Busy Time

So much going on over the last few weeks.  I've been waaaaaaaaay busy!!

Remember the bed I made last month for my niece's dog, Milo?

I think he likes it.

Doesn't he look comfortable?

Too bad he roots for the wrong team.  I'm a die-hard Red Sox fan, and I wish he had better taste!

 I bought this framed print at an auction.  I love the simple rose print, matted with sage-colored silk.  The gold frame, not so much...........

So I painted the frame.

Then I got busy in my kitchen and dining room.  I did the semi-annual decor switch.  I like red in the fall and winter, and plum in the spring and summer.

So into the attic went the red valances.......

.........and the red rugs.

And up went the plum-colored valances (in the dining room),

cornices (in the kitchen),

and rugs.  This is the dining room rug,

and these throw rugs are in the kitchen.  And then I switched the dishes.  And the pictures on the wall.    

And the towels, potholders, napkins, placemats and dog dishes.  Yes, dog dishes.  Out with the red, in with the plum.  For six months.  Then I'll switch back.  

I started thinking that it's been several years since I sewed those valances, so maybe it's time for a change, time to freshen up the look and sew something new..........and then I stopped and gave myself a reality check.  Maybe next year.

I've also been spending lots of time at the ball field!  Evenings spent coaching a team of 13 to 15-year old boys (we are currently in second place in our 10-team league), 

and afternoons watching Erin pitch for her high school softball team.

And then it was time for the Senior prom (that's Sean in the middle, behind his date in the pink and white dress).  

Yes, Senior prom and then.........

his graduation!

And this past weekend, a graduation party for Sean.  Which means that for the last month, I've been frantically trying to get my garden in shape for the party.

 Filling the planters on the front steps......

 and on the deck..........

 and by the back door........

and by the driveway..........

 and then hoping that I can keep them healthy and thriving!

 The hanging baskets..........

at the front door.......

 the boxes on the deck..........

 the window boxes,

 newly installed for this year.........

wondering if I planted the right flowers for the amount of sun and shade that they will receive?

And in the midst of my preparations, goofing around with my camera, taking pictures of the perennials that are currently in bloom!

 The clematis......

 dianthus.......

and my favorite peonies.

And a new favorite, in my deck boxes.  I don't even know what this flower is called, but I love the way it's starting to trail down the sides of the containers.

Chocolate Chip Muffins.....and a guest post from Gus

Hi all!  It's me, Gus.  Also known as Goose, Guzman, Gustopher and Angus.  Used to be known as Goose-Poop and Gas, but I've put those days behind me.  (Pun intended, hehe.)

Today's my day to warm you up while Fran gets her playlist together.

In case you're wondering, I don't call her Fran to her face.  I don't call her anything at all, but I think of her as The Source Of Food.  Or TSOF, for short.  And since I'm an anagram-lover, let's go a little bit further and change TSOF into SOFT.

Yeah, she's soft in so many ways, but she's especially soft in the way she turns to putty in my paws and the way she melts when I gaze upon her with my puppy-dog eyes.

But enough of that, I've got a tutorial here for you today.  Do you remember last year when Fran posted a couple of videos of me catching a Frisbee?  Let me give you a step-by-step of how it's done.

How to Catch a Frisbee, By Gus

 Chase that Frisbee until it starts to hover.  It's gonna hover and hesitate right before it drops.  Get ready to grab it just as it starts to descend.

 Leap up and open wide!

 Land gracefully.

 Apply the brakes so you don't crash.

That's it in a nutshell.  I hope Caitie and Erin like this post.  They begged Fran not to let me take over her blog, they said it would be annoying.  

Hopefully, they don't find this too annoying and I'll get a chance to write another tutorial someday.  Actually, since I'm here now and I'm not really sure they're gonna allow me back anytime soon, I'm gonna give you another tutorial but it's gonna be really quick since Fran's almost done with her playlist.

How to Cross the Street, By Gus

Look to the right.

Look to the left.

If no cars are coming, proceed with a smile on your face.

See ya!

Gus

Buffalo Chicken Pasta

Not much of what I've been cooking lately has been blog-worthy.

When I'm trying out a new recipe, snapping pictures as I cook, I usually find myself wondering if the finished product will turn out to be a keeper, or will it end up in the scrap heap.

Take these potatoes, for example.  They look pretty good, no?  I apologize if you feel that I'm trying to tantalize you with a picture.  The taste was somewhere between "eh" and "blah," so this recipe has been scrapped and the pictures I took while I was preparing them have all been deleted.  Well, I deleted all the pictures except for this one.

And sometimes, the recipe works out!  Like this recipe for Buffalo Chicken Pasta that I'm about to give you.  

How did it come about?  We've been doing the college search with Sean for the last year.  He finally narrowed it down to two choices and last month paid one last visit to each of those schools.  At one of the schools, the student tour guide was raving about the school's Buffalo Chicken Pasta.  So when Sean and Mr. Terrific came home, they were trying to talk me into making some.  And they've both mentioned it a few more times.........so I decided I needed to figure out how to make it!