My Daily Travels

I was awakened by the crack of thunder around 2:00 a.m., and although it startled me at first, I happily went back to sleep with the knowledge that the rain would help cleanse the hazy, smoke-filled air from the wildfires. The rain is predicted to last throughout the day, and I am fine with that.... Sign in to see full entry.

Today, the Pittsburgh area is currently experiencing a Code Purple. The ethereal haze from the wildfires has veiled the sun and is currently so thick you couldn't cut it with a knife if you tried. It has affected my allergies so badly that I am feeling under the weather today. I woke up coughing and... Sign in to see full entry.

John was busy replacing our gutters yesterday while I weeded our flower beds, and I helped out by handing him things from the ground so he didn't have to climb up and down the ladder. Our outdoor thermometer reached 100 degrees yesterday, so I had some extra sweaty work clothes and towels to add to... Sign in to see full entry.

When coming up with day-to-day meal ideas, I often turn to meal requests from John, the Food Network, seasonal meals, or whatever I may be craving that day. Today, I received a suggestion for hot dogs from the Farmer's Almanac delivered to my inbox via a huge ad in their online flyer for National... Sign in to see full entry.

Weekdays in my area usually involve traffic congestion. For this reason, I prefer driving the backroads through the pretty wooded areas on my way to my destination. It's Tuesday, so John and I are heading out this afternoon for dinner at the Pig and Fire House of Barbecue in Washington,... Sign in to see full entry.

Our visiting deer wiped out our Tiger Lilies a few weeks ago. I'm crossing my fingers that they don't do the same to these Stargazer Lilies, by far one of our prettiest flowers. 🌺 Sign in to see full entry.

John has been asking me to make loaded baked potatoes for the past few weeks. After checking the produce section at my Giant Eagle, I located Idaho baking potatoes on sale, so I grabbed three. It's a hot day, so instead of baking them in the oven, I'm going to pop the plastic-wrapped, sealed... Sign in to see full entry.

Once it aired on television in 1974, I never missed an episode of Little House on the Prairie. I was an immediate fan of the Ingalls family, especially Laura, who always found her way in doing the right thing while learning lessons along the way in her small town of Walnut Grove, Minnesota. And now... Sign in to see full entry.

Walking out to the yard this morning to feed the wildlife, I immediately spotted my larger-than-life Dinner Plate Hibiscus. Her color is so gorgeous, making it hard to believe that something so beautiful will be dead by tomorrow. Her huge blooms are spent after one day of showing off enormous,... Sign in to see full entry.

I never know what I might see when I walk out to the feeders in the morning and afternoon. This guy seems to have forgotten that he is a squirrel and not a bird. They are ornery little devils with a big appetite. They know where the grub is and how to get to it. Sign in to see full entry.