Road Trip to Galena

 Hopped into the car for a road trip with my birthday boy.  He choose Galena for a destination, though he really is all in just for the drive. What a drive it is, hills and valleys, twists and turns.  The scenery bucolic.

 We've been going to Galena, Illinois for about 27 years,  starting when our kids were young and our baby boy Mikey was just three years old.

Things don't change much in Galena.  The town looks the same as when we first visited. The city is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  Abraham Lincoln spoke here in 1856. We'll talk history another time.  I mostly go for the relaxing ride and to shop.

 The stores do change, one moves across the street, down the street...

 My favorites are Ink and Stamp with Sue...great for inspiration and

... the "spice shop" anyway that's what we always called the The Great Galena Peddlery.  Walking in always smelled like VACATION.  Sad to say that the store will close soon as the owners are retiring.  

Then we always return to the home we rented for vacation for many years, just to see how old Kirsten/Potter is.  So many happy, silly and sweet memories  On this particular road all the homes had names, now they are just numbered and 60% are for sale.

Lunch at Happy Joe's is a little melancholy without the gang.  There we decided to make a plan to go up with all the kids like the old days.  This time Penny will walk the road, look at the stars and swim till she turns pruney, just like her Mom did back in the day. Now to get 6 grown people to slow down long enough for some fun!  Grandpa, Penny and I are ALL IN!  I think our day trip was a perfect capper to a birthday weekend extravaganza.

We are in for a 90 degree day today.  Out to garden before it gets too hot.  Thanks for stopping by my friends.  Enjoy this beautiful day.

Summertime, and the weekend was easy.

Our Guild finishes off our year with a casual dinner.  These girls are the very best and do so much to help others throughout the year.  The cake has symbols of many of our service projects...hats, blankets, sachet hearts, pillowcases and lighthouse key chains.  Our dear Donna had this cake made for the occasion, beautiful and delicious.

I took one photo of the evening, the cake, evidence of having too much fun or being too busy.  We had a little garden theme going.  I grew zinnia seeds as favors, the centerpieces were large candles wrapped with a floral photo and tiny picket fences.

 I love peat pots, always have some in my stash.

 Fancied up the cutlery.  Whenever we are together there is sure to be hugs and laughs.

I received this pretty fused glass vessel.  Like I've said many times, these ladies are absolutely the best sisters a girl could have.

 This guy will be celebrating a birthday this week.

 We hung out the birthday flag and celebrated with our kids..(with Mike on the phone) and shared dinner and birthday chocolate eclair cake. Happy Birthday to the man who makes me very happy, everyday! It's our 41st birthday together.  Seems like yesterday... For his 18th birthday, I gave him a card and had my friend sign it too.  Too chicken to do it on my own.  I was soo smitten, still am.  Love you babe!

Look who we found at the bus stop...none other than our baby grand. (She is wearing a dress that was her Mom's!)  Thank God for the healing power of this old body of mine, I was walking without pain for the first time in two weeks.  We took our girl to the park and walked the path and played in the playground.  When that wasn't enough Grandpa and sweet p. took off into the field.  How I love to see these two together, having fun.

 We came home to a fire and smores, something we never got around to on Penny's birthday after my fall.

The long sticks never seem long enough, but Penny did as she was told and stayed in her chair.  I don't think her marshmallow ever got warm. ;-) Grandma's started on fire several times!  Two smores and we were ready to go inside.

 Had to show you this.  Grandpa was supposed to be watching baby while "Mom" aka Penny had to go to work.  Every time she came to pick up baby, baby had gotten into some kind of mischief.

We love to hear that girl laugh!

Have a great week my friends, and enjoy this beautiful day.

I'm kinda in a groove...

Working on a bunch of different projects.  This basket was started a few weeks ago with just a coat of paint.
I wanted something floral, so used a favorite fabric I've used before for dishtowels.  I cut the flowers from the fabric and used them as an applique.  I used a glue that yellowed as it dried to apply the fabric and really disliked it. I got the idea to paint over it and remove most of the paint, ta da...It turned out just right!

 It has a soft shabby look I was going for.

 I recently saw a basket with a hand painted top going for hundreds of dollars. It was gorgeous, but I like mine, $5.

Speaking of bargains.  I found almost five yards of this fabric at the thrift .  It is heavy, almost linen like.  I did the old test by burning some fibers to see if it is natural material or polyester.  It turned to ash, which means it's a natural fiber but it had sparkles while it burned, perhaps a rayon blend.  I see making an apron, some pillowcases, I just love finding inexpensive fabric.  I have a very hard time paying 9 to 13 dollars a yard at the fabric store.

 I love the color.

 I also found four yards for pillowcases for our Guild.  We just passed 2,000 pillowcases donated.  What a remarkable milestone and a remarkable bunch of women.  

I have my sewing machine out and have been making some pillowcases myself.  These are made with fabric totally thrifted.  I found the Daisy Kingdom print that I used for the border for a dollar. This pillowcase cuff is made a little larger so I could fit in the flowers.  It looks really pretty.  The watercolory fabric made the perfect match.  I love when things come together.  Serendipity!

 I made some others too...when you're in the groove, you gotta keep on, keepin' on! (Seventies talk;-)

 The garden is really coming along.  Just some weeding...a insidious wild morning glory vine, the bane of my garden.

Just a pleasure to look out at it each morning and work for a while in the quiet each day.

Thanks so much for stopping by.  Enjoy this beautiful day.

June is Bustin' Out All Over

What says June better than peonies.  I am so happy to have them successfully growing in my garden.  It's been many years of nursing this one plant.  I've tried to plant others without success.

 The fragrance takes me back to our very first yard of our own.  My Mom loved her little piece of earth.  Seemed every yard on our block had peonies.

 The flowers so complicated, layered and lush.

The buds, even the leaves.  How in the world do these come out of our plain dark earth?

 A little guy I disturbed in the clover.  He posed, wings held high and proud.

Our little fairy garden.  Planted with moss and a creeping plant from dear Kelly.  Kindness runs in that family, Kelly is my friend Jean's darling daughter.

It's always party time in the fairy garden.

After a quiet weekend, (one day 80 degrees, the next 40 wet and freezing, yikes!)  I am doing much better. Grateful for the healing powers of our amazing human body, my knees are better everyday.  It's still gloomy and cool today, with the promise of a clearer, warmer week ahead.  Looking forward to the month of  June and all the joys of summer. Hope all is well with you my friends.  Thanks for stopping by and enjoy this beautiful day.

Around the garden...

 Elizabeth, who knows what I like brought me this wire cage.

 A hosta I planted in a pot several years ago.  So pretty.

 Bait bucket o impatiens...

 Welcome Monarchs the milkweed is up!

 Rosebuds,

 Clover,

 The first peony...I will always remember you Daddy.

 It's the little things that make me happy.

 Marigolds and blue salvia!

 Throw in a little sewing, pillowcases...

A thrifted Laura Ashley sheet and this unusual eyelet make a beautiful combination.

My  knees are healing, the garden is growing and  we are on the cusp of June.  Have a great weekend my friends and enjoy this beautiful day.