Good, Bad & oh so Ugly

Where in the heck has summer gone & did it really ever begin?  Usually, July & August are so hot & muggy that I am unable to even move, but this year the weather has been absolutely gorgeous.  Warm days but without the humidity that I dread.  I turned another year older & with that has come more memory loss as I can't even remember what I did in June.  How awful is that?  Onto July and the "oh so ugly".

My step-daughter came for a short visit over the 4th of July & while staying in the upstairs "Martha Room", a word of caution to her about the tricky toilet & how it needs to be watched to make sure it has finished its cycle.  We decided it would be fun to go to an annual Barn Sale in Bangor, so off we went for a relaxing day of shopping & tasty food.

The sale is held on the grounds of Silver Creek Acres & several dealers set up their tents & wares.  Faith & Nick Lukianenko are the hosts & have constructed a wonderful barn to showcase their antiques.  This is the "good" part of the story & will post more pictures later as this post will focus on the "ugly".

After leaving the sale we headed off to South Haven, MI where the whole town was jammed up getting ready for the 4th of July parade, so a quick turn about & we were headed south to St. Joe, MI where again we were met with hoards of people making their way to the Lake Michigan beach.  We finally found a parking spot & a charming place to eat.  A quick phone call home only to learn that the upstairs toilet had overflowed while we were gone and the ceiling in the downstairs bathroom was soaked & the adjoining ceiling in the computer room had fallen down.  The "ugly" was beyond comprehension & to say I was shocked by the mess is an understatement.  Plaster, plaster bits, old lathe & water soaked items were everywhere.  I spent the next 4 days vacuuming plaster, wiping down items, throwing away soaked items.  I was and am still not a happy camper. 

A call to our insurance company & a visit from the adjuster made me feel a tad bit better.  This was going to be a bigger job than just a quick weekend fix.  July 4th - remember the date & now one month later, drywall removed from 2 walls, more ceiling removed & in typical fashion "when it rains, it pours", our shower tub faucet seized up resulting in the shower & tub

 

 needing to be removed.  Granted, we have had this combo for over 20 years and it was time for a replacement, but this is getting ridiculous and just plain wearing me out.  During all of this chaos, I agreed to help a friend hold an estate sale for her late mother's belongings, so it was almost impossible to get to a Lowe's or Menard's to even begin to look for a replacement shower.  We have been forced to use the original shower upstairs & for the life of me, can't remember when it became so small.  Issues were met with that shower head & of course, a replacement was needed.  I've come to the conclusion that what I needed was a "Calgon take me away" moment, and would do so except for the fact that I no longer have a bathtub! 

There it is folks, the "good, bad & ugly".  The estate sale?  We made it through & sold off a lifetime of goods & memories.  My friend was happy, I was happy and have to admit it was nice to be in a house where the toilets worked, the shower intact.  It was hard to leave that peaceful serenity.

I spent the day at Lowe's looking at shower bases, shower walls, doors, faucets & came away with my head whirling.  Decisions, decisions & more decisions to make.  It's all so overwhelming and where to begin?  Not sure, but will leave you wondering exactly will happen in the upcoming months.  September will bring my sister & brother-in-law & hoping as family they will understand the situation & ignore the mess!   

APRIL SHOWERS BRING MAY FLOWERS

"I love spring anywhere, but if I could choose I would always greet it in a garden."  ~Ruth Stout

Spring has reluctantly arrived in my neck of the woods & definitely in a confused state.    One day the sun is shining, the birds are singing & everything is right with the world.  Next day, it's like a hangover from the party that took place the day before.  Cold, wet & rainy & all one wants is to take a long nap.

It took its sweet time getting here, but finally my daffodils pushed forth & the tulips are just on the verge of creating a beautiful color palette for all to enjoy.  My forsythia bush is in full bloom despite being warm & sunny one day & cold, wet & rainy the next.  I do have to say that the color is not only vibrant, but spectacular.  Does the blue round garden ornament look familiar?  Yes, indeed it is one of the two I bought last year.  Bowling balls......keep your eye out for them as they make for great garden décor.   

 

 

 

This past week has been a very busy one for me.  Since my son's accident almost a year ago, he goes to physical therapy three times a week at our local hospital.  I drive him there, drop him off & pick him up an hour later.  Tuesday found me in our neighboring town of Niles to get my haircut & do some grocery shopping.  Wednesday, I traveled to another small town to help with an estate sale of a friend and antique dealer.  Her husband passed away a year ago quite unexpectedly.  They lived in a Tudor style house in Berrien Springs overlooking Lake Chapin.  The house is large, to large for just one person, so she purchased & moved into a smaller one closer to town.  Thirty plus years of furniture, smalls & memories needed to be removed.  Sorry I didn't get a chance to take a picture of the outside, but pictures can be seen on Google, Olsen Realty, Jerry Barefield (Snow Road).

The sale started on Wednesday at 4:00 p.m.  People were lined up ready to grab whatever they could afford & promptly at the appointed hour, the door was opened to a throng of shoppers.  This is a large house with many rooms & even now I can't remember exactly how many, but a lot.  The day was very spring like with the sun shining, but the following day was cold & windy.  But it was in no way a damper on the items being sold.  It was a sale of high end furniture, eclectic items including the zebra skin hanging above the fireplace.  Ironically, it was the first item sold on opening day.  Makes quite a statement.  For my friend, I wish her well in her new home knowing that she still has the memories of a long shared life overlooking the water.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The last photo was taken late in the afternoon after the sun briefly made an appearance.  Let's just say that the view alone from the deck makes this a "million dollar" view.  It was a fun couple of days, but was exhausted to say the least & came home with just a few much needed items.  An iron, because mine is shot & an old wood hoe.  Now that is something that we can use not only in the garden but in my poorly neglected flower beds. 

 

Mr. B spent the last couple of days readying the garden.  Things needed to be moved as it is necessary to rotate crops so as not to deplete the ground.  Out of all the gourds we planted last year only 7 made it through the winter, so we need to come up with a better growing plan. 

 

 

Looks pretty dismal, but by August it will be lush & green with an overflowing of never ending tomatoes, which I truly love & with some luck many vines full of wonderful gourds.  I've met spring not only in the garden, but standing on a deck overlooking a ravine & enjoying all that spring has to offer. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Promise of Spring

March and the promise of spring, but blink it is almost over with.   March weather was somewhat of a disappointment with snow, cold & winds.  Even last week, we received 3 inches of the white fluffy stuff.  Weatherman calls it "lake effect" snow & for good reason.  We are situated about 22 miles from Lake Michigan & somewhat in the armpit of lousy weather.  We get it all.  Cold hearty winds whether it be summer or winter.  Lake effect snow is what is leftover from a storm & usually isn't as nasty as a blizzard, I am assuming.  Funny thing is for all my years of living in Dowagiac, just don't remember the winters being as cold or as nasty.  Global warming?  Maybe. 

Yesterday & today the weather is sunny & much warmer - not hot, but warmer.  I actually went without a jacket while driving to the store.  So yes, there is a promise of spring as my daffodils are sprouting, tulips are pushing their way through the frozen ground. 

Good Friday offering of some of the daffodils by my back door.

 

Great day for opening windows to let in some spring air.  I'm already in the mood to start "cleaning" out cupboards & drawers.  The promise of spring does that to a person.  The need to start fresh & renew.  Anxious to get in the garden & start the planting.  Projects that have been on the back burner are ready to finish.  It's going to be a great weekend with family & friends for Easter dinner.  A Happy Easter to one and all!

 

 

Look what one of my friends, Pattie Behnke found in her mother's things.  It's an old picture of the ReShore flower truck that was used for deliveries back in the day.  Pattie's grandfather worked for the ReShore's.  Pattie, is a true lover of flowers & gardening & now we know why.  Such a special photograph & I'm so happy she shared it with me.

 

 

 

Mother Nature Up to her Old Tricks

There is an old saying "out like a lion, in like a lamb" or vice versa for the beginning of March.  March came in like a lamb, much to my disappointment as it means more weeks of winter.  Mother Nature apparently remembered the saying as she decided to dump 6 inches of snow on us the other day.  Old Mother Nature likes to play tricks on us this time of year.  She gives us a day of sunshine, warmer temps and like young children we run around with a giddy step, shedding heavy coats and mittens for a light jacket.  The sky is bluer than we remember and the air is clean and fresh and we are invigorated. In a blink of an eye, it is gone.  Cold winds are blowing, enormous snowflakes are falling to the ground and we are once again stuck inside standing at a window wondering when it will all end.  It's hard living in the north.  But, there is a promise of spring with each new bird that shows up at the feeder.  There is a warming of the land that can be felt with the days getting longer. 

I'm anxious to start new projects, clean out cupboards and drawers, rearrange furniture and think about new wallpaper for my dining room.  Until I can open the windows and listen to the birds, I pass the time away cross-stitching or reading a book.  I just finished Nora Ephron's "I Feel Bad About My Neck".  Thoroughly enjoyed her writing of getting older.  Now I am onto "Gap Creek".  I have a thing about books.  I love them, love to hold them, smell them, but just can't fit one more book into my house.  The district library is wonderful as I can check books out, read them and then return.  Goodwill always has an abundant supply of books, so I pick some up there.  When I'm finished reading , I donate them back.  So not only have I remedied the book population in my house, I'm recycling.  I feel good about that. 

Pinterest?  I wasn't quite sure if I was ready to take the plunge, but finally did and I'm not sure if it is a Godsend or a curse.  I love pinning pictures, recipes, quotes.  Each picture is like looking through a magazine without the hassle of what to do with it after you're done.  I started out with a few boards and like everything else in my life, became undated with more and more.  I'm so busy pinning, that I forget to go in and look at what I actually pinned.  Since I am of an age of being more forgetful, Pinterest is an ideal way for me to "pin" books that I want to read when I have time.  My wish for the upcoming days is that I become more organized in my life which will give me more time to read and figure out a way to put a spring back into my step.  Happy Spring!

February in Pure Michigan

So February arrived & of course with a flurry of snow.  Snow, snow & more snow.  Last week, we had the January thaw & temps in the 50's & the air was filled with the "promise of spring", but that was all it was - a promise.  I'm complaining & not complaining.  I'm complaining because I really don't like snow or cold, but not complaining as my son had to have surgery on his hip January 17th & thankfully the weather was bitter cold, but no snow.  A return visit to have his stitches removed brought us another day of clear roads & warmer temps, and for that I am grateful as the weather report was indicating a big old snow storm was headed our way & good old mother nature did not disappoint. 

The thing about Michigan is that the weather can change from good to bad & all in one day.  The pictures I'm including pretty much tell what it is like from morning to afternoon.  The one above was taken on the last day of January.  The black blob in the picture is our 13 year old Boston Terrier who really doesn't like winter, but stepped outside to take care of her business.

The above shot is from yesterday morning.  Although, beautiful to look at, it was bitterly cold.  Down the street, two kids were quickly shoveling out their driveway. 

Same day, but later in the afternoon.  Sun is out, blue skies above, but still very cold.  It always amazes me how quickly the weather can change.  So what do we Michiganders do on such cold days?  Basically, stay inside & try to keep warm.  I cruise the internet looking at favorite blogspots, check on Pinterest to see if there is anything new & there usually is, so I end up adding another board.  My favorite past time is stitching or reading.  I spent the day finishing up a small spot or motif sampler.  "Hearts & Rabbits" is what I've named it.
 

 

Stitched on 28 count linen, spot or motif samplers are basically just different motifs stitched randomly on the linen.   I like to stitch them as you can add different elements without following a set pattern. I think it turned out very nicely & especially love the rabbits.

 

 

And this is what it looks like today, just a few moments ago.  More snow, more cold.  How many more days until spring???  Can't come soon enough as we all have a bad case of cabin fever. Despite the husband dealing with a head cold & being just a tad bit cranky, he is busy in the kitchen cooking up a big pot of potato soup.  Something that will definitely hit the spot on this very cold February day & hopefully will make him feel better - God I hope so! 

 

 

Farmhouse Shea Butter Lotion by Sweet Grass Farm

Farmhouse Shea Butter Lotion by Sweet Grass Farm

The Gift is Small, Good Will is All

Since the big day is fast approaching, I will wish everyone a very Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year.  Since I am a cross-stitcher & sincerely enjoy stitching, I am always reminded of a small yet meaningful piece of work stitched with the words, "The gift is small, good will is all".  It is a constant reminder that not all gifts that we receive need to be big & wrapped in pretty paper & ribbon.  I enjoy the gift of a beautiful sunset, birds clamoring around my bird feeder, a pretty Christmas card from a friend or relative, the first snowflake, a favorite Christmas movie or song. Or it could be a rusty car horn stuck inside a favorite wood hanging piece!.  I'm not into "commercial" Christmas & each year I venture out in the hopes of finding "Christmas".  It usually comes in unexpected ways, but when it happens, I'm reminded of what the season is truly about & that it may include gifts big or small, but always good will.  Happy Holidays.

Getting my Shine on!

I was able to find another faux wreath & along with my leftover ornaments another wreath was born.  Anyone who knows me, knows that "shiny" is not really my thing.  I'm a more "natural" look type of girl, but I have to say making this wreath let me get my "shine" on!!  I'm much happier with this one than my first wreath.  Happy to say it is now hanging in our spot at Hart City in Elkhart, Indiana.  I am hoping it will sell as there were so many offerings of wreaths from the other vendors.  It was like a Christmas wonderland at the mall.   Green faux trees, twig trees, white faux trees.  Whatever your pleasure, it was available.  Lovely to look at, but I'll be heading out this weekend to forage for whatever fresh pines I can find.  Time to make a statement on my rickety front porch. 

All that glitters is not gold

Remember a few posts back where I showed a pictured of the "goodies" we picked up the day of the Washington Street sales?  In the picture, were a couple of boxes of red & gold ornaments that I planned to use for a wreath along with a faux green wreath that I picked up at Goodwill for a dollar.   Well, finished the wreath & thankfully on that same day I was able to buy one big box of red glass ornaments of different sizes for a couple of dollars as it turned out I needed all of them for the wreath.  It was a big wreath & my picture is not the best, but it does show how it turned out.  It looked a whole lot better in person & has already gone off to a new home.  I'm now working on a second one, much smaller with the gold ornaments & some red ones.  I have to say, other than the tons of hot glue, this is one easy & inexpensive project for something that normally sells for big dollars in the catalogs.  There is still time to make one.  Goodwill usually has boxes of ornaments for a good price as well as the wreaths.  Most of the Dollar stores have a good supply of inexpensive ornaments, so grab your glue gun, lots of glue sticks & get to gluing.  I remove the metal cap, but not necessary.  Just start placing the bulbs in a pleasing pattern & glue.  I attached a ribbon bow, but again looks great without.  For the red wreath, I didn't have enough gold ornaments to use, but any combination works well.  Enjoy!

It' "Gobble, Gobble, Gobble" Time

Seems like October drags along & rightly so as I always want to hold onto the last glimmer of the fall season.  Watching the leaves turn from the lush greens into the vibrant golds, reds & russet browns always makes me melancholy.  As gorgeous as the days are with clear blue skies, crisp fall mornings, I know that soon the trees will be bare & the green grass covered by fluffy white snow.  I admit it, I don't like winter, never have for as long as I have been around.  It is just something we Michiganders deal with.  But, I still don't like it.  I like to look at the first snowfall, but then would be just as happy for it to leave.  Now, what does any of this have to do with "turkey talk?"  Just that when October leaves, it seems the days fly by quicker than politician's blink and before we know it Thanksgiving is upon us. 

I have had the luxury over the last 30 years to not have to cook Thanksgiving dinner.  I was so fortunate to live next door to my in-law's, Mike & Jeri Bobik and she loved to cook and was an excellent cook.  She cooked the turkey, the mashed potatoes, yams, jello, the salads.  My only contribution was a bowl of cranberries, because I love cranberries.  Love the color, love the taste & could eat them everyday.  After the passing of both my in-laws, my sweet younger sister extended the invitation to spend the day with them.  The first year, I brought probably a corn casserole & since her husband deep fries their turkey, I ended up roasting a small bird so that we could all enjoy the "traditional" bird that is expected.  I have no problem roasting a bird, but had never really tackled bread dressing or a pumpkin pie!  I'm not a pie maker, never have & probably never will be, but, my mother-in-law was a fabulous cook & her bread dressing was delish as were her pumpkin pies.  My sister-in-law, Penny Klett (Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen.blog spot.com) is also a fabulous cook & on a particular year added "Mom's bread dressing & Pumpkin pie" to her blog spot.  Eureka, I could finally make the mouth-watering bread dressing & hopefully the desired pumpkin pies.  I printed the recipes, gathered my ingredients & proceeded to put together the bread dressing.  I assured my sister not to worry as I had this part of the menu covered.  So I'm ready with recipe in hand, adding the bread, the celery, onions and butter......so much butter it seemed for one loaf of bread, but pushed on placing the mixture into my trusty 9" x 13" baking dish.  Something just didn't look right & definitely did not look like the much remembered dressing my mother-in-law served.   I re-read the recipe & yes, I had all the correct ingredients, but again, something just didn't look right, so I called my sister-in-law to ask her what I was doing wrong.  Well, come to find out there was slight mis-print in the recipe & either I had to much butter or not enough bread, can't remember exactly which, but I baked the dressing & took it as my offering & much to my surprise, everyone loved it & I left my sister's house at the end of the day with an empty dish.  The pumpkin pie.....need to leave that for another day as that was by my own admission a huge mistake.  How was I to know that the recipe was for two pies and not one.  I'm not a pie baker & realized that day exactly why I am not. 

The moral of this lengthy story is that for many years, we as a small family,  were very fortunate & thankful to have had someone who enjoyed cooking a "Thanksgiving dinner", but even more thankful for the memories of that round oval table in the dining room, covered with so many delectable dishes, witty conversation and more importantly time spent with two of the most wonderful people to grace a table, my in-law's, Mike & Jeri Bobik.  Happy Thanksgiving to everyone near & far. 

Happy Halloween.  Normally this is a fun holiday for me, but not so much the last couple of years.  Prior to my mother passing away on October 15,2005, Halloween was a holiday that was shared by her, my aunt, sister & grand kids coming to my house for Sloppy Joes and assorted treats.  I was the stopping off place for the country grand kids to gather for pictures & then a quick rush out the door with a parent in hand to scurry up and down the streets surrounding our house.  When finished with their appointed rounds back they would come & try to eat something, but far too excited to see what "goody loot" they were given.  The day my mother passed away, my world was completely shattered.  It was very unexpected & the thought I not having my mother to call or see anymore was very hard for me & my two sisters to handle.  So that year, I just could not bring myself to pass out treats as all I wanted was for my mother & aunt to be there.  Each year becomes easier, but still no great joy as it is a reminder that neither my aunt or mother are with us anymore.  This year was even harder as my two grandsons who normally would be here, had moved to Florida in August, so just didn't see the sense, not to mention it was a miserable cold, wet and rainy day & night.  So maybe next year I'll be in better spirits & who knows maybe I'll have a couple of small tricksters coming in my back door.

Bittersweet October

"Bittersweet October. The mellow, messy, leaf-kicking, perfect pause between the opposing miseries of summer and winter." ~Carol Bishop Hipps

I am a lover of the written word.  I love reading what other people write & I enjoy writing.  I do most of it in my head & have ideas for books that I would love to write, but alas I never seem to get it done. 

Bittersweet October.  How do I begin?  My dear sweet late mother-in-law, Jeri Bobik, planted a bittersweet bush many, many years ago.  It grows directly on both property lines belonging to them & to us.  It started out small & very rarely gave us the delightful orange & yellow berries, or if it did, I never saw them.  Now remember, my mother-in-law was a person with a very sweet disposition & of all the people in her life, she loved her grandchildren with more than an unconditional love.  Enter my son & step-son when they were around 10 years old & decided that the bittersweet could use some grooming.  With saw in hand, they cut away at that bittersweet & my sweet mother-in-law totally lost it.  She cried over the loss of what was once a beautiful lush bush & the promises of bountiful fruit.  Of course, we all felt bad, the boys even more so.  So, from then on the bittersweet was off limits.  Looking back, I remember thinking how awful we felt for her & where would we be able to find a replacement & with no such luck, the long Michigan winter set in.  When spring finally arrived the following year, the bittersweet had survived & in fact flourished.  And since then the bittersweet was off limits & no one touched it for years on end. 

The problem with some strains of bittersweet is that it is very invasive & will grow rapidly upwards, downwards & intertwining into anything close by, including trees, bushes & buildings.  The bittersweet did exactly that & after climbing up into the box elder tree, it needed to be pruned.  Each year, I wait for those glorious berries to form & the one year that it came into its own, my husband cut all of them, leaving me with no bittersweet.  I'm not sure if it has something to do with the timing of when he cuts it back, but again no bittersweet this year.  That bush.....causes more discussion & emotion than a recent football game or car race.  Cut it down, leave it, prune it & all the while in the back of my mind I remember my mother-in-law and how much it meant to her.  So, it is a bittersweet bush with bittersweet memories & for now will stay with the hope that one day it will produce some of those beloved berries that she so cherished.   

Fruitful Day & Fruitful Finds

What a beautiful day.  It was a bit chilly when I woke up, but soon the day turned to nothing but sunshine & warmer weather. 

My daughter, Morgan & I try every year to drive over to South Bend, Indiana for the Washington Street Sales.  We live about 22 miles from South Bend & Notre Dame - the fighting Irish.  Washington Street is located in the historic district of South Bend & the street & surrounding ones are filled with old Victorian houses along with the Studebaker Mansion & the Oliver Mansion.  Studebaker made cars & the Oliver's created the Oliver Plow.  The Studebaker Mansion is now a restaurant, while the Oliver Mansion or Copshaholm is a house museum.  The Oliver family left the stone mansion with contents intact to the Historical Society & is one of my favorite places to visit.  All of the contents belonged to the Oliver family, so it is like a step back in time.  Back to the yard sales, which are usually in front of the houses.  Spaces can also be rented, so you never know what will be found.  The museum next to the Oliver House is usually set up selling items that have been donated & can not be used in exhibits.  Everything from glassware, holiday to historical items can be found.  Driving down Washington Street we were disappointed that there was very people set up, but did find a couple of sales & found out the sale was actually last week, but ended early due to rain.  No matter, we found a few things & saw some old friends.

We left Washington Street & headed over to the Century Center where the Junior League was having their annual thrift sale.  I've never been to this event, so it was something new to try & the huge room was transformed into a mini shopping haven. Tables were well marked indicating what items were for sale.  I tried to hit every table, but things were picked over, but did manage to find some red & gold ornaments to match the ones I found on Washington Street.  A couple of Christmas items, a pillow & a small clock.  Most of the items were marked $1.00!  Then we headed off for a quick breakfast, and on our way home stopped at a Goodwill.  It was 50% off day & let me tell you, I now know why I avoid going.  So many people in such small aisles do not make for happy shopping, but I found a Christmas wreath with an adorable snowman.  A Christmas pillow & runner filled out the cart & then it was home via country roads. The leaves have started to turn & it is going to be a good year for color.  Vibrant reds, yellows of various shades, dark purples & browns  make it hard to keep our eyes on the road. So much fall color to enjoy.  It is was a very good day & much needed. 

Maybe you have all seen those wreaths in Pottery Barn.  You know the ones with all the colorful glass balls or ornaments.  Well, my purchase of an extra wreath, the two boxes of balls along with a big box from one of the sales will be turned into one of those very expensive wreaths.  I made one last year & it turned out great.  A glue gun (being very careful as they get very hot), positioning  the balls, then glue. Very easy to have something that looks expensive but very thrifty. Wreath $1.00, glass ornaments $1.00 each box, big box of red ornaments $3.00.  $6.00 for something that will last for several years and much less expensive than the one pictured in the catalog.

The big round blue ball that you see in the picture is actually an old bowling ball that someone cut off the bottom.  These make great garden ornaments & I was happy to have gotten two this morning.  So, if you are out & about & find an old bowling ball, especially one with some good color, grab it & find a place in your garden. I think you will enjoy it. 

 I forgot to mention the wonderful old soap dish with lid.  Not sure what I'm going to do with it & may just decide to keep it. Three pieces that look like transferware in a soft turquoise green. 

I've had a busy day and now it is time for me to pick up some linen, grab my favorite needle & start cross-stitching.  Hope you all had a fruitful day, as I know we did.

Favorite Pumpkin Men

 

I know, this is slightly ridiculous, but I just love this picture.  Love a man in a barn jacket, denim pants & holding a pumpkin.  Can it get any better?  Brings a smile to my face each time I look at it. 

My View from the Hill

Woke up this morning to intense fog surrounding our city block.  I'm always fascinated by how the weather reacts to the changing temperatures.  Dowagiac (just say Doe-wa-jack) where I live is located about 22 miles from Lake Michigan and we seem to be in a direct path of whatever blows across the big lake.  Be it rain, sleet or snow - we get it all.  It warmed up yesterday, so should not be surprised to find "London Fog" this morning.  I always expect Sherlock Holmes to step into the street light, pipe in mouth & magnifying glass in hand.  No such luck.  Just the neighbor backing down their driveway getting ready for another day at work.

Yesterday was the husband's 66th birthday.  We've been married over 30 years, but I've known him since junior high.  The crazy fool was smitten with me way back then, & hopefully after all these years still is.  I wish I could say that he took the day off & just lounged around, but that isn't in his DNA.  He is a working fool & spent the day painting a huge piece of construction equipment that needs to be finished by the end of the month.  Phone calls & facebook messages were left for him, mostly by females, as he is a charmer by nature.  Woman love him & rightly so as he is very handsome, but more importantly he is kind & generous - sometimes to a fault.  He is always there for a friend, neighbor or stranger.  He loves to read, garden & tinker.  He also loves cemeteries & has several photo albums of various places he has visited & the unique monuments he has found.  I always joke that my Friday night dates consist of ending up in some remote cemetery with overgrown weeds & dead flowers.  We don't always agree on everything, but he has been my rock for many years.  For me, I will always remember the blond haired boy on his Schwinn bicycle giving me his ring and asking me to go steady with him.  Pretty sure there are days when he wishes he never made that gesture, but it is what it is.  So Happy Birthday Bill Bobik - the younger man I married & love.   

September Morning

It's morning time & for some reason I seem to be waking up later than usual.  I think it has something to do with the upcoming time change.  But what a beautiful morning it is - the sun is out, the sky is blue with hardly a cloud floating by.  The temps dropped down last night to around 36 degrees & as corny as it sounds, there is a crispness to the air.  Fall in Michigan is beyond beautiful.  When the trees start to change, it is simply breath taking with various colors everywhere.  But with the color change, also comes cooler days & nights.  The plants are starting to die back & there are still tomatoes to harvest, but not as many as in the previous weeks.  More gourds have emerged on long stretching vines & my hope is that they will mature in time for next spring.  I have so many projects lined up - tables that need to be painted, samplers that need to be cross-stitched & a trick to finding that perfect white pumpkin.  Orange pumpkins can be found anywhere, but white pumpkins or lumina are tricky to grow, so when I see them I pounce.  I love the look of the white as well as some of the beige colored ones - heck, I love all of them.  As I drive around the countryside, I am so disappointed that there are no apples.  We live in a rural area where apple, cherry & peach orchards abound, but due to the quirky weather in March the apples were completed wiped out.  I feel badly for the growers as they depend on their crop for survival.  Just goes to show that we should never take anything for granted. 

Yesterday afternoon, a friend who works with my daughter stopped by with several old city directories.  She was intriqued by the stories of Mrs. ReShore & wanted to share some history.  We had a wonderful conversation.  She left the directories for me to read & I look forward to piece together the ReShore Family.  She also let me know that one of our older citizens has a couple of pictures of the ReShore house.  I have a picture of Mrs. ReShore, but none of the house that we have inhabited for the last 30 years, so am excited to get a copy & will hopefully share.  As for now, I'm off for another cup of coffee & begin to start my day.  Happy fall wishes to everyone. 

To Market We Go......

As I mentioned previously, hubby & I have a booth in a re-sale market venue.  Big building with several vendors selling various wares.  We started with a small space to test the waters & were able to get the booth next to ours, so we've expanded.  Just in time, as I finished the small table with the curvy legs.  With several paint suggestions and much appreciated, I was short on time as I needed to get the table into the booth today.  In looking through all my paint cans, I found Martha Stewart's Thunderheart - a slightly darker gray color.  Got the legs painted & decided it wasn't the gray I was looking for, so slapped on a coat of Walnut stain and felt much better about the look.  Is it the best I've done? No, but time was a ticking.  A few goodies from Goodwill & my look is complete or at least will have to be.  The van was full up with bookcases & managed to squeeze the table & accessories & off we went.  The transition of the two booths went smoothly & am feeling good about the way the space looks.  You can actually walk in & through the booth.  We'll see how it works.  Happy weekend to everyone.  I've more projects to work on so more decisions on paint.  That famous green may make a comeback.   

The ReShore House Sampler

I love to cross stitch.  It is one of my favorite things to do & I've stitched so many samplers that I have lost count.  I always took them to different shows and do to some unforseen circumstance missed one of my favorites, Breckinridge, but was tickled when after the show, my good friend, Karen told me everybody was asking where The Sampler Lady was!  That meant alot to me & I thank everyone who ever purchased a sampler from me & hope they are enjoying it to this day.  I just love to stitch, but I also enjoy what others stitchers are doing.  I think everyone has their own certain style of how they stitch & I love seeing what everyone comes up with.  One of my favorites is a sampler stitched by the above mentioned friend, Karen.  It hangs in my dining room.  I've had it for years & it still one of my all-time favorites.  I very seldom keep a sampler I've stitched.  Once I'm finished with it, I'm ready to move onto the next.  I did stitch one for myself & it also hangs in my dining room.  Going through my many numerous disks - yes, I still am taking pictures with my old Sony Mavica & that is a story in and of itself, but sorting through found a picture of my rendition of The ReShore House.  Unfortunately, I sold it.  When I find time, will stitch another & will definitely find a place for it in this old house.   

Small Table - Paint Project

The small table from Goodwill.  Paint project, but can't decide on a color.  Paint or just freshen up the white?  Decisions, decisions - help!

A Bit Like Alice - I'm Late, I'm late!

I'm still swimming in uncharted waters with this blog.  I promised I would pace myself in when I would blog and not blog.  How much is to much and how much is not enough?  I generally write when things start overflowing in my brain & this for me is a great way to journal my thoughts.  Yesterday, I felt like Alice in Wonderland in that I was late for a very important date - my hair appointment!  I knew I had the appointment, but wasn't sure of the time.  I woke up very, very late indeed - 9:15 a.m. to be exact and that for me is very unusual.  I searched high and low for the new card my hairdresser gave me & finally found it with the appointment of 10:30 a.m.  Whew, enough time for me to shower, dress and drive the 14 miles to Niles.  Made it there 5 minutes late and thankfully there was wasn't another soul in the salon.  Ronda, the owner is such a sweetheart & wasn't as upset as I. 

Haircut completed, I decided to stop at Goodwill.  Yes folks, I shop at Goodwill and am proud of it!  I needed a quick fix & never know what I will find & it was a good day.  Furniture filled the store & if I had brought a truck, would have come home with the back end filled, but had to settle for a couple of small wood plain Jane end tables, which hopefully with a coat of paint will be transferred into something magical.  A couple of years ago, I bought the most adorable desk table with a worn finish.  I was getting ready to do a spring show down in Shisphewana & wanted something "springy". I decided the desk would look great with a coat of spring green paint & I ended up choosing a bright almost lime green (I thought), but ended with something more minty looking.  I was short on time & forged ahead with paint brush in hand.  It turned out okay & looked good in our booth with a pot of bright red geraniums sitting on top.  It didn't sell at the show, but was able to unload it a couple of weeks later.  Here's the quandary - what to do with the leftover paint?  I painted chairs, boards, totes, anything I could find & that darn paint can never dwindled.  I decided I just could not stand to look at that color one more minute & retired it once & for all.  Fast forward to a new year & new spring season & off I go to the paint store, determined to find just the right color green.  The paint Gods have it in for me, as I swear I came home with something just as close as my old can of paint. What does this have to do with the plain Jane tables you ask?  Well, it's time for me to choose a color & God help me I just can't bring myself to paint it green.  Will keep you informed of my progress.  I have so many paint projects and like Alice, never seem to have enough time or was that the rabbit?