Brief Update

• bargain hunting 

      I get so excited when I find oil paintings for just a few dollars.

• ministry cards

      Sometimes I paint on them before writing a message or verse.

• baking 

      Today I made sugar cookies to take to friends after church tomorrow.

      They invited us to their Easter lunch. Two strawberry pies will get made         

       in the morning. 

       

Happy Easter Blessings 

Out of Storage

 A few Easter things came out of storage for decorating.

And this picture came out of storage, too. I decided to give it to Gunner as a keepsake. He turned fifteen this week.

Sunday Paintings

On Sunday I happened upon a Sunday Painting. And the price was a steal! In one of my simple journaling notebooks I had saved a clipping from the July/August 1999 Country Home magazine. It mentioned the charm of amateur paintings. Of course, I agree they are charming and am always thrilled when I spot one to my liking.

no date or signature

April is a good month for getting out and treasure hunting.

Good luck in all that you do!

Thanks for visiting. 

Starts and Stops

Every day is a chance to try again...to be more mindful that TIME is precious and fleeting. I get upset with myself because I know I waste too much of it. It is hard to find a balance between relaxation and productivity. If I'm relaxing and doing absolutely nothing, I feel I should be busy accomplishing a project. Then when I'm on a project, I can't seem to bring it to completion. Then there are daily tasks, mood swings, family, and health issues that complicate matters. It's called LIFE.  


A visit to my upstairs booth takes me by this display of old portraits. I like that the owner of the antique business uses the stairway to show his collection. The lady in the lower right was once in my booth.  Nice to see her in the grouping. 

Of course, I always look around in the store. I found a copy of Nell Hill's Feather Your Nest to add to my collection. Mary Carol Garrity explains "It's all in the details," and her book is filled with beautiful photographs that show ways to layer and develop a personal style of home decorating. 

The other item I brought home was this small brass vase. It was made in Italy and turned out to be surprisingly heavy.

Another month is on its way out. Yipes! 

Spring is Here!

And I am so glad. Maybe this warmer weather will help my old bones. This is the first year I have been bothered with discomfort in my legs. Oh dear, I'm thankful to be aging, but I believe it will be challenging.

We returned yesterday from a quick trip to Texas to see Les, Pennee, and the little girls.  Kiera and Chloe are energetic chatterboxes. Les and Pennee have made a major decision to move into a luxury apartment complex closer to their jobs in Dallas. We would have loved for them to move back to Tennessee, but we understand their choices.
















Our visit included dining out at Babe's in Frisco. The great food and lively atmosphere draw crowds on a regular basis.

early Sunday morning on a Texas road

heading into Memphis and almost home

I ventured outside after lunch, putting out garden signs and fairy house accessories. Pulled some weeds and realized there is much more to do if I want to have semi-pretty flowerbeds. 

Gunner, Nick, and Lucas are here now, snacking on oranges and popcorn while watching the cartoon channel.

To finish this blog post, I successfully transferred my iPhone photos to the computer for the first time. I have much to learn about my new phone, but I do find it A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

Littles

Recently I shared this picture on Instagram with the caption:

Inside my secretary desk are finds, mementos, and gifts, bringing to mind persons, places, and past joys. The importance of little things is huge.

I truly enjoy searching out small treasures. This week's little finds were a brass bird and two pool balls with favorite numbers. 

My tiny chairs are back on the kitchen windowsill.  

 These clothespins are in a small bowl atop an old scale in the kitchen. Of course, I'm forever changing little things in the kitchen and in other areas around the house.

Time Marches On

The third month of the year is well underway, and I can't seem to accomplish plans and projects that are on my mind. This is just a "hello" blog message. I'm still trying to keep Bits and Pieces going, but sometimes the words won't flow off the keyboard. Hope you are well and enjoying this beautiful March day.