Up North Visitors, More Snow, and More Paint

This last weekend we got to head up north on a Friday night.  We arrived just before dark and of course all the snow that was on the roof was now on our sidewalk.  The snow was packed tight and we couldn't shovel it so up and down the hills it was.  

At the top of this hill you had to duck to get under the roof.

View out the door of the snow that fell off the roof.  I will be so happy when all this white stuff is gone and there are campers out there and water to float in.

Saturday morning sky looking out the patio door.

It was snowing again but sitting here soaking up the sunshine made it not seem that bad. 

Friday night when we arrived we had to wait for 3 deer to leisurely walk off the driveway and head into the woods.  Saturday night we were getting ready to go out for supper and these 3 were checking out the place.  They circled us and from the looks of their trails they do this a lot.  

I shot these out the window and this little guy didn't want to leave.

Saturday I primed and painted cupboard doors and Sunday morning John hung them.  Everything is painted, now we will add a full sized fridge and some kind of counter where the stove is supposed to be.  I really don't want a stove right now since we have learned to cook everything with either the grill or electric frying pan but I don't want to permanently cover the area.  After all I am the queen of preparing chips and salsa for supper and who needs a stove for that.  I'm thinking a fun dresser or high table and maybe even cut a hole in the wall into the dining area.  But for now it's fine just the way it is. 

Floors are next...... we just have to decide what.

And my vision for a little cottage charm with vintage small plates hung on the walls is starting to happen.  I like it and John doesn't say a word...... I know he hates it but he loves me too much to tell me.  What better use for beer can tabs than to epoxy them to the back of the plates for hangers and he's okay with me asking him to drink another one.  

I already have the next room plans in my head..... 

starts with primer and ends with vintage sheet music.  

Week 11 - POTW - Bright

Week 11 to celebrate daylight savings time.  We sprung ahead an hour and daylight at night is heavenly.  I of course miss my daylight while getting ready for work but it will come back soon.  

Bright sun behind the trees

Bright walls after all that dark paneling.

Bright sunset

Our neighbor sunning himself in the windows bright afternoon sun.  

I love this bright teal car…. truck….. jeep…… panel wagon….?????

Bright daylight after work…… LOVE IT

Bright sun high in the sky

Little Ava is 5

My neice brings her little girl to me every year for her birthday photos.  Ava loves to get her pictures taken and she talks about it for days and tells everyone.  This year she didn't like me lights, they hurt her eyes so she sheilded her eyes but I loved that look.   

When I teased her about shielding her eyes she got all shy and put her hands over her head….. oh yeah little girl you are my dream and all natural.  

Her mom and grandma always come with some pretty awesome clothes for her to wear, this year was no different.  She got a new frilly skirt that she loved to twirl in so twirl she did for awhile.

She's a girl all about the details.  She has her new dress and purse and just as we're talking she jumps up and wants mom's bracelets.  

Having your pictures taken is hard work and when you're almost 5 you can get tired.  Mom thought we were done at this point.

But she had a little break and came back like a rock star.  

Then we were done again but I talked her into just a couple more and she didn't want anything in her hair.  I had to do some talking to get her to not smile but she aced it.

Then she had a hat that we forgot about and came back for a few more.  

Oh and she wanted pictures taken with her dolly.  She reads to Lucy all the time so of course that's how she should remember her.  Lucy was lost for a few days and thankfully she found her under the bed just before they came up.  

I had a photo is mind and a trip to my closet we made it happen.   

I love shoes and little girls should walk around in fun shoes 

POTW - Week 10 - Glass

POTW Week 10 is Glass.

I'm just pulling these words for the week out of thin air.  At the beginning of the month I give the photo club the POTW schedule and to think of the words is already challenging.  I was sitting on my laptop on the couch and seen this…. ok the Glass it is.

I like to paint vases and bottles, distress them and then wax.  If you think they look cool you should feel them…. they are pretty awesome.  In the summertime they have flowers in them but for the winter months they are empty and looking pretty all by themselves.  Well the chippy old green table they are sitting on helps to make them look pretty.

More bottles…. yeah I have a thing for colored glass.  These were bright blue and I love them.

My glass green pear is a favorite of mine.  Of course found at a thrift store for a quarter.

These cold days make us run the pellet stove without cleaning it very often.  I'm not used to looking at it this dirty but warm is better than pretty right now.

My front door….. I had to have it.  I love the glass,all the different textures in it, and the shapes.  

You can't really see through it unless you look through the center square, like this...

There's my glass for the POTW - what glass can you find?

More Senior Photos

When Senior boys dislike getting their photos taken they put off their yearbook photos until their mothers threthen them….. so then it's time to beg the yearbook staff to sneak one last photo in…. good thing he's cute and a smooth talker.  Now let's get this checked off his list. 

He did so well and even told me he had a great time.  I love it when you can make those minds turn around about photos of themselves.  

I graduated with his dad and looking at Alan through my lens was like looking back into my High School days.  If there wasn't 30 some years in between them they would be twins.  

When he brought out the hunting props his comfort level increased.

And even with the below zero temperatures we braved the cold and it was worth it.  Snowboarding is his life and when you have your Senior photos taken it is about you.

POTW 9 - Words

Week 9 - words

I have a favorite chalkboard and I like to update it with what's happening around me.  This last week it was a snow day and I enjoyed it so much I had to write it down.  

My sister Sharon is very talented with everything.  She can paint anything and make it look like a stencil.  When we visited her last spring I picked out one of her many signs that she's done.  

I knew the sign was washed out with the blown out window and I wanted to get a bit of the blue sky too so I changed my settings and shot it again. 

While editing photos on my computer I looked over and this tag caught my eye.  Gotta love when something says Made in USA

The book shelf upstairs still holds all the books from the girls.  I like the way they look and it reminds me of their nights trying to pick out a new book to read…. but in Shannon's case this was a nightly routine, she read ALL THE TIME.  I bet she's read every book on these 3 shelves….. twice.

Lynn and Jesse got Ely this book when she was born.  It fit perfectly from where we were at in life at that time of surprise.  She needed to know that God thinks she's wonderful and we needed to know that as much as she did.  Someday I will give this book to her again but for now it's safe at Grandma's house.  However, I do find this book and the pink bible on my dresser every time the girls are here playing.  I think they are already building memories with them.

As I walked past Adam's room this sign hanging on his wall was screaming at me since it was Daytona weekend.  

And one of his hubcaps that hangs on the wall as well.  Gotta love circles with design and FORD

Words was really easy and I loved it, I could have taken tons more but time wasn't on my side this weekend.  It maybe something we touch again sometime later.  Go out and capture your WORDS.