The Rocks

This past Friday and Saturday we headed to Dadeville one last time (well, hopefully) to clean out the cabin. We have a buyer ---in fact a family friend from my hometown that I grew up with. Everything is headed in a forward direction with a closing date set while I am on my mission trip. We all know that so it the goal to get it done before I head out in July.

The inspection has been done and agreed upon. Now it is just paperwork in the lawyer's hands.

It was bittersweet as I knew it would be. The decision is made. I am at peace about it. Jeff is at peace about it, but still it was a little harder to close that door for the last time and pull out of the driveway.

We have made so many wonderful memories, but new ones are to come.

As I closed the door and glanced back in at the empty cabin, uncontrollable tears welled up in my eyes. I turned around and Paul Allen caught me.

Then he reminded us of how we had collected all the rocks from the woods around the cabin to line the driveway and beds around the house. Every visit for a very long time we would all gather a rock to add to the line. It is very rocky in that area of Alabama.

There were a few gaps, but we lined both sides.

Change is in the air. I know it is time. Good memories.

Paul Allen and Jeff drove into Dadeville and bought a t-shirt from Floyd's Hardware, a wonderful old store just off the square. I meant to stop at the Lake Martin Mercantile to maybe gather a souvenir. I didn't stop. I was just too tired and too many things to do. I am supposing I will frame a picture of us at the cabin for the new place AND

both the boys agreed I take the Serenity sign to the new place.

I am guessing this is the last post tagged cabin.
Sandy

Saying Goodbye to Our Cabin

This weekend we will say goodbye to our cabin at the lake. We purchased the little cabin in the spring of 2006 and made many memories there. Selling it is bittersweet.

Last fall we really began to think we had too much going on with the cabin and the farm. Both were special places, but keeping up with all of it and all the other things going on in life was just a bit much.

I am going to miss this screened porch.

We began to soul search and pray about what we really wanted and think forward. You know that is just it....things never really stay the same. Life is fluid and sometimes that means changes.

The kids gave their input and we decided that we wanted to purchase a place in town in Auburn as a second getaway and only have one place to keep up. The farm went up for sell a couple of months ago, but being a 90 acre piece of property is making it a slow sell. I have absolutely no doubt it will see to the perfect people in due time.

In the meantime, things are beginning to pop at the lake (Lake Martin) and in Auburn so when I began to have realtors call me about the cabin we felt it might be time to ponder it. Then what we thought might be a home in Auburn we wanted came available I made a call to a family friend from my hometown of Brewton who told me a while back if we ever sold to give him a call. I did...they are buying ... no realtors... WoW! It is selling.

We are going up to move all the furniture to storage this weekend. We are house hunting with a realtor in Auburn that we used before to purchase a townhome when Lindsay was in college. She is amazing and has a great selection lined up for us to see. I really have my eyes on one in particular.

I don't want anything too large and with a fenced backyard for the dogs.

I am going to miss my little cabin. So many good good memories, but you know we have more to make. We never utilized it for the lake, but the family that is buying it will and I know they are going to love it.

We have access to one of the docks on the left and have never ever used it. 

We named the cabin Serenity when we bought it. It had a story behind it, but you know that truly became so fitting for it - far more than we could ever imagined? I haven't decided if I am going to take the sign or not to Auburn. The lineage for the story could travel there. I am mulling it over.

All that to say...do you think I could have anymore life changes at once? Don't answer that...I know I could.


We are planning to get one of those medical alerts for when Mother can go back home. Anyone have a specific company they recommend? I think I have one picked out, but I am researching for now.

Stay tuned for a stitching post and house stuff soon,
Sandy

My Week

Last week was a great week, so much so that I just soaked it up and stayed off the blog. Those weeks when I don't have a million errands are few and far between, so when they come along you have to make the best of them.

My daughter works close by and comes for lunch most days. I love it and miss her when she can't come, but she had to go out of town for a good bit of last week, so no lunch prep. I used the time wisely.

Most of my days last week began with morning walks with Lemony. She is enjoying them immensely. I bring her back home and then go for a more vigorous walk afterwards. I love strolling with her down the street. We have enjoyed the birds and morning time so much. I need to be a great photographer to show y'all the beauty, but alas I am not one.

Speaking of walks, I have just so enjoyed spring this year. I know the serious summer heat is coming, so I am trying to get outside now as much as possible. I got half of my outside windows done last week. I have puttered in my flowers and roses. Lemony has enjoyed the water and has been swimming everyday.

I did lots of housework, but I did pop into Instagram for eye candy a few times. I fell in love with this porch picture that James T Farmer posted.

Source: https://www.instagram.com/jamesfarmerinc/ 

It is not his porch, but his is pretty great too. I love this porch and could seriously relax there. I love all of Farmer's books. He graduated from Auburn in horticulture I think, but he is amazingly talented at putting those beautiful gardens together. He has a two Instagrams. The picture is from his more business related one, but I love his personal account as well. https://www.instagram.com/jamestfarmer/?hl=en

The garden at the farm had to be attended to as well as the beginning of the week had been so dry. We went up Tuesday evening just to water the garden. The small amount of squash plants are doing well and I will have a reasonable amount to deal with this year. I still have some yellow onions to gather as well. The tomatoes are not looking so well. It had been so dry. That has changed with the end of the week, so hopefully that will help them.

Thursday night, our local Auburn club had their annual big dinner with a coach visiting. It was one of the better ones I have been to in a while. Paul Allen and Katie (the girlfriend) and Mama went with us.

That was my boring week, but fun week.

On Saturday, we went to the farm to mow grass. There were three of us mowing, so we got a ton done. Jeff was weed eating around the pond and was sort of "ambushed" as he calls it by a large water moccasin. He was holding the weed eater way out and the snake came up from the area he had already done. He looked down and said he still has his younger day moves, because he was back peddling up the bank despite pine straw trying to make him slip. It unnerved him to say the least. The snake crawled out into the water. He grabbed his gun which was loaded with snake shot and started looking out across the pond because he thought it probably swan out to the middle. As he is scanning his way back to the bank, he realized it had only gone out about a foot and had just its nostrils out of the water. He was waiting on Jeff to come back to strike. Jeff shot him three times in all. He was 4 feet 2 inches long and as big as his arm according to Jeff. Since I do NOT look at snakes at ALL. I had to take his word for it. Everyone who saw the picture, said something to the effect ..."Oh my goodness!" I took their word for it as well. They are moving!!!

We also went to our lake cabin near Auburn after church on Sunday to do a little yard work on Monday. We are going up in a few weeks for a few days, so we thought we would get a good bit of work done early so we could relax in a few weeks. We got only weed eating done and the porches cleaned before rain set in. I must say it was a beautiful rain, but hard and steady enough that no more work was getting done.

I love the cabin in all seasons, because you really see the seasons there. We don't see seasons here along the Gulf Coast. Maybe a little cool weather in the winter, but not the tree changes. I love all of the trees there. There are so many different kinds. Here we have live oaks (which I love), palmetto bushes, long leaf pines, and transplanted palm trees (they are not so native to our area). You see palms everywhere on the famous 30A, but they have all been planted there in the last 20 years.

In stitching news, I have yet to frame or do a finish on Freedom, but I will handle that this week. I have been working this week on a sampler.

This will go in the gathering room at the farmhouse.

I have lots of mending to do this week, so I will spend some time in the sewing room, but not on fun stuff. I have to take up a dress and hem a skirt for my daughter to name a few.

That is all the goings on in my world. I will try and post a bit more this week.
Sandy

P.S. Two other random pictures from my phone.

A hawk on the boat house last evening.

Auburn's softball coach was eating at the same place as us at the lake. Sly picture huh?! Anyway, he spoke later and was so nice. He had a game win earlier in the day, and they were looking at film on a laptop with the owner of the restaurant. 

New Year's Eve

I am spending such an exciting night this New Year's Eve. I am going between watching football and painting some bookcases while listening to fireworks from Destin. This makes the dogs jumpy.

I am pondering whether I will stay up for the New Year. I am taking a break from painting right now to share the remainder of my week.

Hubby and I went to Auburn and the cabin. We made it to a basketball game Thursday evening. That morning we walked around our little neighborhood and looked at the new homes they are building.

When we come off the main road to our cabin, you go left to our cabin and right to the new construction.

We have to climb up this hill to get to the main road. It is quite a workout.

Then you turn down this road to the new homes.

They are all on the lake although they are far back from the lake, and it is quite a hilly and rocky trek down to the lake from here. This was once woods. 

The infamous tornadoes that hit Tuscaloosa also hit here and wiped out all of the woods. It was also an F4.

My husband was standing behind the new construction. The two  homes closest to the water in the distance were completely destroyed and have been rebuilt.

I thought the new homes were interesting.

The first one had a paddle wheel built on the side. I should have gotten a closer picture. It looks to be a real working paddle with the roof letting rain water drift down on it.

They all lots of pretty wood floors and ceilings in them.

AND basements.

This door is access to all the plumbing and stuff. Very good idea.

This one was the largest.

I liked them all, but I didn't get jealous. 

Our small cabin is all we need and we love the fact that we feel like we are in the woods even though we are very close to all of this.

This little brook runs between our cabin and our neighbor. We are up to the right of it.

You definitely see seasons here which is nice for us. In the summer it is lush and green and winter bare as can be.

I love how our driveway is curved so that from the road coming in you might even miss us.

But, we are there just to the left.

We spent the day just strolling around Opelika and Auburn. We went to an "antique" store. Most of the antique stores are not really antiques if antique means anything 100 years or older.

I think maybe "vintage" describes them better. They are just full of stuff from the 70's and 80's that we all sold in yard sales. I often wonder if they really sell anything. 

Well, I am going to go check on my bookcases that I am painting. I am hoping this will turn out well. I am painting the white bookcases in my daughter's old room / guest room now. I have thought about getting rid of them, but they hold a ton of stuff and I don't know what I would replace them with that would be as well built, so I am painting. We will see.

It is definitely going to be a week long project because I am painting them with semi gloss paint and having to do a second coat.

Everyone have an exciting New Year's Eve like me!!!

Sandy

A Couple of Days Away

I always love when Hubby and I can get away even if for just a night. We left on Wednesday morning to head up to our cabin near Auburn. We made a quick stop by the farm to drop off a few things and let Hubby and a friend shoot a new gun.

I brought the pillows that I finally made for the couch. They looked even better than I thought. I have thought and thought about that picture above the couch. I kept thinking that the picture I have at the cabin of a red barn would look better there, but every time I get to the cabin I can't bring myself to move it from the cabin.

I thought and thought on Wednesday morning about bringing the picture to the cabin with me, but ....

Well, I just decided that each will stay in their respective places.

The one above the checked couch at the farm house has a pond that really looks like the pond at the farm. It is hard to see from the picture above. It does have a red mat as the secondary mat as well.

The final thought is it will stay there, and I will get this room painted soon which will bring out the painting and the curtains.

I also am thinking this basket needs to be filled with cross stitch smalls. I need to get busy and finish the two samplers I have planned and then start filling those baskets.

I added some cute read dish towels to the kitchen as well.

I will share some photos I took of construction going on near our cabin tomorrow evening. Several new cabins around the corner are being built.

We took in a basketball game and ate in Auburn with some good friends.

In the meantime, Hubby and I had such a great two days. Lots of talking and thinking and planning. I am in the process of painting some bookcases at home, so I will be working on that tomorrow.

I have plenty to share for awhile.

For now a little football watching,
Sandy

The Weekend

Hubby and I took a quick trip to the cabin on Friday and came back late Saturday. It was a quick trip, but really did us a lot of good. It has been busy busy this summer with the kids and his new job, so we have not vacationed at all.

We went up to tidy up around the cabin and get it ready for fall. We have promised ourselves some downtime in the fall.

We stopped and ate in Montgomery. I bought me a really cute outfit from J Jill. I will have to share it later. We got in before dark, but just rested Friday evening.

Saturday morning, Hubby fixed a bit of breakfast and I cleaned it all up. Then he headed out to weed eat at the bottom of the hill. I walked down to the lake and it was quite peaceful. For about 30 minutes, it was actually pleasant with a nice breeze.

Path to the lake.

This was my view from the gazebo. 

We actually have access via one of those docks on the left, but have never in over 10 years used it. We love the feel of being in the woods, but close to Auburn.

This is the gazebo where I drank my coffee.

I was surrounded by shade, so I am sure that is why it felt good and it was early.

I did feel guilty that he was working. I brought him an occasional water.

Football season will be here soon.

Although I think I am going to try really hard in mid August to make a quick trip between Mama's closing on her house, and Lindsay and Tyler's closing on there house.

The first game is Clemson, and Lindsay and Tyler are snagging those and taking Tyler's parents. We wanted to make sure everything was nice for them.

All in all, it was a great weekend for the Hubby and me. We went in to Auburn Saturday afternoon and got Lindsay and me our clear bags for the games this year AND a new t-shirt.

I finished a book and started some new stitching, so I will pop in with that tomorrow.

So blessed,

Sandy

Weekend Wrap-up

Hubby and I had a busy but relaxing weekend. I tried to kill two birds with one stone this weekend. I felt like we BOTH could use a weekend away from the routine by OURSELVES, and the I knew the cabin needed attending to around the outside at least.

Hubby finishes up at the high school on Thursday, so basically he has been running to both jobs each day. He won't ever admit it, but I know he is tired. Baccalaureate is tonight and graduation on Thursday, so I think he will be out of there on Friday morning and only at his new job.

I worked on his new office a bit last week.

I on the other hand have been stretched mentally a bit with Mama. I really thought she would have bounced back by now, and to anyone who sees her they think she is just hunky dory... but friends she is not. She complains a ton! I love her, but she has got me worn out too. We go and get a colonoscopy at the end of June. That is the last think I can think of to take her to test. She says she never feels well. There is more..

Hubby and I got up Saturday morning and drove to the lake with a stop in Montgomery for lunch and a quick trip in J Jill. I bought a cute pair of white pants and a summery top.

Then off to the cabin where he fired up the weed eater, and I started washing all the linens. I try to give the cabin a real deep clean once a year around this time. It is amazingly tight in there so means it never gets too dusty. I cleaned floors, and he made sure he got it cut so I won't see any rattlesnakes. We have some friends staying next weekend, and I want to go midJune for some time away.

We headed into Auburn for supper with our really good friends. This time we ate at Live Oaks. It was good, but not close to the meal we had at Acre last visit.

 These friends used to live in FWB and Hubby went to junior high with the other Jeff. In fact, my Jeff has two best friends who are Jeffs and they all went to Auburn. Our gang of friends all called them by their last name. It was really hard for my to call Hubby by the name of Jeff when we stared dating. I still use his last name when we are around any of the Jeffs. I digress...the friends had to move to Tullahoma a few years ago. Their kids still think of FWB as home and never want to go to Tullahoma. The boys all went to Auburn, so they bought a second home in Auburn thinking they would see their kids more.

We had a nice time with them as always. Sunday morning we finished up a few chores and ate breakfast in Opelika while making a Home Depot run.

On the way home, we drove back by the farm via all the back roads. It took a while, but we had time on our hands. We got our first tomatoes and a few other veggies. I had pulled up zucchini earlier in the week, so that would be manageable. We shared with friends too.

On Monday, Hubby got up early and took Lemony to fish with him. He did not take Lucy who is not as calm on the fishing trips, so that meant she was standing on me mourning the fact quite early.

So much for the idea of sleeping in!

Lucy knew they were coming in. I think she either was jumping on me or looking out the window the whole time!

We headed to Mama's to put up some pegboard in her garage. Her HOA has had to hire a new company to do the yards at her place. Oh MYLANTA!!!!! There are quite a few old ladies in there and they do nothing but complain...fits in with Mother. She has complained about her yard which BTW looks great. Hubby had to go back to Lowe's for some different screws, and I thought any relaxation I had found over the weekend had taken legs and sprinted out the door while he was gone.

Bottom line...I have got to find a way to let the complaining not bother me!

I made homemade ice cream last night. I used to do it all the time on Memorial Day, so I thought it was time to bring back the tradition. It was so good. I said I wouldn't just eat any old dessert...only the good homemade ones. Y'all it was so good.

I will share the recipe tomorrow.

Homemade fudge topping too!

As for today, I have quite a few chores to do and other various things so I will busy the rest of the day.

I do hope everyone had a wonderful long weekend.

Praying for Mama because God is good!

Sandy

Welcome November

November is here, and I am excited about it. I am hoping for some cooler weather now. Never cold, but cooler.

November's monthly cottage cross stitch is mounted and completed on time. 

Actually, I am officially ahead of schedule, because I completed December already. I love how it turned out. 

I guess when Auburn is having a losing season that means you get the 11:00 time slot. That makes it a little tough on Hubby with Friday night football games. This week I went up on Friday with all three dogs by myself. The third dog is my daughter's. She and Hubby both had to go out of town with their jobs, and she wasn't getting in until Friday evening. The rest of the family had to get up real early Saturday morning and leave to make it to the game. 

I can't really leave them in a kennel anymore as Lucy, the Springer started having seizures about a year and a half ago. It had been six months since her last one, but she had two the previous weekend.

We got there and I fixed supper so I wouldn't have to go out. I plopped down on the sofa later in the evening, caught up on my Bible study and cross-stitched while watching the Hallmark channel. 

The littles ones snoozed. Lemony is on the floor beyond the sofa. I am in my favorite spot. 

Pretty good evening for me.

My favorite spot is on the lounging end!

Of course, we lost...going to be a long season, but that is that. I love my family time in a one of my favorite spots.

I picked up these plates at Dillards the other day. 

They literally called out to me and said you must buy me. Blue is my absolute favorite color.

They were displayed on blue and gray plates. I am thinking I need to go back and get those blue plates. My blue placemats are just not going to be enough.  Stay tuned.

That's a wrap,

Sandy

Random Post (Great Views)

This post will be a random assortment of things.

I was looking through my photos from the last few days, and they will guide this post.

I like to have time to just play house. Last week, I finally stole a moment to play with a place setting for no reason other than I just wanted to play.

The plates on the bottom are from my daughter's closet. I was digging around in there looking for something else when I came across them. My mother had given them to her when she moved in her apartment at Auburn. They have been boxed up since her graduation in 2012. Oldies may recognize them from their younger days. They were purchased at grocery store. I think it may have been Piggly Wiggly or the A&P. They came in the green or gold. Anyway, they worked perfectly with my duck salad plates that I got from Tuesday Morning a while back.

We went to Auburn this past weekend. I will speak not of football scores, even though I love my Tigers win or lose. I am faithful.

Mama and I went up Friday to the cabin, and Hubby and Son came up Saturday morning. I took the dogs with me. This is what they did for most of the time. If not outside, they were looking out on the screened porch. I can not even begin to tell you how much I enjoyed my porch. 

My daughter turned 26 this weekend. Wow, I can't believe how time has flown. She will always be my little girl. She and her husband headed to Cape San Blas for the weekend. They had a great weekend. If you have never been there. It is amazing. Old Florida at its best. 

New Costa sunshades were her birthday present from Mom and Dad.

Game day attire.

A few photos from Auburn.

I have something new to share about soon, but here are a few hints.

It was a blustery day in the Fort today. It was quite windy on the bayou.

The water was up and quite choppy.

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Well, that is a wrap on my randomness.

Sandy