BINGO words for today, Friday

Summer

Sunflower

Fire Works

Heidi, sorry you had that bad storm.

Ruth, you are doing great finding summer song lyrics. I haven't been thinking of any the past few days.

Jayeanne, I expected to mail your package this week, but it hasn't happened. I should be able to get it out Mon. or Tues. We had a problem with a part breaking on our upstairs A/C so two days now we've been tied up waiting to get it repaired. He came yesterday but had to order the part. Sure hope the technician comes back today with the part - it's what we expect, but we didn't get a time for when he might show up. It wasn't too bad without the A/C last night, but I like it warmer than my husband does so he may not have been comfortable.

Everyone have a good weekend!

Jeanne

Heidi, looks like a lot of clean up for your little town and particularly for you. Hope they have city crew to do the heavy work

Bingo words for Saturday

beach

thunder

Not a good combo for sure but both a sure part of my summers.

Starting today, bonus points will be offered for , Simple Summer Recipes.

What combos hit the spot with your family and are easy on the cook too?

Short and easy is the trick. Up to three points possible. speed. simplicity and taste. By this time of summer, I'm tired of most of my standard stuff.

Bean Salad

1 can beans, drained (I use organic black beans, black eyed peas, red kidney beans or pinto)

1 avocado chopped

1 small red onion chopped (about 1/2 cup)

1 tomato chopped

Seasoning to taste (I use garlic powder, salt and pepper)

Balsamic vinegar (I use Kirkland Signature Balsamic Vinegar)

Olive oil (I use Sola Stella Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

We love this combo. Sorry I don't measure anything. Just add to taste.

I think it would be good with corn or mango added but I can't eat corn and hubby wants me to make it just like this.

I haven't made this for quite awhile. Good to be reviewing some recipes!

Delightfully Orange Jello

You will need 2 packages or orange Jello. (3 oz. Each)

Ice Cubes

Mandarin Oranges (small can)

Cool Whip (small container)

Dissolve 1 pkg. Of Jello in ¾ cup of boiling water. Mix well. Add 1 cup of ice cubes and stir until Jello starts to thicken (2-3 min.) Removed unmelted ice. Drain the mandarin oranges and stir them into the Jello. You can then pour this into a 5 cup Jello mild if you wish. Chill. While it's chilling, dissolve the second box of Jello in ¾ cup of boiling water. Mix well. Add 1 cup of ice cubes and stir until Jello starts to thicken (2-3 min.) Removed unmelted ice. Fold in Cool Whip and pour into mold over fruited layer. Chill at least 1 hour. If you made this in a mold, invert the mold over a plate and serve it so the layers look great. (It can be made in a bowl, however, if you wish. I've also tried some other fruit combinations, but orange seems to be best.)

Ruth, I love bean salad but I have been buying is. I'm going to try yours. Thanks.

Jeannie I'm betting the boys at work would like that jello,I'm going to ask one of them to "help me make" that on Monday

ANY of you can VOTE on these recipes that we may post for this part of the games

Remember one point each for speed simplicity and taste.... send votes in messages. You can wait until Friday the 23rd to send votes so you have a chance to compare/try some recipes.......thanks ladies

Fried Zucchini

Cut zucchini into small slices (leave skin on)

Place slices in frying pan and add liquid Zesty Italian Dressing until about one fourth inch

Fry( ( like Potatoes) until the zucchini turns brown.

If you like it more zesty add some dried Zesty Italian Dressing to it as it fries.

Avocado cucumber salad

Dice avocado and cucumber and mix in a bowl. Avocado should be on the ripe side. Add 1 tablespoon of lime juice. Optionally, can add chopped dill. Also can throw in some halved cherry tomatoes if so desired.

Ruth, yours is going out tomorrow--God willin' and the creek don't rise! LOL Heidi

My summer simples:

1. Grilled bratwurst and corn on the cob (you can grill the corn or boil the corn).

2. Grilled potatoes: diced potatoes, green peppers, onion and a couple strips of bacon in foil. We take a pork or beef roast, slice it 1/2" thick and grill it as small steaks. Great combo.

3. Fried eggplant is a family favorite because it's seasonal. Wash, slice, dip in egg, then cracker, fry in skillet with minimal oil, flip, serve!

Thank you to Jayeanne for my card and seeds that arrived today. Lovely card and 2 kinds of coneflowers (which always winter sow well for me) and lavender. Your package from me was mailed today.

So hot and dry here. I dragged around the gardening hoses, but I take less and less pleasure in it everyday. Wish Mother Nature would give me some help! I hope everyone had a good weekend.

Heidi, I remember when my second daughter went away to college. it was so quiet around here. I hope your daughter has a wonderful year.

Good morning ladies.....now to try to catch up.

BINGO words for yesterday

Grilling and peaches

For today, words are

BLT and tomatoes..... well they sure go together.

life at the homeplace and work have both been chaotic. I'm supposed to have tomorrow off but I'm not counting on it.

Thanks for posting the recipes........... I'm needing suggestions for getting teens to "try" veggies. We are even growing tomatoes peppers and cukes at work so the kids get used to the idea but, so far, the only veggie they will eat is baby carrots swimming in ranch dressing. My kids grew up growing and eating veggies so it never was a problem.

This beauty came to bloom in my garden this week. lots of bids so I'm hopeful I'll have more.

Beautiful Heidi. I'm a big fan of sunflowers.

Here are BINGO words for today:

Zinnia

Picnic

Today is a "day off" but still busy. Dentist appt errands and trying to "catch up". Haaa do we ever catch up??? not me anyway

Pretty sunflower. Heidi I sent you a message to confirm your address. I have your package ready to mail.

Jeanne ... thanks so much for the cute handmade card, and the (3) packets of seeds from your gardens ... 'black eyed susan', 'queen annes lace' and the Christmas bell pepper seeds.

I have to apologize to the group.....I recently reactivated my account and forgot to turn on notifications and I totally forgot that I was participating in this swap :( Please, please forgive me and I messaged Suzanne since she is my swap partner to get her address, she doesn't need to send me anything, I will get you a package out tomorrow!! Again, I am so sorry I went MIA but I have turned my notifications on now and I will for sure be following everything. Thank you!

Hey all! I am checking in for the first time in almost a year! I can't believe it's been that long. I owe some of you an apology for going off grid and for not returning thanks and holiday cards. This last year really just got away from me quickly. As an update, I was about 3 months pregnant when I last left you all, and shortly there after we began preparing to sell our house in West Virginia. That was a HUGE process. Then, I had a beautiful baby boy in February. Unfortunately, it was not without complication and I nearly died in my effort to deliver him. My recovery after the emergency C-section took about 3 months. In June we moved to Sunny North Carolina and here again, unfortunately we have no actual yard to speak of. I have a small flower bed that I am able to plant in, but as most of you know my passion is for growing vegetables. I just started a new job in July which has been incredibly time consuming, and since my son doesn't get into daycare until September I have been juggling my job and watching him full-time which has left time for little else. I plan to start containers next year, but by the time i had everything set up here, I just didn't have it in me to get pots going for this season. I plan to stay active in the group moving forward, life just had other plans for me in the past calendar year. I hope you all can forgive my absence, and I hope you all are well. Thanks to all of you who periodically checked in and sent encouragement it was so nice to know you all hadn't forgotten me :)

Congratulations on the beautiful Baby and thanks for the update. Hope things continue to go smoothly for you and the family.

Life does get crazy at times and a baby takes a lot of time even when you are fully healthy.

Glad to have you back

Paula, welcome back to you too.

Heidi, mailed your package today.

Hi, looks like people have sent out and received package. I am supposed to be partner with Beth. Looks like we have 2 Beth's... Beth Brownberry and beth_b_kodiak. I sent a message to Beth_b_Kodiak asking for address. Perhaps I got it mixed up? Sorry for the confusion.

Ohhhhhh...February birthdays are the BEST! What a cutie! We know how life goes. Thanks for updating us!

Breanne, so good to hear from you and I'm so glad you got in touch with us. What a beautiful baby and a lovely family picture! So sorry for all you have been through but hopefully things are settling down.

Paula, glad you found us again.

I have to share this. Back in 2012 I got some Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriancus) seeds in one of our swaps. I actually have a few of them that survived, but they are only a foot or so tall, some even smaller - they have stayed in small containers all this time. They have not been well-cared for, I confess. I was out watering this evening and one of them is blooming for the first time. I looked back to see what kinds I had planted and I think this is Red Heart. I looked at some pictures online and it's beautiful! Anyway, it's now in a bigger container and getting better care. I wonder if the others are the same flower or something different? I always admire a plant that tries this hard to grow.

Jeanne, I have Red Heart and would post a picture except I'm having computer issues and none of my pictures will open. I've had mine a long time so it's pretty big now and was loaded with flowers this year after all the rain we had in spring.

Bingo words for today, Thursday Aug 22

roses

corn on the cob

Anyone else want to try a recipe?

Getting close on BINGO.....only 4 words left in the jar

today's word

sweaty

Ohhhh, that red heart rose of Sharon must be beautiful! I had a short, but firm, talk with a morning glory today. I said I expected some blooms. I told the morning glory is had great vining ability, but now I needed some flowers! Talking to flowers is a lot like talking to teenagers! LOL

hee hee Heidi, I do that kind of talking too. Beans are about the only thing doing good in my yard (not counting WEEDS!!!) for this year.

Speaking of WEEDs...... the BINGO word for today is WEEDS!!!!

Should be a winner

Bingo ! Can't beleive it, I started off slow getting matching words.

Congratulations on Bingo!

I also talk to my plants. Awhile ago I mentioned that I had forgotten to plant cucumbers and basil - I can't remember what month it was but I went ahead and planted them. Picked my first cucumber on Friday. It was so good! I see more beginning to grow out there so I've had a talk with them. I talk to my tomatoes a lot and sometimes not too kindly. Almost always pretty unproductive! I did replant with different tomatoes mid-season so my key to getting tomatoes may be fall weather.

Heidi, did you ever have luck with your african violets? My plant looks healthy but no signs of ever blooming again. I don't know what else I can try. I elevated it so it would get more light, give it plant food, am careful not to let it get too wet or too dry, use room temperature water and only water from the bottom. I even put it in a smaller pot because I read the roots like to be snug before it will bloom. What more can you do? I think some in the group have been successful with african violets. Hints appreciated.

I show BINGO as a three way tie. Check your cards.

Congratulations to Suzanne (so far)

Received a beautiful card and seeds from Heidi. Seeds are all from my want list, allium, bachelor buttons and rudbeckia. Heidi, thank you so much for sharing.

Beth, I won't be able to check my bingo words. Have been having PC problems with my NEW computer ever since we tried downloading stuff from my old one. Couldn't print or save my words, so they were lost when hubby did major updates to get rid of programs causing issues. Hopefully he has issues resolved.

Congratulations to hibiscusfan

African violets look so wonderful--but I can't grow them. I gave up. My mom was going to leave me in charge of her violets--but she got someone else while she was gone. I think she chose right! Heidi

I'm working out the points for games so we can wrap this swap up.

If you have either sent or received your seeds and NOT posted please let us know.

Also, IF you want to vote for one of the recipes I'll give you today and tomorrow to do that. I'll do final count Friday.

Heidi, I didn't get a tracking # but expected delivery date for your seeds was Monday. Please let me know if you don't receive and I can send again.

Thank you Ruth! I got the seeds today. I love the daylilies. I have a bird bath that needs something at the base. I know it will take a few years. Ruth sent Wild One, Clown Parade, Triple Cherries, and Mancatcher!!! Now that's a hot name for a hot trade! I love the Ruellia and Lantana. Excited to plant those. Plus Black Pearl Pepper. What a treat and I needed a pick me up today! Heidi

Winners for games:

BINGO was Suzanne

Old songs was Ruth.............. some super good choices and I enjoyed trying to hum almost all of the tunes

I am enjoying the summer simple recipes and have a definite favorite. Today is the last day to vote if you have a favorite too.

Heidi, sounds like a super fun package No bonus points to Ruth for sticking to "three" but I bet the extra surprises were "Worth IT"

I have been growing Black Pearl Peppers as ornamentals for a couple years. Never tasted them but a man was selling plants at the farmers market and he says they are "Super Hot". If you try them, let us know

I sent my package out to Paula. She should have received it by now. Paula if you have postage due on my card or haven't received it let me know.,

Heidi, good luck with the daylily seeds. Mine didn't germinate last year but I'm going to try again this year. I've read it is possible to get flowers the next year if you plant early enough.

Jeanne, here's a few pictures of my Red Heart hibiscus.

Final post for games... The winner for recipes is the suggestion from Suzanne (Hibiscus fan) for the fried Zucchini. Frying in salad dressing is a super good idea and the taste was great. That makes Suzanne a double winner.

I'll be mailing this first week of Sept

Congratulations to the winners!

Ruth, thanks for posting the pictures. Yes, that's what my flowers look like!

Everyone who is in the path, stay safe as Dorian makes its way through. It may impact us and maybe not. We'll see.

Received my card from Paula and it made my day!!!! Thanks Paula for fulfilling some of my most wanted seeds.

Prizes mailed and should arrive on Monday.... if not, I'll send the DC #s

Beth, thank you so much for the Coreopsis Permathread Butter Rum. I haven't grown coreopsis in years and kept thinking I need to get some. I'm looking forward to growing it again and that looks like a beauty.

And thank you for a fun month of swapping.

Oh, and I received more allium seeds from Heidi that she had just ordered. How sweet is that. Thank you so much Heidi for filling so many wants on my seed list.

I receive seeds from Sara. Thanks for swapping. Hope yours arrived OK too