Comfy, Colorful, Caught ,and Camera Critters

It had been a long time since we had gone to a garage sale. Friday R Gardens Company right up the road used part of their warehouse for a huge garage sale. We loaded up, stopped and picked up our neighbor and got there as soon as it opened. We found those items you can't resist at a garage sale... Christmas snowmen, a great cart on wheels, and lovely pitchers. I glanced at a chaise but lots of people were around it and it was heaped with bedspreads and pillows.

Later that day I starting thinking about the chaise again. It had looked so comfortable. I couldn't remember the color or the price. That evening I asked JEJ if we could return in the morning and check out that chaise. He figured it would have been sold. He wondered where we would put it.

Back we went to check out the chaise in the morning. It was there. It was in beautiful shape and oh so comfy! The price was more than I wanted to pay. The color did not match anything in the house... but I was so drawn to that chaise. I actually dickered with the owner for a lower price. We loaded up the 60.00 chaise and brought it home. After an extreme furniture moving makeover, we found a spot that worked for our new addition.The color is hard to describe. It is a bit of a '70s blend of avocado and gold. In the light it looks a bit more like a bright olive color. It really doesn't match anything else in the room.... but...
if you add a few pillows you can pull it together with the rest of the room....
and add a throw to blend the greens together a bit. It is certainly a perfect spot to blog, read, or rest. It will be a fine place for visiting nieces to sleep... or a visiting sibling to nap!
The chaise got the true test when Annie and Shelby decided to check it out to see how comfortable it really was.
Will we both fit on this with room to spare? Where is IEG and is it okay if we sit here? Oooops.....caught in the act! They both gave it the comfort seal of approval. Now I guess I will need to move the dogs, pillows, laptop, and throw so I can finally check it out while I "rest my eyes".

You can find other Camera Critters here.

Sunday Scribblings: Do I Have To?

here I am as a child

The topic for Sunday Scribblings this week is " Do I have to?"
How many times did you utter these four words while growing up? The question may have been spoken in a bit of a whine. There may have also been some begging involved.
Do I have to come inside?
Do I have to sleep with clippies in my hair on Saturday night?
Do I have to turn off my light and stop reading?
Do I have to go to bed just when the good part is starting?
Do I have to ride in this hot back seat with my two siblings close to me and you smoking in the front?
Do I have to wash woodwork instead of going to the pool?
Do I have to sit still while you comb the tangles out of my hair?
Do I have to sit and visit with Uncle Jack even when he hides behind the couch, then jumps out and scares us?

Growing up my mom seemed to be the one that answered the questions for me.
here is my mom

Now that I am an adult this nagging question comes up often. Sometimes I want Mom to be here to say, "Yes... you have to" and then I will just do it. No procrastinating. No second guessing. No questions asked. Just do it. here I am today as an adult

Do I have to weed the gardens when it is ninety degrees outside?
Do I have to scrub my grill in the BBQ every time I use it so it looks brand new?
Do I have to decide myself if it is time to put Emily to sleep?
Do I have to cut coupons and drive to three stores to "save"? Can't I just buy the brand I want?
Do I have to eat right, exercise, drink filtered water, take vitamins, wear sunscreen, and floss every day?
Do I have to read a book because it is on a list that somebody said was a "must read" book before you die and the plot doesn't interest me?
Do I have to drive slower and keep my trunk empty to conserve on gas?
Do I have to be nice to people that go against everything I believe in?
...and do I really have to wash down my kitchen once a year? Who made that rule?

Sigh.... maybe I don't want Mom here today.... I think I would have too much to do.

To read other Sunday Scribblings go here.

Photo Hunt: Clouds

When I was returning home Mother's Day week-end I drove through a storm on Highway 395 through the Chewelah valley.


To enjoy other photo hunts using Clouds go here.

Porches

I really love big porches, but don't have a big one in the front or back of my house, at least not one that you can gather around. This simple poem has stayed with me as I think of what remains on porches. I guess in the northwest we are known more for decks. Thanks to classical clark for this photo.

Porches

The table will receive

Summer drinks;

They wait, arranged,

Strange and polite.

On the back porch

Garden tools spill;

An empty basket

Leans to one side;

Porches

On the front porch

Chairs sit still;

The watering can

Rusts among friends.

-Valerie Worth

Thanks to luvs2chick for this photo.

Changing The Landscape, Part 1: One Tree at a Time

We love the pine trees that surround our property. During Windstorm 2008 we watched a few of them sway enough to make us consider removing a few more trees. Also, we are continuing with our goal of making our place safer in case of fire. JEJ found a guy that would take down the trees and haul them for free if he could have the logs. It worked for us. Today DH changed the landscape of our property.

Before they began Kit heard there was a big, yellow cat in the yard and he came out to investigate. My important job (while not taking photos) was to secure all animals in the house. This tree was the biggest one to come down. We were concerned because it had to fall between a light pole and another tree. Timber and a perfect landing! DH knew what he was doing! The second tree came down easily and I even caught it as it was falling to the driveway.
All it takes is the sound of a chainsaw or the running of a cat to bring other guys from the neighborhood to see if they can help. The whole crew gathered around this tree in the garden to figure out where it would fall.
Here JEJ is running the chainsaw on the last tree to fall.
The guys gathered around after this last tree went down to solve the problems of the world.
DH moved the slash into a big pile, but JEJ's work is certainly just beginning. Next we wait for the logging truck to come and load the logs.

I fulfilled my duties by keeping the animals in although Annie wasn't too happy here. I also got lots of photos and JEJ presented me with a lovely pine cone cluster that he knew I would want to photograph.



I love the shiny texture of cones fresh off the tree.

The Best Things in Life Are Nearest

"The best things in life are nearest: Breath in your nostrils, light in your eyes, flowers at your feet, duties at your hand, the path of right just before you. Then do not grasp at the stars, but do life's plain, common work as it comes, certain that daily duties and daily bread are the sweetest things in life." ~Robert Louis StevensonToday we had our neighbor over for a casual breakfast gathering on the deck. Nothing fancy, no gourmet dishes, no new brunch recipes. We enjoyed simple food, a lovely morning, good conversation, and some fresh picked peppers from the garden to add to the eggs. This is a fine way to start the day.