Blogs, Flowers, Dogs, Lots of Thoughts

I didn't intend to be gone for a full week, but it just happened. Let's catch up.

I have a full list of things to talk about in my brain. Can I remember them all long enough to type them here? We shall see...

First up is the sadness of reading that Kelly at Talk of the House is quitting her blog.

If you have never read her blog, you will probably need to skip over all of this because I just have to talk about this. Like I really mean, I must.

Let's just say I totally understood, but I was so sad. I love reading my little blogs. I am not a social media fan at all, but blogs, well, let's just say I loved them long before I started this little one.

Anyone who follows Kelly loves her blog. She makes me almost like red. Almost. I am only a fan of red at Christmas and the Fourth of July. I am blue and greens kind of girl. Red stirs me up too much. I also love gingham which she does well in her home. I would really love to have those gingham curtains in my home, but alas they don't match the style of my home. I really wonder if she will carry them over to the lake home? Y'all may remember she did a post once where she talked about decorating a lake home and there wasn't one bit of gingham.

Now, we all will miss her home at Christmas. I really pondered why I loved her so much. Her home is really similar to our previous home. That home was one that we built and honestly thought it was our forever home. We never considered that Hubby's parents would die and we would one day move into their home. Our previous home was much like Kelly's in style I think. BUT, that isn't what drew me in to her blog.

I pondered today why I liked it so much. I think it was that she took everyday items and decorated her home with them. From month to month, season to season, she took books of different colors. plants growing in that season, ribbons, linens...you know...just the stuff you have in your home to make it look so warm and inviting for each holiday. There was really very little "Box Store" purchases other than maybe dishes.

Oddly enough, two of my favorite posts of hers had nothing to do with her red decor. They were her Thanksgiving one where she decorated in greens and browns and

her spring one with the blues and greens.

I didn't link anything back to her blog because it goes off the air at the end of February.

She will still be on Instagram where hopefully she will let us see the new lake house and the new decor.

Now, to string some more thoughts together. I am thinking this is going to be a long post so hang on while I do a brain dump.

Instagram...I don't like it like blogs. Yes, I love the quick fix of pretty pictures. I love all things home decor and always have, so you can just look through the digital magazine of pretty pictures all day. I also love cross stitching and that has been my true source for signing up for Instagram in the first place. I honestly rarely post...not sure why...not as comfortable with it as blogging. I decided for one thing I was looking at it too much, so I curtailed that quickly. The reason I mention it at all other than Kelly will still be on there is lately I am getting a lot of spam. I guess you call it spam. I keep getting follower requests from men. It doesn't look like porn, but just old men looking for a hookup I guess. Today however, I got a girl porn site. I thought it would stop, but it seems to be getting worse. I have it set for private and don't hashtag on my posts. Anyone else out there having a problem???

Spring is coming. I can just feel it. It is so interesting to me how the seasons come and go each year. No matter the intensity of summer or winter, spring and fall finally make their way to us. Fall seems to come a little later than spring in my neck of the woods, but without fail each February even when it is still a chill in the air, you begin to see signs of spring.

I have seen the Japanese magnolias blooming in the neighborhood. The other day I saw a vacant lot full of robins. A sure sign in my book. The azaleas which took a beating in January have little buds starting. I think for the first time in a really long time we might have azaleas blooming at Easter. That will be wonderful!

I have started venturing outside to dabble in the yard. I have planted some new roses. At my previous home, I left behind a rose garden that I sincerely loved. When we moved to our current home, I had trouble finding a place with enough sun to grow them. There were some maples in our front yard that eventually a hurricane took out. I planted a few and puttered with them. Hubby kept insisting we put a tree back. I can only say that none of them did well in the front yard due to the live oaks. Finally, he planted the most magnificent Natchez Trace crepe myrtle. To ensure that it did not grow into the live oaks he planted it closer to the house. Even though it was beautiful, it grew like a weed and towered over the entire side front yard. It took all of my sunshine away. About killed the grass too.


I hate to say it, but I was glad when he decided it had to go. It was too close to the house! WE spent last Saturday during rain breaks to cut it down. SO---I have been busy putting my rose garden together. I have a baker's dozen planted with my old and new additions. I promise to share all of the details with you. If you are not a rose gardener I will put it in one post and you can skip it entirely.

Anyway, I traditionally prune and fertilize on February 12th. However, this year I did it on the 8th. I could see that it was going to be a good rain lasting all weekend. They are sprouting like crazy. I am so excited. I just go out and stand in front of them and dream of the roses I am going to have in a month or so.



Oh yes, you still with me? I am thinking I have too much on my mind for one post. The rains came down and on Monday evening just after dark I took Gus out for a potty break. I have had him on a leash since he was neutered last week and I didn't want him jumping in the bayou. We were strolling around in the cul de sac when I thought I would bring the garbage can back up to the house. All of our neighbors put them at the entrance into our circle near our side of things because the limbs from the live oaks hang down to low in the circle. I knew more rain was on its way and no one had come out to get theirs because it had rained all weekend and most of Monday, so I started closing the lids so everyone wouldn't be rolling back a can full of water when they came out.

Now...Gus, the Springer has fully let me know on more than one occasion that he is terribly frightened of the big green rolling monsters. I thought I would quickly get ours while I had him on the leash and I would not have to come back out. Once I started closing those lids, he began backing up in the bushes trying to pull away. I then noticed he was stomping on my daffodils that were breaking ground. I tried to yank him out. Let's just say it didn't end well. He had already managed to wrap the leash around one of the wheels, so when I yanked on him, I got a collar, lease, and garbage can, but no Gus. I also landed on my rump in the middle of the circle. Pavement not grass met my behind.

All that to say, I have been moving very slowly all week. I didn't think I was really hurt that evening, but Tuesday I felt like my whole body had been jarred. It has caused me to be quite lazy this week.

This was on the way to his neutering appointment. He had no idea of what was about to happen.  I don't think he even knows anything happened now.

Oh, and the usually perfect Lemony, the Golden went swimming one day and must have rolled in dead fish. She had to have two baths.

I have lots more spinning, but I will end with two quotes from the Gladys Taber book I have been reading. I love her books and am currently reading another, Still Cove Journal.

The first...
"I've always maintained that if I had to choose between a spotless house and a messy dog, I would not hesitate to choose the latter."

I have been trying to keep a clean house for 34 years while having dogs. Gus is definitely giving me a run for my money.

The second...
"But when housework suddenly seems unbearable--as it sometimes does, especially in February---the homemaker has a freedom of choice seldom possible in an office routine. One can choose an hour of the fantasy land of seed catalogs and plan for spring. Let the washing go---it will keep.

I fear I have done a good bit of letting things go this week with a very aching back!!!

Stitching friends, I will be back with my stitching progress soon.

Filled with Aleve and hoping to be moving with ease soon,
Sandy