Indoor spring arrangements and COVID-19

I recently changed my indoor winter arrangements to spring ones.  I took pictures of the winter ones on my phone but not on my camera, so they are not easily shared.  However, I did take pictures of the spring ones with both my phone and my camera, so I was able to download them off my camera onto my computers. I also put away most of the angels I had out (I've been given at least one every Christmas since 1973, but I no longer put my whole collection out.).

In place of the Christmas/winter angels, I put out my collection of Victorian houses and buildings of my town of Ohio.

The collection is on my mother-in-law's dry sink in the dining room.

The glimpse of the Precious Moments is of my mother's collection that 

were mostly given by my children or me.  It will go to my daughter who

wants it.

Also in the dining room.

A wedding picture of my parents and a favorite picture of my son's children.  They

are now 21, 17, 15, and 13.

We have a local artist that designs and makes the crocks.  He's also the local 

high school's art teacher.  The picture is of my 2 children and me 15 years ago

at my father's 80th birthday celebration.

The angel is from my husband and is a favorite.

On my parents' armoire in our living room. Abigail was maybe 4 at the time.

She is now 11.

This is in an old white metal pot on a stool in my kitchen.

A corner of my dining room.  The mug was bought in one of my much earlier travels.

Living room.  The picture frame has moving pictures of my son's 

wedding that change regularly.

A table of my parents that moved everywhere with them.

As we cope with the COVID-19 situation there are two things that I haven't had to deal with in a long time: grey hair and growing out fake nails. I missed my 5 week hair appointment and may be forced by the state to miss my May 4th one.  I usually get my nails filled in every 3 weeks. It's been 5 weeks and will probably be at least 9 weeks before I can get them taken care of and that's if they reopen in May.

However, in the overall scheme of things these are very minor inconveniences.  Plus no one but my husband is seeing me closer than 6 ft. And that's if someone drops something off on the porch or we get off the trail at the park to let someone pass.  So it's no big deal.

Hope you are all doing well.

Corner View: Tradition

Our little town of Barnesville, Ohio has an annual Pumpkin Festival.  It has been going on since the mid-sixties, although it was originally called The Fall Festival.  People in-town and even on the outskirts like us, decorate with scarecrows, mums, pumpkins, dried corn, old farm equipment, etc. It's a big deal!   The festival lasts four days beginning with the weighing-in of the pumpkins.  That is on Wednesday night and we always go--we love the festival food too.

Here are a smattering of my decorations this year.

Back Porch

Front Yard

Close-up of some mums and scare crows.

The beginning of the parade this year.

All of the queens, princesses, and little misses.

 These decorations are of the other house when we lived there.  They give you an idea of some of the porch arrangements in town.

 Wednesday night weigh -in.

Parade scenes from last year.

The parade lasted two hours this year. The sidewalks and lawns are packed with people

wanting to watch it.

Downtown is crowded.

The grandkids two years ago.  This year's pumpkin was bigger than this one pictured, but I forget the exact weight--it was 1500 and something.

 Fair rides are part of the festival also and Doug and the grandkids come over for Saturday afternoon and evening.  It's a great family time!

For more on corner views throughout the world, check out Francesca's.

Corner View: in my wardrobe

These two pics show the brightness and range of colors in my wardrobe.  Just a few of my scarves are showing. Below is a close-up  esp. of two of my bright skirts.

These are some winter clothes and some things that are too small, but that I won't get rid of.

More scarves

I have a dresser full of t-shirts and sweatshirts.

Some purses and bags.

I share my wardrobe with my scrap booking and craft material.
The closet  extends the width of the house and is used for storage of household items, more craft stuff, pictures, and my shoes and boots.
We were blessed to find an 1878 farm house with so much storage (we have two other  walk-in closets, though they are not as huge as this one.)

For more of what's in our wardrobes, go on over to Francesca's.

Fall Flowers and Decorations

Pumpkin Festival is next weekend.  It is quite large. Thousands of people will be here in the four days of the festival (Wed. - Sun.).

Folks around here go all out in decorating.  Below shows you what I did.

Back Porch

Garage Door

Front Door (which is actually on the side)

Front Yard

(It's lit up with a spotlight at night.)

 Here are individual vignettes of the big  display.  The usual decorations are scarecrows, pumpkins, gourds, mums, and straw bales.  People will add antique  crocks, signs, chairs (as I did), etc.

 Here are my big mums.  The two local nurseries are quite busy and usually sell out of mums the weekend before the festival.  This year, the one sold out early and they had a huge field full. Luckily I went three weekends ago and got to choose from a great selection.

This week has been tiring.  I ended up missing school on Friday with a fibromyalgia flare  up.  Nothing terrible, just the usual.  I am in the middle of homecoming preparation.   The five seniors have been chosen as have the underclassmen(one each for freshmen, sophomores, and juniors. ) Pictures for them are Tuesday.  The actual ceremony is before the football game on Friday, October 10. Then there is a dance afterwards.  It is tiring, but fun.  I thoroughly enjoy it.

 It fits with something my mother taught me.  She said, "It hurts to sit, stand, lie down, and walk.  It's not like giving in and giving up makes the situation better.  So choose  what you want to do and do it.   If you have to be laid up for a few days after a special event, it will be worth it.    At least you'll be living to the fullest possible for you." Amen, mother, amen.

corner view: growth

Growth Through Plants and Friendship

This is the peony 'cut'  that my friend Peggy gave me last August.
It  has moved with her mother throughout the U.S. and is old.
(She has more of these peonies.)
Peg and her mom decided that a good house-warming gift
would be a part of one of the peonies.

I planted it.
Below is a photo of it now.
I think of Peggy and her mother
each time I look at this plant
and I cherish our friendship.

A friend was in town the other day

and stopped by to see me and the farm house.

We had some hostas that we had taken out  

because there were too many

and they were too close together.

We offered them to her

and she was happy to have them.

This is like a small one she took.

Here are the hostas that are left

after 'thinning' out some.

There are three plants in this planter.

The shamrock plant is the one that's important to this post.

Our high school is the 'Shamrocks'.

Every year I get several of these plants.

They are annuals here in this part of Ohio.

My friend lost her mother a little while ago.

By the time I realized I wanted to send flowers,

it was too late.

Then I thought of the shamrock plants 

waiting to be planted.

I had plenty of nice pots.

So I chose a plant

 (she graduated with us, so she's a 'shamrock'too)

 and a pot,

put them together,

and  then put them in a gift bag

with a card.

My wonderful husband 

delivered it to the funeral home

the next day

 before the funeral was scheduled

(I was at school).

Now I think of her and our friendship when I look at my plant.

Growth. Plants. Friends. 

You can see the shamrock leaves in this photo.

For more views on growth, go on over to Francesca's Fuoriborgo.