Friday, September 23, 2016

Officially, fall is here

Hi Folks ~ According to the calendar, fall is here, but you wouldn’t know it by the temperatures we are having here in s.e. FL. In the high 80’s, and feels like it is in the high 90’s or low 100’s depending on the humidity factor. I worked outside yesterday morning for two hours, and this morning for only an hour. I need to buy some Gatorade for the electrolytes I know I’m depleting when I work out there sweating something awful. I do drink water to keep hydrated. But, I can tell when I just can’t do one more thing, and just quit. It will be there the next morning.

This place has become so overgrown, some areas worse than others as those areas were the ones my dear husband took care of. Eventually they will get done. I’m just doing what I can, when I can.  I’ll show before and after pictures, when the work is done. There have been hints of ‘autumn’ and the mockingbirds are singing their hearts out as they know summer is over and cooler weather is coming.

No matter how overgrown, I am still very thankful for my little home on 1/4 of an acre. The house itself is 665 sq. ft. We have been living in a tiny home, since before the ‘tiny house movement’ even began. We moved into here in the summer of 1973. I wouldn’t be able to handle a larger place, this is plenty for me, and sometimes feels like too much on my own. But it is what it is, and I am blessed to have this place.

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The little stained glass piece was from my sis-in-law who came down to visit from TN. She had several to choose from and this was the one that spoke to me. Colors and the sentiment, plus I have lots of birds around the cottage.

I had a nice visit with this sis-in-law and my dear husband’s other sister, who lives in northern FL, plus my DH’s brother and his wife, who live about an hour away, so see more often than the other two. Below I am with DH’s older sister, on the left, and his younger sister, on the right, from TN. She drove by herself in one day. That is NOT something I could do. Will you look at their lovely dark hair? A gene from their father.

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The next morning after our visit, I woke up with a sore throat, that even effected my ear. I felt like ‘poop’ all day. Took ‘Bioplasma’ cell salts 3 times during the day, ate some delicious homemade vegetable soup from my other sis-in-law Sue, had some ginger-lemon tea with probiotics, rested, to bed earlier than usual and woke up the next morning feeling well again. Yay!

So, since the cottage is cleaned up, I’ll share some photos. Not trendy, but it is artistic-eccentric and home sweet home. These photos were all taken late this afternoon during rainy weather. I didn’t put the overhead light on because it makes it too bright. The lamps create a nice ambiance.

The bookcase in the right corner of the picture below, is made up of the one that had been in the hall, then has two rounded end pieces, which I had had put together under the window before putting them all together here. I was just going to take a picture, but my batteries need charging. I like the ‘coziness’ and most of my favorite books are right where I can take one out and read something. The little floor lamp needs a new three-way bulb, that’s why it isn’t on. This is the southeast corner of the cottage.

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This is the north wall, archway to the left leading into the kitchen/scullery area.

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West living room wall.

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My little ‘creative space’ and also where I blog on my computer. Size is 6’x8’.

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This painting is on the little hall wall where the electric rose bush had been. It is across from the bathroom. The hall is 28 1/2 inches wide. Before DH made the second archway in that wall, it was so dark and cramped.  This watercolor was painted in 1895.

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Here is the electric rose bush in it’s new location, and lit. It has a dimmer switch, and this is not as bright as it can go. Very pretty and I am happy with it in the new spot and with the newly painted pink wall color.

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This is the tiny wall space between the two arches in the living room.

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This is the ‘scullery’, which by definition is a room where dishes were washed and was also a pantry. DH served in the scullery during bootcamp for the US Navy, and I chose to call this space that used to be the utility room the scullery. I love it. The kitchen area I didn’t get a picture of today. Another time.

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This is my window looking out into the secret garden.

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Well, I guess that’s it for now from Plum Cottage. People were wondering if I was ok, so here I am.

My life journey is different, I miss my dear husband more than words can say, and I’m doing the best I can.

Each day is a gift and there is beauty and blessings in each one. To God be the glory. Amen.

Thank you all for your love and encouragement. Priceless.

FlowerLady

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Company coming gets me motivated

 

Hi Folks ~ Boy oh boy, time is zipping right along. September is almost half over. Had a couple of hints of ‘fallish’ weather, then it went right back to feeling like summer, hot and humid.

Friday company will be here from out of town, for a short visit. There’s nothing like company coming to get one’s fanny out of the chair and into work mode. Out comes the vacuum, the duster, mop, etc. to get the place ready.

I decided to pick up my paint brush and finish painting the bathroom too, that project had been stopped by my getting plantar fascitis. My feet are doing better, but were aching really bad last night when I went to bed.  Up and down the ladder, plus standing on the steps of ladder, wore me out, but the wear out was worth it.

Before

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After

The rose tree is electrified and I will take a picture of it lit later. I bought that tree probably about 35 years ago at a local flea market. They were asking $12, I got it for $10. I need to touch up the roses so that they show up better. They have a bit of dust and rust, but interior designers said to us years ago, that ‘rust is a must’.  The dust is not, so I need to vacuum the tree.  The tree is much narrower than the book case, I moved it to the living room.  This whole little project has my mind jumping around with ideas.

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What is that curtain for? To close at night, to direct air-conditioning on down the hall into the bedroom.  I got this idea a year or so ago. I have a room a.c. unit in the kitchen that keeps the whole little place cool. It’s how we’ve cooled this place for years.

This is the curtain closed.  I think I paid $1 for it at a thrift store. My shadow is on the curtain. It is lined with plain white material on the back side. It already had those ties at the top. The rod is pvc pipe.

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I look forward to painting some more today. I want to paint the south side of the hall the same color and that wall leads right into the kitchen, having the two arches in it. I need to do some plaster repair on that wall. When the county went through here and widened the road, the heavy road equipment pounding away for months at a time, led to some cracks in the wall.  This color is certainly changing the mood of this little cottage. We’ve always had light colored walls because this place is so small. I hadn’t thought to paint this wall this pink satin enamel color, but I do have a gallon of paint to use up and I’m loving the look. I believe it is NOT the trend of the moment, but I never have been one to follow trends though. Today I do plan to do something a little ‘trendy’ though and that is to buy two cotton/poly drop cloths from HD, to cover two chairs in the living room. I’ve read about that and seen photos online. The reviews for these say they wash nicely and become softer after washing. They are a reasonable price too.

I need to mow and weedwack ‘again’. We keep having rain, and that keeps things growing and over growing.

Below is an alamanda that I got as a cutting.  I just ‘love’ the colors of this one.

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I will close with this photo below. When I saw this heart, I had to grab the camera. I’ve not seen/found any hearts lately, so this definitely made me smile.

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Ok, that’s it from Plum Cottage. Time to break the fast and then get back to work.

Have a great week ~ FlowerLady

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

A thank you, an apology, and moving forward

Good morning Folks ~ Here it is Tuesday already, September, and fall is coming, sooner or later, depending on where one lives.

I want to thank you all for your kind and encouraging comments.

I want to apologize to those in the medical establishment whose feelings might have been rankled or hurt by my comments in my last post about becoming hardened. I know there are kind, loving  and wonderful people out there in this field taking care of others as best they can. It’s not cut out for everyone and we all do appreciate tender care in that profession.

I have really felt at peace since making my decision a week ago tomorrow. Life goes on and I am taking life one day at a time.

Yesterday morning I got up late, and by the time I thought about working outside it really was too late. It was miserable out so I just took a photo from inside my bedroom looking out into part of my main garden. There’s a path there, it’s just not seen because of all of the weeds and overgrowth. Today I have a lunch date with two friends and did not want to wear myself out in the garden getting started on taking care of the paths, so here I am. I’ll take another picture afterwards. What a mess. Dealing with plantar fascitis has also slowed me down. I’m looking forward to cooler weather, and my feet are feeling better, so in time this will get done. Just one of the many outdoor projects that need doing.

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Oh how I miss my dear husband. For motivation, for us working together as a team, for love and encouragement, given and received, for so many different reasons. He’s in a much better place though, cheering me on in my walk of faith and that makes me smile and gives me peace. I can just hear and picture him cheering me on. One day we will be reunited. I had a nice quick dream about him the other night. He had given me a gift, wrapped in brown craft paper and had written a note using a black magic marker, saying he loved me still. I then woke up, so I didn’t get to see what the gift was, but reading that he ‘loved me still’ was the gift, in my mind and I woke up with a smile on my face, and joy in my heart. Our 47th anniversary is the day after tomorrow.  I am thankful for the love we shared together in our 43 years of marriage.

I finished the beaded heart I was working on. Seed and bugle beads, and fresh water pearls. I made the crocheted border also.

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The next heart I started by tracing pattern onto tissue paper, pinning it to the fabric, then doing an outline stitch through the tissue paper.

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Then came peeling the paper away from stitching.

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Next, the work I’ve done so far, with gold edging. I’m just winging it, not set way of doing this. Smile

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Ok, that’s it from Plum Cottage. I need to get up out of my chair and get going for the day. May you all have a great week.

FlowerLady

‘Love is Forever’