Arbor Renovation

After cleaning up the garden and tearing down the disgusting plastic that was attached to the arbor, we bought some heavy vinyl and cut it to size and attached it to the sides. I can't wait for the vines to start climbing.

Springtime cleanup

This was Easter weekend (April 4th). Nothing was done in the backyard last fall with moving and all, so there was plenty waiting for me this spring.










Saturday April 10th was a rather windy day, but it was warm and sunny and so the attack began.









This is post cleanup with the trees and flowers blooming.

The fence row looks much better and the trellis will get a new insert for the climbing vines.

Australian Treats - Squeeling in Target on a Friday Night

Alison, my dear friend in Australia, has introduced me to many things over the years, but one of the best things she has brought to my attention was TIM TAMS. She's sent them to me thru the mail, she's brought them to me in Utah to share with friends in stitching class and we have talked about Tim Tam's many times. So imagine my shock and pure excitement when I walked into TARGET last night and there from an end cap as you enter the first register was none other than Australia's Favorite Cookie! This was the only flavor they had, and they cost $2 a package (cheaper than girl scout cookies). I've yet to open the package, but if they are by Pepperidge Farm, my guess is they taste pretty good.

Snow, Snow go away

It's been a long winter and we are very sick of the snow. We had a blizzard on Tuesday (Feb 9th) and I bailed from work at 1pm and went home. Wednesday I called a snowday and just stayed home and enjoyed myself watching the snow blow around. The roads weren't good, so it was good to be next to the fire stitching and watching the DVR. The scenes are off our back deck looking out to the pond.

Box City....a couple months later

We continue to live among the boxes in my workroom and in the office, but the rest of the house is coming along. The livingroom/diningroom is about there, once I get the bookcases arranged and the Longaberger baskets photographed and indexed and put somewhere...yes I have a few dozen. This is still my favorite room in the house.











I finally decided the arrangement of the samplers I wanted on the walls and one day just started hanging them. These were spread over several rooms in our other house, but I like the look of them grouped in one place.


The main bath is all about lighthouses.





The guestroom is ready for anyone who wants to come stay. (Babies welcome)

The baby dresses are antique, the cradle is my daughter Emily's from when she was born and come summer it will be needed at her house along with the bassinet. Looks like I need to get that white mini crib put together.

Cold with six inches of snow

The front walk after a little shoveling.

Proof that we have wee friends who lurk in our yard when we're away.

FRIGID, that's about all we've had here lately. Below 0 temps up to single digits is getting mighty old. Christmas we had a bit of snow on the ground, then Christmas Eve it rained and was warmer, and our frozen pond had whitecaps, but since then it's been miserable cold.

Wednesday night we got snow, and lots of it. I managed to get to work in the dark on Thursday morning, but with the way the snow as coming down I bailed at noon, came home and enjoyed just watching it snow. Friday, I called a snow day and spent the day unpacking boxes, fluffing about and enjoying my new Susan Boyle CD.

Foggy Commute and a mostly finished guestroom

I have been spoiled for far too long. My commute had been 7-10 minutes door to door for years and now with the move I've stretched that to 23-30 minutes depending on weather and @$$holes on the road.
The pictures below are what I was met with as I was about to leave the house one morning this past week. Luckily it was worse out my backdoor than it was by the time I got to the slab taking me into town.

GUESTROOM:

This is the progress I've made on the guestroom. The bookcase was to go in the entryway, but it just didn't fit, so it finds itself again in the guestroom and yet to be filled. A brand new quilt for the bed and a green lamp I have had since high school that just doesn't work in the master bedroom works perfectly in this room.

My daughter Emily's baby cradle will eventually have netting surrounding it. The framed dresses will be hung over the cedar chest. The blue crocheted dress was made for me by my grandmother and great aunt when I was a toddler. There is a picture in the frame of me wearing the dress. The yellow dress was made for me by my mother and inside the frame is a picture of me wearing it when I was 3 months old. My beaded wristband from the hospital when I was born with "Thompson" on it is also in the frame. Our son Colin will be our first guest and I hope he likes it.