Towanda...Again!

 Yep, Townada was back...we'll get to that in a minute. But first let me share another one of those moments in the life of a Nana that can kind of take your breath away. I have three daughters and they were all very active through all of their school years so I am used to award ceremonies, crowns, election wins, speeches, etc. And yes, my buttons burst with pride at each of those moments. But, I'm not sure why but the pride just seems to be multiplied many times when it is a grandchild.

I have seven of those...from almost 27 to almost 14 years of age. And, they are as involved, if not more, than their moms were. And they have given me so many, many moments of button popping pride that you would think I would be used to it by now-but, I'm apparently not! 

My oldest grandson is a senior in high school this year and he is not only student body president, on varsity football and lacrosse and active in about every organization he could be active in-not to mention just getting an appointment to the US Coast Guard Academy-but he is just a good kid. I know I've gone on and on about his kindnesses to everyone on this site before so I will spare you my Nana rhetoric but, when he gets recognized by someone other than his (maybe just a little biased) family, more buttons will pop!

We were at the football banquet at Trinity Catholic H.S. the other night and the players were being recognized for their abilities. Harrison is a good and faithful team member but he isn't in a position of really standing out as the quarterbacks, kickers, tackles, etc. are so I wasn't expecting anything more than his recognition for being state semi-finalists and a senior. Imagine my surprise when the final award of the evening-and perhaps the most coveted-was announced and Harrison was the honoree!

This is an award named after a very special TC alum for the path he took in his life and goes to the senior who most represents what TC stands for ON and OFF the field. And that is this kid. He is at every activity the school has...first to arrive and last to leave. He volunteers all over the county-and with a smile on his face and a handshake for everyone he meets along the way. Coach Brantley could not have chosen a better recipient for this honor. And, of course after presenting Harrison this honor he asked him if he had anything to say and was probably as shocked as I was when he grabbed that mike and started talking like he was prepared-which he wasn't. I love this kid so much and thank him for just another proud Nana moment in my journey of almost 27 fabulous years.

Coach Brantley joins the group for this photo.

And Harrison "waxes poetic". Lol

So, needless to say my Sunday evening ended on a high. Maybe that is why I woke up on Monday morning raring to go. Of course, the absolutely picture perfect weather didn't hurt. My plan was to do more raking and get as many leaves as I could out on the curb for pick-up on Tuesday morning. And that is how I started. But then either my boredom or my ADD kicked in and I was off to a second project before I was done with the leaves...and then soon another and another. I got all 6 of my trash cans eventually filled but, I must say that the millions of leaves that continued to fall as I was raking didn't help my mood! I know everyone will say why not wait until they're all down but I literally could not see any grass in my back yard and that is the view I see most often from the sunroom. The brick paths and patio were covered and the gardens were so thick with leaves that I don't think any of the small amount of rain and irrigation they are getting could even get down to the soil.

I am paying for it a bit today because one of the things I decided to do was to move all of the huge tree logs away from my fence and off to the side of the garage where they are shielded from view by a small privacy wall that also keeps my garbage cans and other wood I have stacked up out of view.

I actually decided to do this because once I was out there raking I decided that it is getting close to pressure washing time again and I need to start with the fence so I needed to get it clear.

Believe me, it took every bit of Towanda I had in me to get those heavy things moved but I did it and that always makes me happy.

We went from this:

to this:

and this:

I ended up dragging myself inside when I grabbed the clippers and started cutting back some of the freeze burned things. I lost so much last year because I did it too soon so you would think I've learned my lesson but it looks so sad out there. I did go around and most everything is showing some new growth...the jury is still out on others.

The hydrangeas don't ever seem to mind the cold and they're on their way back.

This schefflera was about 5' high and just beautiful but it took quite a hit. I am so happy to see that it still has some life. It always amazes me that no matter how cold it gets down here, the weeds are always still flourishing!

And, of course, the tea olives are right on schedule for not only beauty but their wonderful fragrance wafting across the whole yard. Pretty much my entire backyard on the side that we use the most is encompassed with these beautiful bushes.

About the only color out there right now that is available for cutting is the camellia bush, some of the azaleas and the Gerber daisies. Fingers crossed that changes soon!

And, you can probably see by the pictures above why I'm feeling the need to get started on pressure cleaning that fence. If I wasn't dog sitting again, I might be out there doing it right now! Lol

So, after that very lengthy post, I will just end with stay safe and stay tuned.

 

 

 

Finishing Up

I thought I knew what we had left to see but just to be sure, I scrolled back through the Valentine tour 2023 posts and discovered that I actually posted the sunroom twice...why didn't anyone tell me? Lol In any case, I think I am right this time and all I have left to show you are the bathrooms. 

I love those little conversation heart soaps that Presley and I made a few years ago to give to everyone as Valentine Day gifts. The memory of that weekend actually just popped up on my FB the other day. This is my little craft buddy. She is usually willing to try anything ...but I will say, her brother Hudson is usually right there behind her. He enjoys some of the crafts we do-others he will pass on. Lol

The decoupaged plate is another of our favorite crafts. This time we used a napkin. I have done this with all of my grand children from the time they were quite young and it is pretty much a foolproof craft. Even if they get the napkin/tissue paper/fabric on full of wrinkles, somehow it always looks pretty when it dries. Hudson used this technique on his wood heart here at my house a few weekends ago and he got it on so perfectly, my daughter thought we bought the heart already patterned. It just takes a bit of patience and a few tricks we've learned along the way. Lol

And, of course, the little nod in my bathroom.

 I think that is it for this year's Valentine tour. I did snap a few pictures yesterday while I was once again thinking about Mother Nature and how we can no longer trust anything she says. Lol Here we are...February 2023...winter...and, my thermostat has gone from heat to AC and back to heat in the matter of hours. It has been in the 80s then low 40s and then back into the 80s. No wonder my plants have no idea of what should be blooming when.

It is no secret around here that I am a lover of spring flowers! I would always rather receive a bouquet of tulips, irises and daffodils way more than long stemmed roses! And so, the minute I see any of these beauties in the stores, I grab them up. I was at the garden shop the other day and there they were. I don't buy many of the potted variety-I would rather have a cut bouquet because these cuties don't grow here in Florida so there's no sense spending the extra money for the bulbs. But, the one that I do always grab is the hyacinth. I love the smell of that flower and if I can have one next to where I sit, I am in heaven. Most of the ones available were already fully blooming and on their way out so I picked up two single stemmed plants-one just starting to open and one still completely closed. I brought them home and re-potted them and put the one opening next to my chair in the family room...and all that evening I was wafted with the beautiful smell each time the AC came on.

By the next morning, that one had grown so tall I had to stake it and the one not opened at all was quickly on its way to half bloom. That night I was wafted with the wonderful fragrance each time the heat came on!

And, while all of that spring beauty was going on, this was going on just a few feet away.

My tiny Christmas cactus has started to bloom!

And, for once, I think I am glad that my camellia blooms so much later than everyone else's. While all of the others were blooming when we hit into the 20s and got frozen, mine just had buds...and, they must have loved that temperature because mine is now blooming so much more than it has ever bloomed in all of the years it has been in that exact same spot!

I think I'll be cutting bouquets off of this beauty for awhile-which is probably a good thing because it is going to take awhile for all of the other flowers that didn't like the freeze as much to come back...if they come back at all!

It's still a bit chilly but the sun is out and it promises to be a beautiful day so I'm off to find a project. Stay safe and stay tuned.
 

Nearing the Finish Line

 Not much exciting going on today so I thought I would take a few minutes and we can go into the family room. Now that we're officially into February, Valentine's Day will be here before we know it.

I had planned to touch up the glitter on my garland that my mom crocheted for me so many years ago. I haven't gotten to it yet so maybe I just found my afternoon project. Lol

I got out my Valentine clothes and jewelry so I could start wearing them this year and I realized that I had two pins that I loved but, since I am no longer working and not dressing up nearly as much these days, I haven't worn them in awhile. And so, I decided to find somewhere that I could fit them into my decor. The first is a felted heart that my cousin made me and I propped it against the candle in these shelves. I also used the dogwood garland that I thought I was buying for St. Pat's or spring around the red pot. I like the way it breaks up the darkness.

Still one of my all-time favorites. I love those little faces!

So that is the family room for this year. It is pretty during the day but so much prettier at night and even prettier when there is a fire!

And just a quick peek at where I put the other Valentine pin that I had. This one is kind of large. I got it at a Hallmark store back when they carried lots of seasonal and holiday things...heck, back when there even was a Hallmark store because none of the ones I loved shopping in are anywhere to be found any more.

That thing is pretty heavy and if I remember correctly, I could only wear it on a jacket or heavy sweater-neither of which I wear all that often any more. Lol

So that is the tour for today. Thinking I may have a visit from daughter #2 this week and we will get to celebrate her birthday so I am off to make some tentative plans because, if not this week then for sure next. Stay safe and stay tuned.

One last thought. As I was looking for something else, I happened upon a bit of my favorite Valentine fabric left from a project so long ago that I don't even remember what it was...nor, apparently do I still have it! Lol Never-the-less, it is a favorite because it is printed with vintage Valentine postcards and images. I had an idea to make a candle "koozie" and pin the pin onto that. I just cut a piece of fabric, used Fabri-Tac to "hem" the edges and tacked it around the candle. Since I use the red candles for more holidays than just Valentines, it can't be permanent...and the jury is still out whether I like it or not. Time will tell...although it does fit right in sitting next to all of the vintage Valentine cards on that holder.