It's here! Sigh.......

Every year I watch and wait and wonder.
When will the crab-apple tree blossoms peak?

I think yesterday was about the perfect day.
Isn't it beautiful?
(Yes, we will pay dearly come fall- when the crab apples cover the lawn!)

Maybe I should call in sick tomorrow- so I can just sit and stare at it!
Just kidding.....


Speaking of the lawn.......

With all the rain and a little spring fertilizer, our lawn has grown about 8 inches
in just one week!

If I did call in sick (cough, cough) which I won't, this is the view from my bedroom window.
Tempting, isn't it?

P.S. Tonight we went to Thanksgiving Point's Tulip Festival.
It was amazing.
Since it is already past my bed time, I will save the pictures for another day.

But, I think you will enjoy them.

♥
JoAnn

"The day the Lord created hope was probably the same day
he created Spring."
-Bern Williams

Broccoli Pasta Salad.....Yum!

One of my favorite (non-diet) salads is
Broccoli Pasta Salad.
(I think you could substitute the mayo with a low fat version, but I haven't tried it.)

This recipe makes a HUGE salad, but it could easily be cut in half.

Broccoli Pasta Salad
cut up 2 bunches of fresh broccoli into bite sized florets
dice 1 medium red onion
cook 2 packages of pasta (I like the colorful curly noodles)
cook 1 package of bacon (break into small pieces)
Add optional ingredients like:
red grapes (sliced length-wise)
cashews
sun flower seeds
sliced mushrooms

Dressing:
2 cups mayonnaise
1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Stir the dressing in the salad and refrigerate.
We usually don't add the bacon and nuts until we are ready to serve it.

It is a tasty treat and people always ask for the recipe.

Did you enjoy the sun today?
My tulips did.
It was great to do some yard work!

P.S. I couldn't resist posting this picture.
Isn't she cute?

♥
JoAnn

All fenced in....and restless

It's that time of year again!
The taste of freedom is coming...

but,
the classroom is fencing me in.

The drudgery of testing is upon us......

The boredom of students is contagious...

Oh, summer. Where are you?

Click your heels.....time for some magic

Maddie's been sick.
First, she got pneumonia.
Then she got the flu.
She spent Sunday at the emergency room because of dehydration.
Now she is covered with painful, itchy hives.

IT'S TIME TO GET BETTER, MADDIE!

Click your purple heels together and repeat after me,

"I will get better now! I will get better now!"

We are all praying for you!
Love,
Grandma Jo
XOXOXOXO

It's garden time....

Are you a flower gardener or do you like to grow vegetables?

I have to admit, I'm not very good at getting vegetables to do much more than sprout.
Maybe it is the soil (clay).
Maybe it's the snails.
Who knows? Whatever the reason,
I can't ever seem to get enough produce to have enough to eat at one sitting.

Today I discovered a blogger (This Blessed Nest) who swears by this:

Cow manure!

It's cheap and easy to use. I'm going to try it this year!
(Yes, I grew up with all the free manure we could ever want-but I just didn't appreciate it then!)

Aunt Mardene knows how to garden! She grows the best vegetables, strawberries, and flowers!
(She stays young by working so hard.)
And...
She shares!

(Mardene and my sister Linda)

I'm still more of a flower gardener, but maybe I can get enough tomatoes to actually do something this year.
♥
JoAnn

P.S. If you like my carrot font at the top of the page, check out this site:
Lettering Delights

(They are having a sale!)

Also, check out Mosaic Monday at The Little Red House. I enjoy seeing all the different mosaics.

Looking ahead (but really behind) to Memorial Day

It has been a long, busy week and I don't have a single thing to say.
Nada.
(I'm actually speechless!)
Nothing exciting is going on here.
No projects to show off.
I can't think of any good recipes to share.
I've already posted my spring blossoms from last year and this year's show is still a week or so away.
Yup, BORING!
So,
I was looking back over some past Memorial Day holidays and thought I'd share this photo
of my son Robbie and my nephew Shane.

We always seem to migrate to this little cemetery in Southern Idaho where my parents, paternal grandparents, great grandparents, and many aunts, uncles, and cousins are all laid to rest. (Other near-by cemeteries have our maternal grandparents and a lot more kin.)
Usually it is a nice holiday where we spend time together, visit, decorate the headstones,
and catch up with each other.
Sometimes the weather is cold and gray, but the year we took this photo it was a beautiful, crisp spring day. The grass was green and the sky was full of heavy storm clouds, which thankfully cooperated and didn't interfere with our plans.

It is always a time to remember and appreciate our heritage;
a day to give thanks for our loved ones.

And....
Sometimes, we even manage to act silly and have fun!
(I kind of suspect the people resting here don't mind.)


(This picture goes way back!)

Yes, I always look forward to Memorial Day!

P.S. Our two grandchildren (and their parents) came for the weekend.
We love their visits!
Poor Maddie decided to get the flu and has been quite miserable.
If she feels better tomorrow maybe we can capture some fun moments.
Cross your fingers!
♥
JoAnn

What's better than a warm, sunny day,
colored chalk,
and a huge canvas?
Not much!

(Thanks for sharing, Liz!)

XOXO
JoAnn

Pride and Prejudice.....

I'm a big Jane Austen fan.
I've read all her books and watched all the different movie versions.
Whenever I feel like escaping to another place or time I seem to gravitate to
the English countryside.

If you enjoy her works, you might like this short music-video (with Celine Dion).


(I'm not sure who I should give credit to. Polkaspots 89?)

I also like this version with Josh Groban singing.
Go here if you want to see it.
(Sorry, I couldn't embed it.)

Which version do you like best?

Have a great weekend!
♥
JoAnn

Jordan River Parkway.....and sore joints

My friend Sheila and I are determined.
(Determined to get in shape!)
We decided that we would see how much of the Jordan River Parkway we could discover
while on our quest for improved health.
(The Parkway follows the Jordan River as it wanders from one end of the valley to the other.)

We've checked out several different trails so far.

We've followed this river as it winds around and around.
Most of the vegetation is still dormant,
but it shows signs of promise.

Some new improvements are underway, too.

Now, if we can just get our knees and hips to cooperate......

♥
JoAnn

My shopping list.....

Madison is growing up.
She likes choosing her own clothing.
She is observant and helpful.
She is pretty smart, too.
(Grandparents can say things like that.
It's politically correct to brag when a generation separates you.)

A few days ago Maddie and I made a shopping list.
She said something like:
"What do you need, grandma?"

I said something to the effect of:
milk
bread
eggs
apples
etc.

She had her note pad and pencil ready and jotted down my list.

Here's hoping I have a good memory!

♥
JoAnn

Easter Part Two.....

A big weekend deserves more than one post, right?
(I don't have someone waiting for the computer right now, either!)
These are just some random pictures that I wanted to post last night, but didn't have time.
Our parents would be proud to see all their offspring!


Judd's prize egg creation

Cute family!

Working hard.....

eating.....

hanging out.....

thinking.....

laughing....

catching up.....

celebrating a birthday
(Happy Birthday, Julie and David!)

getting ready to head on home....

We missed those of you who couldn't be here!

♥
JoAnn

On a golden springtime.....

Warning: According to my husband (who has been sitting behind me waiting for the computer), this is a very LONG post. If you find yourself "..getting old and gray while reading this", or if you follow the belief that "...short and sweet" is better, then you probably won't want to continue. (But, you would get along great with my husband.)

If not,I hope you enjoy my ramblings!

Easter.....

"On a golden springtime,
Underneath the ground,
A tiny seedling lay asleep until the sun shone down.
Awake, awake, O little seed!
Push upward to the light!
The day is bright.With all our might,
Push upward to the light!

On a golden springtime,
Jesus Christ awoke and left the tomb where he had lain;
The bands of death he broke.
Awake, awake, O sleeping world!
Look upward to the light.
For now all men may live again.
Look upward to the light!"

-Virginia Maughan Kammeyer(music by Crawford Gates)

Taken from Children's Songbook

It has been a very busy spring break.
(But, busy in a good way.)
Our home has been full of family.
We have cooked, created, shopped, played, and listened to our religious leaders.
Despite the weather (yes, it looked more like Christmas) we have celebrated the season of
SPRING!

We enjoyed spending time with Maddie (wearing cousin Melissa's jewelry)

and Brooklyn (enjoying her fingers again)!

Everyone had fun decorating eggs!

We even found time for a baby shower for Andrew and Irene!
(How many families can say they hold baby showers in the middle of an Easter party?)


Liz made these cute chocolate eggs.

Yes, it was a great holiday.

Tomorrow I think I'll enjoy doing absolutely nothing!
(One last day of vacation for me.)

♥
JoAnn