Love is an Endless Season

Love is an Endless Season.  Blessed beyond measure.  Thirty nine years ago today!

 We celebrated at Ravinia...the most beautiful day we've had here in Chicagoland  in a while.

 So relaxing... Have I mentioned this guy?  Can't put into words how much I love this man.

 So romantic...

 This year the music was great with Igudeman and Joo... Piano and violin and comedy.

So much to celebrate and be grateful for... a love that fills our lives, a man who holds my heart, children who make us so proud and happy and our baby grand who says she was at our wedding when she was nine years old.;-)   Like I said, blessed beyond measure.

Enjoy this beautiful day.

Working Weekend

A drive to Woodstock on Friday interrupted my sweetheart's working weekend.  He works and works till he can't see straight then suddenly says, "Let's get out!"  I read about a rummage sale to benefit a HS Theatre group from a friend on Facebook.  We enjoyed being on stage, rummaging through some cool stuff. It might have been the drama teacher who followed us around. " Did you put that back?  No, you have to take it!"  It was all in fun and as a patron of the arts we happily  purchased a few things.  For me, mostly craft related stuff.  My honey found some cool electronic related thing-a-ma-bobs.

Saturday was once more a work day, again with a mental health break.  This time for iced coffee and a trip to a thrift.  I found these round place mats, a really pretty doily, a Ralph Lauren skirt sized 8...let's just say I'd need two to have it fit me, but oh the fabric is beautiful! The candle is from the sale on Friday.

 Something about quilted place mats.  I've made so many things from them in the past.

 Machine made but unique.

 Just love this fabric...a pillow, apron, a thin SIL...I've got four!

 A cute dress for my girl who loves dresses.

A ride to the Lake was a mistake.  The same road to the Lake is also the road to Ravinia.  The Doobie Brothers were playing a sold out show and we were stuck in traffic near the Botanic Gardens.

When we got to the Lake there was no parking.  Still, my honey loves to drive and we found a new route home.  He cleared his head as we discussed his project.  

Sunday was gloomy and quiet.  I crocheted a border on a throw for Guild and listened to music good and loud, because I can.  We had visitors for dinner, Jon and Charlotte and a facetime with Kris and Penny and Mikey called all at the same time.  I call that a hat trick!  Does this Mom's heart good.

I forgot to mention that the 25th was the 41st anniversary of my honey asking me to marry him.  I said NO! We knew each other exactly 2 months at that point, and though I loved him from first sight, I though he might be crazy or on drugs.  Within 2 years and 6 days we were married, so it all worked out! ;-)  Lucky me!

Thanks for stopping by and for all your kind comments.  Enjoy this beautiful day.

From the Garden

To waken each morning with a smile brightening my face; 

to greet the day with reverence for the opportunities it contains;

to approach my work with a clear mind;

 to hold ever before me--even in the doing of little things

--the ultimate purpose toward which I am working;

 to meet men and women with laughter on my lips

 and love in my heart;

A Monarch egg?

 to be gentle and kind and courteous through all hours;

 to approach the night with a weariness that woos sleep 

 and the joy that comes from work well done--

that is how I desire to waste wisely my days.  - author unknown

I love finding a poem or quote that matches how I feel. 

My dear friend Sue from California reminded me how fortunate we are to have had so much rain

that I am able to have such a pretty garden. 

I am grateful. 

Jean, Kelly's little plant really likes it here!

Have a wonderful weekend my friends.  Enjoy this beautiful day.

Pinterest Inspires

My favorite thing about Pinterest is finding something that inspires me enough to get me going and do something right NOW!  Sometimes it's just seeing something and knowing I can do that, or I never thought of that!    That just what happened to me last week when I saw a bubble gum machine filled with buttons. I've had a gumball machine in my garage since we moved in 21 years ago.

It's been sitting on a self, just waiting for the day my tall and handsome husband would reach to the highest shelf and bring it down to me.  I took it apart to clean it, not sure I could put it back together.  The most amazing part of this story is that my SIL Elizabeth borrowed the lock at the top of this machine years ago, and then returned it to me.  I have had this lock on my dresser for years, meaning to put it back on the machine in the garage, not wanting to lose it.  Miracle of miracles, it was still in a safe place when I needed it to assemble it back together again.  Call the Guinness people...that never happens to me!

 With a quick coat of chalk paint and filled with all the creamy buttons I could find...a treasure from my children's childhood has a new life.

 I think I need more buttons! ;-)

I also saw this on Pinterest.  Hubby had this jar in his office and kindly shared it with me.  I've been collecting crochet thread for a while, it is my cultural heritage.  After looking up this term to see if I was using it correctly, I found out I am a Preservationist!  (Not just a junk collector after all.;-) I did this for no good reason except that it made me happy.  Reason enough.

Speaking of making me happy, Elizabeth picked up her grand daughters carrying these lovely blooms for me. I carried yellow roses on my wedding day, so they have a special place in my heart.

This flower is so interesting...Elizabeth was not sure what it was...

and these orchids!  These flowers are what's left at the end of the day at the floral shop Elizabeth works at.
With days of pleasure still in these flowers, Elizabeth rescues them to share and enjoy.  Thanks Betty!

With a grateful heart today and everyday, I wish you something simple that will make you happy too!

Thanks for stopping by and for your kind comments and friendship. Enjoy this beautiful day.

Weekend Update Tuesday Edition

 The blooming of the cone flowers is at it's peak...

 and the Queen Anne's Lace that I let grow out front makes me so very happy.

During a storm a Robin's nest fell onto the deck. The nest still had the remains of a beautiful turquoise egg. Since we had company for the week, our Penny, everything was so much more exciting and fun.

 Even the Easter Lilies burst into bloom.

We spent our days exploring.  The park, a museum, shopping, eating, snuggling, dancing, singing and our favorite videos.  Penny happens to love John Denver and the Muppets, and her new favorite song is Grandma's Feather Bed.  I can't tell you how happy this makes me. We talked about how handsome I thought John Denver was.   Penny reminded me that he is not as handsome as Grandpa!

 At the museum she took over the small log cabin and asked me to leave!  Then she invited me back for chili.  She's got my imagination times 10, and let me tell you, mine is VIVID!  What a joy to see the world all new again through her eyes.

Handsome Grandpa and  pretty Penny playing checkers at the museum.

The lovely grounds surrounding the museum...as a Mastodon walks nearby.  They roamed Lake County back when Grandma was young! ;-)

This is a sculpture, not a real tree, but shows how Native Americans marked trails by bending trees.  There are still examples of these marker trees in our area.

Eating pizza, putting together puzzles, walking around the block, everyday is happier and more fun with our girl around. Kris landed from her trip to NY just as the skies opened up on Saturday.  The highway was flooding and the lighting was striking all around us as we made our way to the airport.  I was terrified, Penny held my hand and thought the whole thing was an adventure. What a girl!

Monday, I spent the day with my two nieces. Never a dull moment with these energetic and wonderful sisters.  When we face timed Penny later, she said, Oh, I missed it!  You see, every time with the cousins is a event and we couldn't manage to see them while Penny was here.  Now Grandma/Auntie Penny needs a few days off!

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy this beautiful day.

A Flutter of Butterflies

Did you know that a group of butterflies can be called a flutter of butterflies, a swarm, a kaleidoscope or a rabble.  I like a flutter, don't you?  Inspired by a photo I pinned on Pinterest and the magical blue butterflies we saw with our baby grand several weeks ago, I made this wreath.

They are just paper images, cut and pinned onto a Styrofoam wreath covered in burlap ribbon.

 I had this image from a  previous project.  Printed it on card stock.

I like busy work while listening to music.

 Then I gave the butterflies a little dimension by folding up or down their wings.

 I used T pins to attach them to the burlap covered wreath.

I had to fudge a little and used a scrap of additional burlap on the last few inches.

This will be hanging inside, too fragile for outdoors.  Hope you are embracing the joys of Summer.
Enjoy this beautiful day.