Little Things

...mean a lot.

Hi! Small pleasures become so important when one has, like me, been so incapacitated and homebound for months on end. Just getting out for errands is suddenly a thrill instead of a tiresome chore. Monday my friend Elle [L] drove me to the physical therapy clinic to sign up and do insurance paperwork. [I'm rather dreading this plan, when any small mis-move can still cause intense pain. We shall see!?] The clinic people seemed pretty nice, always a surprise here.
Afterward we treated ourselves to a quick trip to Trader Joe's for their annual August flower special, 9 Roses/// 3.99. From the Fearless Flyer their ad paper: ''Why Nine? Because 9 is the most roses we can get for you and still sell for less than four dollars! Sounds good to me!

I chose classic ''tea roses'' which is what we called creamy with pink ruffled edges roses when I was a little girl. I think that is incorrect nomenclature, but to me they are still oldfashioned and special. No, Mel, they have no scent, sorry.

I dug out my little ironstone jug with the pink buds.

TJ's had other fascinating things! Riced cauliflower! I love cauliflower. This version is chopped rather fine, like rice. I think I will do a fast stirfry w/ garlic, onions, herbs, a little broth---like a risotto? Many options on Pinterest I haven't been cooking much, so even that is a fun challenge.I also got fresh corn, but forgot tomatoes, too bad.

And look at these perfect jewel-like red raspberries. Had to have a box, plus a small bag of TJ's shortbread biscuits. I added a little sweetener and a dash of Grand Marnier, spooned the berries over the biscuits, with a dollop of Greek yogurt. ! Guilty pleasure.

I got Mo some of their brown rice and chicken chews and  fancy bullysticks too. Then we stopped in the village at the little drugstore. I needed Rxs and also notecards and letter paper to write to friends who keep in touch via snail mail. Hard to imagine people who are not online, but a letter in the mailbox is still so fun,I think. I've kind of lost my handwriting knack, but I still enjoy this funny old custom. Any of you still write letters?
Oh and I got Mo a little baby pool! The pharmacy is a little neighborhood shop, with beach toys, sunscreen, and sand chairs, not just a Rx filler. Locally owned, I like to shop there, give them my business, so they stay. The little pool is for the next heatwave on the deck, though so far this week it has been dry,breezy and cool-ish. [75*]. Probably Mo will hate it.

Speaking of mail, I also received this pretty envelope from Mel, you know her from her comments here on my blog.

She sent me more of the  very interesting text print because I wanted more to use on P2's lollipop flower blocks' backgrounds. Now I better get busy! 15 leaves and four stars this month, hmmmm...

Sneak peek of P2's large basket block. The roses on the sky blue just seemed perfect for my day of summer and roses. [yes, it's crooked.]

Of course all this excitement exhausted me. I enjoyed sitting down in the afternoon with a cold ice tea and some time poring through this gorgeous and inspiring book, a Christmas gift that has never gotten put away.

And last, more morning glories. The hot sun and salt air and wind mean their leaves are ugly and shrivelled but each morning at dawn the brave little flowers open for their brief and special moment of beauty.

love

lizzy 

gone to the beach....