I Love Serendipity...

...things that are just meant to be. I know that word is probably meant to denote more than my naive definition of it but I find joy in my life when things work out just the way I would want if I had planned them-but, in reality, I really had very little to do with it.

This has been a very loonnng week. I have been dealing with Cox Cable and my "bundling" installation since Tuesday. And with the exception of me having to make yet another trip to the Cox Store on Monday, I think my adventure is finally over! I will spare you the details but I am really almost over me (who really has NO technology training) knowing more just by instinct and logic than the myriad of "experts" who have been through my house this week.

I guess all of that is leading up to my serendipitous moments. After a particularly frustrating meeting with Cox, I was feeling sorry for myself but still had errands to run. As I went about my business, I decided to treat myself to a new top, a new pair of shoes and then...cue the music...a lemon tree. And not just any lemon tree-a Meyer lemon tree. I have wanted one forever but the price of the trees has made me second guess that thought. But, when I was in Publix the other day I happened to notice the price of the Meyer lemons and decided I might need to rethink that. And there, as I am walking into the Lowes Garden Center is a whole display of citrus trees...but only one lemon-a Meyer lemon in fact. It was meant to be!! I grabbed that thing up before any of the other shoppers could even focus their eyes on that beauty.

Then I headed straight to the pots and planters and found exactly what I had envisioned!!

And then, to add the icing to the cake, I had gotten a text from daughter #2 saying that she and grand daughter #3 would like to come down for a visit. What could be better? We ended up going to see "The Book Club", to dinner at Carrabbas and home to snuggle in to watch one of our favorite movies of all time-Sleepless in Seattle. I love all of these unexpected moments.

 Today after they left, there were still blue skies outside so I headed out to plant my tree and a few others blooms I had picked up. It was hot but there actually was a nice breeze and some cloud cover occasionally drifting by so I was in my glory! And I had no sooner finished it all up when I heard some thunder and we had a long, fabulous storm that made all of my newly planted flowers so happy.  Here are some asters that I'm trying out. I have never grown them before so we will see how it goes.

This is the new entry to the pool from the family room. Do you see that beauty back there?

Fingers crossed it will be happy here. It has a bloom on it already and I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of many more and that lovely fragrance I remember from growing up near citrus groves. And while I'm swooning, isn't that planter just perfect? It's all rusty and chippy-just what I love!

It was no small task but I got the topiary moved down here. That is ONE HEAVY POT but I kind of rolled it and eventually I got it where I wanted it. It looks so much better down here. This corner of the deck has always bothered me...it was kind of empty. Now it's empty no longer and the height helps to balance the other tall things down here. Serendipity because I truly had NO idea where I would put the lemon but I knew I wanted it close to where I sit most often. And once I figured that out, I really had no idea where to move the topiary. Let's just say that I'm glad it didn't have to go any further...one wrong roll and it would be sitting in the bottom of the pool right now. Lol

And then, to really make my day, my sky vine has finally fully recuperated from the winter freeze and it is just beginning to bloom again!

My daughters and grand daughters have made it safely to Europe. As I write, they have already enjoyed visits to Nice, Cannes and Monaco with many other destinations on their itinerary. While away, I will probably be entertaining the 3 "little" kids when they're not at camp or some other activity. I never like to have them here without a trick or two up my sleeve-especially with the amount of lightening storms we have taking away the opportunity to always be in the pool-not to mention the fact that now that they have a pool at their own house, Nana's pool is no longer quite the hot ticket item it once was.

And so, of course, my mind automatically goes to holidays first. I found this water gun painting idea on Pinterest. I thought we would do a combination of these two-the red, white and blue colors but also the stars. Of course, I'm pretty sure all of the paint won't only end up on the canvases so I will have to make sure the pool is a go for quick clean-ups!

I found this idea at messylittlemonster.com

This one came from somewhatsimple.com

And then, of course, Father's Day. Photos are always great. We have done the one where each of the kids is holding a large wooden letter spelling out "MOM" so I thought maybe a play on that might be cute for Dad. Since there are three kids, either of these should work perfectly. Now the challenge will be finding a time that all three are together. Harrison has sleep away camp all of this week, so that may make this harder to do but we'll figure it out. I might even let the two youngest make the frame! Stay tuned.

This one is from TheCelebrationShoppe.com

This idea comes from sunscholars.blogspot.com