~I'LL BE SEEING YOU.....

 

 

 

This is an extremely early morning post.  I have not been feeling great lately so I am going to take a break from blogging.  I may visit some of you when I can, but it has been a rough year for me and try as I might, I think it has finally gotten to be too much.

I may be back in just a couple of days.  I am just not sure.

I seem always tired..but that happens to everyone now and then.

Take good care of yourselves, my sweet friends.

Mona


P.S.  Just as I finished this post...a sweet email came from my dear blogging friend, bj, that I had won the gingersnaps!  Sometimes love comes to you in the dearest ways..and just her note itself was heartwarming.  God has blessed me with the dearest people in my life.
Sometimes we all need breaks..and bj sent me off on mine with a smile.  I  welcome her back from her's with a smile...
Hugs! :)
M.

~A BLOGGERS LOVE AND A BEAUTIFUL MORNING.....~

...when you are glad to be alive!

And by the way..I'm afraid I am just one of those bloggers that will always be closing my comments with a "hugs"...at least with those I've come to know so well..and yes..love.  You see it less and less..but..I am just a hugger.  Always have been.  It's our way of showing affection.  It's all we bloggers have.
Words.
Are you one that thinks the "love" word is overused?  Sometimes, probably.
But DO NOT ever try to tell me that you cannot love someone, feel affection, for someone you have never met personally.
A few times when one of my blogging friends have lost a child, I have broken down in tears.
You definitely can care that much.
Some have lost dear blogging friends they have never met in person and it was devastating for them. 
It's a rather special kind of affection.  I sometimes think we learn more about those we meet blogging than we do those that live next door.  Or...even a family member sometimes.

It's interesting, because at times you can feel how private they are to a degree, but I think blogging is a sort reaching out.  Bloggers are not always those that are outgoing...not at all.  Sometimes it is for ones that are very cautious.  A way to socialize.  It's interesting.  One day they will be studying us bloggers to see what makes us tick.
I recall one woman saying "all that sugary stuff!  You can't tell me it's real!"  Maybe not always, I don't know..but from those I have met, I would bet my bottom dollar they are VERY real.  Absolutely genuine.  Yep, it's a special kind of affection.
I call it love. 
*******

I enjoy getting up just as the sun is coming up in the east, and by this time... 

It is already late O'clock on the east coast..my little greats have already eaten breakfast...

 

..when I am just putting the coffee on.

 

 It's just so beautiful outside.  When I couldn't sleep a couple of nights ago, I was out watering the plants on the patio at 3AM! 

 I found the perfect spot for the second red wheelbarrow..
(Oh good heavens, is that rust on my rose leaves..or have they burned to a crisp?!)

...right under the rose arbor.  "America" is now halfway up the sides..oh..I already told you that!



 It was 101 degree's here today.  I hibernated in the house all day!  We managed to stay out on the patio until 11.  Then it was all over. 

Gorgeous morning though!  Just gorgeous! 

 

See you tomorrow. 

 

Love,

Mona 

 

 



~CASUAL CALIFORNIA~

At 1:15 this morning, I was out of bed for a potty call..read a bit of my novel..(A Royal Duty) and then could not get to sleep so off I went to the kitchen to make coffee.

Is that nuts or what? 

Yeah..it's nuts!

 The photo is of my daughter, Sandy, when she was very, very ill. 

So...



I watched a bit of "The Office" on my Kindle and was even more wide awake.

..so decided to do a post.  I'm finishing it tonight.

 Yesterday I went out and picked roses from my arbor.  "America" makes such a lovely bouquet!  So pretty in the family room.  By this time next year..the one I planted by the back patio will be to the top also.  LOVE these roses.

I buy mine through Heirloom Roses.

 

 I happened to finally get around to looking at this book I found at a garage sale.  It was worth every penny of the 50 cents I paid for it.

 

Yep..you talk about inspiration.  I should have saved this post for Marty's Tuesday party. :)

 

 

 This is how I would like my patio to look!  I had a choice of the brick or flagstone..I wanted brick, PH wanted flagstone.. brick is so cozy looking.  I actually laid my own footpaths of red brick and patio area at my other home..I loved it.  Garden patio's are easy and fun.  Well..they USED to be easy.  I am beginning to struggle with things like that now. 

The flagstone is nice...but just LOOK at this!

Just click on the picture to ENLARGE for a stunning peek!!

 

And look at this porch!  It's the painted ceiling that really caught my eye. 

*sigh*

This is exactly my style.  Now if I can just create it!

 

Sooo sweet!  Look at that tiny window in butter yellow! 

 

This is just the neatest book for idea's.  Now every morning I join PH on the patio and drive him crazy with my "million ideas."  He is handling it better and better..but my constant projects really did get to him at first.  He said "Do you ALWAYS have to have a project??"

I said yes.  TWICE!

We are still getting to know one another.  Sometimes I am not sure there are enough years left. I have to tell you, the man treats me like a queen.  Just soooo nice.

But we have fun!  We are learning. 

Off to bed.

See you on Wednesday!

I hope you found something you liked in the pictures.

 

Lotsa love,

Mona

 

 

 



~A NEWS FLASH..~

I think with so many nice bloggers to visit...three photo's is enough.
(I told myself this ...)
NEWS FLASH  (well..it was to us Westerners!)

We awoke to thunder and lightening this morning..then a heavy downpour, which left many residents without power for awhile.  By late morning, some were still without power.

It cooled our weather down considerably.

Had I known how easy it was to just ask some of you out there to send me a bit of your rain..I would have done it LONG ago!  
Thank you, you little sweethearts!
 



I tried ivy at first but couldn't see my Rooster and hen..so...a pretty fern was perfect.

Sooo wha' daya think? :)  I love it!  Nothing unusual..but still...for three dollars?? 

I also bought two big ivy's for the old wagon. 

Another view.

Now for a few pumpkins...:)  Ok..I'll wait a bit longer..but not much!!

NOT much! 

Yes, this is just the beginning... FALL is on the way..just a few more weeks....

 

Lest you forget how cute I am!  Love Mele~

 

Lotsa love,

Mona 

 

Shoot!  I forgot to join Marty at her "Inspire Me" party" 

 


 Come see how inspired you will become..
A Stroll Thru Life

~LOVE MY FINDS TODAY...~

It was NOT my idea to go to garage sales this morning, but PH rolled me out of bed at the ungodly hour of 7:30!  Yes, I am usually up earlier..(old folks get up early, because they want to get as much living in as they can...) I know.  That wasn't a nice thing to say at all.  But in my case, it's just plain true!

So..off we went by 8 a.m.  with the sun already beating down on us..

 

Bless his little heart!  I am glad he made ME get out of the house.

(I think he is sick and tired of me crankying all over the place!)

 

The first sale we stopped at had not a thing I would want...but then..the second one..and what cute things.  Since it was already getting hot..I didn't spend a lot of time looking..

I thought this big planter with gorgeous rooster and hen on it..could not be passed up.

I really DO like it a lot.  A real Ivy is going in it for the front porch..Fall is on the way..(yeah, sure!)

I paid $3.00 for it.   It measures ten inches high and 12 inches across and is round. 

Very heavy.  A nice piece.

 

Now I wish I had bought more than just the two frames..but PH was already in the car..and it was getting HOTTER by the minute.

$1 for each frame. 

 Oops! Not a good picture of this frame..but it really is adorable.

 

 Little Fairies adorn the edges of the frame.

 

..and you KNOW how I am about them there Fairies!

 

Soooo sweet.

 

I also found a garage sale on the way home that had every toy that was ever made for a little boy.  Most were way to big for our tiny toddler, Roman..but I did buy a few things for the Great Grandma's little toy box.  I like to have toys him to play with while he is visiting.  The Rubic's Cube??  Hey, the kid is a genius!!

LOL

 

NO idea WHY I bought the Rubic's Cube.!  I loved the doggie necklace with the black chain..and the little airplance with propeller and wheels that turn beautifully.  Had a few scratches on the wing..no matter.  Roman won't care one bit!  Besides, I have that color paint and I can touch it up a bit.

The little fish..well that was a keeper!  You push the buttons and bubbles come flying out and you are suppose to put rings over...something...it's a game.  Like I said...smart kid!

No..really ..he is! :) 

 

I bet anything his daddy will play with it!

 

Hmmm...not sure who this little guy is but looks like someone from..???

 

soft rubber...really nice little necklace for a tiny boy.

 

Like brand new..probably is. 

And of course the WHITE FOOTBALL!!  Wha' the heck?!

 

I gave the little boy $2.00 for all the toys... :)  He was thrilled!  So was I!!

We got home before the really bad heat hit us...then visited with our son in law who came by for awhile.

I miss them living nearby. 

 

And that was our Saturday.  Nice.  Really nice.

Now I am off to turn off the sprinklers!

Wanna come with me?  No?

:)

Hugs,

Mona

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



~A CRANKY POST...

I wouldn't even take the time to read this if I were you.

I am just sounding off! 

 

I don't know.  Maybe what's wrong with me is that it's hot and miserable here day after day!

I thought the worst was over..it isn't!  Not by a long shot.  I should have known better.  I mean we ARE considered part of the desert here..

So...

A week or so ago..they decided (somewhere at city hall..I suppose) to black top our street.

Since I knew this was to happen (those orange cones up and down the street warning us) I thought surely they would send in that blasted street sweeper (I say blasted, because they do a terrible job every week and I have to go out and clean up their mess!)  before they put down the the black top.

We have a huge pine tree by the curb that drops needles and giant pine cones, and this is the time of year the needles are thick.  I don't mind cleaning them up...but I do mind picking up the dropped trash from the entire street because they don't know how to use the sweeper properly. 

I knew our neighborhood was not kept as nicely as other parts of town..not by a long shot...but this was WAY too much!

 

I heard them coming.   So did my neighbors.  I looked to the left to see one of them had brought a lawn chair to the curb..and was waiting.  Several of us were.  Then I saw them come around the corner.

 

Since I don't know what the equipment would look like I only recongized that a truck was coming..and thought it was the street sweeper coming to clean the street before they laid the blacktop.   But..it wasn't.  Nope.  They were putting down the that black sticky hot tar...and were coming STRAIGHT UP MY SIDE OF THE STREET. 

It kept coming and I kept watching as were several other people.  Suddenly I realized it WAS NOT the street sweeper but the actual truck and men that lay the black top..and...would you believe they went right over the top of all those foot long needles?  Yes, with me yelling at them.."STOP! STOP!

WHAT ARE YOU DOING!  STOP!" 

They didn't stop.  I've never seen such a mess on a street in my life.  Piles of black needles and leaves etc.  I yelled at them that I was going to report their behinds for doing what they were doing!!! 

Yes..I did that.

 They finally stopped...and I gave them the rough side of my tongue!  I let my Irish show BIG TIME!

They were smart enough to stop work, and drive off.  Shortly another truck appeared with shovels and trash cans and they started trying to scrape the black sticky pile of needles off the street.  They were able to make the crooked line of the blacktop fairly straight again..

 

A couple of hours later the black top truck showed up again and put down another layer of blacktop..

...and stopped.  Now there is a line in front of the house where they stopped. 

The street looked better before they started!

 

There is a slight bump in the road right near the big old pine tree.  That tree was planted by my husband when the one the city planted died.  So it is close to sixty years old now.  I love that tree.

Still...every week they go over that little bump and drop everything they have picked up before they get to our house. 

Idiots! 

 

Did I tell you it's been over a 100 degrees for several days in a row now! 

Grrrrrr...

The tree roots grew into the sprinkler system and the mess on the parkway is where PH and my son in law worked on it and fixed it!  It's all clean now...no more mud.  And the grass is pretty once again.

It's always something...isn't it? 

Every time I look at that street I cuss.  I do!  Darn it!!!!

 

They must have gotten a bargain on the trees they planted on this street..because they are the ugliest things I have ever seen.  What's so funny is that here and there they stuck a palm tree in the ground..another messy tree.  Oh well.  At least they are trees....I guess.

I'll feel better tomorrow. 

 

 

 

 

~GARAGE SALE HAMMER AND CURTAINS..CON'T~

This is MY hammer.  :)  I found this many years ago in a little shop full of the most delightful things.

Long before I discovered the joy of garage sales and thrift stores.

 

I have had this little hammer for more than 15 years now..and

 

...I am amazed at how the hand painted handle has stood up to so much use by me.  It is the only hammer I use..and is always kept in a drawer near the kitchen sink.  I don't know what the artist used to finish off his or her art work but it has stood up to the test of time.

 

 And here is my garage sale hammer from Saturday's adventure.

It may not have flowers but it is the nicest feeling little hammer.  Why anyone would sell it, I cannot figure out!  I thought it was just left accidently on the table after being used, and not for sale..but it was.

 

These are my 5 dollar curtains.   There at least three valances, two tie backs and 

 

 One very large panel with a ruffle trimmed with lace down one side and across the bottom.

Could be used for a shower curtain...

 

The material in these was just too cottage like to pass up..and it was a lot of curtains for $5.00.

I WILL find use for these...

I could even used the material to cover the cushion on the front porch..NO..heavens..I can't do that!!

 

I'll figure something out...there is also the guest room that could use something new and different. 

:)

Do you see those charming tiny polka dots on the background?  SO sweet!

 

Love,

Mona

~OUR GARAGE SALE ADVENTURE.....

Daughter, Maryalice, came up with her husband Brock to join us for our  Saturday morning adventure. 

Nothing to shout about..but it was serious FUN and you meet the nicest people out there.

Actually we didn't do so bad...

I have collected this enamel ware for some years now, but this is the first time I have ever run across a tray!  I was so pleased and there were two cups also..which now gives me a set of six.  For me it was a great find.  25 cents for each cup and 50  cents for the tray.  Believe me, they didn't look like this when I found them.  They were in a box with a bunch of junk.  The tray was in perfect condition!

 

I am careful that I don't overdo in collecting.  It can get crazy...:)

 

This plate with the raised smiling pumpkin on it..was one dollar..not a nick..not a scratch.

The black laquered stand I just happened to have in a drawer..  :) 

 

 

I loved this glass bundt cake dish.  It has little glass stands around the rim so the edge won't sit flat..

I don't know..I seldom bake but I HAVE to try this baking dish!  All it says on it is "glass ware"..

It was a dollar..but she took 50 cents.  :) 

 

Would you just look at this great baking dish.   It was at a huge garage sale given buy several people.  There was this one and an another without the lid.  I picked the lidless one up and then decided to take the covered one.  Took it to PH to hold onto and then decided to take the other one as well..but when I turned around..it was GONE! :)  I snoozed..so I loozed!  :)

 

I have always wanted one of these.  Probably nearly every kitchen has one, except me.  And there it was!  I have used it every day since Saturday! 

Then I found...

These brand new unused plastic storage containers..great for sending food home with the kids or taking something to my neighbor.

Also found in the bottom of a box...

INK PENS!  All of them laying loose and scattered at the bottom of the box..and every single one of them worked.  I was doubtful but they were perfect.  As you can see, they were with PH's things..the man loves pens! 

Also in the same box were....

Two sets of orange candles and two that had been lit.  The flash makes them appear more of a Christmas red..but they really a lovely Fall orange.

Everything from the covered baking dish down cost $2.00  They were practically giving things away.

 

Actually, now that I think of it, it was a pretty darned good garage sale day after all! 

The later it gets the better the prices.  I think folks get tired and just don't want to pack it all up again.

 

Daughter Maryalice...heaven knows what she got..all I know is that she went home pleased as punch!

Both of our husbands went with us...and then took us out for pancakes. 

 

What a great weekend it was! 

 

Love,

Mona

 

P.S.   ..and I didn't even think to take pictures of the lovely rose covered curtains I found for $5 ...NO idea what I will use them for...probably the guest room...for a nice change.  Tiny polka dots..in the background.  SO COTTAGE!  There were lots of valances, and a full length with tie backs.

 

OH..and a hammer.  I found the sweetest hammer for a quarter...It's little and perfectly balanced.  You should see it.  I think PH laid claim to that...:)  I already have a hand painted one...WITH a tassel on the end. 



~A SUNDAY TO REMEMBER..~

~My children were inspired...much more than I was!~
 

On Sunday afternoon, daughter Erin and her husband came over and completely

weeded and mulched our flowerbeds. 

 

I was overjoyed! (Needless to say!)

After they weeded, they put down layers of newpapers to discourage the weeds from returning.

 

I got up early this morning and went out and handwatered it all once again..and marveled at the fact that all that grass was out of my pretty flowerbeds...

 

 

Today I did some repotting of plants that were in need of some space..

 

 

Oh MY!  The Fairy Garden's are getting overgrown..again!

Getting to be a jungle out here...

A cozy place for PH to play his "Suduko" game..is that how you spell it?  Whatever it is, I can't do it.  Numbers throw me totally!

 

They all came, eldest son brought his guitar and he and wife sang for us...it was really..SO nice!

They brought homemade cookies, HUGE ones, and made a big container of homemade ice cream.

It's the waiting that's the hard part.

 

Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, biscuits, salad and I didn't have to cook a single thing.  They brought it all with them. 

I didn't take any pictures because it seems to unnerve them...but...I did sneak in one..

This little boy kept us all entertained as he ran through the sprinkler then trying to make a sharp turn on those fat little legs that have just learned how to walk.  Finally his Grandma Erin picked him up and got wet with him..

You can see by his little face that he was just plain tuckered out! His Mommy (Rachel is my granddaughter) and Daddy are holding him in the photo.  NOT his Grandma Erin!.  Me? I'm the GREAT GRANDMA!  :)

A wonderful Sunday afternoon...

Music, food and family....what can be better? 

My children are all becoming Grandparents!  It's enough to make one smile all day!!

 

Lov'n hugs,

Mona

 

 

 I'm joining my favorite Hostess, Marty @ A Stroll Thru Life.