Sunday Colors...

A Gorgeous Maryland Morning...

Wishing All of You A Wonderful Sunday.

Settin' Up...

for the Autumn/Christmas Perry Hall Craft and Gift Show.
While getting the display up, I chatted with the two gals, Sheila and Darlene
who started this show over 30 years ago.  The first time I participated,
my oldest daughter Holly was just about two years old.
I remember that because I took her with me while I set up
very different products from what I make today. 
With books, some toys, crayons and paper,
Holly kept herself occupied while I did my thing. 

While Sheila and her husband John are still running this show,
Darlene and her husband have retired to FL.
However, Darlene still ships her wares for both the Spring and Fall shows.
She was in town visiting relatives and was at the
show setting up her own display. 
The three of us did alot of reminiscing of past years and past shows.

Lou and I were able to get everything up and ready for opening day
and will be restocking every 6 days or so.

The best part about doing a consignment show is that
we don't need to physically be there.

www.countryworkshop.net

It's been a week...

and I am still having a problem with what happened on Saturday night, a week ago. Lou and I had made a trip to Thurmont, MD to visit with friends who had set up a booth at Colorfest.  We had a lovely dinner with them, catching up on each others lives.  After dinner we headed home.
  
By 10 o'clock, Lou was asleep and I was watching a show on tv.  Lucy wanted to go out after the local news went off.  Usually Lou takes her out in the "middle of the night" but as he was sleeping soundly, I took her outside and 11:30 really isn't the middle of the night. 

I'm standing on the side porch, waiting for her to finish her business when I see a man in a hood, come around the side of the shop at the back of the yard.  We do have houses behind us, however their back yards are are a steep downhill.  Directly behind us, the yard has gone wild. It would be strange to see someone come through the yard in the daytime, but at night it was a shock.  I screamed for Lucy to come in and am so glad that she didn't see him and run barking at the intruder.  I also yelled at him to get out of my yard...this just popped out of my mouth.  I couldn't see a face...it was too dark.  The really scary thing was that he just kept walking toward me, didn't stop when I yelled.  He had to see me as I was on the lighted porch . I was able to get Lucy and myself through the door and into the house before he made it to porch.  I was screaming for Lou who came stumbling out of the bedroom.  The figure just casually walked passed the porch, down some steps, across the front yard and down the street.  

I really do believe that it was probably a teenager cutting through our yard.  Although, the yard behind us is overgrown, the house next to them does have a set of stairs from their house to the top of the hill. We are the only house on our street, for 3 houses on either side that doesn't have a 6 foot fence across the back of the property so that makes our yard the perfect place to cut through.  But I am still shaken by the encounter.  I would have thought the person" would have stopped when I yelled out or at the very least said something like, "Hey, I just cutting through."  

I am now afraid to walk to and from the shop at night and with with the coming of winter, it's getting dark sooner.  I'm worried about letting Lucy out at night...she will be on a leash if I'm the one to let her out so that I can drag her in if necessary.  My Mother asked me why I didn't run inside when I first saw him come around corner of the shop.  I told her my concern was for Lucy at that moment.  I never would have left her outside. Lou will be installing more motion detector lights this weekend. If  there is something moving through at night, that yard is gonna look like a lighted football stadium. 

Whats's the Story...

Morning Glory?

These little beauties have been popping up
all over the neighborhood.
They are still blooming in mid-October.
Weeds or Flowers?
Maybe a little of both.

Love Shelf Sitter Blocks

LOVE Shelf Sitter Blocks

New on the Website

A sweet set of 4 shabby painted blocks with applied lettering.
The edges have been sanded to give the blocks a worn look.
These come in a variety of colors.


Each block measures 3 1/4 x 3 1/4 x 1 1/4 inches
Shabby wood LOVE shelf sitter blocks for Wedding or Nursery Decor

www.countryworkshop.net

Running Away...

 Seems lately I need more hours in a day...some things just aren't getting done around here and my blog appears to be one of those things.  Also, Lou and I have been talking for weeks about taking a few days off and heading for the beach.  We always have a place to stay. 
My family has a trailer just outside of OC, MD.
But I am always the one who says, "Maybe now is not the time."

Tuesday morning, early, I was putting up some new listings on the website. 
I had the tv on, listening to the local news when the tv screen went blank
and I realized I was no longer connected to the internet. 
Checked the land line and didn't have a dial tone. 
Seems a moving van took out the the fios wire...
pulled it right out of the box on the pole.  When Lou contacted verizon,
we were told someone couldn't be here until Friday to look at the problem. 
I thought, now would be the perfect time to run away for a few days
...mentioned it to Lou and in one hour,
he had the truck packed, had Lucy and me buckled in,
and we were heading "Down the Ocean, Hon!"
(that's a Baltimore thing)

As it turned out, it was the the perfect time to make the trip to OC. 
After September 30th, dogs are  allowed on the beach and boardwalk,
so Lucy girl could go everywhere we went. The weather was perfect.
We were up early to see the blood moon eclipse.  An amazing sight for sure. 
The photo would have been clearer if we had taken the tripod,
but this isn't bad for elbows on the hood of the truck.

 We then headed to the beach to see the sunrise...
Lucy's ears were flapping in the breeze.

 That evening, the 3 of us sat on a bench on the boardwalk
and watched the moon come up over the ocean.

And on Thursday, before, heading home, we discovered
that vintage cars and trucks were gathering at the inlet parking lot
for Cruisin' Weekend.

Several days away did wonders for us.  So sorry that we couldn't have spent
a bit more time at the beach  but when you run a Mom and Pop business...
Mom and Pop have to be there to keep it going.

and when we got home we had been re-connected to the world of technology.

 www.countryworkshop.net

Shades of the Day...

Good Morning Autumn...

 

Let the color begin...

Good Morning Sunshine...

 Two years ago, while talking with my dear friend Bonnie,
she mentioned that as she had been driving to see a friend
who lives in Bel Air, MD several weeks earlier,
and she passed by gorgeous  fields of sunflowers. 

I did make the trip, about half an hour from home,
to see these fields of gold, but the flowers had passed their peak
by the time she and I had that conversation.  

Last September, Lou and I made the trip to Baldwin to see
the sunflowers, but the fields were filled with corn.
I was very disappointed.
 

On Monday, I started seeing friends on FB
posting photos of fields filled with sunflowers. 
Justin Berk, a local meteorologist, has been posting photos
everyday from followers of his page.

 One beautiful, clear morning last week, Lou and I hopped in the car
and took a ride to see this truly amazing sight,  planted by Clear Meadow Farm
at Jarrettsville Pike and Hess Road in Harford County.

The fields are filled with sunflowers for as far as the eye can see.
200 acres of them.

 

There were quite a few people taking photographs that morning...
some with phones, some with  cameras
and all enjoying the beauty of the day and the flowers.

In the early evening that same day, my daughter Meagan went to take
some pictures and said that there were  possibly a hundred people there. 

I was so very glad to see visitors being respectful
of the land and plants.

Sunflowers are a cash crop for the farm and
this bit of beauty is being shared with us.

The Country Workshop

Catchin' Up...

 Every day for the last week and a half,  I've been wanting to do a blog post.
But in the morning I'm running up to the shop
to paint orders or to work on new designs. 
In the evening, after dinner I'm just too tired to think.
Any post done then would be like
blah blah blah...blah blah...blah blah blah blah.  

We have had a mouse in the house (probably more than one)
...and none of them are named Mickey. 
Found some little shredded piles in the family room and mouse droppings. 
Had Lou set out some traps but the stinking thing would clean the peanut butter
off the trap without setting it off.  3 different types of traps.  

We finally put out poison, which I hate to do because of the dog. 

 She had to be closed in certain areas with baby gates  

Stopped finding little mouse gifts  in the family room but discovered them
under the kitchen sink and on the bathroom floor.
I have become the poop spotter.
This also made me a crazy lady. 
Every piece of furniture that is against a wall got pulled out and
vacuumed under and behind in case they were nesting where I couldn't see. 
Haven't seen any sign of the varmints for a couple of days but every morning
I'm still running around doing the poop searching boogie!

I am putting cotton balls soaked in peppermint oil anywhere
I think they might be getting in and hope, as the weather gets colder,
it will keep the critters from coming in. 

On a happier note, our darlin' grandson has started kindergarten and he loves it.
 Lou and I drove out to see him get on the bus his first day. 

 Walking to the bus stop with his Mom, Dad and sister.

He has a cool turtle backpack.

I can't believe our first grandbaby is going to school.

You know you're a gardener...

via craftsy.com

Busy as a Bee...

One can see where that saying comes from
on this Monday morning...

The Country Workshop

Another August Birthday...

Our Sweet Lucy turned 10 earlier this month.

The Birthday Boy...

 We have several birthdays in the family this month and Lou celebrated a big one...
In honor of his 60th the daughters planned a trip to
St. Michaels on Maryland's Eastern Shore.

A misty trip over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge

 

 to meet with a few of Lou's favorite people for a cruise on The Patriot
and crabcakes for lunch at one of the local restaurants.
Unfortunately, Son-in-Law, Chad was called out of town on business
and then, on the morning of the birthday celebration,
Holly came down with a stomach bug.  Because of this, Lou and I
made an unscheduled pick up of the grandbabies
so they could still be part of Gramp's birthday.

  

 

  We had never visited the lovely, quaint town of St. Michaels
but are planning on going back soon to explore some more.

 The Pride of Baltimore II was in town.

 It was a beautiful day for a boat ride...

 The grands enjoyed the ride on The Patriot...

 Dylan had the chance to steer the boat and received a sticker to prove it.

Daughter Meagan did an amazing job of pulling this all together.
Happy Birthday Old Man!

Donuts or Peaches?

.

My daughter and son-by-love told me about these "donut peaches" . They went to Weber's Peach Farm to pick them...I went to Weber's Cider Mill Farm and found them already "picked". Interesting to look at and tasty too.

You're Only Five Once...

 Can't believe my Darlin' D is 5.

Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday,
Happy Happy Birthday to You!
..and loving your summer 'do.