MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Merry Christmas to all!  

Happy 2021 (We hope)

 

August Already????

We did another day

trip in July.  This time to Oklahoma City to the Jurassic Quest.  It was in a huge parking lot and you drove thru.  Each dino had a plaque with its name, how to pronounce it and its history.

You can see by the size of the cars how big the dinos were.

Kaycee "drove" us thru the exhibit.  She was sitting on Tiff's lap and we were sitting more than driving.  It was hard getting all five of the little ones in a position where they could see.

The dinosaurs were very realistic looking.

I lost a very dear friend in July.  This is Miss Linda as the girls call her.  She was in a nursing home, her health was not good and her little body was just worn out.  She was 93 and was a victim of the CoVid.

She had been my friend for 50 years.  She was a fantastic painter and she loved red.  So, I had to make her flowers with red and white polka dot trim.  I talked to her several times a day.  They had been confined to their rooms since mid March and it was so hard on her.  But, we could talk and talk and talk on the phone.  I will really miss her.  The virus took her in a matter of a few days.

My yard has just gone bananas!  We have had a solid week of rain and more rain.  This is my little weeping dogwood tree that I planted when I moved here.

My back fence full of Morning Glories.  I didn't get out to take photos early enough for you to see the gorgeous array of flowers on the fence.

The girls and I have been redoing and cleaning out their playroom.  I had a bed in there but took it out because they needed the room.  LOL  We took the doors off of the double closets so they would have better access to their "stuff".

This is their dress up closet.  The cabinet in there holds their American Girl doll clothes and accessories.

This is their little kitchen area.  The opposite wall has their AG dollhouse and their Barbie dollhouse.  They love to play.

I have been going thru and sorting boxes of stuff that were in my storage building that was broken into.  A large part of the items had gotten wet and ruined so they just had to be thrown away.  Sad.  But, I found this picture I had done for my Mom.  I didn't paint the little girl picture, but did the flowers on the surrounding mat.  Mother had several of this artist's figurines and loved them so.

Sweet memories.

Enjoy!

Judy

Happy July

A little 4th of July decor...

a pillow my sweet Mom made...

my favorite Coca Cola sign...

banners...

front porch...

wreath made out of reproductions of vintage postcards...

patriotic birdhouse...

sweet memories of Bella...

painted shutter...

wreath and

making arrangement for John's headstone.

We should all be so thankful for the country we live in, the freedoms we have and definitely for those who fought for those freedoms.

Tulsa is mourning the death of a veteran police officer and the critical condition of another officer.    Please pray for these families and the one officer still fighting for his life.

So many things going on right now are just senseless and so unnecessary.

Judy

Another Crazy Month

A few weeks ago, the girls, Tiff and I went on another daytrip.  It was a surprise because I did not know where we were going.

I had told Tiff several months ago that I would like to take a trip to Tahlequah to the cemetery which is where my grandparents are buried.  I hadn't been there in a long time.

So, that's where we went.

We visited the graves and talked about how she would have loved my grandmother - Nana.  I never really knew my granddad because he passed away a few months after I was born.  He was a full blood Cherokee Indian.  He had an interesting life which I will share with you sometime.

My Nana lived with my sisters, my Mom and Dad.  She was the sweetest person.  She was very artistic and could do anything with her hands.  She crocheted, sewed and on and on. I still have her old treadle sewing machine.  I remember that after Christmas, she would start making these gorgeous flowers out of crepe paper.  They were so realistic.  She then dipped them in paraffin and made bouquets out of them for the cemetery for Memorial Day.  So, it was sweet memories to go there and I am thankful to Tiff for her always wanting to do something that pleases, surprises and delights me.

My great Aunt lived a block or so off of Maine Street and right across the street from her was a beautiful stream from the Illinois River.  I remember when we were little, we'd go over there and play in the babbling brook (that was way back when kids could do things like that - unafraid and no fear).  

Of course, my Aunt's house is no longer there but we went over to the creek and the girls had a fabulous time playing in the water.  It wasn't over 12" deep.  There was no one around and lots of shade and benches to sit on.  They had a great time and can't wait to go back.  

Last Sunday was Laynee's 9th birthday!!  So hard to believe.  Because the girls (especially Kaycee) are still being quarantined, we had a drive by party which was fun.  We had a good group of cars drive by and honk their horns and wave even a big red fire truck. I stopped by the nearby fire station and ask if they could do that and they were so kind and said gladly as long as they didn't get called out on a job.

Tomorrow is Father's Day and how I miss my Dad.  This pencil sketch was taken of him when he was in the Army during the war.  He was in Italy and there was an artist at a sidewalk cafe during these and he had one made and sent home to Mom and me.  It's wrinkled and worn but I had it framed and still love it.  Happy Father's Day Dad!  He was such a good Dad to us girls, Mom and Nana.  He lived in a house full of women for sure and never complained.  Plus, did I mention how good looking he was??

Enjoy!

Judy

Last week, Tiff, the little girls and I went on a daytrip to Gentry, Arkansas (about an hour and a half trip) to the Wildlife Safari. 

IT WAS AMAZING!!!!

They had every animal imaginable.  They normally have a petting zoo, but of course, it was closed.  But we drove thru the 45 acres looking at all of the animals.

The big animals (lions, tigers, cougars, etc.) were in big cages and you drove down one side and then the other to get a good view of them.  We were there when they opened at 10 and they had all just been fed, so they were very active.

But, herds of zebras, camels, deer, etc. just roamed free.  You had to have your windows up and of course, could not feed them.

Kangaroos and have you ever seen a white kangaroo?

Or a white peacock?

We loaded the girls up in the back of Tiff's Traverse and they took pictures galore.  We then drove into Bentonville, went thru a Wendy's and got lunch.  It was a very good outing!!!

I bought this beautiful glass bird feeder.  It's made out of a reproduction of Depression Glass.  I wanted something that the squirrels couldn't get to.  I've had two and they raided them and then chewed them up.

The little rascals climbed the tree, planted their back feet on the tree and stretched across and ate the birdseed.  I could hardly believe what I saw.  Smart little imps.

Normally, my little red truck carries around a bunch of my vintage s&p shakers with red Bakelite lids.  I decided to "spring" it up a little.

I added greenery in the back and little ceramic rabbits.  

Enjoy!

Judy

During This Time

I keep reminding myself how blessed I am to have a cozy home to be quarantined in, food in my pantry, meat in my freezer and money to pay my bills!!  

But, I'm so tired of staying at home.

Tiffany and the girls came over one day (since I hadn't been out anywhere) and we had a picnic out in the front yard.

Last week, we had a terrible thunderstorm with lots of hail.  Within 30 minutes, my deck was covered.  Looked like it had snowed.  It was just marble sized so didn't do any damage to anything.

But the intense rains we have been having in between the 70-80 degree days has really made my tomato plant grow.  I keep moving it in and out because of the high winds and storms we have been having.

Everything is really growing.

Had to have my huge tree in the front yard trimmed again - the second time in the four years I have lived here.  It grows so fast.  I told them to trim it back - but, not to take out any of my squirrels' nests.

I kept the three little girls last weekend to give Tiffany a break.  They had been home confined for 7 weeks.  Except for coming over to my house for the picnic, they were homebound.  Because of Kaycee's lung disease, we can't take any chances of exposure of any kind for her.

On Sunday, they announced they were having an Art Car Parade thru the neighborhood.  We found out the exact route and parked in a parking lot and watched it.  This is just a couple of the cars.  I had no idea anything like this existed.  The bottom one had a stuffed Scooby Doo hanging out the window.  The kids enjoyed it.

MY ACCOMPLISHMENT!!!!!!

I finally wallpapered one wall in my master bath.  This is the pink bathroom.  I have had this paper for over a year.  The wall was textured but I used a liner paper which I had never done before.  It feels like an interfacing and you hang it horizonally.  Then hang the wallpaper vertically as usual.  It is so smooth.  The books are all in shades of cream and tan.  I love it.  Will be making a new shower curtain in cream and tan and hopefully it will cut down the pink!!  When the world gets back to a new normal, I'll have the pink shower and floor replaced.  But, for now, I'm okay with it.

Stay safe and well.

Judy

A New Routine

Happy almost May to everyone!  This has without a doubt been the longest 4 months of my life.  This post is kind of a random post with my mind going from one thought to another.  Know what I mean?

My tomato plant is growing like wildfire.  Course, we have had massive amounts of rain and then hot, hot days, so it is thriving.

The Hostas are doing their regular thing - suddenly popping up and just growing overnight.  I love these plants because they require very little attention and always look so pretty.

My little gnome and his former house.  By former, I mean - had my huge tree trimmed in the front yard and branches fell on it and broke it.  I'll have to find him another one.

This is an old, old photo of my Bronzer group.  We started doing a Christmas party almost fifty years ago and have continued every year.  We have lost three of the guys (including my John) but we still stay in touch and check on each other.

Last week, we did the Zoom thing and visited.  We had started having breakfast once a month and since we couldn't do that, we did the Zoom.  It was fun.  Not as good as being with the bunch but a good substitute.

I miss the "old days".  

I loved when we could travel... to Alaska,

to Branson,

to Arkansas to the Crystal Bridges Museum (this was when the Chilully exhibit was there),

and oh, the annual City Wide Garage Sale in Neosha, Mo. where my sister lives.  This has been an annual thing for myself and my sisters for years - but not this year due to the virus.

And concerts!  Especially Garth.  I do have tickets to see him in August in Las Vegas.  Will be very disappointed if I don't get to go.  Have tickets, hotel, etc. all taken care of.  Now, just have to have this virus thing taken care of.

So much for wishing.

Will leave you with this funny!

Enjoy!

Judy