Sunshine From Saturday

This past Saturday was so beautiful!

The little girls had a tea party in the living room with Jemima and Mrs. Tiggywinkle.

Mim loves her "Tiggy."

We all have been adjusting to life without Miss Posy, who left on Thursday to attend a wedding in New York with her grandparents. They got to pay a visit to the St. Lawrence Seaway on Sunday, and stopped at Niagara Falls today on their way home. We'll see her late tonight. When I spoke to her last she told me how she has been taking lots of pictures (we sent her with an old camera) and writing in her journal.

 Her first real adventure, away from Mom and Dad. 

So exciting. :)

I bought these two gorgeous orchids at aldi for just 7.99 a piece.

I wasn't going to, at first, but Miss Posy talked me into it, and I am so glad I did.

They look so beautiful up on the mantel.

I moved my other one by my kitchen sink, so he could get some extra tlc, and he really seems to like it there, as evidenced by those two tiny new leaves! I've had him about four years now and was afraid I might be losing him!

I brought in a few plants from my pots outside, to winter-over indoors....

~we had our first frost last week!

We got a new rug to put in front of the piano, and put some hooks on the wall for the boys' brass.

I think I forgot to tell you, that Big Brother has a bugle now, as well as his cornet. The priest who ran the boy's camp that he attended, awarded it to him during the closing ceremonies for having played taps on his cornet every evening. Father said he had bought it at Gettysburg years ago ( I'm thinking possibly even before he was a priest) and always wanted to learn to play it. Said he'd been waiting for the right boy to pass it on to. Of course this meant the world to Big Brother, especially since he happens to idolize this particular priest. The plan is to play taps on the bugle each night at camp next year.

Well, there you have it. Just little bits of this and that.

Til next time, then.

Over One-hundred Bulbs......

Crocus'

Daffodils

Narcissus

Tulips

Miss Posy helped me plant them all in the north beds last week.

(I wouldn't have been able to do it without her!!)

We are anticipating a gorgeous spring:)

Delphinium by the Kitchen Sink

Poor Miss Posy was quite devastated when a spike of her delphinium was snapped off in the high winds. But as I told her, we have been able to enjoy it even more than we did when it was outside. Right here by the kitchen sink. 

Dramatic Skies.....

........have served as the backdrop to an old battered quilt that I hung out on the line this afternoon.

The rush of wind and whispering of leaves, have been sounding through our barely-opened windows ( ~brrrr! It's chilly!)  and magnificent clouds, fluffy white, dark and glowering, have been racing above all day.

But no rain.

And the flowers need it.

My alluim are all done now. 

They remind me of the big huge fireworks over the park on the Fourth of July.

I do still have a few irises.

And my columbine are running riot among my lilies, in spite of the lack of rain!

I do miss the little lily of the valley,and their fragrant little bells!

Such a pleasure to weed around and walk past.

They have long since faded, as a true May-flower should.

And so many peonies this year!

I only took a picture of the whites , but Miss Posy and I filled vases full of pinks and crimsons as well.  The house has been filled with their perfume.

And the bushes are still loaded!!!!

God was so good to make so many beautiful flowers.

I feel so blessed to be able to enjoy as many of them as I do!

Everyday Things.....

Do you see those lovely purple blossoms?! My wisteria is blooming for the first time ever and I couldn't be happier! Pretty much every day I have to walk out to the arbor and gawk at it for a few minutes. (Never mind that those are the only blossoms on the whole vine!) Simple pleasures......

I was able to harvest a nice bit of rhubarb this month. It really went crazy this year, and is dominating  one end of my little herb garden.

Mim just loves being outside. She is unstoppable, and wears us all out just trying to keep up with her!

Not to mention her own little self.

After a morning out, it's hard to stay awake through lunch! :)

I happened upon Boots, very focused on his piano practice, while these two sat on each side of him.

So I had to run for the camera.

Mim, of course, couldn't keep her little fingers off the keys,

but he didn't even seem to notice.

He is such a good big brother.

Ah, and one last little thing!

After almost twelve years of marriage, I am now the proud owner of a bona fide sifter!

It's one of my latest Goodwill finds!  I had always made due with the metal strainer down there on the left, because I wanted to find myself a nice old fashioned vintage one, like I grew up using.

I think it cost me a dollar.

And I couldn't be more excited to use it.

Simple pleasures.......:) 

Around Here

Miss Posy and I made lots of freezer jam.

She is an expert at mashing strawberries, and I am so grateful for her help!

Hornet paper.

My parents had a huge nest in the eaves of their house,

 and brought part of it over for us to examine.

Amazing

Last Thursday we left for a weekend trip to pick up Big Brother from his summer camp in Wisconsin.  He was so excited to find these great big cucumbers in the garden when we got home.

 His "patch" has been doing well!

The weather has been so gorgeous! Sunny,

 breezy, and a slight nip in the air.

I am trying to get everything all organized for the beginning of school in a few weeks.

~And trying not to feel too overwhelmed by it all....

This summer has just gone by much too quickly!

First Rose of June.....

Daffodils...

.....they are doing such a lovely job of filling in the "gap" between my crocus' and tulips.

Where Has the Summer Gone???!

So much had happened this past month, I don't even know where to begin!!!

We got new siding and windows put on the house! That means I can open the windows in every room now! Heaven!!!!! And the weather has been absolutely glorious, so I have been doing just that! (No matter that they all still need to be trimmed out on the inside.....I'll get around to posting pictures one of these days...)

I made two blueberry pies within a week of each other. Couldn't help myself....the blueberries were only 99cents a pint!!!! (I froze a bunch too!)  I decided blueberry pie is my favorite pie ever.

We are finally getting tomatoes! Tons of them! We are in heaven!

Oh......I also made a strawberry-rhubarb pie. It is my Knight's favorite.....and was also very tasty. 

We  have been getting lots of green peppers! ~I caught my Knight eating one like an apple the other day. He is planning to even put out more pepper plants next year.

In early August, we spent two lovely weeks out in Wyoming with my Knight's wonderful family. And one of the things we did was play a little baseball. Such happy times! It is always so hard to leave!

On the long drive out I finished up that quilt I posted about a while back. Can you see the ant crawling across the top? That is Nancy. I embroidered her there for my dad........who used to lay on my bed and tell me stories about her (and her friend Sally the housefly) when I was little. He made them all up himself of course, and I loved them! So now he has been telling them to the grandchildren.....and I thought "hiding" Nancy somewhere on my quilt would be just perfect. ( I have to make one for Sally next!;)

We are back at school........I am teaching three this year, so things are much much busier. That is why you may very well not hear quite as much from me as formerly. So don't worry, all is well, just very very busy! Hope you all enjoy these last few weeks of summer! I, for one, am very ready for autumn to begin!