Wednesday, June 17, 2009

My First Attempt, Oh My!


First I would like to thank Susan for hosting this wonderful "party" of Tablescaping. Please visit her inspiring site at http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/
I'm starting my tablescaping adventure with a dinner outside on the deck with my sister who was visiting. I believe she probably thinks I'm a little demented for taking on more hobbies. I didn't see all my mistakes till I was loading these photos! Where the heck is the silverware??
All the dishes in this setting were bought at Goodwill for a song. Place-mats from Walmart.

Love these little bird S & P; I found them at Target.




Dinner outside on the deck.


This lovely teapot I found at Marshalls



I Survived My Day of Babysitting!



Just thought I'd let you know that after last week's day of babysitting that nearly sent me to the mental institution, this week turned out a little better. My grandson (6 mo) wasn't near as fussy and didn't scream for 8 hours!! (He was cutting a tooth.) That almost did me in! And my 2 year old little granddaughter was very good today and didn't even have to have one "time out" : )) This month we started out with me just sitting once a week; next month it's twice a week. I envy some of you Nannas out there that just seem to thrive in this sort of environment. Me, I can wrangle in a herd of horses and ride all day and am never as stressed and tired as these two little itsey bitseys make me!! I believe that is why God (usually) makes mothers YOUNG! They are cute as buttons. I hope I can get on some sort of routine where I can actually enjoy that!! When I was baby sitting just my little granddaughter it wasn't too bad, but two is definitely more than twice as hard! I need prayers!

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Progress Report on my Garden


This photo was taken on June 9th. Things are taking off pretty well. Yesterday we had the first "crop" from the garden. I went out in the rain and cut enough salad greens for supper for my sister and I. I made a big salad of bib lettuce, spinach and baby beet greens then braised some chicken strips that I had marinated in red wine vinaigrette. It was really good. My squash all have big blossoms on them. (zucchini and acorn) Have to get the tomato cages out and around the plants before they get much bigger. The rain made things really grow fast!


My Dog, Rocky





I know, everybody loves their dog. Well they should if they don't! Rocky is an English Pointer who my husband "got for me" so he could hunt with him!! He is a great hunter and field trial dog but when he's at home he's definitely my couch dog!! He does run a lot around the house outside if anyone dare jog down the road. He is 8 yrs. old now and is slowing down a little. Of course neutering him helped too. My husband would never take him to have neutered. After Jack died, it was one of the first things I had done. Why are guys so weird about that?? Rocky (Rockford) is great company for me, and is a big chicken at heart. He's a gun dog but is afraid and shakes at fireworks and thunder! He doesn't even like it if you snap the balls in bubblewrap!! Oh well, he is my Rocky and I love him!

Friday, June 12, 2009

Jack



It's been over 4 years since my husband died of leukemia. It wasn't an easy time as he went through a lot of procedures, radiation and chemo at the Cleveland Clinic. He had the best doctors but nothing seemed to work. The one good thing is that he accepted Christ into his life just 17 days before he died. This is dedicated to him. We had our ups and downs like every married couple but he was the love of my life and he will be my last.
We met years before when my children were only 6 and 10. They grew up with him as a father figure. He was a police officer and retired at 48. He still worked part time for the city. We met through me being a nurse in the ER at the hospital in the city were he worked. I was a divorced, single Mom and he was the strong type of personality that could take care of any problem. We fell deeply in love and that was that. My son especially grew close to him as they had the same interests; golfing and fishing. His death was extremely hard on my son Carl. They have named their son after Jack. His parents who had passed had a home on Anna Maria Is, FL. There is an album on my other website. http://web.me.com/scorwin1/Shirleys_World/My_Albums/My_Albums.html
Click on "Remembering Anna Maria" and it has a lot of photos.
My father had died a few years before and then my Mom just a year before. Jack's death didn't affect me hard for awhile and then it slowly crept in. I was alone, even though I have children and a wonderful sister and brother-in-law. In the house in the evening, I'm still very much alone.

Monday, June 8, 2009

The Peonies are in Bloom


I had such an exhausting day today. I went to a One To One Class at the Apple Store. (Mac people will know what that is.) Just a thing I do every few weeks to keep up on new things, computer-wise. But the rest of the afternoon was going from furniture store to furniture store looking for a dining room table and chairs. I have in mind exactly what I want and sometimes that's not a good thing. I'm looking for a harvest type table, probably at least with painted legs and painted windsor type chairs. I'd like a rubbed black color. Seems simple enough. However, every one I see, isn't the type of more delicate windsor chairs I have in my mind. My sister is here visiting from PA. and she likes to shop so I am dragging her with me. I gave my last dining room set to my step daughter. It was an antique but was an Edwardian style and did not go in this country farmhouse. So my dining room has been empty for over a year! It now has my granddaughter's toys in it and seems to be a big playroom!! I do have to have my room back before Thanksgiving!!
So what does this have to do with peonies?? Nothing, except that a large bush of them greet me as I come up the driveway. They make a wonderful bouquet for my living room and smell heavenly. The climbing rose on my kitchen porch is loaded with buds and should be spectacular this year. It's really a wonder since I really pruned the heck out of it this past year; even this spring! I'll post photos when it starts blooming. The foxglove and Baptisma are blooming too. Don't you love spring . . . almost summer now!

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

After a Rain


Everything smells so fresh and is that wonderful spring green. I don't use the picnic table much except to sit down a few minutes at. Since my husband died, I don't get much company for meals. Actually my dog Rocky thinks it's a great vantage point as he stands on top of the table. The ice cream set we got a long time ago when we had an antique shop. I don't remember if I got it at an auction or an estate sale but it's a winner! I gave it to my parents as a gift one Christmas for their screened in porch. I was just thinking back about having suppers out there at their house years ago on this table and chairs. When they passed away, I got the set back. I do use it quite a bit even if it's just me having a cup of coffee in the summer. My husband's best friend, Steve, built the low deck for us. I've got to buy some new cushions this year for a couple other outside chairs I have. They've really gone up in price this year. They are about $30. each even at Walmart!
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