Summer Stuff

McDonald's has beautiful flowers! What a reason to drive through!


Celebrating Mom's birthday this week. (and mine.) I was born on her birthday. My son brought home delicious Chinese food for our party, and I made a pretty strawberry cake with cream cheese frosting. I decorated it with pink daisies but forgot to take a picture. We've had the yard cleaned up, so things look a little better around here! I found the pretty patriotic bags at the Dollar Tree... I loved them. I'll take a large diet coke with extra ice please!!!! Snapped these while I was waiting for Mom at the beauty shop. Love those blues.

Words to Live By

“I'm not afraid of storms, for I'm learning how to sail my ship.”

Louisa May Alcott

I'm linking this with Tracey's Words to Live By from Notes from a Cottage Industry. Go check out the others!

Is it?

Hello to everyone... Still here in Blogland, and still considering the best ways to go about the cleanup from the storm... I believe a serious nap might help. Mom's Hello Dollies? They didn't hurt! Not doing much flowers, much foo fooing... just some calls to roofers, tree removers, and insurance agencies. Not knocking anyone, Complete Coverage is NOT what it sounds like, is it? Nope.

Fury from the North

So, Mom and I were sitting on the front porch and discussing the flowers. We voted to give them a quick water in case it didn't rain. A few clouds were gathering faintly blue in the North. "If it comes from the North, it will be a doozy!" said I.
"Yep," Mom agreed. Fifteen minutes later we were scrambling inside for the hall closet, no time for the basement! Either a small tornado or a mammoth straight wind blew through with fierceness like I hadn't seen in years, maybe ever.
Nearly every tree we have blew down, at the half-way point. I watched them knuckle over in the wind... No lights, finally it was over and we assessed the damages, feeling beautifully blessed and grateful to have a home and a roof. The furniture on our front porch blew from the porch to the front yard and was neatly rearranged... all the flowers were off the porch, and the trees fell on the lilies, the roses... you name it.

Neighbors, cousins, and my son came to call and give us some moral support. Tomorrow we'll call the proper worker bees and begin this huge cleanup. I believe the fairies will have quite the time finding their particular trees tonight... Three posts in one day! Whoo Whoo... That makes up for not doing one in several days...

Fairy Day Approaches...

So, when did this day originate? I did some investigation, and I believe it's a new holiday, possibly created by some artists of fairy work to promote their wares!! oooh! I hate it when commercialism is driving the world!! However, that being said, fairy artists are amazing. I have enjoyed some of their work, and I certainly do enjoy all things "faerie" and magical. Midsummer's Eve is the appropriate time of year for this, so I'll go along with it and celebrate! Hey, I'm always in the mood for a reason to party. My current fairies live both here and in my home with my son. I sent a request that he bring up a few last weekend, but alas! He didn't feel well, and it just wasn't a great time for the "transport." So, these few here will have to celebrate!
Fairy music is quite amazing and magical. It sounds a lot like Enya! Oh, wait. It is Enya!
The grandmother of all fairy stories is, of course, Cinderella. This beautiful Cinderella came to live with me almost immediately. I have priorities. There are some things I cannot live without for long.
My Moon Maiden in another. I love, love, love this sculpture. It's the one thing I have replaced when Sal knocked her over. She is very top-heavy.
I surprised Mom with a Fairy centerpiece on the table yesterday morning.
My newest fairy rides a butterfly over her kingdom.

Antique beehive salt and peppers.. They look like they should live in Fairyville...



And today, Mom left me a fairy surprise of my own! Wow! Erase what I said about commercialism!!! It rocks! haha... Remember, fairy night starts at midnight... Have a beautiful, magical night with the fairies. Here is my plan: Light a lot, I mean MANY candles. Turn on Enya... Think happy thoughts... Drink a cup of Earl Grey tea in an antique cup from my grandmother. Eat one of my favorite cookies that Mom made me: Hello, Dollies! They are so rich, so chocolate-butterscothery delicious that I think they must be fairy fare for sure!

First Day of Summer Brunch...

I'm linking this to Tablescape Thursday at Susan's Between Naps on the Porch. Check out all the other amazing tablescapes!

This tablescape greeted our "boys" for the first day of summer. I called it brunch, but actually we had to postpone it until Monday night. Work and duties before pleasure? Who made that rule? We ordered the rooster from Valerie Par Hill. Isn't he proud? And the dishes are a gift from a dear friend of mine. I found that awesome summer plaid tablecloth on Amazon



Our menu was Summer Sun Casserole (also known as Tater Tot Casserole made with smaller hashround discs.) We had a huge garden salad, wholewheat biscuits, and Backyard Brown Sugar Baked Beans... Mom is famous for her baked beans, which also, due to the amount of brown sugar she puts in, served as dessert!!! haha..
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The boys were "game," but Mom insisted the old bird fly to the nearby corner during the meal. She must have been afraid he'd eat her salad!

Words to Live By... Summer comes in tomorrow!

Oh, the summer night Has a smile of light And she sits on a sapphire throne.
Barry Cornwall

I'm linking to Notes from a Cottage Industry's Words to Live By

It's more than a party... It's a BASH!!!

If you want to be overwhelmed, excited, motivated, shamed, charmed, embarrassed, mesmerized, or anything else you might imagine, I know of a party this weekend that will do the trick. Please visit My Desert Cottage for her second Where Bloggers Create party. This year over 450 bloggers have decided to show us their havens of creativity... I am amazed, thrilled, overwhelmed, and simply struck numb by all the energy, beauty, and potential of Blogland.I probably shouldn't have signed up to participate . However, since I'm on the list, check out the post number 2 directly below this one... It is something... But nothing like the ones you'll catch if you click above and visit!!! No duh. They are amazing. I sorta waver between inspired and happy and kinda miffed and jealous, to be honest. It matters not to me that my blogger's block on creativity is 90 percent my own fault!! haha.. Seriously, it is worth a look. I am going to bookmark this post and the list so I can take a few a day... It gives us such great ideas. Here's a little preview peek of the space provided by the hostess. Hmmmm.. I see right off why she opted to host... Her space is downright awesome... Kinda like the "wear your wedding dress" party that I was invited to thrown by some knockout young bride in her thirties who A. still had her husband and B. still looked like a bombshell in the dress... Rethinking her guest list, was I REALLY a good choice to be invited? I. think. not.

Hugs... and have a good weekend. We are expected to see severe T-storms this afternoon. That will be a change. (dripping sarcasm)

Where I dream of Creating.. Part 2

A dear, dear friend sent me this whole box of glitter. I am so thrilled and happy. I look at it every day and think of my wealth. I love glitter with all my heart. Having it just makes me happy!

If my world were only two drawers... I could definitely have something to show...


But, no... I really shouldn't have signed up for the list!
My closet space.... Oh, how I dream about something more organized and beyond beautiful...
The title of my post should be "Where I dream of creating..." Mom and I think and believe this little blue house will be a Santa House... Wouldn't that be darling?

I have a cricut... and I love it!

I hoard cool papers... That's my crime...
I knew I didn't travel when I bought this lovely red suitcase.. I filled it instead with scrapbooking booty that I lugged over here to Mom's.

I'd rather have markers and glue than caviar and wine any day!
Alas, I sleep, watch tv, entertain company, blog, and LIVE in one room... I also create there on occasion!!!


When I signed up for this I had envisioned I'd clean out my childhood playhouse and have an inspirational hangout... It hasn't happened.... YET. But I still dream!