TABLESCAPE THURSDAY

It’s Thursday again and Susan’s lovely party where all the bloggers in blogland get to show off their pretties. Stop over to Between Naps on the Porch to visit everyone.
   Remember these items sent to me by my sister Diane in Virginia?

They were the inspiration for today’s table. Since I love French things it was easy to set the table today with things I have around the house. The beautiful placemats were a gift from my other sister, Linda. The silverware was also a gift from my friend and were made by Cutco, a knife company in a nearby town. The black tableware is a giveaway from my friend, Yrsa. I did buy the napkins and rings. Aren’t I just the luckiest girl? 
 
     


I put some other French things on the top shelf of my baker’s rack.



Thank you for visiting and letting me share my tablescape with you.

     

MY LIVING ROOM

Boy, it feels good to feel good! This is the best I have felt in many months so I took advantage of having so much energy by cleaning up my living room. In the spirit of “eclairezze” (which means lightening up in French) I decided that the room was too crowded with furniture. There was a wicker chair from Don’s mother’s that always seemed to be in the way. I relegated that to the basement for now. (Yes, I know what you are thinking. It goes to the basement and never comes out. Yes, you are right and I’ll tackle that issue on another day.) I also took out an old (and when I say old I mean we’ve had it for 30 years) round table made from a large crock with a custom made top. Don and I agreed to sell the crock and just get rid of the top. (It went to the garage). I changed the room around..well, I had Don move the heavy stuff after I tried and realized there was a reason why I don’t lift heavy things anymore.  Here are some after shots.

 

Since I can’t figure out how to write under each picture I’ll describe the pictures down here. The first shot is the couch that I had to look and search for and finally had custom built. I made the lavender pillows on the couch and the ones behind those too, to match the table runner. I also made the window curtains. I wanted them just so…so I made them myself!
   The second picture is of the wing chair that Don and I upholstered ourselves. (and will never, ever, do again). It was a tremendous job and we could only do about an hour’s worth of work each night because we had not a clue of what we were doing. It turned out really fine, considering.
  The picture on the stand I watercolored of a scene in France. I loved my trips to France and like to incorporate personal things into my decorating.
    Here is the mantle. We have a huge stone fireplace in the living room and I made the large arrangement above the mantle.
  The table by the window is one of the few things that I got that belonged to my mother. On the table is a framed article from the Victoria magazine that I had published this year. I also made the flower arrangement..these are my favorite flowers.
  On the shelf that my father built for me is my collection of milk glass and small vases and a Danish Christmas plate that my friend Yrsa gave me.
     This is the entertainment center which was our first large purchase of furniture after the boys completed college. All my family photos are on the left and on the right (out of sight) is our collection of cut glass.
  This is a shot of the French doors leading out to the Jacuzzi room.
  And the last is of the living room again. I hope you liked the tour.     
      
  

This and that

What a relaxing day. Don went fishing and I just loafed. Well, not loafed exactly…I did sweep and clean the kitchen. But had a great day. Here are some pictures of the bracelet Linda sent me and the tablescape items that Diane sent up. Sisters sure have a way of cheering you up! Love you girls!  Look for the new tablescape on THursday.

Well, that didn’t happen!

What an ambitious Saturday I had planned. Unfortunately not much of that got done. Don did mow the grass and fix Kay’s riding lawnmower, but it rained almost all day and we were stuck inside. We didn’t even go to the movies since we just didn’t feel like it. Don went fishing today and I think I will clean the computer room then go to Walmart. I rented Brideshead Revisited so I will watch that later.

SATURDAY TO DO LIST

It’s Saturday…and time for the spring clean-up. Like little ants coming out of the anthill we Bradfordians come out of our houses after a long winter and start to do all the projects that have to wait for good weather. The last few years we have done major renovations so this year we need to have a summer of fun. That doesn’t mean that we don’t have things to do, but I don’t want to spend the whole summer working like the last two years. THe major project is getting the landscaping done around the courtyard and putting up a new fence for Sadie. I can’t wait to pick out plants, bushes, and trees to make the area around the pond spectacular. But first the area must be cleaned up, the grass taken away, and new dirt put in. We are working on that. Today I’m going to try to get all the summer chairs and tables out of the basement and get ready for some major picniking. Today we work, but tonight we want to go to the movies to see Angels and Demons, the follow up to the DaVinci code.

Tablescape Thursday While many of you southerners are enjoying planting your summer flowers I am enjoying the forsythia now. Welcome to Tablescape Thursday hosted by our good friend Susan from Between naps on the Porch. Stop by her blog and see all those beautiful tables. My table today is a combination of old and new. The little leaf napkin rings are new from Target, but the birds are an old Christmas decoration. It’s fun to see how you can combine things you already own with the newest additions.

   

A quick update

Just an update. I had knee surgery yesterday and it went very well. It feels good to be able to walk without a limp. Yeah!

happy mother’s day

It’s Mother’s Day Sunday. This Mother’s Day my sons didn’t get a chance to be home because they had just come up to help dad through his recovery. But they sent their best wishes. I am lucky to have such sons who are so grounded and have such good values. I am proud of both of them.                                                                                                             It’s been nine years since I lost my mother and I still miss her every day. My mom was a sweet person and I can still hear her voice in my head. I was so lucky to have the family that I had.  Now I have another mom, just when I needed her. Rose has been such a loving influence in my life. She is a darling lady and I think of her like a mom. Here are some pictures from our celebration last night. Charlotte, whom I love like a sister, went all out and made a fantastic celebratory meal….turkey dinner with all the trimmings. She is the most thoughtful person on the planet even to thinking about the mothers present and giving each of us a gift bag. Thanks Charlotte for all you do to make everything so special for us. IT was such a surprise that brother Jim from Georgia came to vis   it.

bear

We wait all year for this!

ENOUGH ALREADY!

The bear is back, this time with a friend. This morning we found these tracks on our courtyard. The bear came from the woods, down by the pond, and then walked over to the addition. (probably checking out what we were watching on tv). And she wasn’t alone. A smaller set of tracks shows she had a cub with her.Then she walked past our back door and onto the gravel winding path. She tipped over the hummingbird feeder and drank her fill. This is getting scary.

Red hair rocks!

If it’s good enough for Lucy, it’s good enough for me. I love being a redhead. When I turned 60 I saw a wig seller in the middle of a mall down south. I tried different colors and decided that I liked red, dark red, best of all and have been a redhead ever since. Today I went to the hairdresser to get some fresh color. I always feel better when my hair is done. And I needed to feel better after I had been to the hospital for my preadmission tests (blood work, physical therapy, ekg). All ready for surgery next Monday. Yeah!

What do you do on a Tuesday?

It’s a Tuesday again. It seems they roll around so fast. I’ve been pondering how fast these days are going and if I am making the best of them. I hate to waste these remaining days of my life. I think I’m feeling my mortality, especially now when my painful knee is keeping me from doing all I want to do. Anyway, it’s Tuesday again and you know what that means. The world stops between eight and nine so that I can watch American Idol. I’ve enjoyed it this year and I can’t wait each week to hear Adam Lambert. He’s different and you know how I like different.                                              I also saw this cartoon on the web and chuckled. Sadie is doing a lot better with her training now that the weather is nice and she can get out more often.

I also like this cartoon:

Where’s the warm weather?

Well, it’s only 48 degrees today and the warmth of the sun has left us for awhile. I had such big garden plans too. There are so many things outdoors that I’d love to be doing..getting out the summer things, for one. I hauled up the pineapple fountain from the basement (which is a task since I have to take the steps one at a time because of my knee). Today I’ll try to get that hooked up and running. The front of the house needs weeding between the sidewalk stones to make it look a little neater. I know we still have a lot of time before really nice weather, but I’d like to get things done.                                                                                        Today I had to take a quick trip to the vet (luckily it’s just across the road from me) and get some worm meds for Sadie. She was throwing up today and it wasn’t pretty. Notice the black fencing in the picture below. Then look at Sadie (before fencing) and you can see why I had to get the fence. She was trying to eat the daffodils and catch bees and was caught sleeping in the hyacinths.   

Just something to think about

I found this on the web and it got me thinking. There is no reality, only how we perceive life. We can write a script of life in our own head. Our thoughts are just our impressions which may or may not have anything to do with actual reality.

Family Time

Saturday night we went over to Don Minard’s home in Eldred to see Becky who is in the army and being deployed to Iraq soon. It was a lovely evening with family. I got to chat again with Karen who I haven’t talked to in awhile. Some of the family played marbles, a game I introduced them to a few years ago. What a wonderful evening we had. The first pictures is Tiger, his girlfriend, Barb and her daughter Ashley. Next it’s Karen and I.The third picture is Becky at the marble table. Rose and Corrina are concentrating on their next move. Tiger and a little of Charlotte’s hair in the last pic. 

Spring at the Karrasch Home

I had a little time this afternoon (just getting off my sore knee) and played around with Photoshop. I hadn’t done that in awhile and it was fun to take some pictures and enhance them. Here is one of the spring flowers.

Has Sadie changed things? Yes!

 

Since Sadie came into the picture Top Gun has not had the complete attention of his mommy and daddy. Before, Top Gun hopped in daddy’s lap every evening and stretched out on his legs. And he climbed up on mommy when she talked on the phone and tried to put her face into her sweater. But now Sadie is always around chasing her and trying to play. The peaceful household is no more. I don’t know if Top Gun is in Sadie’s condo because he wants peace and quiet or he is just trying it out for size.

10 things to celebrate

Just look at the news..swine flu, bad economy…it’s enough to take even the most positive thinker over the edge. With all the troubles we’ve had at the Karrasch household this last month I need to stop and be thankful for all the good things that I have. I have always considered myself blessed in this life and here are 10 things that I am thankful for today.

1. Having the best supportive family on the planet. I couldn’t have gotten through the things I have without the encouragement and the shoulder to lean on of my husband, sons, sisters. and in-laws. They keep me strong when I need a boost and help me to keep going through all kinds of adversity. When I am most discouraged I know that they will help me through it.                                                                                    2. In this economy it’s so nice to know that we will survive financially due to our good planning.                                                                       3. It gives me such peace of mind to know that my sons and grandsons are having a great life. Both my boys are excellent fathers and I know they are raising their boys right.                                                                              4. I have friends that have been there for me when I have needed them.                                                                             5. When I look around my home I feel we have made a place where i can feel safe and sheltered. I love my home and how beautiful it is.                                                                                   6. I am glad that I now can spend my time doing just exactly what I want to do and enjoy my retirement.                                                                    7. I am happy that spring has finally arrived in Bradford. The daffodils, tulips, and grape hyacinths are so lovely. Yesterday Don mowed the grass for the first time and the yard looks like a green carpet.                                                                           8. I’m happy that I have found blogging as a way to journal. It allows me to put pictures and words to my life.                                                                                 9. I’m happy that I have been able to travel in my life and experience things outside the realm of my little Pennsylvania town.                                                                              10. Isn’t it wonderful that we live in a free country where we can express ourselves without fear of retribution and sleep safe at night.