Outdoors / yards / and Playing

North and South side of yard.  The side with the BBQ is the north and it stays cool there until late afternoon as we have so much shade.  The south side is where we spend the mornings right now.  It still is a little cool in the mornings yet and we like the sun on us still.  We do still have a shade cloth but the sun feels nice.  Tasha is relaxing on the seat cushion.  You can see the Angel in the middle of the picture.  She lights up.  We have been adding a lot to our yard so will have to take more pics.  We really enjoy being in the yard and try to stay out most of the day.  That is until the temperature gets over 90.  It is just too hot unless we are in the shade and we have a breeze going.

Our daughter has given us a lot of beautiful flowers and plants so we have been busy, busy get everything planted.  I don't want anything to die because we didn't get it in the ground.  It really is fun deciding where it's going to go.  It's funny as we have changed our yard, even moved plants around because they just didn't suit where they were. We have a problem right now.  You see there is a big bush that has beautiful white flowers on it and red berries But it also has long thorns.  It is in the wrong place, you see it is in the North side of the yard where the swing set is.  We have small Grandchildren now and one Grandbaby that will soon be toddling out there.  I do not want them to go near this bush.  so have already put in a request to Jim he must move it.  On the south side of the yard we do have volunteer raspberries and this year they are coming on strong and full.  Hopefully I will be able to get out there and get me a bowl full before the birdies get them all.  I don't care that the birds get the berries, I would just like some also.  Anyway, I think we could move the thorny bush next to the berries maybe close to the fence.  You know, keep all the thorns and stickers together.  Sounds like a plan.  Tootles

Hello Spring !

What a great time of the year.  Nice weather, summer coming, BBQ's, fresh fruit and vegetables.  Wow, ain't life Grand!

I'm enjoying life and what ever it sends me.  Trying to stay open minded and wanting to learn.  About what you say... Hey that is the beauty, Everything.  I don't want to pin point, that sometimes closes doors.  I want to hopefully see what is out there and jump.  I mean I do want to do a lot of things especially in my yard.  I think I want to try  my hand at making sculptures out of cement for my yard.  Now I am not going for a bust of someone famous, or even a person.  No facial features.  Nothing in detail, an artist I am not.  Anyway not the kind you would call an artist.  Hey, I think I am on to something.  How about a statue of a person but no detail.  No facial features, just attempting to make them.  Too wired?  I'm going to think about that.  You know at first I was just thinking about shaping something out of cement.  Like a pillar or lamp post.  Something that I could design that didn't require a lot of talent.  You know, the kind I do not have.  I think it would be fun and a big plus is my husband thinks so also.  So any heavy lifting I'm covered.  Besides he comes up with some really great ideas.  Ok I'm going to get all this going and be back to show you what I have done.  Tootles 

Stormy Weather

We are having stormy weather just like in this picture.  I know it's beautiful and we can really use the rain (so they say). I for one am ready for warm sunny weather.  I want to spend a lot of time outside. We have been planting flowers, moving things around and now I want to go out and enjoy it.  I do know it is still early yet after all it's only the last of March.  You know March winds, we have had plenty of winds and now next is suppose to be April Showers.  NOOOO!  Well, I hope we don't have but a few showers in April and not the downpour we have had in March.  More later.   Tootles

"Good Morning to You and Yours," says this Goddess..

 She is a gem and I love every little wrinkle on her face. Notice her wings and of course I love her earrings.  She always brings a smile to my face.  Her eyes follow you. What a Goddess !  She's in my screened in porch on a shelf.  Her friend, who looks a lot like her is there also.  Next time for her picture.  We don't want to go over board on Goddesses.
Speaking of Goddesses, one of my classes  I'm taking is about them and I have to dress up as one.  Most of my married life I was Goddess Hera but then after I went through menopause I was different.  I just need to narrow it down to what Goddess that I am in now.  After that the fun part begins.  I need to come up with an outfit that will fit both Goddesses or maybe even three.  I plan on making a talk about the why's and what for's.  I don't want to say speech because I don't want it to seem cold.  This is my life I am talking about and I want it to come from my heart.

 Now this beautiful Goddess I found in a thrift store.  Isn't she beautiful.  Oh, to be on the Ocean Edge.  Maybe she found a beautiful shell or Ocean rock.  Whatever it is she is giving it her full attention.  I imagine that will go in a pocket or purse and be kept with other treasures she has found along the path of life.  The frame around the Goddess is beautiful and quite heavy. I think I was in the right place at the right time because I really love it and hope to find more.  Not that I have any wall space, I don't but I manage to find a spot here and there.

Below is some of my screened in porch also.  This is just under and over the Goddess in the Frame.  My chair is another find and how do you like the beautiful silk hat.  It just matches, doesn't it?  The wire basket is dried flowers that I have saved from Jim bringing me flowers.  I love to do that

then I have lasting memories.

Well enjoy !  Happy Spring to all.  Tootles

Here is to "Sky Faeries and Goddesses in Every Women"

 No doubt about it.  These are beautiful Sky Faeries.  They were with me.  Overseeing, guarding, watching, protecting or just wanted to come along for the ride.  Hey, whatever I loved seeing them and took (as one of my Son's said) 4 hundred pictures almost all in a row.  I just did not want to miss any formation.  It seemed to me they were putting on quite a show and I for one did not want to miss a second.

This brings me to a class I am taking now.  It's called "Irish Myths and Legends".  Wow, what a class and what a teacher.  Victoria Hunt, you can tell she is passionate about her heritage.  She comes across as wanting to fill you in on the history and the now of Irish legends.  As you can tell  I love the class.

Now tomorrow I go to my Goddess Class.  Yes, that is right

 my Goddess Class.  Well the name of the class is "A Goddess in Every Women," the teacher is Sydney Wilde. What a remarkable and funny lady.  You know it seems forever I have wanted to know more about Goddesses.  I mean I would hear a little here and and little there but never really getting the whole story.  Well, this class tells it all.  There are two books that she says will help to follow along for class.  " A Goddess in Every Women," by Jean Bolin.  She also has "Goddess in the Older Women, which I haven't got fully into yet.  The books, in fact, all of here books are full of information for every women.  Hey, it explains a

lot about how we as women are.  Never apologize again about the mood you are in.  It's not a mood, (well, it is sorta) it's just one of the Goddesses showing up and maybe not always at the most opportune time.  Read the books !  It has helped me explain a lot about myself and others I know.  Hey, Here's to Faeries and Goddesses !  Tootles

New to Me Kitchen

Here we are !  With everything I have put together for my new Kitchen.  I would say 95% of everything you see is bought from the Thrift Stores and how I love to shop at Thrift Stores.
The sign above everything which says.."Toland" my Dad made for us at our old house.  We had it hanging out front of our house but I just don't want the weather to harm it anymore so have it inside now.  The sink you see is very deep and I love it. It was given to me by my daughter several years ago. It works perfect. The cast iron candle holder above the sink belonged to our 

 daughter-in-law, Bernadette.  I thought the blue candles just set it off.  See the little country girl above right.  Isn't she adorable, she is sitting in a basket, my husband found and knew I would love her as an addition (and I do). There are various wooden boxes which I have been lucky enough to find and grab.  The blue green hooks on each side are cast iron.  Anything cast iron, wooden, or tin I grab.  I certainly do not like anything plastic, ugh!  We do start a fire in the fireplace most mornings and have out breakfast their.  It's cozy and warm.  The cupboard door you see here is the other side of our storage cupboard from the other room.  I had Jim paint it with the chalkboard paint.  It does look like a chalkboard but haven't used chalk on it.  I don't want to just get chalk from Walmart (which is from China) but plan on finding it at Staples, just haven't stopped by there yet.  I think the have thin chalk like a pencil.  Then I will write a menu of

sorts or something else, haven't decided yet. 
This pic is the other side of the counter.  Jim made me a shelf underneath and I plan on having baskets there to slide in and out.  I might make a material sash for the inside and sides of the basket but don't know for sure.  I had another basket which was oval and right after I got it was going to use it to bring my veg. and fruit back to my house in it but low and behold the CSA people took it !  What !? and left their plastic one.  I was doing that so they could take their basket back as it was the last one, even explained what I was doing in two emails.  Guess they don't read them.  Oh Well, so much for planning and CSA baskets.

Now this sweet little pig was made and given to me by my Dad.  I have two other ones which are just square boards.  This he use my cutting board which I bought from the Clock Maker in Leon, Kansas.  I've had it for a long time as well as the Clock we ordered from him.  At the time couldn't afford the Grandfather Clock so bought a smaller version which is just the size of the face of a Grandfather clock.  I do love the chimes.  Tootles

Something Old Into Something New Again !

Before

This China Cabinet was my Moms.  I was with her when she bought it at Sears in Sacramento, Florin Center, 1968.  As you can see the glass to the door is out and I had tried updating it by painting the black inlays.
I had so much fun painting it and deciding on the color.  What a decision it was, so afraid I would hate it when it was done but my admit I love the new color.  It just brightened up the whole thing .

I'm not really one to go for bright colors but this one caught my eye, It's called "Cinnamon Stick".  It's not too orange and not too red.

Jim found a glass installer who was actually a mobile but let us come to his home with the door.  I was so happy.  Now all my things inside will be dust free.

Next I will have pictures of the inside shelves and what I have on them.  Tea Anyone?

After