Inside or Outside, if it's Saturday, it's PINK SATURDAY!

Well, I'm back to thrifting at Goodwill again this week☺ The little lamp above is still sitting around my house without a shade or a permanent place to rest itself, but I'm sure that over time the light will go on in my head and I'll know just where this cutie pie should spend some time.
As I was walking through my Goodwill Store it hit me, good grief, there they were, all lined up and set for their blogging debut! My local store arranges ladies' clothes by color and by size. So if you want a pink sweater or a pink blouse or a pink nightie or a pink shirt...there you go, all in a row! Of course, they also have other colors (go figure) but this is Pink Saturday so that's what I aimed my camera at for a photo or two. They sure make it convenient for you, don't they?
This bush is a part of the pink garden on the side of my house that I mentioned last week. Now, don't ask me what's the name of this flowering shrub because I lost the tag ages ago. But, if one of you can tell me, I'd sure be happy about that, especially since a friend of mine asked the other day and I had to tell her that I didn't have a clue. Every June literally thousands of blossoms pop out on this reliable stand-by to welcome summer into my neck of the woods. Did I tell you that I l♥ve pink?
Isn't this something? My Christmas cactus that turned into an Easter cactus a while back has now decided that it is going to be a Welcome Summer cactus! Talk about fickle! I'm just happy that it bloomed because the poor thing has been mangled by the lovely Miss Camille Suzanne numerous times over the years. It really, really has a will to survive!

Last week everyone fell in ♥ with Miss Camille Suzanne's little, pink tongue so I thought I'd close this Pink Saturday with another photo I took of her as she was washing her delicate pink and white toes! How do I get these pictures? Well, my camera sits by my laptop and there is a folded blanket on the table next to me so Camille can be near her momma to nap or to bathe and snoopervise! And, boy can she snoopervise!

That's it for me this week. Be sure to drop by Beverly's HOW SWEET THE SOUND, our hostess for this wonderful event. There is a list a mile long of gorgeous blogs that you can visit for a pink fix unlike anything in cyberspace. See you next week!

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet or would it...(Tiny Delights)

You take a walk early on a summer's morning and you see a yard that needs to be mowed. At first you might think that your neighbor needs to get out there and pay some attention to his lawn. Then, you stop, you look, you think. And then, you grab your camera and take a few photos.

Why do you disturb your summer morning walk to pay special attention to a space that most folks would consider unkempt? Because you see daisies, not weeds. You see small, adorable, little daisies with perfectly soft and white petals surrounding a sunny, yellow button face.

Beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder. If hundreds of years' ago someone would have tagged these cutie pies as a flower and not a nuisance, you'd see them in a whole different light. You'd think that the owner of the home was so fortunate to have a field of flowers right outside his front door.

It's interesting, isn't it, how we can see something as a pest instead of a blessing all because long ago someone else, that we never knew and who is long gone, made a decision that flowers as adorable as these little daisies should be mowed down and mulched. You wouldn't do that to your petunias or your impatiens, would you? You just might if some unknown person a long time ago decided that they should be classified as weeds and were a lawn pest to be eradicated.

Later today the home owner's yard man came by and cut down these little sweetie pies. I don't know if they'll grow back to the beauty I saw this morning. I hope so, because they reminded me that I should seek to know people and to evaluate what I see by looking deeper than just at the surface.

Tiny Delights

Most of us miss out on life's big prizes. The Pulitzer. The Nobel. Oscars. Tonys. Emmys. But we're all eligible for life's small pleasures. A pat on the back. A kiss behind the ear. A four-pound bass. A full moon. An empty parking space. A crackling fire. A great meal. A glorious sunset. Hot soup. A cold drink. Don't fret about copping life's grand awards. Enjoy its tiny delights. There are plenty for all of us. ~author unknown

Happy Father's Day to my dad...wish you were here

Vincent Joseph, 1911 - 1999

He never missed a Veteran's Day to put flags on the graves

My dad, the man responsible for my birth. The man who sheltered me from many storms and who created a few storms for me to survive. I miss you. I miss our weekend phone calls. I miss you calling me, "little girl" when you thought I needed some of your advice. I even miss you telling me that I didn't know what I was doing and to listen to your solution to my problems. You fought in World War II becoming a part of the Greatest Generation. You became history. You are my history. I always loved you and I love you still.

Happy Father's Day

A little pink this 'n a little pink that, let's celebrate Pink Saturday!

My first goodie this week is a pair of socks that I dressed up with a sweet, little crocheted edge to fancy them up a bit for Sunday church service. I've made several pairs of these for the little girls in my life.

Found this cutie pie at my local Salvation Army Store for a dollar. No one in my neck of the woods finds vintage baby planters cute or collectible so I can grab them at my leisure, which I do whenever I am out on the prowl. There's just something about the pastel colors that attracts me along with the pure innocence of intention.

My hibiscus' don't bloom until nearly the end of summer but as I was browsing my files I found this photo from last year and just had to share them with you today. I wait all year for these beauties to open their blossoms for me...it's really worth the wait! Each blossom is a HUGE 6" across. Just ♥ them like the dickens.

I have a pink garden at the side of my house. You will find the hibiscus' that you just saw above and these pink lilies with just a touch of lavender to high-light the pinks. Summer is so short up here so each and every bloom that blesses me in the summertime is treasured.

Last but certainly not the least is my sweet Miss Camille Suzanne giving some lily-of-the-valley a little kiss showing you her darling pink tongue. Right after her tender kiss these were put way out of her reach as all parts of this plant are poisonous to cats!

There you have it, my Pink Saturday. A little of this and a little of that but all dear to my heart. Be sure to drop by Beverly's How Sweet the Sound because there are dozens of wonderful blogs listed for you to visit. Each of them is unique and each is special in its own right. Have a great weekend!

Quick 'n Easy Burrito Pie Ole'

This is one of those quick and easy meals that fills the tummy and tastes, oh, so good! Add a summer salad and some fresh fruit for dessert and you're all set! There have been days when I knew I wouldn't have time to make dinner so I've put this together the night before and just pop it in the oven when I get home the next day. Just allow a little more time for the casserole to heat completely through☺

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 (2 ounce) can black olives, sliced
• 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chili peppers
• 1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chili peppers
• 1 (16 ounce) jar taco sauce
• 2 (16 ounce) cans refried beans
• 12 (8 inch) flour tortillas
• 9 ounces shredded Colby cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, saute' the ground beef for 5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic, and saute' for 5 more minutes. Drain any excess fat. Mix in the olives, green chili peppers, tomatoes with green chili peppers, taco sauce and refried beans. Stir mixture thoroughly, reduce heat to low, and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Spread a thin layer of the meat mixture in the bottom of a 4 quart casserole dish. Cover with a layer of tortillas followed by more meat mixture, then a layer of cheese. Repeat tortilla, meat, cheese pattern until all the tortillas are used, topping off with a layer of meat mixture and cheese.
4. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheese is slightly brown and bubbly.

Sunshine Lemon Drop Meringue Puffs

These are SO EASY but SO IMPRESSIVE. I use puff pastry shells a lot in the summer. They fit such a variety of recipes and also, let you be a bit creative, too. This recipe is just too easy...you could make these with your eyes closed. Perfect for tea or as a dessert after grilled fish, these are easy enough for the grandkids to help so they can tell mom and dad that they did it all by themselves!

I have substituted chocolate pudding for the lemon and then used little chocolate jimmies to add a special touch to the top, too cute☺

Ingredients

1 package Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Shells
1 package (3 oz.) lemon pudding and pie filling mix
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
2 egg whites
1/4 cup sugar

Directions

Bake pastry shells according to package directions.

Cook pudding mix according to package directions for pie filling. Blend in lemon peel. Let cool to room temperature.

Spoon about 1/3 cup pudding into each pastry shell. Preheat oven to 325°F.

Beat egg whites until frothy using electric mixer at high speed. Add sugar gradually, beating until soft peaks form. Spoon over pudding and spread to edges. Place on baking sheet.

Bake for 12 min. or until lightly browned. Let cool.

For Lemon Cream Tarts: Substitute sweetened whipped cream or thawed frozen non-dairy whipped topping for egg whites and sugar. Top each filled pastry shell with whipped cream. Garnish with lemon slices, if desired. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until serving time.