My Puppy

My puppy of 14 1/2 years left me on September 16th. 

He was my boy, my secret keeper, and my buddy. I miss him every day...hour...minute.

Thank you for sharing your life with me Tucker.  

Put on you Big Girl Panties

 2014 has been a year of many changes for me. It’s difficult some days not to dwell on them since they aren’t what was expected. I am going to try and concentrate on the constants in my life instead of the changes ahead. I have found over the years that  changes have a way of not only working themselves out but sometimes aren’t as bad as they seem initially. However sometimes they are worse. 

I guess this is an opportunity to grow and accept what I can’t change.

It's time to put on my big girl panties and move forward with the inevitable flow!

Antique Store in Cologne Germany

Unfortunately the store was closed so all the pictures had to be taken 

thru the window glass.

I just stood there with this silly smile on my face!
I just loved every minute in Cologne.
And yes...the cathedral is  fabulous!

Morning Glory

I have this random Morning Glory plant growing right up thru the middle of my bushes in the front of my house. Now that it's poked thru the top it is starting to bloom.  

Dear husband doesn't really understand why I want to leave it but is working to live with this random flower

Rainy Day

Rain.....Lightening.....Thunder   

What a perfect day to be home. 

Snuggling with my hound dog, 

reading a book, 

and having that second cup of coffee.

Under a warm quilt of course. 

Off to work I go!
Great dream right!!

Inch Worm

Inch worm, Inch worm measuring the marigolds or in this case the purple cone flower.

This little guy showed up in a flower arrangement at the table where I was sitting!

Photo courtesy of Kindle D-I-L

Oreo Cake Balls

These are one of the best little desserts I have had in a very long time. 

So quick to make...

 and in my life that's critical. 

Delicious

Drool worthy

Wanna come over and make these with me????

Here is your link to this heavenly treat

http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/oreo-cookie-balls-126799.aspx

Fiesta Ware Display & Anthropologie

No it’s not a wonderful display of Fiesta Ware in a store.

It’s my Kindle DIL house and the dishes she is accumulating.

It makes me feel like going shopping tho! And I never feel like shopping.

Want to see the Aqua plate in the back???

Scroll down.......

What a hoot right???

French Patisserie

On my trip I fell in love with French Patisseries.

 Really fell in love with them...how could you not? 

We were so fortunate to have 2, yes I said 2, pastry shops within 2 blocks of the hotel.

We would get up in the morning & just walk down the street to the most wonderful food.

 Pastries....sandwiches made to order....coffee

Then if you weren't full you could stop in at the fruit/vegetable store for more treats

Yep...that's what we did....

View From the Swing

 I love to sit on Miss Susie’s swing.

However the view is nothing in comparison to visiting with Miss Susie!

Bread in Germany

On my trip I fell in love with German bread. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever had. It’s dense but not heavy. Some of us made sandwich’s in the morning and put them (Earlene’s idea) in our purses and had them later in the day. What a treat! Sometimes I had a sandwich for breakfast (which is something I never do at home). So the hunt was on when I got back for fabulous bread. I tried several different brands and nothing comes close to the deliciousness of what I had in Germany… but the 9 grain deli bread at Target is by far my favorite.

Next up….On my trip I fell in love with French Pastry Shops……

Sweet Peas

Out my side door

On my neighbors fence

Is this delightful sight.

I’m making excuses to go out the side door more often.

Just lovely.

Next year I simply have to plant some on my side of the fence!

Vintage Laundry Basket

My Kindle DIL discovered this vintage laundry basket at an estate sale.

So much for the perfect place to display your vintage quilts!

Rosie Cat always find the best place to sleep!

Wen Cleanser

Thoughtful Miss Heather gifted me with a container of Wen Cleanser for my birthday this year. I have been wanting to try it forever but it’s a little cost prohibitive for me. I really wanted it for my travels in May to tame the hair insanity I experience in humid weather.... well actually every day. Also as I speed toward old age my hair is less manageable…..and those are very kind words to explain my hair.

Moving on…..I wanted to have a good hair day every day while I was gone. Such vanity right?  Then I was treated to a lesson in humility when I burned out, literally, my flat iron on the 4^th day. It’s not like Paris has an Ulta store on the corner I could run to and replace it so I had to live with frizz & fluff  basically every day. Having the Wen Cleanser helped me get thru all of it tho. It tamed it to a degree and made it liveable….so many thanks for such a wonderful gift.

This is what I saw when I looked in the mirror each day.

Pearls

For a rather significant birthday  friend Celine gave me pearls. She said the day should be marked by something extraordinary…so pearls were in order.

So for several years now I have been the proud owner of the pearls in the picture below. I always thought that I never was dressed up enough to wear them. Business casual or jeans and pearls? How could I pull that off? I was told that of course I could wear them….with anything actually! So I have been wearing them more and more. At first I felt a bit “June Cleaver-ish” then I felt more “Julia Child-ish” then “Audrey Hepburn-ish”. In other words I got more comfortable wearing them.

I love them

I love how they look

I love how I feel when I wear them

But most of all I have always loved my dear friend (who I met in the 7^th grade) who felt I needed them.

Bracelet & earrings not shown!