When we went downstairs this morning to greet the day this morning, after having spent the night in what I told Bruce I might start calling our tree house, it was nice and cool. That's the thing about the upstairs, when we open the curtains on either side, we are surrounded by big trees, so why haven't I thought of this before???
Our love affair with the house continues as we discover new things to excite us. From the front windows, as we sit on the couch watching television, the setting sun makes itself known and I pop outside to see what I can see. On this night, I believe it was Sunday, the late summer setting sun was ever so striking.
I'd actually just walked home from Vacation Bible school where I am the designated photographer and a check-in person for the week. Amazingly, they not only do it in the evening, beginning at 5:30, dinner is served and it runs from Sunday night to Thursday night. Pretty much everything is far different than when I was last volunteering for VBS. I am mostly doing what I am told!
It has been fun watching the kids engage with one anther, as well as seeing how the teachers are so good! They are using a curriculum with a scuba diving theme and science experiments are a part of things. Our friend from pickleball, Patty, is one of the helpers and although I won't be sharing the children's photos, I imagine Patty won't mind me sharing hers
Another night, while out looking at the fading light, I saw my guy through the pretty windows, which btw, are covered with storm windows as well.
In keeping with today's title (post number 2051, but who's counting?), perhaps I should talk about it don't you think? Bill and Fallon will be here in just three days!! We can hardly wait to see her growing baby bump! It will be nice to see Bill too. In part because he will be bringing up Bruce's air compressor and nail guns so he can begin building some furniture. It is a group effort as Nancy was kind enough to first go to our storage unit looking for the guns, and then back to the condo where they actually were. It was some effort but all's well that ends well. The compressor has been in Bill's garage for the longest time, so I expect he won't mind having the added space. Now if only we would get my kayak out of there! It's been in his garage for at least three years.
So, one day last week, we went to the Home Depot in Blue Ridge looking for oak boards and plywood. While they had some oak, most everything will have to be ordered. We went home to think about it but while we were in BR we went to TJ Maxx, and a very low rent store called Rose's. You know me, I cannot resist taking photographs of things I find out of the ordinary, and who wouldn't when faced with a product like below?
Two things to consider here: who makes this ugly stuff and who buys it????
On our way home we stopped in a large antique market that moved to the area from nearby Elijay just one month before. The store was super nice as far as that sort of place goes and again, I cannot resist.
Who knew 50 years ago, or somewhere in that neighborhood, that folks would be collecting this sort of thing??? We did buy a great pillow for the new futon we bought for, drum roll please, our other company coming in just two weeks time!
We are so hoping it will be comfortable for Nancy, who should feel right at home in a room devoted to sewing, as she is an excellent seamstress, far more accomplished than I. Anyway, as you can see I am trying to pick a paint color that we will like AND that will compliment my latest find at the Antique Marketplace that has been our go-to for good stuff for our home.
Seeing this original painting months ago, I kept thinking about it and finally put down my $40 and took it home. And while it has been met with mixed feelings by some, I'm very pleased with my purchase.
And just when you thought we were done buying stuff, we are not. Another rug arrived and we put it down on Sunday night.
It goes well with the drapes, but still something felt like it was missing, that is until after seeing a photo of the room, Pam gave me some advice that I'd never heard before. Sometime in the past she'd once read that every room needs some red in the decor. Hmmmm....when we got home from church I marched out back, cutting a few of the Red Spider lilies that suddenly popped out of the ground in the last week.
Look at those fingernails!! Just dreadful (!!) as they keep splitting and breaking, something completely out of the ordinary for this blogger. But I digress.
Pam is incredibly knowledgeable on all sorts of topics in life and decorating is no exception. I could not believe how much more vibrant it looks with the red!
Maybe I should ask Nancy to look for some artificial ones before she comes to see us with Matthew and Tom in tow. Kindly she has agreed to drive them here after they spend some time at our condo. Companies coming!! We can hardly wait, but wait we shall. In the meantime, we are shopping! Just kidding, but it really has been a constant as we discover things we need. Of course we did not NEED pillows for the front porch rockers, but when I saw these at WalMart for $2.50, how could I say no?
Meanwhile on the back porch the Peach Begonia is doing well.
Before I forget!
The biggest news from last week.....spraying for mosquitoes happened on Tuesday and what a blessing it has been! Apparently, with all the big trees/bushes, the larvae were having a hey-day, but no longer is that the case. I spent several miserable days last week with bites on the back of both thighs that caused my legs to swell. I tried every Cortisone cream we had, but what gave me the most relief was dousing them with a pad soaked in rubbing alcohol. Hallelujah, let the filling of the bird feeders commence!
If only I had changed out the hummingbird nectar sooner we could have enjoyed their presence this longer this summer as they will be migrating before we know it.
Since I took the photo above, they drank all of the nectar and are into a fresh batch.
So many birds, but not many bird photos.
Song Sparrows are plentiful.
Have I mentioned the prevalence of spider webs yet? They not only love the brick, but they love the windows too!
Upstairs the windows are double-hung meaning we could get to the above. On the first floor I use either a broom, or us the hose jet sprayer on the house. It's really something to this Floridian.
Friday night we called Hank to invite him to join us in Andrews for Food Truck Friday where we were meeting up with our friends Nancy and Jack. We were delighted to see him. Sometimes we get so busy with our own lives that we are not nearly as diligent as we should be! Anyway, we were happy when he said yes please!
Of course in between chatting I look around for photo ops! Not very often in my Florida life did I see anyone wearing overalls, but here it not completely out of the ordinary.
Just the lack of people still amazes us. This is just on the other side of the railroad tracks that border the park.
Yes my friends, those are goats.
And yes, children roam around without being supervised at every turn. Since our last visit they have added these to the downtown street. Speaking of which, with company coming, it is a great disappointment that downtown Murphy is not looking it's best these days.
Last year, what they call pocket parks on the four corners of the main downtown intersection were just beautiful with flowers mounded so thick it was unimaginable to me. This year, because of the new water lines and the planned round-about, the flowers went unplanted. Mostly it is dirt right now, however, some flowers have recently emerged from that dirt which pleases me to no end. Andrews is different in that regard with mostly one main street running through it with huge hanging flower baskets. We were so delighted to see a new shop opened up, actually right behind our car pictured above. A yarn shop. Perhaps we will visit soon even though I can't knit a stitch!! I did, however, buy a few embroidery tools at the white tag sale, so perhaps I will put them to use this winter.
I took the photo below because the sky was so impossibly blue that morning. Randy and Linda, deep in conversation, did not even notice.
I was sad that my Olympic watching was so minimal this time around as I've always been an avid watcher, however, my viewing options were limited and I've had to content myself with Youtube. Totally not the sam,e but at least it is something. The word that comes to mind when thinking of the games is majestic. I've just looked up the definition and I don't think I am too far off. With synonyms such as grand, imposing, magnificent and stately, it seems to me that it fits. The dedication it takes to become an Olympian is hard for me to fathom, year after year of training. How do they keep it up? Did you watch any badminton? That was really something. As was every single sport! The hometowns of these athletes are also darn proud. A young woman from nearby Bryson City won a bronze in the canoe slalom that was front page news in the
Scout. Lots of small places worldwide are proud of their athletes. Such joy and such sadness all in one place. That said, do you think that most of the athletes have lost so many times on their journey to the Olympics that they are immune to the agony of defeat? Some readers are too young to remember that famous slogan on the old Wide World of Sports; "the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat."
Pretty dramatic as is fitting when describing sporting competitions, but maybe it works for everyday life too? Your thougths?
your friend,
Gail
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