Rain....the good and the bad

I bought a flat of assorted bedding plants at the farm supply store and planted them in pots by the front door.

The front of our house looks pretty good because the front yard slopes so the rain can drain off. The front yard has been sprayed to prevent weed growth so the grass is in decent shape.

But then there is the backyard. We have not done much to it because it is mostly where our dog and any visiting dogs play and do their business. When it rains a lot in a short time, it just puddles our there. It will drain soon. Don't think I am complaining. We need this rain so bad.
We have been in a drought in our part of Oklahoma for months. The water levels in the all the ponds and lakes have been down, some towns have had to ration water and there have been lots of brush fires.

I love the thrift stores in my town!

I went to work this morning but there was nothing for me to do. I get paid by the hour and I could of stayed my whole shift but I always prefer to leave it they don't need me. I am especially glad I left today. I left work at 10:15, just after the thrift stores opened. I spent about $10 and got so many treasures.



Pampered Chef tongs were just 25 cents.
6 dainty china tea cups decorated with pink rosebuds
white divided Pyrex dish



vintage and current magazines 10 cents each



a nice basket to hold hair products under my bathroom sink
vintage rick rack and buttons
a label maker
rubber stamp
wedding stamps



more craft supplies
Fiskar circle template
another rubber stamp
cross stitch pattern





Easter Egg garland
sweet ceramic bunny
funky girl wearing a Happy New Year banner


I didn't take pictures but I also got 2 white matalesse pillow shams and a Tupperware container that will be perfect for hubby's lunchbox.

Anniversary!

Where does the time go? Sometimes I feel so old and other times I still feel like this brand new bride way back in 1980.
Jeff and I got married 27 years ago. We did not want a big wedding but our mothers had other ideas. By most standards, it was a very small wedding. There were 75 family members and guests. We each had one attendant and it took place in Jeff's parents very large den in Texarkana, Arkansas. Our mothers insisted on lots of flowers, a fancy photographer, engraved invitations and napkins, a champagne fountain and many frills at the reception.
Our colors were peach and green, very much the fashionable colors then. You can just see my bouquet on the left side of the table. Jeff wanted to wear his brown leisure suit but his mom bought that fancy cream-colored one and insisted he wear it.
My dress is very simple, just a satin slip under-dress with a lace over dress and sash at the waist-no petticoats or anything. I was wearing some fancy $66 shoes that my mother bought, that was a very high priced pair of shoes back then.

Jeff was an inactive Marine reserve when we got married but one month later, he went active-duty and we moved to Camp Pendleton California. He got a serious haircut and shave then :)

another fun internet test

I already knew I was not a Type A personality but this test was fun and just a few minutes long. I am not sure that I am always a total joy to be around but I am usually laid back and I can get deeply immersed in a project at home that I love.

You Have A Type B+ Personality

You're a pro at going with the flow You love to kick back and take in everything life has to offer A total joy to be around, people crave your stability. While you're totally laid back, you can have bouts of hyperactivity. Get into a project you love, and you won't stop until it's done You're passionate - just selective about your passions

Do You Have a Type A Personality?

Easter decorations around my home

These are just a few of the Easter decorations around our home. I really like Easter. The most important reason is the celebration of Jesus dying and rising again to save us. Having these decorations of new life around my home continually reminds me of that.

The first one is our Easter tree. It is just a little wild tree cut from a fence line and stuck in a pot with broken-up concrete from the consruction area behind our housing area. I made the counted cross stitch and plastic canvas ornaments. My mom crocheted the Victorian eggs. They are just covers over plastic eggs, with little ribbon bows and roses added to top. This was a free internet pattern I found years ago.




Can you see the Easter decorations on the mantle? The painting on the wall kind of dominates the picture. (no, I did not paint it, a friend who does murals porfessionally did it) I really like the way the eggs and grass look in the clear vases. The 3 eggs and white chicken belonged to my grandmother, Minnie Maye.


Wow, I have had these three little field rabbits so long, they look vintage!

Dodger Girl

This is Dodger Girl, pictured back when she was in her prime. She was my brother's dog and best buddy for the last 4 years. Brother Rex is a never married bachelor without children and had never had a pet. He is an electrical contractor and he met up with Dodger at a remote job site. Dodger was instantly attracted to Rex. He fed her each time he worked there and tried for several days to find her owner but she apparently did not have one.
Rex adopted her and became just like any first time parent. He took such good care of Dodger and she loved him just as much. My parents had never had a pet either but they loved Dodger so much that they provided doggie-daycare for Dodger whenever Rex was working.
Despite their best care and all their love for her, she developed liver disease.
Dodger passed away in her sleep Wednesday night, sleeping on the bed with Rex at his feet.
Rex lives on a 6 acre rural hobby farm and he buried her toward the back of the land in one of her favorite places to play.

Dodger Girl, I pray you are resting in peace.

I am not trying to make anyone sad but I hope if you have a pet, you will take good care of it. Have them spayed or nuetered.
If you don't have a pet, animal shelters are forced to put down thousands of loveable pets daily. Please consider adopting one.

Craft room organization

Because we are empty-nesters living in a 4 bedroom home, I am blessed to have one bedroom devoted to just my sewing and craft supplies and activities. But I have worked away from home more hours than I prefer to over the last 12 months and this room really needed a clear-out and organization.
While looking over some blogs yesterday, I came across this blog and her recent fabric refolding.

I know there is a way to put a link here but I am not yet savvy enough to do it. The blog is http://TheHappyZombie.com/blog/?p=124


The method is really easy and after folding several pieces, I was able to do many more just by sight without the ruler. Folding the fabric all this same way makes it easy to see and a very compact way to store lots of fabric.




After the fabric, I pulled everything else out of the closet. Of course there is a big pile to get rid of but I was able to get all my craft and sewing things back into the closet. Everything is visible and easy to get to.
I found 4 pieces of toile I did not remember having so those will be on the top of my to-do list. I also found some plastic canvas Easter projects, some finished and some almost finished.

Todays thrift store finds

I just went to one thrift store today. The wind is blowing so hard that is just unpleasant to be outside. The wind does almost always "come sweepin' down the plain" in Oklahoma but it is really hard today.
Todays finds
7 assorted Kerr jars, everything from quart wide mouth to a little half pint and two with straight sides. I like to use clear jars for pantry storage and since my maiden name is Kerr, I just prefer Kerr jars over Ball or Mason.
a little aqua dish (now I have a collection of 2 little aqua dishes)
2 yards of pink floral fabric
someone's button collection

Words of comfort for troubled times

Jehovah himself is caring for you!
He is your defender.
He protects you day and night.
He keeps you from all evil,
and preserves your life.
He keeps his eye upon you
as you come and go,
and always guards you.

Psalm 121:5-8 TLB