The keeper of the dog food

Our little guy is not as interested in eating as he used to be.  This saddens his family because he is nearly 14 years old and our faithful and ever-chipper boy.

In order to get him to eat, our dog food keeper sits by him and feeds him and occasionally herself one piece at a time until he finishes his food.

Our little guy is highly enticed by this special feeding ritual and eats his food wonderfully in this manner (thankfully!).

Our girl is incredibly serious about her duties and never forgets "her" boy.  We often find her stomping at the back door to retrieve "her" boy and feed him his dinner.

They have become quite close and it is so touching to see such an old dog and young babe venture into a new friendship together.

The roses and depression glass

I have always loved roses that grow in gardens (I am not a big fan of the overused cliché  bouquets that pop up in stores when Valentine's Day or Mother's Day rolls around).  You know, the lush and fragrant variety seen in beautiful gardens.  I vividly remember on a study trip to Germany all the roses that hung heavily from their thorn-filled stems in late May and early June.  Give me a fresh bouquet from a garden any day -- even if it is just a few measly little weeds with flowers.  There is nothing like a hand-picked bouquet.


This particular bouquet comes from my Mother's ever-bountiful garden.  She recalls that this rose bush was "saved" from the trash of a friend who didn't want it anymore.  Years later, it is the most beautiful plant with the most abundant roses.

 

What makes this bouquet even more beautiful is the vintage green depression glass candy dish that is resting in.  This wonderful green glass was found at a garage sale.  Once I saw it I knew it was old and I knew I could make it useful.  It was missing it's lid but the glass bowl was like new with the prettiest little designs in the glass.  After some research, I found that the glass was made by the Anchor Hocking glass company in the 1930s and it is depression glass.  I also found a couple other pieces:  3 miscellaneous lids and another flatter bowl.
I just love the light green color and even though I have a bunch of miscellaneous pieces, it will be fun to see how I can utilize them in my home.

I just love a good garage sale find -- especially finding something old and making it "new" in my home.

Have you ever had an amazing garage sale find?

strawberry sprite

sprite also spright 

n.

1. A small or elusive supernatural being; an elf or pixie.

2. An elflike person

As we walked through fields and fields of ripe strawberries last weekend, I watched my big girl prance here and there so delicately but with a definite purpose.  I was amazed at her little feet (which are normally quite over-sized and clumsy like mine) that so carefully hopped over the rows without damaging any berries or their sweet white flowers.  Her hands were thoughtful and only picked the berries that were ready to be plucked from their lush leafy plants.  She reminded me of a little sprite or pixie.

She was in a very content world of her own and very much unaware of her surroundings.  She was solely focused on filling her strawberry box.  My, what a difference a few years makes.

Monthly Organization: Project "Wrapping Paper Rolls Unconventional Storage"

Yesterday when I was out, I saw this wonderful pot at a store.  The robin egg's blue color is one of my favorite colors and the sweet designs made it jump out at me.  So...I sat in the store for a while and decided just what I could do with this fun pot.  It didn't have a hole in the bottom, so I knew planting in it wasn't an option.

The day before I was sorting through some of my wrapping paper mess rolls.  I had them stored in a tall wrapping paper storage container with a lid.  The only problem was that the lid crushed the rolls when it wasn't put on carefully.  It was also very narrow and didn't hold much and it had yellowed over the years.

via

I finally purchased the blue pot and decided to use it for my wrapping paper rolls.  When I got it home, I was concerned that the rolls might be too tall for the pot.  Thankfully, the pot is heavy enough to support the tall rolls.  There was even room for some ribbon spools, scissors and tape.

I plan to keep this pot tucked away in the closet but it will be nice to have something nice to look at when I do need to keep it out when wrapping gifts.

It is so much fun to find new ways to use things...especially things you love.

Enjoy finding some new ways to use the things you love.

wildflower bouquet

Spring recipe for happiness:
-take a walk on a cool day
-pick a few (just a few) of the first wildflowers starting to pop out of the ground
-find a fun vase in the cupboard (or re-purpose something into a unique vase)
-arrange your wildflowers (without guidance from Momma) in your vase
-put your arrangement in a place where you will see it often
-enjoy smiling when you see your humble little bouquet of flowers

It's STRAWBERRY time!

“One must ask children and birds how cherries and strawberries taste.”

-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

"This special feeling towards fruit, its glory and abundance, is I would say universal.... We respond to strawberry fields or cherry orchards with a delight that a cabbage patch or even an elegant vegetable garden cannot provoke."  

-Jane Grigson

ART on Etsy

If you are anything like me, might think you can't afford REAL art.  You know, the kind you see in museums, in magazines and in those gorgeous homes near and far.

Well, you are in for a surprise if you browse around Etsy.  Etsy is a marketplace for vintage and handmade things.  If you browse for "original" pieces or prints you can find so many beautiful pieces.  Not to mention, most are sold at a fraction of what you might pay at an expensive gallery or home store.


There are:

Pink Snowy Owl Prints via BlackCottageHandmade

Garden Print of Watercolor via Amber Alexander

COCKATIEL by DIMDI Original Watercolor Painting via dimdi (in Italy)

Miss Gordon Original Watercolor Painting via WaterInMyPaint

Oyster Shell Collection, original watercolor painting via ArtGoods

And ALL those beautiful pieces of art are all under $40!  Isn't that amazing!  There are so many talented artists out there.

Etsy is fun because you can find artists selling their things from all over the world!

So, go ahead, and browse Etsy when you are looking for something to hang on your wall.  It is also fun to support people who are doing what they love.