This Past Week in Pictures (7)

 It's been a weirdly emotionally harrowing week, but I'm doing my best. 

Happy Homemaker Monday: August 31, 2026

 I'm late, of course. Not as late as I was last week, but still late. I'm on my overnight at work, and I just finished watering the dahlias. I'm supposed to head out on an errand with a friend in a little bit, so hopefully I shall get this post done before then. 

Here we go! 

The weather: We're having a mini-heatwave. (Which means mid-80's in the mountains). Boooooo. That messes up my schedules because then I can only work early and late. 

As I look outside my window: The sun is setting on the farm. There's no movement in the willow tree branches because there's no breeze. The sky is orange and blue. Pure bliss. 

Right now, I am: Typing up this post and watching Jerk-cat (the work cat) sleep on my laptop bag. Watching the clock for when I have to leave. Taking all the deep breaths. 

Thinking and pondering: This week's work schedule. The fact that I am constantly mentally overwhelmed. Congratulating myself a little for holding it together (though yesterday was HARD). 

How I am feeling: Pretty well, considering the emotional mess I was yesterday. 

On the breakfast plate: Leftover Mexican chicken. 

On the lunch plate: I had a piece of Tiramisu. Suuuuper healthy, I know. 

On the dinner plate:  A friend delivered me a sandwich to work, and I had some Zuppa Toscana as well. 

What I'm wearing: Black shorts and a tank top with a picture of the sun on it. My ratty gray Converse which you can pry off my cold dead feet. 

On my reading pile: Literally everything, ha. Still in Psalms. Still not finished with anything. And  I borrowed "Imaginary Friend" by Stephen Chbosky from a friend. So, even more books I'm not reading. 

On my TV  this week: Uhhhh...not much of anything. Dahlia season is not a TV watching time of year. But Goose and Ella want to finish "Medalist" (it's an anime on Hulu) and Goose really wants to finish Mr. Hiiragi's Homeroom (which I will happily rewatch another 80 times, haha). 

On the menu: I made Zuppa Toscana tonight. Tomorrow is breakfast for dinner, Wednesday is Cabbage Roll Casserole. I have a surplus of rice and potatoes so I will be centering meals around that stuff. 

Looking around the house: It's the house at the farm, not my house, ha. It's quiet and the work cats and work dog are all asleep. It's dark because I prefer to keep my room here dark. There are a few things I'm going to tidy up first thing in the a.m 

To-do list for the week: I have to check in with clients, deliver some flowers, tie up some flowers at the farm, make sure the mums at the hotel don't die with this heatwave, go through Goose's clothes and decide what to keep and what to donate. 

What I am creating: A bunch of flower arrangements. 

From the camera: 

The goldenrod is blooming! Another way I know Autumn is coming soon!

Have a lovely week! 

This Past Week In Pictures (6)

 What a week, y'all. Emotionally, it's been a whole mess, and there are things I guess I'm not as "over" as I thought I was. Ugh, such is life. But here are some pictures. 

Happy Homemaker Monday: August 24, 2026

 I'm late, dreadfully so. But, for an "off" Monday, nothing about today was really off. First of all, I feel a little like I've been hit by a bus (oh, the joys of being a woman, ha). Second, I'm feeling stretched really thin (par for the course during my busy season). Third, I have a lot of things thrown at me (see previous sentence). 

Anyway, if I plan to finish this post before Monday is over, here we go. 

The weather: Pretty typical of late August in the mountains. Warm, warm, warm, then a few cool days sprinkled in there for variety. I live for those cooler days. 

As I look outside my window: It's dark, y'all. But I can see the solar lights in my dahlia patch and the streetlight at the watershed across the street. 

Right now, I am: Typing up this post, and leaning my head on a Squishmallow that Goose gave me a few years back. It's become my favorite pillow. Trying to talk a friend through a breakup.

Thinking and pondering: About all of the things I have to do this week, how I'm going to squeeze in a month's of work into a week, ha. 

How I am feeling: Kind of grouchy and lousy, but also accomplished and super excited to see all the flowers in bloom. 

On the breakfast plate: Y'all will be so proud of me. I had a whole breakfast today, and I even took a picture of it. 

On the lunch plate: I had an adult lunchable, with salame, bread rounds and cheese. 

On the dinner plate: I made Hungarian Goulash with mashed potatoes. We had no leftovers. 

On the menu this week: I'm still working out the order, but Hamburger Helper, Butter Chicken, Apple-Puff Pancake are going to make appearances this week. 

What I'm wearing: Pajamas and a wrap on my toes because I have a runner's injury and literally the only thing that helps is taping two of my toes together. 

On my reading pile: I'm still in Psalms in the Bible, but I've done very little reading in the last week, and I need to get myself together. 

On my TV this week: I've made it ten minutes into the next episode of Dead or Love with Ella, but otherwise all I've seen is an episode or two of Dance Moms. Dahlia season does not lend itself to TV marathons. 

Looking around the house: It is pleasantly dark, hehehe. I've got a huge butterfly tent on my kitchen shelf where our caterpillars will live out their caterpillar lives...these guys pupate over the winter, and I've got a pupation station ready to go too. It's a lot of work raising these little guys, but we're learning all kinds of cool things. 

To-do list for the week: Clean at three different houses (and mine), keep my sanity, get some garden things in order, switch out sunflowers for mums at a client's garden, Neem oil the gardens. 

What I am creating: Lovely garden spaces. Flower arrangements for a client.

Something fun to share: 

These are the caterpillars we're keeping. They're Hickory Horned Devil caterpillars, and they will be Regal Moths when they finish their metamorphosis. 

From the camera: 

Of course it's a dahlia. It's Kelgai Ann, and it's a waterlily/peony dahlia type. My favorite flowers are peonies but their season is so short, these are the next best thing. 

Prayers, devotionals: Please continue to be in prayer for my best friend. 

The Past Week in Pictures (5)

 It's been a strange week (more on that when I gather my thoughts a little bit, and finish a draft I'll publish eventually), but between the Lindsay Clancy case, and my own weird thoughts, I'm not exactly sure how I feel. 

But here are my favorite snapshots from this week. 

Happy Homemaker Monday: August 17, 2026

 Good...afternoon. It's my "On" Monday, which means I am home between farm shifts, and tomorrow looks like a super busy day. But I've taken Wednesday completely off from everything. 

So, here we go. 

The Weather: I swear every time I open the weather app, it changes. No hurricanes for the foreseeable future, so I'm happy. But a lot of warm/cool/HOT/cool patterns. Is it any wonder the kids and I all got the cold? (We're recovered now) 

Right now, I am: Typing up this post, and texting a friend. I'm glad to be a source of comfort to friends who are going through hard times. 

Thinking and pondering: About various friends of mine going through various trials. Also, I received some really good news this morning and I'm excited about that. For about ten years, I had a nightmare neighbor (think drugs, bad people next door, a whole mess)...she's GONE! I feel like I can breathe again. 

How I am feeling: A touch overwhelmed, which is par for the course currently. It's my busy season...but at least I don't have a cold!

On the breakfast plate: I had coffee and a strawberry oatmeal bar. It's better than nothing!

On the lunch plate: Greek pasta salad. 

On the dinner plate: I typically make a spaghetti/pasta dish on Sundays, but we had leftovers from Saturday, so I didn't have to cook yesterday. I'm making said pasta tonight. 

On the menu: This week is kind of wild, but Ham and Cheddar chowder, Pizza and Sausage and Rice are on the menu, though I don't know the order of everything yet. 

What I am wearing: Farm wear for now. I'll be going from farm wear to PJ's today, then back to farm wear tomorrow. 

On my reading pile: I've read virtually nothing last week. Farm work and such. I'm still in Psalms in the Bible, which is the only book I've read consistently this week. 

On my TV this week: Dance Moms, and The Greatest Teacher. 

To do list: Make dinner, finish packing, go back to the farm.

What I am creating: Two separate garden spaces, and putting finishing touches on a school curriculum. 

From the camera: 

me and Emory Paul 

Prayers, Bible Verses, Devotionals: Please just continue to be in prayer for my best friend. 

Have a wonderful week! 

The Past Week in Pictures (4)

 I almost didn't post this week, because life has been life-ing. But I'm determined to do better in this blog space. So, here are some pictures from this past week.