Sunday, July 28, 2013

Unexpected Package

Turning 66 next week..
I have hardly thought about it 
as much of the year 
I have said I was 66 already.
But, yesterday, the postman
came to the bottom of our front deck
and literally slid a package across
the deck to the door.
I thought it might be some sandals 
I ordered from Belks...
Note to self..
Check on sandals tomorrow!
Instead, it was a birthday package
from Tennessee, from Suzanne.
I was flabbergasted!
Anyone that knows me, knows I 
do not like opening presents early.
When I taught elementary school
and would get presents from some
of the children, for Christmas,
it was even hard for me to open
them before Dec. 25th!
My friend, Bonnie, is the opposite.
Some of Miss Bonnie has rubbed off
on me. She says to celebrate all week!
Well, technically, my week does not begin until
tomorrow, so I guess I am celebrating 
for over a week.
I guess when one turns 66,
one deserves to celebrate a lot
more than when one was truly young.
Anyway, to continue.....
Suzanne will tell you, throughout the
years, my greetings from her have
more often than not, been past the 
event....which was just fine with me.
You see, I got to celebrate after...and
that was just fine!
Lately, however, she has surprised me.
This time, I was really surprised....
EARLY, Really EARLY.
I could not resist.
I opened it upon the spot.
I am not sure the mailman was
even out of the driveway.
I wrote a thank you note immediately, 
and it has gone to the post office
but I could not resist sharing this beautiful
package. Everything was matched
to perfection and oh my goodness, such sweetness!

 The handmade, adorable card..
 Just look at this beautiful bag and tag...
And people, this is the wrapping...
NoT the GiFt!!!

 This is what was hiding inside..
Love It...
We were together, I am pretty sure,
when we came upon this beauty,
in an antique mall, in Destin, Fl.
I have not a clue how she got it
without me knowing...

See the Bakelite across the top...

And There Is More

See that card tucked into this wrapping..
Isn't it darling and so coordinated.
The wrapping is a vintage tea towel.....
Can anyone guess what is inside the wrapping?

Oh Yes...Vintage Linen Book!
I will have many hours of pleasure looking
through this book.
I was thrilled with this special, unexpected surprise
yesterday!!!!!
If you happen to be reading this, Miss Suzanne, before
your mailed Thank You arrives...
THANK YOU !
One last look at all of the beauty!
Now I am off to work on a pretty big project!

Monday, July 22, 2013

More Bird Fun and A Fabulous Gift


 This is our itty, bitty, Hummingbird Feeder

 It has been getting quite a work out
the past few days.
We have a green one, and a yellow one 
and an orange one and just a plain brown
one. They have discovered our feeder
and I could not be happier about it. :)
They come and they go throughout the day.
We have almost had a hard time keeping the vials full.
They are quite noisy, too. If the doors are open or we are 
sitting on the deck, there is no doubt when one is coming around. Sometimes it is like they are waiting in line at the water fountain, like school children to get a drink!

The other wonderful thing that happened this weekend
is pictured below. Our friend, Verdis, has moved in with 
her daughter, Judy. ( also a friend! ) We were at Judy's
Sat. evening and Verdis asked Randy if he would like to
have the fabulous cast iron pot. Before Randy could even speak, I said,"I want it!"  It fits perfectly on my Bridge burner. I took this picture before I even cleaned it up. I was so excited to show Verdis how perfect it was on our 
stovetop! I had just read The Pioneer Woman's recipe 
for Sloppy Joes. My mom used to make Sloppy Joes and I 
loved them. I think I know what the first thing I am going to try in this wonderful gift will be, :)



Saturday, July 20, 2013

Sweet

Look Closely...
Actually, in the above picture, 
it looks like one of the white petals
is pointing to the egg.
I bought this hanging basket for the deck.
As soon as it was hung, I saw a couple of sweet,
little birds, flying in and out of the container.
They made quite a mess, at the time, knocking
off lots of the plant's blooms. I wondered what
they were doing and they were such cute birds,
I didn't care about my plant getting demolished, 
sort of... :)
Well, I like to water it with rain water so I take it 
down and put it on the patio area when it is raining.
My husband discovered the tiny nest, which I know you 
cannot really see, and two little eggs.
The trouble is, he dropped the basket and the eggs
toppled out of the little nest...  :(
I got a glove for him and he placed them carefully
back inside the nest. 
I don't know if we have ruined the beauty or not.
Anyway, we are hopeful.
It has once again ( sort of tired of all the rain ) been raining most of the day, so we have not been watching to see if the sweet mom and dad have been flying back to the nest.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Fun Finds




 Oh, so many fun finds!

I took a little break last week end to go to a boutique
fair being held in the local high school parking lot.
I always seem to have a need to drive by my deceased
daughter's house, each time we come to our home here.
I had to pass the road to her former home on the way to
the boutique...
AND
there was a very large yard sale...
I
HAD
TO
STOP!



First up are two Ironstone dishes...
See the emblem on the back of them.
One had a little chip but I got them both for
five dollars.. Happy Face



These were what caught my attention first.
Six of them for a dollar each.
I don't know the pattern.
The back says, Warwick and has an emblem.
Below the emblem it says Made in U.S.A

I might have gotten this beauty for a quarter...

Another dollar...


See all the little bottles lining the sink..
Did I ever have fun sorting through all she had!

And what does this have to do with my finds, you
might ask?
My plant stand was too low, so I had to come up
with a solution...
I placed a stepping stone down and then put 
the one I mosaiced last year on top of it to hold the stand.
Now my plants show over the railing.

Close up of the stepping stone.

Those plates were added to the collection above 
and below.
See the little green medicine cabinet?
I plan to mosaic it on the top rounded part and the very
bottom part that is hard to see in this picture.
I plan to use it in the valley ( Gilbert, AZ ) home
when we remodel our bathroom.
I have not decided yet on a pattern.


I do most of my mosaic work on the deck.
We just had the tongue and groove planks added
to the ceiling. They are painted the same color as our ceiling
in the living area in Destin, Fl...
Sherwin Williams Window Pane.
I am sure it will be even more fun to play out there now.

And, last today, but not least,
the bench my husband painted and revived
for me.
Got it years ago on a cross country trip,
with girlfriend, Suzanne, when I still
had antique booths.
This sits in front of some roses that are
not blooming, for some reason. :(
Anyway, I have decided the back rails are
calling out to have me mosaic them, sometime in the future...
So, I still have an excuse to look for dishes...
if one really needs an excuse!
Happy Day!

Saturday, July 13, 2013

Back in Pinetop




 We are back in Pinetop, our Summer home..

When we arrived, our little patch
of grass was dead..  :( I love having
a little patch of green! )

There now, isn't that much more inviting?
We went between having artificial grass
installed or trying the real thing one more
time...
We had the sprinkler system reworked
and decided on trying the real thing again..
Here is hoping it will last...

The lady that lived in the house before
us was named Helen.
She died in the home.
Her husband died of cancer
and 
I think she died of a broken heart,
along with a little alcohol
to help ease her pain.
This statue was left behind...
I named her Helen and she
watches over our home.

I always need some posies...
This year, I decided to plant mostly 
perennials instead of so many annuals.
I am hoping they make it through
the harsh winter.
Many Peonies plants and 
something called Balloon plants.
I had never seen them before.
I can't remember what these are called
but I know this particular variety is called
Watermelon. 
I put these on both sides of the deck, at the
top of the steps.
I don't know if you can see it in
the picture of the grass area
but there is one small, diamond shaped
flower bed.
My friend, Suzanne, in Tennessee,
has the most amazing rose bush. It is
a Knock Out variety.
I found one at a local nursery here and
made it's home in the diamond bed. It 
should get enough sun to do well. I am so 
hopeful it will grow to be as beautiful
as my friend and her rose bush.
And there is Helen, again, in front of a variety
of Hostas that I loved from the second I saw the variety.
There was only one, so I planted it close to Helen.
Last year, upon the advice of my friend, Janice, we planted
Hostas along the side area of our deck. We had not
been very lucky with getting anything to grow
there. It is a shady area. Janice suggested Hostas.
It took several to fill in the area and they were not the
cheapest of plants. Have I mentioned that I do not
have a green thumb?
When we returned this year, Randy and I were
shocked to see them. Not only had they survived
but they were thriving!

Wishing each of you an angel, as precious
as Helen, to watch over your life!