Red, White and Grill!!!!

Any idea what the first two pictures have in common?....

The temperature gage from an outdoor grill and Wal-Mart (very good by the way) pizzas?

Well read on!

 It's hiding right here under this lid!

 We've been cooking them on the grill all summer. And they are wonderful! If you will remember I told you in this post
about the two houses we were trying to buy. One deal fell through and then we found another house we liked. The same day our bid was accepted on the second house, the first house people called back and said we could get that house again! The first house had a great kitchen. The second house had a huge kitchen...with only great walls and floor and a few lousy cabinets. No appliances. And we decided on that house. But we are still very glad. Anyway, I had orignally thought we would get a new kitchen in before we did anything. Then I thought "WHOA!!!!!".....I came to my senses! If I had no kitchen, then I would not be cooking. I could have the summer off from cooking after years and years of cooking huge meals every day! (Insert cartwheels and backflips here).

 So one of our little make-do's this summer has been Wal-Mart pizzas. We have tried the thin crust and the regular crust. Both work well. We (the males) always add extra cheese as well.

 Here is the deal: They turn on the grill and let it get going. They put the pizza stone right on the grill and let it get hot. Then they add the pizza (with the extra cheese).

It does not take any time at all.

 It is like having our own outdoor pizza oven.

It was right in front of us the whole time

and we never knew it,

because we were too busy

using the stove.

See what great things

no stoves

bring about?

Yes, we have also tried

homemade

versions of our favorite pizzas

and they work

very well too.

Such a great idea to try

on a summer evening.

Just remember....

they don't take very long to cook!

Fantastico!!!

Join me ...and other great recipes at Foodie Friday!

If Uncle Sam Were Frugal Tablescapes!

I showed most of the patriotic tablescapes I came up with on my post from last week. But, I saved  back a couple to share this week.

Both of these were created using a mish-mash of dishes...which I guess is my usual style!

There are so many breathtakingly-beautiful tablescapes

each week.

They make me green with envy. Truly.

But I have kind of made it a

habit of trying to do

tablescapes

without spending a fortune.

These dishes were from an estate sale that my girls got for me (the large blue plates),

from Dollar General (the red chargers and the blue bowl)

and from Dollar Tree

(the star plate).

The napkins are really dish cloths

that have never seen a dish!

The Uncle Sam hat was in the dollar bin at Target.

 

This star plate is actually just the blue part. That is a large

red plate under it.

The star is from Target.

The red plate is from the 100 pieces of red dishes my Hubby

bought for me and I use all the time....mixing and matching

it with everything.

The "charger" here is one of my much-used enamel plates I

got at Pottery Barn years ago.

Again, the napkins are dish cloths

from the Dollar Tree

that have never seen a dish!

The paper lantern is part of a three-piece set,

and the table runner is reversible,

allowing for yet

another look.

When I began this tablescape (and last week's),

I gathered together

red, white and blue

items I had in my

cabinets and closets.

When you collect items that

can easily match

when put together,

then why not have fun with them

and arrange and rearrange?

I said it before, but will repeat it...

when possible, I always try to buy four

of whatever dish I am buying.

That way it is easy to keep

the look

and to

mish and mash!

Yes, still more props I brought out

for the tablescapes.

Collect what you love

and love what you have...

and use it every chance you get!

That is my message to all the young women

that read this....(you know who you are!)

(If only Uncle Sam were so practical!!)

I am linking this up to

Wow Us Wednesday's

Tablescape Thursday's and

Open House Thursday's.

Go by and get some great ideas!

Old Glory in The Hood..............

I am one of those people that

loves

the

4th of July.

I mean I really love it.

I love what it stands for...

independence, freedom, equality.

I love to celebrate that.

 I have a neighbor across the street

that

also loves

Old Glory.

Every morning when I step out on my

front porch

I see this.

Be still my red, white and blue-beating heart!

 She has a flag on her house...

then she put a flag on

every other

tree

that lines

the front of

her house.

It. Is. Beautiful.

Every single morning

it gives me goose-bumps.

 This is my house

looking from

the flag-love-waving-house.

Notice anything?

(Besides my Hubby out working hard while I walk the neighborhood taking pics....)

 I will give you a clue with the pic...

I am standing against another tree that

is not in the picture....

But do you  get the picture?

I, too, have a big line of trees down the

front of my house.

This is my plan.

I want to go and knock on

flag-love-waving-house and

tell them how much I LOVE

what they did.

Then I want to tell them that I LOVE

it so much,

I want to copy it for my house.

I am hoping that they see it as

a compliment...

and then maybe the whole neighborhood

could join in....

(Unless there is a tree-hugger (said in the nicest way) that

doesn't think we should be putting

flag holders

on trees.)

That is my plan.

Next year I will also

have a parade of flags.

 While we are talking about my

new 'hood,

I'll show you a couple of other interesting

tidbits.

I live on the corner lot.

This is the view from my corner.

It was an orphanage

many years ago,

then sat empty for years.

A couple bought it

and totally restored

the. entire. thing.

They live in part of it, and rent the

other parts out for weddings, etc.

The first week I was here I was

invited to a tea there.

But I didn't go.

Hey, I wanted to, but I couldn't find my dresses.

Really.

Hopefully she doesn't think I am snotty

and has another tea again soon.

 This is a neighbor

on another corner.

Isn't that house beautiful?

I just love it.

What wonderful views I have

from my (45!!!) windows.

 Here is the deal...

the street that goes between

our houses

is a dead end.

There are a couple of houses

between each of us

and the dead end.

 And this is what

the dead end looks like.

Woods.

I live in a town of 25,000

and smack dab in the

middle of this historical neighborhood

is woods.

Woods in the hood.

(I am on a rhyme roll (see yesterday's post))

Anyway, frequently we have

deer

running through our yard.

Yes, deer.

Actually multiples.

Because they always bring friends.

And turkey.

Wild turkey (the animals).

Smack dab in the middle of town.

It drives my dogs crazy,

but I love it!

 And while I'm at it,

I'll tease you with this pic.

This is my directly-across-the-street-neighbor.

Those are wind chimes.

We have 45 windows.

And I've only heard them once.

I'll plan to get the low-down

on these chimes.....

Right after I knock on my

flag-love-waving-house

and

let them know

about my

red, white and blue intentions!

I'm trying to post something

red, white and blue

each day this week.

We'll see how I do!

Come back tomorrow!

Concrete Thinking......

When we bought this house, there were two huge (blank and empty) concrete squares that sat on each side of the front sidewalk. Clearly, it was meant for big urns (well...clearly in my eyes anyway! pumpkins in the fall....a small evergreen at Christmas...etc.....)

I found the exact urns I wanted.

They were big enough to make a statement

and simple enough to please my taste.

They were at Lowe's...

and they were $70 (and some change)

a piece.

Well, when you move there are lots of expenses.

And two concrete (beautiful) urns

for $140 (and some change)...

was just not in my budget.

 Enter K-Mart. Yep, you read it right. K to the Mart. They had the exact same urns I coveted at Lowe's...only their urns were ...................plastic. So, what is a girl to do?
Whine about it....or take action? 

 You already know the answer! I took action!!!  I bought two of the big size...for $10 a piece. For real. I bought three of the smaller size for (get this...) $6 a piece. So, I invested $38 in urns (plastic!!!)...and had five of them. I put two of the small ones flanking the front door, and put a small one by the back door. Then I took the big ones and put them where they were supposed to be! Right in the middle of the large concrete squares!!

 BUT...and you know there is always a but!!  I had to buy the natural color (plastic) urns at K-Mart, as they were out of the black ones I wanted. (The urns come in two pieces, by the way, the top part and the base disconnect.)(P.S. That is Abe trying to get in the picture. He is my helper (!!!) each day.)

 So, to solve the problem, I simply bought some black spray paint that is specially formulated for plastic. And I sprayed the urns. Took all of about 10 minutes. Maybe. I might have spent one or two of those minutes petting Abe. I bought the spray paint at Wal-Mart (not to get your Mart's confused). But K-Mart probably had the paint too.

 Here are the urns side-by-side so you can see the size difference. Sweet.

And then to make the deal even sweeter, I knew I wanted ferns in my urns (say that three times).

I just did.

So, I went to Lowe's (the place of the expensive concrete urns)...

and

they had their ferns

on sale.

The two huge ferns that

are stand-up-straight-ferns

in the front big pots...

They were $6 a piece.

The three smaller ferns that are

by the front and back doors...

they were $1.98 a piece.

They were the hanging fern type, but I just

cut off

the hanging stuff and sat them in

my

fake-concrete urns.

Even though I am an English teacher .....(the dots are my tribute to Emily Dickinson)

I'll do the math for you...

5 urns = $38.00

5 ferns = $18.00 (I rounded those small ones up!)

"Hello, Welcome to my new house.....= priceless!"

Oh yea, I already had the flags!

One more little tidbit that has very little to do with my urns...

My great-aunt Gertrude was heavily "courted" by Mr. Kress.

That would be Mr. K-r-e-s-s of the "K" in K to the Mart.

My mother said that she and her cousins would spend good parts of the summer

at my Aunt Gertie's in Cherokee, N.C.

Mr. Kress would send out boxes of toys and other goodies for the cousins.

Great way to win over a woman's heart....make her nieces and nephews happy!!

I guess this went on for several years. Sadly tho (in my eyes) my Aunt Gertie

never married ...to Mr. Kress or anyone.

Dangit, Aunt Gertie!!

I'm linking this to Metamorphosis Monday with Susan and

Thrifty Treasure with Rhoda! as well as The Lettered Cottage How-To's

Simple Sundays

“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (NIV)

Isaiah 40:29-31



Toad in a Hole........

 Such a simple, simple meal...

Yet one of my family's favorite.

Toads in a Hole!

And don't forget to fry up the piece of bread

you cut out for the egg!

That's the best part...

especially if someone else is doing

the

cooking....!!

The Cow Barn..??...??...??

You've seen many times my love

for all things

cow.

From tablescapes and dishes

to paintings and carvings...

I love cows.

Several of my favorite cows sat atop

this cabinet.

Appropriately, it was painted

barn red and

looked like it could be a

cow barn.

Up until last week...

when I changed it.

I thought the look was very dated,

not to mention

the wear and tear on the piece

was quite obvious.

Since I still loved the piece

I decided to just transform it

with

chalk paint.

I used

Old White

right on top of

the barn red it was already painted.

I also only used one coat of

Old White,

preferring the look

of the barn red

peeking through here and there.

I added the clear wax

then distressed.

I then added the

dark wax.

I took the doors off

and the drawer out

to paint.

I left the insides the barn red.

I love the outcome.

I restained the top

and buffed the entire piece.

It now looks .....

well like a new barn!

I need to get new knobs

but I have not found the ones I want.

I actually don't know what I want,

but I know that I'll know when I see them.

(Did you get all that?)

Until then..

the cows have a lovely new (old) barn.

Linking this with Miss Mustard Seed and Romantic Home and Funky Junk Interiors...and of course, Be Different Act Normal! and Metamophosis Monday! and Wow Us Wednesdays

till the cows come home!

Saving the World.....One Globe at a Time!

On the last day of school

a teacher friend came to my room

and told me there were two globes

in the "pit". ....

Which is where items go to be saved....

before they are thrown away.

I sent my fleetest-footest (new term!) student

to the pit

with the instructions to

come back with BOTH globes...

before someone else saw

the awesomeness in them

and absconded them away!

No kidding, aren't these just wonderful?

Both of them still read

Union of Soviet Socialist Republic!

Of course that is not the only country

with a new name!

And, by the way, if you look at the

first picture carefully,

you will see how

this globe lights up.

Be. Still. My. Heart!

Then still reveling in all my globe-gloating-glory,

I walked by the library.

The librarian had spent the last several

weeks of school packing up the library,

as we are beginning next school year with a

new library.

I noticed that there was

a lonely globe sitting by itself

on the empty shelves.

I went in and asked her about the globe

and she said I was welcome to it,

as it was not making the trip

to the new library.

Oh. My. Global Goodness.

Three new superterrificwonderfulcoolandgroovylicious globes

in

one

day!

While the first one

lights up,

the second one is a

Land and Sea globe.

If you look carefully,

you can see the

topography of the land.

Oh my the goodness!

Then there is Mr. Number 3.

Oh my word, he is a big boy.

I sat him by a 32 inch TV

so you could see his

mammothness.

And if that were not enough to

endear his largeness

to my heart....

look at this.

He sits on a galvanized base.

....with numbers and letters!

He comes off and can be

repositioned

so easily.

And look how pretty his face is.

He has all American cities...

and worldly cities....

highlighted

with a red dot.

He is SO cool!

So not only did I celebrate

because it was the last day of school..

I walked out a very happy camper

with three

outdated

but beautiful

globes.

They all three sit proudly now

in my new office at home...

while I continue to

save the world

...one ...(or three) globe(s) at a time!

I am linking this with Thrifted Treasures and Wow Us Wednesdays...check out all the great finds!