Light switches knobs.
I’ve never seen anything like this before, but I think I like them.
Willow Oak
I was taken by how lovely our Willow Oak tree looked with droplets of rain cascading down through its bare spots. Elegance in the midst of a rain storm is not a quality I possess.
A Short Visit
M is outside mowing the lawn for what is likely the last time this year, Tucker is out exploring the corners of his new yard, and I’m sitting in the kitchen with a cup of tea and a sinus infection.
I’m always thankful for days like we experienced this weekend. Indian-Summer days full of warmth and sunshine and out-of-sync with the way things are supposed to be. It’s like an old-fashioned movie scene where the lovely lady has just parted with friends from afar, and they manage to push through the crowd to the edge of the ship, lean over, and wave good-bye one last time before bon voyage. That’s exactly how it feels. I’ve long since said goodbye to Summer– in the process of saying good-bye to Fall– and dreading the onset of Winter. But there they are my two good friends, donning their warm sun and bright colors, sneaking in one last visit before waving good-bye for the season– promising they’ll be back soon.
It makes the nearing Winter seem so much more bearable.
Today’s Special at the Last Chance Cafe
Let’s hope mice think peanut butter is mighty nice. We’re even serving up the organic kind.
Unfortunately, someone who is not a mouse also enjoys organic peanut butter.
I told him if he’s smart, he’ll keep his snout out of it.
Happy Halloween!
Unfortunately, Monster Dog scares away all of the neighborhood kids when he’s not dressed up, so he’ll be barricaded in the bedroom when the little munchkins come a-knockin’ for candy.
Pansies Put to Bed
Last weekend at the Washington DC Green Festival, I purchased some eco-tulips from an organic grower in Holland. I bought three varieties of tulip- Gabor, Purple Prince, and Yellow Flight. The vendor had so many lovely choices I found it very difficult to decide. Luckily, these three varieties came packaged together in a cardboard egg-carton, so it made the decision a little easier.
I wanted to get them in the ground right away since this is the perfect time for planting tulips, but of course none of the existing flower beds were “right.” And so began the work of putting in a new bed around the Crabapple tree in the front yard. In my mind, I was just going to dig up the area, line it,(all by myself, of course) and voila, it’s a flower bed…
Not so.
Not. at. all. so!
First of all, I couldn’t get enough power behind the shovel to even make a dent in our hard, clay-filled soil. Luckily, I had a strong man around who did most of the hard work (and at no cost, lol!) and allowed me to take 99% of the credit. Once all of the work had been done to get the tulips into the ground and covered, we stood back to admire our work only to find it was just an empty bed with no color.
Off Lowe’s we went for the umpteenth time that weekend, where we picked up some pansies to help finish off the bed without taking it over in the Spring when the bulbs will come up. I’m so excited to see what the finished product will look like, but must wait another 6 months or so. In the meantime, I really need to read up on my dad’s gardening books. I’ve got a lot to learn!
Studio Sneak Peek
I’ll forgo the usual “Sorry, I’ve been lax on the blog front lately, but…” and get right to the point.
Paint is on the sewing/art studio walls! (And actually has been there for awhile) I’ve found that it’s either a love it or polite-enough-not-to-say-anything kind of color. Of course, I love it! I had to laugh when on this season’s HGTV Next Design Star, the eventual winner used this color on the bedroom walls of his finale project literally days after we had painted this room. I laughed even harder (and felt vindicated from the naysayers) when judge Genevieve Gorder proclaimed that it was “just shy of being offensive” and that she loved it.
I spent some time this week unpacking a few boxes and trying to get organized in there, but I’m feeling very overwhelmed. I have so much space to work with, especially in contrast with my old working area which was a shared office, guest room, and creative space. I’ll get things sorted out soon enough. Hopefully, with plenty of time remaining to get started on and more importantly, finish, Christmas gifts for this year.
I’m going to skip the “I’ll try to post more updates soon…” bit also because, well, who knows how long it will really be…
Until then, enjoy the glorious splendor of Fall!
Monster Under the Bed
On my first night in my new house, in my new bedroom, in my new bed, I was sleeping peacefully. And then I heard something under my bed. A scratching, snarling, heavy-breathing sort-of-sound.
I peeked, “Oh my GOODNESS! There is a MONSTER under my new bed!”
Upon closer investigation, I heaved a sigh of relief. Not a monster, just Mr. Tucker exploring a new hideout…
He goes there every day now to hang out.
(Please excuse the dust bunnies, I’ve been really busy!)
Mum’s the Word
On Sunday, I met a couple more of the neighbors from across the street. I can’t say enough about how kind and down-to-earth the people are in our neighborhood, especially the family from that particular house. They were close with the former owner of our home, and brought over a photo of her to share with me. They talked about how much she loved animals and gardening, and that when she wasn’t gardening she’d sit out on the front porch all day long in her glider with her dogs in her lap. It was nice to hear about the person who took such care in the home we now call our own. It also explains the stash of dog bones we found hidden behind the range…
Yesterday, my mom and I stopped to pick up some mums to replace the silk flowers in planters that hang from the porch railing and also flank the front steps. Along with the pumpkins sent by my Godfather and Godmother from their family farm and the nip in the air, it’s beginning to feel so much like Fall. What a breath of fresh air to be able to bring life back to this little house on the corner!
A Guessing Game
For those of you that have been wondering about why I haven’t been posting much, I’ll give you some hints…
Did you guess right?
When we arrived for the walk-through, we found that the seller had filled the kitchen table with goodies and supplies to make the move less stressful, and she also packed the fridge full of cold beverages. With the addition of a loaf of bread and some cold cuts, her gift has been a godsend! (Even better, I received a $10 Giant giftcard from MyBlogSpark to spend at the Giant Back-to-School savings event, so I managed to get everything else with that!)
We’ve spent the last week at the house every day scrubbing, sanding, and painting. Mr. Tucker reports that he loves his new yard and has really been enjoying lounging around on his front porch. He does not, however, appreciate that the mailman delivers the mail directly to previously mentioned front porch. (I think it’s fabulous!)
More pictures to come!
