Daybook: Monday June 26/17

Outside my window.....it is a somewhat sunny day with a few cloudy breaks after a night of rain. The temperature is comfortable, which means a little on the cool side.

I am thinking.....if I don't write this post now, it may not get written today.

I am thankful for.....living in Canada. It will be our country's 150th birthday on the first of July and preparations are being made for the weekend. Although I like traveling to other places, I love this country.

From the kitchen.....I baked a strawberry cake from Nathalie's blog here, some more oatmeal cranberry muffins from this website, and I washed and hulled more strawberries from the garden. I made the cake for my son and his GF coming for dinner on Saturday, along with more fresh strawberries and whipped cream. The cake itself is a stand alone success. It doesn't need anything else with it because it is so moist and delicious; but I had the extra berries that I didn't need for the recipe, so I decided to make it a strawberry, strawberry short cake. *laugh*. The muffins were a repeat recipe from the weekend before, because I loved them also. It requires a cup of yoghurt mixed with a cup of oatmeal, so I used my homemade yoghurt with this recipe, and the muffins come out so moist and yummy.

I am wearing.....some "working out in the garden clothes", which include denim capris and a yellow T-shirt with a picture of a loon on it.

I am creating.....some all-occasion cards for a friend. She wants to buy some from me as a gift for someone she knows from her Church. I'm not sure how many she has in mind, but you know me; I will use up whatever I don't sell. I like to keep enough cards in my stash. I have 8 birthdays in July alone that need cards made for. As well, my friends birthday is on July 1st (Canada Day), and I have been gifting her with homemade cards each year as well.

I am going.....outside for at least an hour each day to pull some weeds and/or mow some of the lawn. All the rain we have been getting is really making stuff grow.

I am hoping.....I can stay on top of things as far as the yard is concerned.

I am hearing.....car traffic and some birds, especially some very noisy seagulls. 

Around the house.....I managed to get 2 loads of  laundry washed and hung on the line to dry yesterday.

One of my favourite things.....is getting all kinds of phone calls early Sunday morning from friends and family who are checking up on me.   They get news from my blog, but it is nice to hear what they have been up to.

A few plans for the rest of the week.....include an eye examination on Wednesday,  dinner at my son's and GF's on Friday to celebrate another birthday, and Canada Day celebrations on Saturday which we always celebrate on Amherst Island, as it is also my friend's birthday. We "girls" enjoy a pot luck supper, watch the parade, partake of the strawberry social, and settle in for an evening of fireworks before we return by ferry to the mainland. Usually on the boat trip back, we can see the fireworks displays from other towns and cities along the shoreline (Kinston, Bath and Napanee) On Sunday, I will be attending a BBQ and potluck for another friend who is turning 75. It is going to be a busy end of the week.

Here's a picture I am sharing.....of some of the all-occasion cards I have been making this past week-end.

I used the "smooshing" technique on the last three cards, where I applied inks and water to a piece of acetate and "smooshed" a piece of water colour paper into the solution to make a background.