Five Senses Friday - The March 30, 2012 Edition

I woke this morning to the sound of thunder and rain....not loud thunder and not heavy rain, but both just enough for me to pull the covers up and roll back over for a little more sleep.  My Mother used to say the best sleep she has is in those early morning hours and I tend to agree.  Thank goodness I do not work any longer since there are times I have great difficulty in getting out of bed in the AM.  I would much rather be an early riser, the best time of the day is in those hours before the sun gets too high in the sky.  But because sleep does not come easy for me, toss turn, toss turn, over and over....get up, go downstairs, walk around and repeat...that when the early hour approaches I am usually just about into heavy dreamy sleep.  That is why you don't see any sunrise shots from me.  

As the rains subsided it was definitely time to get up and get the day moving....and as I stated yesterday, coffee would be served in my new mug.  I think coffee just tastes better in a pretty cup to drink from....don't you agree?  Now really which would you prefer, a styrofoam cup or this delight to enjoy your morning coffee in?  Hands down, the pretty cup!!

Potted up more plants to put on the front porch....always feels so good to get my hands dirty...haven't had the feel of potting soil on my hands for months.  

My neighbor has these beauties growing in his front yard and I had to walk down to get a better look...they so remind me of hanging hearts, I guess that is why they are called "bleeding hearts".

And speaking of seeing....Toby always has his eyes peeled to the front window, he wouldn't want anybody to walk by without him seeing them.

The lilacs are in full bloom here, and ofcourse the aroma is heavenly.  I would like to fill my whole house with buckets of these beauties to enjoy their smell all day.

Linking this up to Misty at Through a Photographers Eyes....

                                      

Hope you are seeing Spring wherever you are.

"Time is a very precious gift ~ so precious that it is only given to us moment by moment."  ~  Amelia Barr

Until next time.....

OK, So This Is How It Went....

OK so this is how it went.  Last year Tracey Clark sponsored a phonomenal photography camp that I did not attend.  Before I could even begin to think about it the whole thing was sold out...sold out in less than 15 minutes.  Terri & Susan both ladies from my collaborative blog Focusing on Life attended and both were so overwhelmed with the whole experience.  So I was bound and determined to attend this year, I was bound and determined until I saw the cost..gulp $1700.  Terri and I e-mailed back and forth and we decided that the cost was just too steep, so I put it out of my mind.  I put it out of my mind until last night when Terri sent me an e-mail saying she had signed up (last year's attendees got an early bird opportunity) and wondered what I was doing.  OH NO....I had made the decision not to go, but now I am hearing that maybe 5 out of the 10 of us (Focusing On Life) would be going.  I tossed and turned for most of the night, thinking should I, shouldn't I.  Could I even get in with it's fine reputation for being one of the best "camps" around?  Registration was scheduled for 11:00 AM this morning and as the time kept ticking away, I continued to waver.  But as the clock struck 10:59 (well it really didn't struck, it was the clock on my laptop) I hit the registration button and voila the page came up and before I knew it, I had filled in all the blanks, paid the fee and was staring at a welcome e-mail.  Just like that, a $1700 decision completed.  Am I feeling a little guilty over the cost?....yes, am I looking forward to it?....you betcha.  I have never attended anything quite like this before, but I can imagine it is going to be way up there on my "best things I have done in my life" list.  Our Kim Klassen will be there along with all of the Shutter Sisters.  Let me catch my breath.  Happy Birthday, Merry Christmas, Deanna.

After I calmed down, I decided to drive over to "Home Goods" a place filled with wonderful things for your home, and relatively inexpensive.  I had read on a blog that a sweet patterned set of dishes, bowls and mugs that I had admired had landed at Home Goods.  So off I went in great anticipation.  Huge disappointment, all I found was one mug...which I am sure I will drink coffee from in the morning and take lots of pictures of the one cup.  Oh well, I need more cups & dishes like I need a hole in the head.  But.....not to be too disappointed I found 2 table lamps for $30 each that will replace the shabby (and I don't mean shabby chic) ones on the entrance table.  And I bought a tub chair that is almost, almost lime green.  Not sure if I am going to keep it, it was pretty darn cheap and the chair that I am replacing is a bit beat-up from you know who jumping on it.  I am letting it sit in the living room while I debate, will it stay or not.  I am not sure what got in to me today.  I have been pretty darn good lately about spending money, and then today I go beserk.  Help me, somebody stop me....

OK among all the spending, I did take some pictures this morning before my money madness took over....the wind was calm.  It has been blowing like heck recently, making it quite difficult to take pictures of the beautiful spring images. So I grabbed my camera and off I went, PJ's, robe, slippers and camera.

The lilacs are beginning to bloom.....OMG!!!

This crab apple tree is in my side yard...when these blossoms begin to fall it looks like the ground is covered with snow.

The crab apple in the front yard....

A sweet ranunculas that is in the pot on the front porch....

Toby was so curious about the new chair....you should have seen me getting this chair into the house. (Maybe if you had seen me you could have helped me)  It was heavy and didn't have anything to grab onto to pick it up, so I was swinging it up the sidewalk by resting it on one leg then swinging it forward, then resting it on another leg and repeat, repeat until I managed to get it to the front porch.  One heave ho and I had it in the door.  Never under-estimate the power of a woman that wants to see if the new green will blend with the old green.

After all this, Toby was exhausted....so he took a nap, until he heard the click of the camera which woke him up and then he decided he needed to come inside and check out this new green thing in his living room.

I'll keep ya posted on the fate of the green chair.....hope your day was filled with all things green (like money) which I no longer have any more.  And a little quote to go with my splurge today...

"Whoever said money can't buy happiness simply didn't know where to go shopping" ~  Bo Derek

Until next time.....

Yes, Today Was a Good Day

Today was a good day.  I suppose everyday has a lotta good, some days more than others.  Like Monday....Monday wasn't such a good day.  My brother-in-law and his wife drove over from visiting their daughter and her family in Indiana to see my sweetie.  Janice, my sister-in-law had not seen Gary in almost 2 years and as she walked in and spotted him she immediately burst into tears.  The change in these 2 years has been overwhelming and not positive.  Anyone who has experienced a loved one with dementia or Alzheimer's knows the toll it takes.  My sweetheart has become much more distant and somewhat unresponsive to those around him.  It broke my heart to see him and his brother walking down the hall together, big brother holding little brother's hand.

But today was a good day.  Since it is Springbreak here, we did not have Bible Study this morning, and when we have no Bible Study, we opt to go to Barnes & Noble.  There were nine of us this morning.  Sitting around the table, talking and laughing, eating our treats and drinking our coffee brings a lotta joy to my heart.

All of the ladies that were there this morning are not pictured simply because I wasn't able to capture everyone. As soon as I pull out my camera, some of them head for the hills (so to speak).  You know what I mean.....and B&N has the absolute worst lighting for portraits.

All of these ladies are such sweethearts.  We offer such love and support for each other.  I am blessed to have found this group of women.  

After we had our fill of coffee and chit-chat we all left and I proceeded to go to the Riverwalk to see what was blooming.....tulips, beautiful tulips.  

It was a beautiful spring-like day, but looking at this woman you would have thought it was still winter-time. I liked this comparison of clothing between the foreground and the background...

After enjoying the Riverwalk I then decided to drive out to Michael's and browse thru there, surely I would find something that I couldn't live without.  After seeing Terri's delightful post yesterday at Focusing on Life on displaying your photos I bought some of those clip frames and thought I would try a few in my dining room.  I will post when I have decided on what to frame.  And then I bought some red spray paint to paint a little "ice cream" chair for the front porch, add some zing.  And then.....I just can't resist anything that is red & white polka dots.

So, yes, today was a good day.  Everybody needs more good days. 

"On with the dance, let the joy be unconfined!' is my motto, whether there's any dance to dance or any joy to unconfine."  ~  Mark Twain

Until next time.....

The Week That Was - Week 12

Almost missed this week....dunno what happened.

Until next time.....

Did Someone Say Pink....???

Today at Kim Klassen's Texture Tuesday, the prompt is pink.  And this girl really does like pink (and red & blue & yellow & lavender &...) but seriously I love pink so much that our dining room and living room is predominately pink.  So it was no trouble at all to just walk around my living room with camera in hand and start clicking.  Now this is just a sampling of the pinks that you will find in both the living room & dining room, considering I was quite the collector at one time of pretty china tea cups and tea sets.  My home finally told me to stop, no where else to display one more piece of pink. 

These are faux (love that word, better than fake) dogwood branches that I display each year at this time.  They look so real and certainly brighten up the windowsill in the living room.   

This is not faux...the Trader Joe's tulips displaying their last hurrah...linking this up to Kim's
Texture Tuesday....

At one time I started a collection of salt & pepper shakers, I honestly think I was addicted to collecting...I fall easily into addictions, but thank goodness only the kind that won't harm your body or soul, just maybe your pocketbook on occasion.....

Candlesticks....did a lotta shopping at TJ Maxx...found many of these treasures there.

A little vignette on the living room table....

Hope you are "tickled pink" about something or someone in your life today. Stop over at my collaborative blog Focusing on Life.  Terri has a delightful post on displaying your photography.

"There is no place more delightful than home."  ~  Cicero

Until next time.....

Trimming Back

Woke up to another stunning, sunny day.  After buying my pansies at Loews yesterday, I was determined to get them planted and proudly displayed on the front porch.  And you know what happens next, don't ya....everything around it looks so untidy that the clean-up began.  I also bought 3 little pink tulips that  were ready to burst into bloom and more pansies to plant in the pot by the driveway, which you guessed it, led to more clean-up.  I planted 3 tiny ivy plants a 100 or so years ago and they have literally taken over the little side garden.  Each year I have to pull ivy out or it will smother what is left in the garden.  Trimming it back reminded me that we all could use some trimming back on occasion.  Trimming back on buying more stuff, trimming back on buying more clothes when my closets are over-flowing now, trimming back on calories and eating better.  Life would be simpler if we honestly tried to trim back.  I see so many young couples that have over-extended and are now in serious financial troubles, some even losing their homes.  Since my monthly expenses have really stretched my budget, trimming back is a "must-do" with me.

Enough of the trimming back and on to the delights I found with my camera today.  Ofcourse between cleaning up the garden, I certainly found time to take a few pics.....

I think Spring Fever has a hold on me...even the dandelions looked good today.....

These little tiny buds will be lilacs soon....

Perfection....

And these sweet things will be tiny white flowers covering a bush in my side yard.  Before my "big girl" camera I would NEVER have noticed these sweet little buds.....

A multi petaled tulip that returns each year....

And the crab apple trees are covered, I mean covered in blooms....

And my sweet little neighbor girl...she let me take her picture again today....this is the biggest smile I can get out of her...need to catch her off-guard.

Joining with Nancy at The Rural Journal for my Sunday Best.....

Hope your Sunday was filled with sunshine, tulips, & smiles.....

"There can be no other occupation like gardening in which, if you were to creep behind someone at their work, you would find them smiling."  ~  Mirabel Osler

Until next time......

The View

With the rain we received the grass is so green and growing quickly along with the weeds.  Time to get out and start working in the yard & garden.  Most years I don't start until late April or early May.  But as stated several times before this is a most unusual Spring.  If I waited until late April my yard would be so overgrown it would look like the "secret garden" before the magical transformation.  I must admit that I stopped at Lowe's when I was out visiting my sweetheart and to attend my son-in-law's gymnastic meet to buy some pansies for the front porch. Just couldn't go  another day without planting something.

My sweetie is doing better, but he is so thin...everytime I visit I get him ice cream.  They have an ice-cream parlour with big tubs of ice cream that we are welcome to help ourselves to, so I do.  We shared a bowlful, 2 bites for him, then 2 bites for me, brought smiles to his face which always brings smiles to my heart.  Spent time walking outside in the courtyard, a good visit.  As I drove away I felt better than I have the last few times visiting, altho he is slipping further and further away.

After seeing my honey, I went to my son-in-law's gymnastic meet.  He was hosting the MAC tournament where all 7 teams  in the MAC were competing.  Last year NIU was dead last.  This year they moved up to Number 4, which made Sam happy, especially since this is his first year as Head Coach.  My grandson, Brandon drove out for the meet which means not only did I get to see my granddaughter but my grandson.  Brandon is so busy and now there is a possibility he may be moving to possibly New York City or San Franciso, CA.  He is a darn good graphic designer and is being pursued by several firms.  Right now he works for Crate & Barrel's children's division, The Land of Nod.  Oh to be young and talented.  Afterwards my daughter & granddaughter and I had dinner together.  Being with the two of them is always an adventure in laughter.

Before I left home this morning, I wandered around the yard taking pictures (I know, what a surprise!!), this time in my new pink & brown p j's...nothing disgraceful, everything is perfectly contained.  Besides haven't you seen people out in their pj  bottoms, especially teenagers?  But I think I will stick to no further than the yard....

Here are some of what came into view....

Toby on the lookout....

He had just chased this squirrel up the tree...

These crab apple blossoms are right outside my bedroom window....

You have seen this view many times in the past....in all seasons.

Even the maple tree blossoms are amazing....it wasn't until I bought my "big girl" camera that I even noticed these beauties.

The first tulip to open....

Gotta have another shot of the quince...

Early spring blooming bushes...

No, this is not in my yard, Ranunculas I have been enjoying inside....

I don't have to wander too far from my front porch to see God's grand gardens...with His help, some warming sunshine and a little rain, delights are unfolding.

"The day the Lord created hope was probably the same day he created Spring" ~ Bern Williams

Until next time.....