Author: Dackel Princess

1. What is something about living in this country that you value? ‘This country’ is whatever country you call home.

I live in the USA, in New Hampshire. What I value the most is the freedom to live my life the way I choose.

2. What is a favorite something you own that is red, white, and/or blue?

I have a picture of my daughters that a friend painted. Katie had red hair, their blouses were white and the dress and vests that Mandy and Katie were wearing were blue.

3. Do you fly a flag at your house on patriotic holidays?

We have a flag pole in the front of our house, and we fly the flag every day in the spring, summer and fall. The winter, when we have 4 feet of snow on the ground (I know, you think I am kidding, but I am not), we tend to just keep it in.

4. What ingredients do you think should be included in a great picnic basket?

Bread, brie cheese, fruit salad, perhaps some chicken (grilled), and wine!

5. What is one interesting piece of trivia you know? Interesting is of course a relative term.

Many people have an association with my hometown of Falmouth, Massachusetts. It’s where I spent my first 20 years of life. The Cape is a beautiful spot, and many other people were drawn there as well. Rachel Ray’s parent’s owned restaurants in Falmouth and for the first three years of her life she lived there.  Casey Affleck was born there, and also maintains a home there as well. Falmouth is also the hometown of Katherine Lee Bates who was an American songwriter who wrote “America The Beautiful”, which is sometimes known as America’s “other” National Anthem. I know, more than you wanted to know, right?

6. Wednesday, May 24th is National Escargot day…have you ever tried them? Eww or ooh?

You know I can’t recall if I have or not. Since I am usually up for trying any new thing food wise (Hello Lifetime Membership at Weight Watchers!), I’m thinking I probably have and they were okay, but nothing I would call special. Hubby says he thinks I tried them, but even he can’t recall.

7. What is one thing you know for sure?

That I am loved!

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I’m rather disappointed by Spring this year. For us, in the Northeast, it has been cold and rainy. Farmers are struggling with their crops and the only thing growing is mold! What we need is some nice dry sunshine. When I look out across our country and see the floods, the tornadoes and towns that have literally been wiped off the map, I realize that this has been one of the worst Springs ever. I sure hope that this bad weather ends soon, and that sunny skies and warmer temperatures will be with us!

Monday…Fun-day…Workday!

Monday found us having…more rain. Yes, it is true. The rain and dark skies have not left the northeast part of the USA. I do not wish to complain because there are parts of my country far worse off right now than we are. I pray for those who have lost everything in the floods and the tornadoes.

Anyway, it was cold again on Monday and wet. I washed my hair, and the next thing I knew I had frizzy curls. So much for the natural look.

Monday found me potting my tomatoes, eggplants and peppers in patio pots for the summer. It went well, and I worked like crazy and then set the newly re-planted pots outside to enjoy the slightly warmer temperatures, but continued rain.

Hubby sat down rather unhappily today as we had to face the fact that we will have a significantly smaller fruit crop. You see, this is the time when the bees work our trees and pollinate the crop. It isn’t happening, so…..the fruit crop will be greatly reduced.

It’s just a week and a half until we leave on a short vacation for Hubby’s 50th college reunion. He graduated from Middlebury College, and since this is his big reunion, we are going back and doing the reunion in style. We have a house sitter coming in to care for the dogs and the house, and we will be staying in the beautiful Middlebury Inn . I told Hubby that since this was his 50th reunion, we should do it right. I will be reporting in from the reunion, as the motel has WiFi.

I am praying for warm, sunny weather for our trip. Vermont is so beautiful at this time of year, when it is warm and dry!

Fingers crossed for good weather!

Our host is Gattina. Come join us and tell us what YOU did this past weekend! After all, you never know when you will need an alibi!

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Last week was my super busy week. I really wish I was one of those people who could go endlessly and not need to recharge my batteries, however, if I do not get a lot of sleep, and down time, I start really feeling unwell. So by Sunday morning, I found myself with a migraine.

I did not give in though because I wanted to re-pot a few plants, and feed the others I have in the green house. This is the week I will actually plant our garden.

Usually, at this time of year we have sunny skies and dry weather, which makes it easier to plant my garden. You see, New Hampshire is well known for Black Flies. Especially if it has been at all wet. This week alone, we have had over 6 inches of rain! So yes, it has been a LOT little bit wet!

If we have a break tomorrow in the weather, I will spray myself down with bug repellent and go out and do the planting. I do not like Black Flies because they LOVE me and I end up with big red welts on my body. Most unpleasant!

Saturday I wrote all about on Sunday’s Post, as it truly was a memorable day. The Yard Sale that we were in the middle of that got rained on. We did, at least, make money towards our outreach programs, so it wasn’t a total loss. It was also great to spend time with some of the ladies in my club. They are all so very nice!

Sunday morning Fritz and the dackels woke me at 6 AM! (**groan**) There was no going back to bed, and as I write this, it’s actually 1:30 PM on Sunday and I am already feeling like going to bed. At least I did get a few things done around the house and maybe I’ll just take the rest of the afternoon off.

Happy Monday, Everyone!!!

Saturday was my busy day. I was working at a town wide Yard Sale for my Ladies Club. We had the premier spot, and tables laden with really great buys.

The day started with a light fog, and heavy dew on the grass, but as the morning wore on, the skies became dotted with something that looked like blue skies and…..THE SUN!

This week has been very wet. We’ve had well over 5 inches of rain. Everything is green and lush, and moldy too. Everyone is so sick of all the rain.

However the weatherman forecast a break in the weather, just in time for our Town’s Yard Sale. We were all feeling pretty good about that.

So, I arrived and immediately picked up 4 things for myself, before starting work. I then helped filling tables, waiting on customers and during lulls in the sales, chatting with the other women.

Someone asked if we had a camera to take a few pictures for our clubs scrap book. I’d left my purse at home and that was where my camera was…shoot! So I called Hubby and asked if he could bring it down. He showed up after about half an hour and took off to get our mail before the Post Office closed.

We all had noticed the sky had gotten a little darker, but hoped that the rain would go by us, when suddenly Hubby returned. He warned us to get everything under cover quickly as the storm would be here in about 10 minutes! I grabbed my raincoat and started moving things into the sheltered area that we had. The other women also moved things as quickly as we could, but the rain came a little faster than predicted.

It was also heavier than any of us had anticipated. I had a full raincoat on, but it was no match for the deluge that we suffered through. In less than half an hour I was soaked.

This is Miss Pig Tails and she is our Mascot. You can see the rain falling in the puddle in front of her.

We finished getting everything in the shelter, and then the woman who was chairing the committee in charge of the sale, sent me home.

A long hot shower and fresh dry clothes helped out a lot, as well as a nice hot cup of tea.

It rained for almost all of the rest of Saturday.It made me wonder when it will stop and a dry, bright, spring will be with us!

And…here we go!

1. I see the sun shining at the end of the day.

2. I like to make all meals from scratch.

3. They begin a life together when each says, I love you.

4. I ran and skied with no knee pain so many years earlier.

5. This I know: The people you love in your life are the most important things in the world.

6. Hot wings and celery with blue cheese are for dinner.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to setting up for the town wide yard sale, tomorrow my plans include working at a town-wide yard sale and Sunday, I want to do nothing!

This weeks Thursday Thirteen, will be thirteen things that I love to eat, in pictures! Needless to say, there are many more things I could add to this list, which is why I am a Lifetime member of Weight Watchers!

1. A fresh cucumber

2. My own home grown eggplant!

3 .A lettuce wedge salad with bacon and blue cheese.

4. A fresh peach from our orchard.

5. Blueberries from my friends home.

6. The recipe for Julia’s Roasted Chicken!

7. My French Onion Soup!

8. Hubby’s apples. He grows the best!

9. Roasted Chestnuts. Plain or in my Turkey Stuffing.

10. A Thanksgiving meal. It’s just my favorite!

11. Cherries from our Orchard.

12. Oh yeah, LOBSTERS!

(Photo courtesy of my cousin Janet ).

13. Real Greek Gyros and an ice cold German Beer!