Thursday, July 31, 2008

Welcome New Readers!

Special thanks to Indy.org for showcasing my blog post about an upcoming Indianapolis event on their "Recent Indy Blogs" section of their homepage and welcome to everyone who visits as a result!

I'm a young professional living near Indy. Squirrel Chatter is my personal blog full of my everyday musings from events in Indy that my husband and I might attend, to my garden updates, things I love, recipes and more.

I also write another blog, Confessions of a Design Junkie, for my other passion in life - design.

Hope you all become regulars and visit often - feel free to leave some bloggy love (comments!).

Beautiful Beach Comber Bracelet at Red Envelope



Oh, my bracelet is on-sale at Red Envelope from $85 to $39.99 (hint, hint - Matthew!) Potential Christmas present maybe? Just kidding - kinda. maybe. ok not at all. :)

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Dog Days of Summer @ Mallow Run Winery!

Mallow Run Winery is having their Annual "Dog Days" event - how exciting! I always love it when the fur family can get involved in events like this.

When does this great event take place you ask?! It's this weekend, August 2-3 from Noon-6pm, their lovable black lab, Cooper, will be in attendance and all leashed doggy pals are invited!

So come out for a great nice of live music, $10 dog washes (with proceeds going to raise funds for ARPO), hot dogs, bratwurst, chips & salsa and dessert! And the fun doesn't stop there! There will also be an outside tasting bar (no doggies in the tasting room).

And if you are looking for a doggy pal - there will adorable, adoptable animals on hand!

Receive a free doggie gift by bringing in a much needed item as requested by the shelters....

* Used blankets, towels, sheets
* Quality puppy and kitten food (Purina, Iams, Science Diet)
* Cat litter
* Kong toys
* Paper towels
* Bleach and laundry detergent
* Leashes
* Dog collars
* New and used dog crates
* Chew Toys

A portion of the day's food and wine sales will be donated to local organizations including ARPO, the Morgan County Humane Society, and the Humane Society of Johnson County.

There's A New Blog In Town!

No, I am not staring yet another blog - lol!

BUT I know someone who is new to the blogosphere and doing a pretty darn good job for being a newbie! Everyone go visit her and show her some bloggy love. :)

http://halflotus.blogspot.com/

Web Find Wednesday!


(Image from The Good Life...LOVE the little saying she had inscribed on the pendant - which is why I HAD to share it!)



Oh my goodness! Check out these BEAUTIFUL jewelry designs from Lisa Leonard Designs. Aren't they just lovely! Special thanks to Jennifer Pebbles from The Good Life for sharing this wonderful artist with her blog readers! I hadn't seen Lisa's jewelry before and am so glad you shared it with us all!

And you should all definitely check out Lisa's blog as well as her jewelry.

A New Look!

Got a little inspired last night and updated my header - let me know what you think!

I did the same on my other blogs as well and was up a little too late as result. :)


The Birds & The Bees (a babyshower blog I started a while back when I was planning my friends baby shower and that I can't quite let go of yet)


Confessions of a Design Junkie - my musings about all things design


And of course my Squirrel Chatter blog - my personal sound board for local events, daily conumdrums, my random thoughts, and any thing else that excites me.

Now if I could only find out how to add a background image and set it to repeat...tried once but it didn't work. If you have any tips, let me know!

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Yummy New Recipe: Grilled Corn with Lemon - Lime Sauce Recipe



Image from RecipeTips.com

A delicious recipe from RecipeTips.com we tried tonight to spice up our sweet corn. We eat it so often in the summer that it gets old - but this recipe did the trick and hit the spot! We left off the parsley as we didn't have any in the house - but it was amazing none-the-less!


Container: grill
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Serving Description: 1 ear of corn
Servings: 6 (Original Servings: 6)
Enter desired servings:

Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 pinch salt
- 6 ears fresh sweet corn

Directions

* Pre-heat the grill to medium high heat.
* In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, lemon juice, butter, cheese and parsley.
* Husk corn and remove all silks.
* Brush corn with butter mixture and grill, turning occasionally, for 10-12 minutes.
* Continue to brush on butter while grilling.
* Drizzle on remaining butter when corn is finished and serve.

Totally Random Tuesday



Yeah, so I am super busy today - and hubby has the day off so I am sure to be busy once I get home as well so the posting is gonna be next to nil, but I can supply you all with a totally random fact that I bet ya didn't know (because I sure didn't)!

When hubby and I went the Cincinnati Zoo a few weekends ago for our anniversary weekend getaway, we learned about the Sumatran rhinoceros. What is really cool is that the Cincinnati Zoo was able to bred this rare rhino in captivity successfully for the first time in 112 years! I was talking to one of the zoo employees (as you can see in my pic above) and she said it would have made the news because it was such a feat but it happened just days after September 11 and became overshadowed.

Here is some more great info from the zoo's website:

The Sumatran rhinoceros is one of the most endangered animals on earth with fewer than 270 individuals distributed throughout fragmented rainforests of South East Asia. A captive breeding program was formally established for this species in 1984, but efforts to propagate these rhinos in captivity failed. In 1997, CREW scientists initiated research using endocrinology and ultrasonography to learn about the reproductive physiology of the species. As a result, scientific breakthroughs led to the first Sumatran rhino calf bred and born in captivity in 112 years at the Cincinnati Zoo on Sept. 13, 2001.

Since the birth of that first calf, two additional calves have been produced. This series of successful births clearly demonstrates how productive a captive breeding program can be when it incorporates good science, veterinary care, animal husbandry and intensive management. The Cincinnati Zoo remains the only place in the world breeding this species successfully in captivity.

In addition to its leadership role in the Sumatran rhino captive breeding program, CREW partners with other conservation organizations (Rhino Global Partnerships) to protect Sumatran rhinos in the wild by helping to support Rhino Protection Units (RPUs). These RPUs are trained to protect the rhinos from poachers, the greatest threat to the species. Furthermore, financial support and staff expertise are provided to facilitate the captive breeding program on Sumatra. The goal of the program is to keep the rhinos safe in the wild and to establish a successful international captive breeding program for the Sumatran rhinoceros.



Now you know! ;)

Sunday, July 27, 2008

New Blog In the Works!

Working on starting up another blog.

I love sharing all my life's goings-on on my personal blog, but also want to give a platform for my professional side - design.

So, here's my attempt at categorizing the many things I find inspirational or otherwise in the wide world of design!

Check it out!

Confessions of a Design Junkie

My Faithful Hummingbirds Are Back



I FINALLY caught a glimpse of my faithful hummingbirds this year. I think I had a hard time seeing them until now because I had the feeders so far out in the yard. This week I moved them back up by the house - right outside our living room windows and lo-and-behold my little hummingbird showed up!

Here is a picture of him or her from last year. I have since started making my own humming bird food - and they seem to be liking it so far. It is just a simple mixture of 4 parts water to one part sugar. I heat it on the stove till the sugar is dissolved, let it cool and then fill up the feeders!

Here's the a link to the recipe in case anyone wants to print it out. I always have to with my recipes....my newest ones have a spot on the fridge where I keep them until I have everything down pat.

Final SITS Giveaway!

Oh no! It's the last week of the SITS Six Weeks of Summer Contest.....

SITS is having one last prize : an Apple 4G iPod Nano in Silver!


Plays up to 1,000 songs, 4 hours of video or 3,500 pictures!

To Enter:
2. Post about the contest on your site linking back to SITS.
3. Make sure your SITS button is posted!

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Baby Bunnies!



Look what my sister-in-law and her family just adopted! Baby bunnies!

Love the pics - who doesn't need their daily dose of baby bunny pictures!?

These pics look like they would be the perfect submission to Cute Overload, don't ya think?


Friday, July 25, 2008

4 Year Anniversary Presents Revealed!

As I predicted my husband walked right by his presents that I had set up on the kitchen counter and came straight for the computer. So he read my blog post before seeing the goods...hence why I did not post the pics until AFTER I knew he got them first.



First off, let me explain....we treat pretty much every occasion like Easter...giving each other a basket full of goodies instead of wasting time wrapping it, etc - also this ensures that we get more one present, because how pitiful is a basket with only one thing in it!?

Anyways, he got a brand new stainless steel gas grill from his family for Christmas and hasn't really had the chance to get into grilling this year what with his hand injury and crazy work hours, etc. So, to get him excited about it all again I got him basket full of grill goodies! There's two books about grilling, a cedar plank to grill on, and a smoking tray complete with wood chips and to stay with the theme I found two fruit marinades. I also threw in fruit flavored beer (Lemon Shandy that I know he likes), a note pad with lemons on it and some clever saying about life handing you lemons, and a car air freshener that smells like mangoes!




And this was the grand finale - and also more of a present for the both of us than just for him. Willow Tree's Welcoming Angel - holding a pineapple (fruit!) which is our reoccurring house decor theme. Perfect huh?! ;)

Pet Product Review: Earth Drops Pet-ables

Arg! My first run-in with Blogger not saving my post - all that great stuff is gone now...sigh...ok starting over...

Having made my way over to the Indianapolis City Market's Farmers' Market almost every Wednesday since it started this year - I have come to know the vendors and their wares fairly well. Rarely do I actually have cash on me to purchase these marvelous items, but on the rare occurrence that I do, I have found that the products and produce at the farmer's market just cannot be beat! Whether its berries, vegetables, soaps or plants - you won't be disappointed.

This past Wednesday I had managed to make it to the bank before my trip so I had some mullah to work with. I came away with a quart of blueberries, a pint of raspberries and a sample pack of Earth Drops Pet-ables pet soaps.

We go through dog wash quite a bit with two dogs in the house and with my ultra-sensitive nose. What I haven't been able to find is a dog shampoo whose scents lasts longer than a few hours. Not that my dogs need to smell like coconut, but it would be nice if the scent I am paying extra for actual stays around. So, I decided to try this. Now Pet-able isn't really shampoo - it is a bar of vegetable soap. So the act of washing the dog was a little different - but really didn't take much more time. And the smell? Wow! It has been 3 days so far and the dogs' fur is still lightly scented with the essential oils from the soap. So far I have only tried the Summer Shine sample - but they all smell pretty good.

Here's a little more info about the soaps from their website.

Pet-ables® Handcrafted soaps are 100% Natural Herbal Vegetable based bath products for pet- lover’s that love to pamper their fur kids. We use the highest quality vegetable oils, herbs, and 100% pure essential oils in all our handmade bath soaps. The four-legged family members are much more sensitive to harsh chemicals found in many shampooing and bathing products than are the two legged ones. Because our pet soaps are 100% purely natural soap that does not contain chemicals, detergents, and is not a shampoo, rinsing even a very thick furry coat is very easy. For pet-owner's, bathing and grooming your pet’s coat with Earth Drops®, Pet-ables® is no longer a chore, or a labor of love. It will be an enjoyable experience for all. Earth Drops® Pet-ables® soaps are just the way Mother Nature intended them to be, moisturizing and gentle for shinny beautifully groomed coats and wagging tails. We developed Pet-ables® just for our own much loved fur kids. We are sure that you and your pets will enjoy them too.

Operation Fruit-Themed Anniversary Present - COMPLETE!

Yes, I have FINALLY completed my quest for finding my husband a manly and enjoyable 4 year anniversary present that STILL kept with the traditional theme of "fruit."

Wasn't quite what I was going to get before - but that idea was going to take over 2 week to come in and would have been way too expensive for just one item.

70% of the items I got him were fruit themed and the other went with the fruit themed items but weren't really fruity. :)

Bet you want to know what it all was, huh?

Well, just in case he comes home and checks his blogs BEFORE he comes looking for his present, I will have to keep it on the down-low.

But I CAN share with you the presents he got me (besides our trip to Cincinnati and dinner at Morton's).




My marvelous husband got me a Smith Hawken duck from Target that I have been wanting (isn't it darling!?), a card that brought me to tears and a beautiful photo album full of digital pictures depicting our year so far that he had gotten printed.

P.S. Yeah, I know...he kinda bailed on the whole sticking with the theme idea we had going - but that is ok because I saved the day with what I bought - one thing of which is for BOTH of us so in the end I still got my fruit themed present. And plus, just look at what he did instead - so sweet! ;)

Friday Foto Fiesta



We just took this great photo last night! Our long-haired chihuahua, Lola, tried to come in the house with her "new toy" - a tomato that had fallen off the vine and into the yard. She must have thought it was a ball - she didn't bite into it like she was going to eat - just was carrying it tenderly in her mouth. Her expression here is priceless -like she knows that she shouldn't have it. :)

For more foto fun - check out Candid Carrie!

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Web Finds Wednesday

Woohoo - its Web Finds Wednesday again! I am excited - aren't you?!

One of the benefits of being an internet addict such as I am is that you find some pretty nifty stuff for some pretty nifty prices!

Check out today's finds!


Cool Feet from BlueLounge
So nifty I had to buy a set for myself today! Our laptop at home is always running hot because we tend to compute via the couch a lot - not good I know, but we are always improvising ways to lift the back end of the computer - lately we have been using books...but THESE are perfect! (and only $12.95) Looks like they have all kinds of other goodies as well!



Retro Green Check Ice Bag - from Vintage June
Then there is this little guy. Adorable no?!
With my husband and I's general clumsiness we are both always needing ice packs or bandaids (or most recently stitches and hand surgery!). This little retro ice bag would be the perfect addition to our home med kit and its stylish to boot! (only $12.50!)




50 Problems Savers Under $50 from Mighty Haus
Lots of goodies for under 50 - too many to list!

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

July Garden Update



Wow, I just realized that I haven't posted any updates about our garden for quite some time! Well, I gotta start off with this photo my husband snapped of me tonight - I got pretty dirty hauling around muddy, wet bags of mulch and digging up grass, etc!

As far as our edible crops - our peas have come and fizzled out. I don't think I could pick them quite fast enough - nor did I have them properly supported. Lessons learned - but they were delicious while they lasted!

Everything else is doing quite well. (cucumbers, cantaloupe, tomatoes, onions and peppers) We spent some considerable time in the yard today what with the rain holding off and the weather being cool and pleasant. We were out till 9:30pm!


(Here's my little cantaloupe!)

I ripped the rest of the peas out of the garden, transplanted my rogue chamomile from their location in the middle of our yard to the back of my corner herb garden, took my rosemary from its spot in the back of the corner herb garden (its get a little too wet there I think for it) and placed it next to the lavender I put in on the east side of the house where it is much more dry, planted my potted herbs to vacant locations about the side gardens including - tarragon, basil and chives, I also widened one of my flower beds to be a foot wider - my hostas, hibiscus, day lilies and lily of the valley all grew so fast since last year! Finally got the last 6 oriental grasses I had bought a long time ago out of their pots and into the ground - what a great feeling!


(Here's my newly expanded flower bed, of course nothing is blooming now - go figure. The day lilies & hostas just had all their blooms - and the hibiscus is getting ready to pop soon - just needs a nice brick border now - I am planning on putting the bricks into the ground level wit the grass)

And with all that said we are officially done planting anything else in the ground till fall when we will once again turn to getting our grass growing in the backyard and replacing a few bushes and probably planting a tree or two. For the rest of the summer we will just focus on applying fresh layers of mulch to everything, weeding, hopefully installing a deck, maybe finding some free bricks on craiglist to make borders around my flower and herb gardens.

Still a long list of things to do - but NO MORE plants - jeez we are running out of room! I must shield my eyes if I visit any garden centers over the next few months - that or just avoid them all together and just send the hubby in for mulch and what not - though if I do that I am more than likely to find 4 new weedeaters when I come home. ;)

Monday, July 21, 2008

Happy 4 Year Anniversary, Love!



Had a great anniversary weekend - we traveled to nearby Cincinnati and explored the zoo and Krohn's Conservatory. And tonight - our actual anniversary night - we went out to Morton's Steak House here in downtown Indy and enjoyed their lovely filet mignon, their chicken christopher and their famous hot chocolate cake - all very delightful! This was our first visit to Morton's and we were pleasantly surprised of course. Lovely atmosphere and excellent service - they even took this photo of us and all the staff signed the frame it came in - very nice touch for our special evening and a great momento. Overall we got to spend lots of time together reminiscing about the past, fantasizing about our future and most importantly - enjoying the present. Love you, Matthew!

Friday, July 18, 2008

Friday Foto Finish Fiesta



This is one of my favorite photos of our marvelous friends from Michigan. They were our first house guests when we moved into our first home. My husband and locked his keys in dad's truck that we had borrowed for the move...our ingenious house guests helped us come with up with a device comprised of a broom stick, rubberband, fly swatter, magnet and paper clip to get the keys out - and after about an hour - we did! This photo was taken in triumph!

Left to Right:
Megan, Quentin, Matt, Allison
And Ben in the truck bed.

Thanks to Candid Carrie for the great Friday Foto event!

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Fourth Year Wedding Anniversary Gifts....Hmmm?

Yup, my husband and I's fourth year wedding anniversary is coming up. :)

And we always try to stick with the modern or traditional gift themes.

First year was - clocks (he got me a clock and I got him a pocket watch), second year - paper (I think we got each other magazine subscriptions), third - leather (we each got a pair of leather shoes we wanted), and so with our date approaching I started researched what the traditional and modern gifts were for a 4 year anniversary...and what is it?

wait for it.........

A P P L I A N C E S

What the crap?!

The traditional option is only a tad better - flowers and fruit - which I have a great (and also super secret) idea of how I can spin off that idea! But I can't divulge because hubby reads my blog. :( Darn. I mean it is good that he reads my blog - its just that I would love to see what you all think about my idea.

Sigh.

But here are a few cool spin offs:


Remember this guy I found from Anthropologie?!

He is fruit themed and ADORABLE! And only $18!

Maybe not a good present for my hubby but a great idea for me! (hint, hint)

Hey, I am just helping the man out here - there isn't much to work with when you have appliances, fruit and flowers to start off with.







Then there's the pineapple shaped candle thing from Bath and Body Works....this image boasts their latest sale involving the candle - "$25 Pineapple Mango Figural Candle with any $25 purchase." So my poor hubby would first have to buy $25 worth of stuff in Bath and Body Works first before he can get the candle....so he would end up buying $50 off stuff and get a headache from the smells and trying to figure out what I would like (Mango Mandarin or Grapefruit scents). Or if they still have that Lemon scented stuff...oh, I would love that!!




Yup! They still have it!!

The lotion sounds good $11, and the body spray $12.50 and the shower sugar stuff $12- and maybe the lip stuff $8.

Hmmm. lemon. ;)

I also like their line of C.O. Bigelow Lemon scented items - we have the hand soap, but they also have lotion, hand treatment, lip cream, body wash, body cream and sugar scrub.

Looks like they also carry a $25 LemonMade Lemon Wedge Travel Set complete with Bath & Shower Gel, Warming Sweet Cream Body Scrub, Body Lotion, Hand Salve and a Lip Balm SPF 15 - haven't smelled it yet but sounds delicious.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Web Find Wednesday 2!



Oh, I like these too!

Thank you, PetSugar, for sharing the link to this fabulous Etsy artist - but my question is: does he make long-haired chihuahua paintings because I couldn't find one - and how about customizable ones for all us American Mutts and mixes out there! ;)

Web Find Wednesday!






Found the cutest paintings featured on Cutable today by Swan Art - artist Susan Dennis.

Would be a perfect addition to my office decor!

Monday, July 14, 2008

July 2008 Garden Bloggers Bloom Day!

Ok, seriously...where did July go? It is already half over!!

Here's what is flowering this month in my garden.



Bee balm - one of my newest editions compliments of Ann at PrairieVisionDesign



The teensy and delicate flower of our spider plant.



Wow! My very stunning balloon flower which did really well this year!



Lilies from my great grandmother.



More gorgeous lilies.



Hyssop.



And my rouge chamomile flower - it reseeded itself from last year and came up in the oddest place. I am going to transplant him somewhere soon.

My hostas are flowering like crazy as well - but I guess I didn't snap a photo of them - I will have to once I get home tonight!

Thanks to Carol at May Dreams Gardens for starting the whole idea for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day - I love it and cannot wait till the 15th each month!

Sunday, July 13, 2008

North Carolina's Pirate Lore & More!



One of the exciting things I learned about North Carolina while out jolly-banting about on my recent trip was it's rich history of pirate lore - including none-other than Blackbeard the Pirate!

We stayed in Morehead City and drove through Beaufort where Blackbeard's ship, the Queen Anne's Revenge, was said to be recently found in 1996 sunken in 20 feet of water. Blackbeard rode the ship ashore on purpose - some long lengthy tale about keeping more treasure for himself - quite a piratey thing to do.

Along the narrow barrier islands of Cape Hatteras National Seashore - was one of Blackbeard's favorite hangouts - Ocracoke Island - accessible by only water or air (we ferried across). This area is also where Blackbeard lost his life to the hands of the Royal Navy.




My husband loves pirate lore (as the above photo can attest - as does his good friend [also named Matt] - pictured next to him) and I am quite a fan myself - and am looking forward to going out to the North Carolina coast again sometime soon to further explore and learn more! There is so much to do there: marvelous shelling opportunities, gorgeous beaches to walk, maritime museums, scuba and snorkeling adventures, lots of rich history - it is quite amazing and I am shocked we didn't know much about this amazing travel destination till now.

Here is a short list no-where-near exhaustive of some of the things I want to go back and do in NC:

  • Snorkel and/or scuba along North Carolina's Crystal Coast - also called the Graveyard of the Atlantic because of the over 2,000 sunken ships in the coastal waters
    www.discoverydiving.com

  • Visit the North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort to check out artifacts recovered from Blackbeard's famous ship the Queen Anne's Revenge
  • Watch the "The Lost Colony Pageant" given daily throughout the summer months on Roanoke Island in the famous "Outer Banks" area. It tells the thrilling story of the Lost Colony and presents a vivid account of what may have happened
    www.thelostcolony.org

  • Visit the Cape Lookout National Seashore and walk the beaches and look for seashells

Opps...Now I Know, Garden Friends & Garden Foes



Ok, someone somewhere should have told me or shown me what ladybug larvae looks like.

I came home from my week long hiatus to the lovely east coast and made it out to survey the garden around 2pm the day after I got back into town. (I got back on Saturday around 5pm and the rental car was due back at the airport at 5:30 and of course it had to downpour upon my arrival so I didn't get up and moving until today really)

Anyways, upon close inspection of my garden I found my peas rather wilty and not doing so hot - they got blown over in the storms awhile back and never fully recovered, I also found 6 or so FULL-GROWN cucumbers - wow that was a shock to find and delicious may I add. :)

But I also found these little gross and quite evil looking little bugs - so I got my dish soap spray out and went to town and even plucked a few off to drown in a jar of dish soap water....I also found japanese beetles while I was at it.

Thankfully it became warm outside and I was still wore out from travelling and stopped my killing spree because, come to find out [after some internet research], what I was killing was actually the good guys - ladybugs or ladybirds in all stages of their lifecycle -larvae and pupae - I didn't kill the adults and I am sure I missed some larvae...I hope. :( But, boy, who knew something pretty and good like a ladybug came from the hideous, alligator looking thing as what their larvae look like. Sheesh.

P.S. If someone knows what those other two large bugs are with the long antennae...let me know...(I think they may be Adult Striped Blister Beetles...but not sure)

And to fellow "green" gardeners - here's some links on good info about who is friend and who is foe.

Garden Creatures Webpage
complete with great pics

BugFiles, your bug and insect identification database. (from Dave's Garden)

Purdue Extension - lots of pdfs with good info and pics

Saturday, July 12, 2008

I'm Back!



Ok, ok...you MAY have noticed my week long absence. ;)

Sorry about that - just needed a little vacation and the opportunity presented itself for me to travel out to South Carolina - so I up and went! Very spur of the moment, but I am glad I did.

I am officially back - well tanned and refreshed. I had a marvelous time sightseeing in South Carolina, North Carolina and Virgina. I've searched for seashells along Isle of Palm's shore, walked the sandy beaches of Myrtle Beach - ferried up the North Carolina coast - had an overall marvelous time.

Friday, July 4, 2008

Friday Foto Fiesta



One of my favorite photos because it reminds me of my husband's and I honey moon cruise we took in 2005. It was M-A-R-V-E-L-O-U-S...here I am getting ready to go swimming with the dolphins! It was amazing! We have video from the excursion as well. This was in Cozumel, Mexico - where I first learned to snorkel (and have since became addicted - my husband and I own two complete sets of equipment).

Sigh, I need a vacation.

Sand, sun...salt water - ah, that would the ultimate right now.

Happy 4th of July!



Made it out today and bought some festive 4th decor - including a few patriotic flags!


A cute little thing for our door.




Put it all together and it makes for a fairly festive doorway - the hostas are even looking quite glorious - they are taking over the sidewalk! I got most everything for 60% off at JoAnn Fabric - I will have to swing back by and try to find some 75% off items - though there probably won't be much left - it was almost gone when I went today!

Today was pretty crummy weather wise - I actually wore a sweatshirt! So I have been sticking indoors giving everything a deep cleaning.

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

One Of My Favorite Blogs



This is one darn cute blog! Reading their daily posts makes me laugh and sometimes makes tears well up in my eyes. Such a great person doing something amazing for little kitties at her local shelter by providing a loving foster home for them until they are old enough to be adopted. Follow the lives of these little bitty kitties as they grow up and find loving new homes!

http://ittybittykittycommittee.blogspot.com/

P.S. I am tired - so this is all you get. :)

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Upcoming Events: July 1-6




Events to keep your star spangled week and weekend sparkly!

Photo above is of a delicious dessert from Martha Stewart - who else?!
-----------------------------------------------------------------

July 1, Tuesday 5-7 pm

Groovin' In The Garden @ Easley Winery:
Donn & Savannah Smith
Join Easley in the wine garden Tuesdays and Saturdays, May through September for free live music, enjoyed with wine and great food. Order carry-out from several local restaurants for delivery right to your wine garden table, including Bazbeaux, Santorini Greek Kitchen, Circle City Pizza, and a new addition this year: Fair Oaks Dairy offering fresh baked breads and artisan cheeses. Sit back, relax and enjoy your summer with us. May 20th thru Sept. 30th, Tuesdays from 5-7pm and Saturdays 2-5pm. Every week Easley Winery will offer a different wine special, such as Sangria, Reggae Jam, or other fun wine concoctions and discounts. Also new in '08 are Easley Kid Cups with sparkling grape juice, nuts, dried fruit, coloring book and crayons. Groovin' is a blast for the whole family!
http://www.easleywinery.com/


Tuesday, July 1, 2008, 3:00 PM.
Summer Afternoon Tea at the Indianapolis Propylaeum
Enjoy scones, teas, tea sandwiches and sweets. Tuesdays, 3-5 PM, by reservation. $14.95 ($9.95 under age 13). Info: See Web site below or call 317-638-7881.
Location: Indianapolis Propylaeum, 1410 North Delaware Street, Indianapolis
www.thepropylaeum.org


July 2, 3, 4, 5 - Wed., Thurs., Fri., Sat. 8:00 pm
Marsh Symphony on the Prairie: Star Spangled Symphony
Under the baton of Jon Morris Russell, hear your favorite patriotic music including the 1812 Overture, punctuated by Howitzer cannons. Stay 'til the end for the spectacular fireworks finale. Gates open early at 4:30 p.m. for picnics and pre-concert entertainment. Jon Morris Russell, Conductor.
General Admission: $24-$27, adults; $12, children (2-12).
Premium Table Seating: $45-$75 in addition to admission.
More info


July 4, Friday 4:30-9:30

Concerts On The Canal: Independence Day Bash
Canal Plaza, Indiana History Center
Cost: Free seating available on the plaza steps and the greenway across the canal. Reserved table of 4 available for $30/table of 8 $40 (call 317-232-1882)
http://www.indianahistory.org/summer2008.html


Friday, July 4 5:00-8:00pm
4th of July Celebration Picnic Dinner at Trader's Point Creamery
Bring your family and friends to share an old fashioned 4TH OF JULY PICNIC DINNER, complete with Live Music, Sparklers, Flags, Horeshoes, and even Corn Hole games! The organic menu will feature 100% Grassfed Burgers, Pulled Pork, Portabella Burgers, Baked Beans, Coleslaw, and fresh Corn on the grill.Festive Desserts include Trader's Point Ice Cream and Red, White, and Blue Shortcake made with strawberries and blueberries.Wow, after all of this fun you still have plenty time to go on to your favorite display!
http://www.traderspointcreamery.com/


July 5, Saturday 7:00 pm
Carmel Symphony Orchestra Concert at Mallow Run
TICKETS: $15 in advance/$20 day of concert. Children 15 and under are free.
Hear the joyful music of the Carmel Symphony Orchestra in a unique setting on Indy's Southside! Under the direction of David Bowden, the Carmel Symphony will perform a variety of works on the lawn at Mallow Run Winery, located in Johnson County. Works will include patriotic music as well as tunes from some of your favorite movies and more. Tickets are available at all Heartland Community Bank branches in Johnson Co., CVS/pharmacy at SR 135 & Smith Valley Road in Greenwood, and at Mallow Run Winery or by calling the winery at 317-422-1556.
www.carmelsymphony.org
http://www.mallowrun.com/


July 5-6, Saturday and Sunday 1 pm
IMA Garden Walk
Free guided walks through IMA’s gardens are offered from April through September on Saturdays and Sundays at 1:00 pm. Tours meet at the main visitor entrance to Lilly House.
http://www.imamuseum.org/explore/grounds

July 5-6, Sat: 9am-6pm Sun: 12-4pm
Grape to Glass Easley Winery Tour
Receive a free tour of downtown Easley Winery's facilities.
Every Weekend
http://www.easleywinery.com/


July 6, Saturday 2-5 pm
Groovin' In The Garden @ Easley Winery:
Sugar Creek Band
Join Easley in the wine garden Tuesdays and Saturdays, May through September for free live music, enjoyed with wine and great food. Order carry-out from several local restaurants for delivery right to your wine garden table, including Bazbeaux, Santorini Greek Kitchen, Circle City Pizza, and a new addition this year: Fair Oaks Dairy offering fresh baked breads and artisan cheeses. Sit back, relax and enjoy your summer with us. May 20th thru Sept. 30th, Tuesdays from 5-7pm and Saturdays 2-5pm. Every week Easley Winery will offer a different wine special, such as Sangria, Reggae Jam, or other fun wine concoctions and discounts. Also new in '08 are Easley Kid Cups with sparkling grape juice, nuts, dried fruit, coloring book and crayons. Groovin' is a blast for the whole family!
http://www.easleywinery.com/

July 4, Friday 5:30 pm | July 5, Saturday 3:30 pm | July 6, Sunday 3:30 pm
Trader's Point Creamery Open Guided Tours
Trader's Point Creamery is a family owned artisan dairy. Each tour is lead by a knowledgeable tour guide that will direct you around our farm and educate you to the daily activities, history and what we are all about. These tours do not require a reservation and will be conducted rain or shine! The cost is $4 per person, kids 3yrs or younger are free.
http://www.traderspointcreamery.com/


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One of these days I would love to take my mother and great grandmother to the Indiana State Museum's L.S. Ayres Tea Room for tea and lunch (I love their Velvet Chicken Soup) or to an afternoon tea at the Indianapolis Propylaeum and end the day with a free garden tour of the expansive and beautiful Indianapolis Museum of Art's grounds. Sounds lovely doesn't it? One of these days...

But, this weekend...since we have a whole troupe coming down, instead of just the two, and since a slightly disagreeable teenage boy (my 16 year old brother) is part of the posse - I figure we should probably forgo the whole "tea & garden tour idea" and go for something a little more "cool" - lol.

So, I am hoping to have everyone meet us at our home - where I can introduce everyone to our lovely new garden of which I am so proud! And then, from there everyone can follow me downtown to Easley Winery where we will take the tour and then spend some time "Groovin' in the Garden" and enjoy lunch from Bazbeaux while listening to the Sugar Creek Band!