It's Coming!

 

My favorite time of year is coming! I'm so excited that Fall will be starting. I mean even if it isn't officially Fall, it is in my house! I hope everyone is well. In my last post, I spoke of the storm we were having, Faye. Now we just got over another one! Branches down and a mess in the garden. I hate when all of the wet leaves have choked all my flowers. When my kids were little they waited for blackouts! Now not so much although we do have a generator. Blackouts were fun when you were a child  and when they lasted a couple of hours and you could pretend you were camping! LOL

Corona virus has spared our immediate family so far, thank God, although it has hit some people we know and love. Very scary. I think the fact that we have to stay home for the most part or that our activity is so limited, people have a new appreciation for their homes and doing things together as a family. If any good could come from this, I think that's it. I recently did leave for three days with my family though to take a break from caring for my Mom and it was very nice to get away. I don't do that often as Mom needs 24/7 care in my home but I did come back refreshed and renewed! I'm a homebody anyway so the virus really hasn't affected my life that much! I missed the restaurants the most! And food shopping changed so dramatically. We all have to make adjustments, right? 

Do any of you watch Priscilla & Chelsea on their show  Flosstube? If you cross stitch, you will love their youtube show every Saturday morning. Priscilla, the Mom, also has a great blog called Priscillas 2000. She's an amazing decorator and cross stitcher. Also a quilter. Check it out if you have time.  

Today I made a big Sunday sauce (on Monday ) hahaha I also made a layered dish of chicken parm and eggplant parm! It was so good! I thought of it this morning since I had some small eggplants from my garden to use and some left over chicken cutlets from dinner over the weekend. so the bottom layer was sauce, then eggplant parm & mozzarella, more sauce, chicken cutlet and keep going! Really good. 

well I hope you have a great evening! I'll be back!

As the Wind Blows...

Good Evening! Tropical Storm Fay is blowing winds and dumping some rain on us! Oh well! It's the season for it! I hope this finds you healthy and happy! Two words we can't take for granted anymore, can we? Above is my tree decorated patriotic style with salt dough ornaments I ordered from the very talented Pam Gist Duncan, of Duncan's Salt Primitives. Aren't they awesome? She makes all different types and for all occasions. I bought flags, crows, stars and more. I sure get some amazing stuff from talented crafts people on line.  

So how is your Summer going? So far so good for us! My Mom celebrated her 90th birthday with a lot of fanfare from family and friends and she loved every minute of it. Our original plans were curtailed due to the Corona Virus but we celebrated on a small scale nonetheless! She's mostly interested in the cake anyway! What a sweet tooth! That seems to be a thing for older people~all they want is sweets!  

This guy below never takes a break so when he did, I took a photo! That's my husband. My kids were like "Dad is reclining...Dad's on the recliner..." Shocking! LOL

 Every year I buy sunflowers and this year I had a hard time finding them! I usually had them by the end of June! Just got these this week. I don't know why it was hard to find them but whatever! I just love their happy flower faces!

 Just some shots of the property. The girls enjoying a supervised walk in the backyard. And that big girl is Virginia. She's got quite a personality. The other two are polish chickens. I call them Phyllis Diller birds...and you'll understand it if you know who Phyllis Diller was!

Added another two dolls to my collection but I only got to photograph this one!

 Favorite plants in your garden? Obsessed with hibiscus! The one below is three years old as I bring them in for Winter and they survive. I got a white and a yellow to add this year. And they bloom in the house over the Winter too! Its so special.

 The lettuce in my garden has finished! What a big crop I had! I am now getting peppers and celery. Waiting on the zucchini but I fear what happened last year has happened again. All flowers and leaves and no zucchini which means I have gotten stuck (yet again) with male plants! Everyone is drowning in zucchini...not us. And we LOVE it! LOL maybe its just a little late. Also have eggplants, tomatoes, basil, parsley, spinach and jalapenos (for my daughter!) I can't remember what else but not much else. The lettuce was incredible. My husband offered to make my garden bigger yet again cause he knows how much I love it but unfortunately I have been suffering with bad arthritis in both knees and both ankles and bone spurs :(    The bone spurs in my ankles are very painful and are obstructing my gait as I walk. And the garden and chickens and flowers take up a lot of time so I'm almost afraid to add more to my plate. Then on the other hand, I hate to surrender to pain! Wait and see what happens I say ….gee, I say that a lot. Life is such a "wait and see!"

We try to enjoy our firepit as often as we can. I don't get out there as much in the evening cause I don't like to leave Mom in the house alone. She comes out before it gets dark and enjoys the yard but its a little much after dark. Here are my kids with their friends at our fire pit! Priceless! These girls have been our neighbors and friends since they were all babies together! Literally infants! Photos like this just make me happy.

Years ago, actually back in 2009 when I started blogging, there were so many other great blogs to read and follow. I am still InTouch with many of them even though they don't blog anymore and moved mainly to Facebook. I've been encouraging them to come back to blogging as they had mentioned they missed it! At different times, they have all said they miss it. I hope they will! Although I have my decorating pages on Facebook, there's nothing quite like blogging. 

I hope you have a wonderful night!

Starting to Feel Like Summer!

How are you? We are all doing well. I don't know if the era of the virus is over yet, I actually fear it will make a Fall comeback, but I am happy to see a light at the end of this long, dark tunnel for many. We've spent our time working around the house and doing some things here that really needed attention. Working outside is joyful for me. I really like working in my garden and because we've had a good share of rain, it's growing well. My lettuces have taken off! I planted Romaine, Butter and Red Leaf lettuce and we've enjoyed them every night. Last night, I added an anti pasta to the salad. Cheese, meats, olives, mushrooms...it was delicious. My cabbage plants are getting large leaves. No cabbage yet but big leaves!

Our mulch and planting up front are complete. I'm just looking for some potted sunflowers!
The hard work is worth it. We really enjoy our porch and backyard. I have now entirely cleaned out the chicken coop and summarized it with fresh straw. The whole group of chickens gets very excited for that. I do it several times a year but they just love that the nights are longer and I notice they stay in their run longer in the evening before retiring to the bunkhouse to sleep. The chickens love Summer nights! I don't free range. Their coop has a very large enclosed run for their safety. You know what is a fun item I got? My brother bought me a solar powered fountain for my bird bath! The birds love it. He got it on Amazon.  As far as 4th of July celebrations...not sure if we will be socializing as we have to keep Mom healthy and keep her socially distanced.

While I've ben home, I have done some shopping! I purchased my Amish lady on the swing and my trio of prairie ladies from Ivonne Grant!  I love them!

I've started collecting the Ashton Drake series of Amish Blessings dolls. They are from years ago but I am finding reasonably priced ones on Ebay!

Next up for me is working on my Americana tree and garland. I ordered and received a new counted cross stitch picture to start. I usually do stamped cross stitch and haven't done counted in about 5 years. It takes a lot of concentration but I need to challenge myself! those projects plus reading a new Amish fiction book, The Bake Shop by Amy Clipston.  

Leave me a message about what you've ben doing! And thank you for your attention. :)

Good Afternoon!

How are you all? I hope you and your loved ones are healthy. It certainly has been an experience for all of us, hasn't it? A "new normal" we call it; but it certainly takes getting used to. Here on Long Island, the number of cases of this virus is insane but we are on the decline, thank goodness. I am so grateful that we have remained healthy. And we have adjusted to quarantining while still doing our best to be out and about. Its just what has to be done right now. And that's all. 

So lets do some catch up! I adopted a new chicken! Actually the word would be rescued. While flower shopping, I went to a farm to see the goats and visited their chicken coop where I spied this little gal left alone. A runt of the litter perhaps. But she was clearly abused by the other chickens and very thin. We named her Evie and she now lives in our coop with our chickens who have accepted this little beauty! I see areas on her body where she will not grow her feathers back because she also had frostbite from the Winter but I see some feather growth on her back. We love her no matter what and she has made herself at home. 

We started our plant and flower shopping early. We had some good weekends and just decided to get a head start. in my next post I will show you the gardens.

Some of what  I purchased are eggplant, celery, cabbage, peppers, zucchini, lettuces, tomatoes, and garlic.From the nursery you are looking at, I purchased spinach plants and also two big bunches of fresh spinach. And a pot of violas too!

My husband is very good to me! I truly am blessed, and he just brings home the goodies from all his job sites! He recently brought home this milk box for me! I was so happy as I had wanted one for so long! I set it upon the front porch. I love it. He has also recently brought home two different metal wagon wheels for me which I have in the gardens! Like I said, I will post photos of the gardens next time.

What are some things you've been doing during quarantine? We have been lighting our fire pit and bringing a televisin out to watch tv in the evenings with the fire pit. Its wonderful. I find I am doing more reading and I recently started a counted cross stitch picture which I hadn't tried doing for a long time. Counted is harder than stamped. I am doing pretty good. My vision is bad but I'm doing it! I have cleaned out a bunch of closets and reorganized many spots in the house. We lay down 8 yards of mulch, planted and trimmed. I've also been cooking even more than I normally do.

Good things are ahead! I'm sure!

These Times...

I'm sorry if you are experiencing this terrible virus whether as a patient or as a friend or family member of a patient. Just letting you know I am thinking of and praying a general prayer for all! When this is over and we begin our healing, let it be a time of rebirth. Surely we have soul searched through quarantine. What can we do? What can we do without? Lets not take for granted our hours and minutes. How are you filling your days? Try to approach the Easter holiday with rebirth of yourself and our Savior.

I was happy that when I went for chicken supplies, they were still open as they are deemed essential. After getting my supplies, they had a small nursery attached and I bought some plants. I got a hanging basket of assorted colored pansies , and some flowers for my Amish tool box.

Look how adorable these look in my watermelon bowls!

And hydrangea. My favorite! This will be replanted before the Summer is over so it can thrive in the ground and grow. Working outside is a sure cure for the blues!

We decided to place an order from our favorite Italian restaurant for Easter. I would have prepared the meal but my husband felt it would feel more festive if we ordered in and I could relax as well. I like preparing holiday meals but I didn't object. :)  

I just finished making the Easter baskets for my kids and a few other special people. Although my kids are 15 and 21, they will continue to get baskets until they have their own kids! Its just so fun!

Well, I think I'm going to do some dusting. I ordered a new sign that says "The Old Homestead" and I'm thinking of where it will go and I need to dust anyway! Then maybe I'll make some Easter cookies! Anyway, have a great afternoon! It's pouring down rain and the wind is crazy!!!

How Are you?

How is everyone doing? Are you feeling stressed? Has the virus affected you in a big way? I hope you are all doing well. I only know of a couple neighbors who have the virus and my kids know of a few people but thank godness it has not gotten to us. We have plenty of food and my girls in the coop are producing more than ever! 

How have you been keeping busy? Besides cleaning, I've been organizing, reading, working on my various country décor pages and cooking! Being confined really doesn't bother me a great deal. I have a lot to do here! I've enjoyed menu planning and coming up with some special extras and desserts.

Its amazing how quiet the whole world has gotten. Very few cars go down my street. The other evening, it was already dark, and I just went outside and sat on my porch. Complete silence! It was both beautiful and unnerving. I live in the suburbs; not on a farm or in the country. There is always some type of sound. Not now. We have to know though that this is temporary. The noise, the hustle and bustle and all the anxieties of daily life will return. Sports will return and restaurants will be full. Perhaps we should enjoy the solitude? The only problem with that right now is that people are sick.

My kids had the fire pit going the other night. They stayed outside till midnight. My son's girlfriend is a country music fan so they  watched a concert on the tv they hooked up out there and enjoyed the beautiful fire and the night sky. I'm glad they do things like that. They take long walks. My son works full time but always made time for the outdoors.

I hope you stay well and stay safe! I will speak to you soon!

There's No Place Like Home

Think Positive and don't let the stresses of everything going on outside your door get to you! Close that front door and you are keeping away the germs and the sadness. Your home is your comfort place. You are safe. Read, cook, decorate! play games! Sew, crochet, craft, photograph the wildlife in your backyard. Research new recipes. Organize! Catch up on emails, look through photos. Clean! Rearrange! Call friends and neighbors. Sit on your porch! Draw! Plan your garden. 

Just some ideas. I can't be pulled down into worry and fear. I'm a homebody anyway. I'm doing my best to keep my family's home clean and safe and stocked that's all we can do.

So, Corned beef and cabbage (both green and red), potatoes, carrots and Irish soda bread was delicious the other night. My whole family loves that meal. This time of year, I try to put away several corned beefs cause they are so reasonably priced. I never got to decorate for St. Patrick's Day though and I've moved right on to Easter.

I think Easter will be a positive thing for everyone. Even if we still have to maintain our distance with others, the whole feeling resurrection brings will renew us. I make Easter baskets for my kids still even though they are almost 15 and 21 and I make one for my son's girlfriend and several for others. I love making Easter baskets. As they get older, you get more creative with them. So along with candy, I will put a gas card in for my son. An Ulta card for my daughter :)   I still lots of things in that I know they always loved. I told them they will receive an Easter basket every year until I am making them for my grandchildren.

Well, those are just my thoughts today. I hope you stay safe and healthy!