~FAIRY GARDENS...a tiny place to hide..and reflect..

Sometimes you want to talk about something..but it's not possible.  I think I will just show you my Fairy garden and what it's doing at this time of year.

Such a sweet, tiny and simple place to garden and create.  I've made mine so that I can move them into shade in Southern California's blistering summers..I just roll them onto the patio where they add color and interest. 

I'm hooked.  It's really fun.  I am going to look for some very tiny miniature roses this year.

 All I had to do this year was cut back the dead button mum's and make way for the new growth..and here they came again.  I've added some of the tiny things back that I removed until I could cut away the dead growth and make way for the new..but I haven't really done anything to the little garden yet.  It needs tweaking but so far I've only pulled up a chair and snipped and trimmed.  Soon the plants will be higher than the house.  Lots to do yet...say...where's my tiny birdhouse??  It's so easy to lose things in the growth...

I put the little wheelbarrow back..added the tiny garden tools..replaced the stepping stones..

A tiny johnny jump up looks so big in this little garden..  Little stepping stones lead under the arbor to the front door of the cottage.  The inside has a mossy floor..

The little creeping fig is growing naturally over the arbor.  It's fun to keep it trimmed.  I have more snipping to do as you can see.  The miniature ground cover is doing beautifully and drapes gracefully over the sides of the wheelbarrow.  I feed it miracle grow from time to time.  

You can just catch a bit of the little Fairy kneeling there under the leaves.  As you can see, I am clearing a path for the stones..and for the little benches..

I do my gardens with a lot less miniatures  and pretty much stick to fewer items and more natural things like stones, potted miniature plants.  Mine are not quite so structured.  

This is the next little miniature garden I have to work on.  I need a Fairy house for this one.  I have a beautiful one with shutters that open and close etc..but...I fear water and outdoor elements will ruin it..but..I may give in and use it.

So...are any of you going to try a little Fairy garden this year?  :)  If you have one, how is it doing?  It would be easy to wheel them under shelter from the cold.  Right?  Yikes, I hope so.  I know nothing about really cold weather.  

They really are fun..and so versatile.  

I am sorry I haven't been blogging lately.  It's been a difficult month..and today is a day I need to keep busy..and think of my friends out there and thank God for all of you and my family.  I'm blessed. 

My love to you,

Mona

~HEARTACHES AND HEARTBREAKS AND LOVE...~

Sometimes it's the friends in ones life that brings ease to one's heart.  When this comes from a dear friend you have never met.. and you know she is having heartaches and stresses of her own,  you have to wonder that they think of others at such times.

Such is the case with Barbara@ One Crafty Lady.

 Never a day goes by that I don't thank God for the blessings of my dear blogger friends.

So many of you out there bless every day of  my life.  

 The hours tick toward the one year anniversary of my daughters death from breast cancer...

She didn't win her battle..but many of you out there have..

When these sweet little hearts arrived..it was a reminder of the love in this world.

The tiny silver heart has the word "friends" on it...

What a wonderful word:

~Friends~

Thank you  Barbara, I treasure them.  And to all of you who have given me your hearts in friendship, thank you!

Love,

Mona

~FOR MY SWEET FRIENDS HIP DEEP IN SNOW...~

I thought about doing a rain dance...but decided against it... well..I mean it was a thought..:)

Daughter, Dawn, wrote on facebook that they had RAIN in Santa Cruz...and she was overjoyed..I quickly wrote and told her to send RAIN to see us..we hadn't see her in a very long time!

This is for my sweet friends out there who are living through some serious cold and lots and lots of snow..taken late this afternoon.

A gentle reminder that flowers are blooming right now...somewhere out in California...and your turn will come...

...soon...very soon.

(tiny log cabin I set there for just a moment and forgot it.)

Mele out check out the yard..and no..these photo's have not been enhanced at all..

..Mele...my sweet girl.  I think she is bored with all my picture taking and no ball playing! :)

Patio is ...dry.  I finally remembered to water my plants..the poor things!

I think if it's winter they will be just fine!  *shaking head*  Plants do not water themselves.

...and then..

the sound of pitter patting on our skylight sent me to the window..and it was actually

RAINING!!

All that beautiful dampness is RAIN.  This is my plant hospital.  The winds blew so hard that we had to put the umbrella's down..and now they will get some rain water!  OH JOY!

..

Now if it will just keep coming down..softly..soaking into the earth, we will have a beautiful Spring.

And I will be grateful as all of us Californian's will.

Snow would be lovely (for awhile) but I will settle for this and the temp being at ..

... a perfect 50 degree's.  

Hang in there sweet people...you are going to have a beautiful Springtime..

It's now 5:42 pm...the it's still falling softly.  Just the kind we like. 

If we get too much too fast or if it lasts too long, we slip and slide away after all our fires.

My love to you..and thank you for all of those dear comments you left for me.

You never fail to amaze!  Never!

Love,

Mona

~DID YOU KNOW? (and a EARTHQUAKE) ~

It sounded like a huge explosion, then a jerk..and quiet!  I hate them and they never fail to unnerve me.
I shouted for PH..he shouted back.."I'm here!"  Mele barked and came running to me.  Quiet.
It was centered about 20 or so miles from us in Rancho Cucamonga.
So...
Did you know that some of us out here don't have dishwashers?  Or garbage disposals?

Or trash compactors?  I don't even have a laundry room.  That's right.  I do my washing and ironing in the garage.  It's a darn good thing I don't live on the East Coast..isn't it?  :)

I KNOW!  I tell myself that every day when I go into the garage for something.

Not only that!  I have no granite counter tops or hardwood floors.  We did finally install a new stainless sink and faucets and I do have Italian tile floors in my kitchen!  My son in law is fantastic.  It's great having craftsmen in the family.  So..I'm doing alright..don't you think?  Of course I am.

We are such lucky women to have so much!  

I had all of the other once.  But my husband died and I returned home to be near my family and left my home and my rose garden that I worked so hard to plant.  Most of those roses were gifts from my daughter, Erin.

I eventually remarried and this little home didn't have all of those pretty perks, but it was so sweet.  A totally clean, 1950's slate to play with.  It had been well taken care of.

I think...

IF I could have just one thing..I would have a pretty laundry room.  One with an ironing board in it that folds out of the wall..and a nice little counter for my sewing machine.  

But when you compare those  things that I DO have... I have a lot.

A WHOLE LOT!  

I don't have a big stove..or enough counter room..or my white glassed in cabinets I used to have, but not minding one bit.  I seldom think of it even when I see big lovely homes.  I used to think I wanted those things when I was younger and for a time, I did.   Now?  I just want HOME.  That feeling of safety.  Being loved.  Cozy and comfortable. Near most of my children.  That's what counts.

I love my tiny 1950's Tappan oven in butter yellow.  It's perfect!

I've had it all..it was nice..but this is nicer.  

Having a cozy little home and someone who cares and being retired is..amazing!

I have time to play and it's wonderful.

(I need to do a little more staging before I take my pictures!) Mercy, but that silver needs polishing.  Tomorrow!  For sure.  :)  Well, maybe.

Did you know that I found the teapot..and two of the cups and saucers?  Of course you didn't...well, you knew about the teapot.  I shared that part.  What a search it was.  I've shown the teapot..rather a picture of it from the ebay site where I found it.  My search is still on for the other two cups and saucers.  The teapot and cups were even more adorable than the picture.  Another cup I found in an online store and finally, with a bit of difficulty, was able to order.   When I got the invoice for 24.00, I supposed it was for the cup and saucer, plus shipping.  Wrong!!

I finally found out that it was for THREE cups and saucers of Mary Engelbreit's Comfort and Joy series.  And I found out they were based in New Zeeland and that's how far my china cups were traveling.  

Finally another invoice arrived with the amount of the shipping and a note saying that when they received the shipping payment, the cups would be on their way.    Another 36.00 or so, which I then debated about going further with the sale, but because these items are so rare...I jumped in and paid through Paypal.  I wrote a note telling them that I had only ordered the one but that I would take the three.  Not a word in reply.

Once again I wrote..then posted on facebook where they have a site..still nothing.  I asked for confirmation of shipping.  Nothing.  They also told me it would take three to four weeks for my order to arrive from New Zeeland.  That message came when they sent the shipping invoice  So...I have the two cups and saucers...so far.  From all that I have read about them they appear to be very reputable folks.  Mercy, but I hope so!

:)  

So...I wait.  Hopefully I have Paypal behind me.  But what a hassle if I have to go through all of that.

 Penny @ My Vintage Home is where I first spotted this adorable set.  Thank you, Penny!  I will keep on hoping I get a full set.  It's a Christmas line but I don't even care.  They have flowers and hearts and my colors....and I love them..

See what happens to you when you visit one of your blogger friends adorable homes and see something too darned cute for words and you FIXATE on it??!  I'm terrible about that!  Don't be like me, ok? :)

Much love,

Mona

P.S.  Just a note.  Nothing is ever perfect.  Ever.  We seldom put ourselves out there on our blogs.  We show the pretty..tell the good..put our best face forward..but don't kid yourself...we all have our ups and downs.  All of us!  Some of you are going through tough times.  Believe me, we all understand!

Just wanted to say that!