A SUNNY MESSAGE...

 

Any day is a good day 

when sun shines through lace curtains...

...but before the lilacs 

and the Lady Banks bloomed 

and even though spring had arrived, 

the sun still hadn't gotten the message

 and faux greenery 

was the only game in town.

Now, the roses are in full bloom,

 filling the garden 

and all the rooms in the Cottage

 with their lovely scents and colors...

The sun is now shining,

 with attitude,

 and the garden is grateful...

Just keeping you in the sunshine.  

Hope all is well.

...xxoJudy...

Sharing today with:

Love Your Creativity at Life and Linda

WHEN THE SUN SHINES...

"Wait till the sun shines, Nellie

And the clouds go drifting by...

Lyrics by Andrew B. Sterling, 1905

A few perfect sun shiney smiles 

from the garden.

We are all much happier

 when the sun shines, don't you think?  

I know I am

 and here at our cozy little Cottage

 spring has truly arrived and the sun is shining brightly.

This has been a long, hard winter

 and who knows if it is really over, 

but we are living in the moment 

and loving the heck out of it!

The Cottage parlor is smiling again after many years of being out of the sunlight.  

At the time we moved into the Cottage, 

the Captain had refinished 

the original fir flooring in the parlor.  

Then, for some odd reason

 that we don't even remember now, 

we decided to cover up 

all that lovely patina with carpeting.

I had forgotten how beautiful 

the floor looked 

and now it can really shine again...

Tami and Tim gifted me
 this sweet little line of birds
 and if appears that 
they were made to sing brightly 

from this very spot.

We moved the two blue arm chairs from the sitting room into the parlor.

  I like the space they take up

 and, of course,

 the color is just right.

This old house that

 came into existence so long ago 

has its very own personality 

and the more we try to update it,

 the more we are finding 

that our first instincts

 were the best instincts.

 The Captain and Rugby are out in the garden weed hunting

 but Robin stayed inside, 

forever Mama's little helper.

Today there is a pot of spaghetti 

cooking on the stove 

and pavlova for dessert.

"Wait till the sun shines, Nellie,

We'll be so happy, Nellie

You and I".

Happy days full of sunshine

 to all of you,

 my friends.

...xxoJudy...

Sharing today with:

Love Your Creativity at Life and Linda

SPRING HAS ARRIVED??...

 

We have been on a wild ride

 these last few months.  

Old Man Winter has thrown every trick

 in the book at us.

  There is still white stuff on the ground.  Now it isn't snow, it's hail.  

Last evening

 there were loud bursts of thunder

 and lightening that lit up the whole sky.  

The sun peeks through periodically 

and spring is here. 

 We are hopeful.

The floor looks like this each morning.  

It is Rugby's arsenal 

and even though 

all the squeakers are long gone, 

they still are his pride and joy.  

There is only one that still squeaks...

...the owl.

  By squeaking him at the door 

is the only way to get Rugby

 to come in from outside. 

 He loves it that much!

  Being outside and the owl, 

and so far the owl is winning!

The kids sent us this pretty the other day.  

It arrived when it was dark and dreary

 and between 

the flowers and the butterflies 

it brightened up our moods considerably.

We have managed to get ourselves

 up off of the couch

 and from out in front of 

the TV for awhile

 to accomplish this...

I'm sure you remember 

when the library looked like this?

Now, 

it looks like this...

...and this. 

 It will continue to stay like this. 

 Where have you heard that before?

Hope spring has arrived in your neighborhood 

and that we all 

will get to reap her benefits soon. 

 ...xxoJudy...

Sharing today with:

Love Your Creativity at Life and Linda

ENDURING...

 

The word is that California has been experiencing some wild winter weather.  

The word is correct! 

I have never seen so much snow 

fall at one time 

in the whole time we have lived here.

This looked so pretty outside 

of the Secret Garden 

and I wanted to get a clear photo of it

 but the snow was piled so high against the screen door, 

I couldn't get it open.

It finally stopped snowing 

and has now turned to rain.  

When I was writing this (Monday evening) we were having very loud thunder.  

I don't know which I detest the most.  

I was always so proud to be the first one to yell, "we've got snow"

 and just a little disappointed to see it gone

 in a day or two. 

 May I never feel that way again.

  I don't know how 

the rest of the country survives winter. 

 We did survive in our space

 and did not lose power

 and was not subject to any flooding 

so I feel very fortunate 

and am gearing up for the nasty, gray days left until spring.  

As long as I can keep

 my house clean, the candles hold out and

 the grocery store stocks fresh flowers,

 I know it will get better 

but better, right now, 

seems a long way ahead!

There is one member of the family, however, that is in his element. 

 Rugby love loves the snow 

and will use every trick in the book 

to be able to go outside and play...

...Robin, on the other hand, 

only stays out until 

"the necessaries" are over with.  

In fact, when the steps weren't clear 

she would only use them, 

thank you very much.

It seems like a thousand years ago 

that we did have 

some sunshine between snowstorms,

 and as much as I tried to push my way

 into the spotlight, 

there was only room for two.

We got Rugby's DNA test back

 and found out he is:

43.7% small poodle

15.1% Maltese

9,5% Lhasa Apso

6.5% Pekingese

4.0% Cocker Spaniel

21.2% Super Mutt

100% sweet boy.

Stay warm and safe until next time.

...xxoJudy...

Sharing today with:

Love Your Creativity at Life and Linda

FINALLY...

 

"Where is he? We have been waiting forever."

The stockings were hung 

by the chimney with care 

in hopes that St Nicholas

 soon would be there...

but, alas, that didn't happen until last Sunday...

...but then the day came 

and we had a wonderful time.  

Good food, great gifts and it was so nice to finally be together. 

 Tami and Tim gave us

 a set of security cameras 

and the boys installed them 

while they were here.  

They also gave us an instrument to block those pesky robo calls

 that we get so many of.  

We had one yesterday 

and I pushed the "block" button 

and it immediately shut it down.  

What a blessing! 

 Jake and Jacenda gave us a doggie DNA kit to send in for Rugby.  

We just sent it off so am anxious 

to find out what he is made of.  

Speaking of Rugby, 

he was very sick this past week. 

 He had no energy and he finally stopped eating so we took him to the vet 

and after x-rays and blood tests and an assortment of meds

 found out that he had eaten 

a bunch of tinsel 

from off the Christmas tree. 

 Our pretty new Christmas tree turned out to be very expensive

 and we coined a new descriptive term: tinsellitious...

...but as you can see 

he is back to his fun little self 

and enjoying playtime

 with granddoggie, Bean. 

 Robin was performing her referee duties from just far enough. 

 She will not join in the playtime

 but she sure has a lot to say about it!

The cubbies are now lined up in each room 

waiting for the final decorations 

to be put away. 

 Now on to some long awaited projects

 and a clean house,

 hopefully, sooner than later.  

I apologize for poor picture quality

 but just wanted to get off a short message to let you know 

that I am still alive and kicking and trying to get back on track.

Hope all is well with everyone.

...xxoJudy...

 "Whew, now we can finally sleep!"

Sharing today with:

Love Your Creativity at Life and Linda

NOW AND AGAIN...

 

In the past, 

I have been known to look back

 over the last year 

to see what I wrote about then

 as compared to now.  

It sounds like a perfect plan and can be very informative at times.  

However, it usually is just a ploy

 to cover up the fact that 

I can't think of anything to write about. 

 So, this past week, 

I have looked back in time and found a post that was written

 right around this time last year 

and if history can be said to repeat itself,

 this is what that looks like.

The post dealt with a promise made (here) 

and if you can believe it,

 it is a promise that was made and fulfilled 

but now is broken again...

...another year, same situation.

It is after Christmas for most of you,

 but for us it hasn't happened yet. 

 I thought I would leave all the decorations up until our time came 

but it has been so long now that I finally started putting most things away. 

 I plan on leaving the tree up and decorated in the parlor 

but almost everything else 

will be packed up 

except those that just happen to fit

 the winter scheme.  

We have come up

 with the date of February 19 

so I am hopeful 

that will be when it happens.  

Poor Santa's head must be spinning, 

wondering when this was

 all going to take place.

 

 It will be just

 that much sweeter when it does.

Sunday morning it started to snow.  

It does look pretty

 but probably won't last too long.  

That is the way it is around here.  

It is beautiful looking out the window

 but it is very cold so 

lighting the fires. the candles and lamps, 

seem to make it a more enjoyable situation.

I went back to the eye doctor yesterday

 after seven weeks

 from my last appointment. 

 My tests show

 such improvement each time 

that I now don't

 have to go back for ten weeks.  

He is hoping that

 I can have a laser treatment then 

and might not have to have 

any more injections.  

That would be a good thing!

I am down to only two more rooms of Christmas decorations to be put away

 so I think I am right on schedule.  

Hope you all are staying warm and cozy 

and while you are celebrating 

Valentine's Day, 

I will be thinking of you! 

 I might even add a few hearts to the Christmas tree!

...xxoJudy...

Sharing today with:

Love Your Creativity at Life and Linda