AUTUMN VIGNETTES...

Now, my calendar says autumn begins. 

 I step outside and I can tell.

  The breeze has picked up a little 

and the sunshine has a different feel.  

Around the Cottage the leaves 

haven't quite begun to flutter down

 but there are definite signs

 that they plan on starting soon. 

 Little vignettes of color 

in the process of letting go.

I love this season of the year.  

The colors and scents associated with it

 are warm and inviting

 and I always feel more content

 when surrounded by them. 

 In our past homes, I somehow always ended up decorating with rusts and blues.  

Whenever I think back on those times,

 I feel a peace within. 

 Maybe that is why autumn feels just right to me.

Our sitting room is where we spend

 the majority of our time each day.  

That is where we watch TV,

 eat most dinners on the couch 

and where we usually entertain family and friends. 

 It is the one room that we have to walk through whenever we go from the front door to the back. 

 It is literally the heart of the home

 and I have never really been happy with it.

  Well, that is about to change.  

It most likely won't be completed before Christmas

 but it will be, I hope, worth the wait.

Without many more words,

 grab your choice of a fall beverage, 

and let me show you my true colors 

and some autumn vignettes around the Cottage...

                 

This was a long one.

 I hope I haven't put you all to sleep...

May you all experience a beautiful autumn season

 and I will see you next time.

...xxoJudy...

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AN EASY SUMMER...

Summertime...

Fish are Jumpin'...

Catch of the Day... 

Captain, Hawaii, 1958

Brent, Montana, 1968

And The Livin' Is Easy...

This really has been an easy summer. 

 The weather, so far, has been very agreeable

 and time is slowly moving along.

We've moved some furniture around 

to make space for a larger area rug that is coming to the sitting room.  

My thought was to move the game table and chairs into the parlor. 

 The Captain did not agree at all and I had a few doubts myself, 

but we both think that we do like it.  

If it becomes a problem for the Christmas tree set up, then we will rethink it.  

We moved the two blue armchairs back into the sitting room 

until we can replace them with a couple of easy chairs.

This room, for me, has always been

 a hard nut to crack as far as decorating. 

 I am trying to push it a little more

 towards country prim. 

 More to come about this later.

It's funny how quickly

 some easy living can turn into torture.  

Have you ever noticed that?

  I will make a long story short. 

 I noticed some water on the library floor 

which after a quick clean up 

turned into more water on the library floor 

and on the guest bedroom floor as well. 

 It turned out our second bathroom 

which is situated between the two rooms 

sprung a leak in the pipe connected to the toilet

 and that water had to go somewhere.  

We called a plumber 

and he found other leaks under the Cottage. 

 It seems that our water pressure was too high

 and had blown through the pipes 

over a period of time. 

 That is just how our city water pressure is

 and I wish someone had told us 

that the installation of a pressure valve

 would have solved the problem. 

 But no one did and now we know. 

 After a good amount of money

 and some raised hardwood floors 

we are now all good.

Hope all is well with you

 and will see you next time.

...xxoJudy...

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HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY...

Time has gotten away from me - again!  

I intended to post on my regular schedule, 

but the time just whizzed by

 and before I knew it 

Tuesday had come and gone. 

I did a few patriotic touches around the Cottage, 

not as much as I have done in the past, 

but that seems to be 

what the future holds from now on.  

It is enough for me. 

 I think I have finally realized that

 less is more, less is enough.  

It is about time...Maybe!

We have been enjoying some hotter weather.  

Hot, but so far, not as bad as year's past. 

 Of course, that doesn't mean it will stay that way 

but, for now, we are grateful.

The little birds that seemed to be getting ready 

to nest in our little pink cottage

 have suddenly disappeared. 

 We have not seen them for three days. 

 Google says this can happen and

  they sometimes return to lay their eggs.  

We looked into the house as best as we could 

but what they built so far

 is too high to see into the nest 

and we didn't want to touch anything. 

 Fingers crossed that they return 

as they have crept into being part of the family.

Hope that those of you who celebrate July 4th

 have a wonderful night. 

 We will do the usual during the day, 

take a trip down to In N Out burger for dinner 

and watch the fireworks 

from our hospital parking lot.  

 Some things never change. 

Until next time...

...xxoJudy...

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SUMMER ROMANCE...

As I write this, I have just received the newest issue of Victoria Magazine.  

It is a beautiful summer morning, and I am having my coffee on the screened porch 

looking out into the Secret Garden.

The Star jasmine is climbing up into the gazebo 

and blooming against the cooling backdrop of green ivy...

...and the hummers have started to come sip 

the nectar prepared just for them.

I think I mentioned in my last post (long, long ago) 

that there were signs that the little house wrens might be checking into our Airbnb cottage again. 

 Yes, they were.  

They seem to be settling in, bringing little treasures to make their stay a comfortable one.  

Mama Wren is already sitting on the eggs,

 and Papa Wren is very busily bringing her whatever her little heart desires.  

Such a sweet sight.

As I open the pages of my magazine and take my first sip of coffee, 

I notice that the theme of this month's issue is Summer Romance.

  I have taken the liberty of using those words as the title of this post.  

That exactly describes what the time has been for me this season so far.  

I have been lucky enough to do only the things that make me happy this summer.  

I have not felt pushed or obligated to do any mundane projects, 

although there are plenty of those remaining,

 and I don't feel guilty that I haven't.

  I did think about starting my holiday decorating on Memorial Day 

but then decided that I would wait for July 4th. 

 So far, our weather has been quite lovely which is always wonderful.  

We got some planting done in the garden and I got my hair cut.

  It hasn't been cut since the beginning days of Covid.  

Now, none of these things are exactly what you would call "romantic" 

but if I can call this summer a time full of quiet and peaceful endeavors, shared with my Captain, 

then that is romance enough for me.

I have been painting a lot.  I have almost filled three journals so far. 

 I am only doing flowers at this time and trying to perfect my style the best that I can. 

 I am watching a lot of YouTube channels, and I do feel I am improving.

  I actually am quite proud that I am now drawing all of my content myself 

and am starting to be more confident about putting paint to paper without any guidelines first. 

 I remember when I first wanted to ride a bike.  I thought I could just get on and go.

  Painting is a lot like that for me, but I have learned

 that you have to do a lot of practice before the magic can happen.  

So, I keep going.

The kids came up last weekend to celebrate Father's Day with the Captain. 

 While they were here Bean had an accident. 

 She stepped on some gum while out on a walk

 and her medical staff, AKA Jacenda, Tami and Jake performed emergency surgery.  

They used peanut butter to soften the gum, 

but I think the patient ate most of the medication.

The gazebo is not the only place that has Star jasmine this summer.  

The dining room porch is really showing off this year.

The garden is nice and colorful now 

and the Old School phlox is very green and full, preparing to bloom soon.

  The Captain is very excited about the tiny tomatoes that are showing up on his plants.

I hope everyone is well. 

 It feels so good to post again.  

Probably won't be back until next month with hopefully some patriotic decor to show off.

I hope you all are enjoying your own special style

of Summer Romance 

and basking in the words of Anne Shirley of Green Gables:  

"I believe the nicest and sweetest days 

are not those in which anything very splendid happens 

but just those that bring simple little pleasures."

...xxoJudy...

Until then, we will all be here just watching birds.

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