~ Happy Independence Day! ~

Our flag is just so beautiful isn't it?...I love this country!!...yesterday hubs and I drove out to Luray, VA, which is a 2 ½ hours drive each way, to attend a bluegrass music festival...despite the heat and cruddy bugs, it was quite enjoyable!
We toured the caverns years ago with our boys and this festival was just across from there on the grounds of their museum...I wish I had brought my camera because inside the museum there were all sorts of items from the 1800's!...the drive was thankfully uneventful and we enjoyed the music and the beauty that is Virginia...the festival would have been perfect however if it were held in the Winter...there would have been NO BUGS and all you'd have to do to be comfortable is to wear a coat or put on some layers!...why the heck everyone has to do everything in the summer is beyond me! LOL

I've been busy busy busy purchasing and adding New Wares for my shoppe...summer is just speeding on by and before we know, it will be time for us to get out our Fall decor HOORAY!!...we do love our Autumn decorating don't we?...I am so excited about the goodies I've got coming and I'll be adding them as they come in so I can keep on top of it all.

Now about the 4th of July...I know that fireworks are illegal in many parts of the country but not here in Hanover County, VA...and boy do people take advantage of that!...there are types of fireworks that ARE illegal and what I don't understand is why the heck do they make something illegal and not enforce the law??...in our subdivision, the houses are 20 feet apart yet there are people who bring in illegal fireworks, the kind that shoot up into the air and explode, which drives me absolutely insane!!!...are these people not afraid of burning their house and their neighbors' houses down??!!...I have called the police, the fire dept. and yet it continues year after year...I just don't get it!!!...ok well there's my rant for the day, LOL...I am pretty much a nervous wreck on 4th of July evenings worrying and wondering if one of those bombs is going to explode on our roof or on the houses next door roofs...we had 2 houses burn down on our block last month and it was a frightening thing to see...the fire started in the garage of the first house and was so massive that it quickly spread to the house next door...it was horrible!

Gosh...that's not a very good note to leave this blog post on now is it?...sorry about that!...I just wish that people would be satisfied with going to see the professional fireworks displays that are absolutely everywhere all around us here and not insist on shooting explosives up into the air...it's downright dangerous!

Here's something better to leave you with...a picture of the display that I have on our breakfast nook table...the flag was a gift last year from and made by Pat of Olde Bittersweet Farm ...it's on a turned wood base and very special to me...I've got it sitting on a really olde checkerboard along with some faux herbs and strawberries...the strawberries were made by Carol on ebay, she makes lovely things!...and I love the Seven Snowballs Table Square, it's available in my shoppe...it's reversible to red with the pattern in the linen, which I plan on using for Christmas!...an olde wooden bowl, and antique food chopper, complete the display....be safe and enjoy the day!

~ New Summer Decorating Pics ~

I know how much we all love looking at each others' decorating pics so I've gone through and uploaded a bunch I've just finished taking around the house. I've posted them over on Picture Trail. I hope you enjoy!

My Picture Trail

~ A Little Summer Stitchin' ~

It certainly feels like summer anyway! I know it's still technically spring but boy has been hot here in Central Virginia. Last week we had temps in the upper 90's most of the week with a couple days hitting and even exceeding 100. This week we are expected to be in the mid 80's which is still WAY too hot for me! Such is summertime though and I shall just continue to count the days until December when my favorite season returns. I am so thankful for central air conditioning! We have lived in this house for 9 years this month, it is the first house I've ever lived in that has central A/C, and let me tell you, it is a modern comfort that I hope to never have to live without again! I've been staying inside enjoying the A/C and doing some cross-stitching. I'm into making the little pinkeep/sampler pillows mostly...I've made a couple for myself and a couple to offer up for sale if anyone is interested! Both are Stacy Nash designs!

Here is the 1776 Flowers with Flag design...it is stitched on osnaburg that has been aged with walnut crystals:...and backed with a reproduction Civil War fabric:
...it measures 4 3/4" x 4 1/2" and is stuffed with pieces of clean unbleached muslin fabric...I am asking $35.00 for it which will include First Class Mail within the USA...just leave a message here on my blog or you can go to my web site and use the Contact link to reach me...Paypal only please.


Here is the Peace and Plenty design...SOLD...THANK YOU!...also stitched on osnaburg that has been aged with walnut crystals:
...and backed with a reproduction Civil War fabric with a wool heart primitively stitched on:
...it measures 6 1/4" x 4 1/2" and is stuffed with pieces of clean unbleached muslin fabric...IT HAS BEEN SPOKEN FOR...THANK YOU!


Well I think that's going to be it for me today...it's Sunday which for me means watching a NASCAR race! Go 88!! Have a most joyous Sunday all!

~ Humpty Dumpty ~

Humpty Dumpty, that's sort of what it feels like! Some of you may recall that on October 27, 2010 we had an EF1 tornado come through and damage our house. The repairs have been nothing short of a NIGHTMARE! I won't bore you with more of the gory details but FINALLY it seems we are back to normal!
This is what it looked like before. I had a tree expert come out the next day to see if there was any way our pear tree could be saved and was told that the root damage was too extensive so we sadly had to chop up our poor tree which made me so sad.
A couple weeks later we planted this little oak tree and he shed his leaves in the winter and got all new ones in the spring just like he's supposed to!
We had a new roof put on, siding and trim replaced, removed the damaged plants in the garden, and planted new.
So just like Humpty Dumpty, we are put back together again!
My heart goes out to all those who have gone through the recent tornadoes. I know there are so many who lost EVERYTHING with not even a house to come home to! That makes the issues I've been dealing with minimal in comparison!

Well that's going to be it for this time. Remember to do something each day that makes you happy!

Your Mother Is Always With You...

Your mother is always with you...
She's the whisper of the leaves
as you walk down the street.
She's the smell of bleach
in your freshly laundered socks.
She's the cool hand on your brow
when you're not well.
Your mother lives inside your laughter.
She's crystallized in every tear drop.
She's the place you came from,
your first home...
She's the map you follow
with every step that you take.
She's your first love
and your first heart break...
and nothing on earth can separate you.
Not time, Not space...
Not even death...
will ever separate you
from your mother...
You carry her inside of you...

Author Unknown

I miss you Mom!

Happy Mother's Day to all.