My annual post

......For Eva.

My favorite plant in the yard that blooms every year!

The Garden

I have all my flowers planted in the front yard.  Geraniums, petunias, marigolds and lots of Hosta this year.

In the side yard, I have turned over the veggie area and planted bean and squash seeds and then I bought a few tomatoes, broccoli, pepper and eggplant plants.  I need to get some more plants this coming weekend and then hopefully, the spring and summer weather will cooperate!

Once it is planted, I'll try to take some photos!  

As an aside, I pruned my mulberry tree this winter (I had never really done a good job of pruning it - I usually just clipped a few low branches so they weren't in my way).  There are so many mulberries on this tree, it is incredible....Hoping for my first real batch of homemade mulberry jelly.  Usually, I don't have enough mulberries, so I just add what I get to a strawberry batch or a crabapple batch.

Confirmation

This weekend, we also had my niece's Confirmation.  Gianna is my goddaughter and my daughter was now her sponsor for Confirmation.  They had a beautiful ceremony at the church in Southbury and then we had a really great dinner.

Busy weekend

This past weekend, we had a lot going on.

Friday, there was an Italian Festa night at the local theatre.  They played/sang songs, told jokes, we laughed, we cried, we drank wine and we ate very good!!

We were at an angle from the stage, and I only had my i-phone camera so my pictures are not good, but we had so, so much fun!  We went with my mom, my two brothers, my sister in law, cousins and friends.  My brother enjoyed it so much, he went back again the next night and took my sister.

Thank you Marc for an enjoyable evening!!  And whoever was the older gentleman playing the mandolin - you were AWESOME!

More Mother's Day stuff and life in general!

Life in general is very, very good.  Hubby's shoulder is progressing nicely (at least that is what they tell me)!  He should be back to work in about 6 weeks!

I am teaching four Zumba classes a week now, so that is keeping me very busy.

My daughter is home from college, working part time and trying to sell stuff on E-bay and half.com.  She has been successful, so far!

Spring has come to CT and the grass is coming up nicely.  The weather has been typically spring -  hot, cold, rainy.....

My son made me a mini-garden around the tree in the front yard for Mother's Day.  I loved it so much, that I'm having him do one even larger in the back yard (Because of the dog, the back yard needs a lot of work!!!)

It was a great Mother's Day for me!!

Mother's Day ( a little late)

We had a beautiful Mother's Day here in CT.  Perfect weather, two perfect parties, and lots of things to celebrate!

The best event was we found out that I'm going to be a Great Aunt!  Fun stuff!!

We went to my husband's sisters house first - she made an 18 pound beef brisket, that was to die for!  
I wish I took a picture!  Lots of food and family!!

Then in the late afternoon, we went to my sister's house for my mom!  All the women in my family were there (a nice treat!), so we took a Carloni Women photo!

My niece Mary, had graduated from college that morning, so we had a lot to be grateful and thankful for!  

Violet Jelly

It was Violet Jelly time a couple of weeks ago.  It happens fast, so I was on the lookout for the violets and within one week, they were blooming and ready.

Violet Jelly is relatively easy and doesn't take much effort or work.  I made a few jars for the cold room and gave some to my sister already.  I have one small jar left from last year also, so I'll eat that one before I start on my new batch below!

My i-phone isn't the best.  The color is a beautiful pink!

If anyone needs jelly and/or jam let me know.  I love making it and can't eat as much as I make!!

Last wine post

We finished the wine about two weeks ago.  I didn't get any photos!  It was just my hubby and I and it took a lot of time and effort, but the wine has all been moved to our cold room/wine cellar and we have 120 bottles, corked and labeled for use and for gifts!   We had 130, but we have been giving it away already and we gave a gallon to my brother for Easter!  The bottles don't even fit on our two wine racks.  Some of them are still in the boxes, but they are fine!!

Muscatel, Barbara and Chianti.  All three came out great!  Please let me know if you would like a bottle!