Memories of Home in a Peach Orchard House for Pink Saturday 4/14/2012

First of all, I want to give you just a teensy little look at one of the items in my giveaway this month. It's been such a long time since I've done a giveaway for the aprons that I decided I'm in a good enough mood to do it again, not aprons but something else. There will be another item or two in with this. I'm not showing what it is in its entirely yet so just think what it could be. However, if you've been around my blog the last couple of years, it should be easy to guess. ;-)

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Welcome to Pink Saturday once again. Today I'm telling a story so read on. But first, go visit with Beverly's blog and see all the other participants. I'm sure you'll like it and if you're not a follower, please be one so you won't miss anything exciting I may post. I'd sure love it if you would! I'm planning on a giveaway soon and, trust me, you're not going to want to miss out on it. ;-) That's all I'm going to say on the subject.
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There will be more on this lovely photo also. You'll be as excited as I am. Trust me on this one.
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My father was a Naval officer. We traveled a lot, but he traveled more than we did as a family. When he would be gone for an extended length of time, we would usually go stay with my maternal grandparents. I dearly loved my grandma so it was a treat to live with her and grandpa. I remember them living in different states and cities. And since my grandpa was a railroad conductor, my grandma would take me on train rides—overnight train rides. That's why I love taking trains so much to this day even. Sad that trains are going the way of the dinosaur. Those were fun trips, really fun.

But one time that we stayed with them, my grandparents had just built a brick home in a small town across the Ohio river from West Virginia. My brother and I enrolled in the school there but my sister was not school age yet. It was in a peach orchard. We loved it. A new friend and I would ramble through the orchard on little paths that took us away from the prying eyes of adults. We'd find things to explore. It was there I found a plant called sassafras that surprisingly smelled like root beer. That was my entry into the botany world. But we had great times until we eventually had to move when my father came home from his assignment on ship.

However, my mother always told us not to tell anyone we lived in a peach orchard! I was stymied by this, but I learned later she was actually embarrassed that my grandparents would build in a peach orchard. In today's world, most people would pay dearly for a huge peach orchard in which to build their home. Oh, and the house was a beautiful one-story brick. I never understood her embarrassment about that home. I just remember sitting out with my grandpa and he would peel peaches with his pocket knife and give me, my brother and sister little slices of just-picked-from-the-tree peaches. It was a magnificent world to me then. I get weepy just remembering that time of my life. I was so happy. In fact, while writing this post an eerie, yet pleasant, feeling just swept through my body. I think it is my grandma telling me she loves me too.

Just a sweet memory.

Now look at all these gorgeous photos and see if one of the photos evoke a memory for you.
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Violets also remind me of my grandma because she always grew them and we picked them together.

I cannot resist a photo of flowers, old buildings and quaint water fountains.

I want and shall have a Meyer lemon tree in a pot soon. I don't think this is a lemon tree but I like it anyway.

An elegant and cozy sun room.

An unusually beautiful and inviting entrance to a home.

STYLE!

Beautiful dining room with a stunning view.

I guess if you have it, flaunt it?!

Do you notice the red stove?

Again, just look at what a coat of beautifully-colored paint can do for a laundry room.

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Random Thoughts:

Whatever happened to "thank you" and "you're welcome"? Now it's "no problem". What in the world does that mean? Welcome is the proper response. I don't think I ever say "no problem" and I always say "thank you".
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Don't marry a man or woman unless you would be proud to have a son or daughter exactly like him or her.
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Never try to feel smart when you are stuck in stupid! Just realize your mistake, don't make excuses, apologize and go on graciously. Personal experience! Yep.
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Terrorists are all martyrs until they get shot in the leg and then they squeal like pigs.
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I want the cell phones the CounterTerrorismUnit used on 24. They never ran out of battery charges.
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A middle school close to us had a reader board that advertised Free Dental Sealant. What is that that the schools have to give free dental work now? I have no dental insurance and pay my way, but I certainly don't get free sealant when I visit my dentist. I have on occasion "bargained" with my dentist though.
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Ear buds help parents strengthen their vocal cords.
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Our youth are forgetting how to write because they are wired with phones. Taking those shortcuts with texting is making them stupid or, at the very least, stunting their writing skills along with spelling. Trust me on this one. I see it frequently.
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Photos courtesy of tumblr and pinterest.

Dust Does Not Bother Me

As I've said many times on this blog, dust doesn't bother me and I don't dust anywhere near what should be done in this house. We've lived in the Southern California desert of 29 Palms, the Yuma, Arizona desert and now the desert of southwestern Idaho and when the "dust" blew it was sand! We got them so frequently we wouldn't clean the window sills after each one because it was a waste of time. But we're also surrounded by farmer's fields where we live so I've just learned to live with it and love it, which means I don't have to work as much by not dusting. ;-) Any farmer's wife understands this I'm sure. Dusting is a waste of time to do it every single day.

So the other day hubs was cleaning his office—organizing papers on his desk and credenza, organizing his many briefcases, vacuuming and dusting. I noticed he was dusting with a white washcloth and asked him where he got it. He said from behind the toilet in the guest bathroom on the pipe back there. I almost lost it then. That was the rag I use to clean the toilet! I told him in no uncertain terms that he's to never, ever use that to dust again. I then snatched it out of his hand and put it in the laundry. Have men no clue?! You do not dust with the toilet rag. I think he's learned his lesson. Maybe. We'll see. Grrrrrr.

How about this bathroom shower? It is adorable. I've never seen anything quite so unique.

Yesssss!

Gorgeous huge kitchen in gorgeous blues. I could live with that. But again, I'd have to cook. Naahhhh.

Yes, I love this color on her cabinets, but it would take a brave woman to paint them that vivid, but gorgeous, shade of pink.

While this is a stunning bathroom, I'd sure hate to scoot around on my bottom on the stone.

These were made by a stunningly gifted woman in Germany. I've tried to figure out from her website if she had more available but she doesn't. Everything she does is exquisite.

More women are doing pink walls in their kitchen now. I'm so glad because I love my pink kitchen walls.

Now I'll be looking for old cup
holder trees to paint and put my scissors in the craft room on.

Just like me, she covers her lampshades in roses!

Yummy or what?! Cute.

I found this bedspread on a website but it was $279 and I just didn't want to spend the money right now. I'm on a frugal kick. I know I'll regret this some day; I just know it. BUT I have the perfect bedspread that I could put ruffles on with some fabric and have a comforter almost like this for a lot less. I'll think about doing that.

A sweet, sweet cottage living room.

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The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

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All photos courtesy of pinterest and tumblr.

Random Thoughts and Gorgeous Rooms 4/10/2012

Just so you know, I'm going to be having a giveaway this month—April. If you want to be entered you must be a follower. It's only fair to the people who follow me on a regular basis. Ooooh, and you really do NOT want to miss my giveaways. ;-) It will be something I'm working on at the moment. Something crafty. Something very, very pretty. Trust me on this. You've been warned!
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Hubs and I are so excited!! We found out last night our granddaughter is going to have another baby at the end of this year. We are over the moon excited to have another addition to our family of great-grands.

I'm a great-grandmother with bragging rights and want to show this video of Caroline and her kitties. You don't have to view it; however, if you wish to view it, just click. It's about five and a half minutes long so it's your prerogative to not view it.

Caroline and Kitty Love. She absolutely loves them, as does her mummy. Our granddaughter is a huge animal lover. She would just as soon let her arm go numb before she'd move a kitty off of it. This is true as her hubby told us this story.

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To me, this is a dream bedroom. The artist, whose house this is, is one of the sweetest women with whom I've ever communicated. I love this room, absolutely love it.

Eye candy. I have some similar file folders and am afraid to use them because they are so pretty. Ridiculous, I know.

This is elegant and very well organized. I only wish I could have such a darling space as this one.

Another idea for vintage doors if you can't put them in your home. Put them on your patio.

I have some plates almost identical to these. They are gorgeous when seen in real life instead of this internet.

I was drawn to this photo because of the color.

Okay, I think the home is lovely, but could we not have smelly sheep in the front yard. I think the backyard would be best. ;-)

Beautiful vibrant colors. I love red and purple together and this homeowner has done it magnificently.

A beautiful arbor to walk through.

Can you just imagine the scent of these roses as you walk or drive through this sweet area?

Looks to me like a cottage on the central California coast.

While I like green, it isn't my favorite color, but this kitchen is simply stunning.

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Random Thoughts:

Famous last words: "Moooom, Daaaad, I'm not a child anymore; I'm thirteen, ya know, and know what I'm doing." Which means they have absolutely no clue what they are doing.
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Never, ever say to your wife: Those shoes look cute on you; they make your feet look smaller.
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Have you ever thanked your garbage men for the utterly smelly and obnoxious job they have? We have and they were dumbfounded. But when you think about it, who in the world would want to have one of the most obnoxious jobs in the world? Go out and thank him or leave him a note or, better yet, a box of candy!
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There's a fine line between tan and looking like you rolled in a bag of Doritos.
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The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.

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Photos courtesy of tumblr and pinterest.

Stealing Snickers Bars

Love Bunny and I were having lunch at home recently, which is where we have it when I can't talk him into eating out. :-( We had gone grocery shopping earlier to pick up a few things (Hah!! A few things cost me $79.35 that day.) and even with only 3 things on my list to buy, it always gets out of hand, let me tell ya!

Anyway, I bought a Milky Way Caramel bar for me and a Snickers bar for him as I usually do once in a while. We were eating lunch and he told me to stop eating half of his Snickers bar. I thought I'd replace it before he found out. Guilty! (It's the 2 bars in one wrapper kind.) Then he proceeded to tell me I'm not re-wrapping it properly. I just looked at him dumbfounded. Huh?! I get in the fastest way I can when I'm needing a chocolate fix, and how I'm supposed to open the candy bar is the farthest thing from my mind. He said I'm supposed to tear it down the side and then twist the wrapper to keep it fresh. Noticing my befuddled look, he continued and that's where the fun began. I had a mouthful of macaroni and cheese and almost choked from laughing and almost spit it across the table at him. He then knew why. Looking at me losing it he said, "Oh, I forgot—with you there is no 'keeping it fresh'." Since I wasn't able to stop laughing, I just kept nodding my head yes. The man knows me well after almost 51 years of marriage. And apparently he still loves me even when I steal half of his Snickers bar in the middle of the night. If that ain't love, what is? ;-)
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I have used this gorgeous fabric for pillows but this sofa looks beautiful also.

I'm not into rustic much but I could definitely live here. It's beautiful. Elegant Rustic or Rustic Elegance?

What to do when you find a good deal on vintage doors.

A place to daydream.

Another idea for decorating vintage items you find. I've done this to a bedside table and it's gorgeous.

Eye candy! Claudia, you could store all your knitting/crocheting yarn in here beautifully.

I also have a stash of this beautiful pink fabric.

A sweet garden room to fix your plants in for the season.

A Mackenzie-Childs style table and chairs.

I find this coffee table absolutely exquisite. I'd love a top like that.

I love this idea. Darling and inexpensive to make with scraps of fabric around a coat hanger and add a pretty ribbon for a hanger. Put on any door even.

A cottage you might like to visit for a vacation.



I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan my day. But I try my best to do something to lift at least one person up each day.
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Photos courtesy of tumblr and pinterest.