My mother always lives by the code that there are 12 days to the Christmas season.  In that time, which runs until January 6th, you still can get out gifts and cards, enjoy the tree, and generally make the most of a wonderful holiday with out the commercial stress attached.  With these standards in my mind, I was confident that my gift giving would be timely, and by now, I would have moved completely into the new year.  This is not the case.

I decided this year, that I would send out a cookbook.  I would compile recipes that my mother and I enjoyed throughout the year.  I would include photos and basically make a little journey of our year in food.  It has been a very rewarding project, to say the least!  My only regret is that I waited a bit late to get it together, so my out of town folks are just now receiving their autographed edition.

I do realize there are websites, that will put this entire book together, but I am a hands on girl.  If there is a way to do a project and make it more complicated or primitive, then I am your girl.

First, I had to remember to take photographs of all my dishes through the year.  I absolutely forgot a few of these photos, but for the most part, I had lots of food shots. I will say it again, dear readers, I am not a photographer.  Oh and I really cook often, so this is not a true journal.

My mom used to be a copy editor and so she typed all the recipes, proofed and copied onto a jump drive.  She was extremely rusty in this department and yet, she rose to the occasion!

I took the project to a local printer and had the pages printed and cut.  The cover was printed on a glossy cardstock and the pattern my husband suggested had these nice blocks in it.  Who knew how handy they would be later when lining up the book boards to cover.

I did cover each cover, front and back.  I stacked them under phone books while I punched pages.  I tried to do 10 books at a time.

I purchased this gadget called a Zutter.  This handy dandy gizmo punches your paper and book board.  It is fairly simple to use and it weighs up like a sturdy piece of machinery.

Now that folks have seen the books, I find I have friends that have big professional machines.  Next time.  I actually had to wear wrist braces when I made these as I have some puny little fragile joints. Wah Wah.

You can center your punched holes, and come out with a professional piece.  I will tell you that I had to punch each book 12 times to get it all done, and that is a bit of work when you have 50 books to complete.

You get into a sort of rythmn and this kind of project is pure joy

 

After all the punching, then I would stack books and prepare to bind them.  This is done on the same machine that you punch with.  Very cool.

 

The pictures could be better.  Did I mention that I am not a photographer?

And then, voila!  A book!  This is a little teeny weeny book in that is only about 46 pages.  I thought that sounded like a tome at the time.  Not!  But I am absoultely surprised and beaming, with all the glowing reports.  People love this little book.  They love seeing me and my mom looking so happy.  They are surprised at the pictures of Mr. Concrete (husband) frying chicken.  I was surprised by that too.

So why not spread Christmas cheer all year?

 

Try this at home.

From what I hear, everyone in America is freezing right now. Of course, here in Nashville, we rarely get real snow.  The weathermen promise us it will be here.  Schools close.  We all go out into the freezing awful weather and stock up on bread and batteries.  What is that about anyway?  I really don't do that, because I always have batteries.

But I did stock up on marshmallows and hot chocolate.  Bring on the snow, seriously!  I love the snow.  Snow means you get to play hooky (especially if you own your business and you are the lone employee).  Snow also means hot chocolate.

Sigh. We got about one eighth of a lousy inch of snow. BUT, I did have the hot chocolate.

So, I have this friend named Ivy.  Ivy is five. Ivy loves sugar.  She also loves plants and dogs and the color of sparkly pink.  She really is an interesting little girl, and I think she is a whole lot of fun.

Her mom and I had been talking about hot chocolate so I wrangled an invite up to their house yesterday.  Ivy was home, as it was a snow day.  A snow day with no snow. 

Anyway, I went up armed with some supplies which included marshmallows and a container of finely crushed peppermint candy.  I had a mission with Ivy's mom as well, but I will reveal that tomorrow. 

I wanted to show Ivy and her mom, Eden, how to make these peppermint covered marshmallow just improve the hot chocolate experience.

Now for a girl that really appreciates her sugar, there was some coaxing to be done.

 

 

Seems like I interrupted an imaginary trip to Forida.  She had a pink back-pack and a cool kinda of bear sleeping bag all ready for the trip, and I show up with marshmallows.  It was a bit of a let down. 

But then we started dipping the marshmallows in a glaze of water and powdered sugar.  Then we sprinkled the peppermint crumbles over the top and then all the glorious aroma of mint and pink began to take over her little sweet spirit.  She was coming around.

 

I had her in my clutches now!

One taste and she was hooked.  My neighbors may start to realize that I have this power.  You see, I took her mom some velvet and stamps and gave her a tiny taste of that too!  And, sure enough, today she was calling for more velvet!  They are powerless now!

Ivy has her mouth full of marshmallow.  She is trying to savor the moment.  But, I have to mess with her and ask her to whistle.  Come on Ivy.  Whistle!

You have to give a girl credit for trying.  Her mom tells me to whistle.  She isn't going to stand by and just watch this without having some fun.  But I practically spit mine right out.

Snow or no snow, this was worth it all.  At least we all got to play hooky and drink this!

Tomorrow is Wednesday and I will really have a time to get er all done.  I have this hair appointment.  I loathe sitting for three hours and getting my hair cut and colored, but vain I am, so sit I will.  My maiden name is Benagh.  You say it like "bain-uh" as in bane of your existance.  My husband calls me Mary Vain-uh, due to my tendency for, uh, self love.  But if you don't love yourself, then seriously, how can you love the world.  Oh please, such banter.

Anyway, back to my husband.  Many people think he is simply a figment of my imagination.  Only the rare few have actually seen him live.  He does not like to leave the home. Ever.  Sometimes he has to.  Like tomorrow.  He is flying down for a funeral for his really sweet Aunt Pete.  She was also called Peachy Lee.  Isn't it funny how if you already have a nickname, then there are nicknames for the nicknamed person.  

Anyway, when he has to leave he really prepares.  He is from a family of boys that aren't particularly handy.  Once their mother realized that they were lacking in the handyman department she quickly trained them in the domestic department.  Let me tell you, these guys can vacuum and iron like nobody's business. As in, look at this.

These shirts were washed at home and ironed by Mr. Concete himself.  That is his nickname as he sells concrete. (What does that mean anyway???? As in concrete shoes???? I hope not!)

So I learned early that my duties in the wife category did not include ironing shirts for Mr. Concrete.  Who could compete with his talent?

He does have many other talents, so many in fact, that I simply cannot go into all the details here.  He is so clever with words and is missing a huge career in advertising as he is the funniest and wittiest guy if you could only harness his talents.

He also is what I refer to as a wandering minstril.  We live right here in Music City and the guy would die before he would get involved in the "music business," but he almost always has a guitar strapped to him as he roams the house twanging and sanging.  He loves the guitars so much that I call them all "her."  You know, the other woman.

He will be none to happy to be the topic of a blog, but maybe he won't find out.  Anyway, it is just a peek into my life.  that's all.

Another reason I simply adore the Christmas holiday is that my work slows down about a week before the big day itself, and then I just take off until the first full week after the New Year.  You see, no one can fire me. For that matter, getting a raise isn't easy either.

I do go by the office and mess up things, leave the tap running as it is 10 degrees in Nashville right now, and check the mail.  I also did manage to go and get some tutoring from my Apple genius guy.  He has set up a new blog for me.  I enter my post in each spot and next week, this rusty old unused thing will be a thing of the past.  My blog will be new!  And if I keep it up, it will be active and lively. 

When I started I got 100 comments the first day.  The second entry got 180 comments.  Now, I am grateful for the two of you that noticed I am still alive.  Hmm, is this my fault. YES!  But let's just see what happens.

With that said, I am going to put my resolutions down in writing.  I am told that if you actually write down your intentions, the chance of them becoming reality is greater.  Apparantly this action helps one to commit.  So here I go.

First, I have to say I like making New Years resolutions.  I usually do commit to at least one with some degree of seriousness.  The first time I realized this was when I gave up sugar in my coffee about 100 years ago.  It stuck.  I cannot imagine having sugar in my morning ritual of coffe these days.

Anyway, first and foremost I am resolving to writing in my blog several times a week.  I think this will be good me on many levels.  Blogging will be good for my soul, and for my business too.  I think I will find that I learn a lot from spelling and proofreading, photography and discipline.

I really really want to commit to writing thank you notes.

I have purchased the required new stationery, pens, and today I will purchase pretty stamps.  A note can take a few minutes to write and it feels good on so many levels.  How often do you get a handwritten letter in the mail?  Mine are far and few between.  They mean so much and it is just one little dose of kindness that is so simple.  Such a small thing, and I hope this becomes a habit for me.

I have been working on this next resolution for a bit now, and that is to finish what I start.  How many unfinished projects are in my life?  I cannot evn count that high! This is the current albatross staring me in the face.

Tradition dictates that a jigsaw puzzle, with a degree of difficulty, graces the home at Christmas.  Of course it cannot begin until parties ane finished, dinners are served and the big dining room table is vacant.  That means it was only brought out on January 1st. Ye fathers!  This year I am the lone puzzle person.  This puzzle is a devil.  And now that it is 10 degrees, all my layers of clothes impede my progress.  My sleeves catch pieces.   And then there is the cat.  He has to sleep anywhere that there might me some action.  Check back with me in a month.

And finally, I want to take some time each morning to work on me.  I have some serious health issues.  I will save the details for some other day.  It might bore you to tears. However, I am a morning person.  The house is quiet and still, and I love that time of day.  I want to read and try to keep a journal.  There are some that feel you can heal yourself with searching deep inside.  Our bodies are amazing things and baraometers of what is happening in our lives.  I have tried lots of things to find the key to the mysterious and hidious auto-immune disease that has invaded my life.  I get frustrated and I have a hard time giving into just taking medicine and not understanding the what and the why of it all.

I will continue with the doctors, the eastern medicine, and now I am going to really go for the soul searching.

So what do you have in mind for 2010? How much change do you want in your life.  How much can you commit to.  Share!  It is hard enough just to put it in writing.  I think it will be harder to commit.

I will revisit this in March and let you know how it is going.  We could do it together.

Warm. Fuzzy.

Two days in a row I am writing.  What is happening?  Can it last?

Well, lucky you, that I am even getting this done, as my sheriff duties keep interfering with my blog responsibilities.  Here it is, the coldest night of the year, and a transformer just poped leaving most of my neighbors in the dark.  Well, lucky for them (I hope) that I am well connected with the power company and have put in a call to a head honcho.  Otherwise my house might just be crawling with neighbors. I have no problem with most of them, but...but...it would just be all cozy and nice if the power could come back on and folks can just sleep in their own beds.

So, now let me proceed to just share with you, my friends, the bounty of gifts I have found myself on the receiving end of this year!  It is stunning, amazing, and I am grateful!

First I got these really cool highball glasses from my sister.

There are six of them, each one different, and they weigh absolutely nothing.

Then there were these dogs, very much like the real ones that roam the halls of my home.

And I really got these last year, but I put ribbons on them and they are new all over again.  I love them so much!

And then to keep me up to date there was this

I love it more than you should love a device.  She is named Pearl.  She is so cool.

And I got this

and this

 

and this

And I tell you the gifts just kept coming.  There are things that aren't even in the pictures.  And, I just hope I am not boring you, but the gifts I got are really, really good.

Check out these sweet lavendar sachets my neighbor brought me along with a gift night to their beautiful B & B called Evans Mill

As if this isn't enough...

Don't you love these measuring cups.  I never ever meant to collect these, but I now have four completely different and unique sets of measuring cups.  Each set is so special and unique.

Oh and check out this pot!

Just a few more lovely things to show you now.  I got these wall flowers.  I already had one and my friend gave me another.  They are stunning!

I had asked for a bathrobe, and not only did I get the requested item (terrycloth, sage green) but I got this nifty box to stuff it into, or you can stuff towels in it, and they are luscious and warm by the time you get out of the shower.  Oh my!

So this was also under the tree, hmm.....

OH NO, Mr. Bill!!!!

Now, I love, love, love, Christmas and all the baking and making and giving and getting.  But I might just love all the wrapping just as much.  Look at this crazy ribbon.

You can put a finger in each end like those Japanese finger puzzles.  It is cool and creepy too.  It is like a disco intestine.  It is mesmerizing.  It is mine!

And then this was wrapped on another package.

I have now decided it is a headband, for, who else, me!!! One friend said it looked like I had potato chips on my head.  I gave her more champagne, but I don't know why. 

I love Christmas and it really isn't over till January 6th.  I love every day of this long winter holiday!

Guess, what?  the power company just came.  That was pretty quick.  Hope everyone is warm and safe tonight.  I wish that was really true.

No pictures! How can I have no pictures for the first entry of the year?  It is sad but true.  So, what I have to tell is just my first story of the year.  And actually this story is from last year, as in yesterday.

The story of Andy (Mary) the Sheriff.

I have been called the sheriff by many of my neighbors for years now.  I don't know if this is good or bad.  I can be a law abiding citizen, but I can break a rule or two as well.  My sheriff duties really are all about protecting and defending right from wrong.  If you are gonna chain your dog, leave him in the sun, not supply water, then I am after YOU!  If you are gonna drop trash in the street, tear up stuff for the sake of meanness, or steal, I am after YOU!  Don't mess with me, cause I am the sheriff.

So, here is how it goes.  I am a bit hung over (yep, the sheriff is a boozer on occasion).  I am lounging around, glad the party was pre New Years Eve and the phone rings.  I am gonna say it is about one in the afternoon.  So it is the guy across the street and up a few doors.  We ain't even that neighborly to each other due to our political differences, but all is forgotten when we are protecting the "hood."

A little background on this is that I live in Nashville, TN.  I am in a neighborhood of houses over 100 years old.  the houses are close. The sidewalks and alleys are loved and used.  We are close knit and it is a lot of work to keep a beautiful place like this.  We that reside here are special.  And we appreciate and love it.

I digress.

So, this neighbor asks me to look out at the house directly across from me and see what is going on.  I do. There are three young baby-faced boys, about 15 years old. They should be home playing with Christmas goodies.  They should be shooting hoops.  They should be reading.  No, they are looking to rob a home.  They knock incessently.  I know my sweet little neighbors are away.  These neighbors are new to the hood.  They don't know to have timers on their lights.  They are gone a lot andy it is beyond obvious. Isn't it wrong that they need to know to be more careful.  So sweet and young and unfortunately they too will have to learn.  But we are gonna take care of these new neighbors the best we can.

So finally the three bad young boys walk away, but I see what they are up to.  They are going to the back alley and they are going to try to get in now that they know the house is empty. Ha! My neighbor, John, the one that called, he is up on a bricko-block watching them. I, super sleuth, am in my pajamas, driving the not so under cover Beetle convertible in the alley.  Bad boys are cornered but they don't care.  This is when I know they aren't armed. Whew!  I pursue them and of course they are more than aware.  I follow for a bit and they go through the neighborhood, cross out to the main street and I actually pull right up to them. 

With all the bravado I can muster, I roll down my window and just ask what were they doing, why were they in the backyard.  And no, Brittany does not live there.  Then I tell them we are on to them and do not come by on my street.  DON'T MESS WITH MY NEIGHBORHOOD!  They run, laughing and duck into some apartments and scatter.

The entire time I am thinking that no body had given these kids real love and affection.  Out of boredom they are being bad, real bad.  Their future is certain. Can you visual prison bars?  It is too sad and such a testiment of our times.

THe police come.  Two hours later.

The boys had tried to break in another house on my street the day before.  That women lives alone and takes some chances that I would never take.  Another story for another time. 

They may even be the boys that did get in a house but forgot to take any of the stuff because it is all so sophisticated recording stuff and maybe they just didn't know what to do.  But they did get on video tape.  But will the police put it all together....time will tell. 

If I was really the sheriff I would put it together.  If I was really the sheriff, oh, law me, there would be all sorts of skeletons coming out of my closet and get me in heaps of trouble and no one would ever notice how much I care about right and wrong.  If I was really the sheriff, I would have whipped out my new iPhone and snapped those sweet little baby-faced boys mugs, those little boys that are gonna grow up so fast and then be behind bars or shot or drugged out.  Those sweet faces aren't long for this world.

Watch out little criminals.  Watch out for the sheriff.

I look down at my hands and wnder why I didn't take of picture of those lovely extensions of my work.  This gal has some working hands.  On occasion (maybe twice a year) I go get a manicure.  It takes weeks for me to go because I know the next day I am apt to be cooking rubber, or digging in the dirt, or chopping down shrubs or some of the other things that I cannot seem to control myself about.  I am a tomboy that loves prissy clothes.  Even at 55 I am just the same as when I was five. 

So a whole bunch of people took advantage of a sale I offered recently.  I always say in the newsletter that I work alone and it will take weeks to get all the work done, but due to enthusiasm of the discount folks just don't notice and I get a ton of email from people loking (patiently) for their orders.  So I want to do a video of my little operation real soon, but in the meantime here are a few shots of what goes on behind the scenes.

I try to do about 30 orders at a time and each order can range from one stamp to thirty stamps.Some of us have a stronger addiction than others and I am here to serve you!  I make a llst of what is needed and I go to the area of my office where I have all the manufacturing set up.  The house that is my office is NOT where I live and is a cute little house that is two miles from my home.  The area is just darling and has become commercial (another story another blog).

Then I go through the list of stamps that need to be made and pull from individual bins any wood or rubber that may be prepared and then I make the rest.  Here is a look at wood I had to "index" for one order last week.  This is the process where I ink an image on a block of wood to identify each stamp.  I learned most of this technique from Chuck and Paula, formerly of Rubber Baby Buggy Bumper Stamps.  Paula now has a great paper/stamp kit club called oddly enough, Paula's Kit Club. 

I digress, but here is a look at the wood for one order.

Please note the "grey box" in the upper center. That is my hi-tech, state of the art, 20 pound, black and white TV.  I bought that about 26 years ago with my first credit card...from Sears.  It is so faithful and has gone many places.  I can drag it all over and have watched the horror of 911, the advice of Oprah and now I indulge myself in the mornings with The View. (I love Joy and Whoopie)  In June, I will sadly say good by to my old pal, and TV at work, due to the digital transition.  I can always get informed via my computers.  And music is better when you work.  Better for your head and soul, but I do like the little bugger.

 

Here is another view into my glamorous life.

These stamps all have to sit and dry and while that is going on I figure out the rubber I need.  Then I cook sheets of this creating a lovely aroma of rubber.  Luckily I have installed a huge vent to prevent this smell from completely swaddling my body and rendering me unfit to interact in society.

 

I cook alot of these sheets and mount them to foam cushion.  I cut out what I need and file the rest away.  Putting things away in the proper spot is a necessary evil of this enterprise.  I do not like that part at all, but I am pretty diciplined and do it begrudgingly.

 

One more little picture to share is of my trusty saw.  This is a top of the line German scroll saw made by Hegner.  She is a creme puff and we are pretty tight.  I have another one out in the garage.  I bought it when I had a boat load of employees.  I need to sell it but I just cannot seem to get it together.  Must be too busy getting my hands dirty.

 

So this take two full days to prep for thirty orders.  Oh and I still have to enter the invoices and pack the boxes and run the charge cards.  I llok forward to seeing my mailman and UPS man.  They are rare faces that enter my world and I am more than excited to see them.  I am sure they feel as strongly about seeing me, but they are real nice.

I just don't want you loyal and patient customers to think for one minute I am sitting over here on a chaise lounge, indulging in bon bons.  No way kiddies, I am working and working hard.  But I play hard too!

It is spring, everything is in full bloom, my sale was extrememly successful and will take me three weeks to fulfill all the orders.  But sadly I am not jumping up and down.  I am just down.  I think someone must have hit me scare in the forhead with a brick.  I would confess to a hangover, but I gave up the sauce for Lent.  This is the second time since Lent began that I have felt just like I had a hangover.  I mean I have nausea, then the awful headache that renders me helpless, and then an insatiable urge for Krystal hamburgers.  This is probably more than you ever wanted to know, but now you know it and you may judge me harshly.  I even bought Krystal stock once. It bombed.  It was the first stock I ever bought.  

For those of you not in the south, Krystal are little square burgers, sometimes called drawer burgers.  They have moist yummy buns, lots of weird little onions and no nutritional value.  They also have the best Cokes ever! They may have a bit more soda that sugar and they can cure a hangover better than anything.  I only eat at Krystal when I have the "Boogy Woogie Flue" or its faux cousin, which I am suffering from right now.

Anyway, my strength is waining, and I cannot think anymore because it hurts.  I will work on orders this weekend.  For you youngsters out there, there is one thing I know is true. Only the good die young.  

I have all these good intentions to write THREE BLOGS every week, starting this week.  I thought it would be nice to start with how grateful I am with the world.  BUT, as I sit here waiting for some tech person to call me back, I am not feeling grateful at all.  I am actually torn about the entire subject.  You see I am grateful, most of the time for computers and printers and all the cool hi-tech stuff in my life.  But when it causes one teeny miniscule of inconvenience I not only forget about all the convenience I have had, and the bonus to all of the fast communications, but I get angry.  Seriously if I lose any time at all due to something I cannot figure out then I just blame it all on the machine in front of me and the unknown person that does not jump high enough or fast enough for me.  What in the world is wrong with me.

So while I sit and I wait, exercising a modicum of patience I will list some things I love and adore.  I am sorry not to have picture to make this little exercise more visual, but that would mean leaving the computer and then when I get my much anticipated email I would miss the golden opportunity to solve my problems! Actually I am uploading pictures as I wait, and wait and wait for help.

 So not in any particular order I am grateful every single day for dogs!

Especially for Ruby and Buster.  I love these two dogs, and because they cannot read I will even confess to a teeny bit more love for Ruby.  I have had her longer and she is just the sweetest mutt that was lost and forelorn in my alley about 10 years ago.

Ruby

 

  Buster

I love my mama.  She is just a dream to know and I am so lucky to have her close by.  We take trips to the ocean together.  We see each other all the time.  And in her old age she has decided to become much more liberal in her thinking.  Now that is just ducky in my opinion!  I love Mama!  

Mama and me 2008

I love my husband.  Brian is just as cute as a bug.  He can be a real bug too, but he has a heart of gold and I feel lucky to have found him.  He does not appreciate good food for some strange reason but he has exceptional taste in every other area. That is rare for a man.

Brian 2008

 

I love to play in the dirt.  That is evident from my earlier blogs.  I have some male genes I fear.  When it comes to shoes and how I like to get dirty I have some pretty masculine qualities.  But I love sparkly stuff and pretty clothes and jewelry, so I am still more girly.  I do not like to vacuum however.

I am so grateful that I am creative.  I just cannot imagine life any other way.  People say that I am a free spirit.  Now what in the Sam Hill does that mean anyway?  I also say what is on my mind to just about anyone.  I have tried to stiffle this, but it just did not work out for me.

 

Oh this one is really shallow  But I love love love my car.  It is so cute, and fun and I can hardly believe I own it.

  

Bringing home balloons after a party in my cute little car. Gave the balloons to the wide eyed little girl across the street.

Are these people ever going to get in touch with me so I can send out a newsletter?!?!?!?!?!?  I am not feeling grateful.  All the good thoughts above are just washing out with the tide. Pooh.

I am still grateful. So there.

 

Without a doubt I find Spring to be my favorite time of year.  Everything is blooming and so soft and new in the yards, and then of course my birthday is or was the first day of spring.  For most of my life the world celebrated spring on March 21st.  I am not sure when the change happened.  I mean change is good, but not when it comes to changing such a very important date.  But now, for inexplicable reasons, the first day of spring apparantly is March 20th.  I am going to get in touch with Barack, as if he doesn't have enough on his plate.  I guess when I look around my problem isn't quite so big after all.  It is kinda nice that the Republicans take issue with him.  The Democrats take issue with him.  I believe that the guy might be doing some real good and making people accountable! 

I still have my house, my job and frankly I do not miss shopping for all the useless stuff.  I am simply more careful with my dollars, as in books, craft supplies, sewing supplies and well this!

 

THE PEACH

With some lovely warm weather last week and unruly growth along my fence that I call a hedge, I decided that I actually needed/had to own this tool.  It is a small chain saw.  I have no chain saw experience, so this little peach is the perfect starter tool.  I have even named her, The Peach.   I have this uncontrollable attraction for power tools.  I was the only kid that seemed interested in tools (or lived anywhere nearby), so my dad would often bring me a wonderful tool for him vast assortment on Sunday after church.  Talk about tradition, a tool and a Bloody Mary.  Now how many folks do that every Sunday.  Well me and my Dad did.  I really missed him the day I bought this.  He would have loved this thing and would probably have already owned one and would have given it to me.  His tool lovin baby.

Look at the teeth.  It is really called a Gator.  Black and Decker make it.  I had to go three places to find it.  And it was worth the trouble.  I love this thing.

 

I have had to put it in the barn for a few days as the rain and cold returned.  I hate to vacuum. I love the dirt.

Anyway, I first tried the bad boy out over at a friends house.  Her Crepe Myrtle needed pruning and I am to close to my neighbors house to start making noise until after 9:00 on Saturday so I started up my pickup truck.  Another story in itself.  And off I went to Mandy's.  She could hardly believe that I just wanted to do this.  But check it out.  I am loving this.  Now if this was how I had to spend every day, I would not feel so happy.  But for a few days in the spring.  Bring it on!

 

Happiness is a warm...power tool!

Well I only had a two hour window.  Mandy showed what she wanted butchered and I had my way with her living things!  We filled up the truck twice!

 

What a great way to spend the morning!  But that wasn't all. The Lawn and Garden Show in Nashville was scheduled for the same weekend.  Now mind you it is a bit early to put out new stuff, but i just had to go have a look see.

 

Five Little Mosses and How They Grew

I indulged in these lovely mosses that are Irish and Scottish.  I am both of those things too!  They are so sweet and I think they will be okay out in the weather for now.  I bought a couple of other plants, but will protect them until all danger of frost is over.  And then I found this.

 

Is this so darling.  I love this watering can.  I guess it is okay to love a watering can.  Heck, I love my power tools, so this is probably much more acceptable. Oh and I love the spring, and I love Barack Obama, and I am just full of love right now! I really love being creative!

My final reward for the weekend was the sprouting of my winter wheat.  This picture is a few days after it came up.  My friend Nola sent me a bag of the seed and it does wonders during this time of year when you need to plant something.  It is just the right addition in the huse, out on my porch in pots, and won't this be nice with little Easter Eggs tucked in it a few weeks down the road?  What about the planter?  I found it in the alley.  My alley is a treasure trove.

 

Stay tuned, I have a weird give away this week...