Cloud Watching

It's going to be hot day here in the West .  We have had such beautiful weather the last few days, the skies were full of clouds which is

unusual for here .  I love looking at clouds , it reminds me when I was a little kid. Laying on a blanket seeing what animal shapes I could find.  My mother played that game with me. It was such fun. Zoom in on the cloud  Photos and see what you find in the clouds or look out your window  .............

At Grandma's House

What was it about being at your Grandma's house that was so special. The cool dolls she had in the closet, the great treats she always brought out, or was it all the loving hugs and kisses she gave . I swear it was all of the above. I sure miss her.I love all the floral and stripes in her living room, don't you ?

Summer Solstice

The summer solstice or “Midsummer” happens today;  a celestial alignment.The longest day of the year.

According to the Farmer’s Almanac, the start of summer in the northern hemisphere is 1:16 p.m. today. According to TimeandDate.com, the date of the "June solstice" varies from June 20 to June 22 depending on the year, in the Gregorian calendar (there will not be another June 22 solstice until 2203

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to all the Father's, especially My Husband  . What a great man I married he is everything to me. He is smart , funny , loveable and a wonderful Father .Our kids are truly blessed to have a Dad like him .Hope you have a great day! I love you much.............Your Honey

Smokey White Bean and Ham Soup

 It's a cool day today our June Gloom, that I truly love . The hot summer sun is looming. I am taking advantage of this cool weather with a soup and fresh bread. 

                                                                                               Bon Appétit

Smokey White Bean and Ham Soup

1 1/2 tbsp canola oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 sprig rosemary
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 lb dried small white beans, rinsed and picked through
1 lb ham steak, fat removed then diced
1 smoked ham hock
10 cups of water, plus extra if needed
kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Place a large pot over medium heat. Add oil to pot. Once the oil is hot, add diced onions, carrots, and celery to the pot. Stir. Saute over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and the carrots are softened.
.
Add the dried white beans, garlic, bay leaf, dried oregano & basil to the pot. Stir and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
Add the ham hock, diced ham, parsley and rosemary sprig to the pot. Cover the ingredients with about 8 cups of water. Add 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper. Stir.
Raise heat to high and bring soup to a boil. Once you reach a boil, reduce heat to medium low. Simmer soup over medium low heat for 2 - 2 1/2 hours until the beans are tender. If soup starts to get too thick, add a bit more water.
Once beans are soft, remove the ham hock and rosemary sprig. Taste then season as necessary with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Soup can be made a day in advance and refrigerated until ready to serve. Serve hot with hot sauce on the side
http://www.whatwereeating.com/recipes/smokey-white-bean-and-ham-soup/                                                                                                                          

Laughing

I read today that children laugh 100 times a day and adults maybe 10 times a day ......... How sad is that ? Laughing is the best medicine in the world . We have to laugh like a child .That's why kids are so bubbly. I'm going to try and laugh more , come on you too !

Quote

"A day without laughter is a day wasted."
— Charlie Chaplin

    http://www.goodreads.com/quotes?container=bebo&page=1

Getting the flowers planted and ready for Summer

Famous People Hanging Out

Famous People Hanging Out

I Do Love Quotes

I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
Maya Angelou

Read more:http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/m/maya_angelou.html#ixzz1ONWdFOHH

A Cute E-Mail

Summary of My Last Year on the Computer

***I must send my thanks to whoever sent me the one about poison in the glue on envelopes because I now have to use a wet towel with every envelope that needs sealing.

***Also, now I have to scrub the top of every can I open for the same reason.

***I no longer have any savings because I gave it to a sick girl (Penny Brown) who is about to die in the hospital for the 1,387,258th time.

***I no longer have any money at all, but that will change once I receive the $15,000 that Bill Gates/Microsoft and AOL are sending me for participating in their special e-mail program.

***I no longer worry about my soul because I have 363,214 angels looking out for me, and St. Theresa's novena has granted my every wish.

***I no longer eat KFC because their chickens are actually horrible mutant freaks with no eyes or feathers.

***I no longer use cancer-causing deodorants even though I smell like a water buffalo on a hot day.

***Thanks to you, I have learned that my prayers only get answered if I forward an email to seven of my friends and make a wish within five minutes.

***Because of your concern, I no longer drink Coca-Cola because it can remove toilet stains.

***I no longer can buy gasoline without taking someone along to watch the car so a serial killer won't crawl into my backseat when I'm pumping gas.

***I no longer drink Pepsi or Dr. Pepper since the people who make these products are atheists who refuse to put "Under God" on their cans.

***I no longer use Saran wrap in the microwave because it causes cancer.

***And thanks for letting me know I can't boil a cup of water in the microwave anymore because it will blow up in my face,disfiguring me for life.

***I no longer check the coin return on pay phones because I could be nicked with a needle infected with AIDS.

***I no longer go to shopping malls because someone will drug me with a perfume sample and rob me.

***I no longer receive packages from UPS or FedEx since they are actually Al Qaeda in disguise.

***I no longer shop at Target since they are French and don't support our American troops or the Salvation Army.

***I no longer answer the phone because someone will ask me to dial a number for which I will get a phone bill with calls to Jamaica , Uganda , Singapore , and Uzbekistan .

***I no longer buy expensive cookies from Neiman Marcus since I now have their recipe.

***Thanks to you, I can't use anyone's toilet but mine because a big brown African spider is lurking under the seat to cause me instant death when it bites me.

***And thanks to your great advice, I can't ever pick up $5.00 in the parking lot because it probably was placed there by a molester waiting underneath my car to grab my leg.

***I can no longer drive my car because I can't buy gas from certain gas companies!

***If you don't send this e-mail to at least 144,000 people in the next 70 minutes, a large dove with diarrhea will land on your head at 5:00PM this afternoon and the fleas from 12 camels will infest your back, causing you to grow a hairy hump. I know this will occur because it actually happened to a friend of my next door neighbor's ex-mother-in-law's second husband's cousin's beautician...Have a wonderful day....

***Oh, by the way.....A South American scientist from Argentina , after a lengthy study, has discovered that people with insufficient brain activity read their email with their hand on the mouse. Don't bother taking it off now; it's too late.

More Mommy and Me Angels

Here are a few more of the wooden angels that I have put on Etsy.I love all the colors . I had so much fun painting them.I have to come up with another crafty thing to make. I love to stay busy.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Waking Up Early

Waking up early when I can think. I can read and I can breathe.... So peaceful, so quiet I love early morning hours................

Painting on a larger scale

I have not blogged for a week, have been painting the house instead of painting on canvas... How do you like the colors ? Something different.....