Happy Friday Friends!  This morning I decided to check my blog; haven't had any comments coming through my email for moderation and I was concerned.  Can you imagine my surprise when I saw that I had 45 comments that hadn't been published.  I am frustrated that once again Blogger has changed the way  comments are handled.  I hope I've remedied this issue and will be checking on a regular basis.  Is comment moderation no longer happening?  I haven't been blogging much lately and thought some friends just gave up on me, good to know it isn't true.

May your day and weekend be blessed!

Noreen

Relaxing At The Lake

Happy Thursday to you! We had a fun relaxing camping trip this week. I love having a place within an hours drive that we can just go and unwind. Some of you may be wondering why we need to unwind if we are retired, but it is just nice to get away.  You can see the smokey haze, but we couldn't smell the smoke at all from the local wildfires. 

We have a nice outdoor rug in front of the trailer and yet this little guy loves to lay in the dirt and roll around.  It must be a dog thing!  His favorite place is under the trailer and he comes out covered in dirt and weeds/twigs.

The lake is down so much, which surprised us after we were just there two weeks ago. However, the water was so much warmer,  we didn't swim though.

Hunter loves walks, which he gets to go one so many times a day and night.  I actually put him in the bathtub and got some of the dirt off of him Tuesday night.  Yesterday when we got home, he got a good bath and looks nice and white again.

I hope you have a great day today.  This will be our last hot day for a few weeks, tomorrow our temps drop to the 80's.  

Blessings,

Noreen

A Camping We Will Go

 Happy Monday Friends,  Just checking in quickly as we get everything ready to head out to our favorite lake for a day or so.  We can't leave til lunch time as I've got a virtual appointment with a doctor; I tried it Friday and it didn't work.  While I was waiting for the doctor to get online my cell rang, but there was no caller ID and I didn't answer it.  It was the doctor checking in because he couldn't see my online.  

I hope you are all surviving the last weeks of summer; it is still in the high 90's here and even hit 100.  Our air is very bad due to our five wildfires and all the smoke coming from California.  Hoping to escape a little at the campsite.  I'll take some photos, though they never are very exciting.

Blessings~

Noreen

Thoughts on Getting Older

 Good Morning friends!  First thing this morning I had my annual physical with my Primary Care Physician; for some reason this always causes me stress, but one bright spot is my Doctor's nurse. Brittany is a sweetheart and always makes me feel so relaxed.  Good appointment, but as I was leaving I looked over the After Visit Summary as I made next years appointment.  So here is where you'll get a good laugh!

I looked at all my vital information and thought I can't be reading my weight correctly.  Right now I've started back on my plant based diet again and so have lost a pound or two, so you can imagine my surprise when my weight was written down 20 lbs heavier than I weighed at this morning.  I went back to reception and told them, so had to be weighed again. I laughed the whole way out, but was glad I noticed it.

Hugs,

Noreen

A New Kitchen Gadget

Happy Monday to you! It is hard to believe that summer is almost over; although for many of us we still have plans to enjoy every last day. Autumn is my absolute favortie season, but it always passes too quickly and winter comes roaring in. I am not one for getting the latest kitchen gadget, however my daughter uses her Insta Pot all the time and loves it. I also have other friends who use it for camping and says it is so great to put something in it in the morning and when you get back from hiking, you dinner is ready. Hubby and I are hoping to do some longer trips next summer and I thought it would be worth it to get a mini Insta Pot. Tomorrow night I'm going to try Mongolian Beef with Broccoli and hope it is as good as the recipe looks.

 

I grew up with a Pressure Cooker and never had any issues with using one, but I know several people that won't use them due to bad experiences. This Insta Pot has settings for Pressure Cooker, Saute, Slow Cooker as well as stews, chili, soups,  rice, steam, delay start, and yogurt.   I spent some time on Pinterest today looking for recipes and hope this will become a big part of our camping trips.

What about you, do you have one?  I got the mini size because it is just the two of us.  If you don't have one, do you want to get one.  I'm hoping it won't be like other items I got(Ice Cream Maker and Rice Cooker)that I gave away for the simple reason I never used them.  

Here in Colorado there are five wildfires going and our air is so hazy.  It was so bad out yesterday at our outside church service, that I'm sure some folks were having a hard time breathing.  

Have a great day and week!

Noreen

 Happy Friday to you all!  This is my latest Patchabilities wall hanging; I so enjoy these simple quits and the cute patterns. Each month I trade out the welcome wall hanging in our entry way, the kits keep me sewing.  My girlfriend and I have decided we will not join the club next year, due to the fact we were only able to go once to a meeting due to Covid.  I'm not sure I'll continue on with monthly kits, but it has been so good for me to make so many. I am much more comfortable with machine appliqué than I ever thought possible.  I've got a couple more projects I need to work on, hopefully I'll start this afternoon.

Joy to you!

Noreen

This and That Thursday

Happy Thursday! In the past I always used Thursday as my day to point out things I am thankful for. It's been strange to not post daily or even weekly and I can only summize it is do to the strange season we are in. However this morning I made a point of reflecting on all the blessings in my life. About a month ago, I bought a new Hydrangea for the area under my sewing room window. Unfortunately it was too hot there so I moved it to the front bed, right next to another one. I love the color!  

I have never appreciated our Russian Sage plants until today, mainly because they get so huge and overgrown.  One neighbor has had an issue with Assassin bugs eating all her bees; I remembered I needed to tell her that this is a good plant to draw bees.  Then on our walk this morning, I saw a lot of Finches in the bushes eating seeds. I never knew they did this and have never seen birds in our plants, but decided they were indeed a good bush.

 Today I will have my daughters and grands over for our weekly lunch and then both daughters and I will head out to get Pedicures.  I give each daughter a gift card for their birthday, because as a mom of a large family the last person they pamper is themselves.  It has become a fun yearly event-we get Starbucks drinks and go sit and enjoy our time together.  School is starting and they will be so busy, it's our last hurrah.

Hope you have a blessed day and find things in your life to be grateful for!

Noreen

It's August Already!

 Happy Wednesday to you all!  It is a beautiful day here in Northern Colorado, although with several wildfires burning are keeping our sky is a bit hazy.  Praying for all those firefighters that are battling the fires.

I haven't been around much lately and not quite sure why.  Maybe it's just time spent sewing another new wall hanging or getting things done for the trailer. We were supposed to go camping tomorrow with the girls families, but due to restrictions on the number of people(even family)we cancelled so we wouldn't get a fine.  We were all disappointed, but decided to go to the lake for the morning and also have a bbq and bonfire at Carrie's house afterwards.  This is such a strange time we are living in!    Please take care of yourselves!

Hugs,

Noreen