The End of Summer....

almost.  I can't believe it's the last day of JULY!!  Where has the summer gone??  June was a blink...and July was right after it.  I have also been busier this summer than previous, and my daughter pointedly reminded me that I hadn't posted for 2 weeks.  Well...  I don't think anyone but her has noticed, lol., but okay, so I'll post something.  Geesh. 
It's all good...
So...here's the holiday list for today (from brownielocks and others...) :
National Avocado Day - Yeah!  I love avocados now.  I used to only stand them for the wonder of guacamole, but now I put them in salads, on my burger, yum.  My hubby still has a hard time with store bought ones - he grew up with his grandmother bringing fresh ones off her tree in southern Cal...big huge things that were the size of a softball.  Oh well...they're still good!

National Mutt Day - horray for mutts!!  I don't know that we'll ever pay money for a purebred animal.  We love mutts and how wonderful they are.  My daughter has a mini dachshund and it's supposed to be pure - but she doesn't have papers.  Then we have some kind of chiuaua mix with a terrier, and he worships the ground we walk on.  He's a sweetie.  Got to love those dogs...and I never thought I'd be a dog person!

Uncommon Instruments Awareness Day - so, I don't know why we should be aware of uncommon instruments, but then, I guess it's always a good thing to broaden the perspective.  :)   So...here's a zurna.  It is an instrument common to Turkey, and it's uncommon...

World Ranger Day -  This is a day to raise awareness and praise for those game wardens in Africa to protect the animals at the risk of their lives... or so it says on the website.

National Raspberry Cake Day - This is a good one to celebrate.  Apparently there are lots of versions to contemplate.  I think the best would be a raspberry poke cake for summer.  Don't you??  Nice and cool.... this photo from Taste of Home looks very similar  to what we usually do.  White cake mix...raspberry jello...whipped topping, fridge time...ya - good stuff.  :)

Cotton Candy Day - I'm not a big cotton candy, but I've noticed that if you hand it out, almost everyone will eat it. What is it about spun sugar???  And it gets everywhere!  I've been in booths next to them and found cotton candy everywhere!  If you are one of those fans...they do have it in the stores now.  Is it as good as fresh?  You tell me...

Jump for Jelly Beans Day - Yeah, jelly beans!!  I  have to say though - these are like one step up from cotton candy, right??  I mean, it's once again pure sugar.  But, I have to say, I love the star burst ones!!  Those are the best!  they actually have flavor...  :)  

Well, that's it for that stuff.  
Last night we had a bday dinner for my youngest daughter (you know who you are) and had pizza cooked on the grill.  It turned out awesome!  I'd even froze the dough and had to defrost it.  Everyone made their own, and everyone loved it.  Then we attempted a chocolate strawberry cake.  She liked it...so that's all that matters, right?  It turned out pretty tasty, if not all that great looking, lol.  Have you tried cooking pizza on the grill?  I found some metal tray like things that we put the pizza's on, and they worked great.  Everyone was in agreement - we definitely need to do those again!
had some fun doing some chalk signs for a neighbor who's daughter is getting married.  Haven't done much with chalk markers...but I was having fun with them!!

So - off to other stuff.  Hope you aren't melting...have to say, there are many times that I think air conditioning was one of the best inventions...EVER.  :)  Love me my cool house...
Have a great one!

And Today's winner is...

French fries!  That's right...the only think worth mentioning in the world silly holidays is it's national french fries day.  I'm really liking that...I love french fries.  Dipped in a little fry sauce...or even a milk shake...a nice thick fry - yum!!
😋
It's also supposedly Beans and Franks day...which for those of you who have no idea, that's pork and beans with hot dogs.  I grew up with that one...haven't really had it in awhile.  My family isn't really big on pork n beans.  Probably because I haven't really served it to them, lol.  It's not like my favorite thing...

Going to babysit grandkids this morning - should be fun and entertaining.  4 kidlets under the age of 8 running around a and screaming.  The best way to spend a Friday, right?  :)

Have a great day!

Baby it's HOT outside...

Oh boy - some people just thrive on the heat.  That's why they move to southern states, southern part of states, southern part of the globe, etc.... lol  (well, I guess not too south, that's COLD) :)
But anyway - had a wonderful trip to the coast to visit my bro and his wife - and it was gloriously cool!!!  It never got hotter than 70's!  My hubby offered to let me stay there...but I had commitments here, and came home.  But I tell ya, right after we got home, it got HOT.  I'm not made for these temps, people!  I did much better in Oregon...  sigh.  But such is life.  We are hoping that some time in the future we might be able to join my bro - he's not there right now anyway, he still has 22 months of work, lol.  But I guess we'll see.  Where is your favorite place?  I used to say the beach was ALWAYS my favorite, and then I discovered Island Park, Idaho.  Now it's a tie.  I love the peace...it's generally cooler, and it's just lovely.  And on the note of lovely...  my glads are blooming!!

I don't know why I love them so much, but I do.  I wish they didn't have such heavy heads, half of them end up bent over!  But, they are gorgeous, and I'll be painting them, I'm sure.  Well, at least that's the goal...
So anyway - my whole point in starting this post was I realized I hadn't done a celebration one in a while.  Everyone is posting about how today is Pina Colada day, so I had to look and see what else was up...
Don't Step On A Bee Day - this is a good thing to note.  Who wants to step on a bee?  Why would you have to have a day to celebrate it???  I just don't get people sometimes.  Go figure.  It just makes me remember the childrens song:  "I'm bringing home a baby bumblebee...won't my mommy be so proud of me, I'm bringing home a baby bumblebee...Ouch!  It stung me!  I'm squishing up a baby bumblebee..."  lol

Piña Colada Day - Here ya go - the one everyone else is touting, lol.  I'm not big on Pina Colada's because I'm not a big coconut fan.  ugh.  

U.S. Energy Independence Day - I figure I'm doing my part on this one - we have solar, baby!!  It's so excited to see our power bill at less than $10!!  and this last month we actually had a credit!  I am doing a happy dance.  :)   Now if we can keep that going, it would be nice.  The five adults living in the house with us tend to use a lot of electricity though...so we're ready to cut everyone off at 9pm, lol.

and last...something sounds good to me.  it's National Pick Blueberries day!  we actually drove by a blueberry farm on our way to the coast.  I thought it was cool, I've never seen one before.  I wanted to stop and pick, but we were sort of on a time crunch, so we didn't.  I love blueberries, do you?  I love them in smoothies, in yogurt, in bread, pancakes, muffins...not a big fan of them fresh unless in fruit salad and or in ice cream, but ya know.  We all have our little quirks, right?

have a great day!!  here's a little vid to help with the relaxing and cool thoughts...

Happy 4th!!

To all those who celebrate the 4th of July with us...happy day!!  Hope you have a wonderful day with family and friends.  :)

We're going to breakfast with family, and then I and my amazing hubby are going to be facepainting at a fireworks display. 
It's going to be hot - and crazy - but fun. 

I'm proud of our country, crazy and mixed up though the politics may be...sigh.  But it's an awesome country and I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.  We are free to choose our lives, pretty much, and that's a great thing. An awesome thing!  God has given us this wonderful land, and I am sooo thankful!