Sooooo!

 So, I've been sitting here thinking and revisiting yesterday's post. Of course, all of that autumn goodness is sitting  here right next to me so it isn't hard to envision. I am chomping at the bit to get my hands on my autumn decor. I'm thinking if I could do this, I could begin to make some changes and tweaks and that makes me excited. It's funny how my brain is skipping right over my next decor which I term "late" summer and it consists of sunflowers and my Mediterranean decor with some citrus thrown in. And, even funnier, is the fact that if I had any inclination to change that up a bit, I actually COULD easily get to it as I can quickly put my hands on all of the sunflower stuff as well as the yellow and citrus colored candles. The Mediterranean jugs and urns are all in the garage but they wouldn't be what I would be tweaking if I had the notion.

As my decor stash has grown over the years...and my children have moved out...I do have a lot of storage space. I have three guest rooms with fairly large closets. All of them also have chests or armoires that hold a lot. As I have evolved in my decor, I try hard every year to make the storage of said decor easier to find the following year. I have pretty much ended my habit of having to write myself notes where certain things are and have found dedicated spaces for those things. That doesn't mean that it can all be stored together. That depends on the size of the stash but, since we all know that summer is not my favorite, the summer decor-at least the sunflower part of it-can easily find room together. This room affords me a closet-which is loaded with decor from many other holidays, a pie safe that holds cookbooks, dishtowels and lots of colored Mason jars, a dresser that holds mostly scrapbooks, cards, letters, etc. and the armoire.

That armoire is one we bought at Naked Furniture in Tampa back when we were just opening my husband's CPA practice. That is where we got most of the furniture for the six rooms we had to fill. While he was busy with the business end of things, I was busy finishing the furniture. Lol When he retired, we brought some of our favorite pieces home to enjoy and this cutie is a workhorse...she holds a LOT!

She is kind of like the blanket chest in the living room that holds WAY more Christmas stuff than you would ever think possible!

Every bit of my sunflower stuff is in there as well as the large boxes full of stuff from other holidays!

And, if I needed them, the candles take up just a small part of the bottom shelf of a cabinet in another guest room.

And, I just realized something else. Even though I was in HL yesterday-and I'm sure it was full of sunflowers-I never made note of any of it. What is happening?! The heat must be getting to me. LOL I seem to be wishing my life away and completely forgetting that it is only July 1 and I truly have the rest of the summer to get through before I can start thinking of fall. Calgon, take me away.

I am sure everyone is planning grandiose celebrations for the coming holiday but mine will be a little more low key. I currently have daughter #2 and family in Chicago, daughter #1 and granddaughter #4 heading to Rome on the 4th and daughter #3 and family off to Crystal River for the weekend so it will just be my brother, sister-in-law and me here in Ocala...and, of course, Benny will still be here. I got spoiled after so many years of watching fireworks while floating in Kris' pool down in Gulfport so the idea of loading up and heading off into the crowds to find a spot for viewing-not to mention the heat and the mosquitoes-just doesn't appeal to me anymore. In one evening, we could see displays from St. Pete, St. Pete Beach, Gulfport, Largo, Indian Rocks Beach, and any of the other places along the coast that set them off that night. We were SPOILED! If we decide that we want to head out, we can always head to daughter #3's front porch and watch a number of displays from there but.... I'm guessing that when I got to this age, if I'm not seeing these things through "young" eyes, I've probably seen enough fireworks to last a lifetime. Honestly, once you've seen the fireworks at Gator Growl, not much else can compare-not even Disney.

I couldn't resist a few images from over the years.

I'm thinking we will still try to keep our food within the 4th guidelines but we shall see. You never know what will happen around here and, as you know, anything can-and often does-change at any time. Lol Stay safe and stay tuned.

Ahhhhh!!

 At this time of year, I get desperate. There is truly NO other way to convince myself that, if I am just patient, this too shall pass and autumn will indeed return! That's right...the trip to Hobby Lobby as soon as they put their new autumn stuff on sale! It has been in the store for several weeks and I saw all of it back then. And, believe me, it took all that I had not to start throwing things into the cart. BUT, you know my HL rule-don't buy anything until it is on sale. Of course, I have had to tweak that rule a bit because they now have things that don't ever go on sale but, lucky for me, that doesn't include the fall decor.

There is nothing like walking up and down those aisles being surrounded by those beautiful colors and taking in the autumn scents. I would have taken some pictures for you except the aisles were packed...with people...and so were their carts. I mistakenly thought I would be the only crazy person there but boy was I wrong!!

I love both of these and, the fact that they are already framed just makes it all that much better!

The one of the left closely resembles this print that I ordered from The Paperhouse Print Shop way back when I first found out about them. If I remember correctly, they were having a "not too frequent" sale and I bought a number of prints for many holidays and was thinking ahead on this one. Because I seem to be stuck on the stacked book theme of late, I'm sure I can find a home for each of these no matter how much they look alike. Lol

This one is really pretty. It has a brown velvet ribbon as a hanger so it can go on a wall if needed.

And then I grabbed this little one. Since I do have some acorn themed decor, I thought he would look cute tucked in any number of places.

I also grabbed two of the autumn eucalyptus candle rings. It seems as if I never have enough of them when I start to decorate so I thought I would be prepared.

And then I grabbed this guy. There is a good chance that I also grabbed him last year but, since I am still using a bit more of the gold in my decor, I am once again sure he will find a home!

I also grabbed another easel, some autumn pip berries, some thin red velvet ribbon (to finish our "girls' trip" Christmas ornaments) and a little surprise for my brother and sister-in-law who are coming for a visit over the 4th holiday.

So that is where I am about now. I will bring all of that goodness into my office and it will sit here right next to me until its time to shine has come...and, until then, it will again serve as a reminder to me that I need to keep moving ahead, one day at a time, and soon I shall be there!

Off to roast up another boatload of veggies, do a few chores and then put my feet up and relax. Stay safe and stay tuned.

Summer Doldrums!

 When last we visited, I mentioned that this would be a pretty empty week as far as obligations on my part go. But, as so often happens around here, things change! Lol I was supposed to get my grand dog next week but instead, he came up on Wednesday of this week...and, will be here until July 12 or later. As I have mentioned before, he is easy so no problem incorporating him into my routine although it does have to change a bit as he needs some outside activity every now and then or his inside activity could wreak havoc! Lol

In any case, this is the time of year that those of you who have been following for awhile probably know that you will see a post like this right about now. It's no secret that I am not a fan of summer-well, that may not be totally true. I am not a fan of the temperatures summer brings. It seems as if we are breaking records every year and just when you think it couldn't get worse....!!!

I am pretty much outnumbered in my family about these feelings but I stand my ground. And so, my activities really do get snipped over the summer. Everyone thinks that because I have a pool that I shouldn't be bothered but, let me tell you. Sometimes it is even too hot to be in the pool until a bit of shade creeps over-and, that is usually in the late afternoon which is just about the same time that the summer thunderstorms come through! Lol

I'm really not complaining but I am finding it harder to fill my days with fun things to share with you. I think I have made a sunflower out of every craft supply possible-Mason jar rings, paper bags, ripped and dyed muslin, cardboard, corn husks, wooden Christmas ornament shapes,....! This is when I would normally be crafting something new for my next decor but, honestly, as much as I love my sunflower theme, there are only so many sunflowers one house can accommodate-as witnessed from some views from last year.

Now that I have tweaked this spot over the past year, I am thinking I will need to add some book risers to the mix. The peat pots need a bit of an "oomph".

And, honestly, if I don't come up with something new, the only changes I can envision is if I move things around and I kind of like things where they are. So, we shall see. I'm anxious for the color switch but I'm really not sure how things will go.

Don't get me wrong-this happens every year at this time but then something else will come along to get me excited again and I will stumble through until the autumn leaves return once again. Lol

And so, with that, I am off to take my little sidekick out for some exercise. He fits right in because he isn't the biggest lover of the heat either-maybe it's that gorgeous fur coat he insists on wearing. At least when he's here I don't feel the need to stay on top of the vacuuming because as quickly as I get it up, it just appears again so...???

Until the next time, stay safe and stay tuned.

Quiet Days

 This week is looking like it is going to be pretty quiet so I thought I would go ahead and get this tour finished up before things start changing. I think all we have left to see are the two bathrooms and, not much has changed in either.

The guest bath provides a bit more opportunity for decor but, since I will be having some company here over the holiday, it needs to be kept where real life people can actually function in here. lol It seems as if I am leaving the $Tree lantern here all of the time now. I actually like the bit of glow the battery candle gives this room at night.

Since blue is not a favorite color of mine, I don't have many decor items in that color and this would be the only time of the year that I would use it so I am not prone to buy much in those color ways. But, when I needed something a few years ago, I realized that there were a number of bottles being recycled in my house that would give me the color that I needed. I think this large bottle is from a Riesling wine and I actually love the way it looks here. It gives the feel of a more expensive Italian glass for none of the cost. Lol

I did have this sign left over from somewhere else so I propped it here in the corner where it is out of the way-I hope-but brings a bit of a pop.

This shelf turned out to be an ode to the American flag with various interpretations.

And just a hint of the holiday in the primary.

This poor paint stir stick star also lost its previous home and, honestly, it was easier to put it on the window sill than to pack it away somewhere so here it sits. Lol

As promised, not many changes so not much to "talk" about but, I still enjoy having a bit of each holiday/season in all of the rooms that I go into the most. The guest rooms are the only ones usually left untouched except for major holidays when they will see lots of action.

I think that wraps up this year's tour and no decor changes will be happening until after the 4th so I'm not sure what will keep me busy until then. I will be grand dog sitting once again-and, I just realized, decorating with my next theme while he is still here because he will be with me through July 12! Of all of my grand dogs, he is the one least likely to follow me every time I move so I should be good to go even with him here. If it had been my Vel-Cro dog, Hazel, I might have had to wait because she is under foot at all times but I don't mind because I love her so much!

I will be back to share as soon as I have something for you. Until then, stay safe and stay tuned.

Quick Pop-In

 As we are nearing the end of our 2026 4th of July decor tour I remembered that we never caught the front porch. I was waiting to see if Lowes ever got in their red, white and "blue" pots-and they did-so I grabbed one and with the "blue" petunias with white accents left over from spring and Easter, the "red" geranium and the blue daze-which isn't blooming much at the moment- I have enough out there now to set the scene so let's go.

I will say that keeping the potted plants happy these days is difficult. If they don't get watered at least once a day, they begin to quickly show their stress.

I grow my herbs in pots also. I keep them outside the side door towards the pool and even though this area is a bit shaded, the herbs need to be babied as well. So, whenever they start getting big and beginning to flower, I go into my "Mother Nature" mode and cut them back, bring them into the kitchen and come up with something-and, with the basil, it is almost always a pesto if I'm not just ripping them onto a pizza or pasta.

I have been making pesto for many years and when I started, I made it the traditional way using pine nuts. But, over the years, the price of those things has gone crazy high so I explored other options and I found that making it with either pistachios or pecans was just as good for my taste.

This is really the simplest recipe. Using a food processor makes easy work of it. Basically, it is 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup pistachios, 4 cups fresh basil leaves, one clove of garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Make sure that you use freshly grated cheese-NOT the stuff from the cardboard box! I always have a hunk of cheese in my fridge because I like to grate it over all kinds of things-even my roasted veggies!

And then the small tarragon plant I bought at the Master Gardener's Show back in March got huge as well. I love the smell and look of tarragon but except for tuna salad and, again, as a seasoning on my roasted veggies, I don't cook with it a lot unless I'm making a special dish for guests. But, the plant needed to be cut back so I trimmed off a lot and bundled it up and hung it over my kitchen window until it had dried. Then, I pulled it down, peeled off the leaves and chipped them very finely. I made a tuna salad and really only needed about a teaspoon so I have the rest in an air tight container for when I roast my next large batch of vegetables tomorrow night. I wish you could smell my kitchen! It is just beautiful and it makes me feel like an earth mother. Lol Imagine how good I would feel if I could actually grow ANYTHING real! LOL

That's all I have for today. I think the only things we actually have left to catch are the two bathrooms and this year's tour will be over. I will get back with that soon but until then, stay safe and stay tuned.

Almost Done

My car is now at the service center and I got a lovely surprise as neither my daughter nor my son-in-law-who are the usual suspects-picked me up to bring me home this morning. It was sweet granddaughter #5. It still takes me aback a bit to realize that she is now, too, driving. She is having a pretty quiet summer although she did fill me in on her "float" down the Rainbow River yesterday. She said the place was packed which, with our temperatures these days, does not surprise me! In any case, after a nice catch-up chit chat, I am home and thinking we will head into the family room today.

I'm still kind of proud of myself for the "knockoff" Statue of Liberty watercolor that I did a few years ago. I love watercolor but, quite frankly, have never been able to master it so, when I saw this print on sale somewhere, I came close to buying it. Then, upon closer examination, I thought I could probably figure out a way to get a close copy with no expense.

I ended up finding a die-cut image and cutting it out of Con-Tact paper that I carefully adhered onto a sheet of watercolor paper. Then, I simply wet the surrounding areas, dropped on watercolor paint and "smeared" it in for the background and then splattered water to make the spots. When it was fully dry I peeled off the Con-Tact paper "mask" and had just what I wanted.

I usually use the white round tray here but, because I am still pulling in some antique gold in this room, I left the gold tray in place. Those "My Texas House" hydrangreas are just too pretty to put away just yet so I put them in my large PB urn and added a few red geraniums and an old blue hydrangea. 

This is the first year in many that the mantle does not have lights. Both sets of star lights blew out and the last few years I have strung the twinkle lights through another red, white and blue pip berry garland that I had but, every year it got harder and harder to hang and get right so, this year I just gave up. I put a simple pip berry garland on top of the mantle and called it a day. Then, I took the old garland and cut it up and twisted it into circles to use as candle rings that you will see in other spots around this room-waste not, want not. Lol

Those who know me or have been visiting my blog for awhile know that I am not a fan of dolls. But, for some reason, last year everywhere you looked people, were featuring the Uncle Sam doll. I had bought a set of the round boxes to make my drum that is in the dining room and I had the largest box left over. Again, not wanting to waste it I thought it would look cute as a riser for something so I decided to give the Uncle Sam a try. I did not have a pattern so there was much hit-or-miss and he is nowhere near perfect but, that is the point and probably the only reason I gave him a try. Being he is supposed to look primitive, you almost can't go wrong. He may not last as decor forever but he did make the cut again this year. Lol

This wreath is one of my most viewed and copied images on my blog. Daughter #3 made it for me many years ago when her children were much smaller than they are now. The only thing I did after receiving it was to remove each little handprint and laminate them so they would stand the test of time...and they have!

I still like this pillow cover I made from a very inexpensive cover from HL and acrylic paint. Again, I did the Con-Tact paper masking and just painted over the stars and removed the mask at the end. 

For whatever reason, I never remember to get a picture after it is fully dark outside but, you can see what it looks like as the candles all start coming on-albeit without me getting up to turn on the small chargeable lights. This is my view every evening and it takes a LOT to get me up once I am cozied in. Lol

Not much more to go and then, I will have to admit, one of my favorite decor themes is next. Because I dislike summer so much, when I bring out the "sun"flowers for summer along with the citrus and Mediterranean decor, even though it is 150 degrees in the shade outside, my brain seems to remind me that "this too shall end" and autumn WILL come again! I seriously ask myself why I am still living in Florida. Lol

Still haven't heard anything about my car-the longer it takes usually the more it costs so fingers crossed the phone rings soon. Lol Stay safe and stay tuned.