Garden Safari, Boys, Pattern & Recipe :-)

I am so pleased at how many of you enjoyed the epic photos in my last post about our camping trip to a high mountain wilderness camping spot in the Cascade Mountain range!  Thank you for all the wonderful comments - I enjoyed them immensely!!  We've been recuperating from the trip, and unfortunately we contracted a cold/flu virus and came down with it the evening of our return.  So, we've been puttering around, emptying the trailer and tidying up home and just relaxing and trying to get over this illness.  Today I went out to walk the dog and took my camera as I'd seen a Begonia in bloom that hubby has nursed through 2 winters, along with many geraniums.  This is what I found...

And some of the pots of geraniums.. notice the Autumn-ish leaves beginning to collect on the deck?

Below is a flower of a new variety of Geranium we picked up this year.  It's brilliant in the middle and fades to a pretty pink near the outside of the petal.

Below is a really pretty but really TINY and delicate-colored hardy Fuchsia we got this year.

Below is a more common color of fuchsia.

Here is a small Japanese glass fishing float from my collection - this has a "signed" stamp on the glass seal.  It's about the size of a grapefruit and rests in the moss of my husband's little Bonsai tree he's growing.

Another of my fuchsias... I love this one, the pretty dark pink and the lovely purple to dark red inner petals... like little ballerinas.  It also has interesting variegated leaves.

 How's this for lovely color?  Lavender and raspberry and white....

We also have several pots of Asian lilies.. here is a big white one.

And my favorite.. the Stargazer Lily.  Our sailboat is named Stargazer and we had these at our wedding in my bouquet and on the cake. :-)

And a lovely yellow and orange rose in bloom that our son, Travis, planted for us.

Hubby put some rose fertilizer stakes near the roots of our roses this summer and it seems to be paying off!!  This is my dear "Scentimental" rose.

And here is my son, Travis, with our two precious grandsons.  They were playing around the farm and got good and dirty, but they had a ball.  They're enjoying our swing on the front porch.  I want to thank my son and his wife for taking care of our chickens, watering our plants inside and out and coming in to pet our cat, Lucy, while we were away.  

I meant to take photos of my 3 give-away gifts, but forgot before I packaged them up today and sent them in the mail.  One went to Sarah in Arkansas, one to Bobbi in Louisiana and one to Trang in Vietnam!!  Ladies, please let me know when your gift arrives and if you're pleased. :-)

Pattern for the washcloth in my last post:

Gentle Ridges Dishcloth

Finished size approx 8"x8"

With size H crochet hook and any kitchen cotton yarn, ch 30

Row 1: dc in 3^rd ch from hook, sk 1, * sc and dc in next ch, sk 1 * - repeat from * to * to end of row, ending with sc in last stitch. Ch 2, turn.

Rows 2-21 are worked in back loop only except for first and last stitch.

Row 2 - 20: dc in first st, sk 1, * working in back loop only, sc and dc in next space, sk 1 *, repeat from * to * to end of row, ending with sc in last st. Ch 2, turn.

Finishing: After completing last st in row 20, sc/ch 1/sc in that corner space, continue to sc around all sides of piece, with sc/ch 1/sc in corners. Join with sl st to first sc in first corner worked. Bind off and work in ends.

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For Pammy Sue.. and anyone who thought our noodle dinner looked good. :-)

Teresa & Dayle's Chicken Yakisoba 

Yakisoba Noodles (the ones we buy are pre-cooked)

Your favorite Teriyaki Cooking Sauce

skinless, boneless chicken thighs

lots of fresh veggies such as:

pea pods, cabbage, onions, carrots, fresh mushrooms, broccoli, celery, cauliflower or any favorite veggie. 

Simmer chicken thighs in frying pan in teriyaki sauce until cooked through-15 minutes or so.

After chicken  is half cooked, start stir frying veggies in oil on high heat.  When veggies are about done, pull apart the yakisoba noodles and put in with the veggies and sprinkle the teriyaki sauce over the noodles and stir fry them with the veggies.

When chicken is done, remove from the pan and slice in 1/2 inch slices, toss into the veggie/noodle mix.  Drizzle the sauce in the chicken pan over the veggie/noodle/chicken mix and VOILA.

((hugs)), Teresa :-)