad...one of my Summer favorites!

I finished this bag today...I have been trying to get ready for the craft fair we will be in on Saturday afternoon...if you live near West Covina...drop by and see us...message me and I'll give you the details!

Not much else happening in my neck of the woods...just trying to beat the heat...and sew as much as I can.

Until next time...enjoy your day!!!

Cobbler and a couple new totes...

 This time of year there is so much delicious fresh fruit out there...so I thought I'd share a really easy, fast cobbler recipe...

Wisk together 1 cup each of flour, sugar and milk...I use non fat...but I don't think it matters. Also, wisk in 2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1 tablespoon of vanilla...that's it...oh before I forget...I'm so lame when it comes to giving directions...first preheat the oven to 350 degrees...I use my counter top convection oven this time of year...take a 8 x 8 glass pan...put in a stick of butter in the pan and let it melt in the preheating oven...you can be wisking the ingredients in the bowl while the butter is melting...why melt it in the pan you say...save your dishes...it just goes on the bottom of the pan after...

 For this one I used blueberries and raspberries...peach is wonderful too...I make a lot of peach this time of year because of our tree...anyway...any soft fruit works...1 pint...or about 2 cups is good...

 When your butter is melted...you pour in the ingredients from the bowl...VERY IMPORTANT...don't stir it...it looks like this...

 Next... put in the fruit...sort of spread it out a little...that's it...don't mix...just pop it in the oven for about 30 minutes...

 It comes out like this...sort of spongy and oh so good...this is Don's favorite...I think he could eat it everyday...and believe me...its so easy I don't mind making it for him! A little vanilla ice cream on top...and Yum!! I made this one yesterday...I thought a little red and blue dessert for the 4th would be perfect.

 I have been trying to make more tote bags these days...I have a craft show coming up on the 13th...and my Etsy shop can also use some love...here's one I finished...I left it simple...this fabric doesn't need much. The button on the flower...which has a pin back...is a vintage leather covered button I found...I've had it for a while and I think it is perfect on this bag....

 The inside...my typical lots of pockets...

 Here's another one...more Riley Blake fabric...I love polka dots...I appliqued some wool flowers and used big yellow buttons for the centers of the flowers instead of wool...I thought it gave more dimension...

 Here's the back...

 I hand applique all of my wool...so many people ask if I machine sew it...nope! I love to hand sew it on...

 More insides...I love this lining fabric...so happy!

The weather seems to be cooling off a little...finally some relief! We watched fireworks with our neighbors...there are so many illegal ones that its crazy...they are huge too...like going to a professional show...we live on the edge of a dry river bed...so many of the neighbors walked down the street with folding chairs in hand and we parked ourselves there...no trees over there...we saw many shows all around...until we noticed someone lit a huge tree on fire across the gully....that's what we call the half mile wide river bed...It looked like a giant match...scary! As much as I enjoyed watching...it is very dangerous...amateurs out there with these huge fireworks. I'm surprised more things don't catch fire! I hope you had a safe and fun Independence Day!

Until next time...enjoy your day!!!

Where does the time go.....

 I can't believe its already July 1 today...the time just seems to fly by. I thought when Don retired last year that we would have so much time to do things...like visit all the museums and botanical gardens in our area...nope! Lately we have just been working in the yard...it keeps us so busy...and our little business has been taking off...we have a craft show in 2 weeks and the flea market 3 weeks later...so that takes up a lot of time too...here is this morning's harvest...that is my biggest bowl...and I filled up nicely...we don't have a huge garden...but more than enough for us, our neighbors and our kids...

 Now apples...that's a whole other subject...there's a ton of them...we filled up several big banana boxes and Don is taking them to the food bank in the area...they are always so happy to get anything...so remember...if you have fruit trees that just produce like crazy...the food banks and homeless shelters would love some! I have given everyone who wants them a ton...made a bunch of crisps and frozen them...there is still a ton up in the tree...have I told you how big our apple tree is...yes I have...its crazy full of fruit too!

 Don won today for the biggest apple today...we always try and see who can find the biggest one. Have I told you how much I believe that farm workers are under paid...they deserve about $50 and hour...its hard work!! After just a bit of time picking fruit...I end up with scratches and bumps and bruises everywhere! Today...a giant apple fell from way up and landed right on the top of my head! Ouch!!

 Yesterday...we took a day and went down to San Diego to see the kids...my guys are not the best at posing...so I do my best! We walked around downtown...the Gas Lamp area...down by the water too. We went to a nice Irish Pub...a little saloon...had nachos there...and a nice place down by the water for pizza and  guacamole and Terra chips...we were just in the mood for snacking...and the boys wanted to bar hop!

 Right near where the Midway is....there is this interesting art piece...I guess that's what you call it...Don and Anna were nice enough to pose under it for me...

 It looks like a big tree was sliced in half and hung up there...I liked it! It was actually several different limbs hooked together to look like one big tree...

 Here's a big aircraft carrier across the harbor...not sure which one...

 Coronado Island across the bay...now that's pretty island...too crowded over there on a Sunday though...never any parking...so its best to go during the week...

 We saw lots of ducks with their babies...I thought this was so cute of the Mom showing the baby how to bathe...

 Don and I have a small peach tree...with a ton of peaches...the problem with peaches in my area...is that they all get ripe at once! So we picked them all! We peeled and sliced up about 40 cups of peaches...froze most...brought a bunch of frozen bags to the kids...stuck the rest in the freezer...they will make nice cobblers later...this is what was left...we laid them out...because putting them in bowls turns out badly sometimes...the bottom ones get hot and...Yuck! I think it makes a pretty table runner!

 I have been busy making things for my shop too...

 Did I mention the heat... its HOT! Yesterday I was glad we were in San Diego...it was 73 there...here 112!! Yes you heard me...a little heat wave going on...now I can tolerate the heat pretty well...I guess I'm used to it...100-103...doesn't bother me that much...but when it lasts as long as it has been...it begins to wear me down! We get up much earlier...get our walk in...and do most of our outside chores early...but it is still in the 90's by 9 am! I did hear there's a cool down on the way...only supposed to be 99 by tomorrow...

Until next time...stay cool...and enjoy the day!!!