Springtime Garden

Well spring is officially here.   We have sprung ahead and another great season of flowers and fun await..

As some of you may know, we recently purchased a mobile home in Florida.  It will be our winter home, a place to come to when the days get short and the temperatures fall cold in Ohio.  It is definately a fixer-upper, but that allows us to make it our own.  So between working on materials for my online store and doing shows, we are making small and large changes every day.

Our first call was to spruce up the front so that we weren't a disgrace to the neighborhood. We have repainted, coated the roof and replaced several windows.  I think the new color of beige on white makes the place look quite nice.

I have been shopping for flowering bushes that would work in the south.  I am familiar with gardening in Ohio, but not sure about Florida. I found that Azaleas seem to be the best bet, so I  purchased three from a fellow crafter recently; two red and one white.  I have also planted some pinks, an interesting Geranium and replaced my honeysuckle that I lost up north in the winter.  I found  two plants that  resemble daisies, and I think their yellow and purple flowers make for a nice accent.

My veggies are grown in containers this year..  This allows me to continue to enjoy them even when I go north. I have a bush tomato already with several tomatoes, some bush cucumbers and my planter herb garden.

I am enjoying  the new adventure of gardening in the south. I hope you are planning your spring garden and enjoy the joys of gardening as much as I do.

Whacky Wednesday

DAD AND MY GRANDSON TYLER




Good Morning! Today is supposed to be Wandering Wednesday, but as some of you might have read in the past, we are remodeling the MH, and because of this process, which is going slower than expected, we aren't very mobile right now. And though I am not totally tied to my MH, my travels haven't been very exciting. So I won't bore you with those stories.

My MH is currently sitting in the driveway of my father's house in Florida. My father will be 83 in June and has a progressing case of Parkinson's decease. In his case it affects his mobility in his legs. On most days he doesn't walk very well and someone has to help him into a wheelchair or if not too far with his walker. And to further complicate his life, the medicine that he is taking has had an adverse affect on his cognisant skills. On a good day he will know us, and will converse though he often can't complete a sentence. On a bad day, he doesn't know where he is and who we are. This is the most difficult for me.

But, despite how difficult it is for me to see him this way, I can only imagine how he must feel. To start a sentence and not be able to remember what you were saying. To have to have someone to help you in almost every area of your life. In my younger years I remember my father as a rock, a successful business man, and thougt I really didn't always agree with him, I was respectful of his knowledge and position as head of the house. This is a real role reversal and is difficult at best.

So now we spend our time together sitting in front of the television watching cowboy westerns, his favorite, wheel of fortune, Bonanza and Brian Williams. We don't talk much, but it is knowing that no matter what life takes from me, it will not take away these memories of time spent with a man that has meant so much to me in my life.

Have a great day and spend some time with someone you love.

Monday, Monday Swamp Buggy Races

Wow, what a weekend this was. I assisted another vendor who was short on help at an event called "Swamp buggy races" in Collier County, Fl. It was quite the happening place. I was amazed at the crowd it drew and the diversity.

I met a family from Denmark, two couples from England, several from Canada and even a chap from Australia. All to see a group of good ole boys (and girls) race around a circle in the mud. Time trials were held on Saturday with the final heats and winners trophies presented on Sunday.

The highlight of this event for me was the Swamp Buggy Queen being taken out in the mud on a buggy and dumped in the water. A beautiful girl in a beautiful gown dunked in the mud. Now you would really want to be queen to go through this tradition.




The theme of the day seemed to be mud and racing though there was plenty of food to be eaten and merchandise to be purchased. Here is a picture of my new version of my "Redneck Windchimes" designed for the south. Cowboy hats, camouflage, beer and the rebel confederate flag were high on the list too. I wouldn't want to be the one to tell this group of guys the south lost.

Hope you enjoyed sharing this weekend adventure with me. When you meet this type of crowd, so friendly and down to earth, it really doesn't seem like work at all. Talk to you tomorrow.

Every day has a reason

Well, after many weeks of soul searching I have finalized my blog series. I wanted to make each day be specific to a subject matter and was truly stumped for a while. But last night after spending some time working on my Etsy account, and reviewing my many pictures I have taken over the months, it came to me.

So from this point on my blog will feature the following:

Monday, Monday, a recap and regroup from my weekend as well as new items I have designed.
Tutorial Tuesday, I will tackle some sort of "how to" from cooking to crafting and household tips.
Wandering Wednesday, Here I will share my travels, my motorhome life, pictures of events and interesting people I have met along the way.
Thrifting Thursday, I have been doing these segments all along, and I will continue to share my flea market and thrift store finds.
Festive Friday, A celebration of life, family stories, plans for the weekend, shows I will be attending. Everything else thrown into a basket!

Be sure to follow my blog and I am confident you will find many articles of interest. If there is a particular story or issue you are interested in and if I can't share a story, I have a host of friends and family that I am confident would be happy to "guest write" for you. So your feedback is encouraged.

These features will begin on Monday March 8, and run everyday. I am helping a fellow vendor out this weekend at a swamp buggy race, so that should be worth a thousand words and pictures.

Until we meet again!

Monday, Monday 2/22

Whew! Finally back in the studio. The weather has taken a turn for the better down here in Florida and the sunshine just makes me want to get out and do something creative.

I just created a nice slate with a primitive crow design. I think you will like it. As well, I took an old dingy candle holder (I think you might recognize it from my thrifting post) and made it into a lovely chamber candle holder. Complete with a battery operated flicker candle. I love it.

Today, I will work on some primitive checker boards as well as some new dog and cat items. I am doing a show this weekend in Branson, Fl for a friend. It is a benefit for the local animal shelter. It should be fun and I expect to sell a lot of dog bones. Who knows, I might find a new friend along the way. Not that I can replace my old buddy Bear, but it is time I found a new dog. I will try not to compare, but it will be hard.

Well, here are some pics and hope you have a wonderful day. Until we meet again....