Finally...At Last

Here it is, the end of May, and I'm finally getting annuals planted. I've been reading the blogs of other gardeners and am really feeling behind. Last year I was early getting the gardens ready as I had the two showers, one baby one bridal, in the back yard in June. This year however, whenever I had a day to spare from orders and working on the new website, it was rainy or we had family celebrations. My rows of hydrangeas really take care of themselves and I take my cue from them as to the colors I will be adding in pots and in various locations around the garden. So many of the perennials have spread and are needing to be separated and then I must find new homes for them...whether that be here in my yard or given to family and friends.

So the backyard has been taken care of for now and I need to get the front of the house planted before it gets too hot today. I am sitting on the porch on the side of the house, which we opened up yesterday, with my second cuppa coffee and the laptop writing this post and am truly content being here among the blues, pinks and lavenders, watching the birds at the feeder. The black and white cat who travels through the yard every morning and evening stopped by to also watch the birds at the feeder. You can hear that the cat is near before you can see him as the birds send out their very loud warnings to each other.
Glad Lucy wanted to go inside to be with her Dad before the cat made his rounds. I would have been quite a sight in my Mickey Mouse pajamas running after her through the neighbors yards as she ran after the cat.

Wishing all a Beautiful Day.

It's not just a 3 day weekend...

As we head into this holiday weekend let us not forget...
Memorial Day, originally called Decoration
Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's
service. May we never forget the sacrifice so many Americans have made
defending our right to be free.

Jamie and Jared's Wedding

Jamie and Jared's Wedding was at the Vandiver Inn in Havre De Grace, Maryland on Saturday. It's a beautiful setting for a wedding and the ceremony was planned for outside.

The sun was shining most of the day and an hour before the wedding the clouds rolled in and it poured down rain for several minutes and then the clouds rolled out. The staff at the Inn were able to get the chairs dried off quickly and the ceremony got on the way.

Jared's family is Scottish so there was a bagpiper
(is that the right word for one who plays the bagpipes?)
and a few kilts were present.

My sister-in -law Jen was escorted by her son Nicolaus.

Lou's brother Charly, the Father of the Bride walking his beautiful Jamie down the aisle.

The Ceremony.

The Kiss.

The Zink Cousins, Elizabeth, Nicolaus, Jamie, Alex, Holly and Meagan.

My camera was acting up after the first dozen pictures taken and I was not happy...I'd been having trouble with the zoom and when the flash stopped working and the camera locked up I thought it was a goner. However it appears the battery wasn't charged. What an idiot I am!
Hey Daughters...I'm waiting for you to email me your photos from the wedding!!!

Wedding Bells are Ringing

My niece Jamie is getting married tomorrow and she requested this sign for the wedding. The bridesmaids are wearing green so the sign is dark green to go with the color theme. Jamie is like a third daughter. I was able to stay at home because of my craft/painting business and Jamie was about 9 weeks old when I started to watch her while her parents went to work. Jamie's brother Nicolaus was here also and my girls always had their cousins to play with. I always will remember the children waiting for the bus for elementary school on the sidewalk across from our house and there was little Jamie in a red plaid jumper and black tights...I can't believe she is all grown up and getting married.

Uncle Louie and I love you Jamie and Jared. Wishing you Love and Joy and many, many years together.

Coyotes in Maryland?

I am at my daughter's today...it's my Dylan day. She told me this morning that there have been coyote sightings in Baltimore and Carroll Counties. I just did a search and found the link below.
Coyotes in Maryland

A little scary for farmers but also for homeowners in the area with pets. I told Holly she better not let Dre, my fuzzy grandson, outside at night alone. It is bad enough that there are wild turkeys that come out of the woods on her street and attack your car...now you need to watch out for the howling, pet eating coyotes.

Several New Signs

It's Summertime

The Bar is Open

For the Laundry Room

Old Abe was very insightful

Some of the new items I have listed on our new website
www.countryworkshop.net

Reisterstown Bloomin' Artfest 2010

We participated in the Bloomin' Artfest in Historic Reisterstown this weekend. The weather this year was beautiful, the festival committee was so accommodating and helpful. The festival was set up in in front of the Franklin Middle School, on the grass, among the trees, but really extended down Main Street to all the wonderful shops located there.

Lots of people came for the arts and crafts, the entertainment (which was fabulous), and the food. Dogs of all breeds, shapes and sizes came with their people to have a sniff and a wag. We thought about taking Lucy with us, but our wild child would never have calmed down all weekend.

In the photo below, at the right you can see The Cow...a wonderful ice cream parlor.
In the summer, you have to stand in long lines to get served.

This was a great festival to do...set up and breakdown were easy, the promoters were wonderful, the weather was sunny but not hot, customers were friendly and an pleasure to deal with...
so why are we still recuperating from this on Wednesday? Getting older ain't for wimps!!!!

What were you doing on May 11, 1975?

Yep...It was 35 years ago today that Lou and I tied the knot. I pulled out the wedding pictures and we laughed at the "Blast from the Past". It was a beautiful day with all our family and friends. My Grandmother made my dress out of dotted swiss cotton and the bridesmaids dresses were the same pattern but with short sleeves. The flowers were daisies...it was the 70's

Doesn't this look like scene from "The Godfather"

Mr. and Mrs.
Lou had so much hair but a really cheesy moustache and
what was I thinking with that enormous veil? I did pull the veil apart and my daughter Holly used some of the veiling for her wedding.

We really laughed at this photo...Lou wasn't old enough to drink champagne legally.
He didn't turn twenty one until August.

Our going away clothes...We still have Lou's suit and my wedding dress in the back of the closet. However we no longer have the Camaro or my white platform shoes. I often say that Lou married me to get that car. It was a 1968 396ss convertible and he thought a girl didn't fully appreciate a car like that. We sold the Camaro several years ago to a man who has restored it and has it in a car museum in GA. I wonder what happened to those shoes?

Would I do it over again? In a heartbeat! I have complained of lots of little things this man may have done or not done over the years. However he has been my best friend for more than thirty five years, the most wonderful Father to our two daughters and now the grandest of Grandfathers to Dylan.

Happy Anniversary my dear Louie!

Genetics?

Do all little boys come with that motor noise???

Weber's Cider Mill Farm

Have lots going on here today...but this afternoon I am planning to visit Webers. This is usually where I go to find all the plants I need for my garden. It is a family owned local business and I believe in supporting locally owned businesses, after all, I am a small local business myself. I run there to get fresh produce and Webers has a fantastic bakery. There is also a gift shop. It's a great place to take kids...there are farm animals to visit now and in the fall there are so many activities for the children. I will have to take darlin' Dylan there soon.

There is a new FB page for Webers which gives what is going on at the farm. It will be nice to take some time this afternoon to stroll through the green house and touch and look at all the different flowers and plants I just may have to have for my garden this year.

Brandywine and Avatar

Yesterday, Lou and I decided to checkout a craft show we have considered participating in, but wanted to go and see exactly what it was like before we committed. The show is in Brandywine, which is located in Southern Maryland. The Lions Club has the show as a fundraiser and it's held twice a year. It was a hot day yesterday, however there was a nice breeze and that made it comfortable. In years past, we have set up for outside shows on days that the temperatures were so high that the chair legs and and tent poles sunk into the blacktop. One of the hottest show days was when we were in Dresden, Ohio for the Longaberger Basket Bee.

We ran into Jennifer and Linda from Jennifer Crafts. That is the shop in Marley Station Mall where I have some of my signs for sale. The photo above is part of their booth. Jennifer told me that there weren't nearly the number of vendors that are at the fall show, which is held in October. Today, there is going to be a classic car show and live music as well as the craft show .

While we were at the show, Lou received a call from his friend David, wanting us to meet him and his wife at the "cheap movies" to see Avatar. I know, it's been out for ages, but you can't beat $3 admission. Great movie, and I want some of those glowing flowers for my garden.

Hope all are having a wonderful weekend!