What's Happening?

*****Update: Thanks to one of my internet friends, I've corrected the name of the flower below! See the "I forget" below and you'll know why?

Outside my window: It's a gorgeous day---especially after all of this chilly rain. In the 80's today.

I am thinking: Should I give Mindy and Stephanie the pillows I made for them, or make them wait until Christmas?

 This one is for Stephanie. I don't know if you can see it, but the ball fringe also has little tiny green ones between the red ones.

This fleur di lis is for Mnidy. I had this one finished in a raw silk with some sort of loopy fringe. 

And lest you think I forgot Sandy---I already had her pillow finished before LAST Christmas and sent it to her for a surprise.

I am thankful for: Good friends that bring me surprises!

Nancy was antiquing up through Pennsylvania. She found this little butter pat (I guess that's what it is---it's about 4 inches in diameter) in the Liberty Blue pattern that I am just starting to collect. I don't know what I did to deserve her!!

From the kitchen: I made a new recipe last night for my freezer club. It's pretty good and easy!!

Beef and Macaroni

1 lg. onion, chopped

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 lbs. ground chuck

2 pkgs. taco seasoning

1 large can of diced tomatoes

1 box elbow macaroni, cooked until half done, drain

1 cup mozzarella

1 cup cheddar

Cook onion in olive oil until transparent. Brown meat. Add tomatoes and taco seasoning. Simmer about a half hour. Stir in macaroni. Bake at 400 for 30 minutes. Top with cheese and bake an additional 5 minutes. This makes pretty much, so you can freeze it---just leave off the cheese until baking time.

I am wearing: my around the house clothes---specifically, black pants, master gardener t-shirt and socks (I never run around bare footed).

I am hoping: to chill out in front of the tv tonight---but I have some cooking I need to do for the weekend.

I am reading: Gone Girl. I just started it. This is the book that one of my bridge friends loaned me. I got tired of juggling the book really fast and bought it on my Kindle. It actually makes me a little sad that I'm so hooked on my Kindle. 

Sort of makes my library obsolete. Still, I can enjoy reading my Kindle in here.

I am busy creating: This is my latest needlepoint project. Connie and I are doing it. She's way ahead of me. I am just about finished with the first snowman and have done just about all of the background.

 This is about the size of a dinner plate. When it's finished, it will be mounted on a large styrofoam ball on a wood base. It's a snow globe!

 I'm bummed: That I didn't get my errands done this morning. I allowed plenty of time, but when I got to the post office, there was a long line. This makes me so mad! They have 5 windows and only had one open. Why is it that people feel compelled to tell the postman what's in their package? One lady was mailing a birthday gift to her grandson in Germany, one man was picking up mail that he had held and had to tell the postman where he'd been and another was returning a pair of shoes. Seriously, do they think he really cares? All he cares about is whether you have anything "liquid, hazzardous or perishable, cash or credit, do you need stamps?"

It took me twenty minutes to make my way to the front only to discover I had to fill out some customs form (I'm mailing an envelope to the UK). I should have paid attention to that lady who was mailing to Germany. I had to get out of line and start over. I just left. I didn't have time to wait another 20 minutes. Now I have to go back out tomorrow morning and make my rounds.

I am hearing: Golf on tv. Can you spell b-o-r-i-n-g?

Around the house and garden: I took a stroll through my gardens this afternoon to see what's blooming. Spring is the most exciting time---seems like something new is blooming every day.

 This is called a "fringe" tree. It's a good under tree for the shade. The white fronds only happen in the spring.

These red berries are so pretty. I'm completely drawing a blank on what it is. 

 This was the biggest surprise---the blooms on the Russian sage Papillion lavender are so unusual. (now I remember, it's French---not Russian).  Just gorgeous.

I went out to the perennial garden to cut some of the white peonies. Unfortunately, they are already past their prime. The good news is that the pink ones haven't bloomed yet. The bad news is that these look like snake holes to me!

In other news: I was on fire at bridge today!! Not in my play---in fact, I made some pretty stupid mistakes. But I had the best cards I've had in a long time. That means next week will be---can you spell it again?---b-o-r-i-n-g! It works that way---good cards one week, bad the next.

One of my favorite things right now: Playing Dice with Buddies on my iPhone. It's a free app and is exactly like Yahtzee. Wanna play? Just download the app and invite me!

I appreciate: DVR capabilities so that I can fast forward through all the commercials.

I remember: that I have a lot of presents to wrap tomorrow. It's going to be one busy day!

I forget:  many of the names of the flowers, plants and trees that I so painstakingly studied while designing my gardens 18 years ago. That bothers me.

I regret: that Butch was sick this week. That means that most likely I'll be sick next week.

What's wrong with this picture:

I don't think I need to point it out! I love when you take pictures and have something unusual show up. I'm so easy---I like any type of little surprises.

How the weekend is shaping up: Tomorrow night, after Happy Hour, we have poker. Connie has picked a new restaurant for us girls to go to---looking forward to that. 

Saturday is Steeplechase---our annual horse race to benefit Vanderbilt Children's Hospital. Central Parking always handled the parking and we got the best parking spot. Now that Butch is retired, that's another little perk that is gone! We'll be trekking in the mud.

This year, we are taking the family. I'm trying to keep the food simple (pork tenderloin sandwiches with honey mustard, deviled eggs---or stuffed eggs---as they are known in Tennessee, veggies and dip, celery stuffed with homemade pimento cheese, hummus chips and hummus and chocolate chip cookies.  And, of course, appropriate beverages---bloody Mary's, gin and tonics, water, soda and beer. We've got it covered.

Steeplechase is the place to see people and be seen. I'm over it. I know we'll have fun---but it's ALL day. They were calling for rain, but it looks like it will be nice after all. I'll post pictures on Sunday.

Mother's Day---brunch at the club. Then I'm going to play around in my scrapbook room. A girl can hope anyway. We'll see.

I hope y'all have a great weekend too.