Samuel Paul

What a lovely Sunday it's turning out to be! I'm getting things together today to go to Becky's for a bar-b-que. Maggie can't wait to go play with big brother Doogs! We're looking forward to having a great time. I've been fortunate to be able to meet a blogger friend in person and I know a number of you have been able to do the same thing, also.Isn't it great?!

A few weeks ago I did a post when my first grandson Redmond had a birthday. I thought I would share pictures today of little brother Samuel who is six years old. His middle name is after my dear nephew Paul whom we lost a few years back just before Samuel was born. My daughter Dory and Paul were very close and grew up together. Strange thing about Samuel. His head is the same shape as Paul's, he sometimes holds his mouth just like Paul did, he has lots of the same characteristics. Such a sweet reminder of my little Pauly.

Samuel and Grandma had a great time. We had gone to Borders and let him pick out a book. He picked out a Cupcake Cookbook complete with the cutest little apron. He had such a good time and then had to call and tell big brother all about baking with Grandma.





I've gotta go get the strawberries ready for shortcake! Have a fabulously wonderful Sunday afternoon!!!

What was I thinking?

Note to self: The next time I'm working in the yard planting flowers and doing general clean-up and I get the brilliant idea that maybe Little Miss Maggie would like to run free, remind me to get all the stuff ready for a serious bath - for both of us!

Does she just sit quietly and watch Mommy work? Heck no!

Does she sniff around and calmly look at my flowers? Well if that's what you call laying in my bedding plants I just got at the nursery and haven't had the chance to plant yet!

Does she come when I call her? What were YOU thinking!

It's gonna be a long summer!

"I gotta blow this joint!"

Maggie

Why is it that when you are younger, some things are easier but other things are easier when you get older? Take children for instance. I have way more patience with my grandsons now then I had with my two children. I was so set on making everything perfect back then. Now, my philosophy is, "Ice Cream is an ok breakfast food!" "Grandma, can I have something?" "Sure, what do you want?"

When we had our first Scottish Terrier, Marjorie, housebreaking her was a snap! We had some very good advise from a dog trainer and Marjorie was by nature a very docile and "wanting to please" little dog. Her entire life she was like that. Laid back, loving and just plain gooey sweet! Everybody loved our little Marjorie. Now, along comes Maggie! This is the Maggie that Becky called me about, "Oh, Jean, you have to come see her. She is soooooo sweet and calm and laid back." Yea, right! (Note: We are so happy she did!) Now, don't get me wrong. We love her to death. She is a beautiful puppy with the possibilities of being an exceptionally beautiful adult dog. I admit she is sweet. Calm? Laid back? I don't think so. She is a little stubborn pistol. A true pip squeak. If she is running around and you need to put her back in her crate or outside in her pen, good luck. She loves to play Catch Me If You Can, and she usually wins! We're having a much more difficult time with the housebreaking business. I can just imagine what our neighbors are thinking on those warm evenings when their windows are open and all of a sudden they hear a chorus of "Yea Maggie!!! You went poop and pee for Mommy and Daddy!!! Yea!!!" with the accompanying clapping, no less. I won't even get into the business of vet bills. Maggie has been twice for shots and today had an extra appointment for a skin rash that turned out to be just a "puppy rash" and nothing to worry about with the addition of antibiotics, "That'll be $67.00 please."

Wish us luck. This should be fun!

Little Miss Maggie Dear - Priceless!

*By the way, hop on over to Camille's web site. She doing a fantabulously wonderfulishious quilt give-away! Hurry, Hurry!!!

Listen.....

These little ladies have been chatting in my house for almost 40 years. Sometimes I just wonder what they are saying.........

" Did you see what she was wearing? "

"Well, I never in my life seen such a thing!"

or

"She is the sweetest peson I have ever met."

"I agree, let's go take her some flowers."

These little fellas have been at my house for just a week. Can't you just hear them?

"Move over! You're sitting on my tail!"

"Yes, I'd like to order a pizza to be delivered!"

Have a great week!!

Round Robin

Do you all know what a Round Robin quilt is? You gather a group of quilting friends. Each of you makes a center block and the goal is for everyone to add something to everyone's quilt. You package up your block along with some extra fabric (or not) and your particular do's and dont's (or not) and start it on it's merry way. Our Busy Bee quilting group did a Round Robin starting at our 2006 quilt retreat. We had the big reveal at our 2007 retreat as it sometimes takes that long to get them done, staying at one stop a month and then moving on. Wow, did we ever have fun. They all turned out so different but all so beautiful. We then had a year to get them finished and quilted and ready for our local quilt show this past March.

This is a picture of my quilt. I did the center block which consisted of the three stipes on the top and bottom of the star with flying geese. My only "rule" was that I didn't want any white fabric added. It is so beautiful!!!!!! Since it is made primarily with Civil War reproduction fabrics I named it Kentucky Memories in honor of my Dad. This is the first quilt I've had hanging in a show and I must say, it was thrilling!

Here is a picture of my BFF Nikki's quilt. It's made from her favorite 30's reproduction fabric.

This is a picture of our quilt group, The Busy Bees. The quilt on the left is Amy's and reminds me of a Navajo sunset.

The Busy Bees

Nanci, Amy, Wanett, Joey, Miss Jean, Cindy, Heather and BFF Nikki. Seated is Rose and missing are Debbie and Marion

We already have our next big adventure planned, a Lavender Lunch in June and there will surely be pictures to post and stories to tell.

More flowers......

Here are a few more picture of some of the flowers from my yard this spring. I'm ready to get going on getting my summer annuals in!

Clivia

Bridal Wreath Spirea and Tulips

White Camelia with a visiting bee

Fairy Primrose

Primrose, cyclamen, fern and azaleaCamelia
Quiet Corner
Dogwood

Now I know this doesn't look like much. However, it you look closely you will see that it is a fern - an Australian Tree fern. It has grown so tall that it covers my sewing room window which is on the second floor of my two story house! They usually don't grow this tall in our part of California. We had a mild winter so hardly any of the branches froze, either. Amazing!

The View From Here

Since I named my blog "In the Garden with Miss Jean" I thought it was about time I showed you some pictures of my back yard. It's still a work in progress, an obsession of mine. Everyone who sees it says it's beautiful. I was watching a gardening show one day and the woman being interviewed had a glorious garden. She said as beautiful as everyone says it is, when she sits down to admire it all she sees is work that needs to be done, a weed to be pulled, a branch that needs pruned. She felt that most gardeners are like that. My sentiments exactly!

This is a bunny topiary!

Another bunny? Yes, they are all over the yard!

Can you see it?

Told you so!

I'll be posting more pictures as time goes by. The title of my post is taken from the blog of one of my favorite authors, Susan Wiggs. I've spoken of her in previous posts. I love to read her books while drinking a cup of tea and looking out at my yard. Hop on over to her blog and give her a visit.

Enjoy my view!

Home....

Check out Anna @ Thimbleanna's to read about the almond story. I had written about the lovely spring we have in our little corner of California. We are surrounded by almonds. Hundreds of thousands of almond trees. At one time there was a mature orchard right at the end of our street. We live in a tract home and we're the fifth house from the corner. When the almonds were loaded with blossoms and the wind picked up it would blow them all the way down our street. It looked like heavenly confetti!

Here are a few pictures of what we see every day in the spring. Whether we walk to the corner, drive into town or take a longer drive. It's a magical, beautiful time of year.

Thanks God!

Happy Birthday!

Today is my oldest grandsons ninth birthday. He has been the light of our lives. He is a sweet, thoughtful and loving boy. He's always respectful and careful when he is at Grandma's house. We couldn't have asked for better grandchildren (he has a little brother Samuel who is six). I had no idea before I became a grandmother how blessed I would be. It's absolutely the best! We can't believe that he is nine already.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, REDMOND!

Love, Grandma Jean and Grandpa

Meet my Peeps!

Some things are just meant to be. This darling little girl was at our local thrift shop. I went back three times and finally decided that she was being patient and waiting for me to take her home. I think I'll name her Kelly.....

I've had this little sweetie pie for years and years. I recently saw one in a local antique store. When I saw the price tag they had on her I got her out and put her in a place of honor! Not that she isn't worth it anyway. She's famous, don't you know!

These two little darling peeps were found at a local antique store for a song (cheap peeps?) I think that they are just adorable!

Last, but not least, is Ann! She's my main peep. Sweety bought her for me before we were married. That was over 40 years ago. I have her brother, also, which you'll get to meet later.

I hope you all had a fun filled weekend. I have a half busy, half restful week lined up. Hopefully I'll be able to get some yard work and sewing done. There's also a bavarian creme filled maple bar calling my name, so I gotta run! Bye!

WELCOME

Ok. I confess. I have an idiosyncrasy. I buy something that I've really been wanting. I'm excited to get it and get it home and sit it down and stare at it. For long lengths of time. Days go by. Months. Sometimes years. Then one day I'll pick it up and study it. Sit it down and think about it some more. Finally, I'll figure out how to work it and wonder why I waited so long! I've done this with a number of things. Sewing machines. Bicycles. Clocks. This computer.

Now most recently my new little pink camera. I bought it so I could join the ranks of bloggers who download their pictures. I've had it for quite a while. I didn't know which brand or style to buy so I went with what I know - pink!

Somebody's hubby teased me just enough that I had to get it working. Of couse I don't know where the manual is. Not that I'm a manual person anyway. Who needs to read when you can punch buttons and just see what happens. Works for me!

So bear with me while I figure out all the settings and lighting and angles. For something so small, it's a lot more complicated than my first little Brownie camera ever thought of being.

Welcome to our home!

Life in the fast lane...

I've managed to get four of the things done on my "stress" list, but not one on my "wish I could" list. I've done #1, gotten a hair cut, #2, taken Sweety to Target to get new movies,#3, finished setting up the bookcases with his thousands of movies (I am not exagerating!!) and of course, #4, take care of puppy.

The first thing I did yesterday was go get a haircut. Now don't get me wrong. I love my hairdresser. I've been going to her for years as she knows how to cut curly hair and keep the curls in. I'm not good with hairstyling, so I need a "fluff and go" do. Tell me why it is that when you tell a hairdresser "don't cut too much, just cut a LITTLE" they think they hear "I'm going to Marine boot camp and I need to fit in!" My hair is fine and I look like I was scalped. It's happened before. All I can do is go out, hold my hairless little head up high and not make eye contact with anyone, all the while pretending that I look like this because I want to! I always tell Sweety that I look Goofy. "No you don't, you look beautiful!" This coming from a 61 year old with failing eyesite. Ain't love grand!

So, at least for the week, Tyra Banks will not be seeing my application for America's Next Top Model". I know she was looking for it.

I thought I retired!

Things I need to do this week:

1. Get a haircut

2. Take Sweety to Target (new movie day Tuesday)

3. Help with new bookcases for movies (see #2)

4. Attend gardening class at the local junior college

5. Take Mom to DMV for license renewal after taking her to lunch

6. Get clothes ready for charity pick-up

7. Work in garden

8. Clean house

9. Get some sewing done

10. Take care of new puppy

Things I want to do this week:

1. Relax

2. Read a book

3. Have a cup of tea

4. Watch the rain

5. Take a nap

6. Visit a friend

7. Blog

I wonder which list is going to win?