A Haven for Vee

Friday, July 10, 2015

Grace Received

Never, in peace or war, commit your virtue or your happiness to the future. Happy work is best done by the man who takes his long-term plans somewhat lightly and works from moment to moment “as to the Lord.” It is only our daily bread that we are encouraged to ask for. The present is the only time in which any duty can be done or any grace received.
~C.S. Lewis from The Weight of Glory


Let's see how tight a weave I can create here this morning. Outdoors, I finally put together the arch that my daughter gave me a decade ago. It takes time, folks. Time. I rather like it and I hope to create a softening with some old sheers one day soon.


Flowers currently at the windowsill...


John considers fresh, local strawberries the best food. Say, do you all have a hull picker at your house? That's the little silver thingy hanging over the yellow colander. It keeps a gal's fingernails looking good and is so easy to use. Not terribly costly either.


Sometimes birthday gifts should have a little sparkle. This ribbon has a bit of shine. Potholders make good, practical gifts, don't you think? Happy Birthdays were in order for my daughter-in-law this week.


The grass out here is looking pretty shabby. I think my outside "room" is getting too much foot traffic since the potting bench was set up. I may have to think about this some more.


There are so many shades of white. There's the off-white in my new scrunchy and the white of the sewing machine, the cream of the thread, the white of the thread holder. Okay, I am just plain cheating with this one. I have been making scrunchies. Not the big, old-fashioned fluffy ones (though I still like them lots), but a modified thin one. You can find tutorials all over Pinterest.

More scrunchies and Words (Bell and Betsy Ross). Why am I making them? Because my hair is so miserably long that in the heat, I must get it off my face.

This photo shows just how long it is. And this photo looks nothing like me. I have sent myself through the diffuser 50 times at least. Ha!



A big thank you to *Kati* for hosting the July photo-a-day challenge. It provided me with some much~needed blog fodder.

A happy weekend to you!

44 comments:

  1. Good Morning, Vee. Your outdoor area is looking so pretty. Happy belated birthday to your dil. I love the potholders! Such cute fabric. Also, I love the view out your kitchen window, with the flag behind your vases of posies. I hope you and John have a peaceful day.

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  2. Well, I must join Kati's photo challenge soon, I enjoyed it last year!
    Love your hair, Vee. Mine is up on top of my head most of the time now.
    All of your photos turned out nicely and I love your outdoor room. I bet you
    spend hours out there!

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  3. Clever you!! You have put your challenge photos together so creatively!

    Your outdoor room is so inviting! I'd love to sit out there and share an iced coffee with you. Your flowers on the kitchen windowsill are pretty and cheerful! Looks like you've been spending some summer days in the sewing room too. (I need to do the same. A couple of projects are waiting for me.)

    Your diffused self is beautiful!! :D

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  4. This was just balm to my soul this morning,..from the beginning words by C.S. Lewis to the wonderful pictures.

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  5. Vee!! LOVEEEEEEEEEE your hair, wish I had long thick hair. No hull picker thingy here, love the ribbon and nice birthday gifts...love the hair scrunchy, again, sigh, wish I had thick hair to wear them. Have a great Friday, Vee! Blessings

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  6. Thanks for the words by C.S. Lewis this morning. Just what I needed right now. I think your diffused self looks so young and pretty. And your sewing projects from the birthday gift to the scrunchies are made with very cute fabric. Have a nice day!

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  7. Beautiful C.S. Lewis quote Vee! Good job on the photo a day (I love your back yard and the idea of weaving sheer cloth through the arbor).

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  8. Your hair is very long, pretty. I just had mine cut shorter but still put a headband on to keep it off my neck. I recognize some of those scrunchie fabrics. Did I give you some fabric? Your backyard is beautiful. I have a strawberry huller. Love the windowsill photo with the flag in the background. As for your selfie, even diffused 50 times, you're still lovely. You look youthful. Oh and I love the CS Lewis quote. ~ Abby

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  9. Vee, I'm loving your flowers in the windsill framing Old Glory! What a great photo. Now, what I need to know is, how I can get one of those diffuser things to use each morning as part of my "beauty" routine? Have a lovely weekend enjoying your nice garden all spruced up. ♥

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  10. I love that C. S. Lewis quote! I'm sure your daughter in law will love those potholders. I need to work on some of those for my kitchen. Don't worry Vee, my hair is way too long too. I cut it and never go back for a trim and the cycle of long hair starts all over.

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  11. You're against a buzz cut?? ;-) I'm loving the images here today and of course the C.S. Lewis quotation. So true. I'm with your hubby as being a fan of strawberries. Ours have just wound down for the year and I've got to do something with them so that they're not so crowded for next year. When I take off my glasses and look in the mirror, it's a great diffuser effect for me. Unfortunately, reality returns when I put my glasses back on. :-((( Have a sweet weekend!

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  12. Your arch looks good, and how clever to fit in Katie's photo challenge to your post. I think your method took a lot more brain activity than mine, so that's a plus for you!

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  13. Oh, you are a clever one! A great post showing off what's going on around your place PLUS the photo challenge. I really love the CS Lewis quotation - definitely something to take to heart in these days. Potholders make a great gift - it never takes long for mine to look ratty.

    Have a great weekend, Vee.

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  14. The arch looks really good in your garden doesn't it! Are you going to grow roses or something up it or leave it as it is? I think the idea of making your own scrunchies is a good one, I could do with some of those! I hope that you have a great weekend. xx

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  15. I like the arch and the flowers on your window sill. I have some daisies on mine.
    Must get myself one of those hull pickers.
    Love those strawberries.
    Your garden looks very welcoming.

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  16. As always, Vee, your posts are delightful. I love visiting with you and seeing what all you are up to. I never get disappointed.

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  17. Your hair IS long - it looks so pretty softening your sweet face.

    I have always had long hair and have it side braided with a fat scrunchie holding it together. I like it up in this heat too, though it is 71 in the house b/c hubs is home early and likes it FREEZING - brrrrr.

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  18. You have a beautiful home! And your kind of beautiful yourself - diffuser or not.

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  19. Your yard is so clean and pretty. I like the colors too. For some reason scrunchies remind me of the '80s (Gosh, I miss the '80s ...). I tried long hair for awhile and it made me crazy(ier), so, I'm bad to a glorified Page Boy. I'm too much of a Tom Boy, I guess. I like the pot holders. Very nice. ~:)

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  20. Opps ... "back" not "bad". I hit enter too soon. LOL ~:)

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  21. Let me see, I'd have a clematis scrambling up the arbour you put together and I had one just like it years ago. It gives a good focal point and entrance to the garden room beyond.
    You can't beat the fresh berries and veggies as they come into season, can you!
    I'm envious of your long hair, I grew mine out only once and my ponytail was the size of a pencil so it stays short and layered to pretend there's more hair. LOL
    Have a good weekend Vee.

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  22. My hair is longer than it ever has been and so curly due to chemo. Sigh. When it was straight I wanted it curly and now that it is curly I wish it was straight again.

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  23. Wow your hair has grown a lot. I like the photo of you even if it's been diffused. I have 2 strawberry hullers in case someone wants to join me in the task. They are a great tool. Pretty pot holders and lucky recipient! You might find sheers at a thrift store for your arbour thing. I hope you have a lovely weekend. It's going to continue to be hot here which I am loving.

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    Replies
    1. Oh good idea! Too bad I had already shopped at Big Lots and found one. I might have done better checking the Salvation Army store.

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  24. I am doing Kati's photo challenge also but no where near as creatively as you just did. I love all of your pictures. I especially like your flowers picture. So nice to see what you look at when you look out of the window.

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  25. Fun post! You look great - diffused or not! I love your long hair! Scrunchies are great for putting your hair up!

    I hope to get caught up on Kati's photo challenge. We'll see. I love your variety of white!

    Deanna

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  26. Love your arch and the views beyond! Great photos for the photo challenge. I hope to get to it here shortly, too. We are finally getting back to our crazy normal here at this old house after all the excitement of the wedding. Have a wonderful weekend!

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  27. Such a beautiful arch! I will be interested to see what you grow on it. My grandmother had something like this and she grew some years Blaze roses and sometimes blue morning glory. That sounds odd, but maybe after the roses died she did some annuals for some years. I agree with John about the wonderful deliciousness of fresh strawberries!

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  28. Nice long hair; I laughed about the diffuser! Just had mine cut shorter, which I do not like, but trying to get some more of the dye cut off . . . We have lost our strawberry huller, loved that thing. And the flowers in your window are very sweet.

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  29. Your strawberries look divine! We missed berry season here. It turned out to be relatively short. Oh well, when you procrastinate you lose out. I love the little archway. So many delightful things you can do with it. I look forward to seeing what you choose!

    I hope that you are enjoying you summer my friend.
    Jen

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  30. Your picture is lovely! We love strawberries and have enjoyed them from our garden, I usually use the tool to hull them but lately cutting tops off with a little of the strawberry left to give to the chickens for a treat. :-) Have a wonderful weekend!

    Blessings,
    Jill

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  31. Fun post! I need to check out those skinnier scrunchies. Bet my granddaughters would all like some!

    We went strawberry picking too, when our Nevada family was here. Something they can't do at home. Alas, there was not a strawberry huller to be had, but we managed. I need to buy a couple of those to be ready for strawberry season next year!

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  32. The arbor looks great. Wow! Your hair has grown. It looks great on you!

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  33. Lovely post, Vee. How fun to make scrunchies! I have been growing my hair out and like you, I have found it to be hot during the summer days and am always wanting to pull it up.

    Also, your pot holders are simply beautiful! Have a blessed Sunday. Hugs!

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  34. Vee, I so enjoyed my catch up visit. The C.S. Lewis quote fits a theme going on in my own life, and so I was delighted to find it gracin' your latest post.

    Wishing you a beautiful rest of the weekend. It's hot, hot here.

    Brenda
    xox


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  35. I love your scunchies! I used to make them and wear them.....not any more since my hair is so short!
    I need more info on this 'diffuser'.......I could post more pics of me if I had one!! Or NOT!!! I am torn bewteen 'it is what it is' and my wanting to look the way I THINK I look and saying, "Folks, THIS is what 66 years old looks like on me!!'
    Your place is looking so nice!!!

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  36. I love your arch..I like little surprises and this is one. :)
    I didn't think about you having long hair...don't know why. It looks beautiful, even thru diffuser....:)
    hugs, bj

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  37. Hi Vee, Your yard looks lovely. I like your arbor very much. You have beautiful hair, Vee!

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  38. The arch looks beautiful, Vee! Great job on that. You're too funny about putting your picture through the diffuser. I'll bet your homemade scrunchies sure do the trick in keeping the hair back. Your picture looks beautiful, by the way! Love those potholders, too.

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  39. I like the way you've accomplished this challenge. You have great pictures! Your strawberries look so good! I love fresh strawberries. And your scrunchies are so pretty. Are they easy to make?

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  40. Well done...on your photo challenge! Wow...you do have long hair now. I like it! Is it strawberry season there now? Our strawberries came and went in May...the raspberries in June (they are about done now). The blueberries are well into the harvest season as well. Everything is a good month earlier than normal. Or maybe this will be the new normal. Who knows? I like your strawberry stem picker. Must keep my eyes open for that gadget.

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  41. I can't bear to have my hair down in the summer . SInce Earl prefers it longer I just make do and clip it up. Your yard is lovely, and no, no strawberry huller for me. I just use a knife.

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  42. Your hair grows so fast, Vee! What a pretty smile you have!

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