Busy weekend.

First we had Valentines Day and then the husbands birthday and ending with Presidents Day. Not sure what your suppose to do for Presidents Day but my plan it to put some of the plants in the ground for the garden. A couple of weeks a go we started seeds in peat pots and now I've got all sorts of seedlings coming up in my starter pots and I've got some really nice sized cabbages, that I bought already started that have to go in the ground. The cabbages are by the back door because of a chance of freeze. When my dog wants to go out he jumps up and down at the door. He sort of landed on them this morning so... I hope they aren't too damaged.

Seeds being started.

A couple of these guys came by to wish husband a happy birthday. Then the dog chased them off.



Mom's birthday

Mom reading the birthday card we got her.

We went to Mom's house to celebrate her birthday with her. We found her baking some of her famous cookies that she makes every year. At this time of year she is a cookie making machine. Snow balls, fruit cake cookies, man oatmeal cookies (cause mostly men like them and women know she added to much baking powder), thumb print cookies, sugar cookies all kinds, all varieties and a new one almost every year.  I can't ever get the exact recipes for all her cookies but I did get the one for the snow balls. They are called pecan sandies when she makes them any other time of the year.

Snow balls being made.

While they were baking I slipped out back and picked some muscadine vine to make a wreath with. Mom's yard would be over taken with them if we didn't cut them back every now and then. You just wind them up and when they dry they are just like an expensive grape vine wreath you'd buy at the craft store.



Wreath I made.

Husband had some fun with the wreath. He said it's the closest he'll ever get to being an angel.

My angel.
 

Mom had planted a sweet potato vine that also grew like crazy. So we volunteered to dig them up for her. She had vines everywhere.


There were sweet potatoes all over.

We suddenly started seeing large bull ants while digging. So the dig for the potatoes ended and the search for their nest started. We found them inside of an old stump. We cracked it in half and sadly killed them all. They are known for eating houses. They can get into any kind of crease and have been found in peoples walls.


Dead bull ants at Mom's house.

Mom was fighting these guys for some time. I hope we found their true nest and they wont be giving her a problem any more.

Preferred ant killer of Gramme's everywhere.

She did end up with a nice little crop of potatoes but I know there were more down there with that giant vine she had.

Sweet potatoes

One last picture from Mom's... she is trying to propagate purple pepper plants. So far no luck on the peppers but she has a few plants growing with no flowers. And only the one with flowers and a couple of black purple peppers but they are small. Very pretty ornamental pepper.

Mom's unusual variety of purple pepper.



VB's birthday.

Last weekend was VB's birthday. She invited a few friends over to spend the night. We were going to hook her up with a red neck water slide down the hill in the back yard but we finally had some fall weather so it was too cold. Last weekend we had record lows and this weekend we've got record highs. Actually from last night to today the temperature difference was 18 degrees. And people think the desert has brutal extremes. That's what they say about Florida... "If you don't like the weather...just wait and it will change."

Any way... Mom came by and brought a bunch of kites. Apparently she found some great sale and bought the store out. So the next day the kids had a great time flying kites.

They had a difficult time at first

But soon they learned if you can get it up high enough the winds are steadier and you don't have to do as much running. So when the wind blew they let the string out. And when it was calm they ran a little.

Before I knew it they got the kites up. Tied the extra bit of string on (250 more feet).The original string was probably 100ft. They were all so happy. Until finally the string ran out and they didn't know to make sure it was tied to the string holder. So up up and away the kites went. Crashing into each other and becoming one. They finally were captured by an old oak tree two houses away the only problem was they had walked three houses in the other direction. While the kite string was stuck in the tree the kites flopped about above the tree. The string laid perfectly across the tops of all our neighbors houses. Winding around a satellite dish or two. Luckily the string pulled free of the houses. (woof) and we recovered one kite from the tree. But that's what always happens to kites they end up in a tree.

Last night VB whipped up a batch of these awesome muffins. I think they were an invention of my mom. They were delicious and thought I would share the recipe.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins.

1 Package (18.25oz) White cake mix 1tsp baking soda

1cup crunchy peanut butter 3/4 cups water

2 eggs 1/3 cup strawberry jam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine cake mix and baking soda. Add peanut butter, water, and eggs; beat just until blended.

Fill paper-lined muffin cups about two-thirds full. Place a teaspoonful of jam in center of batter in each muffin cup. Bake 18 to 23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in muffin comes out clean.

Serve warm. Yealds about 18 muffins.

Veronica used squeezable grape jam. They were very yummy. She is such an awsome litte baker.