Enjoying My Summer Weekends

 Just Enjoying My Summer Weekends

I cook outside all year round, but probably a little bit more in the summertime.

I haven't blogged for a while,

so I thought I would just take you through a photo journey 

of some of my favorite summertime joys.

Pizza ready for the grill.

  How's that for Pizza?

Growing my own peppers.

Family backyard campers.

And of course rigging up Gypsy Rose for a sail around the lake.

She's a pretty small boat but lots of fun to sail.

Not much wind on this day 
but so quiet and relaxing, without the sound of a motor and no exhaust fumes to breathe.

So, until next time . . .
 Here's wishing you all smooth sailing.

Stay Happy,
Steve

Hot Sauce Heaven or is it Hell? You decide.

I love hot and spicy . . . flavor and kick.

That’s why a few years ago I started collecting hot sauces.

At the moment I have 147 bottles on my shelf

 and several opened in the refrigerator. 

Last week Connie, my wife, was painting the kitchen,

So I removed my collection from the shelf,

Washed the bottles and now I’m putting them back up.

When people enter our kitchen they know that the food served here is going to be anything but bland. 

Look at the labels.

There are names like, "Tears & Sweat",
"Sweet Death", "Tongue Torch", "Sir Fartalot",
"MoHotta MoBetta", "Texas Tears",
and
"Burnin' Love".

The graphics go from skull & crossbones to

sandy beaches and burning outhouses. 

This is one of my shelves, they wrap around three walls of the kitchen. 

There are bottles with warnings on the bottles 

and some with labels that dare you to try them. 

 It’s a fun collection and a great conversation starter 

for anyone that comes into our home.  

Now to tell you about this old coffee can . . .

This one is our favorite.

My Dad, like myself, loved to make chili

and this can is where he kept his chili spices.

We have used spices from this can,

 but we have always added more before the original

was completely used up.

Therefore; there is always a little bit of Dad

And his chili spices in that can.

To us, it’s a family heirloom 

and one day will belong to our daughter.

Add a little spice to your life,

Steve

How Did You Spend Your 4th of July?

 We are aboard Gypsy Rose on this hot 4th of July morning.
  She sails beautifully.
 

Connie and I are loving it. 
She was taking pictures on launch day and did not get in much sailing time 
but today we will be out for several hours.

The temps today will hit 90 degrees Fahrenheit.  
That's why we dressed in light colors to beat the heat.

 Here is Connie, my smiling beauty of a wife with her sailing gloves on.  
39 years together and we are still best friends

Gypsy Rose is a very unique and vintage looking boat 
and
 we can already see that she will attract attention 
wherever we sail her. 

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm............Pirate Island??

A board sailor out enjoying the wind and waves.

Lots of flags out today. 
I for one love the USA!

Back in the slip and the weary but happy sailors head for home,
 only 10 minutes away.

She's a little beauty.

Thank you for visiting my blog.  
I look forward to reading your comments 
and hope you have happy times ahead.

Happy sailing everyone!
Steve and Connie.

Launch Day!!!

Yes I'm smiling.  It's launch day! 
And we got her in the water in June!!!

This is what is looked like when we arrived at the marina.

Gray skies, thunder and lightening in the distance.
It might not be the ideal time to raise the mast, 
but I'm ready and have been waiting too long, 
for this day.

This is my friend Matt.  
He's a newbie sailor and came to help.
Matt has a boat of his own, that he is starting to re-do.

Every boat is a little bit different, but basically has similar  rigging,
whether it's a 21 footer like Gypsy Rose or a 100 footer.

Shipping the rudder.

Here we are in the water motoring to the slip,
where we will set the sails.
Because, it's raining off and on and it's her first time out,
I'm only going to set the mainsail, today.

Some of you might be wondering why Connie's not here.
She is, she's behind the camera.

Today we stayed in the little cove by the marina,
hopefully on the 4th the weather will be great and Connie 
and I can raise the jib and get out and explore more of the lake, .

This is way more fun than it looks.  
I had never sailed her before and was delighted 
to find that she handles like a proper yacht.

Here we are coming back into the slip to change passengers.

This is Matt's family, they were excited to take their first sail, ever.
Connie stayed on shore to set the picnic table for lunch and take all these photos.

 This is a photo of the Key Lime cheese cake that Acashia, Matt's wife brought to the picnic.

 She bakes specialty dessert cakes.
You can find her here on face-book:
https://www.facebook.com/lalassweetreats?ref=ts&fref=ts 

How do you like the looks of our beautiful lake?
Smooth Sailing
& 

Happy 4th of July!

Please leave a comment,

Steve