Cover Up

I don't have those streamlined, spiffy new front loading washer/dryer sets in our laundry room. I've heard pros and cons about them and I don't know whether I'll choose them the next time around or not. In the meantime, ours show those ugly pipes and spigots. Several years ago, I saw a neat cover up using faux foliage at a friends house. Presto, easy peasy!

- before -
Aim - to conceal the water pipes, spigots, electrical outlets and drain hose.

- after -
Ta-da! I used two different ivies to create a fuller look.

The folks who built this house used an electric dryer - we use propane. I use this cute laundry girl tin to cover up the 220 electric outlet. Then added a bird house, gifted by J and a flea market angel to the mix.

I store oxy-clean in this container with a lovely cup as a dispenser.

Simple and effective!

(PS - every winter I promise myself to paint those cupboards!)


Link parties:

Tuesday's Treasures
Masterpiece Monday
Tuesday Ten

It's Been Too Long...

My August was an enforced 'vacation'...I was sick two-thirds of it with a head cold and a really painful ear infection - thank God I'm better now! My latest project is taking longer than I thought so I'll tease you with another picture!

I'm hoping it will be finished next week.

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On other news, I won this LOVELY giveaway - thank you, Shelly! I'll think of you when I use these items and your thoughtfulness in choosing the items to do this giveaway celebrating your thirtieth birthday!

Then there's the earthquake! Yes, I know it's old news by know but we seldom get quakes here and this one was the 'quakiest' one since 1944. The quakes that generally happen here are mere blips, kind of like a heavy truck passing by that can easily be missed. But not this one! I was sitting in our recliner and felt it before I heard it. When the dishes began to rattle, the house to shake and the hanging lamp to sway, I knew it wasn't merely a heavy truck passing by. After the noise stopped, I could feel it humming away - a strange feeling indeed! And yes, my thoughts went to the horror in Japan and I'm grateful that in our experience nothing bad happened. Strangely enough, Hubs was working outside and missed hearing/feeling it.

We have a church picnic planned for tomorrow with hurricane Irene threatening to change those plans! Be safe this week end!

New Project

I began a new project over the week end and I'm very excited about this! Here's the peek.

But...

no more pics till it's finished!

Fleur Cottage's View

I've received quite a few comments on our lovely view here at Fleur Cottage and it is lovely, particularly in the back of the house. I love seeing the constant change all year long! So I decided to share our view via a post.

The farm surrounding us on three sides in the back of the house is in an agricultural preserve to keep it in farmland vs development. The fields are planted with either corn or soybeans. The years of corn cut off the view but this year it's soybeans, keeping the view open...so, yes, we thoroughly enjoy our view! The front looks out a little town that has major routes intersecting in the middle of it. A community park is directly across the road from us and the road past our house is a state road on which anything from horse and buggy to tractor trailer trucks use. So front or back, either view is an interesting view!

Our lot and the neighbors was taken off of the farm that surrounds our lot so we're close together and we kind of look out for each other. The car is theirs; the Lime Light hydrangeas are ours. This is the southern view.

The town can be seen in the southwest view - the aqua roof on the left is a Hess station, the speck of red seen through the tree is a car wash, and the blue building on the right is a Napa Auto store with a mini mall of other business including a Dollar General thrown in the mix. The park extends all the way up to those buildings.

Straight west, the red roof of McDonalds can be seen as well as other businesses and the park.

To the northwest, an Amish farm can be seen across the park and another neighbor's house. Because the road is such a busy road, we may as well have several miles seperate us!

And to the north is a row of arborvitae, a wonderful wind-breaker!

To the south are the farm buildings that surround us.

Southeast, east and northeast are all farmland views, most of them Amish farms. Route 30 passes through those trees on its way from Harrisburg to Phila, so we're seldom completely snowed in.

I love living here! Yes, the traffic is, at times, annoying but the activity in the park is interesting to watch with its soccor, softball and football games and the convenience of stores and shops close by is nice.

Link parties:

Time Travel Thursdays

[PS...HELP! I accidently hit the wrong button THAT WILL NOT GO AWAY! There is no more to read on this post. Annoying!]

Week End Musings

(wistera pods)

Hubs and I were both on sick bay on Sunday and neither of us went to church. But right now, I'm reading a series of novels by Joel Rosenburg, subject matter taken from Ezekiel 38 & 39. In the uncertainty of today's world events, I'm blessed by these words...God's words:

Thus will I magnify myself,

and sanctify myself;

and I will be known in the eyes of many nations,

and they shall know that I am the LORD.

Ezekiel 38:23

My August Garden

I cut the day lilies back this week and now my beds look empty! The foliage grows out again but they won't produce flowers - they just look better! But...it is what it is.

This wicker chair frame is on its last legs...wonder if I can get one more summer out of it? Hyacinth bean is using it as a trellis - the lithrum/lissrym (help me out here...I got it from a friend) shrub beside it has been blooming for months.

These babies re-seeded from last summer.

My teeny, teeny garden is producing well, including the flowers that also re-seeded from last summer.

This is what it looked like the end of May.

Interesting clemitis seed heads.

And the Lime Light hydrangea? Me. Oh. My!

Already, I smell a difference in the air, the dawn comes a half hour later and I feel that cocoon-ish feeling come on me. Oh my...s.i.g.h...why does the summer have to go by so quickly?

ps - tell me how it's possible to a COLD in August?!

...happy gardening! 

Link parties:

Time Travel Thursday

Week End Musings

The Glick family spent the week end at our cabin in Clearfield, a small town an hour north of State College. The weather was perfect and we had a wonderful time...

enjoy the pictures!

Oldest and youngest grands - Andre 15 and Bryant 2

Birthday boy - Patrick 10

The three two years olds - l-r Curtis, Ty, Bryant

More bags!

Swinging with Grandma.

Shawn knows there's more than one way to read a book!

There was a lot of this.

Ty helping Grandpa picking up sticks.

The breakfast cooks.

The five grandaughters.

Eight of the eleven grandsons.

 

The adults and the three two year olds. 

Yummy food!

The Creek!

Going home!

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Conversation between two year olds:

To Ty who doesn't talk much and standing up on the swing -

Bryant who talks a LOT, 'Ty, sit down.'

Ty plops down on the seat with a thud.

Bryant, 'That's a good boy!' (in his mother's voice!)

(Just because Ty doesn't talk much, doesn't mean he isn't vocal - he is! )

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Favorite activities from the grands:

four-wheeling and the creek.

The adults?

We read and watched the older kids look after the younger ones!