Owls & Other Goodies

The temperature is 59 degrees here this morning! Splendid! I woke up and felt the chill and the breeze;  my curtains blowing softly from the window. Downstairs I went to Billy's and Caitlin's room and opened their windows. They were still asleep but you could feel  the cool air from the morning flowing into their rooms. So delightful to sleep when a gentle breeze is upon you! I closed their doors so they continue their peaceful rest!  As much as I am eager for Fall to come, I am glad the kids still have several weeks before school starts. Each of the kids start a new school~Billy will be in 9th grade (High School) and Caitlin will begin 3rd grade (Intermediate). Both of the schools are very close by. I can walk to Caitlin's but she will still get the bus.Her bus stop is in my driveway :)   At least I can walk her to and from on some days. That's a blessing when you are a non driver like me!

I wanted to show you a few more of my purchases from Lancaster County. I really purchased some wonderful things--some I had seen previously and did not end up picking up and others I just discovered. Our car was packed to the roof!
 I have wanted to buy a gourd for some time now. I always looked atthem and admired them and intended to get one but for one reason or another, didn't. I am IN LOVE with them! That's it! I'm hooked! I need more! This is my very first one. I bought it at a an Amish farm called Riehls. A great place to visit and great stuff for sale in their barn.   Riehls has several barns and one housed all  the family buggies all parked and ready for use so I loved seeing them up close and personal! Plus in another barn was a german shepherd who had just had a litter of puppies a couple of weeks before we we visited. The puppies were mixed in with the cows and calfs! We loved watching them scamper around and the Mom shepherding them to safety! Another barn was the horse barn!

Love how they painted the gourd! These are "birdhouse gourds" and I am actually growing them in my Halloween garden as I plan to attempt and I do mean ATTEMPT to try to craft one of my own. Now that I bought one, I want another. I also saw a nice double hook for them! For now I have it suspended from my front porch.  Also on the front porch hanging is a little bird dish. When I see these in any shape, form or material (resin, metal, plastic) I always buy them! I have them in various trees around the house and even a couple hanging from curtain rods in the house!

Oh, this is a shot of the main barn at Riehls and also their barn of buggies. 

The farm was beautifully manicured! I could move right in!

I went back for this "welcome" at Almost Paradise, a great store on the border of Paradise, PA. Such a great store but every time I visit Lancaster I fear it will be closed as the owner told me he is turning 80 this Summer and although business is good he doesn't know if he wants to keep going! His sons live out of state and have no interest in it :(   So every visit to PA I wonder if he will still be there! A really unique store also located in a huge barn....PLEASE STAY OPEN! Another good stop is Jake's Trading Post where I bought this flag. I know it's kitschy but so am I :)    I LOVE my prims but I also love kitsch! But not over the top kitsch!

I added to my ever growing owl collection too! 

Added it to the collection! Went to Ac Moore the other day and saw this one:

Oh, and a while back I went to Rite Aid (yes, Rite Aid has great little gifts!!!!) and got this one which is resin but looks like it was carved out of wood! And it's heavy!

It was on clearance too! Even better! 

Well, thank you for sticking with me through this photo heavy post! Today I am working on cleaning up some of my garage sale finds and some finishing touches for a little backyard Summer party Caitlin is having. It isn't her birthday but she wanted some friends over for music, a fire pit, smores, jiffy pop....Have a super day!