A few blog suggestions while I escape the heat

It is really, really hot here. We had been in a cold and wet pattern all spring and then around the first day of summer it flipped to hot and humid. Very hot with the humidity making it feel like it is over 100. We're trying to keep energy costs down as much as possible so I've kept the blinds in the family room closed until the sun moves to the other side of the house in the afternoon. Once it starts to feel hotter, I turn the ceiling fan in the family room to high and take all my work into that room. Living at the edge of a forest helps a lot, too. :)

The oven is used only in the morning as much as possible. Yesterday I did a little baking early and today I have the last two packages of split chicken breasts from the freezer baking (I didn't even preheat the oven to keep the room cooler). They will be cooked about 3/4ths the way through and then grilled for dinner later today.

I got out early this morning to water the deck plants and take the garden hose to the raised bed veggies. I also took the time to do some essential pruning of the bush and plants around the air conditioner. (A job I usually do before they get this out of hand but I really didn't want to get out in all that rain.) The area behind the AC has been left for my husband. While I have never seen a snake in our yard, there is always that possibility (shiver)...

While I had the long pruning shears out, I did a touch up to one of the hedges and walked out to the county road to cut out the poison ivy growing up around the mailboxes. I'm immune to it but I doubt the same is true for my two neighbors. :)

So... the rest of today will be spent tweaking the office without disturbing hubby's "stuff", reading, and working some on my scrapbook journal as a creative outlet. (Except for my files and occasionally using that computer, the office is my husband's sanctuary, the one little part of the world where he feels in control.)

To answer one of the questions in Comments... Laine stopped writing weekly (more like a couple times a month) and now only writes updates now and then. She explained a couple years ago that she had some health challenges which eventually required surgery and she had major changes in her life with her older sons joining the Marines.

To be honest, I've also wondered if she didn't become tired of the snarky e-mails which often came her way. I'd still sign up for her e-mails for those times she writes these days. However, her archives are worth spending time reading and printing. They are divided into two sections (just as her letters were) and she has a section of the best frugal recipes. Her website is listed with the links on the sidebar.

I've been trying to catch up on some favorite blogs while staying out of the heat. Here are some great sites to visit right now...

Stop by and say congratulations to Kimberly . They have finally been cleared of those hostile charges brought against them when they took their little boy to the emergency room. Not only are they cleared but the charges were officially seen as unfounded. We are thrilled for this answer to prayer.

One of my favorite decorating blogs is Chez Fifi's... where I can let go of my inner French. I love her work, which is published in various magazines, including Romantic Country. My personal style is different than hers for the most part but I always find good ideas there.

Anyhoo... you have just got to pour a cup of tea and read about her experiences as she was traveling recently... especially the part about the furry creature who had crawled into her automobile without her knowing it... not to mention her Perils of Pauline travel schedule the same week. Check out Fifi here.

I don't remember the last time a blog post made me laugh as much as this one over at The Pioneer Woman. Ree is always funny but this was over the top hilarious.

Ann at Holy Experience is one of the best writers I've ever read whether in the form of books or blogs.... she's been sharing again about her journaling (including her form of what is often called scrapbook journaling... which was the inspiration I needed to pull out my journal again). You can read her posts about journaling here... scroll through all of them... sigh.... smile... and be inspired.

Last but certainly not least... Stephanie posted on her blog last week what she learned about decorating and loving your own home while on vacation. We talked a little about this on the phone. I know she can't post very often but I do enjoy when she does. She can be found here on the world wide web. :)

Now, these should keep you in the air conditioning for awhile.