Flowers, Outdoor Life, and Inspiration for Next Week's Decorating

I haven't been at home much this week or it sure seems like it. I am sharing the highlights of my week and letting you see my phone pictures as well.

Jeff and I went to our wellness doctor on Monday in Pensacola. We are seeing him twice a year now even though insurance doesn't cover anything but blood work. He has made such a difference in our lives that we want to maintain the progress.

Just getting getting the vitamins matched to our needs is reason alone to go. We are both doing well. I will say that maintaining the weight loss has been easy. We both want to reach our goal weight. I think we both felt we had pushed hard for so long that the last six months we just stopped the sacrificial and maintained. It is good to know we can maintain.

We are starting Tuesday morning with the sacrificial to reach our goal loss. I will fill you on why Tuesday in a bit. We will both be hitting it hard to reach the goals. Me 8-10 and him 20 pounds. 

Writing it makes it better for accountability!!!!!!!

You have been looking at my roses that I have tried growing in pots. I LOVE roses, especially hybrid teas. My favorites are Oklahoma (the darker red) and Chrysler Imperial (the lighter red). My other favorite roses are Queen Elizabeth (light pink) and President Herbert Hoover (a pink orange blend) which are floribundas. 

My problem is I have absolutely no where to grow them. The latter two do pretty well right up front, but I have no room for the first two, so I tried pots. I have found that they get leggy and the blooms are smaller. I wonder if I have the right size pot. Any rose growers out there with helpful hints please send them to me. I have read but I still feel like I am missing the mark.

The next picture was taken from our dock. I never seem to show y'all this view. It is to the west and the sun setting. I always show y'all sunrises because I can see them from inside my house. The sunsets from the dock are not so bad either.

Mother got sick again. She is in the best of health and very mobile and sound mind for an 82 year old, however she has two issues that wear us both out. One is sinuses. Even with a sinus surgery, she stays a mess. Probably a different climate would help, but that is out of the question. The other issue is recurring UTIs. She has a slow stream, so that causes problems. I stay after her to drink water, but she is just going to get them I think no matter what. 

She has a terrible time taking antibiotics, so I was dreading the doctor visit like crazy. We tried a one dose antibiotic which I had never heard of. I have even forgotten the name. Started with an M. It has helped and we had one day of sick from the antibiotics rather than 10.

Woohoo!!!

 Below is the other direction from the dock which I always share morning pictures with you. This was taken yesterday evening. I just needed to sit outside for awhile.

The next picture is straight across from me. It may be the only vacant lot on the water anywhere around here. I love it.

I took Mother to Gulf Shores yesterday to visit a friend from Illinois that was at the beach for vacation. The interesting thing about this friend is that she and Mom have been friends since 1961 when we were stationed in Germany. They were young newborn mothers and became fast friends. Their friendship has lasted all these years. They used to write letters before the advent of smart phones and visited with each other every two or three years. The last time she made it down was Lindsay's wedding in 2014.  It was great to catch up with her.

Today I have been trying to get the house in some sort of order and bake a cake for Jeff's birthday. My two men have birthdays with only a day between them.  (NO DIET until Tuesday) I have always tried to make sure I had separate birthdays because everyone should have their day. We are celebrating one tonight and one Monday night...not the correct days but it is when I can get all the family assembled.

Yesterday evening I was just plain tired for some reason, so I sat in that pink chair on the second level and took the next photo.

I ventured out there because I had become carried away with two baby cardinals out the kitchen window. I looked at them with binoculars for the longest time. They don't usually play on the water side of the house, but they were even hanging out on the dock.

I don't know if you can see it in the photo below, but I was able to catch one of them on the chains that hold the boat up near the top.

I am getting ready to diet and decorate my house for a more patriotic feel for summer next week. I ordered these blue checked napkins a while back and have seen them in several people's Instagram accounts. 

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

The next two pictures are completely off topic, but on the same Instagram account. I love this table and hutch.

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

A closer view of it. Eye candy is what I call it.

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

Now, this is where I got the napkins and I plan to copy this picture!!! https://jennysteffens.blogspot.com

IS this not just plain adorable?!!!

I will share it next week after I get past two birthday celebrations and a craft project with my daughter. 

I will also be sharing a craft project and a stitching update next week.

For now I am busy getting ready birthday celebrations.

See y'all next week,

Sandy

 

Easter Weekend

It was a busy weekend, but all good. I knew going in I would have a busy one, so I tried to prepare myself last week. I love Easter, after all it is the greatest day for a Christian.

On Good Friday, I had to meet the plumber at my son's house to fix the kitchen sink...last plumbing problem I hope. Then the deck was finished and I tried to put some things back together (pictures of it at the end of the post). Hubby got off a little early so we moved some things back into place and decided some needed to go to the trash heap.

All the while doing those things, I was so mindful of what Jesus did for me. We had a quiet supper at home that evening.

I stayed home Saturday morning rather than going to the farm. I had gone on Thursday to water the garden, so I figured Hubby could handle it on Saturday. I did a bit of cleaning and food prep for Sunday.

That evening we had two of the five Easter services at our church, so I went to one of them. I served at two of the Sunday services, so I was quite pooped. I didn't really get to stop though. I had the family coming for Sunday supper.

Usually my daughter and my mom help out if they are here, but Lindsay had her in-laws here until Sunday after church. I was so excited that they were able to come down and go to church with them. They live in Atlanta. I had hoped they could stay Sunday evening, but the mom couldn't get off work on Monday. I think Lindsay was very tired. She has been hopping at work lately. Mom has had sinus issues for the last two weeks. We have a doctor's appointment this afternoon.
I did the cooking except for the pork loin and sausage which Hubby grilled. I didn't mind if I can have my small family with me.

I didn't take ONE solitary picture yesterday, not one. I was just busy and never stopped. I was so sad when I realized I had not taken any pictures. That is really not like me at all. AND, the girlfriend came. Paul Allen brought her and we were so excited. She is really adorable. I had an opportunity to get a picture of her and I blew it.

Please tell me I am not the only one who has ever done that. You know I know it is the first time I have missed an Easter picture. I don't know what to put in the photo album. Blank spot with a note...Mom is losing it.

Let's see our menu consisted of..

Appetizer

Concecuh Sausage

Pimento Cheese

Crackers

Main Meal

Pork Loin

Mashed Potatoes (Mother calls them creamed potatoes)

Peas

Deviled Eggs

Rolls

Desserts

Chocolate Meringue Pie

Lemon Bars

So that is my Easter with no pictures😞

The message was so good at church. A good Resurrection Day spent serving the Lord and with family. Doesn't get any better.

Here is the finished deck and dock.

 

If you are wondering about the older looking boards at the bottom. They were not redone as they are all structurally good and will last a long time. They can be removed without messing the deck up in any way. 

A water picture from right in front of where Lucy is standing.

The next two pictures of what happens in spring in the Panhandle of Florida. Those live oaks that drip with Spanish moss that are we are so famous for drop their leaves. Yes, just like fall everywhere else. Hubby got up four bags from the lawn this weekend. They bud and the leaves fall off in the spring. We rake in April in September here.

This a close up of the top of one of the trees. I took it from the top deck on back. 

Thought that tidbit might be interesting for the northern friends. 

Have a great day y'all.

Sandy

Cross Stitching, Flowers, Trees, and Deck Update

I finished the bunny in time to enjoy for Easter. I set it up on the easel for showing y'all, but I am hanging it on the cabinet in the dining room for Easter and probably all of April.

I have so many things lined up to do that I am having trouble staying with one, but I don't feel like I make much progress if I have too many projects going at once. I will probably work on the Christmas cardinals that I didn't finish before Christmas and a patriotic one.

A few thoughts about the crazy weather...

I have decided that some flowers and trees were just as confused by the winter/spring craziness this year. We basically didn't have winter except for two very cold weekends in which we got down to the record breaking temperatures that killed lots of my plants that I don't normally move in around here. However, I hardly wore anything more than a sweat shirt this winter. Then there is February which should have been cold and I wore shorts and took walks on the beach. It is no wonder that the plants don't know what to do.

These flowers were completely duped by winter...azaleas and camellias. My azaleas were completely done by the end of February. The camellias couldn't decide whether to bloom or not. The ones in the yard were worse than those at the farm. They did bloom, but not nearly as prolific as last year.
Even the pansies this year seem confused. They bloom one week only to nearly die the next.

My major disappointment this year was the bulbs. I had planted tulips and more daffodils in the ground. The daffodils did bloom but looked puny. The tulips broke ground but never bloomed. I was extremely sad. I will plant the tulips in pots again like last year. I REALLY missed them.

On the other hand, the roses, geraniums, and hydrangeas didn't seem to fall for any tricks. They have been about normal.

I think the trees have all budded late this year. I really thought the Natchez crepe myrtle in our front yard wasn't going to bloom, but it broke out almost overnight. The birds are so excited about that. There is a pair of cardinals that love that tree in the summer.

The live oaks have not dumped their leaves, but I feel it is coming any day now. Live oaks are like the other oaks in the fall ...leave dump like snow falling in the spring.

The deck is coming along what seems slowly, but should be finished by the end of the week.

Some progress pictures and some big mess pictures. I probably need to get rid of some flower pots and some old patio furniture. I will analyze all that next week.

The mess is all on the second level. Can't even really get to my plants to water them.

Two progress shots from yesterday.

I have a busy day lined up, but I will be back tomorrow with a share about my my leather couch refurbish. It looks amazing.

Sandy

A New Deck and Dock

The following pictures are part of my week's happenings.

We are getting a new lower deck and dock. We got a new upper deck in April of 2015. The plan was to hold off a little longer on the lower deck. We are doing in Trex which is very expensive, so had to prepare to write that check for a couple of years. When the pilings began to have issues, well, the whole process got moved up to now. It really all needed to be done and I look forward to the finished product.

If I love it as much as the upper deck, we are in good shape.

Hopefully, it will outlast us and the kids will replace it the next time.

I probably have another week of sawing and hammering, but at least it is downstairs. Last time, I had workers right in the main rooms I hang out in all day.

I have finished the interior of my son's home with the exception of one corner between door facings that needs a special brush. Mind you, I have that special brush but, for some reason can never remember to take it. I also have a couple of places to paint when the sheetrock repairmen comes next week to replace a door and fix a hole. I will be glad to have it done. I need a break from painting. I have my painting fix for a good while.

Everyone has been so good to him. A friend of ours had their mother move into a smaller place and she just gave him this table and chairs.

Now, I have two barstools to find a home for.

I am going to help him hang a few pictures this weekend.

Oh, and check out the next picture. He planted some flowers. I know Katie, the girlfriend😊 helped him with this. There is no way he could have done this.

Mother and I have finally made it through all of her doctor appointments for the month and even got a few eliminated from the list. WE both have decided that we will move all but one to here instead of driving to Pensacola. We didn't mind that years ago, when there wasn't as much traffic, but it is a bit harder these days.

I went for a beach walk this morning. I was hoping to find lots of treasures after a storm last night, but to my surprise the tourists have arrived and the beach chairs were up everywhere and the cleaning crew had already driven along the beach. I will have to get there earlier next time, although now it is simply time to just park my own beach chair now and sit.

Picture overload, but it too good to pass up.

A few smalls for my new jar of smalls.

I actually haven't stitched much this week because I was doing a bunny and wanted to finish him before I started a new project. I ordered all my thread for it (not DMC) from 123 Stitch which I love. They have fast delivery, but they were backordered on the border color, so I had to order from somewhere else. They have very slow delivery😞 I have to wait until next week for it to get here. I guess I will read instead.

That's a wrap for now anyway.

Have a great weekend,
Sandy

President Herbert Hoover and Queen Elizabeth

Deck Progress

The top deck is complete, but rain is hampering progress on the bottom levels.

The top deck was completed just in time for the spring rains. The rains have kept me from cleaning up and doing the touch up painting that is needed from where the old and new didn't meet. Yesterday was the first sunny day, but I spent the whole day inside with doctor appointments for Mama. Today we had more of those, so I am hoping the sunshine will hold for tomorrow so that I can get busy outside.

Without further ado, here is the top level.

I went outside early this morning to get a few pictures. This view was taken on the side by the stairs going down and looking back across the deck. The table and chairs are right outside our kitchen door. 

We used a composite material for the deck boards. All other material is the regular pressure treated lumber used along the water. I chose the  darker color because when the other boards age they will be similarly colored.

The next shot is where I keep my geraniums.

Unfortunately, they are not blooming. They will be popping soon though. They do well here, and I love to look out my kitchen window while washing dishes to them. They also make a great little side note for suppers on the deck. 

I love to sit in the tall chairs. We had them especially built for the deck so that you could see over the rail. They are wonderful, and I thank God every time I sit in one for the view that I am so lucky to have.

The grill is right out our family room door. Hubby is a fine grill master, I might add.

This is the view to the right from my chair.

This is straight ahead.

To the left is a tree, and if it looks like a long way down, it is.

The truth is that this deck is much like three levels up. I will show you in a moment.

Going downstairs, the second level is the downstairs to our home. It has a tile porch and the former top deck rested on the stone wall. It had finally given way to the deck. So, we moved the support beams out further and they are in the ground with concrete. It actually added about a foot and a half out on the top deck.

We have to get the stone wall repaired. We are pulling up the tile and putting in a metal rail on this level. It will have a gate which I am so excited about. The dogs will not be able to sneak off at will for a swim.

The tile is awful. It is impossible to keep it nice looking. The only thing I don't like about the new deck is the big posts. In order for us to get a real secure deck that I won't worry about made them a necessity. 

We didn't redo the bottom level because we can a few more years out of it. When we do we will use the composite material to do it as well.

I purposely didn't make these big because I have a mess to clean up down there. Everything is just dirty. Hopefully, next week I can get outside and get it done.

This is looking back from the dock.

 The second level will have railing when we get the stone repaired and tile repaired.

Now, for an interesting note. The water levels are way down during the winter months, but during the summer they rise to the top to where no sand is showing on a regular day. The right side of the yard is grass and you have to step directly into the water. We have a ladder on the dock to climb down in the water.

When hurricanes come in, it is hard to believe, but the pilings directly in the front and center of you are covered with water very early. During IVAN, water came up to the top of the stone but never overlapped onto the tile. VERY scary.

As for Mama...we are continuing to try and get her feeling better. After her blood pressure shot to stroke levels back in January, I have had her going to all kinds of doctors. Yesterday, we finished our visits to the urologist. She has a kidney stone embedded and some para pelvic cysts, but everything checked out ok there. Cardiologist has gotten her blood pressure settled down, and we are done with him. She has a massive sinus infection, so we are working on that with a month long prescription of antibiotics specifically designed for her problem. Possibly a balloon procedure on tap for May.

We visit her new internist, now her primary care physician next week.

busy, busy, busy....

Sandy