Tuesday, August 29, 2017

MOVING ON...










Goodbye to you
Red, White and Blue
You did the summer proud

You will be back
No doubt of that

But, as of now,
We can't say that

Out loud!





Now, 
we are moving on towards fall.

  The autumn colors 
are showing up in bits and pieces.
  
Cupboard doors 
have been opened...






...and little touches 
of Halloween
 are falling out 
from the darkest reaches.

 The large totes, 
full of autumn goodness,
 are still untouched and 
for now 
we are counting on
 these small items
 to brighten and cheer the Cottage,
 along with those within, 
and to be an inspiration 
for the Cottage Witch
 while she contemplates 
the arrival of 
the MooNlIGht and the MAjIc.















It won't
 be long
 now!






In the meanwhile,
 we will still embrace summer.

 It has had its share 
of darker moments 
but the sun is now shining 
and it continues to be 
good to us.





Hang in there Houston. 
Our thoughts and prayers are with you.


...Judy...






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Tuesday, August 22, 2017

AUTUMN ON THE HORIZON...









Even though, 
officially, 
fall won't be here for 
about another month,
 today looks and feels like it is 
already here. 

 We had a light sprinkling 
of rain earlier and 
the skies are overcast with 
the slight smell of smoke
in the air.

 Unfortunately,
 that is from the 
waning forest fires nearby
 not the roasting of marshmallows
 over a camp fire.





As promised, 
the summer gatherings of 
red, white and blue 
are still gracing the Cottage.

 A theme 
that has not quite outlived 
its intended use. 

 More stories yet 
to be told.






I have been scouring
 Etsy and EBay 
for real pumpkin stems...






I made
 a few sweater pumpkins last year and 
now I am excited to add 
some velvet ones to the collection. 

 They are such fun to make and 
each one is always 
a little different.






I am itching 
to start fall decorating and 
it won't be long now.

 There are already 
colors of autumn coming 
into the garden...












...but, first, 
on with my stem search and
 a quick visit 
to some thrift stores...






...and with the burning 
of this beautiful candle each day, 
not only can I smell fall 
in the air, 
I can almost see it 
peeking over 
the horizon.


...Judy...






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Tuesday, August 15, 2017

MY TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL...










Back in the 80's
 there was a movie called 
"The Trip to Bountiful".

 It was the story of
 an elderly woman,
 in the twilight of her years, 
who wanted to return 
to her childhood home town 
of Bountiful one last time.

 It was a beautiful 
and poignant piece of work 
starring Geraldine Page.

 I am not saying 
that the movie is anything 
like my life 
and the story line and character
 are not, 
in any way,
 connected to me...






...the only comparison 
is the title.
  
I make the trip 
again and again 
to this beautiful little store called 
"The Front Porch" 
in our neighboring town of Auburn.

 It holds a bounty 
of wonderful items 
that would please 
the eye and the pocket book 
of any hard core shopper 
and is as
 warm and welcoming 
as its name.






The owner was very accommodating 
when I asked if
 I could take some photos 
and I am so disappointed 
that they didn't all turn out.

  They were mostly of 
their large offerings of fall items
 and the colors of autumn 
are so outstanding 
against the interior of 
barn wood and brick.

 Here are the ones that I did get...













It is always a delight 
to visit this store 
and I can't wait to see 
what they will offer 
for Christmas.

These are my treasures 
that I came back home with...





Aunt Kook's Apple Cider.

  My most favorite 
autumn fragrance from 
Keeper of the Light.

These candles have two wicks 
and are very long lasting.
 When lit, 
the whole Cottage says, 
"Autumn is almost here". 





I just couldn't resist
this sweet little black chicken.

 She has the cutest
 little expression 
on her face.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~





Thank you all 
for your very kind and caring thoughts
 for Tami.

 She is doing so well,
 as we all are, 
and I thank you again 
from the 
bottom of 
my heart.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~






The dog days of summer 
are upon us 
and there seems to be 
no reprieve from the heat...

Our combatant is 
Herbal Iced Tea..
a recipe I took from 
the Barefoot Contessa
 a few years ago 
and it does the job
 very well...


HERBAL ICED TEA

4 Celestial Seasonings Lemon Zinger tea bags
4 Celestial Seasonings Red Zinger tea bags
4 Cups apple juice

Steep 8 bags of tea 
in 4 cups of boiling water 
for about 10 minutes.
  Discard tea bags. 
 Combine tea with apple juice 
and refrigerate until cold. 
 Serve over ice. 

 It is just chilling 
it is so good.

Thanks for your visit and...





...Judy...


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Tuesday, August 8, 2017

MATTERS OF THE HEART...










A few weeks ago 
I told you about our daughter, Tami, 
and how she had an issue 
with her heart.

 In case you missed the post, 
you can read about it

After all was said and done, 
we thought that was the end of it, 
but that didn't seem to be the case,
 so here is an 
update.

Tami's cardiologist 
wanted to rule out 
that there was any connection 
between the heart episode and 
her breast cancer diagnosis 
of fourteen years ago, 
so she ordered a CT scan
 which took a week to get done 
and showed spots on her liver.

 The doctor,
 along with orders from 
Tami's oncologist,
 set up an appointment for a MRI.

 This took another week and a half 
to get the results.

 Tami had a MRI in 2005 
and it showed cysts on her liver 
at that time and
 since technology has 
advanced considerably since then
 they wanted to compare the two.

 That is the technical understanding 
of the problem,
but what the machines don't show 
is the 
emotional side of 
the equation.






"You are only as happy 
as your least happy child.

  The umbilical cord,
 it transpires,
 far from being severed at birth,
 continues the flow of emotions
 from mother to child 
and back again,
 in perpetuity."

This was written by
 Olivia Lichtenstein,
 in September, 2015. 

 Words from a mother, 
referring to a situation 
she was having
 with her daughter, 
but words 
that all mothers can 
relate to.


When you don't have the answers,
 your mind goes to a dark place. 
 The less you know,
the darker the place, 
and the waiting is almost unbearable.

 Tami went back to work, 
and we all tried to bolster each other
 but, in the end, 
I don't think anybody
 was fooling 
anybody else.

We now feel so blessed.

 The tests were compared and
 found that the spots were, 
indeed cysts,
 and had not changed 
since the original MRI in 2005.

 The doctors also concluded 
that the fluid found around the heart 
(not blood)
 was the result of the trauma 
of the heart episode
 and will be watched by 
her cardiologist.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~





I suppose 
you have all heard the expression
 that the longer 
a couple is together 
they start looking alike.

  But, have you heard, 
that they start feeling alike also? 

 Both the Captain and I 
came down with bad backs 
(yes, me again!) 
at the same time last week.

 We are in the midst of
 cleaning up the garden and 
had to bite the bullet and 
hire someone
 to come and finish up.

 The Captain 
has always had trouble,
 off and on, 
due to an old football injury 
when he was in high school.

 He finally has given up 
walking the dogs at the shelter 
as the trails are uneven and hilly 
and put strain on his back and knees.

 It is something
 that he loves to do and 
it was not an easy decision 
for him to make.  
It also means 
that I have to give up
 my car office
 and find another place 
to write this blog, 
which actually 
will be pretty easy
 for me.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~





We were a few years out of school when these pics were taken. But, we did dress up like this for our 15th reunion.


Speaking of high school, 
we have our 60th class reunion
 in September 
and we are both trying hard 
to get well.

  The last thing 
we want 
is to show up looking old!!
 Ha, ha,
 little late for that!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~





Fun and exciting things 
are happening here 
at the Cottage. 

 Somewhere in there
 is a story to tell, 
but that will have to wait 
for 
another day.


...Judy...






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