Out like a lion ! ! !

A look at some of the roses in my garden

The wind has been raging here for the past few days. It's not at all fun to go outside even to get in the truck to go and get my coke in the mornings. I really do not like the wind. I was so hoping to be able to get out into the garden beds and do some pruning on the roses today. There was a lot of damage done to the canes by the heavy snows we got all winter. I want to get out there and trim them up so they don't look so hopeless. Sunday morning at about 3:00 am it started to lightening and thunder. I love a good storm as long as I'm inside watching it. I layed there listening to the thunder and seeing the flashes of lightening and it almost had a soothing effect on me. Now I realize that here in Idaho we don't get the severe storms that other areas get so I can feel relatively safe. But I've always loved L&T storms. There's something eerie and beautiful about them. I don't love the wind however and I'm hoping that April brings tamer weather so I can get out there and get those roses in shape so that they can look like the pictures above that I took of them this past summer.

Can't wait for poppy time!!!

There's something about their papery petals and fuzzy stems that I can't seem to get enough of. I have poppies in many colors in my garden. These are some pictures of a few of last year's blooms. I always seem to be on the look out for the newest color I can add to the borders. The bees love them and I love bees so I will always make room for them in the garden. After they bloom, they go dormant and so I always plant them with something that will grow up and hide the dying foliage. They are so hardy and reliable. When I plant them I have to be sure about the spot because they don't transplant well. But once there in they are almost bullet proof. I planted several new ones this past year so I can't wait till they bloom. The snow is now gone from the

garden so I should see them emerging any time now. Can't wait!

Living with texture...

I love having a lot of touchy, feely stuff around. The more tactile the better. I think it adds interest. It gives our spaces more visual interest. I guess that's one of the reasons I love gardening so much. All those different shapes and textures are so pleasing to the eye. Even the clothes I buy tend to have a lot of texture to them. One of my favorite things in the world to do is go to fabric stores and feel all the different fabrics and their different textures. When I'm out driving I really key in on the different textures in the landscape. As I get older I find that I really look at things. In my youth I lived unconsciously most of the time, totally unaware of the beauty around me. That's one of the gifts of aging, the ability to really see. It's almost as if all my senses are keener now. I know there are people out there who don't have to wait to age before they see the beauty in the everyday. They can see it now. They see it always. In my case it has come with maturing. Whenever it comes, be grateful.

Cover it up!

I love the linen cover on this chair
but wanted to protect it from our spills
when we ate. So I had the white slipcover made.


sofa in livingroom

This ottoman was given to me by my mother-in-law and I love it, but didn't love it's orange velvet from the 70's

love the roses on this fabric and love the butter yellow color

I love slipcovers because... they extend the life of my furniture, it's cheaper than buying new, you can cover up a multitude of sins, (like the ugly orange velvet on that ottoman), I don't have to worry about the grandchildren feeling bad if they get them dirty, and I'll be really truthful, I really like a change in my surroundings once in awhile. I buy almost all my furniture second hand. It saves me so much money. Some of my most beloved pieces were even free. But believe me when I tell you most of them were in really bad shape when I got them. I love taking an ugly duckling and making a swan out of it. I find it satisfying. I sometimes make my own slipcovers but the ones above were made by women who are more talented at sewing then I am. Someday I will show you some I did myself. Maybe. They certainly don't look like these. When I have a slipcover made I usually take a picture of an idea I like and tweak a little until its just what I want and then Bette does the rest. She is a miracle worker. She doesn't take that long either. The woman I used to make the cream sofa slip had the sofa for 6 weeks and it was hard to be without it that long. I buy all my fabric at a discount fabric outlet called Home Decorator Fabrics in Boise. They have a huge selection of decorator mill ends, rolls and rolls of them. All cottons and linens are $5.99 to $6.99 a yard. Most of the time I wait for something to go on clearance for $3.00, because I'm cheap like that. I take the fabric home and wash it in hot water and then dry it in the dryer. I do this 3 times so I'm assured of it not shrinking once it is made into the cover. After it is on the furniture if it does need washing, I wash in warm or cold water depending on the need. I have a dog who loves to be on a couple of the pieces so they are washed more frequently. I'll have to do another post to show you some of the other pieces I have around the house. For a small house I sure can cram a lot into it.

Spring is springing!!!

This is my backyard today

but very soon it will look like this

Well at least that's what the calendar says. When I look at my yard and garden however I know it might be awhile until I see bare ground. It has been so warm the past few days that the snow is really going fast. Landon and I have been taking some walks this week and he absolutely loves them. I've been doing a little jogging behind his wheelchair and we can really get some serious speed going. (not for very long though...pant,pant)(I came back in to edit this lest you all believe I'm a jogger. I'm not even a walker really but my son loves to get out of the house and he loves going very fast.) Today I slowed down and shot these sights along the way. I love it when the robins and all the other little birdies start coming back. I'm fascinated by them . This morning was the first morning I actually heard them singing in my own yard. I can't believe I'm saying this but I actually enjoyed this winter. It didn't seem as long somehow. Maybe it was my attitude about it this year. Maybe it was because the roads were clearer this winter so we were able to get out of the house more. Winter was good but I am delighted that spring is springing.

It's the little things...

Like cottage cheese and fruit

enough wood to get you through winter

a lovely visiter in the garden

For me it's the little everyday things that bring the most joy. I'm sure a lot of my posts will be about the simple things in my daily round that bring me the most happiness. Like Landon's smile when he first wakes up in the morning or the sound of my husband coming in safely after an all night shift. It's scented trash bags and the sound of the trash man picking up my filled scented trash bags. It's the stack of clean towels in the bath or a freshly cleaned refrigerator. It's a call from my grandchildren to tell me that they miss me. It's a great sale at the local plant nursery. It's a good card game with friends or a Sunday drive to someplace I haven't been in awhile. I live life very simply. It doesn't take much to make me happy, it just takes a lot of little things.

Today I opted for beauty...

I went grocery shopping today and decided to feed my soul as well as my body. I saw these lovely spray roses and could not pass them by. I love these colors together. Only $8.00 for such beauty. Roses are full of so much grace. I love them fresh and I love them dried. I get a lot of mileage out of these blooms. They adorn my house in a vase for a few days and then they adorn the rooms in their dried state for several months. I love the quote 'I'd rather have roses on my table than diamonds on my neck.'

I just LOVE the way they smell...

Smoke at the top. Smoke and Spud's nose



Turbo (a wee bit fat)

and Sunny

Too bad I'm allergic. When I ride them I have to wear gloves and make sure I don't touch my face. ( I actually haven't ridden in a long time) Even when I pet them I have to make sure I wash right after but I still love them. I think they are the most beautifully created animal. They are smart and usually kind if handled well. I just love to see them standing in a green pasture somewhere. I really do love the way they smell. I thought I would break away from my usual post and introduce you to some of our horses. In another post I will have to show you Knightly, Trigger ,Spud and Nellie. My husband loves to pack into the mountains with 2 or 3 of them at a time and spend a couple of days. He's taken me with him a few times and it really is great. My rear end sure gets sore going downhill on the trail though.

I don't exercise...

but I do garden. That can make you sweat. All you gardeners know that. I love to make things grow. My son takes a lot of care so I don't work anymore. Sometimes I really miss the regular contact with people, but I love the time I spend with my son more. Because I'm home I need something to help fill the time and yet be something that I love. Gardening is that love. It's almost spiritual for me. I feel things very deeply in the garden. I think deep thoughts in the garden. I form friendships in the garden. Landon also loves the time he spends in the garden. I think he feels deeply, thinks deeply and forms friendships there as well. Hope you enjoy the pics of our garden.

Not enough for an omelet...

I just got two pretty little white finches a couple of months ago. I am really enjoying their company. One is Lizzy and the other is Mr. Darcy of course. My dog T.T. Rabbit hasn't any use for them. When I first brought them home I was sure he was going to find a way to give them a heart attack. Now he hardly notices them. I've never been a bird owner before so when they started surprising me with these little gifts I wasn't sure what to do. I bought a nest for them at the pet store but Lizzy evidently has no use for a family yet because she refuses to set. That's ok because I'm not ready either.

Where I create...

This room is full of half done, barely started or almost finished projects. Sometimes entering this room fills me with dread. There are so many things I want to start but don't dare till I finish the ones waiting for me in here. Last week I actually got in and finished some sewing that I had been working at for a few weeks. The sewing table is still covered by all the debris and that is why it is not pictured here. This room is also where my computer is so it needs to stay somewhat tidy or I would never come in here to blog. Blogging has actually inspired me to start creating a little more. I hope it lasts. I love to sew and I definitely like to collect fabric. Right now I'm on a pillow making kick. I honestly can't have any more pillows in this house so I'm now making pillow covers for the garden and the camp trailer. I've made a couple of simple quilts for my son this winter and I can tell he's really is loving them. He loves anything cuddly. I also love collaging but haven't done that in awhile. I have a lot of ideas rolling around in my head but that's pretty much where they'll stay for now. I make a mess when I sew but you should see the messes I make when do paper crafts!

I'm a treasure hunter...

I can't think of too many things I'd rather be doing than hunting for treasures, those things that have had a previous life. I love looking in beautiful shops and flea markets and dark , dusty old antique shops. Some of my best finds have been at yard sales. I love taking some one's cast offs and redoing them so they fit my taste and style. I love that very few good pieces are finding their way to the landfills. My daughters and I used to redo pieces and then sell them at Memorial Day ' Spring Fest' , Fourth of July celebration and the Labor day flea market here in our valley. I'm opting out of doing it anymore because I'm tired. It was always such a push to get the furniture painted and things packed into the trailers. We never got to take part in the festivities. I'm sure I will see many pieces that will tempt me but I will just have to use restraint. I'm so blessed because all four of my daughters love to treasure hunt. It's a great time for all.