Out and About - July

♫Here, There and Everywhere♫

July has been more About than Out except we did go visit our grand- daughter a couple times to babysit. . . .

Monet's Giverny Garden

 ♫Sur le fil♫

I've been immersing myself in Monet's garden in Giverny this month. . . .

Irises in Monet's Garden

The Best Blueberry Muffins

We went blueberry picking last week.  I discovered Frog Eye Blueberry Farm for the first time last summer when I was looking for an All-American activity for our French exchange student who was spending three weeks with us.  When we got home I looked through my recipe book and found The Best Blueberry Muffins recipe in a little Muffins cookbook by Elizabeth Alston.  They really ARE the best blueberry muffins I've ever tasted, so I thought the recipe was worth sharing with you.

♫Music to Drive By♫

First, you must get in your car and drive to Frog Eye Blueberry Farm.  You will come upon a little hamlet called Burkittsville. . . .

Thunderstorm Safety

Hello everyone!  Because of all the thunderstorms we've been having lately I decided to republish my post from last year on lightning safety....

All's quiet now but two hours ago this is what it looked like from my front window....

....and from my front porch....

View Outside My Kitchen Window - July

♫I'll Be Seeing You♫

Summer is officially here.  The two H's--heat and humidity--have descended upon and enveloped our area.  It's the time of year I hide in the air conditioning.  This is why I prefer winter.  If I'm going to stay indoors, I'd rather it not look so pretty outside!  I look out my window and want to be out there, until I open the door and feel I'm about to walk, fully clothed, into a steam bath.

We did not always have central air in this house.  The first six summers we had to rely on the whole-house attic fan. I'd close up the house and open the basement door to draw up the basement's cooler air.  But that never really helped with the humidity.  I am SO grateful for my A/C!!

Here's the view outside my kitchen window right after an afternoon thunderstorm this week (hence, the steam bath). . . .