Digital Photograph - Chicory

A Chicory Blossom

A field of Chicory

What is that old saying "you can not see the forest for the trees". I sort of felt that way when I discovered this field of Chicory. It was a sight to behold. I have always been fascinated by this plant. You seeing it growing along the road, don't think much about it? Long ago when I was married to my first husband we bought this wonderful little farm. Outside our fence, along the road grew these wonderful blue plants. I decided one day to transplant some into my flower garden. One of our neighbor farmers stopped and asked me what I was doing with those weeds and he had some if I wanted them. We both laughed and on he went. I decided to read up on them and see what the big joke was. The joke was on him.

You see the Native Americans used the flower as a dye, the root they dug and ground up and boiled and drank. It tastes a lot like coffee and has quite a bit of caffine in it. They use it now to flavor coffee and gum. The plant itself they used as a poltice for bee stings or to use as a salad. They fed their horses the plant to keep them free of worms. That little blue weed is actually something else. Quite remarkable. 

Chicory - Botanical Print

A DYI for You...

My Tomato Plant

This is one of three tomato plants I put together last weekend. I was bound and determined to have a few this year. I decided with all I have going on that I should just limit myself to some pots. My big pots are still in storage so that meant I had to go buy something. After I looked around I realized I was not going to find anything for under thirty dollars and most of the pots I liked were around sixty dollars. Ninety to a hundred and eighty dollars did not make sense. I would just go to the farmers market and buy what I wanted. As I browsed through the local Lowes I stumbled across these large ice buckets. They were galvenized inside, had these handles so I could move them, white was good, and they were on sale for ten dollars. I also found them at Walmarts in red or turqoise for $7.50.

I bought three of the white, a couple of container tomato plants, and a few annuals for color. All in all they cost me less than twenty dollars each. I love them!

Polishing, Polishing, Polishing...

Some different style serving forks. I love the one in the middle with the face. The large art nouveau style fork is also a favorite.

Every Southern home has a large collection of ice tea spoons. These are just a few of mine. I like to keep them on my oak buffet so that they are within easy reach. I picked up this tall spooner somewhere in Alabama several years ago.

These are some of my cocktail forks. Let me tell you living at the beach I think we used these almost every day. I am not sure how much use they will get here in the mountains.

This is a sterling carving set I picked up at a garage sale for a few dollars. It was almost black it was so tarnished.I new it was a nice set it just needed a little polish and love.

I have a real thing for silver. I am not quite sure why but, I like the pretty patterns and the weight of it in my hand. I have been picking up pieces of it since I was in college. I use to buy a few pieces - 5 or 6 -forks or spoons wrapped together or maybe a few knives here or there. Usually spending less than three dollars for them. Miss matched sets became sets. They all fit together nicely being around the same age. Now the pieces I find cost a bit more, but there are still deals out there. That carving set was under $5.00. It is sterling silver, the former owners just didn't want to have to bother with polishing it. I like to polish, it is relaxing. It is an instant gratification thing. So, go out and look for a few pieces to brighten up your every day life. Everytime I use my ice tea spoons I feel like a queen.

p.s. someone asked me what kind of polish I use. I like the creme polishes. I usually use Wright's but if I can not find that Walmart has one in a small white plastic jar with a blue label and a blue top called Weimans Creme Silver Polish for under $5.00 [here it is $3.57]that works like a dream.

New Shelves!

Guest Bathroom Shelves

Thought I would share my Guest Bathroom

shelves with you. My house is a mid century

brick ranch that is a well loved 52 years

old. All three bathrooms have the original

tile in them. I have two bathrooms that

mirror each other but, with different color

tile. The guest bathroom has turquoise tile

in a honeycomb shape. I have white fixtures[tub,sink, etc.]. I had the painters paint

the walls and trim white.

After several months of looking through

every magazine on the market, pinterest,

endless online searches for shelves I finally made up my mind. I had my son install these gems. Simple and sturdy.

I used my collection of aqua glass to highlight the tile. I have white towels with aqua trim. So pretty and one more thing to cross off my list!

Digital Photograph - Gateway

Gateway

Gates and really any portals have always

fascinated me. I have been taking lots of

pictures of them lately. I really like this

one. I am wondering what that view is on top

of this hill. I am thinking you can see for

miles.

When this gate is opened I bet your body just relaxes and the day becomes peaceful.

I am hoping you are all enjoying the sun and

having a wonderful day.

I have decided to have a huge giveaway for

my 1500+ blog posts and to celebrate my birthday in July. Pictures and information will be posted on July 1st. Stay tuned.

Digital Photograph - A Beautiful Weed

A beautiful weed

This beauty was found along the roadside.

I am not sure if it is a thistle or a wild

artichoke. I just know it is beautiful.

Four Letter Words - Good

Quote #19 - Good Heart

Knee High by the Fourth of July - Digital Photogrpah

Cornfield

It has been awhile friends since I posted. I have had life going on like crazy. I got into a funk right around Father's Day. It was our family's first Father's Day without Daddy. It was hard. I went home to Virginia to be with my Mother, sister, and brother. We all decided all these "firsts" are emotionally draining. We all miss Daddy.

I will say Arlington Cemetery was beautiful. The day was sunny, the air was crisp. It reminded me of Victorian times when the family would go on Sunday to clean the graves, set up flowers, and picnic with their families. This was a time to pass on family history and stories to younger family members. Arlington Cemetery was full of families. Full of flowers and balloons, mementos to loved ones, and a lingering sadness and loss. As my Mother said later "We got through that."

I drove through the Shendoah Valley on the way home later that week. I took hours going down backroads exploring and visiting small towns along the way home. I met several interesting people and stopped in some wonderful shops. It is a beautiful part of our country. I look forward to spending more time there.

This wonderful field of corn and red barn I took outside of Lexington Virginia. You can see the Blue Ridge mountains in the background looking very blue that day. Several weeks earlier - Memorial weekend - I had stopped and the entire place hummed with the sounds of Cicadas[I hope I spelled that right]. For miles and miles you could hear them. This time they were gone. The corn is definitely going to be knee high by the fourth!

 

Time...

Mountain Stream

Time is something we all have and at times take for granted. The longer I am on this planet the more I am exposed to examples of this is my own life and others. I had a reminder of this last night and again today.

It is hard for me to believe that I have posted over 1500 times to my blog. I was shocked when I looked at my blog posts numbers today. How much fun I have had with my blog came to mind. Most of all how many wonderful people I have met and friends I have made.

I would like to do something special for all of you. Some type of give away. So, let me think about this for a little bit and my next post will outline what I have come up with. Till then, thanks for being here reading and commenting on my blog. 

Four Letter Words - Time

Quote #18 - Time

Digital Photograph - A Rose

A Rose

I found this rose at my Mother's house when I was visiting. Even though it was on it's last leg it seemed so beautiful to me. Faded and tired. Just a shell of it's former self. Full of memories.

Advertising Freebies

Incredibly cute. Love how they use the spool of thread for a drum.

Beautiful seed packet. The flowers are amazing and the typography is lovely.

Beautiful

I love everything about this. The child, the palette, the soft colors, the typography. Yum.

Simply gorgeous in everyway!

Very cute.

This is my favorite, but I have a thing for owls.

This week for my freebies I thought I would give you some samples of products available way back when. I love the graphics that they used to advertise the different products, from flower seed to mustard. When I go to the grocery store or drug store today I am so unimpressed with the packaging of the products I am buying. I want glass instead of plastic. I want bold graphics. I want interesting typography. Is any one out there listening?