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Monday, July 19, 2021

Boo-kays and Summer Days

Last week was my 26th wedding anniversary. My husband, at 86, sometimes just doesn't care, and doesn't want to care, about festive times! Especially anniversaries. So this year, I decided to remember it myself. 

There is nothing I like better than a homemade bouquet. After work, I stopped by an old abandoned adobe house and got some coral vine and some silver lace vine...tsk tsk, trespassing...into my best plastic pitcher they went...




I love the old-timey vines...like the vines that covered the shed at Granny's house...she had Spanish Flag vines, too...I haven't seen seeds for them in a few years. Then it was time for a trip to the community garden, to see what was blooming in my plot! 

A sweet scurrying friend stopped by to wish me "Happy Anniversary." He was heading for the safety of the Jerusalem Artichoke patch of the plot next to mine. I'm wondering how those are harvested. I guess they are dug up, like a potato?

The sunflowers were so pretty. I love the tissue-paper look of the petals against the sun.


There was a single zinnia blooming, and I snipped it. Back to the house, and a few flowers were cut from the courtyard. My faithful Sand Verbena always has a few bright blooms!

And there was one of the last glads, too...


I must have chocolate for my "party!" So I took off again and got some chocolate-covered walnuts from the grocery store. The bulk food aisles are DANGEROUS, don't ya think? All that yummy candy...bin after bin...but I felt the walnut part would cancel out the chocolate part, and overall it might could be considered a healthy food that way...? They say to eat more nuts!

I will admit, there was a piece of cake involved, too. But I ate it right up, no photograph first! In my defense, it was a very nice piece of a grocery store carrot cake, sold by the slice, and I so rarely can have cake.

(Don't worry about hubby! He was fed and watered, too. I brought him some takeout he likes.)

It was getting dark by now, and rain had rolled in. I guess it happens quickly all over the globe, but in the desert, sometimes it seems to happen in an instant: Blue sky, sun beating down, then the sound of wind as the clouds rush over and climb the mountains. The rain made the evening feel so cozy! Thank you, Lord Jesus, for the rain!

The fairy light jars blinked on...I don't know why, but every night that makes me feel so happy...


The doggies had to get something, too! They needed a "party favor" and seemed to like their "chews." These are the specially treated American rawhides that are more tender than the usual rawhides. I don't know, I read on the internet that rawhides are bad, but our vets have felt these kinds are okay. I don't let them chew it down very far.


And there you have it.
Homemade fun is the best!


I hope your summer days are going well, too, as we head towards those tough Dog Days of August!

Kind regards,

Olde Dame Holly

22 comments :

  1. I'm so glad you created a celebration for yourself instead of feeling down without any recognition of a special occasion. Flowers and healthy walnuts ( I'm sure the chocolate was full of antioxidants). Even carrot cake ( which I love). Homemade fun is the best. GM

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  2. Happy Anniversary!! I love how you celebrated! Your flowers are wonderful!! Homemade bouquets are the best, in my mind! And chocolate covered walnuts? I've never seen those, but I bet they were good along with your slice of carrot cake. My hubby isn't big into celebrating anniversaries either. I kind of blew it many years ago when he spent $$ on roses that I thought would have been better spent for a new dress or something else I needed. Somehow that got translated into no money spent at all...so it is what it is, and we still love each other and usually do try to go out to eat maybe for lunch or breakfast to celebrate. We've made it almost to 52 years (in August), so I guess whatever we're doing must work. I love your fairy lights. That looks so pretty! Are they solar activated? And a cozy little rain shower to cool things down a bit and give that golden glow afterwards...very nice. May the Lord bless you with many more happy days together.

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  3. Holly, first of all, Happy Anniversary! What a special day with all the homemade goodies. I smiled when you mentioned the chocolate-covered walnuts, as that's how I fee about Peanut M&M's. Love the chocolate coating, and glad we get the peanuts for protein hehehe. That photo of the coral vine sitting on the turquoise table is so charming. Those colors are a lovely contrast. Oh, I love carrot cake from the store too, and sometimes get it for a treat. Yaaay, you got some rain! Those are the prettiest fairy lights. I would love to have a few placed in my front yard. Your doggies are so precious. I'm glad you had such a wonderful Anniversary, and homemade treats are sometimes the best ones. : )

    ~Sheri

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  4. so glad you showed us your babies with their chews, dogs are my best friends. Happy Anniverary belated of course. Bob and I lucked out because we both feel the same about holidays and anniversarys. we don't care, which is great because we both don't care... the only thing we do or did before pandemic is eat out and that is because I HATE COOKING. i will use any excuse, holiday, illness, anniverary, birthday to claim a meal i did not cook. you did a great job celebrating your anniversary. Bob and I were 40 and 48 when we married 37 years ago and now are about to turn 77 and 85. yowsa! we should celebrate our AGE

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  5. We should always commemorate special occasions in our lives. Good for you. As far as the rawhides for the dogs the new kinds are digestible. They are good for dealing with anything a dog is anxious about.

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  6. Sounds like a celebration of the finest! (Just like your man..."just another day attitude") around here too.

    Carrot cake sounds heavenly. Your rain photo is so pretty! And your fur babies deserve special treatment now & then too. Also, love your special bouquet

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  7. Happy, happy anniversary!!! Your little celebration sounds perfect.
    Such pretty flowers. I am simply amazed at all the flowers found in your neck of the woods. I never would have imagined that so much grew and bloomed in the dessert. I am sure you were most thankful for rain.
    Thanks for the pic of your furbabies. They look oh-so-happy!

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  8. Happy Anniversary! Sounds like a splendid time, and there is something to celebrate everyday isn't there? Such a pretty bookay, charming and simple..always a good combo.

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  9. Happy anniversary! Your bouquet is perfect.

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  10. Happy Anniversary to you and hubby. So glad you were able to celebrate by making your own beautiful boo-kay and we wont tell you were trespassing. I say chocolate no matter how you eat it or with what you eat it...is always a must. Looks like the doggies enjoyed your day too! Janice

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  11. Well, dang it woman....why didn't you TELL me it was your anniversary when it was your anniversary so I could have an excuse for cake too?? NM...I don't need an excuse LOL. Ahhh....I so get the non-celebratory situation...I haven't had a proper holiday or special day in a long, long, time. At least I can imagine your husband having somewhat of an excuse at 86??? "Bookay" says it all...I need to tuck that in my memory banks...Very descriptive on several levels. ❤️ Yours turned out lovely...homemade ones are so much lovelier than others I think. And the manner in which you spent the day was probably better than any "expected" celebration ever could be. (By the way...that coralvine is gorgeous. I am not familiar with that.) Hugs ~Robin

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  12. Happy Anniversary! I am glad you got to do as exactly as you wanted. That make the best celebrations. I am always amazed at what grows in the dessert. So glad you got rain I know you have needed it for some time.
    cathy

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  13. Well, hello to you there in the desert, and happy anniversary! That was quite a nice homey little celebration! I love vines in my arrangements too. We have a lot of honey suckle which works well. I could eat a ton of nuts for sure!

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  14. I applaud your taking care of yourself and celebrating so nicely.

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  15. Happy Anniversary a little late and hurrah for you to celebrate......no matter what. I also love those "antique/heirloom" vines and plants that cant be found these days. All of your photos are so cheery!

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  16. Your sunflowers are just lovely! And Happy Anniversary a little late.....but how wonderful to find a way to celebrate! The vines are just lovely!

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  17. How great you arranged a day of celebrating your anniversary in the way you like. Chocolate, a pretty bouquet you gathered, and the dogs look happy. My pup looks a bit like your tan pup.

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  18. You have absolutely the BEST blog! I could read what you write all day. So glad you got flowers and candy for your anniversary...even though they were from you. The flowers are beautiful. That's so sweet and so cute. You are so funny. I really want a pretty jar of fairy lights just like yours. Wonder if I can make one?? Thanks for making my day. :)

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  19. I am having trouble leaving comments. In fact, for nearly two days, even though I kept refreshing, there was no comment box at all. This was especially true for embedded comment boxes like yours. It must have been a Blogger glitch.

    Happy belated anniversary. Sorry I missed it. I am so in awe that you threw yourself a party and treated yourself to beautiful flowers, vines, and chocolate. And you even had a few party animals join you. Again, sorry I was so late visiting.

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  20. Ps...lens all is for refractive photography. I've posted several of my photos ...

    Don't know if this link will work, but here it is:

    http://hootin--anni.blogspot.com/search/label/lensball

    If it doesn't work, just go to my table of contents & scroll to lens all & click on it.

    btw, love your new "combo word"

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  21. Happy belated anniversary!
    It is difficult to leave comments on your blog. It tried this morning and did not work , hope it will work.

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  22. Happy Anniversary my dear friend.
    I loved how you celebrated.
    xx oo
    Carla

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