I like Thursdays: July 9, 2026

 

Hello and welcome to "I like Thursdays" hosted by LeeAnna at Not Afraid of Color!

After the heatwave, we finally had some good rain.  We were lucky during the storms.  We didn't have much damage but some areas in our valley had to declare a state of emergency.  

During the rain storm, I spent some time in the kitchen!

I like my new stove/oven.  Ours died back in May and the new one came in about 2 weeks.  This week I baked spinach pie and a peach crisp.  My husband loved both!

The spinach pie recipe is here.  After I make it, I freeze a bunch of slices because it nicely heats up later! 

 

                                  

Speaking of food, Lana's prompt this week is:  "How do you make potato salad?  What do you put in it?"

BACON!!!  

Our family doesn't have a specific recipe.  I have no idea where it orignated.  A lot of Pennsylvania Dutch use a warm sweet/sour bacon dressing on their potato salad.  It's the only way my one neighbor likes it.  

We don't use the sweet sour dressing.  My trick is that I finish boiling the potatoes, drain, and place in a big bowl.  You place the warm crumbled bacon on top of the potatoes and put a towel on top of the bowl.  The steam from the potato softens the bacon a little.  Cool and add mayo, celery, onion, hard boiled egg.  I season ours with paprika, pepper and celery seed.  That's it.  It's the thing my family and friends request the most from me.  Yes, lots of boys who want their bacon.

I can't wait to hear about the other bloggers potato salad.  How about your recipe?

Have a safe and happy day!

I Like Thursdays: July 2, 2024

 

Hi and welcome to another edition of "I like Thursdays!"  Today we celebrate all that is good in our world and fill the internet with positive energy.  Visit LeeAnna our hostess for more posts!

This week's likes:  

A nice trip to the fabric store with my husband.  I don't go fabric shopping much and to be honest, I didn't really need anything.  BUT, we needed to put on a certain amount of miles before our mechanic could click off our "check engine" light.  So we went to the fabric store.  Afterwards we went out to lunch and it was so nice to just have a get away!

Like most of you, we are dealing with a heatwave (this morning is particularly brutal as the humidity is already 87 %).  Yesterday we had a mid-afternoon rain shower and it was really nice to get some extra water in the garden.  

I like rainbows and rarely get to see them.  But on Sunday we had one after a brief rain and it was lovely to see!

Lucky is a wonderful dog and so many people love him.  He never stays home alone because my mother or brother insist he visits while we go away.  This kind of heat is tough on the dogs.  Yesterday my brother picked him up and took him to the pet store for a while.  It was a great activity for him and Uncle Jim let him pick out a toy!  He's ready for shark week!

LeeAnna's prompt this week is to recall a memorable July 4th celebration.  My Dad's family used to have the family reunion on July 4th.  It was my Pop-Pop's birthday and also his and Nana's anniversary.  We used to meet at Willow Park in Bethlehem, PA.  We'd have a picnic in the pavilion and then the kids were set loose in the park (we could do that back then).

The park closed in 1969.  I still think about that park!

We are doing absolutely nothing on the Fourth this year.  The vote is that the family does not want to do anything.  I'm relieved.  I'll still be caring for Mom that day but other than that, we will be just hanging out in the airconditioning.

Wishing you a safe and happy weekend!

I like Thursdays: June 25, 2026

 

Hello and welcome to "I like Thursdays" sponsored by LeeAnna at Not Afraid of Color!

This week I'm celebrating that we had some rain Monday and Tuesday.  We are still in drought but it was so wonderful to have a day of rain!  And our garden loved it too!

***

I finished my challenge quilt top on Wednesday.  It took 2 months to complete...not because it's not complex or difficult but I sometimes only have an hour or two a week to work on it.  At least it is done and ready to be machine quilted!

***

Lucky is on his third Lambchop.

😂😂😂😂

The first one is an empty carcass.  The second one (back left) is half empty and Lucky spends his evenings pulling fluff out of it.  The third one is aside of him and he sleeps on that one.

We had to hide a ball he was playing with because he was driving me crazy.  He literally would throw it under furniture so I would have to crawl under to fish it out.

***

Lana's prompt is did we go to the beach as children.  We didn't we used the neighborhood pool.  When I was at one Girl Scout camp, we did swim in a lake.  

The thing that my brother and I remember most about going to the pool is the music.  The pool played the radio over the intercom.  We will be driving along listening to the 1960s station and a song will come on and we will say in unison, "pool song."  😊

***

Have a safe and happy weekend!

I like Thursdays

 

What makes you happy this week?

It's "I like Thursdays" and time to share what is pleasing and positive!  For more happy posts, visit our hostess, LeeAnna at Not Afraid of Color.

What do I like this week?  

My garden is full of them now.  Lucky isn't sure about them. 😄

Lucky has a spa day on Sunday (he's a bit stinky at this point).  He's my only dog who loved going to the groomer!

My sewing machine is back from it's annual check-up and it's just in time!  National Sewing Machine Day is Saturday, June 13!

Weekly episodes of season 4 of "Beyond Paradise" has started on Britbox!

This week's prompt is would you rather be swinging in a hammock or digging in your garden?  Garden digging is more my style.  I don't particularly like hammocks although I do enjoy our swing.  As long as it's not too humid, I love being outside!  How about you!

Wishing you a safe and happy weekend!

I Like Thursdays: June 4, 2026

 

Greetings and welcome to another edition of "I like Thursdays" hosted by LeeAnna of Not Afraid of Color!  Visit her blog to find more positive posts by bloggers!

I like the Phillies.  I loved watching last night as Christopher Sanchez as he completed 50 2/3 consecutive SCORELESS innings!  Last night was such a special night and I am glad I was home to see the whole game!  Do you have a favorite team?

Lucky has gutted his second Lambchop.  These are 24 inch long toys but they are his favorite.  He's enjoying pulling the fuzz out every evening and I let him because it means I can watch the game in peace.  This is his second Lambchop he gutted but it's also his favorite toy and often his sleeping companion.  

I just ordered two more.  One for play now and one for later (they are on sale at Amazon right now).  

I like that I finished enough weeding of the front yard that it can be mulched now.  Andy will do it next week once his school teaching is finished.  Hopefully we get rain before then!

I like Finches and we have a lot visiting right now because the catmint has seeded and the finches love it.  And just as I wrote that a finch appeared outside my window!!

Today's prompt is what is our favorite insect and why?  

I love ladybugs and fireflies.  Both are beneficial in the garden but also harken back to favorite times at my grandmother's. 

Kathy (my sister-aunt) decorated her room with ladybug motifs for years.  The decor wasn't like now (ladybug wallpaper, quilts, etc.).  She just had ladybug accessories scattered around her room. 

Memorial Day weekend I spotted the first firefly in the garden.  The fireflies love my gardens and it makes me happy that they visit so often.  As kids we sometimes caught them but my Grandfather always made us free them after we watched them.  Maybe he knew they were good bugs in the garden?  I don't really know.

Well I have to walk Lucky and get on with the day.  I need to do some gardening before I head to the hand doctor.  

Have a safe and happy weekend!

I Like Thursdays: May 28, 2026

 

Greetings and welcome to another "I like Thursday"!  This day is sponsored by Lana at Not Afraid of Color and focuses on positive things in our world.  Yes, you can read more similar posts by visiting Lana's website!

I like taking walks!

We had a lot of rain lately but we appear to be in a break for a little bit.  It's just nice to walk Lucky before the days become humid.  The best walks are always early in the morning.  I just love to watch the world wake up!

I love spending time with my nieces!  My niece and great-niece visited over the holiday and it was wonderful.  Little Remi just turned 4 and we had a blast with her.  She had a good time with Lucky and referred to him as "Buddy".  

On Monday night, were were playing in my mother's sunroom and Remi kept asking me,"what's that?"  It took me a while to figure out that she was referring to a landline phone hanging on the wall.  This became the hit of the weekend.  Monday night she had to use the phone to call all of her relatives.  Tuesday she was calling Jim and I from the next room.  It was hilarious!

She thought she had to talk on the phone on speakerphone like a walkie talkie. 😂

The prompt this week focuses on hair emergencies...especially when it came to perms or dye jobs.  I had one perm which was stupid because my hair is naturally curly.  Fortunately, it didn't take because the initial perm made my hair similar to Roseann Roseannadanna 😂

Well I'm off to walk Lucky.  Have a safe and happy day!

Memorial Day: 2026

 

 

Hi there!

Well it's "I like Thursdays" again and time to celebrate all the good we can find.   Be sure to check out other happy posts by visiting out hostess, LeeAnna at Not Afraid of Color!

This week's like include working in the garden and planting all my tomatoes!

I like early morning walks with my dog and much longer days!

I like the one good thing about heatwaves:  not  expected to cook!

Lana's prompt this week is did we were plastic sandals or even socks with out sandals.  

Nope.  I mainly wore sneakers or went barefoot.  Occasionally I wore flip-flops to the pool.  I don't remember having any kind of sandal when I was a kid.  Do you?

Lastly, have a safe and happy Memorial Day holiday!

I Like Thursdays: May 7, 2026

 

Greetings and welcome to another edition of "I like Thursdays"!  Be sure to check out other participating bloggers by visiting our hostess LeeAnna!

It's been raining and that is always a good thing since we are still in moderate drought.  The nice part that I like is that it ceases in the evening so we were able to watch the baseball game.

Speaking of baseball, I like that our Phillies are playing better.  It was tough hearing that our GM had been fired but I guess it did something to the team.  To be honest, our team usually has a rusty start in the begining of the season--but we were at the point of absymal.  It's nice to see people playing well again!

We found out this week we once again have baby bunnies in our back yard.  It was Lucky who discovered them.  I held my breath because I don't want him to catch any and hurt them.  Fortunately, Lucky is not a very good hunter.  The animal will go one way and for whatever reason he goes a different way.  He does this at my Mom's as well when there is a cat in the backyard.  This tickles my brother to no end.  😂😂

This week's prompt is "did you ever wear gogo boots? Platform shoes? earth shoes?"  Yes.  But my priority has always been on comfort rather than fashion.   I had the gogo boots but they felt restricting.  I had the platform shoes as well and didn't like them either.  I probably would have loved earth shoes but I couldn't afford them.

It looks like a good weekend and I'm hoping to garden as soon as things dry out.  What are you doing?

Have a safe and happy weekend!

I Like Thursdays: April 30, 2026

 

Hello everyone and welcome to "I like Thursdays" sponsored by LeeAnna at Not Afraid of Color.

Things I like this week include rain.  We've been getting showers and although it hasn't removed us from the drought zone, at least we are now considered to be in a "Moderate Drought" region.

I'm beginning to feel better after a spell of cold/flu that I caught from my brother.  My brother has been picking up Lucky in the morning and keeping him until about 3 or so.  I actually got some really good naps in during this spell.  It's been a beneficial time for all of us.  Thanks Jim!

It tickles me that the younger generations have discovered the allure of old and vintage items for the house.  Decades ago, I called my decor "Early American Nana" because so much of my decor came from my grandmothers.  Now the fad is "Cottage Core" and "Grandma Core".  There's also "Dark Academia" and "Light Academia" decor...we used to refer to that as Georgian, Victorian, or Edwardian decor.  I don't care what words that the kids use to define their home furnishings.  I'm just glad they are investing in real wood aka vintage or antique furniture.  The truth is that most of the older furnishings don't go out of style.  They are timeless.  

Love this quote:

Today's prompt is:

"Do you do spring cleaning ? All over or just clear out the yard of

debris for example, just do a thorough dust collection, or purging of clothing no longer wanted?"  

Yes.  The emphasis is on the garden.  I just cleaned and cleared out my sewing room last weekend because it was raining.  But my main focus is the garden.  I pace myself so that I don't ruin my body but it is progressing slowly but surely.

How about you?  Are you doing the same?

Have a safe and happy weekend!

"I Like Thursdays" April 23, 2026

 

 

April showers bring May flowers!

Welcome to another edition of "I like Thursdays" hosted by LeeAnna at Not Afraid of Color!

Well we had some much needed rain fall down here lately and we are grateful!  Unfortunately our temps also crashed and a lot of my spring flowers couldn't withstand temps in the 20s F.

Still I was grateful because I couldn't garden as I was helping sick folks in my family anyway.  I'm hoping things calm down.  My husband is going on a fishing trip next week and I'd like to spend most of that time sewing and gardening.  

Right now whenever I can sneak up to the sewing room, I spend the time cutting fabric for the next project.  It feels good to accomplish anything.

We aren't happy with our Phillies right now but in hockey, our Flyers are doing well in the play-offs (*knock wood*).

Our prompt this week is about telephones.  I have to have it with me because of caregiving but I don't like it.  I especially don't like the spam calls or emails which are frequent.  So many of these refer to me as "Barbara", "Helen", or "Brad".    

I can't use the phone as a computer because it is too small.  It's for phone calls and texts.  That's it.

What are your feelings about phones?

I like Thursdays: April 16, 2026

 

Hello and welcome to "I like Thursdays" sponsored by Leeanna at Not Afraid of Color!

This week we have continued our spring rollercoaster of temps!  It was warm enough for me to get some good gardening in.  Today won't be one of those days--it's going up to the 90s and I'm taking  my brother for a procedure today.  And now I just read it will be going down to 39 degrees on Sunday evening...well at least it is not freezing!

It feels wonderful to be in the garden again.  I already have 3 garbage cans full of weeds.  I'm hoping that 5 more days in the front yard will be enough. I'd really like to get mulch down as soon as the weeds are gone.

I like my stubborn little tulip!  A few weeks ago it had been eaten all the way to the ground.  Maybe a rabbit?  Maybe a deer?  I didn't expect much from it this year but it has come back with a small flower (the top of which had been nibbled on) and greeted me today.  I love resilience!

Today's prompt is about our daily routines.  Most of mine revolve around the dog and caregiving.  I tend to get up early and check email and drink coffee in peace each morning.  Lucky's not a big morning person and doesn't really stir until he hears me in the shower.  With the heat, our summer routine is kicked in--early morning walks at the park.  My husband walks him at dusk.  It seems to work for us.  I will say if I don't get that first SOLO cup of coffee, I'm not a nice person.  My husband gets it and we don't even say "good morning" until the dog is up.  Are you this way about your first cup of coffee/tea?

Wishing you a safe and happy weekend!