Thanksgiving smiles

Wishing all of you happiness, a full tummy from all the yummy food, laughter with your family and friends along with A Happy Thanksgiving!

Too cute not to share!

Another one I found on facebook via pinterest.  I told my daughter this would be me!

Fun Fall Leaves

Is this not the cutest?!  I saw this and just had to share, and for those of you who have kids it would be a super fun project. Here is the link to a few other leaf projects too.http://parentables.howstuffworks.com/family-matters/look-what-you-can-do-leaf.html

I would have loved to have done this when I was young.  Matter of fact it would be super fun to do now and place it under a glass frame.  What do you think?

Welcome to Autumn

Could not resist sharing this photo from pinterest.  Beautiful colors.  Happy Fall everyone!

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/498070040010481161/

A weeks worth of groceries

While surfing the net this morning I found this interesting article.  I believe we Americans eat a lot more junk food although in this household we do try to eat healthy.  We also don't eat out very often, mainly on road trips.  From seeing this it looks like Europeans (although they did have some things like here in America), and more third world countries eat a lot better than we do.
Pretty interesting.....take a peek at what people eat!
http://fstoppers.com/what-a-week-of-groceries-looks-like-around-the-world

A perfect gift!

Every time my I go somewhere I usually pick up a little something for my daughter.  This weekend she drove down to the beach in Florida to have a quick visit with her sister, nieces, and dad who were on vacation.  While out shopping she found my gift and was so excited about it, and her dad told her she had to buy it for me too.
Here's my gift:

Isn't this just the cutest?!  It actually is more of a teal color than the gray it is showing up, but on our very first trip out in the camper this is what I will wear!  Hope all of you are having a good Sunday too.

Just call me "Camo Lady"....for now!

Goodness!  Where did the summer go?  We have had rain here pretty much all summer long until just recently.  We had gone most of the summer without even hitting 90 degrees except for the past few days.  Rain is a good thing, but when you stare at it all day long it just gets depressing.  Not to mention that my garden once again did not really grow that much although this year we did have beans.  Go figure!  For at least two years no beans and this year beans! 
So what have I been doing?  Staring at the computer looking at pinterest, facebook, etc..  No blogging, yep, I know I could have been visiting with all of you instead I just sat and stared at the computer.  I have said I need to get back to it so now it is written on my calender!  Why the pinterest and facebook?  Well, for years I have wanted an item, and I've finally gotten one.  It may be one of the things I say why didn't I look more closely at it?  Why did I say oh that's a good price, it will take a little bit to fix up, so what if it doesn't have that much?  What am I talking about?  We bought a little vintage camper!

Now I don't know why the pics are so small, everyone keeps asking me that question, but as the work progresses I will try to get them larger.  We believe it is a Shasta camper somewhere in the year range of 1968 - 1973.  It could be different, but as we have no other paper work I have been searching, and searching for information on it. 
Don't worry, it won't be camo color for long!  It was owned by several different hunters, and all that was in the inside was a bunk and table.  Big mistake for us since we have to furnish everything, however, we did find out never, ever, have tar on a camper roof (which they did) as it is one of the worst things to put on it.  Needless to say when it starting raining again we found leaks, and oh my goodness once we took the walls off, yikes!  More pictures will be coming with all of the progress.
So fellow bloggers, that has been my life this summer.  Unfortunately it has also given me the camper bug, and I have started looking for another one!  All I can say is I must be loved!  Bye for now!

Make your own natural room scents

By now I'm sure everyone has heard how all those air freshners are not the best thing for you.  Me, I am a big believer in opening up windows to let the fresh air in and cleanse the house.  Unfortunately, this rain has put so much humidity into the air my windows can not stay open for very long or sometimes not at all.
I found this post today, so I went to the website for the article.  Lots of different scents you can try, and so much better for you!

Here is the link for this great website!
http://www.theyummylife.com/Natural_Room_Scents

Natural Rehydration Drink

Summer is fast approaching, and I don't know about you, but sometimes it is hard for me to down just plain water.  Lately I have been adding various slices of fruits to my water so I can make sure I stay hydrated.  This year though our spring has been rainy and not way up in the 90's temp wise as it usually is so I need to concentrate even more on getting fluids in.
Here is a recipe I found through Homestead Survival that is a rehydration electrolyte drink.  So much better for you than that brand drink out there!  It doesn't take very many ingredients, and actually it taste pretty good.  So, if you are like me with getting water down give this a try!
http://thehomesteadsurvival.com/rehydrate-electrolyte-drink-recipe/#.UcG2RtjAE6h

Here I Am!

You will need this to stay awake through my blog post! (Image from Kitchen Treaty)

I am still alive, honestly!  I can not believe that is has been since March for my last blog post.  Way too much has happened around here with it being one thing after another.  My dad has been gone for eight months now, we spent those months dealing with people who were not happy with the will, and since I was also the executor we spent quite a bit of time with lawyers and court.  You would have thought the estate was worth millions and not the little bit that was in it.  Next we had to acquire and store a lot of the "stuff" with thoughts of oh my goodness, we need to have a yard sale or something.  I hope to never, ever, go through something like that again.  My daughter is officially divorced, yes that at the same time too.
My hubby's uncle had to have back surgery which was quite a stress too, but he made it through just fine.
Can you say I need a vacation?!  Hubby and I have an anniversary coming up so every five years I try to make it special; not that every year isn't special!  Five years ago we went to Germany, and visited family which was a good thing that we did as one of my aunts passed away this year too.  This year I have no idea, money isn't exactly growing on trees either!  I was thinking of getting a little camper and going out west to see some of the states that we have not seen.  Then a nice quiet beach would be nice, a trip across the pond would be nice, and winning the lotto would be extra nice! Dream, dream, dream......
I still have to download my pics back to the computer; plus my dad's computer which is a lot newer that what I have (a Dell) totally went on the fritz for no reason.  Good thing I had not downloaded any pics on it.  I read somewhere that they had a tendency to do that and who knows why so it will be sent off.
In the meantime I will be sharing things that I have found here and there. 
We have had so much rain here with only two days of temps in the 90's!  Very weird for here.  I don't mind it too much, but what I had planted needed to be re-planted.  My garden, veggies and flowers, are finally beginning to grow.  Summer begins this week so we shall see what the weather brings for us.
While down in Florida visiting the uncle and aunt, and it was hot there!, Aunt M. brought out some coffee ice cream.  Now, I am not a coffee drinker.  I love my tea, hot or cold.  However, my dad loved coffee ice cream so it was a treat for us too when we could have some.  Only Aunt M. and I ate the ice cream, it was sooooo good.  One other thing I like is iced coffee, hmmmm, maybe it is all the milk and sugar!  So lo and behold today I found a recipe to make some iced coffee which I will share the site with you.  I haven't tried it yet, but it looks yummy!
http://www.kitchentreaty.com/cold-brewed-iced-coffee/ I think that next time we visit Aunt M. we will be enjoying this along with the coffee ice cream. 
Since I am finally back to blogging once again I am hoping that I can make it an every day thing plus catching up on the latest with all of you in blog land.  If I have any trouble staying awake I'll just grab the coffee ice cream or iced coffee!

Starting seeds faster

My computer is fixed!  Woo hoo!  Although I don't have it set up yet because I got......sick.  Yep, that doozy of a bug that just knocks you out kind of sick.  I am so far behind on everything it is ridiculous.  I need to change my header since spring is finally here although this morning the south is really cold, and it still feels like winter!  Anyway, I have been looking at seed catalogs, pinterest, facebook, blogs, you know the story.  I came upon this great article by Botanical Interest Seed.  I am posting the link to it.  This is one I will definitely try out because I need all the help I can get!  Hopefully I will get photos published of how it works for me.  Let me know if you try it too!
http://botanicalinterests.com/inthegarden/flowers/grow-seeds-faster-imbibition/

For all you honeybee lovers

This is a super interesting article!  I had to share with all of you who have honeybees.  It definitely shows the length that people will go to for honey, and their knowing how important honey is for their bodies.
http://iconicphotos.wordpress.com/2012/04/26/honeyhunters-eric-valli/

The neighbors have my computer almost finished, unfortunately it takes longer when you have a friend work on it in their spare time.  I will be so happy to have it back and be able to download all of my photos again plus change my header!  I'm off to make breakfast and then work in the yard today as it is suppose to be a pretty day!

Life flashing before the eyes

I saw this commercial about a week ago, but could not find it on youtube until just recently.  This is the cutest commercial that I have seen lately!  My computer is almost fixed and then I can load all my photos back onto it; I just have to wait a little longer since the neighbor is fixing it for me, and then I will get back to sharing pics.  In the meantime enjoy this commercial!
http://youtu.be/qGP7539ILPU

Computer revival

Ok, I've always heard the good Lord will only give you as much as you can handle.  So far I have been dealing lately with executor stuff with my father's will and all the legal mumbo jumbo that has gone with it. (yes, still dealing with it big time)  Hopefully it will be over soon.  Now, my computer has gone off the deep end, I mean really bad so off it went to the neighbor "kid" to be worked on. He may be able to revive it.  Then I pull out an old, old, old computer of my dad's that he gave to me ions ago, and it is so slow as molasses! That will go into the "shop" too, but I need to pull off all the old photos.  Thank goodness I had already downloaded the others off of mine.  Now my laptop is thinking about giving me fits.  I have used it more than ever lately as I'm not too fond of it.  I like a regular keyboard.  Plus this laptops battery runs down fast.  Can you hear me screaming all the way across the pond?
Until I have all of the above settled, and my photos safe and sound, I guess I will share what I find elsewhere such as pinterest, etc.., and some really good blogs that I'd like to share.  I've had every good intention with blogging, but things have just been getting in the way of it lately.
At least I did a post, and I noticed I still have photos as I thought they would all be gone too.  Guess I better not say that too loud!
Now I'm off to see what I can find.  Have a good weekend!

The walk to the butterfly garden

Seeing as how it is a rainy, dreary day here today, and I am also sick of doing the paperwork, I thought I'd share more from the Naples Botanical Garden.

 

 

 

 

 

I just love this butterfly bench!

 

Look at the beautiful color on this one.

 

Can you spot the butterfly here? It is striped like a zebra. There were so many of them, but this was the best photo I could get as they kept flying around.

 

I wish there would have been more different ones even though there were a lot of the ones that I took photos of, however, most of them were in the cocoon stage. It was not a big exhibit, the one in south Atlanta at Calloway Gardens is much bigger, but it was still nice.
Now, I guess I will get back to my paperwork, yuck!, but it must be done.  They are forecasting some snow here tomorrow.  First rain, then snow.  I will believe it when I see it!

What to do with your old purses

Why, fill them with plants and hang them on the outside wall! Another photo from the Naples Botanical Gardens.

Looks like bat wings!

At first I thought it was an orchid, but it's not. However, it does look like giant bat wings! According to the sign this is a Giant Dutchman's Pipe, and it looks to grow on a vine.

How cool is this? Would you like it in your garden?

Do you love orchids?

I can grow a lot of things except for orchids. They are so gorgeous, and the flowers seem to last forever. My hubby used to bring orchids home from the office as the company that were bringing them in would throw them out, and replace them with other plants. Hubby brought one home a few months back, and I also received one when my dad past. That one is still blooming! It is why I like them...they go on and on. When we went down to Florida last year I wanted to visit the Naples Botanical Gardens. Absolutely beautiful! The first thing I saw...orchids!

I'll be posting more photos from the gardens for a little while. I am trying to post more so for the moment it may be one or two photos! Oh, and a little tip I learned when I received the tea cup orchid. The friend told me that she was told with hers to put an ice cube in the pot off to the side. She said hers is doing great, and mine? It is getting new growth so I guess there is something to it!

Hello, I'm still here!

Hello, yes I'm still here!  Or I better be since I got this beautiful birthday card from a dear friend of mine.  She said once she saw it she knew it was perfect for me; that it had all the right things in it that just screamed my name.
So much has been happening in my life lately.  Not only with it being another year older, but it also makes three months since my father passed.  It is still a very hard thing to get used to.  Like when you go to the phone to call about something funny, and then you realize you can't.  I am fortunate that I had him for that long although it is never long enough.
Although with his passing comes a will, and from what I've learned from a lot of people that there is always someone who is not happy.  Since I am also executor life has not been to easy with lawyers and such.  I am hanging in there though with lots of support from friends and family.  I will be glad when it is all over.
Now to keep my mind busy amongst everything else I did a lot of crocheting for the holidays, which I hope all of you had a good one!  I made an afghan for our oldest grandchild.  He wanted a cameo colored one.  I forgot to take a picture of it so my step-daughter did one for me. This of course is not the greatest picture, but you get the idea. I also crocheted hats for the girls, but the afghan took up most of my time.
 

Hubby and I took a break about a month ago so I have lots to share, and I definitely will be blogging again. I miss my blogging friends, and thanks to many of you for your thoughts, prayers, and cards. Now, I better get myself in gear (something my daddy used to say), and put on my walking clothes. My neighbor friend took me to lunch for my birthday (Olive Garden...Yum!), and we both feel stuffed so it is time for our daily walk. Happy New Year to all of you, and I'll visit soon!