Tablescapes, Home Decor, Thrifting, Cooking

Monday, June 1, 2009

Please Mr. Postman

 

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Raise your hand if you have starred my blog as being one of the most lame.

Luckily because I can’t see you, you won’t hurt my feelings by all the hands going up! LOL! 

As many of you have written on your blogs,  life has a way of interfering with blogging!  I don’t regret that one bit because a good portion of last week was spent with my dear mother. 

 

 

 

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Mr. Brown Socks and I went to our home town over Memorial Day weekend.  This is the town my mother lives in.  We always take time to visit the graves of my father and Craig’s  mother and father.  We carefully place new flowers and flags on their graves, while removing grass clippings and making things look nice.  Call me weird, but I enjoy visiting cemeteries.   I find it very interesting to read names and to see the year they were born and how long their life was.  I love the really old headstones and the engraving on them.  I love looking at flowers family members have left and to see the flags waving on the veteran’s graves.

My mother came home with us to spend a few days.  I’ve told you before how amazing she is.  She keeps up so well and loves to be active.  We went antiquing, fixed a dinner for other family members, made jelly, talked, shopped for containers for my business, met with my cousin for breakfast and my aunt and uncle for lunch one day. 

Later in the week, we drove about an hour and met up with my sister.  We three shopped all day long and then my sister drove mom back home.

Three shoppers

I’m the one in the middle!   :-)

 

 

Changing the subject here ~~ stay with me now ~~ 

 

Last summer I was at my mother’s home helping her to clean out her garage.  We ran across this old mailbox and decided it was well past time to pitch it.  Who knows how long it had been sitting with cobwebs in a corner of the garage.  That night in my sleep I decided that mailbox was not going to the trash.  Yes, I am a sentimental fool, but I can’t help that.

 

I remembered while still living at home, Mr. Brown Socks was off at college.  How many letters had I written to him, sprayed the envelope with perfume and walked to the street to mail them in this very mailbox?  How many times had I gone out to check this very mailbox to see if my true love had sent me a letter?

 

I was also thinking about my dear old Dad and how many times he had walked to this very mailbox only to complain about a handful of bills that might have arrived that day.  No, this mailbox had too many memories.  It was going home with me.  I have placed it in my garden.

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You can see the row of potatoes Mr. Brown Socks has planted in front.  Behind the mailbox will be mammoth sunflowers which will tower over my special keepsake in a few weeks.  I have thought of painting it, but right now this original blue color is so popular.  I think I will leave it as if for the time being.

 

 

 

 

Soon we will be picking strawberries!  This is the third year for my strawberry patch and I have high hopes of it being productive.  We will be removing this tacky chicken wire soon.  I had to keep Chester the dog out while the strawberries were wildly growing and producing flowers and now berries.

 

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One last thing I want to share. Do you remember a couple of weeks ago, I posted a tablescape with a garden theme?  I showed dinner plates that had a Fiesta look about them, purchased from the grocery store.  I waited til after Easter when they were $1 a piece, but sadly that they didn’t have that many left.

 

Well, I went to a neighborhood garage sale with my daughter on Saturday.  A lady had a stack of colorful dishes placed on an old dresser.  There was not a price on the dishes so I casually asked her about them. I didn’t want to seem over eager, don’t cha know? Well she bought them at Macy’s several years back and why didn’t I just make her an offer.  I hate when people do that, especially with dishes.  We talked awhile longer and pretty soon she said, “How about $2?”  I asked if she meant $2 a piece????  NO!  $2 for the whole pile of seven!  Yipee!!  Yes, I’ll take them!  So now I think I have about 13 of these colorful fun dishes!

 

Here is a picture of my new ones.

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See?  I have had a lot happening.  It just wasn’t easy to blog while my mother was here.  I’ll try to do better.  I truly have missed contact with so many of you and seeing what’s going on in your lives as well!

 

Hey!  It’s June 1st! 

Happy Summer to us all!

I’m ready for hot summer days!  How about you?

17 comments:

Melissa Miller said...

Donna your blog is wonderful my friend!

It sounds like you had a nice week.
Ahhh...Your mailbox story is so sweet.

Great buy on those pretty and vibrant dishes!
~Melissa :)

Sandra said...

What a special time to be spent with your mother. I think the mailbox looks lovely there. I can picture some little pansies coming out of the box.
Have a lovely day.
Sandra

Amanda @ Serenity Now said...

Well, you are just silly if you think your blog is boring! I love seeing all your beautiful silk creations, reading about your shopping trips, and seeing how much fun you and your mom had! :) Glad to see you back!

Lou Cinda @ Tattered Hydrangeas said...

I LOVE your blog!! You are so blessed to be able to have these special times with your mom!! :)

And the mailbox just made my heart happy! I can totally relate and I think it is perfect in your garden!!

Have a great week!

Lou Cinda :)

KBeau said...

I am hoping to get to my hometown to visit my mother in a few weeks. She did get to come here for Mother's Day, so that was nice.

Love your plates. Great use for the mailbox. I think you should leave it the blue color.

Domestic Designer said...

Sounds like you had a wonderful time. I love what you did with the mailbox. What a creative idea. It is perfect! Have a great day!

Unknown said...

What a great time. Your mother's flowers are gorgeous!! I would have kept the mailbox too, it's a neat addition to your garden!!

Anonymous said...

So happy to hear how well your Mom is doing. Sounds like you two had a lot going on and I am so happy. She's beautiful!
I love your old mailbox. What precious memories. We have one like that out in the yard that we keep extra garden gloves, kleenex, pen & paper in.

Tootsie said...

you are NOT boring or lame or what ever you said....lol life is good to interfere when you are spending time with those you love. Your flowers look as beautiful as your mother does!

Terrie's Lil' Piece of Serenity said...

Donna, I love your blog. Why on earth would you say that?

I am glad you are spending time with your mom. She looks like a very sweet lady.

I love the mailbox. I would have a hard time throwing it away when it brings so many great memories. It looks perfect in your garden.

Hugs, Terrie

Tootsie said...

the wind blows here alright...but not in that little corner of the yard! lucky for me! those are tin tea pots, and they have been there in that exact position since July of last year...the wind was so bad yesterday here that it blew some of my hanging pots off their hooks...but not even a blade of grass moved in that area!
as for the 1/2 man....that is about the size of it! lol

Cathy said...

Donna, I love your blog!

What a great deal $2!!!! Sounds like you had a wonderful time with your mom.

Happy Summer to you,
Cathy

Chrissy...The Apothecary Shop said...

Sorry I for one like your blog.....and your sweet Mother, you are so lucky to still have her!!Thanks for coming by tonite and leaving such a sweet note,I needed that!! Talk soon,Chrissy

Wsprsweetly Of Cottages said...

Donna...How in the world I ever lost you back when I didn't know what I was doing..I will NEVER know, because I love your blog! I fall terribly behind because as you know, it is impossible to keep up with so many wonderful blogs.
This post I especially loved..boring? NOT on your life!
The mail box and keeping it was a wonderful idea. don't paint it. Just plant a vine near it and leave it as is. Train the little vine up over it..for interest...what the heck.. Open the door and set a little old cup and saucer on it...or a little clay pot..or a little bucket with a flower planted in it...you can do a million things with it as is.
Your mother sounds like such a sweetheart. I miss my mother so much at times. At my age I am beginning to lose a lot of people..that's just life..but you are still young. Lots still ahead of you!
How I would love to have a garden! Next year I hope. I hope...
The dishes...I just love garage sales and I have been getting amazing things there during the past weeks. I have to take some pictures and post them...
Thank you for being kind about my little Granddaughters birthday...I know other people childrens birthday parties are not thrilling to the masses... ~smile~
My post was more boring than yours ever could be! :)
Hugs..
Mona

Bargain Decorating with Laurie said...

Donna, I'm so glad you didn't get rid of the mail box. It may not hold letters, but it holds wonderful memories. I think you should open the door and set a little pot of trailing ivy or something inside. Your mother is so pretty and so are the flowers she is tending. Amazing deal on those beautiful plates! Glad you're back. I've been wondering where all of your fabulous (certainly not lame)blog posts have been. laurie

Anonymous said...

Hi Donna,

What a GREAT post, loved it.

I especially loved the story about the mailbox, I too have had things like that...too many memories to just toss in the trash heap.

Great score on those dishes...:)

Your Mother is adorable !! So glad you got to spend time together...blogging can wait family can't...

I too love cemeteries, I always went with my grandmother when I was young, so I know where all sides of the family are. I took my kids too when they were young so they now know. I love to look at the old stones...I love when Janie does one of her posts on them. I used to think it was a strange addiction I had...nice to know others feel the same.

Have a great week-end,

All the best,
Kathy :)

Q said...

I love coming by with a cup of coffee. Your mother is a delight! I do miss mine...
The mailbox is perfect in your garden...fond memories and such a fun addition. Maybe a little wren will nest?
Life does get busy and than the slow down...thundershowers this morning are giving me a chance to relax and catch up...
Sherry