{Pretty, Happy, Funny, Real}~ August 29, 2015

For once I'm not squeaking in just under the wire with {phfr}.  Last week, I began work in earnest on school prep for the classes I teach at The Potter's School.  Yes, I should have gotten to it sooner, but did I mention we had company (wonderful company but company nevertheless) for three weeks?  And that before that I was spending every spare minute on my granddaughter's busy book?  So, now it's time to get down to business, and get down to business I did.  Lots was accomplished, but there is still lots to do and a Thursday deadline is looming for it.  But I made such good progress last week that I took today completely off to recharge my batteries.  I stayed home (bliss!) and did housewifely things (more blisss!).  See below . . .

{Pretty}

The zinnias are profuse and colorful!  I'm sold on them and plan to plant them every year from now on.  Honestly, they practically grow right before your very eyes, and the colors are stunning!

The yellow flower is a Jerusalem artichoke (why are they named that??) and there
is a red geranium thrown in for good measure.

{Happy}

My housewifely things today mainly consisted of cooking.  First I made and canned some applesauce~

I always forget just how much time it takes to prep apples!

For dinner, I made a pot pie with leftover pork roast and vegetables (and additional veggies to make enough filling for another pie, which I popped into the freezer).  

It made Dave happy, and isn't it pretty too?

                            

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Hannah has asked me to make her a new quilt for her bed, which I am happy to do, even though she's a much better quilter than I am.  I have made a total of one quilt. I'd been saving* pictures and patterns of quilts that are simple enough for me to actually accomplish, and today we looked through them and she picked one.  I don't have a picture to show, but follow the link to see!  I'm going to do the one on the right, though I won't try to give it the woven look.  Hannah preferred it to be random, which is a good thing because I have a feeling it would turn out that way anyway!

                                                                  *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Our garden has been a dismal failure this year.  What the rain and cold in May and June didn't kill, the wildlife has eaten.  We didn't get the fence up in a timely manner due to Dave's broken wrist, alas.  We may still get a little, but it's nothing to write home about, let me tell you.  Ah, well, hopefully next year will be better.  But we did get a few cucumbers, so I took a little time away from school prep one evening to make refrigerator pickles.  I loosely followed these instructions and improvised on the spices quite a lot.  I put them in a big gallon jar.  

{Real}

The camera said this shot was in focus . . .

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Visit Like Mother, Like Daughter for more {phfr}!

*I was a reluctant convert to Pinterest, but now I'm a true believer!  (Within reason, of course.)