In our End of Summer {Flower} Gardens . . .

Yes they're weeds but I still think they're pretty.  : )

  

Our beautiful flower gardens are starting to show their age but are still pretty nonetheless.  We sat outside in our backyard last night for dinner with friends that we've shared so many of our summer nights with.  There was a hint of fall in the air.  Just a hint.  The girls got out of the pool because they were "freezing solid" and sat, wrapped in their towels, in the last bit of the day's sun.  I even turned the little fans off that we've had blowing under the gazebo all summer.  My son Brendan talked about how much he was looking forward to "hunkering down" with board games inside this winter and eating homemade soup.  My nephew leaves for college tomorrow for his first time, another end-of-summer sign, so Megan and I are making a trip to the store today to pick up a bunch of his favorite snacks for his dorm room.  We're also keeping an eye on three potentially big storms that could impact the northeast by the end of next week.  Lots going on around here!!!  For now, I'll sip my coffee and know that all is at it should be.  : )


Wishing you a beautiful and peaceful Tuesday ~ Wendy

Backyard Goings On, Messages and a Heartfelt Thanks . . .

Our beautiful weather has allowed us to spend lots of time outdoors.  We've been planting, swimming, spending time with cousins and enjoying new spaces that have come from weeding this much overgrown yard of ours.  Spending time outside keeps us away from the television and all of the horrific news coming out of Florida.  My heart is broken for the victims and their friends and loved ones.  I sat glued to the television when September 11th happened.  I can't go to that dark place again.  I've been having a lot of conversations with my Higher Power lately.  Today I decided to do the listening instead of the talking.  What I've heard so far (in the form of quotes I saw randomly on Instagram and from people that I've encountered today) has been the following:

1)  When you can't control what is happening, challenge yourself to control the way you react to what is happening.  That's where the true power is. (A quote on Instagram)

2)  A happy soul is the best shield for a cruel world.  (Another quote on Instagram)

3)  I can choose to focus on the good today or I can choose to focus on the unknown and worry about it.  Worrying is pointless so, today, I choose to focus on the good.  

I'm hearing these messages loud and clear and today is a better day.  Thank you to everyone that left a comment or messaged me some other way.  It truly means the world to me!!!  XOXO


Many blessings ~ Wendy

A Piece of Our Town . . .

One of the things I love most about moving to a new town is the "newness" of it all.  : )  Little gems in the form of gardens, streams, houses, ponds, old cemeteries, old barns and on and on are everywhere just waiting to be discovered.  There's the sweetest little house that sits on a small, tree lined street across from Megan's school that we discovered the other day while walking back to the car after we went to breakfast.

The flowers are what caught my eye first.  I had my camera with me because we had just been to Meg's school for her award ceremony.  The allium in the front yard is gorgeous!!  I've now put them at the top of my list of flowers to plant this year. 

And the house is just perfect as far as I'm concerned.  Isn't that rocking chair porch with it's old woodwork railings just incredible??  

While I was taking photos a man came from the side of the property.  He ended up being the groundskeeper for the property and he graciously offered to show us the back yard.  HECK YEA!!!!!  : )

We walked thru the garage and into a perfectly manicured back yard complete with raised beds filled with flowers and the start of a little vegetable garden too. 

I have to tell you that my favorite part of that magical yard was hands down the gorgeous tree that stood in the far left corner.  Pictures don't do it justice.  I would've hugged it if the groundskeeper wasn't watching.  : )

Couldn't resist a photo of these pretty curtains!!

A last glance back.

So that is just one of many pieces of our town that I want to share as I find them.  It's going up to close to 90 degrees here in my neck of NY today.  I'm so not ready for this.  We've been lucky up until now and have had a very cool spring, but it is almost June and it is almost summer.  Now is the time of year when I live vicariously thru my blogging friends on the other side of the world that are posting photos of fall and starting to plan for winter.  : )


Wishing you a beautiful Wednesday ~ Wendy

A Season of Change . . .

I walked around the house and the yard this morning taking photos of all the changes that are taking place both indoors and out.  Shelves and walls are now mostly emptied of the things that have filled them for the last 15 years.  We've covered the pool and the sandbox for the last time.  The garden ornaments have been taken out of our little plots of land that we've planted in and buried our beloved fur babies in.  I've been taking photos of the views I've been looking at out our windows for such a long time now.

The remains of our vegetable garden.

Can you spot the bumble bee??

Ready for the pod.

Naked walls . . .

. . . and a {mostly} empty garage floor.

The feeling of anxiety that filled the pit of my stomach a couple of months ago has now been replaced with a sense of peace (most of the time!!) and excitement for the memories we're going to be making in our new home and our new town.  We're still waiting for a closing date on both houses but we should be hearing something very soon. 

Our hydrangea is now mostly shades of pink.  The new home owner has assured me that I can come and cut some whenever I want to.  : )

Our neighbor's tree. 

Our other neighbor's apple tree.

We're very happy with the people that have bought this house.  They have a great energy about them and I can't tell you how much that means to me.  They also have two young sons that are the same age as our two older sons were when we bought this house 15 years ago this month.  The pool and the sandbox will be filled with happy children and the house will help with more happy memories for them all.  So wonderful!!!

It's definitely a season of change and we're ready for it!!!  : )


Happy and safe weekend to you all ~ Wendy