Green Thumb

This might be a boring posting but I am excited. All the females in my family, mom & my sisters love gardening. I, on the other hand, loved getting floral deliveries and always thought that I made it big if I could have fresh flowers on my desk every week. That didn't happen but I would have fresh flowers whenever I could.

When we all would get together, the ladies would start chatting it up about the plant life at whoever's house we were at. Snooze!! This is about the time I would start eating the appetizers.

But the weird thing was I would find that I could name flowers on sight. I was with Evelyn and Daniel in Tuscany and I would rattle off the kind of flower we would see. I had no idea how I could do that!

So it has been with great surprise and admittedly, awe & wonder at the plants I have been growing this season at the house upstate. I started with a small pot of impatiens. When I replanted it and it seemed so scrawny in the the bigger pot, I thought about getting more but that thought was fleeting. Turned out, thank goodness I left it alone.


May 31,2010

June 30, 2010

July 7,2010

July 26, 2010

Then Kathy told me Walmart had pansies on sale - and I picked up 6 little pots and replanted them in a rectangle planter.


Beginnings

Middle

Present Day

With all this amazing magic of nature going on - and hearing about Kathy picking up packets of flower seeds from Dollar Tree for 25 cents each, I figured what the heck. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. OH BOY!


Dumped a packet of Bachelor's Button in a pot

Growing

Growing more

First flower

Many more!


Another pot, a pack of Zinnias and Marigolds

Getting full

A Zinnia bud

Full bloom!

I still won't consider myself a gardner and won't start landscaping my space...but I have loved seeing the progress and the beauty. Oh and the most fascinating thing was seeing my first hummingbird flitting around the bountiful impatiens.

Chocked Full

Winnie's birthday was in June but the Sister's Birthday Club met up on July 16th for a full day of celebratin'! We met up at 9:30am. Since we all joined Tanger's Club, one of the perks is a $10 birthday gift card sent prior to your birthday and so Winnie wanted to go to Tangers where we could shop and catch a movie. Both Winnie & Connie used their $10 gift cards at Le Gourmet Chef. I picked up sandals at Nine West, my favorite store...buy 2 pairs of sandals and get 30% off.

And it's weird how Winnie & I dressed alike when it's not planned!



For the movie, we saw Sorcerer's Apprentice which we all enjoyed. We returned back to Queens for sushi and I surprised Winnie with a little chocolate birthday cake. I hope her wish comes true. :-)






After driving the girls back to Chinatown and Brooklyn, I picked up Nikki in the city and went to Long Island City to attend an A&D alumni's (Shari) art show. It was held at a cute cafe and fun to see her work. Afterwards, we crossed the street to a Thai restaurant named Tuk Tuk for a late dinner. We shared an appetizer of dumpling "purses" filled with chicken and shrimp. And also shared a chicken Pad Thai and Crispy Duck Tamarind. I drove back to the city to drop off Nikki and didn't walk in my door until 11:15pm! Hey...not bad for someone 50+! LOL


Some of Shari's artwork

Me, Maria, Shari & Nikki

Dumplings shared (there were 6!)

The Family - 4th of July 2010

Having almost everyone upstate for 4th of July (Kris couldn't make it this year) - we also wanted to celebrate Xavier & Mark's birthdays.(June 24 & 27th respectively.) Xavier turned 15...Mark..older. :-)


Here comes the cake!


Make a wish!


The birthday boys


Leong-Hussey Family


Lupe on guard


This year's family portrait

The Food - 4th of July 2010

After much questioning of who would show up when....everyone with the exception of Kris was in house on Saturday - for our 4th of July celebration.


Kathy's most creamy and luscious cornbread souffle


My creation: Israeli couscous, fresh corn off the cob, dried cranberries, red onion & slivered almonds




Clockwise starting upper left: Potato/Egg salad with scallions, cornbread souffle, Kathy's famous "falling off the bone" ribs, Israeli couscous, potato/egg salad without scallions and my famous Adobo Lime Chicken with sauce on the side


Ghiradelli Chocolate Birthday cake for Xavier & Mark

Kathy also made rice krispie treats and an oh-so-good Double Coconut Cream Pie that I forgot to photograph but enjoyed immensely!!

@ The McKennas

Way back in January, Ronna invited me to see the James Taylor/Carole King concert at the Verizon Center beginning of June. I RSVP "YES!!" but as the date came closer, she found out that Mark was able to obtain the luxury suite for an additional date added on the end of June and it would be "free" and catered. No brainer. (she tried to sell her $300 worth of tickets but no-go :-( )

I booked Jet Blue flights to stay 5 days and hoped that would appeased Ronna's passion of always feeling I am not visiting long enough. I arrived Tuesday morning and the concert was Wednesday night. The kids were attending a rock climbing camp for the week. Ronna and I had a lot of quality time together. When she picked me up at the airport, their newest member came along and 4 month old Luna is no doubt, the star of the household these days.


The pretty "Baby"

Just prior to my arrival, Mark was also able to obtain his company's season tickets to the National's game. (I do so love corporate perks) and although there were only 4 tickets available, he was able to purchase the cheapest seat at the ball park. (Unlike the Yankees where it's almost always sold out, not a problem with the National's and then was able to sit with us because there were plenty of empty seats around us). They were fantastic field seats behind first base. But omigosh, it was HOT and muggy and in minutes, our hair was plastered to our foreheads. We ate hot dogs, nachos and chicken tenders bought at the stadium. At the bottom of the 4th inning as the Nats were loading the bases and leading 4-1, the sky opened up and a torrential rain poured down on the field. The delay of the game lasted only 30 minutes so it wasn't bad and the rain did cool things off quite a bit. The Nats won that night.


Derek with the "Presidents"

View from our seats

Kids being silly

The concert was phenomenal! The kids were with a sitter since the suite was being used as a corporate event. The catering was abundant and delicious. Mark had made those arrangements and we had shrimp cocktail, a veggie crudities platter, fruit platter, grilled asparagus, Caesar salad, crab cakes, chicken fajitas wraps, buffalo chicken wings, crispy chicken nuggets and mozzarella, tomato and basil Paninis. An open bar and variety of soft drinks rounded out the menu. James Taylor and Carole King sang beautifully and it was just a joy. Ronna and I belted out "You've Got A Friend" along with Carole arm in arm and we got very emotional.




The Arena


James & Carole

Thursday was the last day of the camp indoors. After learning all the basics and responsibilities of rock climbing and doing the climbs on the man-made rocks...they end with an outdoor climb at Great Fall National Park. So on Thursday the kids received awards. Along with Derek and Izzy was Derek's best bud, Zach who was born the same month and live down the street. Their experience at the park on Friday was fantastic and although there were moments of apprehension, they all made it through with flying colors and couldn't wait to do it again. But it was no doubt...a lot of work and exhausting.


Izzy with one of her awards

Derek

Zach


Luna sits on Izzy


EXHAUSTED!!

I had a great week with the McKennas who always are the consummate hosts and feed me way too much but I love them to pieces including the "baby". :-)


Luna smiles for her close-up