Gorgeous "Dream" Homes #1

I don't peruse blogs a heck of a lot because I just don't have time. (This is Conniespeak for I lose all track of time and can spend hours looking and not get anything done I need to!) I use Google Reader for my favorites and look at them quickly through that medium and if it looks interesting that day, I click on the blog and go there to leave a comment or view the whole thing. Why do I do it like this? Because it saves time with all the ads on Blogger now. Time for all them to come up can be several minutes in some cases. (AdBlock definitely helps though getting around all the ads though!) Anyway, that's how I do it. And if you haven't heard of AdBlock, it's just to the right below the photos of me on my sidebar, and tells you where to get it.

Anyway, I read a lot about women dreaming about their dream house or buying a house waiting for their Dream House to come along. I haven't yet met anyone who has actually found their dream house. That's why it's called Dream House—you dream about having it, but most women never, ever have their dream house. I don't and never will. What I do have is a seven year old, 4 bedroom, 2 bath, 3 car garage, family room, living room house that is sufficient for my needs...and hubby's needs also. My mortgage is about $440 a month but I pay a lot extra so we can pay it off sooner. That's my dream house. Not a Mercedes, pool, fancy large house. We live quite comfortably, just the two of us. Small yard for hubs to mow and not kill himself doing in the heat of this desert summer. I truly don't lust for some of the homes I'm going to show you below and in another post soon.

Why do we think we need more than we do? Hollywood-types and some very wealthy live in 12,000 square foot homes but don't actually live in them. They flaunt them. That's not my style. I do NOT begrudge the rich anything. I find simple things make me happier than large homes to clean or with which to try and impress others. I'm debt-free except for my house. Why would someone want a million-dollar-plus home? A modest home can serve your needs quite well. Trust me, we've been through the cycle of having a house to flaunt and this is much better. I was so glad to get rid of the big home I cried when we finally did—and those were truly tears of joy.

A friend of our daughter's built a two-million dollar, 20,000 square foot home up in the wilds of Oregon (Isn't Oregon wild everywhere though?) several years ago when he made a fortune selling off his company stock and making millions off it. When our daughter visited with them recently, she said the house is filthy. Absolutely filthy. She and her husband couldn't stand to be in it. It was totally gauche. They didn't even worry about keeping it clean or even the upkeep on it. They couldn't! She said she'll never go back there again. The house is just in a shambles.

The rich and/or famous aren't any better than you; they just have more house to clean and more money, but they have more struggles than you, just look at the papers and magazines. I rest my case. Frankly, I'd rather have the struggles I do have; they're familiar to me. I truly mean this from my heart.


But if you insist on lusting, here are a few that might suit you.

Waterfalls are notoriously noisy.

Of course, this is small, but could be someone's dream home and not cost you millions to acquire it.

Having had a pool in our last house I can assure you they require a lot of upkeep, i.e. MONEY.

Older homes also require a lot of money sometimes. It isn't worth it to me.

A beautiful home.

A mite more modest, but I'm sure it's someone's dream home.

Unusual but lovely with that front circular porch.

I'd want more privacy than this house affords.

Somewhere near the sea, I'd bet.

I just had to show you these two exquisite lamps—floor...

and table.

Hanging roses lanterns.

And of course, the requisite eye candy. ;-)

More kitchen than I'd want to clean.

Love the color in here though.

And especially this pink color!

So, love what you have and be happy you have it. That's my bottom line!

~*~

An Old Friend

The other day I was sitting in my family room reading a delightful book called Empire of Gold by Andy McDermott (the first book I've read by him, certainly not the last either) It was recommended by a man at our local bookstore and I'm loving it. The main character, Eddie Chase, makes Chuck Norris and Bruce Willis look like wimps!

And then the phone rang. It was a woman from my past that I hadn't heard from in years, probably 15 years. I was stunned because I've thought of her through the years and actually, very recently thought of her again. I've tried locating her since I knew where they moved when they left here—Colorado. Her hubby was a hospital administrator and I called a hospital in the small Colorado town and asked for the administrator, but it wasn't her hubby. The new administrator helped me try and locate them but to no avail. I really liked this woman.

So fast forward several years from then and she got my address from a woman we both knew in the small town we moved from when we moved here. I didn't even know they knew each other.

Her life has changed dramatically. She's about 15 years younger than I am but a truly beautiful person, inside and out. She lives with her oldest daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren now. She and her hubby divorced and he left her destitute with 4 children. It's a sad story, but I was thrilled to have heard from her after all these years. We, of course, vowed to never lose contact again and exchanged emails. She may be going to live in Switzerland in the coming year. I just hope she heals from the devastating marriage she had to an abusive hubby.

It's funny what life brings you. I'm peacefully living my life and then out of the blue, a person calls and you hear their tale of woe and it yet confirms to me how blessed a life I live. I loved this woman because she helped me come into the Church. How can I forget someone who did that? She's a great lady and a beautiful one. No man should be able to destroy someone like he did her. I hope all of you reading this today see your own self-worth and don't depend on others to give it to you. There isn't one person out there who can give it to you; it's yours to take!
*


Another sweet thatched cottage in the UK somewhere.

Nope, I haven’t forgotten all you lovers of rustic. ;-)

Little cottage with French doors and an eyebrow window.

Cherry pie. Remember that song back in the 1950s or 1960s called Cherry Pie? It keeps going through my head but I simply cannot find it on google.

This may be called a cottage to some people but to me it’s more a lake house or vacation villa.

I just love the popularity of the once lowly cupcake now! I’ve always loved them because you can eat just one and be satisfied instead of a huge slice of cake.

While dark and foreboding, I thought this room had a handsomeness to it.

Lilacs in abundance. We don’t have any in our yard but perhaps I can get Love Bunny to plant a bush somewhere out back.

Looking into lavender fields through a gorgeous portal.

Do I even need to comment here? What an absolutely serene mews to live in.

Red and white bedroom. Gotta love it!

On our trips over to our granddaughter’s house in Washington near Redmond we come across several flower stands. Washington is a very lush state in the western part of it. The eastern part is desert, just like us here in western Idaho. The blackberries grow thick along the roads we travel to get there. If we go over in the spring we could stop and pick them for free. But most of the time we go in late summer and none left. But you’d never have to buy them if you lived there. They grow prolifically.

A kind of bohemian bedroom.

Cute idea for ways to store your fabric strips.

What darling polka dot dishes. I think this is somewhere in Europe judging from the language on the canister.

I would love that chair and cushion.

Is this lovely or what? It looks like a pixie or fairy picnic. Absolutely stunning.

A very doable and darling idea for your vine plants.

~*~

Simply Eye Candy 6/16/2012

I just thought this basket of things from the garden and woods was cute as a centerpiece. Could be for summer or winter.

Country setting for a dinner with onions as a centerpiece. Use your imagination for things like this. Your imagination is always better than something you might have bought in a store and paid dear for.

This is a cottage somewhere on the east coast, probably on Cape Cod, where my sister-in-law and her hubby live.

I’m not sure where this darling cottage is located but it looks very English to me.

This is for all of us lovers of hydrangeas, geraniums, star jasmine (wonderfully fragrant) and roses. All my favorites! Geraniums remind me of California, where I spent most of my life and they grow prolifically, and hydrangeas are just simply beautiful.

I plan on trying this on a wall in my living room. I have the makings to do it. Beautiful!

That’s a chocolate pot, not a teapot. I love the setting though. Cupcakes and tea? Ooooh, yeah!! I only drink herbal tea though—orange spice.

Love the yellow and pink spread, to say nothing of the bed frame. ;-)

Colorful entrance in Mexico or Italy from the looks and color of it.

I’ve posted this chair before I think but I don’t care. I love that cover and will try to make one like it as soon as I get the chairs I want. Soon, very soon!

White house, black trim and green door. In the next few years, mine will be that color except for a red or fuchsia door. I can promise you that! I love white houses with black trim and a punch of vivid color on the door.

Summer cottages with darling striped awnings. So summer!!

Another cute vignette.

Now, these are from our garden out back the last few days of May. Hubs is holding them clumped together and they smell wonderful.

These peonies are huge, let me tell ya.

This clematis has 2 stalks, hence, the 2 different blooms. I like it because of its uniqueness though. Very pretty in person.

Very pretty formal entrance, even though very inviting.

I plan on doing this for my next dinner party—bunches of different heights of bouquets, probably from our own garden.

~*~