Home Sweet Home

There is nothing like it. 

We just returned from a nice vacation with a friend from high school and her husband.  They live near Atlanta, Georgia and every couple of years we plan a trip together.  This time we met in Tennessee and stayed in this cabin for a few days . . .

overlooking this river that had lots of entertaining wildlife around it.

Then we moved on to Cherokee, North Carolina where we stayed here

overlooking the Smoky Mountains.

We took a day trip to the Biltmore house in Asheville and it is truly awesome.  Unfortunately, it rained while we were there and I wasn’t able to get any pictures.  It is a must see if you have never been – a 250 room house built in the late 1800’s and they say it is the largest home in America.

I tried to remember why in the world we planned a vacation in July and was reminded by my husband that it was because we wanted to see the drama “Unto These Hills” in Cherokee and it is only performed from June through August.   The play was absolutely worth it and we learned a lot about the Cherokee history, but I was hoping for some mountain cool air on this vacation.  That didn’t happen.  Oh well, there is always next time and it will definitely be in the spring or fall!

Ouch!!!

Yikes!!

I fell down about half a flight of stairs yesterday.  Oh so sore today!

I feel very lucky that I didn’t break anything and that the entire fall was on my butt and not my head (I have lots more padding there),  but we are leaving in about 4 days for a looooooooong car trip.  Think I’ll go see my doctor to see if he can give me something to make sitting a little easier.  When I think how much worse it could have been, I feel better.

Happy 4th of July

Well said!   Have a safe and happy holiday.   Celebrate America.

Blackberries

from the garden.  I think I see a cobbler in our future!

Could I turn this

little 8 x 10 playhouse which is currently listed for “FREE” on craigslist (and not too far from me)

 

into something like this?

This morning I saw this post on Garden Antqs Vintage blog and the timing is perfect.  I had just come across the craigslist item and asked my husband if we could get it.  For some time I have been looking for a “free” shed or something that could be converted into a little cottage to be put at at the end of my herb garden. 

The article which was done by the New York Times on this little cottage and the owner is really fascinating.  You must read it – my husband must read it!  (Her blog is My Shabby Streamside Studio and it is a joy to look at, too. 

Of course, hubby dismissed my silly idea because he said this was so “rotten” it would fall apart when he tried to move it.  So just what is he trying to say?!  Is that a problem?

Oh well, I can dream.  Doesn’t everything start that way anyway?

Hydrangeas

My hydrangea blooms are turning a beautiful color as they age on the bush.  When they were fresh and a bright pink, I cut some and tried the glycerin method of drying – didn’t work for me. 

Now, I would love to dry them in this stage, but hate to keep experimenting.  Anyone out there with firsthand knowledge of a surefire way to dry these beauties?   Help……….  If it works, I’ll send some to you!

Mucho Macho

ferns, that is.   I have several of these Macho Ferns and I just love them!!   I have two that I have kept over the winter (for two years) in my little greenhouse.  They don’t come out of “hibernation” quite this pretty, but still macho in my book!

I missed my Daddy today . . .

My sweet Daddy passed away 35 years ago at the young age of 54.   I miss him so much even to this day.  I hope you were able to spend your day with your father, grandfather and/or the father of your children.   Cherish your precious time with them.

In this picture taken in 1949 I was standing on Daddy’s shoe – shoes that no one could ever fill.

Lemon Tree very pretty . . .

I’ve got little lemons and blooms still coming on.  This is a Meyer Lemon tree which is in a container.  I’ll have to put it in the greenhouse over the winter, but so far it is very happy in our Texas heat – happier than I am right now!

Can’t invite you over for lemonade or lemon bars any time soon, but maybe someday I’ll share.

A truckload of daisies . . .

On the road again

I wanted to share some of the beauty of Big Bend National Park in Texas with you. 

My husband has wanted to go there for some time and I finally decided that it was not fair for me to always get to pick our destination for vacations!   If I could be dropped in the middle of the park, it would be a place I would want to go often.  It was really beautiful.  However, it is 650 miles from home so I don’t think we will be doing that again any time soon.  The distance is not the only problem – most of it is desolate, desert-like, without even a tree to get behind for “you-know-what”.

There is only one place in the park to stay (besides campgrounds) and you must make reservations well in advance.  There is no television., air conditioning, or telephones and forget cell phone service.  (But it really was pretty . . . .)

This is the view from our room.

They have not had rain here in a while, but our last day there, it rained for about 20 minutes, then hailed for a few minutes and then cleared up.  As the sun was going down, I was fascinated with the clouds.  I have never seen anything like this.

My sweet husband said I could plan the rest of the trip, but it didn’t go too well.  We headed to Fredericksburg (which I love), but arrived too late to shop.  There was only an hour left before the stores started closing and, the next day was Sunday and most of them don’t open.  I guess the good thing is that it saved me some money.   We did go to the Wildseed Farms which is a fabulous place and bought some plants and a pound of wildflower seeds to sow in our yard near the road for next spring.   1,500 miles later, home sweet home.   Tired but happy.

Now, where are we going next?   My pick!

My sentiment exactly . . .

 Got this cute sign today at a garage sale.  

That’s where I want to be – how about you?

My bottle tree in full “bloom”

Whew, now I can quit drinking!!

Just kidding, I had lots of “donations” from friends.  Thanks all – now you can quit drinking!

Beautiful day to garden

I’m working outside for a while today.  The weather is perfect and everything is blooming.

Here are some Johnny Jump Ups that I forget about every year – until they “jump up”.  They are planted around a potted rose bush.

This is a planter that sits on the deck rail.  Look what I spotted when I took this picture . . .  ladybug at the bottom.

Think I’ll sit a spell and look at the beauty around me.   Hope you have a wonderful day – I am!!

A little pile of junk . . .

My latest garage sale finds . . .

Galvanized display shelves, old metal laundry container, aluminum pitcher, (lopsided, large) camera, large locker basket, very heavy bird feeder and 10 vintage appetizer trays.  To put things in perspective, the aluminum pitcher is 9-1/2” tall.  The camera can be straightened and then would make a great display piece.   All for $10.   Now, what to do with it?!   I must quit shopping!

The original “hunt and peck”

Birds at the typewriter . . .

Oh, happy day . . .

I love it when my roses  all start blooming.  It just makes my day to walk around the yard and look at them!   The new bushes I bought in Tyler recently are planted and have lots of new flowers and buds on them, so I just had to cut some.   Love, love, love them!!!  Isn’t that dark purple one fantastic?!

A little road trip . . .

This week my husband and I decided to hit the road and see some of the pretty scenery in East Texas – just a couple of hours from home.   So, we went to the

We were waiting until we heard from a friend who lives in Tyler that the azaleas were finally opening.  Our unusual winter weather had them off schedule!  We saw some beautiful flowers, lovely gardens and gorgeous dogwood trees then shopped for a few rose bushes for my garden.  Here is some of what we saw.

And my roses – not on the same bush; I just propped them up together.  The purple one is named Ebb Tide and the apricot is Easy Does it.

I also got another one called Dolly Parton.    I’ll leave it up to your imagination as to why!   When it blooms, I’ll show you. . .

Wishing you

 

a Joyful and Happy

 

Hope you are spending it with those you love.

A New Look

Several months ago I asked my (welder) husband if he would fix one of my antique iron beds so that we could use it with our queen size mattress.  It is a bed that I bought at an estate sale years ago and used it in a guest room for a while.  You can see another one in my guest room here.  When I had a booth in an antique mall I sold lots of iron beds and my hubby would adjust the length of the rails. 

I had to eliminate my large Euro sham pillows because they covered too much of the pretty headboard.  Here is the result . . .  and I love it!