Rain, Rain Go Away
We continue saying it over and over, this has been the rainiest year in decades. The house is dark, and the lights are on. Two days of solid rain with the forecast for three more. I like rain when I am sleeping, and when the ground is dry, but today I would have preferred sunshine. My perfectly wonderful geraniums had just reached their peak in bloom. Now they look like this: Well, guess I am not in charge of the weather so I will quit complaining and get to work on something that makes me smile no matter what the weather brings. : ...
Critters
All afternoon I had noticed the number of yellow finch feeding on my cone flowers and black eyed susan's. Plan was when I sat out on the patio to eat dinner I would take my camera and get as close as possible for some memorable shots. Best laid plans just didn't work out. There was not a bird around tonight, almost eerie. So I turned my attention to something else quite by chance. This large yellow spider, I don't recall it's name, made it's web behind my rocker on the patio. How dare he scare me like that. So then ...
Summer in Bloom
Weather records measuring rainfall and temperatures have been broken back to 1905 this summer in the Kansas City area. We have had abnormally high rainfalls and cool temperatures that have been a welcome relief on our watering the lawn and flowers as well as our electric bills for running the A/C. Actually had a few people believing we would just head into fall when we were wearing jackets in the evenings during the month of July. Not much exciting or newsworthy here today, working on something special for my great granddaughter this afternoon. When I took my break I grabbed the ...
Opening and Closing Doors
One of my big pet peeves with my husband was he always left the closet door standing open. He finally broke me of complaining when he told me he would shut the closet doors if I would always put my shoes in the closet instead everywhere around the house. I have a bad habit of just stepping out of my shoes and leaving them to the point on occasions I might have several pairs by the door. Well of course I failed so we never nagged about those issues again. It is not those kind of doors that I am closing ...
Digging In to Dig Out
I wonder if you are like me and have so much "stuff" that when you begin to look around, open closets, peruse the garage, you are amazed at all the things you have accumulated. The worst part for me is how long it has been since I have used some of it. Today I dug out just a few pots and vases. These are just a few of the ones I am not using right now! I still have multiple numbers in the garden, on the patio, etc. David took at least a half dozen home already and Julie and Deb ...
Aug 09
19
Home Tour
My home tour went wonderfully. Everyone was pleased with the clean, updated look and all agreed should sell quickly!
Nothing new here but work yesterday, oh and of course another two or three inches of rain. The mosquito’s must surely think they have died and gone to heaven. Which reminds me of a funny saying I ran across, “what was Moses thinking when he let those two mosquito’s on that boat.” 
A picture to brighten the day of clematis on the fence this spring.
My beautiful bronze little girl I love who sits at my patio amidst the flowers,
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Aug 09
18
Too Busy and Tired to Clean House!
I have been sewing and cutting all day; cutting out nine aprons and embroidered three. That is a full day for this senior citizen. Here is one of my embroidered roosters I did today. My oldest son, David will be begging for one of these.
Tomorrow the realtors are coming from 11:00 until 2:00 to tour my home. If you have sold a home you know what it is like to try to keep everything spotless, and smelling good. So I really have an excuse not to cook now because I have to clean the cooktop because I am so sloppy. Over the years I have sold seven homes. Two homes I have sold the same day I put them on the market, pretty impressive! Well the market was crazy when I sold in Denver and the other I think the Lord sent angels to look over me. In today’s market I don’t expect to sell quickly but I sure hope it is before winter!
Actually I am chattering my thoughts on this keyboard and procrastinating. I should be putting up the clean dishes in the dishwasher, sweeping my sewing room threads up and I am procrastinating so I am off to get it done.
Posted in Creative Chics Reflections on Life Uncategorized family sewing by .
Aug 09
17
Rain, Rain Go Away
We continue saying it over and over, this has been the rainiest year in decades. The house is dark, and the lights are on. Two days of solid rain with the forecast for three more. I like rain when I am sleeping, and when the ground is dry, but today I would have preferred sunshine.
My perfectly wonderful geraniums had just reached their peak in bloom.
Now they look like this:
Well, guess I am not in charge of the weather so I will quit complaining and get to work on something that makes me smile no matter what the weather brings. : ) Hope your day is full of sunshine even though the sun is not shining.
Posted in Gardening Reflections on Life Uncategorized by .
Aug 09
15
Critters
All afternoon I had noticed the number of yellow finch feeding on my cone flowers and black eyed susan’s. Plan was when I sat out on the patio to eat dinner I would take my camera and get as close as possible for some memorable shots. Best laid plans just didn’t work out. There was not a bird around tonight, almost eerie. So I turned my attention to something else quite by chance.
This large yellow spider, I don’t recall it’s name, made it’s web behind my rocker on the patio. How dare he scare me like that. So then I decided to change my goal and see how many other critters were hiding in my yard. Now trust me there were gnats and mosquito’s but I did not even attempt pictures but here is what I found. A dragonfly, rather pretty.However, I had to chase him to get him to hold still so I could take the picture. Then the pests of my year, those darned ants. We have had so much rain and no matter what I try I haven’t been able to discour
age them from making my patio their workstation. Well pretty boring stuff I guess but fit right into my lazy kind of afternoon.
Posted in Gardening Reflections on Life by .
Aug 09
12
Giving Gifts
I am curious how many of you are like me in this regard. I buy or make something for someone and I am so excited to give it to them I do it before the birthday, Christmas or the intended occasion arrives.
I like to shop early for Christmas, picking up bargains, seeing things I know someone would love throughout the year. My problem is I end up giving it to them long before the occasion I had intended to give it to them arrives. In the end I don’t save anything as I then have to make another purchase at Christmas. Now my kids love this part of me. I currently have a box in my closet with items I have purchased to give for Christmas this year and so far I have been really good, I still have all of them. Two years ago my kids really “raked it in” as us old Midwestern folks would say. By October everyone had their Christmas gift and I was back to shopping. It is not October yet, but I am feeling pretty confident this year! Sorry kids.
On the other hand I have this super cute apron I made for Aria from an Alexander Henr
y print that I know will not be able to wait for a special occasion. I know she is going to be so, so, so excited. That is the part I really am looking forward to being a part of.
Giving presents shouldn’t wait until special days they should be whenever you feel the urge for giving.
I promise to post pictures of her in it if you promise to indulge me. You will have to agree it is adorable but on her it will be super adorable.
Aug 09
11
Winding Down
Busy day at home and the office. Met with our Operations Manager to revisit my roles and responsibilities so they can begin deciding who will do what. I am so ready to retire but have spent so many years there that a fairly large piece of my heart is going to remain there with people I am pretty fond of. The meeting was productive. Came home over lunch to let the air conditioning repairman in. My a/c had frozen up, and was not getting any air into the unit. I mean literally frozen up, when they opened the door it was solid ice.
So a lesson I learned today. Those filters you buy to improve air quality are very inefficient for the a/c unit. Your filter needs to be porous so you can see through it because that allows good airflow which is necessary to the operation of the unit. Who would have thought?
Bottom line, $90.00 for a house call and $1.29 for a filter and after running the heat pump for an hour to melt the ice and me. In no time at all I was up and running the a/c and cooling down again.
When mechanical things break, my lack of patience is magnified. I feel like this bear on an ice cube, but I can’t swim in “that water.”
Hope everyone is staying cool!
Posted in Reflections on Life Uncategorized family by .
Aug 09
9
Hot Sunday
Hot, windy again today. Staying inside and working on some sewing projects and just taking it easy. Here’s some of what I have finished and some still in the making.
Check more out at http:www.//creativechics.etsy.com and give a gift that will always bring a smile.
The plans for the rest of the evening, pizza and a new book, “Living Right on Wrong Street.”
Posted in Creative Chics Reading sewing by .
Aug 09
8
A Typical Saturday
Was extremely warm and windy here today, temps in upper 90’s. That is the kind of weather where I stay inside. Today was busy doing the everyday things, cleaning house, etc. David came over, along with Marti, watched him re-pot a plant. Worked on some pillowcases for an upcoming event the Chics are participating in. I am ready for a huge snack of something, not sure what, so heading to the kitchen and perhaps some popcorn and a movie.
Aug 09
7
To Do Projects Done
Brad, Kim and kids came for dinner this evening. Brad then set to work and finished all my odd and end projects. The biggest one was hanging new exterior lights on my garage and front door. I had picked them up on sale before Christmas last year but had not had the opportunity to get them in place until tonight. They look great, here are just a few shots Erika and I took.
As you can see the old ones really needed redone. It got too late for me to get a photo of the new ones installed so will save for another day. Notice there was plenty of smoked brisket finished off with ice cream so we all had full tummies. Matt, he just chilled out as he calls laying around. Erika, she tried on every apron in my inventory and I might say looked quite grown up in everyone of them.
Aug 09
6
Summer in Bloom
Weather records measuring rainfall and temperatures have been broken back to 1905 this summer in the Kansas City area. We have had abnormally high rainfalls and cool temperatures that have been a welcome relief on our watering the lawn and flowers as well as our electric bills for running the A/C. Actually had a few people believing we would just head into fall when we were wearing jackets in the evenings during the month of July.
Not much exciting or newsworthy here today, working on something special for my great granddaughter this afternoon. When I took my break I grabbed the camera to get a few shots of this weeks sunshine results. Things that had hardly bloomed all year are showing off their colors now. Hope you enjoy what I enjoyed as I strolled around the yard.
