Butterfly Love

"Love is like a butterfly, it goes where it pleases and it pleases wherever it goes."

--anon.

You feel truly blessed when you are able to be up close and personal, every day, with a tribe of the most gorgeous butterflies. They float around my mailbox garden in the front, constantly, and flutter their way to my vegetable and cutting garden in the back yard. It has been so hot here, I must water every day, and I think they are starting to know me--they don't seem to mind my camera at all. In fact, this yellow angel gave me different poses!

I may decide to fry an egg on the sidewalk today, it is so Al Gorish hot! It is 106 degrees right now! But that doesn't mean I'm any less in love with summer--in spite of the heat, my late-to-ripen tomatoes, and suddenly busy schedule, I love it all. And, I've found some shortcuts.

When the pasta salad kits went on sale, AND I had coupons, I really stocked up, getting them for less than a dollar a box. Now usually, I make my own homemade pasta salad, but these are fun too once you doctor them up. For example, I took the classic mix, and instead of using oil, I used only half of the spice packet, lowfat ranch dressing (about half a cup), a few squirts of Kraft Green Goddess dressing (I adore that stuff) and added one big cucumber and baby carrots, sliced up, fresh tomatoes, tons of fresh snipped basil and fresh broccoli. It was very fast to make and delish! I would say there are more veggies in this than pasta, but that's the way I like it! Crumble some turkey bacon on top, and it's a lovely, lowfat meal.

Well, here I go, getting ready to stitch another heart panel for the cross-stitch-quilt-in-the-making. And of course, I'm sidetracked by a lovely idea for some hand-stitched tufted flat linen seat cushions. I wish I had a couple of more hands to stitch! Oh well, like my butterflies, I'll take it one flower at a time.

My garden bouquet--courtesy of the butterflies.