It's amazing that July is here already!  I seem to stay so busy lately and have not had much time for the computer.  My mother and stepfather are coming tomorrow to visit a couple of days.  It's been a long time since they've been here and we're looking forward to a visit.  I went to the grocery store today and found some bargains, thankfully.  The menus in the days to come will include homemade bread,  my favorite chicken salad recipe, chips with homemade onion dip, a blueberry coffee cake, spaghetti, french bread and salad, smoked ham, cornbread, fresh corn and peas and green beans, chicken pie, cauliflower, cabbage, grilled burgers and sausage, sweet potato fries.....etc.  I found that new Kraft Olive Oil lower fat/cal  mayo 32 oz on sale for 2 for $5.  Well each jar had a $1 off coupon too!  What a deal!  They had 5 left and I grabbed all of them.  I've got lots more to post but I'm running out of time.  So more later!  Oh, here's a peek at the new chicks.  There are 6 in all but the others are under the mothers' wings.  Yes, instead of one hen wanting to be the mother we have FOUR that have taken on the role from the very beginning!  They even sat on the eggs together.   ~Sweet~

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Summer is officially here now even though where I live it's felt like Summer~time for a while.  Along with the happy season comes lots of  good things!  Here are some pictures of just a few of them.  There will be many more to come, Lord willin'.

Tomatoes from a neighbor down the road.  Mmmm...nice and "acidy" like I love them too.....

A mason jar crammed full of heavily scented Gardenias next to my chair.  Reading material includes books and articles about gardening, cooking, chickens and as you can see, canning.

This simple sight in my kitchen made me happy while preparing supper.  I love the color combinations of vegetables and my kitchen is decorated to reflect that.  Yellows, greens, oranges, purples, reds...

The corn after cutting it off the cob and those brussel sprouts were almost perfect as they were.  I just added butter and salt and pepper and we ate every bite.  The tomatoes were the very first fresh tomatoes we've gotten this Summer (would you believe they were given to us by our daughter named, Summer?)and tossed in with that crispy lettuce and a few other ingredients....Ahhhhhh....so good. 

Take a little mayo and ketchup and finely chopped garlic, onion salt and fresh ground pepper and whisk together for a really good homemade salad dressing. 

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I made this in no time flat this afternoon and boy is it good.  I'm not a big fan of regular fig preserves but this tastes just like strawberry preserves and the texture is like it too.  Here's the easy recipe and some pictures of the process and end result:

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Here's a way to do something about it.  Click on the link and add your zip code.  There is a pretyped email that you can add to or take away from the email  in any way you want to and it will be sent to your representatives in congress.  This is a Christian organization that I get a lot of news from. 

http://capwiz.com/afanet/issues/alert/?alertid=11479656

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Here's a recipe I know I'll like.  It sounds just like the relish like topping that is served at a popular seafood restaurant here.  They bring a little dish of this out with a pan of cornbread when you first arrive.  I found the recipe in the "Taste of Home Cooking for 2" magazine.  The recipe only yields one cup but could easily be made in a larger amount.

Pickled Onion

1 medium onion, cut into 1/8 " rings

1-1/2 tsp salt, divided

1/3 cup cider vinegar

1/4 cup water

3 tbsp sugar

1 garlic clove, peeled and halved

1/2 tsp mustard seed

1/2 tsp prepared mustard

1/4 tsp celery seed

 In a small bowl, toss onion with 1 tsp salt;  let stand for 1 hour.  Drain and rinse in cold water; set aside.

In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, sugar, garlic, mustard seed, mustard, celery seed and remaining salt.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat;  simmer, uncovered, for 1-2 minutes or until sugar is dissolved.  Stir in onion;  simmer 3 minutes longer or until onion is heated through, stirring often. 

Transfer to a serving dish.  Cool to room temperature.  Cover and refrigerated for at least 3 hours before serving.  Serve with a slotted spoon.

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My country home:

We're very close to finishing a lot of work in the flower beds that has been an ongoing process for years.  When we moved here years ago the only landscaping was a few old fashioned Boxwoods in the front.  It's been so much fun playing in the dirt!

My little garden patch is coming right along.  There will be a variety of tomatoes, cucumbers, squash and bellpeppers.  This is tiny compared to what we usually grow but we had our hands full during March and April with baby chicks and building their coops that there wasn't a spare minute for any gardening.  We'll hopefully plant a big garden later.

Those baby chicks are growing!!

Looking up into my plum tree you might can spot one of the two bird nests there.

I see butterflies all the way through Fall because of this bush that comes back year after year.  I know you'd like to know the name of it but I'm having a "moment" and for the life of me I can think of it.

I'm pleased as punch with these Mums!  I got them for Easter and just repotted them the other day.

I always look forward to these Crapemyrtles bursting open and showing off all Summer long.

More to come!  Things are always changing.....

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Only few words today and mostly pictures:

Ahhh...you would have to smell these to believe it.  The Gardenias are in full bloom.

Just to give you a frame of reference, the Gardenias are over 6 ft. tall under one of my favorite trees, a Sycamore.

I love to stand under this old Oak tree and just look up.  I wish my camera lens could take in the expanse of all the limbs!

Above, an old gate hubby made years ago that one day will be put to use again.  But if not, I really like the way it looks right where it is.

Below are the 2 lions that have been keeping guard for years under another big old Oak.

Thanks for stopping by my country place.  Come again!

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I've been tagged a couple of times I see.  I like these kinds of games and I enjoy getting to know others this way.  I'm not going to tag anyone because I've been off the computer so much I don't know who's done it and who hasn't!  But here's mine if anybody cares!  LOL

What were you doing 10 years ago?  I think I was  pulling my hair out trying to keep a house full of teenagers on the straight and narrow. 

5 things on my to-do list today:  Wash sheets and put back on bed, wash, hang out to dry and put away all laundry, take care of chickens, water garden and blueberry bushes, cook supper.

Snacks I enjoy:  pretzels dipped in cottage cheese, buttery popcorn, chips, cake, oh, ALL snacks.

If I were  millionaire:  tithe, pay off all debt, help family members, the rest I'd have to discuss with hubby!

Places I've lived:  Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi

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Have you ever heard of this?  I hadn't until just the other day but it's been around a while I think.   I hear there are some restaurants that use these.   We're trying it and so far it's working!  I read the flying bugs see it and think it's another huge bug and it keeps them away.

Drop a penny in a clear plastic bag and fill with water. Hang it up wherever you don't want flies.  I saw a picture the other day of a outdoor table and chairs set up like there was going to be a little picnic or party there and above, hanging from a tree limb was a bag of water with a pretty blue bow. 

I just tacked up a ziploc baggie over my carport door to keep the flies out of the kitchen.   I'm going to hang several around my chicken yards too.

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Happy news!  My hubby and I will be

grandparents for the 3rd time!  Yes, our

youngest child, Wesley, and his wife, Claire are

expecting their 2nd little blessing in December! 

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