~SWEET TABLE TOP DEALS..

There were so many garage sales..that at times we just parked the car and walked.

However..there was very little I found that I wanted or needed. 

Here are a couple of things..

..but first....

This little guy sat on a perch right in front of my living room window this morning.  Didn't move.

An half hour..no movement.  PH came to peek and said "is he breathing?"  I answered "dunno.."

another twenty minutes..and finally I couldn't stand it..and opened the screen door.

Walked right up to him..and ZOOM he was gone.  :)  What a nice start to our day!

After about four garage sales and nothing..following my visit to the sweet little cottage, I found these.

They are Corning's French White stoneware.  Not a flea bite..gorgeous..and..

...there were three of them!  Price? $2.00!  Yes, two dollars for all three and the lid.

Love it!

And books of course.   I found four, one of which I already have, but this one, The Painted House is to loan out.  Vivien Liegh has always interested me so I think I will enjoy this one.  Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby is another I've wanted to read but have not come across in a garage sale.  Three were paper backs which I seldom buy..but I really wanted these books.  The Street Lawyer may be another one I give away.  I think I have it too.   No matter.  For 25 cents each..it's a deal!

A Zuchini, a squash and another tomato plant..for a dollar...yes indeed.  It's the beginning of my little big container garden on the patio.  I promised not to plant anything else...except these!  :)

********************

We went out to breakfast (waffles) as I already told you, and right near the bakery is this little shop.  Gardeners Cottage...so I took a stroll through while waiting for my waffles and Patient Husband read the morning paper...Yeah..it's the kind of neat place where you can do that and be totally comfy!

I wasn't really shopping..I mean not REALLY, but you know how it is when you suddenly see something and it just grabs you?  Well, this tray did that. 

Problem??

I put my pretties on it and my pretty sort of disappeared ... I might add that I love trays!  Handy things, trays.

Oh..and before I forget...

I also saw this lovely dragonfly.  His wings are sort of sparkly and when you pull on him he bounces just like my li'l green frog. 

Nice day, Saturday. 

As I said, I didn't find much at the garage sales, but seeing that little house with the perfect front yard, chatting at Patient Husband and directing his parking etc...just made for an all around fun day..waffles topping it all off.

Have a wonderful, fantastic tomorrow.. :)

Mona

I'm joining Marty @ A STROLL THRU LIFE

Thank you Marty, for being the hostess with the mostess!

:)

(Wow, does that date me or what???)

~A BEAUTIFUL SATURDAY MORNING..~

Early Saturday morning and we were headed out.  A Reality Co. in Riverside was hosting the Wood St. sales which meant they put up all the signs and took them all down for the entire neighbornhood!

Me in my blue jeans..denim shirt, tennies and I'm ready to hit the road..

However..

...right off the bat I spyed this adorable little house and screamed said sweetly  "dear, could you please stop the car so I can take a few photo's?"  That's exactly what I said!  Just like that.  And the dear man SLAMMED on the brakes!  Just like that!

I LOVE the little front porch..and that old wicker porch swing!  Sooooo cute!

 I immediately jumped out of the car and rushed to the sidewalk.

A nice woman was out watering.  I complimented her on her lovely little cottage and asked if I could take a few pictures and, of course, she said yes!

Needless to say I already had my little red camera out all ready to snap away!

Not so sure she was overjoyed that I snapped a photo of her..but she was kind enough not to boot me off the property!  There was just so much to look at.

Exactly how I want my home to look. 

 Curb side and the front yard..all just manicured to perfection..

You must enlarge one more time to get the full benefit of the details of this yard.

 These little tulip lights are not all that rare, but the way she had them coming through the little box hedge that lined the red brick walk way was so nice. 
I wanted our patio in red brick but sometimes you have to give a bit..and Patient Husband wanted the flagstone..

Here at the edge of the street was this gorgeous little area with a concrete bench for a pause in the shade..and delicate pink roses to keep you company.  A tiny path led to the bench..



The difference in neighborhoods is interesting.  I say that because even the city favors certain area's more than others.  I shows in the attention they give the parkways, the tree's they plant and the way they maitain the different area's.  

Ours has never been a favored neighborhood.  It is odd, because just down the road and across our main street, things abruptly begin to change.   Why is that do you suppose?  I wish I knew more about city government and how it operated.  Perhaps I should educate myself on this. 

And do...

Tomorrow I will show you the few little things I picked up when we finally got back to the garage sales.  Not much...not for as many garage sales as there were!  But we had fun and that's what it is all about!  Having fun!

How was your weekend..did you stay home and enjoy or go out and enjoy?  We followed up the garage sales with a lovely waffle breakfast at our children's restaurant!  Thank you Cheryl and Pat!!

YUM!!

Luv'n hugs to you,

Mona

P.S.  I can do this yard thing!  Takes time, but I CAN do this! :)  Just one baby step at a time. 

~SEASON'S..

Garden butterfly...

*******
Do I miss the seasons...yes.  I do.
A dear blog friend, SaucyKod,  mentioned how much she would miss the seasons if she lived where they did not happen, no matter how nice it might seem to have milder winters..with no snow except in the mountains or high desert.  She would miss her seasons.  I completely understand.

And, yes.  I miss the distinct season changes, the quiet of the falling snow.  Sometimes I long for it, but not enough.  Not enough.

 My froggies...some of them and a dinner bell on my potting bench.  A gift from eldest son and his sweet wife!
*******
Yes, I miss those gorgeous changing colors...the red robins..the lilac's that hung over our porch,
I miss the tulips that grew along side our home and the smells of canning peaches.. and that is why I wanted all those fruit tree's planted.

 Finally got the potting bench cleaned and organized and the hanging plants in the right place...
*******
I missed the changing seasons so much when my family left Oregon and  returned to California in the 1940's.
I was just seven years old but I complained to my mother of not seeing the mountains black with tree's in the distance..
the northern lights..the changing colors..I hated my home state...

 Little concrete bunnies that my Maryalice gave me years ago..
*******
But now I love it.  Yes, I miss it all, the beautiful changing of the seasons, I do, but...not enough, not enough!

I love these tin pictures that hang in our patio..
********

I am a California girl, born and raised in San Diego California. 

No...I have to stay home and will probably die in California.  I actually cry when I am away from it for awhile.  Homesickness is a very strong illness.
I took a week's trip to Connecticut to see a dear friend once about seven years ago..and didn't get warm from the time I left LAX, until I stepped off the plane again in California.   It was October..my favorite time of year.  I was too darned cold to even enjoy the gorgeous colors. I literally shook and just could not get warm.  But I've never forgotten the beauty, cold or no cold!!
Still I completely understand the love of changing seasons. 

We have them.  They are just...soft.  That's the only way I can explain.  They are soft as a baby's bottom.

I wish you love.
Mona



~YARDS AND YARDS OF YARD..~

Look, new little plum tree has little plums.. just plain makes me smile!

:)

You probably don't remember those tiny little 8 or 9 inch roses I sent for, do you?  Well, here they are doing beautifully and nearly to the top of the arbor.  They are called AMERICA. 

I can see one little rose up at the tippy top and many, many buds.  One day soon...

Sweet dear husband is out there mowing and mowing...

The flagstone walkway will soon be set into the grass and will run from the back gate clear around the front of the house to the driveway.  (Can hardly WAIT!)

 ...and mowing..AND smiling!! 

I just wanted you to see how close they are getting to the top of the arbor!!

See?  Neat, huh?!

(*sigh* that clover or whatever it is has to go..

Our beautiful Redwood trees just keep getting taller and taller and one day they will be soooo big a car can drive right through them :):):)  

Yep...from the gate...right along the wall flower bed , past the gas meter..

Bless his heart! Rain today, the news said.  WHERE??

LOOK! and it kept right on going up to 99 degrees!  Time for a break I think!!

So...I think THIS was in order, don't you?  A bit of warmed banana nut bread and ice cold lemonade!

Gotta keep that man smilin'....

Can you just see the stone pathway from just in front of the flower bed to the corner of the house and around and down to the arbor of ROSES!!!  :):)  I can. 

Thanks to Joyce and a couple of other sweet bloggy friends..I've had some wonderful suggestions for vines to plant on the trellis's that will be on the side of the house.  THREE white ones with..you'll see!

All our effort is paying off, I think.  Lots more to do though.  LOTS!  Maintaining a home yourself isn't for wimps..that's for sure!  The California heat is on it's way and that is always hard on the plants and flowers.   

Luv'n hugs!!

Mona

p.s. Those rains did come for a bit...but on Thursday morning.  :) 

~A DESPERATE ATTEMPT..~

Yes.  This is a desperate attempt at a late night post. 

Speaking of plants,  :)  I always think that if it is rainy outside that I don't need to water..and so days go by and then I wonder "what in the world is WRONG with those plants?"  Well, the problem IS, the poor plants are under the patio roof!  Sheesh!

Same thing today.  It's been overcast yesterday and today so I didn't water.  Yep..once again the plants were drooping and when I checked they were dry.  Our air is so dry here that it takes just a bit of no water and the plant can wither.  A lot did during my time in "la la land!

And PLEASE don't call me dumb!   I already know it!!

So...

Here is that little peach tree that was planted last year at about this time.  It's growing so fast!

See the peaches???  Now this might not be much to some..but it is my first ever peach tree!  I say mine because I chose it..and insisted on planting tree's, tree's and more tree's!

I go out every day and just look at them!

Ok, it's morning.  I'm not tired and cranky or selfish this morning. :)  Patient Husband ..bless his heart..they are his too.  Indeed they are!  What a terrible thing to say!!  NOT my best side in the middle of the night.. 

See?  :) Aren't they sweet li'l things?!

This has always been my hanging plant of choice..Ivy, fern, that sort of thing..

...then sweet daughter #2 gave me this one and I just LOVE it!

It hangs to the chair seat and has to be moved to another location on the patio...

Mele Kalikimuka dozing in the sun.  Yep, that's her little name.

She was a Christmas present.  We just call her Mele. 

Luv'n hugs!

Mona 

P.S.  Is the new google faster for you?  Does the interface thing, or does ANYTHING make the photos download any faster.  It takes me forever and I wonder if I am doing something wrong?

~I'M A BAD PLANT MOM..~

I have had this plant, sometimes call a "Mother in  Law's" tongue, and since Patient Husband has been helping with the watering..he doesn't know which ones to water lightly, not at all or daily!  It's not his fault.  Plants have never been one of his strong points he says. 

Yeah..I know!  A real mess!

So when I discovered this mess I decided to try and save it.  I pulled it all out and let it dry out.

I repotted it in fresh soil and saved most of my old friend.  It's so old I don't even remember where it came from. 

I tucked this little piece that was left into the little tin bucket on the red bistro table..it will be happy there and have lots of company.  Plants LOVE company, just like people! :)

The little table top is much more crowded now as you can see in the photo above.   But the more the merrier, I say.

With seven children, you probably already know that about me!  :)

..Ahh well..now where was I?

Oh yes,  I need to be a better plant mom.  Would you look at that POOR fern under the table?!  It has been like that forever, but I just cannot throw it out.  However..it's on very thin ice right now.

This beautiful little hot house rose was a gift..and I thought it was dead.  I sat the pot on this little ladder out in the warm son...and I just noticed..it is singing it's praises to the Lord! :) 

No wait!  That's me! :)  I was so happy it lived! 

I think these little step ladders make great end tables on the patio.  See?  See how much it's grown in just a week or two?? 

This is my most favorite table top..my hutch.  I fiddle with it..but my Brambly Hedge tea set and books stay right here.  They belong together..and the china was a gift from my children..a piece or two at a time.  First came the dishes...then the tea pot and so on.  I found the set of books at a garage sale.  25 cents each!  The hutch is nearing 40 years old now.

Tha, tha, that's all folks!  My tabletops for Tuesday.

HI MARTY!  Thank you for hostessing this neat blog party!!  I love it!

Love,

Mona

I'm joining our Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Table Top Tuesday!

~IT'S SPRING AND PATIO IDEA'S ...

... just keep coming.. I was up at 5:30 this morning outside puttering. 

Yesterday my sweet daughter gave me another of her arbors that she can't use anymore,

...my mind began to start to wonder what to do with it.  We don't exactly have a ton of space in our yard..so my daughter suggested I sit it right next to the patio..and I agreed!  So that's where it went...and then...but..on the grass???

..then my sweet son in law suggested that he lay more flagstone under the arbor..and then we can

just move the bench back under the arbor on the flagstone and...

(see? do you get the idea?)  just push it back and then..

plant several of these sweet Black Eyed Susans, or whatever they are, on both sides and let them climb over the arbor..covering it in no time flat.  Ok, so it won't be overnight. But

won't that be a sweet, shady, cozy, extra place to sit?? 

I thought so too! :)  This vine is just gorgeous covering an arbor.  The yellow and greens will look wonderful I think.

Now I can't wait to get started on that...(tap, tap, tap..)

I can see it all now..can't you?

Luv'n hugs,

Mona