This Week on Tuesday 4

Welcome to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4, a meme hosted by Annie of Cottage by the Sea, in memory of her good friend, Toni Taddeo. This meme is for Tuesdays though I usually post a day or two ahead of time.

Let's talk about your week okay?

1. Is anything interesting on TV this week?  What will you be watching?

I haven't heard of anything interesting on television. I don't really watch regular programming other than the occasional newscast, newsmagazine and Y & R, the long-running soap I've been watching since I was a teenager.

2. Any books on your horizon right now? What will you be reading?

Yes, I have several books 'on the go' right now. I've started back to reading after 2 months of hardly turning a page whilst recovering from a bout of shingles. If any of you have had shingles you know it is exhausting and also painful. It's a pity I had to deal with this because I had it on my 'to do' list to get a vaccine.  However I've read that a vaccine doesn't guarantee you won't get it and some people seem to get it several times. No one in my family has ever had it so I'm not sure why I did.

Currently reading

Currently in my reading pile

Salad with canned salmon and eggs

3. What's been on the menu lately?  

Any new recipes caught your eye?

I have no plans for new recipes this week.  I made an Asian inspired Udon noodle soup dish last night.  Unfortunately it wasn't as good as usual because I was also busy with an in home appointment and not paying quite enough attention to the soup.

Usually I don't spend that much time in the kitchen when the weather gets warmer because it's simply too hot. It's the season for more salads and fresh fruits, etc. Tonight however I plan to make rice pilaf, baked chicken breasts and a side dish of vegetables or salad. 

4. Who will you spend time with this week?

Big haul to the thrift store. More to come.

I have no plans with friends this week and DH is very busy for the foreseeable future.  I'm still busy trying to catch up to things left undone over the past few months, whilst I've been convalescing. I'm also in the thick of decluttering and making small upgrades. This week and next week there's lot of researching and shopping or possible shopping for light fixtures, fireplace mantle, microwave, more garden plants, fittings for the bathtubs, caulking materials and various tools needed for the different jobs.  My brother is my handyman so I'll be spending a lot of time with him this week and next week.  This week I also have an appointment with my dental hygienist who is always fun to talk to since he loves gardening, photography and travel. A friend I haven't seen in ages is also wanting to get together soon to celebrate my birthday which was last month. So we're both researching a few places to go and enjoy next week. It will be great to see her again.

Thank you for stopping by. I'd love to hear your plans for the week!

The Windy Month ~ Tuesday 4

Welcome back to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4 where we try to have fun answering questions about various subjects.

March, they say, comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.  It is called the windy month like Chicago is called the windy city!

1.  Has March come in like a lion or a lamb in your neck of the woods? 

I can barely remember back to the beginning of March and I didn't take any outdoor photos at the time. After thinking about it for a while, I recall the temperature was feeling a bit warmer but the night hours were quite chilly.  So the month came in like a lamb.

2. There have been some awful storms of late.  Have you suffered through them or have you ever suffered through a very bad storm in your life? (if so we wish you well).

The last bad storm I was in was about 3 or 4 years ago. The city traffic came to a grinding halt due to a snowstorm.  It snowed for hours and hours non-stop.  There was so much snow and it was very slippery. I still remember walking down the street to get home when the buses were not operating. There were a lot of other people walking and we saw so many cars and buses just abandoned in the middle of the streets. I took photos but I guess I never uploaded them so unfortunately I can't share them with you.

3. Spring begins March 20th and ends with summer on June 20th this year.  Any plans for Spring in general? How about the spring holidays? 

I'm looking forward to spring.  I have no plans to go away for spring break which starts today (Monday, March 17, 2025).  Spring is always a busy time as I have a lot of jobs that accumulate around the house over the winter and I have the patio to organize and plant.  Last, but not least, I have to do the planting at the community garden plot. 

4.  What are your favorite springtime flowers?  Trees or shrubs?

How about a song with a springtime theme to it that you enjoy?  

I don't have favourite spring time flowers. I love them all, lol. I usually plant a lot of geraniums and petunias as well as pansies and Black Eyed Susans.  I've also tried to plant many other taller flowers like snapdragons and others which haven't tended to do well in my garden.  Perhaps I'll try again because the soil has been completely changed out. 

Fall 2024, the new garden, not quite finished

As for trees, I like Dogwood Trees, Maple Trees and Weeping Willows best but love almost all trees too.   My patio garden area has been completely rebuilt and I now have to replant it.  Large trees with big root systems are no longer allowed.  I'll plant some shorter bushes instead.  I've chosen some Azalea Japonicas and a Pieres Japonica or a Lily of the Valley shrub.  Both types of shrubs grow quite slowly.

Pieres Japonica, Red Head (not mine)

The only springtime song that comes to mind is "When it's Springtime in Alaska" by Johnny Horton. I'm a northern gal so country songs and songs about the north are appealing. This song should make all the southerners be grateful for their warmer temperatures *smile.