Pie Day

Spinach quiche for Sunday breakfast...

And lime pie for Sunday afternoon (you'll have to imagine the whipped cream that will cover the top).

In the Garden

Our roses:

Between rain storms on Memorial Day we tried to whip the yard into shape. First we planted five Recurvifolium Ligustrum, or wavy leaf Privet on the back hill. We expect these to fill in to a solid wall about 15 ft high to block our view of the neighbors' new three story addition. Starting out in one-gallon pots, they have a bit of growing to do!

Next we planted several Razzleberri Loropetalum, or Chinese Fringe, also on the back hill. These will also grow tall and fill in together. We hope to completely block the ugly fence as well as the neighbors' addition. We want to look like we live in a park! Right now it's hard to believe that this flat little plant...

will some day grow to this...

After weeding, The Professor mowed and edged the lawns, while I tied up the tomato plants. My tomato cages disintegrated two years ago, so this is a new method for me. I'll see how it works.

Back to Garage Saling

I was sick for most of April and well into May so I haven't made or done much recently.

But finally, yesterday, Heather and I had a chance to go garage saling. We were disappointed in the number of sales; we found only four! Then we remembered that it was Memorial Day weekend. Duh.

I found one fabulous thing: an adorable cradle for Luke's upcoming baby brother (Luke calls him Bubba!). It was very grimy, but it all came sparkling clean with scrubbing the hard surfaces and soaking the fabrics. This adorable cradle was only $5!

And Greta is looking forward to having it passed down to her.

Waiting for Spring

I'm ready for comfortable sleep this spring. I made some warm weather sleep pants using a thrifted sheet I bought last year. It was a pale aqua twin size sheet with eyelet trim at the top edge. I placed the hem line of the pj's along the finished edge of the lace. No more than 30 minutes of stitching. Elastic waist. Done.

April Free

Here is what I got completely FREE during the month of April. Click here to read a previous post explaining each category.

Publix Mystery Coupon Items:
Nestle hot cocoa mix
Publix white bread (donation)
6-pk Publix bottled water

CVS Extracare Bucks With Sales and Coupons:
Skintimate shave cream
Colgate toothpaste
2 pkgs Stayfree
2 bags jelly beans
1 small bag chocolate eggs
Softsoap body wash
Colgate Sensitive toothpaste
2 bottles acetaminophen
2 Crest Pro-Health
Edge shave gel
Fructis styling gel
6 3M Command hooks

Great Sale Prices Combined with Coupons:
acetaminophen
3 Duncan Hines cake mixes (10 cents ea)
Kraft salad dressing
2 boxes Wheat Thins Artisan
3 small boxes unflavored gelatin
2 corn muffin mix
4 1-lb pkgs Mahatma rice
2 boxes Betty Crocker potatoes
2 McCormick grinders
3 4-roll pkgs Angel Soft bath tissue
2 Muir Glen tomato sauce
2 Muir Glen tomato paste
2 bottles Vitamin Water

Spent Free Gift Cards (from transferring rx):
3 gallons milk
Ibuprofen
Johnson's body wash
lettuce

Free Deals:
Softsoap body wash
2 jars Publix salsa
Publix popcorn cakes

Given to Me:
reusable shopping bag
loaf of white bread

Eat Your Fruits n' Veggies

We try to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables here. It seems to me that I can't keep the refrigerator stocked for an entire week, so out of curiosity I thought I would list what I bought and how much of each, then see how long it lasts us. So, one week ago today I bought:

Fruits
4 lb Granny Smith apples
4 lb Gala apples
2 lb grapefruit (2 whole)
3 lb fresh pineapple (1 whole)
7 lb cantaloupes (2 whole)
3 lb strawberries
4 lb Bartlett pears
1/2 lb bananas
Total: 27.5 lb

Veggies
1 lb avocados (2 whole)
1.5 lb tomatoes
1.5 lb bell peppers
4.5 lb romaine (6-head pkg)
10 lb frozen veggies
10 lb potatoes
Total: 28.5 lb

Already On Hand
4 lb carrots
2.5 lb onions
1/2 lb green cabbage
4 lb potatoes
4 lb frozen veggies
a handful of grape tomatoes
1 shriveled tangerine
Total: 15 lb

Grand total: 71 lb

Remaining after seven days
1 Granny Smith apple (less than 1/2 lb)
a few chunks of cantaloupe
5.5 lb potatoes
3 lb carrots
1/2 lb lettuce (part of a head)
9 lb frozen veggies
Total: 18.5 lb approx

Grand total consumed in a week: 52.5 lb
I had no idea we ate that much in a week!

April Fool!

It's our family tradition to celebrate well, even some of the minor holidays that most people sort of ignore. April 1st has always been a day for us to have fun. How did we celebrate this year? With no planning ahead, yesterday afternoon I came up with a plan to serve dinner in a memorable way. And I used just what was on hand; no purchases necessary!

As the family arrived home, everything looked normal with dinner preps under way and the table set. But wait. The dining table is set and a table on the patio is set? April Fool! I announced that we would be having a Progressive Dinner of multiple courses around the house and yard. We gathered first around the patio table, decorated with a beach theme. Then I brought out the first course of cupcakes and ice cream and announced we would really be having a Regressive Dinner: dessert to appetizer.

After dessert we retired to the garage, decorated for Christmas, for our main course of pot roast and vegetables.Next we all trouped to the dining room, decorated for Easter, for salad and homemade rolls. (I forgot to take a picture.)

And lastly, we gathered around the living room coffee table for crackers and camenbert cheese.By this time we were all quite stuffed.