• Pinterest and farmhouse sinks…

    June 27, 2013 / 5 Comments

    A while back, I was trying to explain to my daughter about Pinterest.  It’s a bit like a cyber wish list where one can categorize all the things that make your heart sing a bit.  Actually, taking a close look at someone’s Pinterest just might tell you a little bit about that person.  Pinterest is also a place to store photos of ideas and things you’d like to have in the future.  There is always a link back to the original source of the item so, no doubt, that would help sales for them.  It’s a place to keep the photos of the homes or designer items that I may never have again, but there is nothing wrong with dreaming.  It’s fun to “follow” someone else’s dream pages and have them follow yours.  Pinterest is also a terrific source for finding all sorts of tutorials, knitting and sewing ideas.  It’s like a million Sears wish books!  I think that is what Pinterest is about to me…

    Right now, this condo/apartment needs a new sink.  The homeowner is aware of the rust that has been on the backside of this expensive rental all along and, hopefully, that will be next on her agenda.  Granted, she is not going to put in my favorite type of sink but if I ever have a little cottage of my own, I would love one of these farmhouse sinks!  It puts me in mind of the classic 40’s and 50’s movies and the homes often depicted in them.  I think the copper sinks are neat, but I would still prefer the farmhouse white.  Obviously, others feel the same way about farmhouse sinks because these photos were found on Pinterest!

     

     

     

     

    By the way, there is a link to My Pinterest on the right sidebar…just scroll down a bit and feel free to follow my wish list!  I’d love that…

     

  • Just wishing…

    June 25, 2013 / 14 Comments

    Everywhere I go these days, I see puppies and dogs that I would like to have.  I am a bonafide dog lover!  I especially like larger dogs, although I do love Bernie.

    I’m not really and truly a “cat person”, but I’ve even begun to long for a Ragdoll kitten – from everything I’ve read, they’re practically a puppy!  Evidently, they are easily trained to stay off of countertops.  I want one just like the kitten on the left above with white socks!

    And while I’m dreaming about all the pets that I cannot have in my current condo situation, I would also love to have a cockatiel.  I figure we could grow old together.

    Ahhh, but this little girl below is who I really and truly would like to find in my Christmas stocking this year! 

    Just look at that sweet face.

    I would name her Emma…

    I’ve written several posts over the past few years about my longing for a dog. 

    The post below is just one of them…

    A good thing I’m honest…

    Published April 17, 2010 in My Southern Heart

     

    It has been an absolutely beautiful day today…complete with sunshine, an incredible blue sky and puffy cotton clouds.  I put my Susan Boyle CD into the player and drove the twenty-five scenic minutes into town to return some videos.  I realize the word “crowd” is relative, but as small towns go, the town was crowded.  It appeared everyone else in town had come up with some excuse or other to be out and about in the sunshine.  Since we all live with five months of rain each year, the sun should signal “go” for each of us here in this small town an hour or so from the Pacific Ocean.

    On my way back home, I stopped at the Melrose Country Store to pick up some ice cream to go with the 2 oatmeal raisin cookies and 2 chocolate chip cookies I had rationed us when I picked up Subway subs for us a few minutes earlier.  Hmmm…what is wrong with that picture?  No, don’t tell me.  As I was leaving the Melrose Country Store, two young men held the door open for me.  I smiled and said thanks and started walking to my car.

    There he was.  Big, beautiful and yellow.  He was sitting all by himself in the front seat of a red Dodge Ram dual-cab truck in the parking lot of the country store.  He had the perfect block head and I was guessing because of his size and his head that this amazing creature was male.   He looked big and powerful…and, yet, I knew he was probably a gentle bear.  A gentle, labrador retriever bear.  I stopped walking and smiled at him.  He smiled back.  I’m serious.  He was standing in the seat and wagging his tail by then.  We talked for a few minutes.  I told him that I wished he could go home with me.  He thought that was a wonderful idea.  He looked at the door handle as if to say, “well, what are you waiting for?”


    All I can say is it’s a good thing I’m honest…

     

    p.s.  Obviously, these aren’t my precious pets (yet) so all pics are courtesy of the internet.

  • Minnie Pearl…

    June 24, 2013 / 3 Comments

    I was at my daughter’s house the other day, when my nine-year-old granddaughter laughed aloud and reached for the waist of my bermuda shorts.

    “Grandmom!  You have something hanging from your shorts,”  she said in the midst of the laughter.

    I reached back to the waist of my fairly new shorts to find a tiny-well-washed-ziplock-bag which probably at one time held buttons!  Then came the realization that I had worn these shorts everywhere:  on a flight to Florida, Disneyworld, Anna Maria Island, the grocery store, the mall!  I tried to comfort myself with the fact I have yet to see anyone I know!  😉  That’s probably because I basically don’t know anyone (besides family) here.

    When in the world did I turn into Minnie Pearl?!  Remember her?  She was one of my parents’ all-time-favorite comediennes.  Her trademark was a hat with the tag hanging down.  No doubt there’s a lot of laughter in Heaven now with Sarah Cannon (Minnie Pearl) around!

    To be honest though, all I could think at the time was:  GOOD GRIEF!  I need a keeper!!!

     

     

     

  • A rainy Sunday…

    June 24, 2013 / 2 Comments

    On Sunday morning, I awoke to the sound of pouring rain with thunder and lightning accompanying it…and the realization that my umbrella was in my car.  Of course, my car is across the tarmac and in my garage.  Thankfully, before it was time to leave for church,  the rain turned into a drizzle.  After living in Oregon for 5 years, I could handle a drizzle.

    My daughter and her husband volunteer once a month in my four year old grandson’s class during the worship service.  (In the photo below, he’s sitting next to the little boy in the blue shirt.  You can barely see the edge of his face).  So, yesterday, I decided to try the worship service for the “older folks” who enjoy more of a traditional venue in music.  My daughter quipped that I would be the “youngest” person in there.  I wasn’t.  I was surprised to find that they were serving a wide array of breakfast choices.  I tried a couple of them – which were delicious.  I enjoyed the music but was disappointed to see that instead of a “worship team” there was one young woman leading the singing (at a much slower tempo than the songs called for).  I wasn’t sure if she thought the “old folks” couldn’t keep up or if she had not grown up singing the hymns.  I told my daughter that they didn’t sing my “favorite” hymns…she laughed and replied that it isn’t a “request line”!  She’s so funny.

    In the end, I decided that I missed the energy of the contemporary service.  In a perfect world, they would include my favorite hymns from time to time along with the contemporary music:  Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing, Amazing Grace, Be Thou My Vision – to name a few.  But I do enjoy the upbeat, vibrant music in the contemporary service as well.  I confess the hymns make me homesick…homesick for an earlier time and place.

    The day ended up being a sunny Sunday.  Any Sunday which starts with worship is wonderful…

    Below:  my daughter and her husband teaching small group during the worship service.

    The “Traditions” service is held in the Chapel.  I think the stained glass windows there are beautiful.

     

     

    I love to sew and each of my granddaughters was wearing something that I had made yesterday…

    My oldest granddaughter is wearing a top and skirt made from a Simplicity pattern:  #9001.  The fabric is wonderful – a soft, high-quality twill.  The top has covered buttons.  She likes it!  I love the fact that, unlike her Grandmom, she has broad beautiful shoulders!  I think swimming in competition contributes to that.

     

     

    I also made this dress which my nine year old granddaughter is wearing when I was living in Oregon!  I purchased the fabric at a wonderful quilt store there.  She loves the pattern, so I need to remember which one I used!  I have six (soon to be seven) granddaughters, so I need to sew a lot!

  • The body in the suitcase…

    June 22, 2013 / 10 Comments

    One Sunday not long ago, I heard laughter coming from my living room as my daughter and I were in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on Sunday lunch.  I found my grandchildren reading aloud the titles of all my books in my living room library.  They were obviously entertaining themselves.  They were stuck on the books by one of my favorite cozy-mystery authors, Katherine Hall Page.  Each book title (and I have all of her books) begins with “The Body in…”.  My shelves are filled with all types of books – from English and American literature (I was a college senior and an English major prior to switching to Nursing!), mysteries (especially FBI mysteries), poetry, sewing, painting, romance, romantic comedies and many others.  However, they were drawn to “the body” books!  I love the cozy-mysteries – especially those by Katherine Hall Page.

    This suitcase is well traveled…it has been many places.  Unfortunately, it is broken beyond repair and it’s time for a new one…and, hopefully, lots of new places to go along with it!

    This morning as I was cleaning the apartment,  I decided that my now deceased suitcase (the zipper finally broke beyond repair on my last trip to Florida) would make a good container to carry empty boxes and other things to the large trash container – two flights down, across the tarmac and beside the garages.  I would deposit everything – suitcase included – into the trash.  Clearly, the suitcase was heavy and I wondered if anyone else in the building had as vivid an imagination as I do?!

    As I hauled the suitcase down the stairs, I was reminded of one of my all-time favorite classic movies:  Rear Window!  I loved Jimmy Stewart and he was wonderful in this film.  Raymond Burr was also memorable as Lars Thorwald…the no-good husband who really does put a body (well, okay, if you want to get technical, parts of a body in a suitcase).  😉  All done in the classic good taste of the 1950’s.  Come to think of it, I think it is time to see this movie again.

    Lots of empty boxes made the trip to the dumpster in the old suitcase…I wonder if Katherine Hall Page has ever considered a book about The Body in the Suitcase?!?  Hmmm….

  • Thirty-three years ago…

    June 21, 2013 / 6 Comments

    It was the first day of summer 1980, the day before Father’s Day.  That year, my husband received a very special Father’s Day present:  a beautiful baby boy.  Even then, you could see that his hair was a wonderful strawberry blonde and his eyes were green like his Dad’s.  I remember immediately after he was born, he gave a healthy cry and then he was quiet, remarkably alert for a newborn.  Held in my arms, he was busy looking at his dad and me…as if to say, “well, there you are at last”.

    He grew up to be a fine young man who has always brought joy and laughter to everyone…and he still does.  Happily married and the father of a beautiful baby daughter (soon to be two beautiful baby daughters in August!), he is successful and loves what he does – executive producer of a television show.  I’m proud of the husband and father he is.  I’m proud of who he became.  I know his late dad is also…

    Happy Birthday, Son.  I love you!

    (I’ve written about my son and his precious family in several other posts – here is one.)

     

    Above:  Fans at a Chicago Bulls game in Dallas…

    Below:  Enjoy the pics from the early years…just use the right arrow to scroll forward.

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