Gathering the Moments~May

Though I am linking to Cheryl's Gathering the Moments, I am not participating and am also closing comments today. Busy, busy season and everyone needs a break now and then not only from writing, but from reading and commenting.
This is more of a "for me" documentation. For example, the vintage bed that we put up this month caused an injury so the decorative finial on the bed post was removed. That's the kind of month it's been around here, folks.
It is odd how we began the month without leaves and wound up in a dark hole because of them, yet the youngest grand had hair at the beginning of the month, and now he's been shorn. ☺
Here's to a beautiful June!

Around the House

Behind the house there's a car parked on the deck railing,

and these fellows to the left of the tree...

I nearly mowed them down, but decided to get the Round-Up with those leaves of three.

Good thing I took a closer look because it was a couple of Jack-in-the-Pulpits! I haven't seen them in years.

There's Jack!

On the right side of the back yard is the luge and my cull pile. When anything healthy must be removed, I toss it over the banking. Now I have a nice little garden of daylilies and columbine on the corner of the forest.

But what is that little red bug? I hope it is not the dreaded lily beetle.

On one side of the house, my blue hosta came up. I was worried for a while.

On the other, my neighbors' lilac bush and my rhubarb patch.

The front yard is lacking color these days since the azalea shed her gown of pink. At least, there's a violet or two and a sprig of lily of the valley here and there, though I do plan to use Round-Up on that, too. (I put a box over the top of it and squirt them so the other plants are not touched. I will never ruin my health again trying to dig them out. It's impossible! And they can not be allowed to take over once more.) Some day, they'll have their own patch far away.

And, in the house, some yummy bread sticks. I've featured them before and you can find the recipe *here.*

More Questions Results In

Now that was fun! John and I pretty much chuckled over your answers throughout the day yesterday. 
My Responses:

1. Do you climb into bed on all fours or do you sit on the bed and swing your feet in? 
Until recently, it was all fours. Now I do it the "old lady" ☺ way. 
2. While we're on the subject, do you get into your car by standing on one leg while sticking the other one in, sitting down, and hauling the remaining leg after you (now don't be ridiculous, that is not three legs) or do you sit down and swing both feet in together?

The first. 

 
3. Do you use the nearest chair for climbing or do you get out the step-ladder?

I'll climb on anything handy and sturdy. (I am quite concerned over you rocking chair and stools-on-wheels people.)

4. When faced with a challenging task, do you do it yourself or wait for your husband/someone else to do it?

For sixteen years, I did it myself. Now I'm quite spoiled, though I do give it a try first before calling for help. 

5. If you are going to jump into the swimming hole, are you going to dive in or cannonball in?

Cannonball! (I live in the north where a swimming hole is a swimming hole. No poisonous snakes...)

6. Do you lick your ice cream cone or bite it?

Bite 

7. When grocery shopping with your husband, does he push the cart or do you?

He does. My hope is that, like so many of you, he'll keep his mitts off the goods. His philosophy is at least two of everything on the list. Yup. He's a budget blower.

***

The Tally

1. Do you climb into bed on all fours (8) or do you sit on the bed and swing your feet in? (28) 
Some other way: (7)

2. While we're on the subject, do you get into your car by standing on one leg while sticking the other one in, sitting down, and hauling the remaining leg after you (now don't be ridiculous, that is not three legs) (37)
 or do you sit down and swing both feet in together? (7)
Some other way/depends on the vehicle (5)
3. Do you use the nearest chair for climbing  (23)
or do you get out the step-ladder? (20)
Some other way (4)
4. When faced with a challenging task, do you do it yourself (16)
 or wait for your husband/someone else to do it? (14)
Depends on the situation/both (14)
5. If you are going to jump into the swimming hole, are you going to dive in (3) or cannonball in?(13)
don't swim/something else (30)
6. Do you lick (26) your ice cream cone or bite it?(6)
both (12)
neither (2)
7. When grocery shopping with your husband, does he (14) push the cart or do you (18)?
I leave him home (3)
We both have a cart (4)
We take turns (5)
He does all the grocery shopping (1)
I pull the cart (1) P.S. For Michele

~how to properly eat corn~ 

More Questions

 This just in: I can no longer get into bed the way I used to. And I mean recently used to. So I thought I'd ask a few personal questions today and, if you don't mind, you could answer them. If you do mind, you can skip off shaking your head over how some bloggers sink so low so fast.

source
1. Do you climb into bed on all fours or do you sit on the bed and swing your feet in? 
2. While we're on the subject, do you get into your car by standing on one leg while sticking the other one in, sitting down, and hauling the remaining leg after you (now don't be ridiculous, that is not three legs) or do you sit down and swing both feet in together? 
3. Do you use the nearest chair for climbing or do you get out the step-ladder?
4. When faced with a challenging task, do you do it yourself or wait for your husband/someone else to do it?
5. If you are going to jump into the swimming hole, are you going to dive in or cannonball in?
6. Do you lick your ice cream cone or bite it?
7. When grocery shopping with your husband, does he push the cart or do you?
Thanks for your participation in advance. A gal has to know!

Holding a Footprint

Whenever I wonder what to post about, I wander through recent photo files. It usually helps. 

The weather story around here is green rainy. It has rained for days on end without many sunny breaks at all. Yes, I'd love to share it with you parched folks who'd love to have some.

The next weather story will be cold with temps not able to get out of the 50s. I'll be saving some cozy for tomorrow.

Our Memorial Day plans fizzled when one of the grands became ill. Poor kid. Life can be disappointing sometimes. And he had to miss his baseball game last night, too. I went to watch the other play and had myself a spot right behind home plate. It was fun to see him tap that home plate, wait for the ball, and send it sailing. Rained out in the second inning, though. 

Made myself a snack mat with the fabrics *Niki sent back in December 2012.* (Niki, I don't know if you still read or not, but the fabrics worked up beautifully and I'm so going to enjoy my snack mat. Hope that you are well!)
I baked some over the weekend, one a recipe I've linked to before, but have changed up so much that it really is my own now so I'll be sharing that soon. Still working on the tea-towel tutorial, but need supplies (how does a gal run out of thread?) 
Not the most fascinating of posts, but something to hold my footprint. Now I'm off to see how your weekends went.

Memorial Day Post 2014

Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; respect to whom respect; honor to whom honor.

~Romans 13:7

Tomorrow is Memorial Day. We have so much to still be thankful for in this country. It may not be the country I remember, yet it is the country I love. It is the country that so many have loved and have given their all to protect. We remember and honor them.

I have never been able to think of the day as one of mourning; I have never quite been able to feel that half-masted flags were appropriate on Decoration Day.  I have rather felt that the flag should be at the peak, because those whose dying we commemorate rejoiced in seeing it where their valor placed it.  We honor them in a joyous, thankful, triumphant commemoration of what they did.  ~Benjamin Harrison

Snack Mats

For whatever reason, the grands enjoy using snack mats. I know why I like them — they save on paper towels and washing plates. When I saw *Stephanie's most excellent tutorial,* I decided to make a couple more. 

In typical fashion, I did not use the same number of fabrics nor all the same size pieces. I did start with a five-inch block that I also changed up. The pinwheel looked too busy with my fabrics. My plaids are not matching...oh well! Click through to The Enchanting Rose to see the differences in design and fabric choice. If your fabric scrap pile is growing, this is a fun project. If I keep practicing, I may be able to have the placemats that I've really been wanting to make.

It is Memorial Day Weekend in the U.S. and I have some yard work and garage work to do before Monday. I think I may begin with the washing of windows and screens from the looks of these.

A blessed weekend to you...

A Pleasant Day in May

Towards the end of May the families in this part of the country begin to think about their graveyards.  You will come upon cars parked by the side of country roads while a whole household uproots bushes, scythes the weeds, and cuts the grass in farm burial plots. Then a tilted headstone is righted, the boulder walls straightened, and the jars brought from the pantry ready for flowers.
~Elizabeth Coatsworth Maine Memories

Some have confessed to me that they didn't know how far into May we are. I know! I had the same problem. It takes a blogger to set a gal straight. Two of them, Carol and BJ, did Memorial Day themes for their note cards. Thank goodness or I'd still be lost. I think it's because the weather does not match the time. It couldn't be that I'm losing it, could it? Don't answer that! 

~Sis~

At least, I wasn't totally lost by the time my sister called saying that she had flowers for our mother's grave. I smiled when seeing her arrangement knowing that she was thinking of Mother's favorite color and that she had added the new spike of burgundy~brown to the center. Mother always liked the "new" things.
So we spent a pleasant afternoon beginning with lunch, then planting and cleaning up, then picking up the grands, then finding an ice cream stand open. Does life get any better?

May Note Card Party

By day the goldfinches dip in yellow flight, by night the frogs sing that song that never goes out of favor.

~E.B. White

A Report in Spring 

The collage reveals a secret or two and a cheat or two. (Secrets and cheats revealed: The flowers were all taken in the wee patch of garden shown on my box top. I used the macro setting and thereby tricked some into thinking I had a lovely clematis when what I really have is a patch of lavender and pink phlox with tiny blossoms. The lilac bud was, by a few days, a former photo and the new single lilac bloom peeking through the leaves is shown on the box top with my big fingers in there pulling the leaves away so I could get the shot. The final cheat is that I showed the coral bells on the box top, but not in the set of four. The color didn't quite work, though the plant does live in that same small patch of garden.)

Couldn't resist the call of the springtime garden even though that was not my first choice.

So Soon?

~a new dahlia~ I know! Can you believe it? It's time for our monthly Note Card Party. This means that I will be posting between 2 and 2:30 tomorrow afternoon making Mr. Linky available for a jumpstart for those who want one. Otherwise, the party runs all day Wednesday and closes Thursday morning around 10. 
There's not a lot to it, though you can find out more by clicking *here.*
Hope to see you there! (I know it's a busy time of year.)
Have fun with this. Edit those photos and play!

The Everlasting God

~Lilacs Will Bloom Again~

One of the best sermons I ever heard was titled Roses Will Bloom Again. I heard it at a challenging time in my life when I felt that all was lost. The sermon reminded me that God was/is still on His throne and that better days were/are ahead because of the price Jesus paid for our souls. He bought us. We are His, if we want to be. It's always our choice. 

Source 
♪You're the defender of the weak, You comfort those in need...♪
Psalm 121 A blessed week ahead to you...

It's Green and Wet

 ~my Mother's Day flowers staying dry and unbeaten~

It's a cozy, rainy morning where John and I have been seated in our respective recliners sipping coffee and reading, he on his Kindle and I on the iPad. For three minutes and a half I was all caught up with my blog reading. 

The azaleas are taking the beating I feared as are the neighborhood trees. Do you see the fallen?

~atmospheric~

I am blaming these old trees for my sports injury. It's the reason we weren't playing on the lawn that fateful day; we were playing in the driveway. I don't allow the children to play under the trees (they don't belong to us) when the wind blows as it has done all week.

For this reason... This branch fell from the tree on the right and up high.

Isn't it fun to take a series of photos? One always sees even more interesting things than one might have suspected. I did. Do you see her? (You may consider this a trick question as now I see TWO hers.)

 ~questioning my sanity~

~Look for feathers~
The vultures return every evening to roost. We've been beating a roasting pan all week with some success. However, there is this one tenacious bird. He's trying to dry his feathers, poor thing.
A happy Victoria Day Weekend to my neighbors to the north. ☺ I just hope that the weather cooperates!

A Little Schoolbus Story

Thank you for all the kind sympathies on my sports injury. One thing is sure, many of you have endured a stubbed toe at one time or another so you empathize very well. My stubbed toe is doing better: the swelling and redness is down by half; the colors are up by half; and I might be able to sleep by tonight.

~as yellow as a school bus~ So there the toe and I were standing beside the car waiting at the end of my son's drive for the school bus driver to stop the bus and let off the grands. John had graciously agreed to drive as I could not because of the sports injury.
The doors opened and off flew Sam, the driver put the bus in gear and drove away with a great roar of the engine. "Where's Jake?" I shrieked. 
"Jake?" 
"Jake!"
"Run up to Grammie's (other grandmother) and tell her that Jake did not get off the bus and that I forgot my phone (of all days). She'll know what to do." (It was pretty obvious that I didn't know what to do beyond yelling at the departing bus with my hands in the air. Even the toe was screaming.)
Off Sam zipped. Grammie knew exactly what to do and before the bus had reached the stop sign at the end of the street, it was turned around and heading back with our Jake. 
I tell you. Some days are way more exciting than others. What was the problem? Seems Jake was "tricked" (his word) into believing what his little friend (with whom he was sitting) was planning — a play date. Right. All on their own. I don't know what the bus driver's excuse was. Actually, I do. He said that he didn't know that Jake was on the bus. ??? 
We had some minor discussions about this and I am certain that after their dad picked them up that there were major discussions about it. It may involve a change in plans. I hope not. I think Jake deserves another chance. I think Sam deserves another chance. I think Nonni deserves another chance. I even think that the bus driver deserves another chance, though this is the second time he's driven off with Jake. 
Perhaps I should hold a sign at the end of that drive that reads: Sam AND Jake. 
One thing I do know. Grammie deserves a medal!

Colorful Kitchens Revisited and More

And #5 takes it! I think. My readers are a bit capricious with each doing her own thing. It was quite a ride through comments. ☺
Now I've been looking at each of those kitchens again and I think I've figured out what makes each one of them sing. It's not the paint, the appliances, the cabinetry or the apron sinks. What is it? The flowers! The fruit! The plants! We can do that. Surely. Oh, and one other little thing...they're all clean.
*~*~* 
Did you hear me screaming around 4 yesterday afternoon? Ai yi yi. I was playing kickball with the grands wearing inappropriate shoes (clogs) when I managed to slam my big toe into the tar driveway. I felt that I would faint it was that bad and then, fearing that I would scare the boys way too much, I just sucked it up and limped off the field whimpering slightly. Well, that was after the initial scream or two. I can't imagine how it is that I am the grandmother of two very active boys who really want zero to do with tea parties and crumpets. And, in their economy, nothing is better than a person who will play their games. This includes one decrepit grandmother, at least until someone better shows up. It may kill me! I'll show you a photo of the offending toe later on with a warning for the squeamish.
I was also screaming the day before yesterday. Did you hear that one? After a couple of hours of creating a tea towel tutorial (say that three times fast), I realized that I had done it incorrectly and it would all need to be taken apart. Stay tuned as I have no intention of allowing a tea towel to whip me.

Okay, here's the toe photo. If you are squeamy, look away now.

See that big toe? I can't set it all the way down on the ground, but it's so swollen that it lands there anyway...sort of...the indicator is that the second toe has disappeared since I am trying to keep the hurting bits in the air. See the color of that stone? Just about the shade that matches the toe. I promise not to mention it again.

I refuse to leave you with this image. I don't want to scar minds. I was out to take a photo of the neon azalea against the gray morning.

Rather a muddled mess, but I couldn't think about camera settings with this toe. Oops. Can't seem to get it off my mind.

Colorful Kitchens

 1. Buttery Yellow 

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 2. Colonial Red

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 3. Yellow Screen Door to the Pantry

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 4.Peachy 

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 5. White but Colorful

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6. Colorful and Playful and White Source Do you visit NanaDiana? She's on a blogging break. If she weren't, she might be doing this kind of a post. 
 I have done these sorts of posts a few times through the years. It usually happens when I begin to ponder painting those kitchen cabinets of  mine — I am not even going to pretend that I have any intention of painting them. Twenty years later they're still going strong looking shabby. Say, anything you've put off for twenty years?
 If you have an opinion about any of these kitchens, please feel free to share. Oh, and if you were to win one, which might you choose?

Personally, I think I could be very happy in a kitchen like this.↓
☺

~Source~