two down and two to go.........

not sure which one this is but it's one more off the list!  I'm taking pictures to hang on the back wall of the trap, maybe Mom will get teary and just wander into the trap.  There are now two cavorting in the fields of a distant land.  

The electric fence does not seem to be working as I watched Mrs G. Hog do an over handed swing and dismount off the top wire into the lettuce yesterday afternoon.  Tested and not working!  Not Happy!  

A tad bit hot here yesterday,  86 F.  in the shade.  Seemed like a great day to tear the patio brick up.

Not sure what the temperature was on the sun baked patio but I have a list and it was on the list so get to it. The job seemed a bit daunting.  Brainstorm......... call the 14 year old neighbor kid!  Perfect summer activity for a kid with nothing to do all day and besides he loves Harry Potter and it would give us something to talk about as we ripped up the brick.  He was down in a flash on his skateboard!  He did great on the first row but by the second row he was fading.  Keep up I chortled, I am an old woman and you are a kid, he didn't care.  Gosh it's really hot out here, do you have any water.  Let's do one more row and then break.  OK...... ran in got him the big gulp with ice and ran it back out.  Hmmmmm that means you can stop every 5th brick to drink...... bad idea.  As the sun rose in the sky I felt like I was being chased as I really wanted to get this done by noon.  At noon he announced he had to go home and watch his brother.  Okey Dokey I said and gratefully paid him.  I took a water break and then decided to hit it again.  At 3:00 p.m. I had 5 more rows to go and decided one more water break and then finish as I probably wouldn't be able to move in the morning!   Stacked the last brick at 6 p.m.  What a day....... and I was toast!   Between Mulch and Bricks I want to know why I'm not a size 2?  

The messy abandoned patio at 9:30 a.m.

The missing patio at 6 p.m.

The stacked brick.........

Got up this morning to ordered the crushed limestone base only to discover the supplier is closed until Tuesday.  What do you mean; ON VACATION?  Hey some of us have projects!!  

Midway through the patio pull I got a fantastic call from the Rochester Museum of Art Fine Craft Show. I had been wait-listed and not holding out high hopes of attending this year.  I am very excited about exhibiting at this show.  It's the first week in November and I cannot think of a better way to kick off the pre Holiday show season!  Here is the link:

http://mag.rochester.edu/events/fine-craft-show/

So today I will can up the rhubarb relish, make salads for the week, finish grocery shopping, water the gardens and go to the studio.  And although it's only 88 F. today the humidity is at 90% and it feels like the tropics.  Thunderheads are building and we hoping for rain, beats dragging the hose around!  We really need a good soaker to keep everything green and bouncy! 

OH and here is the recipe I promised everybody from the local picnic on Thursday! 

Pineapple Carrot Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cup sugar
1 cup canola oil
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple

1- 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1/4 cup butter
2 cups confections sugar

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.

2.  Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.  Make a well in the 
center and add sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla.  Mix with wooden spoon until smooth.  Stir in carrots, coconut, nuts and pineapple.

3.  Pour into 9x13 inch pan.  Bake at 350 for about 45 - 50 minutes.  Don't panic, the center will sink a little.  Allow to cool.

4.  To make the frosting:  Cream the butter and ream cheese until smooth.  Add the confectioners sugar and beat until creamy.

Servings per recipe:  24
Calories per serving:  297