our trip

We have been gone on our Florida trip since last tues.I am ready to be home.I am not a travlor.Our new to us motor home was great until we ran over road construction the messed something up and the last 500 miles we heard a thumping nose.It was very stressful.We tried 3 places to get repair with no luck.On tues. hopefully we will get it fixed.
The graduation was great.I will have pictures when I get to my own computer.As you can see I have not figured out our sons pc. The font changed on it's own.
have a good day.

Beautiful trees / turning 63

I had another birthday today.It was my 63rd. It used to be, when I was young, I thought 63 was old.Funny how you change your mind when you are that age.If you are younger than 50 pay attention.The years fly by after 50----- At least they did for me.
I remember how upset my mother was that my grandmother was still working as a cook in a restaurant at 60. I reminded her of that when she was painting her 2 story house all by herself at 60. My mom is now 82-- soon to be 83. She is still doing all the things she has always done,including a garage sale next weekend.
I have much still to do in this life. I have a list of things to do before i die. I have checked off several.One was to learn to play the harmonica.I did learn one song I can play.Well on a good day it sounds like, Oh when the saints go marching in. I am thankful everyday for the ability to still do the things I want to do.There are lots more aches and pains and i move a lot slower than I used to but at the end of the day I usually get all done I had on my list,and if I don't I just know it will wait for me until I get to it.

Today my good friends Pat and Betty,took me to lunch.It was delicious as always at the Chung Garden restaurant.It is the best Chinese restaurant anywhere.So if you are ever in Iowa Falls Iowa be sure to have lunch.








The trees,this year, are the prettiest I can remember.









I painted the penny dolls face and it turned out quite good even if i do say so myself.The dead line is midnight the 15th.she still needs to get her hair and get dressed.
This was a good day.Hope yours was the same.
judy

Beautiful spring flowers

I had forgotten I had a pink lilac bush.It is only a few years old and has not had many flowers until this year.It is beautiful and the flowers smell wonderful.The beauty God creates amazes me.Always.And we are so lucky here to be able to enjoy it.







Our little Maple is finally making some headway. It has been a struggle with this tree.












The garden gals are hiding in the bleeding heart bush.so cute.
the gal with the green hat has seen it all.brrrrrrrrr









I am still working on the penny doll challenge.She gets closer everyday.
I took her naked pictures so they can be sent in.Today I painted her flesh color,head and hands/arms.Her clothes are done.The details for her face will be tonight or tomorrow.I am not sure on the hair. I have lama hair I want to use but will have to see what she tells me when her face is on.Gosh I wish I could share her picture. Soon very soon.
take care
judy
God Bless America

traveling

Well we tried out the new to us RV over the weekend.I have to say it was not great but not bad either.It was good to take it out because we found the axillary battery was not any good.That bothered me because we had a bad smell inside the RV. I ran the fan and it got a bit nippy in the night.I was worried we would not wake up so I did not sleep well.The storage is great and we have everything packed we need on wheels.Bedding,towels, pans, dishes etc all packed .Now we will just have to add bathroom bag,clothes and food.
I do not know how people take driving vacations.I become so exhausted my brain gets fuzzy.The stress of travel just does not seem worth it but because we want and need to see our kids and grand kids ---------so we will travel.I am hoping I will get over this and be able to enjoy the traveling.
Time is running out and there are many things that need to be done before we leave.
More garden needs to be planted the house needs to be cleaned,pets groomed, refrigerator cleaned out the list goes on and on.

The friends we went to visit are building a new home. She gave me a start of her mini iris.You would think I'd have them but do not.
Building a new home is really a challenge.All the choices to be made are really mind numbing.
I took 2 totes of fabric to Sharon, what she does not want she will hand on to some one else, so it will be used.
I am still working on the penny challenge doll only 5 days left to finish so it is priority today,well as soon as i get done on this pc.
till later judy

Spring

The rhubarb is up and we have had rhubarb/strawberry muffins and our most favorite----- rhubarb crunch.The trees are blooming.





















I have been gardening for a very long time and last fall is the first year I have ever seen a peonies plant go to seed, this spring we have baby peonies. You can see the seed pod picture then the baby plants in the grass.I will dig them and pot them.It will be a few years before they will be ready to bloom.



The weeks seem to fly by.There are very few days left before we take our trip.I have made lists so I am hoping not to forget things.I have decided if I do we will just have to buy whatever I forget.I hate to leave my gardens at this time of year.I am also fearful of the rains causing water in our basement again this spring.See why I am a bad traveler?I really do not like to leave home.

I have been working on a doll challenge it is one of the most involved patterns I have ever done.It is a very large doll.I so want to share it with you all but pictures are not allowed until after the challenge is done.That is the 15 of May.I can say she is jointed.She is all cloth with some paper clay.She told me she wanted to be one thing but then changed her mind.I have not been possessed by a doll for a long time this one is waking me up at night with more ideas.It will be interesting to see what she is in the end.

Have a great weekend.

believing some things are just meant to be.Rialta

Did you ever have something happen that you think wow.
On tues. I got my hair cut.My beautician and I were talking about her days off and about where they were going in their motor home.I told her we had been looking for a small one to take on weekends and to drive to Florida for our grandson's graduation.Jan said I think my husband knows of a couple of motor homes for sale.To make this a short story we called the owner went to look at it, made an offer and will finialize the deal soon.All in 2 days.We had planned on taking Amtrack.We love the train but this happened as if it was meant to be.It was not a hard decesion to make but it was still stressful.I don't know about you all -----but spending a lot of money always gives me a stomach ache no matter how old I get.
The Rialta is going to nice when we go to visit our girls families.We will be there but still have our own bed and privacy.I am the worst travelor.That said maybe this will help me to be better at being away from home.This next trip will be a make or break.Stay tuned after our long trip I will let you know if we have a motor home for sale.

tulips/annuals

I have worked in the greenhouse floral business for 30 + years and flower beauty still amazes me.
When I was raking out my west flower bed i raked out a poor little tulip.It had 3 puny leaves and a tiny bud down in the leaves.I was going to throw it away but instead I brought it in and put it in a small bud vase.I took a picture of the poor tulip left in that bed.If i remember I will move the bulbs and give these poor guys a chance.
I will share with you something you may not know.Tulips keep growing in water.I found that out when working with cut flowers.I learned you take the tip of a sharp knife and pierce the stem just below the flower to keep it from growing in an arrangement.This puny tulip has been on my counter since a week ago wed.It has grown about 3/4 of an inch a day and now has color and it is beautiful.It is a small tulip but still a wonder.

I have a plant blooming in the shade garden but have no idea what it is.I planted it 2 years ago and it is spreading.It should be quite a show in another 2 years.









I have purchased the first 4 flats of annuals I will plant this year.It is a start.I am not a purple person.Don't care for the color in clothes or in my home but the purple petunias are my favorite petunia.they smell wonderful and are the only petunia I know of that has a scent.A large basket of petunias by your door is a great welcome.

Tea Time

Yesterday(Saturday) was the annual tea fund raiser at our local library.I have attended these teas for several years.The library group does a fantastic job. Each year I am amazed at the presentations that local people give. Yesterday was no exception.
APRONS---Now how much can you really say about an apron.
Well a lovely lady named Kay was a font of information(I always wanted to say that)
She gave us a history on the apron.She has over 60 aprons in her collection. Some styles she had I had never seen before.Some brought back memories of Grandmas, moms and aunts.The uses for the apron are so much more than protecting ones clothes.Wiping off faces, gather eggs and garden produce,keeping arms warm,dusting furniture when unexpected company was at the door. So many things Kay talked abut gave those good memories.A couple were funny looked like pants.


The hand work on many was so beautiful and makes one think of the hours that it took to make these beautiful pieces.Aprons are making a come back with young people.It is good to see.
Many brought aprons and some shared small collections.I love aprons and have a small collection.I have 2 new patterns to make more aprons.They are on my To Do list.
The tables were beautifully done.The menu was fantastic. All the food was delicious.I found a site I shared with the librarian for making an apron favor.
Ours had a wonderful piece of chocolate in the pocket.
http://www.juliabettencourt.com/blog/?p=1001

I forgot to take a before picture of my place setting.this was an after thought.

This was a very good day.

another redo small black table

Last Wed. was a beautiful day.I raked the hosta gardens, cleaned the the front porch,moved wicker out of the screened porch onto the front porch.it was a busy day and I have not been the same since.Too much in one day.I'm glad I got as much done as I did,there is still a lot more but this old body has been screaming at me for the last few days.The last thing I did that day was wash this little table and give it the first coat of paint.
Of course the weather turned hot and humid then wet and gloomy so the table is still waiting for the 2nd coat of paint and the glaze.I will get to it as soon as mother nature is smiling again.We are in a tornado watch right now. Mother nature is not happy.Those hot flashes always set her off. Some of us know how that is.