~REALLY EXCITING STUFF~

Ok...so I lied a little...but Saturday is our garage sale day and in my life...well..pretty much anything excites me.
Anyway...I look for two things...dishes and books. These are my finds for myself today..in PERFECT new condition. (you can see why my heart was pumping!)


I thought this cookbook was especially beautiful. I tried to capture the gold gilt edges of the pages..but they didn't show up. Ah well...just take my word, those pages JUST gleam. Anything shiny gets me...


This one I really do love and will use. Not a mark or any sign of ever being used. No names inscribed...it even cracked when I opened it. I bought all of these books for .50 and .75 cents each. But it was late ...nearly noon and they were wanting to get rid of things...they had lowered the price from $1.50 they said.

Please understand..I don't NEED another cookbook..(yes I do!) but it was NEW! For .75 cents! Well, what would YOU have done?? (I'm old and I'll KNOW if you're lying!)


To be perfectly honest here...I think it was the pictures of all that delicious food and I was getting hungry!


And these beautiful childrens books. The most expensive one was the Precious Moments children's stories. That one cost me $1.00. It is in new condition and the cover is soft and padded. Lovely!


Of course I couldn't pass these classics up. EVERY baby needs these!


Would you just look?! I even scored a couple of lovely pop out books and one that has a little keyboard so the child can play music! Emily is going to LOVE that one!
I think Emily's little library is well on it's way!


Now I know these glasses are nothing special..but...these dessert dishes were cut glass and diamond shaped...and ok...I paid $10.00 for them..but..but...I couldn't help myself! (besides my daughter, Sandy, gives dinner parties...and these are going to be used as a bribe to get her out here to California... (now to find something to bribe Kristy (GD#1) with...hmmm..money ya think?


I HAD to have a few coke glasses...


I honestly am not sure why I bought these..What??...I was on a roll!


And these green coke mugs.... they..sparkled in the sun?

And then we headed for a big pancake breakfast...it was a really, really wonderful day...oh, but then after we unloaded the car...it was off to Lowes..for..FLOWERS AND MY LEMON TREE!!!

Saturdays! I love them!
And so on to Sunday and my granddaughter's wedding reception. Another nice day?
Yep!
~Smiles and hugs~
Mona

~OK...OK..OK....fun time..~

My sweet friend Barb at GRITS AND GLAMOUR, has tagged me to play the "Tag! You're It!" You are supposed to go to your 6th file, find the 6th photo and write about it.
Then tag six of your blogging buds to do the same. So here goes:


I didn't know you could put things in files..ho hum...so I went to my pictures..found the 6th row..6th photo...and here it is...(you can put things in ...FILES?? Wow!)

It is the family homestead that is on an island in Maine. Bucks Harbor. The only way you can get on the island is when the tide goes out..and then you drive across a sort of rocky barge. It doesn't hurt to have GOOD transportation to do this. Apparently the island has been in the family and passed down for generations. The old homestead house has been sold to folks outside the family..which is a bit surprising. Just the home was sold with a bit of land, as I understand it..but the rest of the island is still family owned. I walked up and peeked in the windows as no one lives on the island full time...and it was amazing. It is just exactly, or appears to be..exactly the same as it was in the early part of the century. It was like suddenly being transported back in time. A strange feeling.
Oh..and there is NO electricity OR running water on the island and you use an out house...but it really was a lovely one..all white with a nice clean compost potty inside. The potty is up on a concrete slab inside the outhouse. So when you got up there and got on the potty..you were on your own..little throne. Litterly. NO curtains on the windows..but no one is around...still...you know..
Anyway...back to the home. As you can see it really is wonderful to look at.


We will be returning to Maine in August. I can't wait! :) HI JANE AND EMERY! :)

I am tagging the following sweet blogging friends..

1. A little Shabby Always Chic
2. A Cottage by The Cranelake
3. Blueberry Plains
4. My Little Cottage in the Making
5. Mid Atlantic Martha
6. My Little Cottage in The Curve

Now to go let them all know the wonderful news! I really was tempted to just make up some wild story about the picture...but decided to be a good girl and tell the truth. I have to wonder if it's haunted.
My husband told me about a young girl that insisted on spending the night in the house all alone...I guess just to see if she could do it. Apparently she was very young. He thought about 15 or 16. My husband said he, as an adult wouldn't even do it! :) Well..she did it! Brave girl I would say!

Smiles and love..
Mona

~"E" IS FOR EMILY~

It's Emily's first HAPPY BIRTHDAY.....and Emily's very first Birthday cake...and her Grandma made it for her.. (my eldest son's wife, Cheryl.


...and Emily will cry if she wants too...'cause it's her party and the blinkin' water was SO cold!

...and these are the cakes for the adults...(see those two chocolate ones in front...I took those two home with me... (you will notice that my green stacked serving dishes are..still in the hands of my sweet Mary. I KNEW they would not come home any time soon! I was right! :)

This is Auntie Mary(D3) fixing up the food table...for lots and lots of guests..


Hotdogs and fixin's..


And baked beans..


Starting with fresh fruits...

A big tossed salad..different homemade dressings...


bean salad... and of course...

potato salad..

Auntie Mary (D3) feeding an orange to Emily after her LONG swim in her new pool that Auntie Erin (D2)gave to her. Uncle Brock looks on...thinking the orange ...sour? :)

...and she swam ...
....and she swam..


Mommy and Daddy, (Daddy is my first Grandson and second oldest Grandchild.)


Little table and chairs are a set that my friend in MO. paints and that was my gift to Emily. It is very old and VERY strong and I hope she saves it for her own children. From her Mom's reaction...it will be saved! :)

About this time...Great Grandma gets tired...grabs a couple of cupcakes..and retires for the evening. ...and that was my Sunday adventure!

I didn't take pictures of the BBQ chicken, and the hamburgers with melted cheese on them....or the huge jugs of lemonade and sweet tea...or the ice chests filled with all sorts of cold drinks and bottled water..or the three different kinds of hand churned ice cream! Sigh...

What is so great about getting old..is that you don't have to do all the prep any more. The daughters and DIL's are all doing what you used to do! Don'cha LOVE it! :)
A brave smile before retiring..it was a LONG afternoon..and an hour later..Great Grandma was beginning to have visions of jammies, soft slippers and curling up on the sofa..and moments later she was....gone! Am I beginning to feel my age a bit?...yes..a bit!

I know...BORING...kids birthday party...but...it's what happened on Sunday..and ..yes..tick..tock..tick..tock...I suddenly got so tired..I went home and when you are the OLDEST person in the family ....you can do that!

Smiles~
Mona

~I SAID YES...COMPUTER SAID NO...~

I really wanted to post my porch..but..I didn't make it. My computer would not let me download my pictures. Hmm...perhaps the computer ...

...knew something I did not? I tried...all last night..and this morning. I knew...


.....I had to do the post...and then jump over and sign up...but the computer would throw me off every single time. The pictures would begin to download to blogger...


...and then I would find myself...kicked to the curb! I got sick of bounce, bounce, bouncing...over and over...


...and over..but..I would pick myself up...and try once again...until finally...


...my sweet husband called and they will be here in the morning. I was able to stay online for about 30 seconds at a time. Do you think possibly...just possibly that the computer...or blogger, KNEW you all had seen this silly porch and didn't want to see it AGAIN! I sort of think that is probably the case..but...I am SO proud of it. Besides...I have added a few things..like the heart shaped hanging pot holder made of grapevines?


Yes...old as the hills but I spray painted it...put a pretty pot on it and hung it on the blank white wall. I like it and already a tiny little wild finch is checking it out to make her nest in. She wasn't even afraid of me.
I mean there's water...food...a nice family..what more could a little Mommy finch want for?
I'm sorry I didn't make it. As I said. I tried! HARD! I missed the party...but better late than never..right? right?
Then...I was able to go see Rhondi's porch..and darn near...deleted this ..um..porch? :)

Smiles and love,
Mona

~NO IDEA WHY I DO THIS...NONE~

It's 2am and my feet are cold, my juice is gone and the aspirin has had it's effect and I need to get some sleep! Why on earth I do this I do not know. Age? I won't even go there! Ok..I'll go there! They say you do this as you get older....but "they" say a lot of things! I'll just convince myself that I have so much energy and vitality that I can't turn off my mind at night. HA!

Anyway, while tooling around blogland I came across a cute little blog and discovered it is a FIRST YEAR anniversary...AND a giveaway! The prize was such a thoughtful and sweet cottage collection of goodies that I thought I would give it a bit of a showcase. I mean 3 entry's can't hurt! Right? And..besides..I have already won by making another cute and interesting discovery in this wonderful blog! So...if..you love cottage things..you must visit Cynthia at Cynthia's Cottage Design and enter the giveaway and congratulate Cynthia on a full year of blogging!


Would you just look at the neat cottage goodies? Good luck to all who have chosen to enter.

Here's to a delightful Sunday and a wonderful week ahead!
Love,
Mona

~I HEAR IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY~

A whole year old today! Congratulations Beverly, on the success of Pink Saturday!
Please do visit Beverly at How Sweet The Sound and see all the pink goodies posted for your pleasure.
Enjoy!

My pink offering this Saturday is this little lamp I bought for my desk from the same lovely lady that I bought my li'l fan from. I have many of her things...this is just another. See the tiny bud on the arm? Makes me smile...


I never tire of roses...or any flower for that matter, but roses..NEVER!


I don't know if you can tell, but the lamp is very pale pink and white.. and more buds.

The little slots at the top of the shade are so cute plus they let a soft light though and have a nice effect...



Just one side lit is nice for a soft evening light..or both sides on and it is good enough to read or do computer work by. I love it and I hope you do too!



Happy Saturday everyone!
Mona

~MY SWEET LI'L FAN~

Yes, I know this is JUST a fan...but you see, my little office has NO windows. It does have a nice skylight way up high..and so I have lots of light. However, it gets very hot due to the fact that my office is just off the kitchen and the oven and stove are two steps away. GREAT for cooking and blogging ~grin~ but hotter than blazes at times. So..I wanted a little fan on my desk. I wanted (naturally) a cute one. So this is what I finally bought.
The person I bought this from is Relic-and-roses. She is a seller on ebay and during the summer she sometimes offers these. I feel lucky to have gotten one from her finally!


As you can plainly see, it matches everything else on my desk. Yes, I DO love roses and my ebay friend does the loveliest roses so when she FINALLY painted this sweet little fan, I grabbed it.
Well, not exactly! I BID on it and won! "Grabbed!" sounds greedy and I would never do that! (You believe me...right?)


I am giving you different views of it. Not sure why. Perhaps because I just like taking pictures of it? Good grief! I wonder if I am ok?! Probably not. Oh well...


Uh huh...uh huh...


And the sweet little stand. My desk is HUGE so I always have plenty of room. Almost. I love containers..and anything with sweet roses on it.

Office, bedroom, bathroom and living room..lovely roses..of deep rose pinks and all my deep rose reds goes right along with it. I have NO style that I like best..ok..so I MUST have cozy! But I cannot do without my roosters and roses..so I combine them..and it works for me. And this is some of my roses...on my sweet li'l fan.

Have another wonderful, delightful and most of all, peace filled day!
~Smiles~
Mona

~GOD MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH...

And then he made CRABGRASS!


I love my potting bench...and I am working on getting it together. I had some old windows that were given to me a long time ago when I decided to learn to paint roses.
The roses didn't turn out all that great, but it was my first attempt and I hung them out on my patio anyway. I keep saying I am going to repaint them..but I never do. One day I might.



My daughter gave me an old tin GARDEN sign and I hung it on the bottom of the window. I love it. I was concerned that you would not be able to see the pickets forming the back of the bench but you can. This old time wash pan I am adding to the top of the potting bench for soaking the plants or for potting to keep the soil from getting all over the place. I had it on top of the refrigerator..but it is going outside tomorrow. We bought it in an antique store when we made a trip across country, but I don't recall which state. It reminds me of nice times. I have a collection of the red and white enamel ware.




I have had this little pump for a long, long time. I think it is the closest thing I will ever have to a water fall in my back yard. There is a little shelf made of boards that we bolted onto the edge of the tub. The little pump cost $9.99 at harware store in Bakersfield. The tubing runs up through the slats that hold the pump. What is so nice is that the water does not splash out and the tub does not have to be filled all that often. I like that! I actually think Howard is beginning to get used to my many projects..and might even like the results.


Our flowers are beginning to take off. Can you see them out in the yard? Finally!


See? There they are...
Please remember...I started with nothing...dead lawn..no curbing...no flower beds AT ALL. We are fighting crab grass...when we planted the grass...up came the crab but at least is not just dirt like it was.
To get rid of the crabgrass I might have to pull it out...blade by blade. I have done it at another home..and I can do it again! BLADE BY BLADE! :)


How nice it would be to just dig it all out and start over...but it just isn't practical right now with the heat on its way. Perhaps next year...but with our water situation in California...I would rather do the best we can with what we have...and wait.

What a beautiful day it was and I am grateful. In church Sunday we were told that we were not to complain about one single thing for 21 days...and if we did we had to start all over. Oops! The CRABGRASS did me in! Just one more reason to ...get rid of the stuff! ~Smiles~

And love,
Mona

~MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND and GRADS..~

Wherever you go and whatever you do...

Some of us will gather..some will take flowers to graves on Monday...and we will honor our fallen hero's. It will be a difficult day for many.



This weekend some of us will celebrate graduations...and that is what my family will be doing. A grandson has just graduated from college and we will all gather on Sunday to congratulate him.

Have a safe Memorial Day weekend!

Love to all,
Mona