~Last days of Summer~

It is so quiet after everyone leaves...the sound of the waterfall and the grasses rustling in the warm summer breeze.

Our son enjoying his last days of leave...playing with his daughter in the pool. The sun is getting lower in the sky, but the air is warm and dry. The grasses have grown large and move with the breeze. The sound of happy laughter floats through the air :-)

See the great pumpkin with the curly vine...then the pumpkin runner (just what I need under my bowl of pumpkins)I found at the Gingham Goose last week. The shop was loaded with fall goodies...who can resist?

We picked our first real pumpkin~a sure sign fall is on its way.

My Bitty soaking up the warmth of the stones while releasing the scent of lavender into the air. Everyone feels the season changing.

Donna

~Pumpkins~

I got this pattern from Olde Homestead Barn and was not disappointed. I love how these pumpkins turned out.

From the making to the staining I couldn't wait to see how each one came out. Love this one.

This little guy is just so darn cute:-)

This is my first fall decorations....it is still so warm, but I am getting the Fall itch. How about you? Any fall yet?

Special visit~

Don't you just love this chair? I do. A friend made it to hold a plant pot. She makes the best rustic chairs. They are made out of laurel wood. The star and the rusty star garland just make it special. Soon it will be filled with a big mum. I had some special guests last Tuesday. I was so excited I could barely contain myself. Linda, Bonnie and Ashley from A Primitive Place came to take photos in my garden. I thought my camera wasn't working, but I found this picture when I took some garden photos yesterday, They took several photos inside too. It was fun to watch them work. They are really nice women and meeting Linda from Behind My Red Door was extra special to me. We have know each other since RMS days, but it is the first time we have met. She is just as warm and kind as I thought she would be.

I had gotten some really pretty sunflowers from a local farmstand.

My morning glories started to bloom after they left.

At may back walk way.

I have this week off to spend some time with my family. I spent yesterday in my vegtable garden. Wish I had finished before APP came, but I just ran out of time. They took tons of pictures and I can't wait to see them all.

He's on his way home!!!

We can hardly wait for him to get here.....it seems so long he has been gone. I have baked cookies, (chocolate chip, his fav) Beer in the refrigerator and pantry has lots of goodies. I know it is a long trip, but each day he is traveling it is one less day he is fighting the war in Afghanistan, one day I worry a bit less. I can't wait to see his daughters face when her Daddy is home.

Sadly it is only for his two weeks leave, but it is two weeks less that he is in Afghanistan~

~I'm in the garden~

August! I love this month....the gardens are at their best. If you come by for a cupa this is what you see at my back door, because I am usually in the garden when I am not working....my joy, my serene place to watch the birds, butterflies, dragonflies, hummingbirds and the *x#* squirrels who eat all my seed! My grandson just started drivers ed classes, he is taking a week long course. He never wanted to give up Tae Kwon Do nights for drivers ed. He was 16 in March, but I am kind of glad he started late. I remember when his Mother and Uncle got their licenses......every time I heard a siren I thought it was them. If they were late, well you know.

See how my mind wanders in the garden, I get side tracked so easy....or maybe it is the menopause state of mind.

The veggies are coming fast...I don't plant a lot, but there are 18 tomatoes plants...too many golden pears tomatoes, I could supply a restaurant. The rest will be eaten fresh or canned. They make great tomato sauce and we will have them all winter. Yum. The weeds have been pulled and bedding straw put down, it looks so pretty.

This was supposed to be a limelight hydrangea. The tag was wrong. It is a beauty, just not what I wanted and it needs to be moved in the fall. I put things in the vegetable garden as a holding bed( you know, when I buy them and don't know where to put them) I made wreaths out of these last year and now have more blooms this year.

The baskets are filled. I love how this looks.

I made some wooden crows this weekend. These go with the flocks of 50 or so we had in the back yard.

OUT WITH THE FAKE!

~in with the real~

They looked great for spring, but I like this so much better.

Come on in.

At the back door

Summer phlox....the sweetest smell. I brought a few plants home 36 years ago from my Aunt's house and I still remember the smell. She had a garden at her back door and the guest room had a window facing the garden and the sweet scent would drift in on the warm summer breeze.

Another filled basket and more of the crows I made.

As you come around the corner into the back yard.

We pulled all the ivy and myrtle that was chocking this area out....the trees were being suffocated by the stuff! I was so sore I could hardly move and my hubby did most of the work. Gotta love that guy~

So now I planted his tub and it shows. I like it much better minus the ivy and I hope fall cleanup will be easier too.

What a beautiful weekend. The air has dried up a bit and I got out to do some much needed work in the garden. I started in the front, because I always seem to work in the back yard.

Then on Sunday we had a small Birthday party for my youngest grand daughter. She turned 11 yrs old, so lots of gifts, cake and ice cream and swimming.

Something New

I have been in my garden with the beautiful summer days and they are starting to show the TLC they have been getting, but oh, the hot humid weather is upon us. You can't work out there with out sweat dripping from your brow. Hot, sticky, yucky. So I decided to spend some time in the A/C ( you know shopping, or walking commercial property)and look what I found. This cabinet has an old window for a door. The old glass and putty of the windows. I loved the look of it. Not to mention I needed a place to put some dishes because my kitchen is full. The cupboard is taller than the one I had before. My old one found a new home on my porch and looks nice there.

I love that the black matches the chairs and seems to ground the room.

Stay cool!

Happy Birthday America!

My Country tis of thee, sweet land of liberty.....I think we should all be very grateful for the brave men and women who are defending all of our rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

My son who is serving in Afghanistan would post this picture on my birthday...on his face book page. My daughter said to him, I am sure Mom loved the butt hanging out of your mouth...funny thing is I never thought of it. I had not heard from him for two weeks and just knowing he was OK on my birthday made me cry. My point here is that my son like so many other men and women are frighting the fight so we can say HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA. So we can let freedom ring! You see this is how I still see my sweet boy. It is so hard to believe almost 33 years have passed since I took this photo.I am feeling so proud of my son, but to be honest I just can't wait until he is home safe and sound along with the rest of his unit. As we hung our flag out today I realize how much I have taken for granted over the years. ~Freedom~ such a gift.

~Happy Fourth of July~