Snails and Beer

We usually have a lot of snails that like to eat the vegetables we plant in the garden.  A friend told us she had heard of two ways to keep them away.  First method was to put crushed eggshells around each plant since the snails would not walk over them.  Next was to bury small containers level with the soil and put beer in them.  Supposedly the snails would crawl into the beer.

So we tried it!

And Guess What!..............It worked and has still worked as the vegetables have gotten larger!

Here is a photo of the first snail Jerry caught in the beer.  However, yesterday he caught 10!!!!  They must like the inexpensive beer we get at Trader Joe's!

Our garden is growing.....

Two Little Sheep

Jerry and I wanted to add two sheep to the Nativity Scene that we made last year with Corey, Henry and our neighbor's daughter Lily.  We drew the figures of Joseph, Mary, the manger and Baby Jesus on pieces of wood.  Jerry cut them out.  We all then painted them and put them in our front yard last December.  We did purchase the lighted star at Lowe's Home Improvement here in San Clemente.

However, we really missed Evie and Canaan helping us.  They had not arrived from England yet.  We knew their visit at Christmas would go by very fast.  So we decided that when they came during the summer we would add two sheep.

Jerry cut the sheep out.  He outlined them and Evie, Canaan, Corey and Henry all got to paint them together.

Here is the picture that he found online to use as a guide.  He drew it using squares to make it larger.

Then he cut the two sheep out of wood and drew on the faces.

Before the children painted them, Jerry used a Sharpie Pen to outline the details so after they were painted he could see the details and outline them again.

 

After the sheep were painted white, they used a light brown for the faces and then traced the details with a Sharpie Pen.  The feet, eyes, nose and mouth were painted with black acrylic.   After the paint dried, Jerry sprayed them with a clear matte finish.

 Oh....they are so cute!!!!!!!!

 

They are going to look so nice when added to the Nativity Scene.

Olympics Opening Ceremony Dinner

My friend came over to watch the Olympic Opening Ceremonies last night.  I was thinking about what to make for dinner and "taco salad" came into my mind.  I haven't made taco salad in a very long time.  I found a recipe on food.com that used most of the same ingredients I remembered having used and was so excited to make it.  I used less that 1/4 of the package of taco seasoning so the meat would not be very spicy and used Italian Dressing instead of Catalina. .......side dishes to add to salad were chopped avacados and black olives. 

I made iced green tea and added the U.S. and British Flags to the table "decor"....

 

The salad was delicious and we had a lovely evening.....

P.S.  Dessert was a trip to Velvet Yogurt  (the best frozen yogurt in San Clemente)  to bring some delicious frozen yogurt home to eat later:):)

Sharing an evening with a friend is a precious time.

Pink Succulent Flowers - Photo of the Week

 

I had been enjoying looking at these succulent flowers when walking back and forth into our home.  Hope you enjoy them!

Another picture of the plant below.

Endless Summer Photos - 52 Week Photo Project

Wow......time has flown.....I am really behind in my commitment to taking a photo a week and posting it.  I need 18 to catch up!!! I am going to post a few and hopefully be caught up by the end of the week.  The theme for these photos is our Endless Summer.  It was such a fun summer with Jessica (aka SunnyStitching), her husband Chris and her children Evie and Canaan who live in England.  Evie and Canaan got to spend a lot of time with their cousins Henry and Corey who live locally here in San Clemente.  It was Fun, Fun and more fun!

 Cinderella (Evie) and her Knights in Shining Armor (Henry on left and Canaan on right)

 Another cute photo of the Knights and Cinderella.

 Of course, we had to have a snail race.  (Easy ... Catch snails, wet down the concrete, draw the circle and watch them go!!!!  Of course it is more fun if you root for them!

 A concert by the Talented Three....Canaan on the drum pan; Henry on the tamborine; Evie on the harmonica.  (Can you tell she loved the cinderella dress....also, take a look at the post for Canaan's jubliee trousers made by Jessica on her Sunnystitching blog)

 Canaan decided on his own to read a book he found in my bedroom!...So cute.

 Annual visit to Sawdust Festival in Laguna Beach for the kids to make a ceramic...Corey is above.

 Henry is making his pot with the instructor.  The kids actually get to help make it while the wheel is going.

 Canaan is paying close attention to his instructor.

 Evie loves her pot she is making this year.

 Canaan is painting a sunset picture at another booth at the Sawdust Festival.

 Henry is also painting his sunset picture.

 Evie is finishing her sunset picture.

 Jessica and I made name surfboards for each child (also our neighbor Lily) and also garden Surf's Up signs. 

 Brandy is dressed up to be a Fairy Princess Dog.

 The Knights and Queen are going to check out the "castle".

Queen Corey makes an regal appearance.

Thank you and hope you had "Fun" enjoying these Endless Summer photos.