Time is Flying By Quickly

Hi there everyone, hope you are having a wonderful 4th of July with family and friends!! Mine is quiet, very quiet. It will be a year tomorrow (July 5th) that I took JP to the Assisted Living. 20 days later he died.... lots of memories this month, hope I can make it through without crashing

So, the last couple of weeks, I have been busy with a Rummage/garage sale. Sales were slow on Thursdays, so I cut that day out. Friday seems to be a busy day and Saturday not so much. Course maybe July 4th had something to do with it. But in the 5 days $172.85 was sold.... not bad. I am going to do 4 more days this month, a Friday, Saturday weekend and then the following week. I have an extra bill this month so hopefully enough stuff will be sold to pay that bill.

In the top picture I wanted to mention my little garden...just noticed today that the bean plants are starting to make little beans...gosh I can hardly wait. I will have beans, tomatoes, onions, radish, basil, dill and cucumbers. I meant to plant some flower seeds, but time got away from me. I did plant some marigold seeds and have transplanted them to other places. Going to put some in planters on the front porch.

So here are some pictures of some of the stuff in the sale. I hope this manger scene sells, because I sure don't want to pack it up again. I brought a lot of stuff out from the house, plus I still had stuff in the garage to sell boxed up from several rummage sales before. I need to really sift through all this stuff and down-size a whole lot. As I may have to move in the next year or so. Will be hard to leave because we've been here 31 years this month.

I still have lots of stuff in the basement to go through. I think some of this stuff, I will just go through and take to the thrift store or just throw out. Will see how radical I get.

In the picture below is a card I made for the nephew, he is a golfer and fisherman and only 10 years old. Did you see the saying...."Always golf with extra socks in case you get a Hole-in-one!!! I thought that was pretty funny!!

So here is my first rose of Summer.....so pretty. 

And, my peonies were in full bloom this spring, wish they lasted longer than they do. I did cut a lot of flowers and put them in vases and brought them in the house or left them on the front porch.

More peoni pictures. I actually inherited these flowers from a neighbor. They no longer wanted them in their backyard, and I said, I will take them and so they landed in my yard!!!

I did another radical thing this past month. June 9th, I called Spectrum and asked to cut the cable because I could no longer afford their prices for TV. So now I just have internet and landline. I bought a Roku and installed that on my TV. I am really liking it, lots and lots of movies. I don't get ABC, CBS, NBC, or FOX or my NASCAR....to get that all I would have to spend $70 a month. now that would completely defeat the purpose of saving some money. For now, I will settle with Roku and when I have extra $$$ to spend maybe I will get my channels back (which are supposed to be free, but aren't)

Well, time to close, I need to get some bills paid and dishes done today. It's only 1:30pm so I guess I have time yet. But time does fly by quickly, don't keep your eyes closed to long, you might miss something spectacular!!! Cheers ~ Louise
 

February ~ What's UP!!!

Hi there everyone. Wow....February and what's up??? Thought I would add another picture of the peony stamp I bought from Altenew. This one looks like it might be a water color rendition of the peony. Looks like fun. I do have the die cut that goes along with this stamp. So most definitely I will have to try this effect.

Started working on my income tax....first I have to go through the files, cleaning everything from 2017 out and start the year fresh....out with the old and in with the new I always say!!! (and I have a lot of OLD to throw out ~ upstairs, downstairs and in the garage.) Maybe 2018 will be my "throw out the junk year." After living in this house for almost 27 years, we have a lot of old to throw out, no doubt.

Otherwise, it looks like February will be quiet....for now. I really need to get some cards made.....looks like Valentines day is coming up soon, an anniversary and birthday at the beginning of March. 

Hospice meeting March 2nd....things might be a bit easier this month. As I finally made labels to place in the cards rather then the regular inserts. So if there happens to be a card with a saying inside, rather then take it out and replace with the Hospice insert, I can just place a label at the bottom of the saying. This might save some time, making life easier.

Well, think I will close here for now....it's 12:03am....time to go to bed. You all take care and keep looking up....better days are coming. Cheers ~ Louise

Still Taking Some R&R

Hi there everyone. Yes....I am still fighting the flu....but getting better. Actually made some dinner tonight. Haven't really felt like eating, so JP has had to fend for himself. One good thing about this flu, lost some weight. Hooray for that!!! Now if I can just keep it off and keep going at this pace!!

I did go out to the store Saturday, JP drove me there. I had two sales this past week, one on Etsy and one through JP's work. That was a totally good surprise. The sale on Etsy was a surprise too, but having to pack the figurine and waiting to see if the transaction was deposited in my account took most of the week. Then take the item to the post office. I didn't want to wait too long on getting the item out, it was going down to Texas and was a gift for the buyers friend. 

My little excursion on Saturday, did take it's toll....sure was pooped by the time I got home. Bought something at the buffet so I did not have to cook. Kylie needed some food, JP needed his fruit, plus a few other things were needed. I think I slept a couple of hours after shopping.

Well, all went well and the package is off and will meet it's destination on Wednesday. Hopefully the buyer is happy with her purchase.

The above card is another look at the stamp I bought from Altenew. I am not quite sure how this card was done....maybe watercolors. I really like this peony and can't wait to play with it.

I probably will get a chance this week, as our Hospice meeting is this Friday and I need to get at least 50 cards put together before then. Nothing like waiting to the last minute. But then, I work better with deadlines....don't know why. Sometime my best work comes out of a deadline.

I am still going to take it easy this week though....R&R....is the word for this week. "Rest and Recuperation." Hopefully by Friday this flu thing will be over with. But now I think JP is coming down with it......hope we don't share it back and forth. 

Guess I will close this post.....just rambling on and on. You all take care of yourselves and keep looking up, better days are coming!!!

Cheers ~ Louise

Taking a Rest!!!

A Wordless Wednesday kind of day............

Missed my card making day at Betty's today. Kind of sick, coughing, coughing, coughing....uge!!

Think I will make this card, as I have the stamps. Have a great day!!! Cheers ~ Louise

How 'Bout Some Flowers 2 Keep Us Warm

Hi there everyone. Burrrrrr.....it is chilly outside!!!! The kitchen window thermometer says 5 degrees......oh baby it is cold out there. I have not ventured outside for almost a week and may have to break down and do some shopping tomorrow as the refrigerator is getting low on food and I need some fruit and vegies for my smoothies.

For today's post I thought a few flowers would warm us all up and maybe help in "THINKING SPRING." Just think....a few more months and we will be seeing some of these beauty's in the next 5 pictures.

Hummmm I wonder....maybe this is why time flies, because we are always looking forward to the next season. Maybe....just maybe....enjoy where we are at for the moment. Ahhhh....take in the beauty of the moment, the snow and cold, the wind, ice and fog. All creations of God and all for a reason. Who knows, maybe diverse weather brings on and helps these flowers to do their very best to make things beautiful for us....I don't know...just thinking.

So here is my beautiful rose bush in the front yard. I do nothing special to protect her during the winter, just put a plastic covering around the base and cover her with leaves. This year I gave her a shot of coffee grounds, maybe about a cup and in the spring she'll get some fertilizer. I read some place that coffee grounds were good for roses and actually for vegetables too. We'll see, so far I think I will give the coffee grounds to the roses and experiment with other flowers for now.

My beautiful peonies.....the bush was so full this year. I actually shared some of her blooms with a few neighbors. I wanted to cut the plant in half and start another bush in the front yard, but never got around to it. Maybe this year. I may have given the peonies some coffee grounds in the fall too.

Here is my white rose bush in the back yard.....this is a newer bush and she produces long stemmed white roses....only thing is, she is a late bloomer. Last spring I thought she had died, because there were no new sprouts, almost dug her up, but then one day a new baby sprout showed up. Finally she took root!!! I gave her some coffee grounds in the fall, maybe that will perk her up some. No pun intended.

My wonderful hibiscus. I bought this plant at Walmarts maybe about 6 years ago for a whopping $1.50 and she just keeps blooming and blooming. I keep her in the house during the winter in a south window and water her every other day. Oh yes, fertilize every couple of weeks or so. No coffee here though.....yet. In the spring when the weather warms up she sits on the porch most of the summer and thrives beautifully.

Oh my brown eyed susans.......I love these flowers. They volunteer to grow where ever. I can always count on them to pop up some place in my front yard. Not sure where they came from....maybe a bird dropped a seed and that was where it started. I usually let the seeds dry on the stems in hopes that they will spread and bloom for next year. Then I cut the flowers off and save what seeds are left for the next year. For some reason, as hard as I try, cannot seem to get these flowers to grow in the back yard. I don't know.....maybe there is too much shade.

Well, I guess I shall close for now, have to go pay some bills and take care of household chores.....yep, a woman's work is never done. Have a great day and keep warm and cozy, looking up everyday. Cheers ~ Louise