FALL is upon us already!

HELLO EVERYONE! I am sure I have lost my audience by now, but man has life been hard, joyful,
tough, busy and amazing! Where have the years gone?? My son informed my not too long ago that I am
really slipping when it comes to posting on my blog and he is so right! I've been averaging about once
a year for the past couple years or so. I am going to try and do better , but no promises because you know...
LIFE HAPPENS and you better live it while you can! I know I am trying my best to do that.

The hubby and I were in the RTE 127 sale in August with his sister and husband and that is where I scored
this wheelbarrow. The people in the tent right beside ours GAVE it to me because on part of the frame is
rusted through, but it still works for yard art!!
I LOVE IT! Best bargain of the whole sale along with a chippy , white bench for $1. (from the same
people) There are such kind souls in this world today amidst all the yuck if we just open our eyes
and look.

My amazing Sweet Autumn Clematis! I have two of these. One here on my fence and one on the front porch
on a trellis! I love them and I need to get more!

Our granddaughter Annika. I can't believe she is in 7th grade this year. They moved to California
(insert sobbing here) in February and they flew home last weekend so we had a few hours to spend
with them before they flew right back. We had fun in the park and I snapped a few photos with my
actual camera instead of my phone. She sure is a beauty and growing up fast!

Annika and little Liam! Remember our rainbow grand after we lost Eden to stillbirth? This is him!
Isn't he the cutest??!! Adorable! He will be two years old in November. DOES.NOT.SEEM.POSSIBLE!

I love this photo. My son, his daughter Annika and my hubby. Something must have been very funny. lol

Sweet Ainsley and Liam sliding in the park. The visit was way too short, but I am so
very thankful that we got to see them! Six months is a long time to be apart from those
you love for sure!

This post is so random! Ha! My geraniums from my gardens this year were so pretty.

More flowers.  I can do pretty good growing flowers outside, but not inside AT.ALL. 

We found a field of sunflowers one day close by and I had to snap some photos. They are so pretty and
are the epitome of fall!

Well, here we are at the end already! I just picked random pics to post and you got quite a mixture, but it is our
life in real time. God is good and we are so loved by Him!! Always remember that!!

Until next time which is hopefully sooner than later,

Lush July Flowers

My flowers haven't suffered too much in the heat that we have had in Michigan this year.
There really haven't been a lot of very hot days yet and I hope they don't come at all!  I also haven't
used any fertilizer at all this year except what came in the soil that I planted them in.
I think they look nice and lush for all the things I didn't do. :)

Every year I try to feed them liquid fertilizer through the hose, but just haven't had
the time and we have had a LOT of rain so I didn't need to either.

They have come a long way since I planted them back in May.
I can grow nice flowers outside , but can't grow anything inside to save my life! HA!

The fern is HUGE and so green. I always get it at the same place every year.
I have tried Walmart in the past and did not have good luck so I stick with
our local greenhouse.

I have an old wooden white screen door that I would love to replace this one with, but
haven't taken the time to measure it yet. Hopefully it will fit. It has spindles on it and
I got it FREE several years ago. Wouldn't that be nice if it fit just perfect??

I adore WHITE flowers...don't you?

I can't wait for my Sweet Autumn Clematis to flower this fall. I love it that it is
a late blooming plant so I can extend the beautiful floral season a bit more.

How is the weather where you are? Hot, rainy, cold, snowy? EEK! Snow
will be here soon enough.

Blessings~

Prairie Style {or cottage style?} Mason Jars...and sad news

Since it is 98 degrees out along with stifling humidity, I decided it was time for another photo shoot. What in the world was I thinking?? I didn't stay out there long at all, but I had some fun. I don't have a clue how to style photos to make them look like they should, but I have fun trying. lol. 

Last night while laying in bed with insomnia my mind was racing a million miles an hour. Ever happen to you? That is my life many nights, so I try to come up with different ideas to try.  Have you seen all the gorgeous prairie style dream catchers in blogland? Laurie over at Heavens Walk makes them and they are just gorgeous!! I had an idea to make my vintage ball jars with pretty rags like the dream catchers. This is my first attempt so please bear with me, but I did have fun making them!

You never know how my photography will turn out...most of it is pure chance. lol

I added a few beads, but only what I had on hand. 

Pretty candleholders, don't you agree?

I also added a few of my pink geraniums and it was just what the photos were initially lacking.

Doesn't this scream SUMMER to you?? :) 

Yes, I got rather carried away taking pics...we are almost to the end though...I think...heehee.

Sun glare is not my friend. ha! 

Thought you might want to see another part of MY summer...love these flip flops!

Just perfect for throwing on as I head out the door to who knows where...

I hope you enjoyed the photos. Some days I take good photos and some days I don't so I am very thankful for each one of you that keeps dropping by to visit.

On a sad note...I don't know how many of you followed Sweet Old Vintage blog ,but in case you didn't already know
sweet Marietta passed away this week.  The doctors had found spots on her lungs in May or June and gave her six months with chemo which I figured was November, but she took chemo twice and it about killed her so she stopped. I am sad that we never met in person since she only lived probably 30 miles or so away.  However, we did exchange gifts through the mail and I will treasure her lovely paper items. She was a talented lady that loved her family and had a soft spot in her heart for people who were hurting whatever the reason might be. If you think about it , please say a prayer for her family.

Blessings~

Flowers, flowers, flowers!

I am so so thankful that warm weather is FINALLY here in Michigan!! How about you?
Spring is one of my very favorite seasons. I love the new life and going to the garden center
 and seeing what I can find to bring home with me each year.

We visited my daughter and her family last weekend and her and I attended a
Faire Festival. It was a beautiful time and a fun day. Our first time ever , but we
 decided that next year I need to take my three little granddaughters along.
They would have loved it!! {more on that another day}

I purchased the above basket at the festival and I love it. Hope I can keep it alive. 

My daughter gave me this beautiful plant for Mothers Day. I believe it is "Stock"
and I also hope I can keep this one alive. I just love the color, don't you?

Gorgeous close up of the flowers...just amazing!

I gave my mom this watering can planter for Mothers Day this year and she
loved it. I think it is gorgeous also. 

I mowed our large lawn again today and afterwards took a couple photos
of what is growing in my yard right now.

I thought I would include a photo of my little sweetie granddaughter Annika and yours truly. Her
school had grandparents day this past Tuesday and she invited me. I loved every moment of it.
We got to sit in her class and listen to them read a story and sing some songs. Then I went to lunch
 with her and took her to the book fair. I think they hit the nail on the head to have the book
 fair on grandparents day. After all ,what grandparent is going to tell their grandchild that
they won't buy them anything??? ha!! Then it was on to recess. A fun, fun day and she didn't
 want me to leave. After recess it was hugs and kisses and off she went back into the school.

What is growing at your place? I would love to know!! :)

It started with a burlap skirt...

...but we will get to that later. :)

While I was working in my potting shed today I also decided to play
a little with my small cast iron bird thingy, a withering geranium and my
trusty camera.

I have had this cast iron piece for years and sometimes it just blends in with
everything else and gets "lost"...not today. I brought it out of hiding and
snapped a few photos.

I love how the beauty of the rust blends nicely with the pink flowers for a pretty picture...
 don't you?

This is what started it all...

 I have had this burlap laying around and had not figured out what to do with it yet
 until an *AHH HA* moment hit the other day
and I decided to use it to skirt my potting bench. I really like the way it looks.
I do have other work to do in this shed {ahem...actually it needs a LOT of work!},
but if I get the little bit done that I want to in a few days I just might show you!!
{only the part that gets done! lol}

 Keep your fingers crossed!! :)

Summers last hurrah!

I haven't had time to do much of anything  but take some photos so I thought I would share
some more of my flowers with you.  The allysum above in my galvanized tub was all but gone
 in the awful summer heat, but I kept it in the container anyway and when the rain started
falling did these flowers ever put on a show!! It has flowered abundantly and I am
in L.O.V.E!!  I also love the hops that are in the same container!! They do so well for me!

My geraniums literally had ZERO flowers on them once the heat wave hit, but again
I just hung in there and they are coming back more beautiful than ever. 

Isn't she a beauty??

Geraniums sitting on my chippy white chair

Another view of the galvanized tub overflowing with hops and allysum. There is also a couple
geranium plants in the middle , but you can't even see them for the other flowers. :)

Still loving my white wicker cone 

I do hope you all are doing great! I haven't had much time to visit, but hopefully that can
change soon.  My mom is doing pretty good and actually visited today to lay on our bed
and try out our mattress.  Then she went to town and bought the same brand. We have
had ours for several years so they didn't make the exact one, but we love it!  How in
the world did I ever get off onto the subject of mattresses? oh well...have a beautiful
week ahead!!!