Patriotic dessert and French Toast picture!

I found the picture of the French toast! I'm not sure why it didn't download with the rest of them

and I finally got my patriotic dessert made......in stages..........as it had to chill in between each step.........first the graham cracker and cocoa crust.........very good by the way.........no turning on the oven at all either in this whole recipe..............

then the filling.....................

and finally the berries............

It's very good and not too sweet at all..............great for company but I don't think I'll make it just for me again but I've always wanted to try it.  I used (once again.....)  Chef John's recipe from All Recipes and it is called No-bake Cheesecake Flag Cake.
Yesterday was a no progress day in reality..........I planned on mowing so I got out and picked up all the sticks in the yard, filled the mower with gas and sprayed myself with Off to no avail.....the mower wouldn't start so I called my mower guy and he came over and said the battery was low so to charge it overnight.  Then I had to pick up a prescription I had called in early that morning but when I went to pick it up they said the doctor hadn't faxed it over yet.  They gave me a few pills to hold me over.
It was garbage day so I did get that out and I worked on my Stitch Maynia #4 and the sock #2 gusset but it stormed this morning so now it's wet.  Another storm is coming and the mower did not start.....at all.  It may be time to "throw in the towel" and hire it done.  Dale is coming over now to see about the mower.  Say a prayer!  Also for the storm coming.....again.  Small problems in the scope of life for sure.  I'm cozy, dry, fed and safe....can't really ask for more than that. I hope you are too!
Happy Trails!!! 

Growing things and a harvest!

 I thought it died out last year but this coreopsis came back with a vengeance and I have all kinds of starts from it.  I cleared out this washtub so I could plant cucumbers in it....

which I did.............

 and some of the coreopsis went here..............

this is my second harvest of peas...snow peas that is...........I use them in salads or just eat as a snack...........

strawberries are coming but I usually don't get too many............I need to make a separate area for them.........

I got 2 so far.........lol!

the honey suckle is blooming and smells so good.............

I saw these on the edge of my property...thistles in bloom..............beautiful......they were a much deeper purple than this photo shows.............

The roses are going crazy with so many blooms they're falling over.....I thought these were those little rose bushes but they are huge and I think maybe in the 'rambling' family?  They have no scent either which is so disappointing.  I wanted roses with a great smell.....back to the greenhouse!

Yesterday was a beautiful day here albeit hot but I got out early and transplanted and watered.  Before that though I made myself some French toast.........the best French toast I've ever had!  I kid you not!  The big difference is my homemade bread and some tips I found on the internet.  The bread needs to be sturdy not wimpy Wonder bread.  Also, fry it up with oil or oil and butter but not plain butter....it burns before the custard and inside bread are cooked.  I also soaked the slices for about 20 minutes and turned over 1/2 way in between the soaking time.  I added a little brown sugar and vanilla extract to the egg mixture............yum!  The only problem is I didn't take a picture of them cooked! LOL!

I cooked them all and I was going to freeze them but who am I kidding?  These are so good they'll be gone before the end of the week!  

Today is pick up the yard (all those sticks from my neighbor's tree) from the storms.  There's more planting and watering and I think I'm going to use the 2 kiddie pools I have that the grands have outgrown to use as raised beds after drilling holes in them.  I'd like to paint them first as they look pretty childish but maybe not as I need to get the plants in.  I hope you had a nice Memorial Day weekend or just a regular one and I hope you all stayed safe from the storms that seemed to be everywhere but here.  

Happy Trails!!! 

Memorial Day 2019

superiorbulklogistics.com

The National Moment of Remembrance, established by Congress, asks Americans, wherever they are at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day, to pause in an act of national unity for a duration of one minute.

 

YOP Week #48

I'm not getting a lot of crafting done but I'm making some progress just not in the sewing department where I need to.   Thanks to Marsha,  I think I have the weeks straight now.  Regardless, there are only 4 weeks left before YOP 2019-20!  How exciting!
There's lots of gardening going on and outside work but it's getting hot so it has to be early morning or evening now.  We go right from the Springtime stormy/rainy season to summer hot and humid.  It's hard to work out there.  I go in and out a lot!

 WIPs (works in progress):
1)  Diamond Painting...yes, you heard me right.  Another hobby.  See how I can be enabled by others to go off on tangents?  Oh well..........if my calculations are correct there are 320 square inches of canvas which means if I do 1 square inch a day it will take over a year but if I do 4 square inches/day it will take like 185 days......so far I have only managed to complete 1 square inch! LOL!  Granted,  there are other sections that have part of them done but only 1 totally filled in square inch.

It's amazing!  Who ever thought of this is genius!  Plus, I think the numbers correlate to DMC floss colors but don't quote me.

2)  I finished the heel flap on my sock but that was it........

3)  I have done some cross stitching.......mostly because it is easy to pick up and lay down quickly........on breaks...............again, I need to get sewing and finishing some of these 'finishes' but that takes more time and attention than I have to give right now.  My #1 Stitch Maynia project......done except for final finishing.........

4)  Stitch Maynia #2.........done except for final finishing

5)  Stitch Maynia #3......almost done.........1 more snowflake on the top and 3 more on the bottom and then final finishing..............

Acquisitions:  None but there are several SAL's that I am interested in..all cross stitch related.
Stitching in Doodah is having one using The Blue Flower pattern
Priscilla and Chelsea have several going on
The Fat Quarter Shop and who knows what else?

New Starts Planned: they're all secret! LOL!

YOP Goals from last week:
*1.  work on sock #2
2. audition and cut fabric for Pickle Dish #6 of 11 solid ones
3. trim all completed xs
4. kit up house ornament
5. work on Frida Kahlo basket
6. kit up and start Summer cross stitch
7. measure Grayson's blanket and keep working on it!
8. plan July gifts to make

YOP Goals for this coming week:
1.  work on sock #2 heel turn
2. audition and cut fabric for Pickle Dish #6 of 11 solid ones
3. trim all completed xs
4. kit up house ornament
5. work on Frida Kahlo basket
6. work on Stitch Maynia #4 and finish
7. measure Grayson's blanket and keep working on it!
8. plan July gifts to make
9.  Work on Stitch Maynia #5
10.  Work on days of the week xs projects
11.  Diamond Painting at least 4-5 square inches

TOP 10 (or more) WIP's:

1)  Pickle Dish
2)  Stars and Stripes Saturday - America x-stitch - done but needs finishing
3)  Amy's Frido Kahlo basket (July birthday) - done but needs to be sewn together
4)  Pin's embroidery
5)  socks
6)  C2C blanket for Grayson (July birthday) 
7)  Monthly Monday - HRH January
8)  Witchy Wednesday - Button-Eyed Cat
9)  Fall Friday -
10)  Santa Sunday -Old St. Nick - done but needs 'finishing' work
11.  Turkey Thursday
12.  Seasonal Sunday -Summer
13.  Santa Sunday - new house ornament

 Finishes so far in 2018-19: 
1.  4th of July cross stitch pillow/ornie
2.  Hitchhiker shawl
3.  Felici Hibiscus self-striping socks
4.  Felted wool loafer slippers with leather soles for me Sam
5.  washcloth (extra large) and back scrubber for Christmas or birthday for SIL
6.   Iowa Hawkeye hats for Sam and Grayson
7.  Techniques learned so far this year: a) knit cast on, b) reading a knitting chart, c) lace work, d) inserting and using a lifeline e) charting a graphghan
8.   dishcloth(s)...I need to count them
9. Cubs hat for Uriah
10. 12 days of Christmas Advent gifts
11. Cowl for Ben
12. Cowl for Tracy
13. Cowl for Natalie
14.  # 2018 Collectible ornaments for the grands
15.  Cowl for me or gift basket
16.  11 scrubbies for gift basket
17.  1 pot handle cover for gift basket
18.  Ben's Bear's hat
19.  Falling Leaves Scarf
20.  Tissue Box Cover - 5 of them!
21.  Granny Square Shawl
22.  Kathleen Tracy doll quilt
23.  Pumpkin Spice Farm xs
24.  Spring xs


BTW....can anyone suggest a free collage making program?  I'd like to make a collage of each month throughout the last YOP year.  If you know of one I'd appreciate it!
Tomorrow is Memorial Day here in the states.  It is a day to honor all those who died in defense of our country.  I'm sure every country has something similar.  I hung up this star I got at Walmart and it lights up at night.  I'm hoping to make one of those 'flag' cheesecakes too!  Both my parents served in WWII.  I had a memorial rose garden for them on my little farm back in Iowa.  It contained all WWII roses.  Have a nice weekend!

 Please stop by and see all the other fantastic projects that other YOP'ers are working on.
Happy Trails!!!