Pansy Update

Haven't given a pansy update in a while.  Apparently, Zorro, the Roadrunner, has moved on to greener pastures.  My flowers have been thriving in this cooler weather and fortunately have not fallen prey to some hungry critter.  We've had several nights of temps in the thirties, but, so far no hard freeze.  Even the petunias are looking better than in the spring.  Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could enjoy this respite from extreme heat and cold for about 6 more months? Not gonna happen

The Gift

"The secret of contentment is the realization that life is a gift not a right."  God's Little Instruction Book

Moving On

Thanksgiving is over for another year and I am moving on to Christmas.  I love the music, the lights, the memories of my kids delighting in their Christmas stockings. They are grown now and have families of their own . Now that I am older, the hustle and bustle of shopping is not as much fun as it used to be, so maybe this year I will sit in my pajamas and rely on the internet.  Technology......ain't it grand?

Cooper Conundrum #9

"If I sit up real straight with my back to Mom, will she know that I am ticked?"

Cooper Carter 11/27/11

Thanksgiving 2011

"Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, For His lovingkindness is everlasting."
Psalm 136:1

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Cooper Conundrum #8

"If I jump into Mom's chair the moment she gets up, will she think I'm just keeping it warm for her?"
   Cooper Carter 11/21/11

Don't Forget The Flower Pots!

Whatever works for display purposes, use it!  This little bird cage really pops when sitting in the middle of a pot of colorful Johnny Jump Ups.  Unfinished cages are plentiful and, with a can of spray paint and some sandpaper you can transform them into works of art.

Cooper Conundrum #7

"If I stare at Mom intently and tilt my head to one side, will she know I care what she is thinking?"  Cooper Carter 11/18/11

Talking Too Fast

"The trouble with the guy who talks too fast is that he often says something he hasn't thought of yet."  God's Little Instruction Book.

"Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God; for God is in heaven and thou upon earth; therefore let thy words be few."  Ecclesiastes 5:2

Doggie Spa

How did we get from hosing our dogs down in the backyard to Doggie Day Spas??? Cooper was smelling a little funky the other day and was in desperate need of a toenail makeover, so I scheduled an appointment. He's such a big fella, it is getting harder for me to do this myself.  What did I expect?  Let's see, maybe a storefront with an unobtrusive sign that said something simple and to the point like.......Dog Grooming? Instead I drove up to the well manicured and landscaped  _______'s Paw Spa.  The decorative sign wasn't plain at all and informed me that " all dogs have their day. " In the fireplace adorned foyer, two ladies greeted Cooper warmly and in dog speak.  I might as well have been a fly on the wall.  Calling him "Big Boy" and "Precious",  they took him to the spa area and I think he smiled at me over his shoulder as they led him away to the masseuse!

Simple

As an ode to a simpler time, this small collection is one to consider.  I like the old sprinklers, faucets, and hose spray nozzles.  They are decorative, relatively inexpensive, work better than the new plastic ones, and best of all,  THEY LAST FOREVER!  All you have to do is replace the rubber gasket every now and then.  You can find them in brass, painted metal and sometimes even copper, usually for $10 or less. Now the best part, placed in a bucket or flower pot, they look great as bowl fillers on your back porch or deck. 

Our Faults

"Jesus knows all our faults and loves us anyway."   "But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."  Romans 5:8

Bird Cage Lover

I'm not a bird lover.  I prefer dogs.  Cooper doesn't screech like a banshee and he doesn't flap his wings and scatter bird seed all over the floor.  He listens when I talk and doesn't interupt me with incessant chirping. Where then, did I get this obsession with bird cages? All shapes, sizes and colors, I'm always drawn to them.  At one time I had quite a few.  Now my collection has dwindled to one.  Tempting me in every antique mall, I resist the urge to start buying them again.  Guess I'll have to settle for pictures.

Collections

I've always loved collections.  When I was a child, I had a dachshund.  Her name was Penny and I thought she was beautiful.  I started collecting china dachshund figurines and filled my room with them. After I married, I moved on to owls, every shape and size.  A few years later vintage toys became my obsession. I am older now and, hopefully, a little wiser.  Now, I collect memories.

Cooper Conundrum #6

"What would Mom do without me?  Who would she get to protect her shoes?"  Cooper Carter 11/12/11

Kiss The Cook!





My granddaughter carving her first pumpkin.

I Love Autumn!

We haven't had that first freeze yet.  I am grateful.  After the extremely warm...........big understatement.........summer, all the plants were just glad to have survived.  Isn't it amazing that any of them made it?  With a lot of perseverance and as much water as city restrictions would allow, I managed to barely keep them alive.  Now that cooler weather has arrived and , with it, a small amount of rain, the plants have rebounded.   Just going to enjoy them for now.  It's Texas, after all, and the freeze will come.

My Favorite Blogs

This is one of my favorite blogs!  My Desert Cottage

My Desert Cottage is always so beautifully put together! Enjoy!

http://mydesertcottage.blogspot.com/

Cooper Conundrum #5

"If I wear my toy on my head, will Mom notice I pulled all the stuffing out of it?"  Cooper Carter 11/06/11

Think Out of the Box

Dig your vintage silver plate teapot out of the cupboard and use it for a floral display.  So shabby and chic!