Crossing the Chesapeake...

We made a last minute decision to take a trip to the 

eastern shore of Maryland last weekend.
When we left home it was a sunny afternoon
but as we got closer to the Chesapeake Bay
there were storm clouds ahead of us.
At the Bay Bridge, gray clouds were
just hanging over the bridge.

We crossed the bridge with no rain
and as we were almost to the
other side of the bridge,
there was this beautiful rainbow.

Each trip crossing this bridge is a different experience.
This was a crossing to remember.

When your Gramps is a Woodworker...

You learn how to glue things...

and how to use a hand saw.

 

Family History, Ancestry, Genealogy

What difference from last Saturday
when the heat index was 117 degrees.
Porch sitting this morning, working on
old family photographs.
I've scanned hundreds and do have them
sorted by families but the time frames
are all over the place. So adding sub folders to
put them in approximate decades at least.

Trying to save our family history
for future generations.
 

Three year olds....

 Hot, hot day yesterday in my little corner. 
I had the two youngest grandlittles here. 
The Dumplin', who is three and a half, just loves electric fans. 
He has a fan collection of about 30 fans of all shapes and sizes.
He knows how to take them apart, clean them
and put them back together.
There are actually you tube videos about littler boys with
fan collections.  Who knew?

I had this black "Intertek" fan
(he knows the all brand names)
on the porch with us to keep the air moving
while we were outside on such a hot day. 
It did have some fuzz on the blades as it has
been running alot since I cleaned it in the spring.
That child just wouldn't be happy until
I let him take the thing apart and clean it. 
I thought just a dust brush might satisfy him
but was told that's not the way to do it.
So he did it his way.
He won!

And the 8 month old, he just sat there, taking it all in, 

learning how to easy it is to manipulate Mom Mom.

A simple request....

I asked Lou for a chalkboard for the kitchen and
he came up with this lovely piece which is
a chalkboard with a shelf and five hooks. 

It's always been like that. 
I ask for something simple like,
"Can we paint this wall?"
and he says, "how about if we knock down
that wall and make two rooms into one?"

I should have known he couldn't just make
a plain chalkboard with a frame.

But it is a perfect piece of furniture
for jotting down notes or reminders
plus a place to hang keys,
a dog's leash or a jacket.

 If you need one for your kitchen or entryway, 

we've decided to list them on the website.
Available in a painted worn white
or stained wood finish. 

For more information click below.

https://bit.ly/2Y5d90F

I could use a a morning on the beach. How about you? Mondays are always considered rough but when you go into the kitchen and discover you've had a visitor on your countertop who has left you little presents, it's like oh crap (actually crap). So a job I didn't plan on, taking everything off the countertops and disinfecting and putting out traps. I'd rather be back at the beach. 

A sweet visitor added some
extra color to the garden yesterday afternoon.
 

Still on the lookout for the
first monarch of the season. 

Any monarch sightings
 in your neck of the woods?

and just like that...

And just like that, it's the middle of July.
The middle of summer.
Spending a bit if time this morning, porch sitting,
thinking how quickly this season is passing. 
Do you remember, when you were a child,
summer days seemed so long?
My mother once told me the older you are,
the quicker time seems to pass. How true is that? 
Wishing you all a lazy, long, summer Saturday.

Memories....

Memories from my childhood home.
This metal register cover is from the
house where I grew up.
In the middle of the dining room floor,
I can remember standing on it
with my brother and sister on cold winter days
after playing outside to "warm up".
It is now mounted on an old Singer sewing
machine treadle base and sits on our patio.
Love that I am able to have
this little piece of the past.

Memories made along the way

Framing Words...Beautiful Chaos

Describes my life and my house.
Chaos...at least it's Beautiful! 

Beautiful Chaos

We are now going to be offering some of
our signs with a wood frame.
We already had our Letter and Number signs
with frames and are now expanding that
to many of our new designs as well as adding them 
to some of our oldies but goodies.

After the Storm after Storm after Storm...

After five days of continuous storms blowing through,
the sun is shining on my little corner.
We've had about 12 inches of rain. Other places in MD and PA have been hit with much more.
Bridges out and trees down.

Monday, in between storms thundering through...

The Dumplin' and I went puddle jumping.

Last night another big thunder storm hit, 

and the downpour lasted for several hours.  

 The gardens will be needing quite a bit of work
with the beating the plants took
and I'm sure the weeds will be flourishing.
When I took the dogs out this morning, the mosquitoes swarmed me.
But the sun is glowing in the sky and
that is a good thing!

Saturday Rain...

A gray morning in my little corner.
Looks like it will be raining all day and into Sunday.
We really do need the rain.
Picked a few flowers to take to the Workshop with me.
Some summer color will make me smile
as I paint today.
Wishing you a most wonderful weekend!

www.countryworkshop.net

Garden Mickey...

I love this little Mickey Mouse statue
that came with a Mickey birdbath my daughters
gave me for Mother's Day years ago.
The birds kept knocking him out of the birdbath
and his ears would break off.
His poor little ears have been glued back
 on more than once.
He now has a place on the shelf on the porch.

Who plants a seed....

The first zinnia to bloom...
from the seeds the Dumplin' and I
planted in the spring. 
I chose zinnias and marigolds,
as they are sure to grow and bloom,
without a whole lot of fuss. 
Just add water.

The marigolds are showing off a bit too...

with the Dumplin's tender care.

www.countryworkshop.net

What a Wonderful Surprise...

What a wonderful surprise this morning...
the heat and humidity disappeared overnight. 
I'm sure the local weather people had
let folks know about this change of temperature
and the dreadful humidity, which was like
breathing water, but I have been so busy
 in the Workshop, that I didn't hear the forecast.  

So I had coffee on the porch as I sat, feet up,
enjoying beautiful morning, 

before heading to the Workshop
with Lou to wrap orders for shipping.
We are lucky that our local Post Office is open
until 2 on Saturdays.
We were able to get the packages
there just in the nick of time.

The rest of the afternoon was spent pulling
some serious weeds in the garden

and playing cards with the grandlittles, 

who were here for a few hours whileour daughter had a bridal shower to attend.

Peace and Grace

Independence Day...

My great grandfather, William C. Dorsey, 

one of 6 children of Irish immigrants, celebrating

America's Independence Day in Baltimore, Maryland. 

I believe this was taken in the mid 1920's.

Our plans for the holiday are rather laid back.
Scrapped plans for the annual
Towson 4th of July Parade because of
the horrible heat wave.
Hot dogs and hamburgers with the
our oldest daughter and grandlittles.
Hoping to view local fireworks if the
weather cools off in the evening. 

Wishing You a Safe and Happy 4th.

Welcome Bees and Butterflies!

A place for bees and butterflies in my little corner. Add this sweet sign to your garden. A wonderful gift for a gardener. Hand painted, worn finish wood sign to tuck into the garden. Everyone with a little bit of earth or a pot with flowers can help create a habitat for butterflies and bees. 

Click the link below to order one for yourself or a friend.

https://bit.ly/2IWnJRf

Thinking I need to add milkweed to my yard.
From seed or should I purchase plants?
Any suggestions?

No one looks back and says, "I spent too much time with my grandchildren."

Blessed Beyond Measure