Garden Delights

Does anyone else feel like summer is flying by to fast?

Between vacations, reunions, lacrosse and kid activities I feel like I'm gone more than I'm home.  Luckily, only one more week of activities are planned for the summer and then I'll get a breather.

When things are getting a little to hectic for me there is nothing like walking out to the garden and picking a bucket full of weeds to clear my head and calm my nerves.  

I enjoy every second I spend working in my garden.  With our slow start this past spring, blooming times are a little behind schedule but the garden is finally starting to look colorful and pretty.  

The past couple of years have been transition years in my backyard garden as I've been removing plants I didn't care for and adding to the ones I like.  The plan is to have only those plants that I adore included in the garden in big chunks of space. Our nasty winter last year did a number on the garden but it seems to be bouncing back pretty well even with the bare spots from poor plants that didn't survive.

 Happily, all my waiting seems to be paying off as the plan in my head is emerging into reality.  I still need to add a few more plants to fill in empty spaces but all that will come in time.  Like any gardener knows - - it's all a process.

A few days before the family and I felt on our vacation I quickly snapped some photos of the garden to share with you.  

Hope you enjoy.

In the veggie garden things are progressing nicely.

(don't mind the weeds, LOL)

My poor fence is looking like it needs a little TLC.  

I'll have to add it to the August To-Do list.

I'm growing bunches of pumpkins this year in hopes of having plenty to decorate with come autumn.

As always, my little helper is nearby to keep me company.

In the main garden, flowers are blooming with more on the way very soon.

I can not wait for the grouping of phlox to start blooming.

Phlox are one of my favorite flowers and they smell so good.

They are all sporting healthy looking buds - - it won't be much of a wait now.

It's always fun to find new plants blooming. 

Here are a few that have started in the past couple of weeks, or are on the verge of showing their pretty colors.

 

Hope you all have a wonderful day

bye now,

Robin

Home Again

Home Again, Home Again,

As much as I love vacation it's always so nice to be home again.

The family and I; along with my parents, my sister and her family took last week off for some camping time.

It was wonderful!

The weather was amazing, it seemed almost like fall with cool temps in the morning and then heating up just in time for afternoons at the beach.

We all had a great time, filling up our days with hikes, ATV rides, beach time and swimming, naps and plenty of campfire sitting.  It was the most enjoyable week.

On the trip home, things got a little crazy

You see,  we normally travel caravan style from my parents home to wherever were going.  Grandpa leads, followed by my sisters family in there RV, followed by my hubby in our RV, and I normally am the caboose in the rear pulling the ATV trailer.  

Looks a little like this.

Well for some reason or another hubby ended up in front followed by Grandpa, then my sister and myself in the back.

An hour from my parents place, hubby was ahead of the caravan by a mile or so  . . . my sister pulled off for a pit stop . . . placing Grandpa (dad) and I in a mini caravan on our own.

Three miles down the road things got a little hairy - - FAST.

All of a sudden Dad's truck and the RV he was was pulling started swerving wildly followed by sparks flying everywhere.

Being a ways behind dads I of course started slowing down immediately not knowing what was going on!

Then all of a sudden a tire shot straight up, flying up at least thirty feet into the air . . . it bounced off the top of an overpass ahead of me and then down onto the highway in which I was driving.

In awe, I quickly realized as the tire continued to bounce down the highway towards me that we were about to get hit . . . and indeed we did.

It all happened in under a half of a minute!

Luckily, no one was hurt and both dad and I were able to drive our vehicles toward the side of the road without further incidents.  A blessing in which we are both very grateful for.

My poor truck needed a tow . . . 

You can see here the damage where the tire hit the hood of the truck.

We are so lucky it hit the hood and not the windshield.

The tire came from the back of the passenger side of Dad's truck.

It seems all the bolts just broke off at one time.

Of course both his truck and RV needed to be towed also.

It was crazy, sure to be a good story and a day the kiddo's won't soon forget.

Robin

A Hankering For . . . Glamping Time

With camping season in full swing I can't seem to shake the desired for a little camper to fix up and take camping. 

Hubby thinks I'm crazy, and sure it's not at all practical for the family but I image it would be so fun to show up at a campground pulling any one of these fabulous examples . . . 

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Of course one of these might be needed too!

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They are all so cute don't you think.

Do you want one too!

Robin

Mini Bathroom Makeover - Cottage Style

Good Morning!

Hope you all had a safe and fun Fourth of July!

The family and I spent our day at Grandma and Grandpa's house, which is always delightful!

Today I'd like to show you a few changes I've made to the guest bathroom in an effort to make it more pleasing and cozy feeling.

Not wanting to spend alot of money on the project, I weeded through my stash of thrift store finds for inspiration.

It quickly became clear an easy, cottage style makeover was the best way to go.

After updating a few items with paint, everything fell together quickly and I felt like I had a new room

 The walls have been painted a pretty blue that I still haven't tired of yet.

Other than a few accent piece in various shades of blue, I tried to keep everything else cream or white. 

At the vanity area, bathroom essentials where placed within easy reach.

Have you ever tried Bath and Body Works "Just Picked" line.  

It's amazing.  

I've used the Garden Strawberries scent here, oh it smells so good a swear you can practically taste strawberries

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Image squeezing a handful of fresh picked strawberries in your hand - this soap smells just like that.

I also have their Lemon scent which is equally good.

Small canning jars holding bathroom essentials are corralled on a simple ironstone platter.

A small wicker basket hold extra rolls of toilet paper within easy reach.

And some pretty artwork and chippy frames dress up a small corner wall.

On the other side of the room, the bead board and hooks I installed a few year back and are still a favorite of mine.

The over-sized hooks are so handy and easy to use I have a hard time believing I will ever go back to using towel rods.

 Underneath the hooks I brought in a simple, pale blue bench to add a pop of color and to help fill up the space with useful items.

To fill up the space above the beadboard, I printed out two vintage prints of birds and placed them in distressed frames.

To carry on the bird theme, small Home Interior birds where painted and distressed and then hung above the frames.  I think they look very cute.

And last but not least, a simple basket was placed in the corner to corral anything needing to be washed.

Hope you enjoyed this mini makeover

bye now,

Robin

New Wheels

The time has come for this girl to upgrade her vehicle.

After much debate between hubby and I this is what we decided on.

A Ford, 350 Crew Cab.

Cool right?

I am so excited.

However, parking it is not easy.

I can live with that.

Just think of all that space in the back to fill up with vintage goodies and garage sale finds.

Oh, My!  I'm feeling light headed just thinking about it.

Hubby may seriously regret this purchase - - but not me.  

Now please excuse me, I've got to go find some sales!!!!

Robin

Fun Finds

Last Friday's thifting adventures left me feeling like I'd hit the jackpot.

It was all about metal office supplies.

First off I found this amazing Royalmetal armchair in very good condition.

I was very excited about the chair.  I have an arm-less version that has become my favorite chair in the house to use.  I have a feeling it may be replaced by this one.

At this point I thought I had found the find of the day . . . surprisingly I was wrong.

In the same store I happened across two metal letter sorters and a metal card file.

All three I think will come in very handing in my studio.

I love how the desktop version has a place for little labels.

After the thrift store, I picked up my girls and we went to a huge church sale.  I have never seen anything like it before.  Room after room of goodies to look over and at the very end a gym full of furniture.

Which is where if found the day's jackpot.

A metal desk . . . 

(sorry for the photo, this thing is heavy and must wait for hubby to help me carry it in the house - - just ignore my messy garage)

And a metal side board.  Both for fifteen dollars.

I just about fainted.

I have been looking and looking for a metal desk to use in my studio space so you can imagine my excitement.

Together with the side board I think my little studio space may become a little crowded but I am hoping it will all work out and I can enjoy all the storage space they offer.

All in all, it was a fantastic day of thrifiting for me.  One of which that doesn't happen very often.

How about you.

Any jackpot moments?