a little bit of sunshine

part of the front garden
Chickens!
Scarlet
Mabel
Harriet

Life marches on here at dilodaze. I helped out last week at our Doctor's office answering phones and making appointments. I, Renee DiLorenzo have a new appreciation for my own job! Yes it is "just" a deli job, BUT! oh my how I love my job. The everyday hustle, the food, the new ideas of what to do with food, specials, soups, customers, and yes most of my co-workers are people I would invite to dinner. I did say most mind you, not all! What job, professional, or otherwise doesn't have that one person you could do without? With that said, I will not waste anymore time on said person. So this morning I go off to work with a new appreciation of my very own job. I am a "foodie" no doubt about it!

Our new family members, "the girls" Scarlet, Harriet, Lilly, Mabel, Ethel, and my fav Edith are doing well and getting big! I love watching them scurrying around the back yard eating bugs, and weeds, and anything else they find. They follow each other around and remind me of a school of fish! Such sweet little creatures!

I'm knitting up a storm as usual, A baby sweater and matching hat, 2 bibs and now I am on to a pair of socks for one of my precious children.

So until next time, enjoy the sunshine and the music Mother nature provides for us, and smile!

And time marches on.

Hydrangeas from my garden, They are all planted in red clay, I do not fertilize them nor do I give them anything to change their colors. They choose their own.
This is the chicken coop my sweet hubby Mark built for me! We are naming it, THE PECKER PALACE! Soon we will have eggs for sale!
The inside of the pecker palace! The girls will love their new home!
My Son Mark and his Girlfriend Olivia, Young love is so sweet and intense!
My children, from left to right, Adam-Michael, Corey, Taryn, and Mark Jr.

So now it is June, hotter than hot and wonderful! The garden is doing well, I got my very first tomato today! So far the fencing I put around my little container garden is keeping those pesky deer from having a fresh salad. We will get the chickens today and I am looking forward to that new adventure! Thinking it won't be long before I will not be able to eat chicken though. Eggs on the other hand will be plentiful! Hopefully I will be selling eggs soon!

The kids are all doing well, Taryn came up for a visit from Florida and it was so fun to have them all together! They certainly have grown into funny, smart, happy little beings! Each on a journey of their own. I am proud to be their Mom.

So here we go, starting a new summer full of possibilities!

The Chicken Coop, aka Pecker Palace

Hmmm, where should the window go?
Here is the chicken coop! made in 2 pieces and carried by us and a few of our neighbors to its finale destination!
Before it was put on stilts!
Another angle

flowers and a work day

I love Gerber Daisies! and this one is like a 2 in 1 deal! Nature is so wonderful!
We had a workday in our little neighborhood! A cul de sac with 8 homes, we all got together to give our entrance a little lift! We pulled out all the "builder grade" plants that were for full sun, (this is a very shady area) and planted 3 dogwoods. Dogwoods grow in the woods and seem to be something the deer population does not like. We'll see.
My Carolina Jasmine in full bloom! Yellow is such a happy color!
Sweet son Corey gave me a Lilly for my birthday! He knows his mama well, buy me plants dear children!

Little Promises

Every season has such joy in it, Summer, the lazy hot humid days, filled with fresh fruit and veggies to eat. My Mark and I spend each evening catching up from the day, sitting on our front porch with a cold beer. On the weekends we seem to end up on the porch with neighbors and friends. Fall brings cooler temperatures that are welcome after a hot summer. Cider, and a pot of chili to warm the soul after a day raking leaves, is such a comfort! Winter brings craziness with holidays, and parties. Hot soups, warm baked breads to rejuvenate after a busy day. And then there is Spring, when the promise of rebirth as all the plants peak their little heads from the earth waking from a long winters nap! Time to plant a vegetable garden and plan what will go where. Chickens will be part of our spring this year. I am looking forward to sharing fresh eggs with those that I love. As the days get longer and warmer, there is excitement in the air of all that is a head of us during these wonderful warm months that mother nature has in store for us! Time to plan to clean, to cook and yes, to decorate!

Cold Weather, makes perfect knitting time

A sweater for the cutest little boy!
A scarf for a treasured friend

A bit of spring color for the dreary days we have been having here in North Carolina! Spring, please chase the winter's cold, grayness away! 
                  Sweet, juicy, delicious, little bits of sunshine right from the grocery!
Can you believe, Robins in January? They are gathered in our little pond, which was partially frozen, but they all seem happy, even though their little feet must be freezing!
The squirrel, hogging the birdseed, the patient cardinal waiting his turn. What a gentle little creature!  
I love this picture of my little feathered friend, he seems to be saying, What the @#$& is going on out here?

I've been knitting, not blogging!

A sweater meant for one of my children, ended up going to another! 
A sweater for a friend of my husbands, granddaughter 
A lace scarf for my Favorite Aunt!
A newborn hat for a new friend of mine, whose son is due to be born in February!
A hat and scarf I was commissioned to knit!

Well, can I just say that I am computer illiterate! Somehow I have done something to all my pictures, although they are still on my computer, I cannot access them to attach them to my blog so that I can publish them! Frustration and feelings of stupidity, well yes, I want to scream! 

It's November, 1 week before Thanksgiving, how it got here so quickly, no clue! We are having some dear friends from NY visit for the holiday, needless to  say I have plenty to do! Cleaning, getting fresh sheets and towels out, shopping to make sure there is plenty of alcohol to drink, and oh yes, food! We always have such a fun time when John and Debbie come to visit. This year I want to have a bon fire, one of my favorite things to do. A chill in the air, the warmth of the fire, delicious s'mores Renee style! (nutello instead of chocolate) A few bottles of wine and maybe even some neighbors will venture over to the smell of the burning wood and join us! 

Even with all the uncertainty in the world today, there is still plenty to be Thankful for. Good Friends, Good Health, beautiful children, precious 4 legged family members, Jobs, I could go on and on, but for me, my family and my incredible husband are what I am most thankful for. 

All Mark has to do, is put his arms around me and I feel safe, happy and loved. 

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.

Hopefully my computer will let me in soon, so I can get  some pictures on my blog!

September is Here!!!!

September is one of my favorite months of the year! Why you ask? Well let me tell you. I married my best friend, and soul mate on September 10, 1988. My daughter, my first child, was born in September. Here in the South, the air is not quite as humid, so the windows are open and I can hear the birds, and crickets and even the laughter of the children playing outside!

There are less mosquitos! 

Some evenings it gets chilly enough to brew up some lovely soups & stews in my kitchen, and even though the garden is usually winding down at this time of year, (if of course you do not have a herd of deer coming by each and every night,) you can start thinking about what you are going to do differently next year. 

There are nights to have bon fires and sit in the back yard and enjoy the beautiful stars, chilly enough to cuddle with said soul mate, and even think about knitting something warm to wear!

Even though, I do not like winter, okay I really DO NOT like winter, Fall has always been a time of year I have cherished.