The Dackel Princess

Thursday Thirteen

It’s summer! Here are some miscellaneous thoughts on this hot Thursday. It seems I’ve been busy with this and that, and so I will share with you what I’m up to.

We went to a splendid wedding last week. You know, where the bride and groom look at each other and you can see the love? It was beautiful!
French cut baby lamb chops! Is there anything better?
The first summer squash from my garden, sauteed with vidalia onions, my own green pepper and my own fresh basil!
T-bone steaks and home made potato salad for the 4th of July!
My first Ichiban Eggplant of the season!
3 European Cucumbers picked yesterday.
Friends. I go to Weight Watchers each week, not only for the meeting, but for the friendships I have made in the last three years.
We had quite a cold front pass through here. 41 mile an hour winds, and tremendous down drafts on the lake.
There were ~~stupid~~ silly boaters on our lake who didn’t leave the lake when the thunder started. I could not believe it!
We got some much needed rain after the front moved through.
I have a busy weekend coming up. I’ll be going to visit with my cousin and her family on Sunday. It’s been so long since I have seen them and I am looking forward to the visit.
Hopefully my sister and cousin Janet will also make the party!
Our cherries are in and we’ve already sold some to the local farm stand.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. What is the most useful book in your house?

I hate to say this, but the instruction guide to our new TV’s remote control. I am still trying to figure out all the bells and whistles of this new TV.

2. What’s worse-being too hot or too cold?

Too hot. Being too cold requires that you just add a layer of clothing. Being too hot is a whole other story. You simply have no where to go after removing your under wear!

3. Share something that made you smile this past weekend.

The return of my neighbor’s grandchildren! We’ve known them since they were little and they both love the dogs! They came right down as soon as they arrived! I cannot believe how they have grown and how the dogs recognized them right away!

4. How do you like your hamburgers? Or don’t you?

I love hamburgers! I like mine on a nice roll, with cheddar cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, mayonnaise, ketchup and sweet pepper relish!

5. What’s your summer beach read? If it’s not summer in your part of the world then tell us what book you’re reading in front of the fire while sipping hot cocoa.

I need to get a book and start reading. I have been far too lazy this summer with reading, but with my vision so compromised, I just haven’t been able to get into a book. Perhaps I should do something like assign myself 10 pages a day and see how it goes!

6. How was your birthday celebrated when you were a kid?

I don’t recall my birthdays much as a kid. It is a week before Thanksgiving, and a month before Christmas, so I don’t think much was made of it. As a teen I had a few slumber parties. Always, I had chocolate cake with white frosting. Sometimes butter cream, but my favorite is a simple white decorator’s frosting.

7. What’s something that is totally uncool that you love anyway?

Romantic stories. I used to read them, “Penny Dreadfuls” as Hubby called them. But I loved losing myself in romance! Now I watch romantic movies and I love them! Yeah, that is totally uncool! LOL

8. Insert your own random thought here.

A few of you had questions about my spiny, spiky, cucumber. This morning I had three of them ready to pick, so I stopped and photographed the spikes once I got into the house.

You can see the little spikes on the cucumber. Let me assure you, that it really hurts when they pierce your skin, very much like a cactus.

Here are the three cucumbers I picked on Tuesday morning. They are about 12 inches long. I told Hubby he should make his cucumber salad with these as I will have two or three more tomorrow.

Also Happy Birthday to Gattina over at Writers Cramps! Go on over and wish her a Happy Birthday!

Cucumbers, Sheets & Showers

I went out to my garden today, and checked to see what was happening. What I found was a long European Cucumber that was ready to be picked. It was interesting to note that this cucumber has spiny needles on it, so one must not pick it without gloves! Also when you bring it in, you need to wash it down with a scrubber that removes the spindly spines, but then when you slice it…total yumminess!!!

Tomorrow I also will pick another summer squash and tomorrow night I expect to be cooking my summer squash saute for Hubby. It is so thrilling when the garden starts to come in. Fresh vegetables every night!

I also have an Ichiban Eggplant ready for picking, and that will be eaten tomorrow as well.

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I gave the dackels a shower today and once they dried, I began to strip out their winter coats. None of them actually LOVE showering, but they tolerate it.

Arnie escaped Hubby’s drying attempts and jumped up on our bed, and rubbed himself in our sheets and blanket. So after I washed three wiggling doggies, I had to strip the bed and wash our sheets and blankets!

The only problem with that is, on a day like this, when the air is a bit heavy, and the mosquitoes are out I tend to spray down with bug spray during the day, and I wouldn’t want to get into a clean bed with that stuff on, so…yes, second shower of the day. At least I didn’t have the dackels with me this time!

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So now it is off to bed for me. What a nice long weekend it has been! How was your weekend?

What I Did This Past Weekend

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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The highlight of our weekend was definitely the wedding, but we also had other things going on, as this is America’s biggest Holiday Weekend. It is the 4th of July! Independence Day! Woo-hoo!

It means picnics and fireworks, and being thankful for the freedoms we have in this country. I thank my sister for this beautiful pictures taken last year at our local fire works.

Saturday I actually went into a grocery store, crowded as it was, and picked up a few things. I could not believe the number of people in there. We usually have summer tourists who come to enjoy our lakes and mountains, but due to the cost of gasoline, this year we are flooded with New Englanders who can drive close by and have a mini vacation.

Sunday is was just plain gloomy, gray, and cool, with showers off and on. Just not one of those super summer days like we enjoyed last week. Hubby and I tried to sleep in, but the dogs woke me early and I got up with them. Hubby slept in for a while, but then was up in plenty of time for “Breakfast at Wimbledon”! It was fantastic to watch Novak Djokovic with his first Wimbledon title.

My garden is growing really well, and enjoyed the rain sent from above, in fact my peas have flowers! Yay! Also my squash and zucchini are growing very nicely!

In fact we cut this squash today and will be eating it tomorrow!

This zucchini will be ready for cooking very soon.

My Ichiban Eggplant will also be ready this week.

And the tomatoes are starting to get some size!

So, today, Monday the 4th, we are going up the hill to our neighbors house for a cookout. Her grandchildren will be here from the West Coast and we are really looking forward to seeing them all.

So, that’s my weekend. How was yours?

Wedding!!!

Usually on Friday afternoons, Hubby and I are not terribly busy. We do our chores, and have fish and watch mindless TV. However this past Friday we were invited to a wedding on the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee, at an Inn/Spa in town. Have you ever noticed that then you live in a town you quite often never go to the special places in them? This was the case for Hubby and me.

We arrived early for the event as I wanted to walk around and view the area before the service started. This spot, with the backdrop of the town that we live in behind, is so beautiful for a wedding. A tent was set up and chairs too. A string quartet was playing classical music as we walked around, before other people began to filter in.

The Inn is so pretty and overlooks the Lake.

The gardens were well tended and in full bloom.

Our friend, and the Father of the Bride, had gotten his Justice of the Peace License so he could perform the ceremony. It was so special to watch him do this. The Mother of the Groom read a poem, as did his brother. Then the Groom took out his Ipad and read his vows, passed the Ipad to the Bride and she read her vows! And since you all know what a techno junkie I am I thought that it was absolutely perfect!

The couple were pronounced husband and wife, and we all clapped! Then in an instant the string quartet vanished, a jazz band set up and our chairs were magically turned into tables and chairs for a cocktail hour!

The food was incredible! There was jumbo shrimp, oysters on the half shell, crab claws, and these wonderful canapes made with a small piece of toast, chopped up and sauteed mushrooms with melted Gruyere cheese. Oh yes, I thought, kill me now! I was very careful only to have a few items, all the while waiting for the Weight Watcher Police to leap out of the bushes and arrest me!

Little mini egg rolls came by and I tried a couple of those, equally as yummy! And then it happened…a woman came out carrying a fully try of tiny French cut baby lamb chops! Oh yeah, talk about the best appetizer I could ever have imagined! I also tried a wine (Pinot Noir) I had not had before and really enjoyed it. Everyone was talking and laughing and the atmosphere was perfect for this delightful wedding!

Soon we moved inside for the dinner! Yes, more food! Hubby and I both had the roast beef and it was so tender you could have cut it with a fork! They also served roasted potatoes, and zucchini and summer squash. I ate some of my dinner but I asked if I might take the second slice of roast beef home to share with my pups. (I did and boy were they thrilled!)

The Bride and Groom cut their chocolate and vanilla confection, and then very gently fed each other cake. I just loved the fact that they didn’t smear cake into each others faces. I simply hate it when couples do that!

Then the dancing began! Hubby danced with me twice. He is not a dancing fan. After our two great dances, I got up and danced with others or just alone. Didn’t matter. I love to dance to good music, and this was a lot of fun!

Here the Bride dances with her Dad! What a great things to see when parents and their kids can enjoy partying with each other.

We stayed until about 9:30 and then walked to our car and came home. The dogs initially gave us the cold shoulder, but when I offered them some roast beef, they suddenly forgave us!

Friday Fill-Ins

And…here we go!

1. Blue skies smilin’ at me, nothin’ but blue skies do I see. Bluebirds singin’ a song nothin’ but bluebirds all day long.

2. Take a stroll down memory lane some filled with happiness, some filled with pain.

3. Kids are the best part of life. They remind us to appreciate the simplest of things, like a sandcastle or playing in the yard.

4. New places, new faces, and plenty of joking around; these are some of the best things about vacation.

5. Love is simple things. Making a meal, or changing the oil in your sweeties car. Often the things that define love the most are the little things we do for our loves that say…I love you without actually saying it.

6. My grandma was the one who told me all about submarine races. She told me how she and Papa loved to go and watch them!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to the wedding of our friends daughter at the big lake, tomorrow my plans include some grocery shopping and Sunday, I want to Read the Sunday newspaper, and work in my office!

Summer Colds

A cold front moved through here overnight on Wednesday bringing cool, dry air to New Hampshire on Thursday morning. This is the sort of summer weather that I really enjoy, especially when I am sick.

Yes, I have the dreaded summer sinusitis. I finally got myself in to see my doctor (it took me two weeks to decide that I was actually sick enough to go) and three prescriptions later I was home, sipping lemonade and tea trying to rinse this thing from my system.

But I have to say, it is very stubborn, and although I have been on medication since since Monday, I still feel really lousy.

Now I have to tell you that the dackels are in Heaven. They can lie around with me, next to me, over me and think they are doing their part to help me recover. They make me laugh.

Should this thing not be better by Monday I will be calling my doctor for a consultation. But I am praying to the Lord above and the health fairy to please restore me by Friday. I have a lovely wedding to attend and I want to be feeling tip top for some dancing with my Hubby!

Blog Lovin’ Award!

Mushy Cloud nominated me for Blog Lovin’ Award. Basically this means we pass along the award, to be shared or just so you know, that I read you every day and your Blog makes a difference in my life. Thank you Mushy Cloud and here I go with the meme part of this award.

So now I will do my duty and list 15 blogs that I read. Thank for making my life more full because of what you write.

So here is the deal…

1. Thank and link to the person who nominated you.

Mushy Cloud nominated me and I am really thrill with this. I think a lot of times we write our Blogs and wonder if anyone is actually reading what we write. It’s nice to know that not only are they reading, but my words have, at one time or another, spoken to them.

2. Share seven random facts about yourself.

1. I have three wire haired dachshunds and a White German Shepherd!

2. I share a birthday Danny DeVito, although he is a bit older than me.

3. I love peaches, fresh from the tree, that drip down my chin when I bite into them!

4. I had my appendix removed just before my forth birthday, and my mother gave me all my presents early. Then when I recovered in time for a party, she had to buy me more. I remember that year getting “Digger the dog!

And now I have dachshunds! lol!

5. My hair did not curl on it’s own until after I went through menopause! True!

6.I love to watch sports on the Television, but when I tried to participate, I ended up injured because I am a terrible klutz!

7. I love to cook, which is difficult because I also need to adhere to the Weight Watchers plan. The kind of cooking I enjoy is gourmet!

3. Pass the award along to 5 deserving blog buddies.

Rude Cactus
Mennonite Girls Can Cook
Betty at A Glimpse into Midlife
Friday Fill-Ins
The In Between Is Mine

Originally they wanted 15 blogs, but so many of the ones I read do not like to participate in memes. So I selected 5 and anyone out there who would like to participate, let me know! There’s a fair old mixture there which is a true reflection of my own mind and the things that keep me occupied and get me thinking. Thank you to all of you!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. What makes you stand to your feet and cheer?

I don’t actually do it at home, but would do it at a sporting event, or recently when attending Hubby’s 50th college reunion, they also had two ladies there for their 75th college reunion! We all stood and cheered!

2. What’s your favorite patriotic song?

I love “America the Beautiful” but I also love “God Bless the USA” by Lee Greenwood.

3. Do you believe that opposites attract? If you have a significant other are you opposites?

To a certain extent. Hubby and I are very different, but we do have similar interests. I think that this is why our marriage has worked.

4. You’re going to get a behind the scenes look someplace…where would you like that someplace to be?

I’d love to go behind the scenes at a Broadway Show. I’d love to see how they change scenery, change sets, costumes, etc.

5. How far would you have to travel to ride a carousel (merry-go-round)?

I’m not really sure. I think Canobe Lake Park is the closest and that’s about 1 our and 15 minutes from here.

6. When was the last time you saw fireworks? What was the occasion? Do you enjoy fireworks?

Yes, I love fireworks. I think the last time I saw them was last year on the 4th of July.

7. Of all the ‘beauty products’ you own, what item do you consider to be the most overpriced?

If I thought they were overpriced I wouldn’t buy them. However, the nail polish at $6.00 a teeny tiny bottle is ridiculous!

8. Insert your own random thought here.

We have finally had three days in a row without torrential downpours. This has got to be one of the wettest spring/summers that I can recall since I was a teenager.

Back then, I think I was thirteen years old, we had a summer (I lived on Cape Cod then), where it was cold and rained the entire summer. That was terrible for the restaurant owners and the motel owners because the tourists didn’t come.

Nothing grew in the garden and everything seemed to have a layer of mold on it. It was so damaging to Cape Cod’s economy that the newsmen spoke of it a lot. It also made quite an impact on me. I think, back then, I thought that life was full of sunshine and roses!

I certainly hope that the continuous rain cycle that we “were” on is over. Time for a little sunshine!

Why Washington Chopped Down The Cherry Tree

We have a couple of wonderful cherry trees in our yard. We planted them years ago, and they have been producing nicely ever since. I love the fresh cherries to eat and I love to make cherry jam! Delicious!

Now here is the problem. We have all dwarf or semi dwarf trees in our yard, but there is this one tree that was obviously mislabeled and it is a cherry tree!

Each winter Hubby prunes it back to a normal size and each summer it grows larger and larger. Why is this a problem? Well, because as much as I love cherries, so does every bird in southern New Hampshire.

We have been, quite literally, overwhelmed with feathered friends. Entire flocks of them! They come to munch on our cherries and I swear to you, they tell their friends, cousins, Uncle and Aunts!

Hubby, a friend, Tina and I attempted to net the one big tree today. The mission was difficult and I swear to God, I do understand why President Washington cut down the cherry tree! For as much as I love those cherries, the only way to get them is to net the tree and that is darn near impossible!

Not only is it hard to net the tree, but the hard unripe cherries fall and can really hurt your eyes if they hit you! So I wear ski goggles to protect my eyes.

I’ve told Hubby that we simply have to chop that tree in half over the winter. We simply have to get that bad boy under control. And then, we must put a net on right after the blossoms are gone.

One thing is for sure, we must do something or like Washington, I’ll be chopping down the cherry tree!