A Lush Garden Surprise

It seems like it was only yesterday, that the garden was bare, trees and plants were dormant, and nothing looked very special. Yesterday I went out into the garden to look around and was so surprised to see green, and flowers, and a lushness everywhere. It has rained a great deal this spring, and turned everything a rich green shade. I can't help but want to share this with everyone. I have worked so hard to make this garden grow and turn it into someplace to enjoy {even though I don't sit still for very long.} So following are pictures of my garden….. and this phrase to remember.

  In search of my mother's garden…..
                                                             I found my own.

At long last…...

After 4 years of delays, problems, this and that, my swimming pool is done with the new cover  I had decided tout over the pool to keep dust, pine needles and bugs out. As well as to make it warmer and perhaps more able to swim in in the spring and the fall.
  I am in the process of filling it up with water, and that is going to take a few days, as I can't let it run non-stop for fear of drawing the well down. The ground right now is really wet, so hopefully what's down there is running high, due to all the rain we have had. If this work as I hope it will, the pool should be heated by the warm air, as well as making it safer in the winter, and less likely to freeze.
  So here it is, at last the cover over the pool and it's my pool is done.

A Remembered Dream

  Sometimes we get a chance to do something we could only dream about when we were younger. For me it was the trip of a life time to London, Paris, and Ireland. Every once in a while I can close my eyes and remember. Walking down the hall that Ann Boleyn reported to run screaming down to pound on the door when Kind Henry the Eight refused to see her, and she was to be taken to the tower before she died. Or walking in the garden at Hampton Court which was my favorite castle and place to visit. Knowing that within the walls of the Tower of London there had been many who died or pasted through on their way to another place, living or dead.
  Walking among the many treasures of the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the two two hour appointments viewing the gowns in the back room. Never did I believe that would ever happen.
Taking classes with the Royal Embroiders guild of England.Shopping for a new hat in a little shop hidden away in London, where the Queen purchases some of her hats. Staying in a 4 star hotel for the first and only time in my life. Gilding down the Themes river on a supper cruse and having Happy Birthday sung to me by everyone on board.Visiting Windsor Castle and seeing Queen Mary's dollhouse.
Taking the Aerostar to Paris and visiting the palace of Versailles and walking down the great hall of mirrors. Creating my own perfume blend in a little room overlooking a street in Paris. Standing in front of the Eiffel Tower to have my picture taken. And buying champagne to celebrate my birthday.
  Spending a week in a little castle in Ireland where I had my pictures taken in the garden completely dressed in my Marie Antoinette gown, I created just for that purpose.
  As with all things, part of my trip was spoiled. But the rest of the memories will be there to touch upon from time to time, as I close my eyes and relive a time where a dream became real and something longed for was realized.
  We all have those moments in time, and it's a very good thing we do, as life rushes over us crashing into the realities of day to day living, and the moment we must face the road not taken.
  Where your dreams realized? At least some, anyway?
  Stop and smell the roses. I believe this is what best describes the remembrance of our dream realized. No-matter what it was, take but a moment to revisit that special place. It need not be shared with anyone, or perhaps in the sharing the reality will re-awaken a remembered past to full blooms of yesterday dreams.
  It lingers in the shadowy halls of our past and visiting is free.

A Formal Affair

  What else could you call it when the theme is black and white? I didn't know that this year's favorite theme for christmas trees was going to be black and white. That is what I had decided on a couple of months ago. It turned out really elegant, and stylish. I am so glad I decided on this as I used a lot of ornaments I have had put away and never used. Here is the results.

 
And the best are these guys that are perched on the branches.

Both large ones and the smaller ones really make it a formal affair. After all they come ready for a black tie event. What do you think? Is it a party, or what?

I feel the need….

To say something, but my mind is jumping in so many directions… Ever feel that way?
I am wondering if I will get everything done, I have put aside, not finished, just relocated, found, and in general left till after everything else got done. I am tired of doing what everyone else thinks should be done. I have put so many people places and things ahead of me, that here I am wondering will I ever get to it all, or for that matter get everything done, before I can't do anything at all.
  Do you have a hard time deciding what to work on first? Sometimes it's hard to settle on just one thing.Then I spend so much time looking for all the pieces and parts so I can work on something, that I get to tired to start the project.
  Is this what comes with "old age"? There is just so much I want to do, and not just sewing, or painting, or …. or…. but a whole bunch of things. How do you decide what to work on, when you can't settle to just one thing. I get off in another room looking for something, and get side tracked. An hour later here I am wondering what it was I was doing in the first place. lol. And don't say you have never done this… we ALL do it. So how do you handle the diversions?
  I have tried making lists… lol… I lose those seems like over night. I've tried stacking up the gathered "stuff" too make whatever it is, and end up with a huge pile that gets dumped by the kittens at play, and mixed up. Nothing like seeing something  trailing after a cat as it disappears down the hall.
I've tried putting things in a tub, and stacking the tubs up, but they have overflowed the back porch, and it takes awhile locating what your looking for… and here you go on the round around again.
  I wish I had a large lazy Sue that would let me load it up, spin it around, and just take something off to work on. lol. Wouldn't that be great?
  So if you have an idea do share, I'm more then ready for it.

At last!

This was a long two year project, with a lot of pit falls and problems, but at last I have a swimming pool, and I am hoping it will help with my back problems.
10,000 gals of water, and I haven't even been in it yet.
Why??? Cause it's COLD! I will need to add some heat or a wet suit. lol.
But it's done. Another project finished for this year.

And the toad came home…...

Lady toad came back and was sunning herself next to the pond.
I love having this pond, as it attracts all kinds of things as well as having the koi to enjoy.

Pond rock

At last I got rock to line the top of the pond, and got it where it belongs and only smash one finger this time. lol.
I like it and I think the fish will to. The big toad is back and took a dip in the pond. I wonder if there will be babies this year? If the Koi will leave them alone.

  Doesn't it look better? It was raining while I took these. That is what you are seeing in the pond.

And the last bit added

I wanted to cast a bit of golden glow around the fairy after she was completed and down on the background. So I have done that and here she is finished at last after about 10 years of trying to figure out how to do this.
  Hope you like it, I am going to hate to see how much this frame will cost me. lol. It's got to be golden, my favorite kind.

The Fairy is finished

So now all I have to do is mount her on the background, add the finishing touched there as well, and she is done.

Down to a few last things.

I love the way this fairy has turned out {even if the size is big}. Now here's hoping the last few things I need to do will work out quickly and then I will be done.

How does she look?

More Details

I am working on the Fairy's dress and wings, adding details, so she will stand out from her background. Anyone seeing her, will think she is a rare golden flower.

  She is definitely becoming center of attention for this piece. Once completed and sewn down to the background I have a thought about maybe doing to create a glow around her. But that has to wait for her to be done. The piece is really coming together.