Snow!

Here are some more pictures from my recent trip to Denver. As you can see we had snow. It started snowing in the evening and I managed to get these first two shots after dark. It was just beautiful!

It was 28 degrees outside when I got up this morning here in central California. I hadn't been watching the weather reports and I have quite a bit of frost damage to my plants. Mostly summer annuals that were ready to go anyway. Tonight I am going to go out and cover my citrus and some of my other more tender plants. They are predicting rain and possibly snow on the valley floor tonight! We don't get snow very often here so hopefully I'll have more snow pictures for you soon. I can't wait to see what Maggie thinks of all that white stuff!!!

*By the way. Thank you all so much for your help with my curtain rod dilemma. PKM suggested contacting Country Curtains, which I did. Their sales person was very helpful and I know now what to do. Hopefully, I'll be able to get the window covered soon as it's chilly in the bedroom without any curtains.

Have a restful and warm Sunday afternoon.

xo

Calling all decorators!

I have a window problem and I need some advise. I have a sliding glass door in our bedroom. We recently redecorated and now I'm looking for window coverings. I have the drapes - some beautiful green/cream embossed panels that I found at - K Mart! Yes, K Mart! They are actually very lovely and just the perfect shade of soft green that match my green walls. Yes, the green walls painted Grasslands green by Kelly Moore that is so beautiful it brings tears to my eyes. Well, after 22 years of pink wallpaper anything would be an improvement!

The curtain panels are to be used with either rod pocket curtain rods or rods with clips. No problem. My problem is I want to put a sheer pinch pleet patio panel behind the drapes. I'll keep the drapes pulled to one side most of the time and want the ease of using the draw for the sheers. Just enough to let in some diffused light and to hide the dirty windows (keepin' it real here folks!).

My problem? I cannot find hardware that will suit this. It needs to probably be a double rod - traverse in the back and rod type in the front. I can't find one anywhere. I've checked all over the internet, Penney's, Target, Bed Bath and Beyond, etc.. What do I do, ladies? Do I hang the drapes higher and the sheers lower? That would mess up the length I'm sure.

I suppose I need this:



Any help and advise would be greatly appreciated.

I'm Back!!!

I'm back folks! I was visiting my son in Denver for over three weeks. Son came home and then when he went back I hitched a ride and went with him. He's in the military and I don't get to visit him very often so it was quite a treat for me. However, this boy does not like to stop when driving. I started counting the Cracker Barrels that we passed. "That's number six, Aaron!" "What are you talking about, Mom?" "Oh, nothing........" Anyhoo, we drove the southern route from Northern California through Arizona and New Mexico and then on up to the Denver area. It was just beautiful and we were blessed with perfect weather. We weren't able to stop and visit, but I did wave when we passed the little town where Mary lives! Next visit I hope to be able to take the time to stop for a cup of tea.

This is what greeted us when we arrived. Beautiful snow! I'm a transplanted midwesterner so I was raised in the snow but don't get to actually "play" in it now. I learned a little secret about the snow in this area. It comes on like gang busters and then in two days it leaves! The best of both worlds.

Son's back yard.

He lives on the end of a court and because of the way the house faces, the snow stays on the front yard longer than anywhere else on the street.

Miss Jean pretending to be an outdoorsy person!

This is my new little buddy, Abby. She kept me company during the day when son went to work.

I would like to thank all the wonderful people at the Calvary Chapel Aurora church. They became instant friends and a real blessing to son and I. They epitomize what Christ called His church to be. I'll always consider them to be my home away from home church. Pastor Ed: You can be proud of your church family there.

I had a chance to fly home. However, since I hate to fly (something about falling all that distance to the ground just freaks me out) I decided to take Amtrak home. What a blast!!! I left Denver at 8:05 on the dot Saturday morning and arrived in Modesto at 6:30 p.m. the next evening. The route takes you through western Colorado, Utah, Nevada and Northern California. The scenery was glorious!!! I splurged and bought myself a little, I mean little, roomette. Just cozy enough for me, my books and magazines and camera. It was extremely relaxing. I thought I would read more but I kept looking out the window in case I missed something.

Meals are included in the fare and you sit family style. We had the BEST waiter who greeted you and always said, "Have a seat and introduce yourselves." He was so wonderful that he got lots of hugs when we left. Every car has a porter that is on duty all the time. I don't know when he sleeps! I find taking the train to be more expensive than flying, but I would recommend taking it for at least one direction of your trip.

I'm just getting myself organized from being gone and then with Thansgiving. Hopefully, now I'll be able to catch up with all my bloggy friends. I missed you all!!!!

Happy Thanksgiving

My prayer is that you all have the most wonderful of Thanksgivings full of family, peace, love and joy.

Miss Jean is Traveling

I'm off on a last minute trip to the Denver area with my son. Miss Jean will be back in a couple of weeks. If I can figure out how to download pictures on son's computer, I'll do a post or two. If not, I'll see you when I get back.

Stay cool while I'm gone. Since I'm going to Colorado, I know I'll probably stay more than cool!!!


*** Just checking in from beautiful, and I mean beautiful, Colorado! After last weeks blizzard I was a little scared, but the snow is melting and the skies are blue. Son lives in Centennial on the outskirts of Denver. The other night we rode the metro to the downtown district for dinner and we had a great time. I brought all the wrong clothes - did I think I was going to the North Pole or what!?! The only shopping I've done so far is to buy a few t-shirts at Penney's and load up on incidentals at Target.

I have never seen an area with such great shopping centers and an abundance of great restaurants. We went to church Wednesday night and everyone was so friendly. Colorado, you should be proud of yourself!!!

I have to talk son into taking me into town to the local quilt store. I'm going through withdrawals!

In the meantime, I'm checking all my bloggy friends so don't think I haven't forgotten any of you.

Ta Ta!!

Halloween

Is this not the cutest thing? A Scottish Terrier pumpkin!!!!! Maggie would approve, I'm sure, wouldn't you Maggie? The Better Homes and Garden magazine people have the cutest pumpkin stencils on their site. They have lots of dog breeds as well as other interesting projects to get your home ready for your little Trick or Treaters.

Alice Blue Gown

This is a beautiful vintage print that my sister recently found on one of her antiqueing jaunts. It is just beautiful, as you can see. Printed on the bottom of the print, it says "Alice Blue Gown". I'm printing the lyrics to that old song below. However, I'm leaving off the author as I have found at least three writers who are attributed to writing it.

Alice Blue Gown

I once had a gown, it was almost new,

Oh, the daintiest thing,

it was sweet Alice blue,

With little forget-me-nots placed here and there,

When I had it on, oh, I walked on the air!

it wore, and it wore, and it wore,

'Til it went, and it wasn't no more.

In my sweet little Alice blue gown,

I first wandered down into town,

I was so proud inside,

As I felt every eye,

And in every shop window I primped, passing by.

A new manner of fashion I'd found,

And the world seemed to smile all around.

'Til it wilted, I wore it, I'll always adore it,

My sweet little Alice blue gown!

The little silk worms that made silk for that gown,

Just made that much silk and then crawled in the ground,

'Cause there never was anything like it before,

And I don't care to hope there will be any more!

And it's gone, 'cause it just had to be,

Still it wears in my memory.

In my sweet little Alice blue gown,

When I first wandered down into town,

I was so proud inside,

As I felt every eye, And in every shop window I primped, passing by.

A new manner of fashion I'd found,

And the world seemed to smile all around.

So it wouldn't be proper If made of silk were another,

My sweet little Alice blue gown!

Somebody's Knockin'

Did you ever notice how you don't really "see" things around the house until you have to replace them for some reason? Our old door knob was over 20 years old. I never paid it much attention until it was broken. We had some movers take out an old large television last year and they broke the handle. On closer inspection it was due to be replaced anyway.

I didn't realise how scratched and tarnished it had become. We had been doing some redecorating so we took our time replacing it as we have a security screen door with a dead bolt anyway. So this is what the door looked like for the longest time. Shameless, I know. It got to be a little embarrasing to put your fingers through the holes to open the door for guests.

We finally went down to a local door hardware specialty store. Turns out that our door knob was shorter in length than they are made now. See the little bottom hole? They said that they did not have a knob or back plate that would cover the holes. Since it is a metal door it proved to be quite a dilemma. The salesman assured me that there was nothing I could do but buy a new door, pay them to bore out the holes, buy new hardware and then pay them to install it. Somehow that didn't sound right to me so we went home.

I got on the trusty old internet and found this site. What a wonderful place to find hardware for the home. They have beautiful antique looking hardware for all of your needs and are the nicest people to deal with. I found just what I needed at the same price I would have had to pay at a local "big box" retailer. Since they are out of state there was no tax or shipping. The quality of my new knob is outstanding. Plus, it was a brand that the local specialty store carried!!! I knew there was something suspicious!

Oh, well, moving on...... Our friend Barry volunteered to install the door knob for us. He brought along a little help to supervise. Yes, folks, it's Duhgall! Barry is married to Becky of Sweet Cottage Dreams fame.

So like all good supervisors, it took Duhgall and Maggie to watch Barry install the hardware.

Here's the new door knob. Yep, Miss Anne, I was so inspired by you that I bought a glass door knob. I am so in love with it!!!!

Hey, I gotta go. I think somone is at the door.........

I'm Back!

I want to thank all of you who left such kind comments and kept checking back while I was gone. Sweety is doing much better and we have some more appointments scheduled to make sure that he stays that way. I don't know what it is about men when they are sick or have a chronic condition. But that is a post for another time.

Things have been a little hectic around here with car trouble. We've had our car in the shop (two shops at that) no less than four times! After a new battery, a new alternator, and new front brakes the voltage warning light is still coming on and there is still a funny (not) scraping noise coming from the front right tire side. Besides that there is something rolling around that sounds like a marble. Just a little nagging sound that adds to the stress. (New note for those who ever go back and read my blog again when there's nothing better to do and there are no re-runs of Law and Order on the television: It was a marble rolling around making all that racket! Whew!!) We only have one car and with Sweety needing medical care and my Mom having recent surgery, it's been very stressful. If any of you know anything about cars or knows anyone that does and has some sort of clue as to what the problem might be, let me know!!!!!

Deep breath! Aaahhhhhh! On another front, or weather front I should say, we are having our first storm of the season and it is a doozy!!! Here is a picture of my back yard. Do you see all of the debris on the ground? I wish I could add sound effects so you could hear the wind. Oh, my goodness! It is just howling and blowing. Last night we went out and took down the patio umbrellas because the local news station said there would be really high gusts of wind all day. I wish you could see how gray the sky is.

Fact is, I love weather like this. So what's a girl to do? First of all, since I'm retired and woke up with a headache, I'm staying in my cozy jammies and robe all day. Yes, you are very welcome for my not posting a picture of that!!!

I'll be drinking tea and reading the latest book by one of my favorite authors, Susan Wiggs, Lakeshore Christmas. What I won't be doing is eating an entire bag of Trader Joe's Kettle Corn in one sitting. Nope, not me. That would just be wrong, considering the fact that that's what I did for two days in a row!

Again, thank you for all the bloggy love that was sent my way!

Checking In...

Maggie here. I wanted to touch bases with all of my mommy's friends. My Daddy is doing much better and he thanks everyone for all of their prayers and well wishes. He's having to watch his diet and take better care of his diabetes. You can still pray for him, though. That is always a good thing to do.

Mommy said to tell you all that she misses you and will be back soon.