#213 Hide and seek

I am out in my garden everyday.   Picking squash before they get to big.  Watering, weeding, fertalizing.  
Just how I missed this zucchini I do not know.   But just now when I went to pick some tomatoes, there it was.  Huge zuchini.  So big I almost tripped on it.   I try to pick them when they are still small.  Tender and have alot more flavor.   Occasionaly, I underestimate how fast they grow and let one grow bigger than I like, but they can still be used for stuffed zucchini or for bread.  This one will just get tossed.   : (   Guess I need to look a little closer from now on.  

#212 Traditions

Isn't if funny how we have little traditions that we do?
For example: Today I picked my first tomato.   Now keep in mind you don't just go and pick your first tomatoe of the season like it were any other day.  You planted the plants almost two months ago!  You have babysat it, watered and fertilized.   There has to be some way to mark the occasion. 
This is what you have to do:
You have to take the salt shaker with you.  As you pick the tomato say a little prayer of thanks.  And right there fresh off the vine, and warm from the sun, you eat that first  tomato with a little salt on it.    Yummy!

#211 What is it? What is it?

One of the guys at work brought one of these in about a year ago.  It is a back massager.  At some point during the day someone will pull it out to use it and next thing you know everyone is waiting there turn.

It works so well that Bobbie had Brandon order one for her to use at home a while back, and I have been thinking about buying one too.   But, they cost around 40.00.

Today Bobbie texted me asking if I was home because she had a little surprise for me.  She found this at the thrift store.   She laugingly told me: " Apparently they didn't know what it was, I found it in the gardening section.  They  must have thought it was one of those hooks you stick in the ground to hang plants on.    They had no idea they had such a hot item.  If they had known these things cost 40$$ brand new they probably would have asked for more than $4.00 for it. 

Way to go Bobbie!  I love finding little treasures like this at the Thrift store. 

Thank you Thank you Thank you!  I love little surprises!

#210 Neil Diamond

Been a fan since I was 12 and Hot August night was produced.  Nothing better:    Beautiful night!

with some great music by Neil  Diamond!!!!

Awesome night! 
Thank you Connie and Lynda for making this night happen!   Moment of a lifetime and something I will not forget!

#209 Moments that take your breath away

So first  I have to give you some back ground information.
#1 I have been recording moments that take my breath away for over 10 years now.  I liked the saying when I first heard it and ever since I have tried to take note of those moments.  To cherish them for the gift they are.
#2  My daughter and I  have on many occasions talked about the fact that sometimes God will send you little gifts.  Little ways of letting you know he is watching over you, and loves you.  Usually something very subtle but out of the ordinary so you know it is a gift for you.
#3  I have been following the KSL photo for quite sometime and love the pictures that people post.  It has been a true inspiration, and I have submitted a couple of my own pics to their website.  I was going through it about a week ago and there was some great pics of rainbows that people have taken with all the rainstorms we have had recently.  And a couple of people have submitted photos of rainbow clouds.   There are certain clouds that are high into the atmosphere and ice crystals form in the cloud.  If the sun hits it just right it creates a rainbow in the cloud.  Fascinating and beautiful!  It got me thinking: gosh I would love to get a pic of a rainbow for my challenge, and a rainbow cloud would just be way to much to ask for.  So.. everytime it rains I have gone outside looking for a rainbow. 
Now for the story: No, there wasn't a rainstorm this morning, but there was a gorgeous sunrise. One that turned all the clouds colors of reds, purples, yellows, oranges..... I grabbed my camera and headed out the door to take some pics! It didn' matter  wich way you turned it was beautiful.  I took pics for about 5 minutes,  then I just stood on my porch facing west to watch.  That is when...

God realized he had my attention and said, "If you like that, look what else I have to show you."
And right where I was looking a rainbow cloud appeared! Can you see it?  Just left of the tree?

I was so stunned I almost forgot to take a picture.  It only lasted about a minute.  WOW! 
Thank you God for knowing I was watching and giving me this beautiful gift and opportunity to photograph it.   You take my breath away!

#208 Garden decor

This spring and summer I have been looking for some garden decorations, but have been having trouble finding what I wanted at a reasonable price.    The first 3 weeks of July I was ok because I bought a bunch of patriotic pinwheels to put in the ground and that covered me for the 4th through to the 24th. 

This weekend I found what I was looking for and since the 24 of July is over, today I decided it was time to change out the decor:

Found them at the dollar store...  For 6$ I have some pretty little decorations for my flower garden

#207 July birthdays

We got a new Assistant Administrator at work  and started celebating birthdays again.   '

Once a month they bring a treat to celebrate everyone's birthday during that month.  Sometimes it is root beer floats, sundaes, etc.  Today it was a cake:

Holly Berri was the first to stake her claim on what piece she wanted!

Happy Bithday y'all!

#206 Happy Birthday Utah!

Happy July 24th everyone..  Picnics, Parades, Rodeos, and fireworks! 

Thought you might like to know a little Trivia abut this wonderful state I call home!

State Capitol: Salt Lake City

Statehood Day: January 4, 1896 (45th state)

Population: 2,817,222 (2011 est)

*    Nickname: Beehive State

The Great Salt Lake covers 2,100 square miles, with an average depth of 13 feet. The deepest point is 34 feet.

Completion of the world's first transcontinental railroad was celebrated at Promontory where the Central Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads met on May 10, 1869. It is now known as Golden Spike National Historic Site

Interstate 70 enters the eastern edge of the state, from Grand Junction Colorado, and ends where it intersects Interstate 15, near Cove Fort. This section of Interstate 70 is one of the most deserted stretches of Interstate in the United States.

Rainbow Bridge, Nature's abstract sculpture carved of solid sandstone, is the world's largest natural-rock span. It stands 278 feet wide and 309 feet high.

The average snowfall in the mountains near Salt Lake City is 500 inches.

Because of the state's inland location Utah's snow is unusually dry. Earning it the reputation of having the world's greatest powder. 14 Alpine ski resorts operate in Utah.

Utah mountain peaks, on average, are the tallest in the country. The average elevation of the tallest peaks in each of Utah's counties is 11,222 ft.-higher than the same average in any other state.

Salt Lake City was originally named Great Salt Lake City. Great was dropped from the name in 1868.

State symbol: The Beehive symbolizes thrift and industry.

State animal: The Rocky Mountain Elk.

State fish: The Rainbow Trout.

The name Utah comes from the Native American Ute tribe and means people of the mountains.

During World War II Alta ski center became involved in the war effort when paratroopers from the

Utah has five national parks: Arches, Canyonlands, Zion, Bryce and Capitol Reef.

Utah has seven national monuments: Cedar Breaks, Natural Bridges, Dinosaur, Rainbow Bridge, Grand Staircase-Escalante, Timpanogos Cave and Hovenweep.

#205 Summer

I was doing my usual walk through the yard today.   Pulling weeds here and there.   Pulling off spent blooms.  I came to my sunflowers

 I have a ton of sunflowers in my yard this year. I started thinking: I really need to cut off some of the dead flowers, maybe even cut some of the plants down. But then I saw two little finches who were feasting on the sunflower seeds.  Crazy bird hangs upside down and eats the seeds.



I haven't seen much of these finches lateley.  The tree in the backyard where the bird feeders are, is so full of leaves that I don't have a clear view of them.   I think I will leave the sunflowers just like they are for now.  

#204 Thistle

Greg and I took the ATV's out for a ride.
It was more to test his ATV.  We have had it in and out of the shop for the last few weeks and he finally got it back on Friday.  
It was a good ride, but very hot. 
This is the one and only picture I took today!

#203 Eclipse

 Several months ago My friends Lynda and Paul had invited us to go see Eclipse with them.  We had declined because we thought we would be camping.  However, with how dry it has been and all the wildfires we decided not to go camping.  I was disappointed that I hadn't gotten a ticket.  

  Tonight was the concert, and it turned out Paul was feeling under the weather.   Lynda called to see if I wanted to go.   Of course I said  YES!   I have never seen this group before.   It was a beautiful night  at the Sandy Ampitheatre:
Seats were upstage and center:

And the Concert was AMAZING:

#202 O2 sensor

As I posted ealier, the check engine light came on in my care.  Hard to believe this little piece of equipment is the culprit, and cost me 75.00 plus labor.   But the old Civic is still running.  Now for a tune up!

#201 Storm clouds

At one point this evening it loeds like it might rain and there were some very interesting clouds hanging about.

#200 Oh Oh

This is not somethng anyone wants to see.  The check engine light came on in my car today during my ride home.   Time to take the old girl in for a check up!

#200

A couple of blogs ago I told you about a lady who sales Lillies.   Mine are still in bloom. As I told you she had quite the variety.  Thought I would show you some of the oneds I chose

 The top two are pics of my African Lilly

 This is a beautiful Pink Lilly.  I don't know the name for it, but I couldn't resist it.

And I just had to take this one home.  It is called Lulluby Lilly.


I bought three others but they did not have blooms out today.  Fire red, and orange tiger lilly and then a very unigue yellow one. It's petals are long and and yellow. 

#199 Today I am thankful for my health

If you have read my posts from the beginning you know that one of my goals for 2012 was to become more healthy.  So....
Mammogram - good
Papsmear - good
and I had my colonoscopy today-good
Lost 10 pounds-20 more to go! 
Today I would like to celebrate my health with a little walk in my garden.  Thank  you god for my good health and for all the beautiful things you bring into my life!

#198 Oh the big red letter stands for the Jello family

I am going in for a procedure tomorrow, and am on a clear liquid diet.   I dont' eat Jello very often but today this is my main entree.

#197 Pepper Jelly

We have been making jams and jellies as a fundraiser.  For the past 3 years several of my friends have been walking for a cure for the Juvinile Diabetes Foundation.  It all started when my friend and Captian of the team, Lynda Lopez  found out she had diabetes.  Every year we try to find a way to boost donations, and this year came up with the idea of making homemade jams and jellies.  So today I spent time making some Pepper Jelly!

#196 Blessings and Answered Prayers

Today was a good day.  I got alot accomplished. Spent time with family, and got to talk to my daughter on the phone. Two significant things stand out for me today.

#1 Blessings
Last night our microwave stopped working.  The keypad worked, light came on and you could hear the fan working but the table wouldn't rotate and it wouldn't heat up any food.  So, this morning my husband and I got online to do some trouble shooting and see how much a new one would cost.  It is an under the range one with a fan etc.  Looking at around 350 to 500 dollars to replace it.  When, we googled the symptoms they gave us a couple of ideas what could be wrong.  From a blown fuse to a diode going out.  
So my husband got looking at the microwave discovered that the latch wasn't making a connection with the door switch when we shut the door.  His idea was to mess with the connection inside the door.  But, I got looking at it and realized the door was hanging slightly higher on one side.  The solution:  get some washers to hold the hinged side of the door higher.  Cost 10 cents.  Our microwave is working once again. 

#2 Answer to prayers:
It has been hot and dry here in Utah.  As a result we have had a record number of wildfires and hundreds of thousand of acres of wilderness has been burned, and several lives lost.  Everyone has been praying for rain.  Today it rained!!

I hope it was enough to get all the wildfires under control. " Thank you God!  Can you maybe send us  just a little more:"    Amen