Five Things for Friday

It looks like we're staring another weekend in the face!  Yay!  Welcome to Friday!

Let's start this post with our featured flower of the week.  How can you live in the rainy Northwest and NOT have a rhododendron in your garden?  I used to hate rhododendrons because everyone had one or two or more.  They were huge plants that people lined up against their house's foundations so they blocked the windows on the house. Then I visited Mexico and Hawaii and I realized everyone didn't have them, at least they didn't have them as big and showy as the ones I grew up with.  It was then that I grew to appreciate them and planted a couple in my garden (not in front of a window, however!).

Speaking of garden, yes we made it to the Plant Sale last weekend!  As I mentioned last week, I had already planted my fill for the year.  That didn't stop me from sneaking in one more plant; a zucchini of course.  Just like with the rhododendron, every NW vegetable garden needs a zucchini!

Naturally, I took my camera and shot a few photos.  As I was doing so, one of the event coordinators asked if I would share my photos with them.  Apparently, their volunteer photographer didn't show and they desperately wanted to add this year's photos to their website.  I was happy to oblige and have since emailed off my first volunteer-non-paying-staff photos!

About 4 years ago my parents moved into a condo building not far from my house.  In the basement of their building people put things they no longer want.  You can pick up some really good stuff there, free of course.  It's kind of funny as multiple times my mom has been visiting friends in the building and will see something in their house that she had placed in the basement.  Basically, the people in the building swap things around among themselves a lot.

Anyway, several weeks ago my mom brought over these stepping stone molds that were in the basement.

Of course I used them!  I actually didn't think I was going to get more than one use out of them, however, I sprayed the mold with a little Pam Cooking Spray before I poured the concrete in them and once they had dried, they LITERALLY (the correct definition of literally) slid right out!

Now I'm going to make more of them, because, well just because I can!  I may even put some in my sale!

Finally, here's a great idea for a warm and nutritional breakfast at work.  Fill a jelly jar 1/3 full with steel cut oats.  Add your favorite toppings (raisins, sesame seeds, honey etc) to 2/3 full.  Then fill the jar with water and let sit in the refrigerator overnight.

The next morning, at work or home, pop the jar in the microwave for a minute and you've got a healthy breakfast! You may need to add a little more water before microwaving but not much.
Easy-peasy!

That's it for this week, have a great weekend and for all those Mothers out there, Happy Mother's Day!  I've got another furniture reveal on tap for Monday so stayed tuned to see how these free chairs ended up!

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