Procrastinating no more!

I admit it, there are certain things about which I procrastinate. This room is one of them. In an earlier post I hinted that I would spend an hour a day in this room until it was all unpacked and usable. It is questionable if I have even spent an hour since that post. Well today I decided to make a commitment to get it up and usable because, you see, I have things to do in this room.

Starting with this fabric that is sitting on the steps waiting to be carried up to the room in question and fashioned into something fashionable for this little lady!

To shame, er encourage, me to actually accomplish the task of unpacking, sorting and creating some semblance of a sewing/craft room, I am joining the Project Procrastinator's Party over at the Inspired Room. There is no other way I would ever let anyone see a room that looks like this....but now that I am committed you will be amazed to see what it is transformed into (I hope!).

So where and what do you want to write?

As soon as I saw this post on Ruthie's blog I had to run out (with my coupon) and get some of these chalk markers. They are really neat and do wipe right off with a damp rag. They do work well on my chalkboard but today I decided it would be a great way to keep my weekly verse in my face so put it on the fridge!

Oh and it's amazing the notes you can leave in the strangest places. I know, I tried and my husband chuckled all the way to bed as he found them EVERYWHERE!

Little Surprises..

I signed up for a gardening class on North Carolina gardens which was held today. Our home has lots of grass and some landscaping. I have vowed to simplify and create a landscape requiring little maintenance. This class proved to share some good plants to use BUT as I sat and looked at slides, that flower and plant bug that I catch so easily seemed to take root deep in my being again. I was tempted, oh so tempted to rethink my easy outlook on the yard and start dreaming of adding plants over every square inch. I took a few walks around the yard and decided that the only thing I am ready to tackle at the moment is this ivy. I know it is not a good idea to allow ivy to grow on brick so it has to go. When my mother-in-law was here this weekend she said, "besides it is a good place for snakes to hide." Now it HAS to go and I am wearing heavy gloves and boots when I go near it!

I did call this post "little surprises" and that is because every day I find little treats God tucks in here and there. Today it was Sherri. She sat next to me at the class. Although there was not a lot of time to chat, we did get to find out a little bit about each other. She has a blog. Just looking at it is making me reconsider all those plants again! She has some lovely gardens around her home! (Maybe she will let me visit for my flower fix!)

Some balloons for your birthday!

This beautiful lady is having a birthday today!! She is a wonderful mommy and I am so thankful to have her in our family!

Enjoy your day, Sharon! I love you!! (I remember when I turned 30- only yesterday, I tell you!)

The surprise is out...

Two little girls! Hannah's sister's birth is expected at the end of August, just after her boy cousin is due!

Waiting....

This little lady is a big sister. The surprise that we will learn today is if she will have a baby brother or a baby sister. I am anxiously awaiting a call from her mommy and daddy after their ultrasound.

Remembering some special people

I know I missed the official "Administrative Assistants' Day" but wanted you to know I am thinking of you and miss you all a lot. I hope you all went somewhere yummy for lunch! (I knew there would be a good use to take a picture of Rick taking a picture of you!)

What do you do with this?

Our living room has a set of doors to cover an opening for a tv (yes, we did stick one in there). I prefer not to look at a tv screen so do appreciate the doors but they don't really look much better. So what to do? I remembered that we had hauled a yard sale find, a large ugly picture, with us on this move. I contemplated trashing it as we packed. But it came with us. This is why. My wonderfully artistic husband has painted the frame black (it is now masked as he completes his masterpiece)and is now painting a scene reminiscent of the farmlands we left behind in PA. All he needs is more time to finish it. I will share when it is complete and propped up there covering the doors (can't wait!).

Oh to be a child again!

I think that there is a child hiding inside each of us. Too often many of us forget to let that child out to play.

Reminder about Thursday

Another post today but I wanted to be sure folks are aware of this:

Dave Ramsey's Town Hall for Hope is THIS Thursday. You can go here for more information and to find out where it is being broadcast in your area. This is a free, non-political event to help Americans with their finances. I, for one, am not participating in the doom and gloom of our country's economic circumstances. Take a look at these folks who are taking full advantage of it- and they are people being paid by our tax dollars!!!!

If you don't know who Dave Ramsey is, please take the time to go to his site and learn about him. He hosts a daily radio program on money as well. Some of the radio stations he broadcasts on may also be offering the townhall via radio.

So glad to see green!

We have a small deck just off of our living room. I am finding it is one of my favorite places to sit. Spring is so welcome after the cold of winter!

Can't wait til I can harvest this swiss chard. I know, it is a bit cramped but it will get eaten quickly and having to thin it is one excuse to enjoy it sooner!
Our new yard is rather large and we are not quite sure what to plant. I don't want anything as labor intensive as my cottage gardens in our old home. I am taking a class on Friday to learn about North Carolina gardening. My hope is to come up with some native plants that will thrive in the heat of the summer. This year we are only planning to add a few plantings to the existing landscaping. My husband has always been one to fertilize and baby his lawn, however with more than an acre of grass he re-thought his philosophy- if it is green it stays. It all looks good from a distance!

So thankful for technology

We miss this little girl so much. Thank goodness for skype. She is growing up before our eyes. I can't wait to hold her again.

To paint or not to paint...that WAS the question!

We were so tired of painting and neutralizing our old house before the move that we vowed not to paint in this house. Hard for anyone who knows me to believe this.

Well, there was something about our front door, it was wood and looked weathered. (sorry I did not think to do a before picture) Guess we could put a coat of varnish on it. I really LOVE, I mean LOVE RED doors but I deferred to my husband, the artist, who suggested a black door would look better with the brick. He was right, I love it.

But now the next debate. What about the interior of the door. I suggested it be black as well, after all it would make HIS job of painting it so much easier. Hmmm...he wasn't so sure. Even after showing him Kari and Kijsa's post here he was not fully convinced. But, he is a very smart man and knows that when I want something it is usually wise to listen. He did and he just finished painting the inside of the door. I love it! Here you go, you can see it too! I do think it looks oh so much nicer in person (do understand that I smeared the house numbers on purpose). I have to wait a day or so to let it cure before considering a wreath.

Oh, and about that red door...I'm thinking that the side door into the garage would look great in red! Believe it or not, there is not another place in this house that I am even thinking about painting-yet (sh!)!

Tax Day Tea Party-Greensboro NC

Today was a lovely day for a tea party and approximately 2000 other folks agreed with me as that is what I estimate the crowd to have been at the Greensboro Tea Party! I brought my sign.


Here are some others from the crowd- it was hard to take a lot of pictures as I wanted to listen to what was being said.




It was so nice to be with a group of people who love our country and are willing to stand up for what is going so very wrong right now! The local police were there in force. It must have been an easy day for them as they got to stand together and chat- this crowd was anything but trouble makers! I may have missed being a radical hippie but I am now becoming a reactionary grandma!

So tell me, did any of you go to a tea party today???
Rhinotimes has posted pictures from the Greensboro event- you can see them here. The local paper has posted pictures as well here.

Not so fast....

Time to gather the eggs and put them away until next year.....


But wait a minute! What do we have here?

These are here to stay! At least for a little while.


We love to watch the birds. In fact, leaving our birds behind in PA was tough. We left seed and feeders with the new home owners asking them to continue to feed our babies. My husband set up bird feeders the first day we were in this house and shortly thereafter he and my dad put up birdhouses. Having never had bluebirds, this is a thrill for us!
I will keep you in the loop as the blue bird saga continues to develop.

Amazing Love

May you have a blessed weekend as we celebrate this amazing love.

Tea Party Anyone?

I am going to a tea party next Wednesday. I am sure you can find one to go to here.

I am going to fashion my sign after the Little Red Hen. After all, she was right. I guess there are a lot of Americans who were not paying attention at story time.

Great Weekend!

Tom and Gina arrived Saturday night and left last evening. It was a short visit but wonderful. We were blessed with a gorgeous day on Sunday- it hit 80 degrees!!


My book arrived yesterday so now I will be busy reading! I understand that this book has been on the NY Times best seller list but they have yet to review it...gee I wonder why? All I know is that it was tough to get a copy as it was sold out. I got it online but had to wait as it was on back order. My husband ran to the bookstore at lunchtime to get his book to read.

Amazing that there is a long wait at the local library for both of these books- do you think people are starting to get concerned with the current state of our government? I am planning to attend our local tea party on April 15! Already planning my sign.

Start them young

I am thrilled to see that my granddaughter has caught the "cottage bug." She is all about making it pretty and all her own!

Tommy's Coming

and so is Gina!! So what is a mother to do when her son and daughter by love are coming to visit?? Why bake our favorite oatmeal cookies, of course! This will be the first visit by either of my sons since we moved! Can you tell I am excited?? Oh, and in case you are interested, here is the recipe for THE BEST cookies!

Oatmeal Cinnamon Crispies
Makes 100 2 1/2 inch cookies but they freeze really well!

2 1/2 cups butter, softened
5 cups sugar
1/3 cup dark molasses
4 eggs
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
4 1/3 cups flour
4 3/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups finely chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 375 and grease baking sheets (or line with parchment)
Cream butter and add sugar gradually, then the molasses. Beat until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Add the baking powder, soda, salt cinnamon and vanilla. Blend all together. Add flower slowly, blending as you add. Add the oatmeal and nuts. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto the baking sheets and bake for 5 to 9 minutes or until the cookies are medium brown and a bit crinkly looking. Allow them to sit on the cookie sheets for about 3 mins. before moving to a wire rack.

I've been known to add raisins and dried cranberries to the batter but for some reason neither of my sons appreciate that.

Are we being played as fools?

Unfortunately I feel as if our government has been seized by fools. This was sent to me by a friend and I thought it was pretty good so wanted to share.