An April Weekend

When we arrived home from Boiling Springs we saw bear tracks in our driveway again. This time the tracks were much bigger and went straight to the bird feeder. We haven't fed the birds since the last time the bear was here and pushed over the thick pipes holding the finch feeders and the large bird feeder. I'm getting a little afraid to be outside after dark!
This is a Bloodlove Japanese maple tree I bought over the weekend. I plan to put it at the top of the bank so I can see it out the back window. It is a slow growing tree so it won't be very big, but I love the shape of the branches and the color of the leaves.
Here is a shot of the daffodills. They popped out while I was gone. The little blue grape hyacinths are so delicate.

I couldn't resist buying herbs at Ashcombe's. I also bought two containers at Michaels to put them in since it will be a month until I'll be able to put them outside.

Our Bedroom

Reflection in our new mirror.

The new bedroom mirror updates the bedroom a little.












Here is another picture of the mirror.


After shot of the bed. I recovered this bolster pillow myself.

Chris bought us this picture of Athena, our dog.

New Baby Picture

Here is a new picture of Sean having his bath. He is getting so big! What a doll he is.

Ah. Spring

The forsythia bush in the back yard has finally bloomed, daffodils and hyacinths are up, and the buds are out on the trees. Welcome, Spring....at last!

The "Surprise" Dinner

On Thursday last week Don went fishing and I decided to have two of my closest friends over for dinner. I made this little arrangement with one of the few daffodils that had bloomed already. I got the pottery holder with a frog in the middle from a craft show at Letchworth Park last fall. I set the table with my new black modern dinnerware. I know, it isn't like me at all is it? But I love it and the price was right..free. It was a gift from a friend of a friend who was weeding out.

This is the menu for the evening. It was a gorgeous and unusually warm night for April and we grilled and ate out on the breezeway while we listened to the xm radio tuned to "Escape" a channel with relaxing instumental music.

Bear Pictures

Here are the pictures to go with the last post...tracks and additional picket fence damage. I don't know what we are going to do about him! I've been very busy outside and haven't had time to take pictures or post lately. I've been weeding and trying to get ready for spring. We've waited a long time for these nice days and I want to be outside to enjoy them now. I think I'll grill out some pork chops tonight for dinner. I marinaded them with some seasonings, and they smell great. Don went fishing today. he deserves it . For the last few days he has been getting the lawn raked, picking up branches and doing those pesky lawn chores that you need to do after winter is over.

Getting a lot done

These last few days have been very productive. Yesterday I got down all my summer clothes from the attic that were stored in plastic bins. When you have a small house and limited closet space you use what you can. This means seasonally changing out the closets. Why, oh why, do we have sooo many clothes??? In Bradford, (western PA) it seems we only have two seasons..cold and warm. The winter clothes include all manner of sweaters, sweatshirts, comfy sweat clothes, warm nightgowns, scarfs, gloves, and all apparatus for staying warm through the long freezing months. Then when the warm weather gets here those can be put away and short sleeve tee shirts can arrive. It isn't an easy job...carrying down the new, and putting away the old, washing up all the summer clothes and getting them in the closet. But it is an accomplishment.
Yesterday we were surprised to see the Mr. Bear had been around again. If you remember about a month ago he completely destroyed our two bird feeders. He bent the heavy pipes right over like they were licorice. He also broke one of the pickets on our fence by climbing up to look in the gazebo bird feeder. Then again a few weeks ago I noticed that there were two pickets broken instead of one. Yes, he'd been back, peeking in that feeder. We haven't been able to put any seed out for the birds since the first time he was around. But yesterday we noticed that there were muddy bear tracks all the way from the bottom of our driveway clear to the top, leading over to the feeder. Heeeee's back! I'm a little worried that he is making a trail right down our driveway and stopping along the way. I'm scared that I won't be able to be out at night in the summer time for fear he might be around. THe neighbors did see him one summer day last year walk right up our driveway. I took some pictures of the tracks, but today the blog isn't working right and I can't post them.

Ways to live like there's no tomorrow

got these tips from one of the blogs I visit from time to time. Tips for a Better Life - 20081. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.
2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Buy a lock if you have to.
3. Buy a DVR and tape your late night shows and get more sleep.
4. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, 'My purpose is to __________ today.'
5. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.
6. Play more games and read more books than you did in 2007.
7. Make time to practice meditation, yoga, tai chi, and PRAYER. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.
8. Spend time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.
9. Dream more while you are awake.
10. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
11. Drink green tea and plenty of water... Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.
12. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
13. Clear clutter from your house, your car, your desk and let new and flowing energy into your life.
14. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
15. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
16. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.
17. Smile and laugh more. It will keep the energy vampires away.
18. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
20. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
21. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree
.22. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
23. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
24. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
25. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'
26. FORGIVE EVERYONE FOR EVERYTHING!
27. What other people think of you is none of your business.
28. GOD (or inner truth, for those who aren't religious) heals almost everything.
29. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
30. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
31. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
32. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
33. The best is yet to come.
34. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
35. Do the right thing!
36. Call your family often. (Or email them to Death!!!)
37. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I am thankful for __________. Today I accomplished _________.
38. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.
39. Enjoy the ride. Remember this is not Disney World and you certainly don't want a fast pass. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy the ride.
40. STart a blog or a journal. It makes you realize how wonderful each moment is. We do not remember days, we remember moments.
May your troubles be less, May your blessings be more, May nothing but happiness come through your door

Long time, no post

These April days have just gone by so fast I didn't have time to post. This weekend was just restful. We didn't do too much. I cleaned house a little in preparation for our new bedding. Below is a picture of our new mattress. It was sooo high we had to take the casters off the legs and still it dominates the room. comfy though.

This is a picture of my friends and I at the Old Library Restaurant. We took Kay out for her retirement party.

CUTEST BABY IN THE WORLD!!!

I just had to "steal" these pictures from Ryan's blog to put on mine. Sean is growing so fast! What a doll. He already weighs a little more than ten pounds.

Cute family

Here are the latest pictures of Sean. What a doll!

LIttle Things

My friend, Arg, lost her husband this morning after a very long struggle. What started out as a simple knee replacement last June turned into Mersa, kidney problems and then pneumonia. HE has been in and out of hospitals since then but never seemed to be able to get better. She is 83 years old and they have been married for many years. It is going to be so hard on her to live alone and manage herself since she never learned to drive. How sad!

SPRING CLEANUP

It doesn't look like it in the picture but yesterday was the first really warm day we have had this spring. It was 60 and glorious. The pull to be outside was overwhelming and I spent hours doing spring cleanup...somehow the oak leaves decided to land right in my little garden area. It felt good just getting up the winter debris and seeing the little green leaves of the daffodils poking their heads through the ground. Spring is coming...really. LOL

NAPKIN RINGS

I couldn't pass these up. They are soooo summery! Now I need to look for fabric to make some summer napkins.

a little humor

I just needed a little laugh today. Somedays it's hard to keep a positive attitude.

HOLLYHOCKS

I remember hollyhocks. Do you have something that the minute you see it memories come flooding back? Hollyhocks are that for me. It takes me right back to the time I was about nine years old and we lived on West Washington Street by the West Branch School. There was a small back porch that had lattice surrounding the bottom of it. Mom planted hollyhocks all across the front of the lattice. I think it was mom who showed us how to make the flowers into dresses and we pretended they were princesses going to a ball. Mom never sat and taught us things that I can remember, but I do remember how she played and played with us down on her knees and showed us how to use her imagination. When she was small they were very poor and she told me how she and her sister, Marcelle, would love to get the old Sears and Robuck catalog when the new one came and cut out all the people and clothes and play paper dolls. I remember her playing paper dolls with me. There were hours spent underneath the porch in the sand playing with those hollyhock dolls with Diane.

THE KITCHEN IS DONE!

The kitchen is finally complete. Don put up the shelf today.

The walls are really not this orangy looking. (see the first pic for the real color).

Whoops! I put two pics alike here.

This are by the phone is the message center. I was going to buy a new clock, but in the spirit of "use what you have" I scoured the house and found a clock in a back bedroom. It had a ver-de-gris finish which I instantly painted black and added the sponge gold highlights. I think it does very well in the that spot.