ODDS AND BODS - FRIDAY - 7/31/26

Meet Tea and Coffee.

    Good Morning

        Tea                                    Coffee 

While we are here, let me introduce you to their friend, Stopthat.

Hi! My name is Stopthat.

Sometimes they call me Getbackhere.

I hope your day is starting out well and you are not feeling a little upside down like kitty here. On days like hers, we kitties drink a cup of herbal tea, definitely no coffee but a favorite drink is a whole pitcher of milk, or ….

one of those teensy glasses of Bloody Mary if we’re going out to brunch…or maybe that was a whole pitcher of Bloody Mary and one of those cute teensy glasses of milk? We have all our friends coming with us after all. I am confused! I am having such a good time, I can’t remember now. Definitely feeling more perky.

Here’s this week’s imaginary cottage…

with its gate leading to the secret garden... 

where all good things visit, like little birds in great numbers. Imagination is a great thing. All are welcome here.

I saw the quote on Donna’s blog and I

it made me chuckle. Thank you Donna! My dear other half and I were having a conversation along the same lines.

“One day you are young and the next, you are standing in your back yard looking at your bird feeder.”

While I am thinking of flowers, I thought I would put these on here.

I am going left to right on each line, reading the title first. 9 Container 

Combinations That Attract Pollinators. Every pot pulls bees, butterflies and 

hummingbirds. Lavender and Catmint - bumblebees. Salvia and Lantana - 

Hummingbirds + Butterflies. Coneflowers and Black-eyed Susan - Native Bees.

Bee Balm and Penstemon - Hummingbirds + Bumblebees. Zinnia and Cosmos -

Butterflies. Borage and Sweet Alyssum - Bees + Beneficial Insects. 

Sunflower and Nasturtium - Bees + Hummingbirds. Agastache and Sedum - 

Late-Season Migrants. Milkweed and Verbena - Monarchs (Breed and Fuel)

and another.

Title first and then I go down each line from left to right. Milk weed

(Asclepius): Host plant for Monarch Butterflies. Purple Coneflowers 

(Echinacea): Nectar rich and pollinator friendly. Lantana: Bright 

blooms all season long. Butterfly Bush (Buddleja): A magnet for

butterflies. Zinnias: Easy to grow and loved by butterflies all summer.

Verbena (Vervain): Long-lasting blooms that attract many pollinators.

Black-eye Susans (Rudbeckia): Hardy native plant butterflies love.

Lavender (Lavandula): Fragrant blooms that attract and soothe. 

Verbena (Vervain): Great for ground cover and full of nectar.

Phlox: Sweet scented flowers that draw butterflies in. I see that 

Black-eyed Susan has been repeated, but as the description is 

altered slightly, I kept it in. Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia): 

Drought tolerant and butterfly favorite. Aster: Late season

blooms provide nectar when butterflies need it most - Plant 

diversity. Support Pollinators. Create a garden they’ll love.

One more!

Plant Once , Bloom for Months: Low Maintenance Cottage Flowers That Never Quit

(I am putting these here left to right on each line until I get to the bottom.

Black-eyed Susan - Garden Flox - Lavender - Salvia - Coreopsis - Coneflower -

Lavender - Catmint - Yarrow - Dianthus

Fingers crossed, we are off to the garden center today. I am hoping to pick up a couple of planters and a few flowers. I have put ferns and red geraniums on the list, and lavender (added note: We are home now and purchased two pots of red geraniums. I am loving them. The following photo shows the place on the left. 

We were at a traffic light waiting for the green before turning left into the entrance. It’s a big place but for all they were offering, I couldn’t find any planter pots that I loved, and those that were considered maybes, were over-the-top-expensive. I was happy to buy the geraniums. The color made me feel cheery.) 

I loved this beautiful art showing hairstyle, makeup and fashion, and look at those dangly earrings?

Golf anyone? I don’t play but it’s a pretty picture. 

A little humor.

I didn’t realize how bad my driving was until the GPS said, 

“In 400 feet do a slight right, stop, and let me out!”

She would not make a good getaway driver for her cousin. (I am watching way too many cops and robber shows.)

In the meantime…

When you rat on the dog and you need to enter the witness protection program.

It’s best to hide in plain sight, so say those cops and robbers shows.

He knows something but he’s not saying, tsk!

I bet the opossum would do the right thing. He looks such a friendly little fella. Did you know…

I will read these top row, middle row and bottom row left to right.

An opossum can: eat dozens of slugs each night - leave your vegetables alone

shelter in brush and leaf piles - devour beetles, grubs and snails

climb fences and trees with ease - patrol your yard after dark - live

peacefully with backyard animals. Welcome nature into your backyard.

I little bit of Ireland for the recipes today. I don't usually make these before I share. If any of you do, would you please let me know what you think of them?

Waterford Blass (Traditional Irish Bread Rolls) - Ingredients: 4-1/8 cups bread flour - 3 teaspoons fast-action yeast - 2 teaspoons fine salt - 2-1/2 teaspoons sugar - 2 teaspoons unsalted butter  1-1/4 cups warm water - extra flour for dusting - Instructions : Mix flour, yeast, salt, sugar, butter and warm water into a soft dough. Knead for 5 minutes until smooth, then let rise in a covered bowl for 1.5 hours. Divide into 12 equal pieces, roll into balls and flatten slightly. Place on a tray, cover and let rise for 45 minutes. Dust tops heavily with flour. Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 25-35 minutes until pale on top with a crisp bottom.

Traditional Irish Colcannon - Ingredients: 2 pounds potatoes, peeled and chopped

4 tablespoons butter - 1 cup whole milk - 3 cups green cabbage, finely shredded

4 green onions, sliced - salt and pepper - Instructions: Boil potatoes until tender. 

Drain and mash with butter and milk. Cook cabbage until softened. Stir cabbage and 

green onions into potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot with extra butter. 

Dessert?

Irish Cream Liquor- From the kitchen of…Preparation time…Serves….

Ingredients: 1 cup sweetened condensed milk - 1-1/2 cups of heavy cream

1/3 cup chocolate syrup 2 tablespoons espresso - 1-1/2 tablespoons vanilla

3/4 tablespoon almond extract - 1-1/4 cup Irish whiskey, chilled. 

Directions: whisk together milk, cream and chocolate syrup. Add espresso, 

vanilla and almond extracts. Add whiskey last and whisk until well 

 combined. Serve chilled over ice or added to warm drink.

Wise Words, Kindness and a pep talk.

A few careless words may be forgotten by the person who spoke them,

but linger in the heart of the person who heard them for years. Never

underestimate how long a kind word can be remembered. Intrepid quips.

If you could see the struggles and heartaches people carry that never make it 

to the surface, I think we’d all be a little gentler, a little more patient, 

and a whole lot kinder to one another - Cottage Whimsy

Kindness makes for a better world.

I will never believe that kindness and compassion are a weakness, they are our strength. But, while we are at it, sprinkle a dash of common sense in there too. 

Another quote I read recently. 

“Your value doesn’t decrease based on someone’s inability to see your worth.” 

and

Always remember you are loved.

Very true! Believe it for you are worthy.

Thank you for always being interested in all my nonsense.

That’s all for today. 

Happy Friday everyone and thanks for stopping by.

Have a great weekend!

(With my thanks to Pinterest for the inspiration.)

 

ODDS AND BODS ON TUESDAY, JULY 21ST, 2026

 

Good Morning! How are you today?

Sorry I’m late. I was telling the trees how beautiful they are - Healing Hearts

Let’s walk down to my imaginary cottage.

We can enter by the gate.

I like coming home to wide open windows where I can see the curtains dancing in the breeze.  As we walk around the back, there is the smell of bread baking.

Oh yes, this looks like the perfect recipe.

Homemade Artisan Bread - Ingredients: 3 cups of flour 

1-1/2 teaspoons salt - 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast 

 1-1/2 cups warm water (heated to 100 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit).

Instructions: 1. Mix dry ingredients and add warm water, 

stir to a sticky dough. 2. Cover and rise 12 to 18 hours. 

3. Shape gently, rest  30 to 45 minutes. 4. Preheat oven to 

450 degrees Fahrenheit. 5. Cool 1 hour.  Tips: Wet dough = airy loaf 

Dutch oven makes a crispy crust. Longer rise = deeper flavor.

We have a choice of cottages today. What do you think? A bit too hilly? Do you have a favorite?

Both come with lovely neighbors. 

Are you a Woodlarker? 

Woodlarking - Not everyone walks through the woods the same way.

Some see trees, and some see stories, others notice the tracks, the 

feathers, the old stones, the things that happen in the corner of your eye. 

We are the ones who stop. Who listen and look closer. Woodlarkers. 

Maybe you are one too - Woodlarking. 

Ipsety (English) - (n.) the quality of being oneself; embracing our 

Individuality + what makes us unique.

Liberosis - lib.er.oh.sis - the feeling of wanting to 

care less about things, a sense of calmness that comes 

when you let go of unnecessary concerns.

Orophile - a person who finds peace and serenity, 

and connects with themselves more deeply in 

mountainous settings; a lover of mountains.

And because we must remember our cat lovers.

Ailurophile - noun - meaning: one fond of cats.

Last one!

niksen (NEEK-sen) noun (Dutch) - the mindful

practice of doing nothing. A pause for your

mind to wander, rest and refresh. It’s not

avoidance, but a quiet space where clarity and

calm naturally emerge. 

This little one has all of that figured out.

Do not disturb! Bee is sleeping. He has had a busy day being a bee. 

I am feeling like a bit of a snooze myself...

but I am trying not to nap today as I know it will cut into a good night's sleep.

Sometimes it’s okay to stop doing and just bee.

Have you had a banana today? I had mine for breakfast, along with a cup of blackberries and 1/2 cup plain Greek Yogurt. I have been on my journey to eating healthier for a long time. Let’s just say it’s a long journey, with a few side-trips, and leave it at that. Each day is a new adventure.

Advice from a Banana - always be ready when the time is ripe - Friends 

are better by the bunch - Just because someone calls you “yella,” it doesn’t 

mean you’re a coward - Ignore all the monkeys, they’re just trying to get to you.

Sometimes when you’re slightly bruised is when you’re at your very best

Life’s little surprises are what makes it so apeeling.

Now for some recipes. I thought I would start off with brown bread…

Cheesecake Factory Brown Bread - Ingredients: 2 cups warm water

1 tablespoon yeast - 1/4 cup honey - 2 tablespoons molasses 

1 tablespoon espresso powder (optional) - 4 cups bread flour

1 cup whole wheat flour - 2 tablespoons butter, softened - Oats for topping

Instructions: mix yeast, warm water, honey, molasses. Let foam for 5

minutes. Stir in cocoa, espresso, flours, butter, salt. Knead until smooth. 

Let rise 1 hour, shape into loaves. Brush with melted butter, sprinkle 

With oats. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. 

to go with…

Slow-cooker Sausage, Potatoes and Cabbage 

Ingredients: 12 ounces sausage (such as kielbasa or smoked sausage), sliced

5 potatoes, peeled and chopped - 5 cups of chopped cabbage - 1-1/2 cups

chicken broth - 1 white onion, sliced - 1 teaspoon dried thyme seasoning -

salt and pepper to taste - Instructions: 1. brown sausage in the skillet.

2. Layer the sliced kielbasa, peeled and diced potatoes, cabbage and sliced 

onion in your slow-cooker. 3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and dried thyme.

4. Pour the chicken broth over the ingredients. 5. Cover and cook on low for

5 to 6 hours or until potatoes are tender.  -   With this Slow Cooker Sausage,

Potatoes and Cabbage recipe, you can effortlessly create a satisfying and comforting 

meal that pays homage to its European roots. Whether you’re looking for a crowd-

pleasing dish at a family gathering, this recipe is sure to delight your taste buds

and warm your heart. Enjoy! 

Or maybe we want something easier and simpler to prepare on a hot summer day.

Cucumber Sandwich: You will need 8 ounces cream cheese, softened 

2 tablespoons mayonnaise - 1 tablespoon lemon juice - 1 tablespoon dill, chopped

and let’s not forget thin slices of a hot house cucumber. You don’t need to deseed

those. 

Mix all the ingredients up and spread it on your favorite bread. Add the sliced cucumber and there you have it. I love a cucumber sandwich.

Wise Words!

Be like a sunflower - bright - sunny - positive - spread seeds of happiness

stand tall and always turn to the light

Joy can be found in the tiniest moments.

Never stop looking. 

Pep Squad arriving! You are going to get tired of me telling you, but it’s important to remember the reminder. 

Sometimes you forget you’re awesome, so this is your reminder.

Pep talks - you’re doing better than you think. Even on the days when you 

feel tired, unsure, or a little behind, you’re still moving forward. Give 

yourself credit. Give yourself grace. You’ve overcome so much - and

you’re still rising. 

Take a deep breath. Feeling scrambled? Let that go. 

It’s a great day to be you. Strut your stuff. You got this.

I am proud of you and everything you have accomplished. Keep shining brightly, and never stop

believing I yourself.

Okay, that is the end of my Odds and Bods for today.

You all take good care of yourselves and

thanks for stopping by.

(My thanks to Pinterest for today’s inspiration.)