talented women, hanging terrariums and things that make me feel good

As most people know, I follow several blogs (listed on the right hand side of my front page) and from time to time I find wonderful treasures through their experiences.  I guess the ones I look at the most are the artist in Mexico, the artist in Southern France, and the two wonderful artists in Canada.  I also follow a few blogs of personal friends but find they don't write on their blogs very often.  Several friends have started blogs and then just stopped. I have a folder of other blogs I look at about once a month. I guess some find it easier to use Facebook and I do understand that. The four lovely women I mentioned first bring us into their lovely homes where we see they are wives and mothers and share their lives, their recipes and their ideas.   The best part is they share the things they create with each other and US - even letting us watch the process.  They let us celebrate the little high points and sometimes the low points of their every day lives.  And that people- is blogging.  I enjoy writing so I guess that is what I share with the few people who read my little blog.  I know- I'm not an artist - I don't have many talents - but I've always said my best talent is my deep appreciation of others who have real talents and I love to support them.  If following their blogs and commenting from time to time makes them feel good, then why would I not do that? There is a beautiful young woman in my congregation who is SO talented.  She can draw and paint anything. Her style is whimsical - she does lots of face painting at parties and other avenues from time to time. And then there is a sister who lives in the Northern part of town who creates lovely jewelry. I am in awe of both of them and wish them much success when they have a table at the Farmer's Market and any other endeavor they try.

The way I found the hanging terrariums is through one of the lovely, talented women I spoke about above.  She highlighted them on her blog and I fell totally in love with them. You can find them in a shop called crown flora but they are located in Canada.  They have a web site if you are interested. I am so hoping Jennifer will look at this and start making them so she can make me one. I have a perfect place to hang one or two - hint, hint.  There are more pictures on the blog on my front page called: resurrection fern . 

Darrell brought his granddaughter, Tilly, over with him when he came to look at my computer.  She is not only very cute, but she is also very smart and extremely social. She insisted I wear the other crown she found in the toy bag from the back. I really need to get some new things to go in there for kids to play with when the come over.    

Miya decided to watch her from a distance while sitting on one of her perches. She is pretty wary of little ones when they come over.  Poor baby, she almost covers the top of the cat scratcher doesn't she?  She hasn't gained any weight but sometimes, it looks like she has.  Weight - the bane of every woman's existence in one way or another.  

I received a package from Zandra and Mike today.  She sent me four of these cups - the other two look like these two.  I fell in love with hers when she was here with me and asked her to let me know how to buy one. She gave me hers when she left and promised she would try to find more of them.  I don't know how she did it but she texted me and told me she had found them.  I had no idea she had bought me four of them but I do love them.  I really like the bright colors and lids.  THANK YOU Z! 

I snatched this picture from Facebook. This is my dear friend Mimi's daughter Mimi and her dear hubby and beautiful son.  Her Dad was a famous painter, her mother was a dance teacher and she and her Mom came several years and participated in the American Dance Festival at Duke. That was many years ago but she is obviously very talented in many areas.

I have highlighted these two little Punky Pals that were made by Mimi on my blog before.  She sent me the yellow one many years ago and I purchased the white one when I bought two for Katarina's two little girls.  Not sure where the little monkey came from but I keep them out of the pink bag. I don't let just anyone play with them and they are not going home with anyone.  Her Punky Pals are sold in a nice little boutique there in Honolulu. She also showed a beautiful light colored wood light fixture made by one of her friends I think on one of her pages that I would LOVE to have.  Alas, I'm sure it is too pricey for this retired old lady. Hopefully it will stop raining eventually.  It has been dark and raining off and on all day but now it is pouring down and doesn't look like it will be letting up anytime soon.  I just looked on-line and the high today was 48.  They are calling for rain all night into the morning and then it is supposed to stop raining and the high is supposed to be 70 degrees! Welcome to the South ya'll. 

Time keeps marching onward regardless of what is going on.......

Here we are 9 days into the year 2014 and it seems like it was just yesterday that we were entering into the year of 2013.  Mama was so right - as we get older, time seems to move by much faster.  I hope I will handle that as gracefully as she did - and yes - I still miss her every day. A conversation on Facebook made me realize again just how blessed Dwight and I both were to have such wonderful mothers.  They were different in many ways except one - they loved their children - including the loved ones of their children. We were talking about our parents the other day and Dwight was saying how much he also misses his Daddy.  He was very close to his Dad and inherited his love of fishing.  He also developed his Dad's ability to "fix" things.  Everything from cars to hair dryers.

I snatched this picture from Facebook. This was when our precious Dorothy had grown so very tired.  Monica knew that Alice totally understood and felt her pain when it was time to finally let her go.  Theirs was a beautiful love story - one of those that don't come along too often.  She will be loved and remembered by so many of us who knew her. 

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I love this picture of Douglas playing around with his friend.  Except for the blonde hair, he looks SO much like Daddy. I know I have mentioned it before but I have a picture of Daddy when he was about 17 that looks so much like Douglas.  My beautiful baby boy.  I miss him.  I have been missing all of my children - especially since none of them came up this past month like they normally do.  I did get to see Page for a few hours when Carmen and Wally stopped by with her on their way down South for their big vacation trip.  Sadly, Carmen is still in the hospital but she is improving.  There are some things that have to take place before they let her come home.  I know she and Wally will be so glad when she feels better and they can be back in their own home.  At least they have family there to support them. 

Vera was in service and sent me this picture of a Cat Mailbox.  She knows how much I do love a sweet cat. It would only stand to reason that I would close today's post with a picture of my beautiful Princess Miya Chula Yum-Yum. 

Now I have to ask you, who could look at that beautiful face and not love it? She did not like it at all when the power went out night before last and the temperatures dropped into the low single digits. Dwight said he felt her crawl under the comforter and settle down close to his legs.  For once, he didn't kick her out.  By the time we woke up a second time, the power was back on.  It did take a little while for the house to warm up again but it could have been much worse. I felt so bad for the men and women whose jobs includes them having to be out in weather like that to make sure we have power and other utilities.   

New Chairs.....

Dwight bought a great Lazy Boy rocking chair a little over two years ago right before I came home from the hospital.  To say it was comfortable is putting it mildly.  I have literally lived in that chair since I came home that day.  Needless to say, there have been multiple accidents with me falling asleep with an opened Ensure in my lap.  Dwight has washed it several times but he said it has started smelling bad and we needed to get another chair. Long story short, we went to Lazy Boy and came home with not one, but two new dark green Lazy Boy rocking chairs.

This doesn't really show the fabric and color very well.  It a rougher texture than the other one and is a bit smaller. 

Needless to say, Princess Miya Chula Yum-Yum has made sure she has tested both of the chairs out.  The main problem she has had is the fact they are both rocking chairs. She has to do a little balancing dance whenever she jumps up on the back of this one to lay down.  Sadly, the dark green color really highlights her beautiful hair, including the hair she leaves behind. Poor Dwight isn't the easiest person to shop for something with. These were on sale and he liked them and kept saying I'm not going to stay in this store all day - so I said Okay - we will take them!  They loaded them into the back of Dwight's truck and we brought them home. I think he might have hurt himself insisting on moving them in on his own He really doesn't like to ask anyone for help but I did what I could to help him.  He took my old one down to the car wash in the back of his truck and washed and rinsed it with the pressure washer.  Debbie stopped by and offered to bring over her water vacuum cleaner and he said Nah - he didn't want to bother with it. So it is sitting on our porch and I am so hoping the fresh air will dry it out . If it does dry well and there is no longer a smell, we may bring it back in and use it.  I'm sorry, it truly is so comfortable  I spoke with Jessie today and she said there is still no official diagnoses.  Her mother is getting a little better - as long as she takes her meds, doesn't eat anything and doesn't try to walk anywhere on her own. So that is all the news from our abode - other than I got my hair cut today. 

Only two days left of the year 2013 ---- 2014 --- here we come.......

Wow, these past two years have either drug by or flown by - depending on my mood.  Today, it feels like they have flown by.  So many things have happened and yet, here I am - still sitting in this poor old rocking chair that I have almost worn out. It has been cold, windy and raining the past few days but the sky has brightened up and you can almost see some blue in it.  I didn't sleep well at all last night but woke up this morning in time to listen in to the meeting.  I am so happy our meeting time is changing to 1:00pm starting next Sunday. Katarina told me their meeting time is going to 1:00pm for them too starting next Sunday.  That should help me tremendously.  I thoroughly enjoyed being at the meeting this past Thursday night.  There are still quite a few faces I don't recognize but hopefully I will get to know them this coming year.  Matt was the chairman this morning and said the opening prayer. It was such a good prayer.   Jessie called a little bit ago.  She wanted to let me know she is driving down to Florence, SC.  Her Mom has been admitted to the hospital.  It sounds like it is something to do with the stomach and or colon.  Marlan, Briana, KennaKat, Delani and Avery came to visit with me Saturday. The girls drug the big pink bag from the back room into the living room and each one of them picked a little toy to take home with them.  I really need to add some things to the bag since so many things have been picked over.  I also need to clean the junky stuff out of there. 

Marlan has had all of her children with her this weekend.  Here she is with her youngest granddaughter and youngest grandson.  Aren't they too cute?  I could squeeze them both to pieces.  Since none of our children came to town this last month of the year like they usually do, it has been very quiet.  Between Douglas having to work, Jessie having a cold and Kelly needing a break from so much traveling, it just wasn't possible.  At least we got to be together for a short while the end of last month.  We really appreciated that Wally and Carmen brought Page to visit on their way to Wilmington, Myrtle Beach and Florence.  They were planning to stop by on their way back home and we were hoping that maybe they might even be able to spend the night.  That brings me back to Carmen - I'll be worried until I hear from Jessie and that will be later.  I may break down and call Wally before Jessie gets there........I'm sure prayers will be welcomed.

WOW - Two days in a row!!! Unheard of....

Okay- don't get excited. No big news about anything - just one of those meandering ideas I just had that fell flat, flat, flat.  I thought I would share it so everyone else can have a good laugh too.  I was looking at a Belk's sales flyer that came with the paper this morning. They are having some pretty good sales right now. Then my eyes fell upon them - a pair of 1/2 carat diamond earring studs. Wow - something I have wanted for such a long time. SO - I said to Mr. Dwight - "hey, you know how you were asking what to get for the 48th anniversary and I  said why not another chair? and he said - yeah? I said, they have some 1/2 carat diamond earring studs on sale for the same thing the chair would cost - even a tiny bit cheaper - what do you think? and he told me what he thinks and it wasn't good."  Oh well, a girl can only try.  Now if we get a chair, I will think about those ding dang diamonds every time I look at it. Ding Dang it!!!! LOL  Just kidding. No way I ever expected him to buy anything that expensive for me that wasn't "worth it" and "useful". 

Patsy shared this picture of her MaT that was taken many years ago one Halloween. She is dressed like one of her favorite characters from an old TV show called Hee Haw!  She and PaT lived right beside Patsy when she was growing up so she was very close to them.

Can I say again how excited I am that Patsy is living her dream in this lovely home near the sea? I mean - how many people get to have their biggest dream come true? I know she is grateful every single day for it and I am grateful for it too. 

This is what the road up Terry Mountain to Lora and Elbert's looks like when it snows a little. I used to fly up that road in my little blue VW many, many years ago. They are still living up there and both seem to be doing pretty good.  They will be celebrating their 65th Anniversary next Saturday.

And this is a picture looking out of the little trailer they have up at their place on Hyco Lake. It looks so pretty and green doesn't it?  They have had this place for many, many years and I have very fond memories of some really good times up there when I was much younger.

I will close with this picture of a pillow with a lovely dragonfly on it. As everyone already knows, I love dragonflies but this pillow was so expensive it made me laugh out loud to see what they were asking for it. Plain white cotton on small rectangle of foam with this lovely picture.  I love it but I'm not going to spend that kind of money on something that will get dirty real quick - even though it would look good on my bed. NO!! Stop it!! I'm not going to buy it!!! Will sign off now on this cold and rainy Saturday afternoon.  I hope the sun is shining wherever you are.

13th Day, 12th Month of Year 2013 and still counting..

Just haven't felt like blogging for quite some time now.  I was going to try to write on here several days ago on our 48th Anniversary (Dec 10th). I told Kelly we had talked about getting rid of the really old dark green recliner and replacing it with another Lazy-Boy rocker recliner like the one Dwight bought right before I came home from he hospital.  I have almost worn it out since I'm in it all the time now. The latest little "adventure" I've been having is a bad tooth that at times hurts so bad, I literally try to loosen and pull it with my fingers.  Long story short, abscess under the tooth with suspected root fracture. The first antibiotic they put me on did nothing so I am now on a mega antibiotic guaranteed to upset my stomach but should take care of the infection.  I've been referred to an Endodontic Specialist on December 24th to see if something can be done to save the tooth. We had a nice time at the coast the end of last month.  It was nice being with Tony, Jen and the kids.

Tony and Dwight shucked these steamed oysters for a long time and I don't think there were any left over. We hated that Douglas couldn't come down (work) but Jessie and Samantha seemed to enjoy it. We were so happy that Kelly flew up and we all rode down together this time. Even though she had to get to the airport early and then sit on the runway for an hour before even getting in the air, it took her almost as long as it would to have driven it but I still felt better about her flying - especially that weekend.  As busy as it was to fly -it was still better than her being on the highway during one of the most traveled weekends of the year. Marlan picked me up and we went to the movies early today.  We saw - The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. It was excellent except for the ending - there was NO ending. Just like the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, it is to be continued - NEXT year! Arghhh!

 Richard Armitage played the part of Thorin, the Dwarf King and he was gorgeous!!!! It is funny that he plays a dwarf given that he is 6'2" tall.  I was happy to see that Orlando Bloom returned in his role as Legolas, one of the Elves even though he looked so different I kept questioning if it was really him. As Marlan pointed out, he was very young in the last one and has filled out (nicely I might add) now that he is older.  It is always nice to go with Marlan to the movies - but especially these since she has read all the books and can explain a lot about the characters to me. I told her to let me borrow them so I can get caught up. The special effects are really good in this movie. The pictures of the lovely countryside make me want to go back for another visit. Oh well - to be rich - right?  Dwight, JT, Steve and Boyd are having a fish-fry over at Boyd's tonight for supper. Dwight told me today the five of them went in together and purchased lottery tickets to the $400 millions plus lottery. I can only hope we don't win since it would probably destroy our lives. I just don't believe things like that improve people's lives - not to mention it is gambling which I don't believe in either.  So if my kids read this, don't get excited and I'm not happy about it. LOLOLOL When Marlan brought me home, I stood her in front of my refrigerator that is covered with pictures and pointed out to her that 99% of them are of my family and her family with a few odd ones of some of my friend's children. She smiled.  Yeah - we are family - have been for many, many years now.

I had to snap this picture of Miya and Dwight taking a nap. Look at her little arm laying up on his chest, neck and pillow. She really does love her Daddy. He would kill me if he knew I put this picture on here so Mum's the word guys.  That means Douglas too if he reads it.  Maybe next time I write on here, I will have something interesting to write about. Until then - later..

Forget October, November is almost half-way over.....

Not sure why but once we reached October, it has felt like the year is racing down toward the end of December very fast!  Is it only me or do others notice that?  I have a few pictures I thought I would share with the few people who read this - so here goes.  Weekend before this past one, we went down to Manteo with Deborah to see Pam, Leif and GG. That is where my ear started hurting real bad which kind of freaked me out since it felt just like it did two years ago. I will share more about that at a later date.  Everything is fine. I got very few good pictures myself so I snatched this one of Pam with sweet Hobie and Deborah from some of Pam's pictures.



Hobie truly is one of the sweetest dogs ever. He is friendly to everyone but adores Pam. I love when she sits in a chair and Hobie goes up to her and puts his paws on her shoulders and they have talks face to face. So sweet.  Look at a his happy face. Don't Deborah and Pam look a lot alike?

This is a sweet picture of Leif with his first and only grandchild - and a Boy!!! That is his oldest daughter with them - Erin.  She is an art teacher and a very good artist. His grandson comes from his middle child - Randi. I am still waiting to meet this sweet little one. 

This is not a very good picture but it is a painting that Erin did. The colors are wonderful. Pam has it hung up very high in her kitchen. So much talent all of these girls have.

I have to add the picture Dwight took of his dinner that Saturday night.  He took some of the fish he had caught down with us and cooked up a big batch of them with his home made fries, coleslaw, hush puppies and his original homemade tartar sauce.  Everyone seemed to enjoy it. He fried some of the flounders and broiled the others.

 

I will share these two that were taken of Douglas and Page at their Circuit Assembly in Salisbury. I love the color of Doug's suit and his cute bow-tie.

This is just one of the cute shirts Page wore this past weekend while she was here.  Kelly flew in Wednesday night for work and she and Dwight brought home some of her favorite Chinese food. I'm happy to report that I drank a cup of their wonderful hot and sour soup (broth only) and it was good. She worked on Thursday and spent that night with her work friend - Barb.  They had a great time - went to a really good restaurant and got caught up with each other.  She also got to see one of her old bosses who works out of the office here. We enjoyed having her home for a long weekend even though it was more of a "girls" weekend she had planned. She and Jen went shopping on Friday, . Jessie and Page drove down Friday night and stopped out at Jen's on their way here. They all got in late Friday night and slept late on Saturday.  Then they went back out to Jen's for the day and evening.  Jessie and Page had to go home Sunday but Kelly didn't leave until Monday.  Dwight drove her to work and then went back and picked her up (taking her packed suit case with him) and dropped her off at the airport later that afternoon.  All in all, a very busy but fun long weekend for all of them.

I snatched this sweet picture of Eric with his sweet Bug from Facebook. She is such a pretty little thing.  Her Mom and Dad work tirelessly to make sure she is happy. She suffers from Epilepsy and at times it becomes overwhelming for all of them.

 This is Jessi with her pretty little Lyla - I also follow her on Facebook and have watched this little one since she was born.  Jessi is a wonderful Mom and we all appreciate her sharing this little bundle with us. Her Daddy is a fireman and her brother is a sweet Pit Bull named Piglet. 

 And this is a picture of many of the kids from the East Congregation. Jamie had a party at her house and from the pictures she shared on Facebook - they all had a wonderful time.  She had all kinds of activities planned for them including art projects.

I will close this post with a picture of The Great Wall of China I snagged from Matt's Instagram pictures. He had a wonderful time there and in Japan when he attended the International Convention.  He came over today and helped me learn a little more about my iPad.  I've been having a few problems and every so often, I really need him to explain things to me - like how to download magazines and other publications.  After he left, Dwight was talking about what a fine young man he is and of course, I had to agree.  He is also a good friend.