Storms, heat, humidity......I think summer is making an early appearance!

But I have managed to get laundry done and inside before the storms.  I do have to keep an eye on the weather down here though.  I finally got my grill together and actually grilled on it!  I think it's pretty cute.  

  I bought some (pre-cooked in beer) Johnsonville brats and they only took about 5-7 minutes on the grill and they were delicious!

 I made a BLT potato salad that was delicious and it was from this recipe over at GMA
the funny thing is the winner of the potato salad contest was from Cedar Rapids, Iowa where my daughter lives and the 2nd place winner was from Arkansas!  I might have to try all of the top 5 before the summer is over! LOL!

Tonight I'm finally making the baked beans and I made my peach cream pie for dessert.  I'll share those recipes another time.
I told you it was spray painting season and I finished another project...this old wash tub I had on the farm.  I was going to plant in it but if I move I want to take it with so I think I will bring it inside and put it in my crafts room to hold yarn and then I can put a basket for more yarn on the bottom too. Oh, and I could line it with a pretty fabric and maybe a ruffle to hang over the top or a skirt to hide the legs? See how carried away I get with my projects?

Here's my replacement for my humming bird feeder......... impatience......outside my kitchen window.

Here's my bench that I painted with some flowering plants and succulents sitting on it.  I have a few weeds I have to chop and spray under the bench and maybe add some more rock underneath.  

Here's my succulents...a stone crop plant, purslane, hen and chicks and I forget what the one is with the teeny tiny blooms. 

a rudbeckia  (sp?)with a butterfly on it and more blooms coming............

I got the chickens on closeout several years back but thought they were too pretty to put outside although that is what they were meant for but now I'm okay with it. 

There's also a lavender plant in the smallest pot and right next to it is a Hibiscus.......no flowers yet but plenty of buds!

My dahlia started blooming in the trough out back.....this is the first dahlia, I ever remember buying.....stunning bloom isn't it?

  I had a little friend visit me today....for some reason they always seem to come over from the lake and bury their eggs in my yard and then of course, the armadillos dig them up but don't tell them that!

According to the Native Americans, turtles are a good sign, I just can't remember what but this one was a very special one............

 

 see the little white heart on her shell towards her rear?  Now that's a REALLY good sign!

Oh, 2 new things that I got at Walmart the other day..........this tasty, summery beer..........Heavy Melon...get it?  Like Heavy Metal....it is delicious and refreshing at the end of a hot day outside!

I also added another dish to my Pioneer Woman dish collection.............a small salad plate.......love these dishes as they go with anything and everything!

Happy Trails!