Pink Patio and Light and Shadows

Some little signs I've had for a couple of years that had some prints of garden items on them couldn't take the hot desert summer heat anymore and gave up th' ghost—that's Idaho talk for "peeled off." I was ready to trash them but hubs—YES, hubs— said to try and paint them. I almost fell out of the dining room chair, chicks!! Ohmygosh, I couldn't believe he was telling me to keep something and not to throw it away. Well, I didn't want to spoil his party so I did as th' man said. I painted them the other day and then decided to go for it totally and paint the patio table since I had my painting apron on, the wind was not blowing and I had paint cans in my hands already. PinkkkkkkKKK. While I was at it, and being totally embarrassed at our yard at the moment since Love Bunny is campaigning for a state position and barely has time to mow the front yard. I decided to show you what the back yard looks like at the moment. This will change very shortly I can assure you. ;-) They don't call me the "nag" for nothing, ya know.

Krylon's Ballet Pink spray-on paint is the color and it is a lively pink but looks lighter in the photos however. I was just so sick of looking at that black round metal table all rusted and dust covered. (I figure the dust won't show as much on the pink! "I don't do dust" has always been my motto.)

Then as I was photographing it I noticed the light and shadows across it and saw how pretty it was. Looks almost lavender where the sheer curtain shadows fall across the table.

It almost felt ethereal out there early in the morning all by myself and no neighborhood noises yet. Actually, we live in a very, very quiet neighborhood. But I felt like it was almost transformed with the light falling softly on the top.

Concord grapes grow here for hubs because he loves them. He gets just enough to satisfy his appetite for a year from this small vine. I don't care for grapes with seeds and am not fond of concord grapes so he gets them all to himself, much to his glee.

Our little patch of garden. Last year we planned on putting stones around it this year but haven't had the time yet so this is—embarrassingly—it for the moment. I plan on getting this done posthaste though. Remember, I'm th' nag here and I'm very good at it. ;-) We've got 3 tomato plants started and will have cucumbers, lettuce and a few other things. Not much as I am NOT canning anymore.

That little beige pot next to it is my gardenia we're nursing back to health. It stays in the house for the winter and then goes back outside in the summer. I love them but it gets pretty cold in the winter so we have to bring it inside.

Forget-me-not seed packet was a gift from an order I received over the internet. We'll—meaning Love Bunny, I can assure you—will plant these soon and then I'll use the package to hang in my laundry room on a wall.

I Walked Through the Rose Garden Today

Life is getting back to somewhat normal around here after the tragedy for this family. It was a terrible and horrific loss to us all. If anyone is interested we placed a video on Youtube to watch. It's about 5 minutes long and shows Bill through his life. This is a man who never ever complained about his circumstances in life. In the first picture he is the second from the left and also he is the saxophone player on the audio. I suggest you put youtube into full screen mode and turn up the sound to hear what a talented saxophonist he was.

Bill Cormier
November 1962 - May 2009

I thought I'd share some of his garden with you today. He absolutely loved tending his garden and had so many rose bushes we couldn't keep count, well over a hundred.

Let me tell you what this valiant young man went through.

In his early 30s he started losing his kidney function through a disease he had with his blood and too much protein in it. He was started on steroids knowing full well the eventual outcome of steroids eating away joints. He endured numerous operations including one where his father donated a kidney. It worked for about 3 days and then they had to go back in and remove it as it was being destroyed by his disease. He had knee surgeries, a hip replacement, a shoulder replacement, diverticulitis and eventually a part of his colon removed and so as to not get graphic he was on immodium every single day his whole life after that operation, the fistula on his left arm to bring the vein to the surface so he could receive dialysis easier with the full knowledge that his arm could burst at any time and he would bleed out. He was to have that replaced with a cow or pig vein and then faced a shoulder replacement a few months after that would have been done. He died before that took place with his arm bursting open and bled out within 2 minutes just as they had warned him. Last year his face seemed "frozen" on one side and he and Nan thought it might be Bell's palsy but it turned out to be a tumor on his ear so they operated on that ear, cut out the tumor (benign) and he was deaf in that ear. Only then did he ask his mom "what did I ever do to deserve this?" He never ever complained up until that time. He and Nan traveled, camped and never let it get them down. We had to fight with him to get a handicapped sticker for his cars because he hated them and rarely used them although he was so sick. He wouldn't even park in the handicapped place at work or at dialysis center since he thought other dialysis patients would need it worse than him. He would only use it when we visited with them and since we're "older" he'd use it then—for us and not himself. (We truly didn't need it.) His co-workers were stunned when he died because only his immediate boss had any idea of his circumstances and he didn't know how bad it was. They wanted to bring in grief counselors because of that. He was Director of Product Development at his Silicon Valley company and absolutely loved going to work each day. They loved him. The chapel was full at his memorial service.

I've included roses from his garden. I went out friday evening and photographed them and then cut one from each bush to put into a boxwood wreath we ordered online.

The bushes are in bad need of trimming but he didn't have the time to do that since he was still recuperating from the operation. The gardener will prune them soon.

The roses almost seem as though they know Bill is gone and won't be tending them again. Some are wilted and some are budding out but a few are in full abundant glorious bloom.

He had all colors in the yard. This one is especially beautiful I think.

This is his favorite rose outside their kitchen window on the deck.

Another photo of his favorite rose.

This one is truly exquisite looking in its colors.

From the front of the house looking across the street.

Hubby got in this picture!

I gathered up a basket and clipped these to put into the wreath for his memorial. He wanted donations to the kidney foundation in lieu of flowers but his company and co-workers sent some bouquets.

All the roses in the wreath are from his beloved garden.

This phrase is said so often and truly meant by those who say it but he truly was a brave and dear young man who will be greatly missed by all.

New Camper Birdhouse for Pink Saturday 5/30/09

This is the little camper birdhouse I made in January and sold. I didn't want to sell it because I wasn't sure I could find another one since this was the only one they had at the time. But I did find a couple more and am making another one for OUR camper. It will NOT be for sale. But I thought I'd show you how it came together in case you might want to make one for yourself.

I finished this one the other day and it will definitely go into the camper that I've named the Rose Cottage Camper.

Garland and rose on top along with the name of the camper.

I started with a good sanding first and then painted some parts pink since they won't be covered with fabric.

Wheels will be covered with fabric though.

Some of the fabric might be lighter than others so the pink paint will help the wood to not show through.

Wordless Wednesday 5/27/09

Making Paper Roses for Pink Saturday 5/23/09

I found these darling offices and thought I'd share them with you. Aren't they gorgeous?!?! Squeeeeeeeeeeal!!!!!!!!!!!

For the froufrou-y cowgirl.

For the high fashion chick.

For lovers of pinkKKKK!!! I love the backs of the bookcases.

For the lovers of "small" offices.

For the "gotta have sun" office lovers.

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I've been purchasing paper roses on line for years and today decided to try my hand at making some myself. (Okay, so they aren't pinkkkKK.......adjust, chicks! So far I've made 3 and each one gets progressively better but looking at these photos you would not know it. The numerals over each one show the order in which I've made them. The first one looks best on the photos but in actuality the number 3 one looks best. It takes a lot of lemons to produce lemonade, chicks! I'm up to the task. However, I'll always buy some from my usual source because I just love the service I get from her. Service in this case matters a great deal to me, not the price.

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Random Thought:

Why in the world do they call a seedless watermelon seedless?? It still has seeds in it.