What should I do with such a bounty?

What should I do with such a bounty?

A few months ago I was wondering what to do with this small plot of land in my back yard. There used to be an orange tree there, but the fruit was always bitter. Yes we did feed it citrus food as directed on the plant food bag and it did get lots of water. I was also told to leave the fruit on the tree longer. But everything we tried all this tree would produce was bitter oranges.  It also became a home for ants. So we took it out, and the little plot just sat there waiting.

I was thinking about turning it into a rose garden; so that I could have fresh roses in my house every day. We went to Lowes so that I could pick out some rose bushes and as we were walking into the garden shop I saw all the vegetable plants on display. I told Richard let’s turn it into a vegetable garden instead and we can set it up with a drip system so that the sprinkler could water the plants.

So we bought two tomato's, a bell pepper, a summer squash, a zucchini and three cucumbers plants. Well that was back in May and now my garden has grown and it has produce its first little bounty.

Now back to the question of; what should I do with such a bounty? I know I will have one of most favorite things to eat!

A tomato sandwich!

The Bathroom of my Discontent

This bathroom has been a thorn in my side for the past 15 years. I just never seem to be happy with the way it looks. It’s the one at the end of my hallway, the girls/guest bathroom. It is the one that every time that I walk down the hallway I see it and I am just never happy with the way it looks.

When we first moved here the bathroom consisted of two separate rooms; one which held the tub and toilet and the other the sink with a door in-between. So my first attempt at this room was for my girls who were 5 and 10 at the time. I painted it a pink rose color and hung a rose border around the wall. And a few months later every time I walked down that hallway the room stated to look like we used Pepto- Bismol to paint the walls with.
Next Richard and I knocked down the middle wall to make the room one big room. He painted the room restained the cabinet replaced the counter top and laid tile on the floor and that was that; so he thought. But not for me the room needed something more. Should I hang another wallpaper border or do I stencil one around the wall. I just couldn’t make a decision; so for the next few I years I would walk down that hall and think I need to do something about that bathroom.
I finally decided on a hanging a paper border because I was just too lazy to stencil one. So I went looking for the perfect border or so I thought. I found this wallpaper border that I loved, but couldn’t make up my mind how to hang it, because I didn’t want to cut off the sayings. So after many weeks of standing on a chair, the counter and the tub trying it at different places on the wall I finally figured out where I wanted it hung. But it never seemed right to me. It always looked like it was floating on the wall. And every time I went down the hall I would see that room and think I need to do something about that room.

So the other day I said to Richard, you know what I was thinking. He said uh- oh! That can’t be good!  Will I think I will paint that wall above the border in the bathroom blue, that way it will give it something to hang on to?  Now what color blue is the next question? So this week I went to Lowes and picked up a few paint chips brought them home placed them on the wall next to the border.

I asked Richard which color did he like best (like his opinion really matter) we; I mean I decided on the color.  So I went to Lowes after work to get the paint and then found another color blue and thought maybe this one would be better went home with the color chip. Yes this would do nicely so I went back to Lowes; and bought my paint, a new brush, and some tape to tape the top of the border with so that paint wouldn’t get on the border.

Oh could this little quart of Midnight Blue finally make me happy let’s find out. So I went to work I carefully ran the tape around the borer and then I painted.  

 So far so good

My view from above. Kallie and Balkie my little helpers!

We have now come to the end of my journey the corner. One can only hope that I have not now painted myself in a one (the corner)!

Now I set to cleaning up my mess; with Ariel’s help of course after all she uses this room more than me I just have to look at it. We clean the tub, the sink and floors; and rehang the pictures and shower curtains. 

 And then I stand back and I look at this room that has caused me this discontentment.

And today when I walk down the hall I see the bathroom and I smile!

 For now!

Brandy's Little Shrug

When I first saw this cute little Ribbed Lace Bolero on Ravelry I knew I just had to knit it, but my biggest decision that I needed to make was which one of daughters was going to have the honor of owning it. Will you can see who won! Brandy tells me that whenever she wears her little bolero that she receives a lot of complements. They want to know where she bought it. And when she tells them that my mom made it for me, they are always surprised and want to know if I will make them one to.

The lace pattern was easy to follow. You basically knit a rectangle and then fold it over and sew it together a little at the seam to make a shrug. How easy is that!

My First Knitting Projects

A little over a year ago I started knitting again. Will I can't really say again when I never really started the first time.
 Way back when I was a little girl growing up in Newport News Virgina, my stepmother Gen started taking knitting and crochet classes. And I asked her to teach me and I was thrilled that she did. You see I love making things.
I inherited this gift from my Nana.
When I along with my brother Robert and sister Robin would go an visit our Nana and D-Daddy during the summer my Nana would teach me how to sew on her old Singer sewing machine and let me tell you that was a chore in it self. She won this sewing machine when she entered a sewing contest when she was a teenager.

You see it has the foot peddle, you know you had to pump it with your feet just right. Its the only kind she ever used and I'm proud to say that I now own her sewing machine today.
 When we would visit she would take us shopping and let us buy something  special, I would always pick out needle point kits. You know the ones that have the X's and lines in blue that would wash out after you finished your project. I would make pillow cases and doilies that she would help me sew lace on with that Singer of hers.
Now lets get back to me taking a knitting class last year. The reason that I had to take the knitting class was that I couldn't remember how to. I knew how to crochet that stuck with me but for some reason or another I forgot how to knit, so I took a few classes and away I went.
The first thing that Elizabeth our instructor had us make was a scarf. After that she had us making dish clothes, slippers, hats and bags.
 I learned how to use double pointed and circular needles. How to do cabling and how to felt. By the time I was done I made my first sweater.
Will like I said that was over a year ago and I have knitted quite a few things sense then and in future postings I will be sharing those project with you but for now here is my first scarf and hat.

This is my daughter Ariel and this happen to be one of her favorite hats. She took it from me when I made it and she has been wearing ever sense.

I added the crocheted flower because I ended up with a hole in the hat. I didn't know why then, but I now know I did a yarn over.
Live and learn how to hide your mistakes!