April yard projects, food prep and neighborhood fun

 This entry really reflects the first couple of weeks in April, and the next entry or 2 should just about catch us up with the present. I've been lax, my bad!

We have been super busy trying to finish up various projects in preparation for our annual summer exodus to cooler climes out west. For me, that means squaring away the frozen food in both freezers. Most gets used up in our daily meals but some gets pressure canned for shelf stable storage, and some gets passed along to my wonderful neighbors who hold down the fort while we're gone. Thank you neighbors! 💙

I canned ground turkey, chicken, Cajun beans, and potato soup with Italian sausage among other things. I also made a yummy chicken pot pie and a big pot full of smoked sausage and red beans with carrots, zucchini and onions. 

Last year we used an Omaha Steaks Styrofoam box with dry ice to bring some of our home cooked meals out with us to take some of the stress out of trying to use it all up beforehand. That worked out so well we thought we'd use that method again.

The stages of pot pie construction and voila.

We did have a neighborhood fun day with a flotilla event followed by a fantastic potluck at the pool pavilion. Here are a few pics from that.

Our end of the lake and our dock, light gray in this shot.

Here they come by while we watch from the deck level.

The "spread" was impressive.

Staying cool on the shady side.

It was a good turn-out, especially for such a warm mid-80's day. It was fun to see everyone out and about.

Remember this project - the rocks on the side yard out front? Well, it finally got finished, including a semi-transparent concrete stain on the faded pavers lining the driveway and sidewalk.

I was pleased with how easily the stain went on, and
how good it looked after one coat. Easy water cleanup too.

I also put a thick maintenance coat of stain (cedar)
on this A/C enclosure to protect the wood and keep it looking nice.

More to come in the next report, so stay tuned. Thanks for stopping by.