It's Still SUMMER!!!

Tuesday was unseasonably cooler than it should be here in Virginia.  The weatherman stated our normal high is around 89 for this time of year but it was a "cool" 74.  Brrrr!!!  Ha!  If it hadn't been cloudy and rainy, it would have been a nice day but I LOVE SUMMER!!!!  So, I prefer those hot, sticky, sun shining so bright you get more wrinkles from squinting kind of days!!!! 

Ahhhh, today is a real summer day!  Back in the high 80's.  Yes, my cute little car top is down and I am ready to view homes for clients and run my errands.  Music playing, birds singing, pony tail blowing in the breeze and feeling that sunshine.  Yep, love, love, love it!

I walked around the backyard this morning.  The flowers look like "enough watering already!"  I try to choose flowers to plant around our pool that look tropical and love the heat.  We have several trees in our backyard but they're further out and the pool area just has...you guessed it... SUNSHINE  all day!!

Take a look at my well watered foilage and have a happy, blessed day where you are!

I would so love new followers.  Please join me if you'd like. 

Smiles to you,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am attempting to link up (still new at this, please bear with me).  Please stop by and visit.

Share Your Cuphttp://jannolson.blogspot.com/ Thursday

 

 

Birthday Girl

Wishing my sweet Sugar a very Happy Birthday today!! 

She is a young 15 years old!  I love her so much.  She is truly the most loyal, loving soul I have ever known.  I'm lucky to have her in my little world!

 

 

 

 

Great Specials in July with Thirty-one

As I mentioned in an earlier blog, I am now a Thirty-one Gifts consultant.  I absolutely love all the different totes and the many patterns that coordinate so well with each other and who doesn't like to have their things embroidered!  If you haven't heard of or gotten yourself one, treat yourself and pick one for your needs.

Each month is a different special.  July's special gives an opportunity to still get the summer print in the flip flop pattern.  So cute and the thermal totes make hot, summer days easier to deal with when you have to carry drinks, snacks and groceries around.

 

Please take a minute and go to my website and drool, I mean look at all the pretty purses, totes and accessories.  You can place an order from the site too and have it shipped directly to you.  

www.mythirtyone.com/cindyeanes

If you have any questions, just send me an email and I will respond quickly!  cindyeanes@comcast.net

Until next time, SMILES to YOU!!

Feeling In the Pink Today

Thought I would share my little pink place in our backyard.

I love the color pink so when this iron settee needed some TLC of course it also needed a couple of coats of pink paint.
I pictured it a pale pink but I was in a hurry when I picked up the spray can and guess I just saw pink and grabbed it.  I'm liking this deeper pink though.  It makes a nice contrast to the watering can. 

I love old watering cans. I found this one in my daddy's garage after he had passed and we were going through his things.  I call this one a watering can but hubby says it's an old gas can.  Whichever it is, I'm sure my daddy was looking down and shaking his head when he saw me painting it pink!  It's got some dents in it but that just adds a little extra I think.

I'm sitting under our canopy now.  There's a nice breeze this afternoon.  We're suppose to get thunderstorms later and it sure feels like we will. 

Hope your day was pleasant and left you in the pink!

Sending you smiles until next time,

Memphis Rub Ribs

Awesome Memphis Rub Ribs


I saw this recipe on Facebook.  I tried it for our July 4th dinner.  I'm not that great a cook so I was really pleased with the outcome.  The ribs were so tender they were falling off the bones. The flavor was so good and the sauce recommended to use, Sweet Baby Ray's Hickory & Brown Sugar Sauce was yummy!

I'm trying them again today.  Can't wait for dinner time! 

Memphis Ribs

4 pounds pork ribs or two big slabs
1 cup Sweet Baby Ray's Hickory and Brown Sugar Barbecue sauce

Dry Rub

1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup paprika
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup garlic powder
2 tablespoons mild chili powder
3 tablespoons course salt
3 tablespoons black pepper
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons celery seeds
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
3 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons dry mustard
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground allspice

Mix all ingredients together until blended. Lay ribs out flat and rub both sides generously with rub. Wrap in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Put a rack inside a large shallow roasting pan to keep the ribs off the bottom of the pan. Lay ribs across rack and fill pan with water under the ribs making sure the ribs are not touching the water. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes in a hot oven. Turn the temperature down to 300 degrees and allow ribs to cook slowly for at least 4-6 hours until the meat begins to fall off the bone.

Remove from oven and carefully remove foil so that steam escapes. Brush ribs generously with Sweet Baby Ray's Hickory and Brown Sugar Barbecue sauce. Return to the oven to bake for 15 minutes. Carefully use tongs to lift ribs in one piece and place on platter.
Help yourself to the recipe if you'd like.  Let me know what you think! 

Sending Smiles your way,

My "Extravagant" Wreath

I wanted to share with you my new wreath and see what you think. I usually make my own wreaths but this one caught my eye when I was in Michael's last week.  It was originally $69 and was on sale for $22.  It probably would costs near this sale price to make it. Right?




I studied the wreath for a bit before I made the purchase.  Being that I wasn't shopping for a wreath that day, I needed to rationalize this wreath as a good investment.  HAHAHA!!  My study concluded, that I could use it for other seasons. It's black, so it will be great for Halloween.  Just remove the geraniums, add a bat, new ribbon, etc. and there I will have an awesome new Halloween wreath to scare the kiddies! Ok, good, good... I don't have any wreaths made with this new fat ribbon and I have been wanting one, but it's black.  My front door is black.  Will it be seen from the street?  But it coordinates so well with my porch decor.  Black wicker, red pillows, geraniums...JUST BUY IT ALREADY...So I did!

 
Now the "extravagant" part. 

My youngest daughter, lovingly referred to as the "the Blond One", (and at 26 not so young anymore) is the best I know at coordinating her outfits.  She rarely leaves the house that she isn't looking put together from head to toe! I mean her jewelry, her shoes, her nails, even her hair thingies match her outfit.  All done effortlessly and inexpensively too!  I look forward to catching a glimpse of her in the mornings just to see what she's put together that day! 

SO, I'm thinking, "Oh, she will love my new wreath!"  It coordinates so well with the porch decor and it wasn't expensive.  I did good, right?? Blond One!!!

Well, I hung the wreath, still not sure myself it was really my true taste in wreaths. I'm a grapevine, fill it with flowers kinda girl.  But if the Blond One gives her approval, then I've done good.

She shows up for lunch.  I ask her what she thought of my new wreath.  She responds while making NO eye contact,  "Well, its kind of...extravagant." 

WHAT???  EXTRAVAGANT???!!!
No where in my thoughts of this wreath did EXTRAVAGANT enter my mind.  She went on to say, "Well its big.  It does match the porch though."

Hmmm...Grrr...*^#*#  What does she know. Go coordinate your wardrobe smartie!

Anyway, I'm not really that wound up over the wreath.  It's ok for now.  So far the birds haven't bothered it. They usually waste no time in pulling my wreaths apart or try to build nests in them. 

HAHA!  Maybe this one is too extravagant for them! 

Tell next time, sending Smiles your way,

I'm linking to one of my favorite bloggers this week.  I'd love to get as many followers as this sweet lady has.  Maybe one day!  So please follow me. Thanks!

 

romantichome.blogspot.com/

Tiki Torches Lit

 

We had friends over last weekend.  Here are a few pics of the pool and backyard before our friends arrived.  Hubby loves to light up the tiki torches.

 

 

  I have to admit, they do add a little something to the décor and help with any bugs that want to crash the party. 

 

 

I took these pictures at dusk and with my Ipad so they are not very detailed but you get the idea.

 

 

Love my orange lilies. More on them later...

 

 

 

 

Hope we can have some more evenings like this one soon.  Hard to beat a nice evening with friends, warm weather and a peaceful scene to enjoy.

 

 

 

 

Friday Morning

Look who I get to have my coffee with in the morning.  She's the best buddy a human could ask for!

We're having a wet Friday.  I suppose the flowers could use it.  I just hope it clears up for Saturday afternoon.  We are attending an outdoor wedding ceremony. 

Hope everyone has a great day!

Red, White and Blue

Happy 4th!  Hope your day is filled with fun!  Be it with friends and family, traveling or just enjoying each other!

I'm Back!!!!!

Well, I'm back!!  Yep, I haven't blogged in a very long time but I'm going to get back to it.

I have new pics to share of my kitchen.  I FINALLY picked a color and PAINTED.  I must have carried paint chips around for five years before I decided on one and YIPPEE, I love it!  Posts to come showing how the kitchen went from country blue to a more French Country feel!

I also painted the porch wicker last summer.  That was scary for me.  I remembered to take pics before, during and after this transformation so I will have a great post for the porch look soon.

Life with the family is about the same.  Hubby is still working hard.  The girls are still finding there way in this big world but both seem happy.  Thank goodness! My sweet Mom is turning 79 later this month.  I'm lucky to still have her and to be able to assist her with all her needs.  Lastly, my sweet doggie is still by my side.  She turns 15 this month.  All my girls have summer birthdays.  Hmmm....

I'm still plowing along in the real estate biz.  I know for sure, being a Realtor means something new everyday!  Keeps it interesting for sure! 

 

I guess my biggest change is I fell in love with a TOTE BAG so I HAD to join the great company that makes them back before Christmas.  The company is THIRTY-ONE GIFTS.  Have you heard of them?  Well, my oldest daughter had given me a cute tote with my name embroidered on it several years ago.  I have always used  it for one thing or another but it wasn't until the holidays when I went to a vendor show with my daughter that I got to see the variety of patterns and totes by THIRTY-ONE and I had to have them ALL!!!  Best way to do that is to be a consultant.  So, now I am!  I have met nice ladies, had a few parties to show my pretty bags and actually made a few bucks!!  OH, and I may need a room soon just for all my totes! 

If you're interested in seeing all the pretty totes and accessories, please go to my site at:
www.mythirtyone.com/cindyeanes.  You can even place an order if you reeeaally wanna!  Let me know what you think and shoot me some questions if you have any.

 Hubby is on vacation this week.  We planned on hanging around the house and enjoying the pool.  You know, just the two of us.  (wink, wink)  The weatherman is calling for mostly cloudy and rainy days ALL WEEK!!  Yikes!   Maybe we'll get his "man cave" painted before football season starts back up. 

Hope my old followers are doing well and I'm to add to them soon.  Have a great and blessed day!