
Friday, June 29, 2007
Everything I could want.

My Mom is 83 today!
Well, another year. Can't believe Mom's 83 and I'm 53. Turn the numbers around, maybe. I sometimes feel 35!!! One more year until my jubilee year. I was born in 1954, so they say your magical year is the year you are the same age as your birthdate. I feel sorry for my son who'll have to be 81!!!! Hope none of these bad bloopers happens to anyone! Kinda cute. We're having video Friday instead of Video Saturday... Have a great weekend!
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Surprise!
The camera isn't working tonight... I think I have the settings wrong!!! This little miss isn't fuzzy at all!!! She's anxious for me to get out her friends and pop some caramel corn (also a recipe from Casablancalily!) AND fire up the candy corn!!!!
Celebration!




We are putting to bed a neat little Tavern Restaurant in our town called The Thorn Tree! It fixes wonderful steaks, shrimps, and prime rib, and the owner/cook is simply retiring to play golf. We will all miss it, and Saturday is the final night for service. Busy place tonight. Some of the guests were taking advantage of the last week to come in and order personal favorites. I ordered the patty melt and baked potato. Yum-0! Not exactly low calorie, but then, it was a special occasion.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
The Cheater Gardener

I did nada the rest of the day. I read in my SWAG book; I read in a couple other style books; I read in a self help book.... I tried to take a nap. It was lovely rainy and all purply in the sky.... I was just a stinkpot. I called a dear friend who'd been grating zuccchini, picking green beans to CAN, feeding chickens, sweeping her garage, and planning this weekend's menu which included Baked Alaska!!!! I'm impressed. I felt kind of lumpy, dumpy, and grumpy today. Tomorrow will be neater, I promise.
I will have to get my video of Chocolat out and clean. It's just magical. I put that thing on in the kitchen and while Vianne works her magic on that old shoppe, my kitchen comes to life and brownies appear in the oven. Swear! And when I am depressed (which for some reason I may be???) I watch it at night and let it run while I sleep. Soothing music all night after it runs once. She is my role model... cute sweaters, red shoes, vibrant shop, magical spirit, Johnny Depp (who doesn't hurt), and all.
So, I think I'm on sensory overload. I have been reading style books, blogs, and all those wonderful posts.... and I just fly to bed and dream of all kinds of projects, parties, soirees, ...... and then when I wake up, poof.... I'm movin' a bit too slow for my dreams.
However, this is something I made for myself about seven years ago: This is the quote on the bottom: "Our words are powerful, so powerful that they can change our reality - the quality of our days and nights. Moaning rarely makes either us or those around us feel better. In fact, it often makes everyone feel worse. Learning to shrug is the beginning of wisdom. " It's from Simple Abundance, and oh, so true. I have this on my desk at school and in my kitchen during the summers. See?
Early Morning Coffee

Today I flung my covers off in a panic that my phone was ringing at that hour. I have a lot of night owl friends who call me late, late, but nobody calls me early unless there is trouble. The joke was on me, and it was simply time to get up. Looks like a stormy day coming. The clouds were pretty and pink early as I sipped my coffee on my deck and contemplated SEVERAL jobs I need to do out there: paint the bench, weed the corners, water the petunias, water the geraniums, and other sundry items. Later, I told myself, but I managed to rescue the plants with water, I hope.
I have Amy of Four Sisters in a Cottage on my mind today. She's headed for chemo. You can read about her amazing journey and send a prayer for her today. Time to hit the road. I'm searching for some little birthday surprises for my mom. Yep, we share a birthday on Friday, and although I'm sure I'm "present" enough (haha), I want something to wrap! Oh, yeah, baby!
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Red Room.....Red Rum.....????


I bought this book called SWAG: Southern Women Aging Gracefully. It looks to be lovely: "I invite you into these pages to squander a little time. It is, after all, the ultimate luxury. Join me in celebrating the humor to be found in all our delightfully ordinary lives full of joy and wonder. I am proud to be a woman of the South, and I am aging gracefully as I can----without any outright sweating." ( Melinda Rainey Thompson, author) What a cool intro... I'm about to read on. Took my soaker hot shower, poured a glass of sparkling soda, and am ready to call it quits. Tomorrow I'm talking my mother to get a perm!
Monday, June 25, 2007
Tinkerbell, Soulwork, and Me

Oh, yeah... This is the beginning of my birthday week. I think I mentioned that before. Oh, dear. 53 years. No, Oprah, this WASN'T the year for me to get it all together, lose weight, pay off my debts, or any of those wonderful, motivational things you offered on your show. 52 was okay. A bit memorable for some silly escapades and a bit forgettable for some others, if you know the kind. Tonight I did two loads of laundry, got seven gifts ready to wrap when I uncover where I have hid the scotch tape, and did the dishes so I'd have a pretty sink in the morning. Today was a good day at my parents with salad, chicken wings, pizza, and strawberry shortcake. The best part was that Daddy was a bit better and ate a little more, (translation.... something!). Mom and I played in the doll clothes, and I brought home a big trash bag full to sell. What she doesn't know is that I'm hoping to rework some of them and dress two dolls for her birthday. I am hoping to make a flower peddler and a tinker peddler doll from two bisque ladies I had in my shop... Kind of a cheap gift since both the dolls and the clothes are coming from Mom's stash. I will just provide the "creativity." Ha ha. I ordered a battery for my camera, so when it comes, I'll take their photo and post it. Have a super week...
Friday, June 22, 2007
Britain's Got Talent- Connie
Get ready. You are going to be once again six sweet years old. You KNOW I'm in tears like the middle judge!!!! Listen to this little angel! Even Simon???? wow... Happy Video Saturday!
Moon Child

I have always been proud to be called a moon child, born in June, and sign full of water if you go by any of that. I love my sign and its predictors, but I don't really have much dependence on astrology. I don't necessarily think it's wrong, but just something fun to think about, especially when you're young. But I'm not that any more. My (shh! hate to say it) 53rd birthday is rapidly approaching. Sounds like a dull number, huh? I feel frumpy, kind of yucky, and definitely not sassy and with it. I have been kind of in a mechanical rote of life for a long time. I have fluctuated between living in much clutter with purging like a maniac. I have wished for different conditions like help, more money, a husband.... and suddenly, I'm having fun with what I have and not particularly yearning for what I don't. I am taking my time with some areas long neglected, and I'm finally, finally giving myself permission to create the life I think I've always waited to have.
I so wish my parents both were feeling better, and I can't help but cross my fingers for my son to find a fabulous job and a wonderful girlfriend. There are lots of things to wish for, to dream about, and to wait for. Today, though, I am going to finally let those go where they belong, into a section of my heart and mind called tomorrow.... maybe later, in God's good time. Who knows? I haven't really labeled that section ever, so many titles come to mind.
I only know that there is an abundance out there of inspiration, of happy productive people who make the absolute best of everything that comes their way. I have always wanted to "portray" that image. Now I truly want to feel that way from the inside (the gizzard, as my gramma used to say,) out. Where will that lead? Well, hopefully I will soon be able to share some of that with this blog.
For tonight, it leads to a hot soaking shower with yummy Orange scented gel, a tall glass of lemonade fresh squeezed and served to ME in good glassware, maybe a little snippet of cheese and a fabulous multi grain cracker I found last soiree into Walmart... a little Keebler cuddler of a cracker. Oh, my! Oh, and a couple of delicious Bing cherries! If the moon beckons me any time soon, I may see if my silver Taurus can keep up with the beam.... I may learn it is as much fun to take a silver bull by the horns as it was to soar on a mythical bird from the Aztecs???? Rattle, rattle, my mom would say... Enough of this, she'd announce. Too much fairy tale nonsense... But, aha... my lovely and sweet mama has NO computer. And any more, she is so wonderful to me that I know if it makes me happy, she'd be one hundred percent in my corner.
Thursday, June 21, 2007

I personally think it's time for a summer party. I would have tried to come up with a midsummer night's party, but due to painting emergency, I'll have to wait for another time.
According to Sarah Ban Breathnach sometimes it's necessary to call a cease fire on watching the news. I have been trying that experiment this summer. I watch no CNN, no Anderson Cooper, no Fox news, nothing. I do catch some headlines on Yahoo homepage, and of course, my mother updates me on all the heinous things going on. I dunno if it has helped or just made me concentrate on the few bad news stories I have heard about, like that woman in Ohio. I don't know how long this is supposed to go on, but since I'm the one that started it, I can call a halt any time I choose, I guess. I did find my movie for Saturday video, so be sure to tune in. It isn't news, and it's sooooo cute! this has been one summer dreams studio post, with little snippets from all the corners of my brain. It I hadn't been to Walmart so many times this month, I'd say it's time for a Watermelon. Maybe I'll see a truck along the road. Better clean out the bottom shelf before I do that. My next menu item is going to be Philly Burgers. I found the recipe in Taste of Home Summer Barbecue magazine. Looks like an easy and yummy meal for my boys. The hamburger is mixed with Philly cream cheese, onion, mushroom, and Dijon mustard. Then a little Worcestershire and onion ring on top in a Kaiser roll. Looks delish! I just need to grab some Onion rings in a can. Always something!I forget no matter how clever I am with my list! Take care, all!
Monday, June 18, 2007


Saturday, June 16, 2007
Happy Father's Day Tomorrow
Thursday, June 14, 2007
A Spoonful of Sugar!
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
My cup of tea (not the shop, the bedroom!)

Anyway, all are happily welcoming me every morning when I roust myself up from sleep. I don't like the border any more, but I can't decide whether to cover it temporarily with some roses or to just wait until I can afford to do the whole room???? Who would have thought I would tire of DUCKS hahahahahahah... who didn't think it except me? I remember my mother, my then husband, my friends, "Do you like ducks that well? You won't get tired of them???" I insisted I loved ducks. Well, I still have my mother, (thank the Lord!), my friends (thank the Lord), and my ducks... Not so much the husband, though! HAHAHAHAH... I'm in a silly mood today. Time to go wash some cups and saucers????
The Lake House

Today would have been my grandfather's birthday. Way over 100 years old if he were still there waiting for me at the end of his driveway with that wonderful old gray tractor. It had a running bar on the back, so I could hop on it, hold on to the back of his seat for dear life, and take off with him on miraculous adventures. Shady Peanut Lane always welcomed us... a little spot in the meadow beside an old concrete bridge left there before a change in highways. There, I'd sit on the sides feeling quite daring (although the water wasn't deep, the bridge quite low). Soda crackers and cheese, crumbling in the red beaded purse, wrapped in waxed paper... Makes me thirsty to think about it. Sometimes a thermos of ice water, usually not. We picked some blackberries if we could stand the chiggers, loading our buckets with thorn stolen jewels. Our blackberries weren't ever very large, but they were sweet. I liked to pick mulberries from two huge trees bowed down with with huge fruit. Nobody in our family ate mulberries, but what easy picking! Paw-paw taught me to make a grass flute, to count the seconds between lightning and thunder, and to walk gently with animals.
Once he overheard men hired to haul our hay calling him "the old man." It crushed his little soul, and he never felt young again. I know the feeling some days... Kind of like when my seventh graders told the science teacher they wanted to be like me when they got to be senior citizens... I had a holy cow! I told them they didn't need those books any more and no, there wasn't going to be a movie. They had all flunked the class, I announced wickedly. Finally a bright little lass asked how old I am, and when I responded, "Only 52!" I could see bewilderment on their faces... Hadn't they SAID I was old??? To them 35 is ancient.... anything more, and it's time for silver hair and rocking chairs.
I spent today working on my laundry (Mt. Washmore, as Flylady says) and putting out patriotic items... Puttery delights. Bought the 5-5-5 Domino pizza special for a treat for my son and friends... Didn't want to mess up the kitchen I'd been cleaning all day...
Created a centerpiece of geraniums and moss, Uncle Sam vintage look cutout, flags, and what nots. It's on my kitchen table, along with Lady Liberty and a blueberry check candle.
Happy birthday, Paw-paw! I love you forever and a day.
Saturday, June 9, 2007
Funny Talking Animals!!
Well, it has taken me all morning, but I finally think I figured out how to post this thing on my blog. I hope you think it's worth it. I was having so much fun "talking" to Sally this morning as she scatted through the kitchen, so I decided to see if other pets were as verbal. Sally didn't bother to learn English like these guys. Aren't they precious?
Thursday, June 7, 2007

----- Don't you love this little fairy? I need to finish some project so I can do things like this that matter so much more than LAUNDRY, MOPPING FLOORS, RUNNING THE SWEEPER. Those are too loud! Weather bug is chirping on my computer to alert me to the upcoming storm that may be on our doorstep in a few moments. Think I'll sign off for now.
Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Monday, June 4, 2007
Mamacats, blacksnakes, and Bumblebees

Sunday, June 3, 2007
Porches for summer



Saturday, June 2, 2007
Sailors taking warning, red skies, sorting, Etsy, and Scooters

