Rose Colored Glasses

How To Peel An Egg

2012-02-13T16:21:00.000-05:00

This morning one of my facebook friends asked did anyone have a trick for peeling eggs. There were 31 comments: how long to boil it, how old the egg is, cool it in ice water, peel it under running water, roll it around the counter etc. There was only one other one besides me who knew the trick. Her name was Oma which I think means Grandmother.
All you need is a spoon.

I learned this only recently from my daughter in law who learned it from her Grandma. I am amazed that I have been boiling eggs for 50 years and never knew this.
So if you have struggled with the shell sticking to the egg or the egg having little indentations all over it, like mini moon craters, your troubles are OVER!!!

Tap the egg lightly with a spoon to crack some of the shell.

Slip a spoon under the shell.

Work the spoon around the surface of the egg. The shell comes off smoothly and evenly every time!

See how easily it comes off?

Voila! No little bits of shell stuck to the egg, a nice smooth egg!

Easy shmeasy!!

I like to sprinkle some salt on it and eat it whole.

Hope this little lesson was helpful :)

Rhondi xo

Random Thoughts

2012-02-04T11:26:00.000-05:00

Do you ever get so busy with life that you don't do the things you love to do? I'm sure you do. That is what has happened to me and my blog. I just love looking at the world through my rose colored glasses, recording little snippets of my life and yet I haven't been doing that.

So here I am today writing a few random thoughts, saying hello and generally just rambling!

Spring has arrived early here in North Carolina. The cherry tree on our front lawn is blooming. If I had been organized I could have shared it with Beverly's Pink Saturday!

The camelia bushes are covered with flowers.

All the hellebores have been out for weeks.

Last week we had visitors in the woods behind our house. Can you see them?

Here is a closer look. They are so pretty to watch but they are a nuisance because they eat all my flowers!

When we were out for a morning walk recently I found a bunch of these feathers on the path. Don't they look like polka dots? I wonder what kind of bird it was, maybe a woodpecker.

I love to have real flowers inside. The daffodils are from my garden. The forsythia is from Michaels. I love it because it looks so real. They brighten up my "office" sitting on the table where I work.

Those are my random thoughts on this dull rainy Saturday. It's just so nice to chat with you again. I wonder what you are doing today?

Rhondi xo

Thoughts on Stuff and Change

2012-01-02T13:14:00.000-05:00

The new year brings with it the idea of a fresh start.

Maybe this year I'll get some of those projects done. Maybe this year I'll finally start eating healthy. Maybe this year I'll overcome bad habits that I've had for so long it is embarrassing to think about it!

One of the things I am determined to do this year is get rid of some stuff. My closets are jammed with fabric and linens I've saved to use for sewing or quilting projects. I had a yard sale last year but didn't get rid of enough.

Our attic has too many things I've picked up at yard sales with the intention of painting or repurposing. I have so many prints and paintings that are just very dated looking.

And that's another thing I find my tastes in decorating are changing. I'm longing for a quieter pallette. I love bright colors but I am craving the peace that comes with softer tones. As my mother got older she began to decorate in more neutral colors, which I used to think was boring. Now I am understanding her need for serenity.

We have a sofa and two chairs with footstools in our TV room that are red and denim. I'm thinking about making slipcovers for all of them in white or beige or pale blue. I'd like to find a great deal in a old indestructible leather chair for my hubby and get rid of his present one altogether! All the quilts I have made are very bright crayon box colors and I use them as wall hangings which make a very bold statement in a room, but they are just too bright for me now and I don't know if I want that bold statement anymore. When I mentioned my idea to change my daughter said, "But that's not you." Maybe I am becoming a "new me."

This is still in the planning not action stage, but I hope I can follow through with it. Thanks for listening to my ramblings today :)

Rhondi

Books I've Read This Year

2011-12-30T12:49:00.000-05:00

Do you like to read? I do. Ever since I can remember I've loved to read. A couple of years ago I started to keep track of what I read. Wish I'd done it years ago because it's fun to look back and see what I've read. I wonder how many books I've read in my lifetime?

The Nester posted about this a few days ago and asked anyone to link up with her, so I decided to join in.

Here is my list:.

The Ballroom on Magnolia Street

The Energy Bus

One Thousand Gifts I read this one several times, just love it!

Winter Garden

Minding Frankie

Moon Over Manifest

Belong To Me

Small Town Girl

The Peach Keeper

I Capture The Castle

Distant Hours

Comfort Food

Friendship Bread

The House At Riverton

Joy for Beginners

Knit Two

Heaven is For Real

The Help

The Provence Cure For The Brokenhearted

A Million Miles in a Thousand Years

Jane Eyre
How Elizabeth Barrett Browning Saved My Life

I read a few more as well but they weren't good enough to recommend so didn't list them..

Do you have any recommendations of a good book to read?

Rhondi

Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T09:37:00.000-05:00

Hi
I'm so glad you stopped by today. I was hoping you might! Come into our kitchen for a minute, I don't think I showed you our cute little kitchen tree.

My fun Dollar Tree felt trees line the top of the buffet.

I bought this little snowman teapot at Goodwill in the summer, so I finally get to use it and was waiting for you so I could make us a pot of tea and use the red striped mugs.

I know today is a busy day for most of you, the day before Christmas, but I hope you can take time for a cup of tea with me and watch this sweet video. I know you'll like it!

If you are lucky enough to spend time with loved ones this Christmas make sure you tell them you love them. After all that is what Christmas is really all about:

LOVE

"God so loved the world that he sent his only son that whoever believes in him will have eternal life."

Merry Christmas dear friends

Rhondi xo

Keeping It Natural

2011-12-19T21:27:00.000-05:00

We are lucky to have lots of holly growing in our yard, so it's fun at Christmas to cut some and use it to decorate. It looks so pretty in this blue and white pitcher beside our bed.

and in a blue and white bowl in the kitchen.

and tucked in among some pinecones from our daughter's yard,

in a big white bowl on the dining room table.

Just little spashes of red brightening up the house for Christmas. It was easy and free, 2 things I like!!

Does anyone else out there like red??

Thanks for stopping by!
Rhondi

Christmas Tour Of Homes

2011-12-12T20:45:00.001-05:00

I didn't get our house very decorated before we went away so I am going to take you on a tour of a home that we visited in Jacksonville Florida. Every year the owners host a neighborhood party and I happened to be visiting family and so I got to go this year.

The large front porch says, "Welcome".

As you open the front door you are greeted by red walls and lights and decorations in every nook and cranny and you can't help but smile.

Stockings are hung by the chimney

Decorations line the stairs.

There's a Santa for the kids.

All the indoor and outdoors spaces are lit up.

View of house from backyard.

Santa and his reindeer fly through the air

Every surface is decorated. The pictures are even replaced with Christmas ones.

There are Santas everywhere.

And lots of different kinds of trees.

And snowmen

And reindeer

And penguins!

And I even got to meet Santa

I am joining The Inspired Room Christmas Home Tour.

Be sure to go there to see lots of beautiful Christmas homes!

I am so glad you stopped by for a visit today!

Rhondi xo

DIY No Cost Christmas Decorations

2011-12-04T08:35:00.003-05:00

It's rare that you see a DIY project and have all the materials at home that you need to do it.

Yesterday afternoon as I was having a cup of tea and reading my favorite blogs I came across this great DIY project at Button Bird Designs. All you need is paper scissors, tape and a stapler!

If you've never visited Angela at Button Bird Designs, you are in for a treat. I've never met her in person but I'd love to!

So this is the project:

It's an amazing star that her daughter made at school and she shows us how to make it. It is SO easy!!

Kind of like cutting out snowflakes when you were a kid.

I just used copier paper but wouldn't they be interesting in paper from an old book?

I made several and hung them in our sunroom windows.

I made one smaller one and was going to make some more.

Should I make some more or is 3 enough?

What do you think?

They look pretty in the daylight too.

Try them. They are really fun to make.

Then show us some pictures and make sure you tell Angela about it.

I'm sure she'd love to know.

Centsational Girl is having a Holiday Craft Party today so I am linking up with her. You have got to go and visit. There are so many great ideas there!
Rhondi xo

Believe

2011-12-03T12:11:00.002-05:00

Are you like me? As soon as Christmas is over I can't wait to take the decorations down and get my house back to normal. This year I feel like that even before Christmas arrives!

I used to love decorating the house from top to bottom with lots of red and white and greens, garlands on the mantles and over doorways, snowmen, Santas, Christmas plates, etc.

I never thought I'd say this but I don't want more, I want less. It used to be that I'd have 5 things on a table, but now one is enough. So as the months go by you are going to see a change in the look of my home. But right now it's Christmas so I have done a little decorating for the season.

I bought this wonderful "BELIEVE" sign at Olde Tyme Marketplace and I plan to use it all year long.

Then I cut some branches from the yard and hung a few thrifted vintage blue balls and crocheted snowflakes I've found at yard sales over the years.

Propped a mirror up behind it. No use putting ANOTHER hole in the wall unnecessarily :)

I love the way you can see the reflection of our living room in the mirror. A tip: mirrors are great for making a space feel larger.

I put the branches in one of my signature blue and white vases and added some extra blue balls in a dish.

This is what greets our guests when they come to visit. I wished YOU lived closer and really were able to visit me!

I like it. It's simple, pretty, and inexpensive.

I hope you have a great weekend!

Rhondi xo

Sweet Dreams

2011-11-28T15:22:00.001-05:00

It's time for a change in the bedroom. This is how our bed looks in the summer, a lightweight white spread on it and white pillow shams and wicker lamp ( all yard sale finds, the pillow shams even have our initial "M" on them!)

Then in the fall I moved the bed to the other wall and took off the tall posts, which makes our small bedroom look bigger. I added one of my blue and white quilts on top and sewed up a few pillows.

Now for Christmas and probably the whole winter season, the posts are back up. I switched the side tables which makes the room seem even a little bit larger. I've added some little white lights and green foliage on the canopy and brought in my red and white quilt from the guest room.

And I made some side drapes from leftover fabric which really softens the look of the windows. The fabric is pale blue and white stripes but it's hard to tell from the photo. In case you're wondering I made the quilts.

When the night gets dark it is so cosy ....sweet dreams.....

Do you decorate your bedroom for Christmas?

Rhondi xo

Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T07:50:00.001-05:00

I am up very early this morning. It is still dark out. As I write in my journal I think about this day called Thanksgiving, a day in which amid all the eating we take time to be thankful. It will be very quiet here, just our two younger adult children with us. The guys will watch football and the girls will decorate the tree. We'll sit down to the typical turkey dinner with all the trimmings and we will take a few moments to share what we are thankful for.

Some years the things I am thankful for surpass what I'd dreamed of. Some years I have to dig a little deeper to be thankful, but there is always much to be thankful for.
Some highlights of this year that I am thankful for are a new baby in the family and another on the way, good health, safety in an accident, and God's provision in a bad economy.

What are you thankful for today?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Rhondi xo

Best City Cupcakes

2011-11-23T08:55:00.000-05:00

Oh my goodness, you have GOT to taste these cupcakes!! Chocolate gooey surprise inside topped with creamy icing and chocolate drizzled carmel corn. Best cupcake I've ever tasted!

Best City Cupcakes is a new business in Indian Trail started by Lori Telesco. If you live near Charlotte, you've got to try her cupcakes!! Free local delivery.

Hmm...maybe I'll have one for breakfast. It's got corn in it, (vegetables are good for you) and I think it's dark chocolate. Everyone knows dark chocolate is good for you :)

Rhondi xo

Polishing Silver and Missing My Mom

2011-11-19T18:30:00.000-05:00

There was a showing on our house this afternoon so I decided to pick a bunch of nandina branches to put in the front hall and chose an old thrifted champagne bucket to put them in. It had been stored away in a cupboard for awhile, so it was tarnished and in need of polishing. As I was polishing it, I thought about my mother who would often polish my brass and silver when she came for a visit. All of a sudden I was missing my mother so badly! And then I realized that I was missing Rose Colored Glasses and you too. I wanted to tell you what I was doing today, not because it was so important, but just because you are my friends and I like to share what I am doing with my friends.
So here I am back again. Don't know how often I'll be able to post but I'll write when I can.

So, back to what I was doing today....The table needed something else shiny to balance it. A tray maybe, so I dug out a tray which I hadn't used in a long time, and thought of mom as I polished it.
What else did I need there? I know..... the brass deer Mom and I bought when I lived in Pennsylvania. I always wondered.....why are 2 deer still called deer instead of deers? Anyway, Mom and I were in a thrift shop one day (they had THE BEST thrift shops there!) and we spotted these deer. We had just been to Valley Forge Park where deer are everywhere and these were the perfect little gift to remember our day. They needed polish too.
I think they look happy on the silver tray.

So now I have a nice shiny welcome for anyone coming to our front door.

Once I started with the polishing I just kept going. All my brass candlesticks got a polish and I moved them to the mantle in the living room.

Then I switched the pictures above the mantle putting this one instead. This painting belonged to my mom.
She bought the two candlesticks on the right for me when I was just a teenager and was decorating my bedroom in a more grown up manner. I think they are very old.

Now that I was on a polishing kick I noticed my silver tea service was very tarnished too, so it got some TLC also. My mom always served tea in this, not just for special occasions but all the time. She got it as a wedding present and I cherish it.

So now for a few hours my house sparkles and it is clean top to bottom. I wonder if the people who viewed our house today noticed the sparkle?

I'm going to make us a pot of tea in Mom's silver teapot, get out some pretty cups and serve you a cup of tea and some raspberry pie. I made the pie today for my husband. It's his favorite, but I'm sure he won't mind if we each have a small slice.

I am so happy that you stopped by. I'll see you again soon!

Rhondi
xo

There's A Time For Everything

2011-10-27T08:41:00.000-04:00

I made some peanut butter cookies for you. Come and have a cup of tea with me.

I wrote my first blog post in November 2007, knowing nothing about blogging (I didn't even know how to add a photo in that first post). I had no idea of how it would enrich my life. It challenged my creativity in so many areas and helped me learn computer skills that I might never have learned. But most of all it has enriched my life because I got to know YOU!

You are the most creative, caring, understanding, encouraging, acccepting, beautiful, and just basically amazing bunch of women I have ever had the privilege to know!!

I opened my home and you stole my heart. I have played "show and tell" with all my projects and you have been so sweet to comment on them. I have made you drink endless cups of tea even though I know many of you would have preferred coffee!

Since I have been back working full time I have tried to post occasionally, but I just can't do it the way I like to. There is a time for everything and so I think it's time to hang up the "Closed" sign on Rose Colored Glasses. Perhaps one day there will be a "Back in Business" sign, but for now it's time to say good bye.

I feel very sad and am going to miss your visits. I am surprised to find tears welling up in my eyes as I write this! You have been a VERY important part of my life these past 4 years. Thanks for your friendship.

Rhondi xo

PS. I have started a blog for my real estate business. It's called At Home In Charlotte Today, so if any of you are in the Charlotte area you might want to follow it. And if you know of anyone who is moving here make sure you contact me.

Not a DIY Diva

2011-10-25T15:59:00.001-04:00

Do you want to be inspired?

Melissa Michael's new ebook, NOT A DIY DIVA is a must read. You will love her ideas on living an "authentic life": having your home suit yours and your family's needs instead of someone else's idea of home.

Are you frustrated trying to live a magazine cover life with a house full of kids an dogs, or on a limited budget. Then you'll enjoy this book.

This little book is full of great ideas, encouraging words and inspiring quotes. Melissa's friendly style of writing makes you feel like you are sitting in her living room having a lovely chat with your best friend.

Click here to find out how to get your own copy.

I know after you've read it you will want to visit Melissa at The Inspired Room and let her know how much you liked it. You can also find out more about the book by visiting her there too.

Rhondi xo

Good Morning

2011-10-24T08:56:00.001-04:00

Thinking of you this morning and picked some flowers for you.

Do you know Melissa from The Inspired Room? If you don't you'll want to visit her. I just love her attitude about decorating your home because it resonates with how I think too. Melissa has put together all her wonderful ideas and written an ebook which comes out tomorrow.

I was able to get an advanced copy to review so come back tomorrow and I'll tell you all about it. You're going to want to get a copy!

Rhondi xo

Fall Flowers

2011-10-17T10:56:00.001-04:00

What is your opinion of fake flowers? I'm not a big fan, but sometimes when there are no flowers in my garden I have this bouquet of fake daisies on the table.

But this time of year I have beautiful daisy type mums and a yellow helianthus in my garden so I can have real flowers! From a distance they look almost identical.

But up close...

...you can tell they are real because you can see part of a little ant hiding behind one of the yellow petals! When I shook the flowers lots of ants fell off but I guess this one was extra strong.

One of the nicest places to put fresh flowers is on the kitchen windowsill. Then as I am scrubbing pots and pans or peeling potatoes I have something pretty to look at. I have these blue bottles,which I've had forever, but you could use anything. It will cheer you up!

When you have fresh flowers in your house it's like having sunshine inside. I am lucky today because the sun is shining outside too!

Try bringing some sunshine inside today!

Rhondi xo

Pumpkins

2011-09-28T08:50:00.001-04:00

I'm so happy to see you!
Do you get Country Living Magazine? When I saw the cover this month I wanted to make some pumpkins like these on the cover. The instuctions said to photocopy fabric , then cut the paper into 1" strips and use mod podge to adhere it to the surface of the craft store pumpkin. Easy enough, right? Wrong!

If you want to make some I have an easier way to do it. Don't bother making photocopies of the fabric. Paper is stiff and when I tried to glue it on the round surface of the pumpkin, the edges puckered and it didn't lie smooth. As I was trying to make it work I thought why not just use the fabric? Fabric stretches and will go over a round surface much easier. So that is what I did. I followed the instructions in the magazine but used fabric instead of paper.

I made 2 of them.

Here is a close up of how the fabric overlaps

I placed this little blue one on the stack of books on the mantle and it looked okay there.

But it was much happier on the table with the other pumpkins.

Yesterday I promised you a cup of tea, so I've brought out my Dainty Blue tea set which I save for very special friends, like you! Do you like milk and sugar in your tea?

I hope you can stay for awhile and visit. I'd love to find out what you've been up to. Any projects going on around the house? Have you read any good books or seen any good movies lately?

Thanks for stopping by.

Rhondi xo

Feeling Like Fall

2011-09-27T09:32:00.001-04:00

One of the first signs of fall here are the berries and leaves on our dogwood trees beginning to turn red and the cardinals feasting on them everyday.

The berries on the nandina bushes turn from green to this beautiful burgundy color and eventually to bright red. My Mr Rabbit vase is the perfect container for them.

Oops, you can't see his little face... there it is!

You can see here how the berries are changing color.

If you've followed me for very long you will know that I love blue and white and yellow. I don't know what got into me the other day but I had an urge to make an orange and white quilt! Orange is definitely a color I seldom use in my house. I often don't even have an orange pumpkin for Halloween. Maybe it was because I covered a little pumpkin in orange and white polka dots ( I'll tell you about that project tomorrow).
Maybe it was because we go to Elevation church and our logo is orange and white. Whatever possessed me, I made a little quilt, just big enough to cover a small table or drape over the arm of a chair.

I haven't actually finished the quilting but put it on the table anyway until I can get time to finish it!

Orange and blue are complimentary colors so they go together very well. The Goodwill pumpkin that I painted white with blue leaves can be all purpose fall, or ........

turn him around and he's all ready for Halloween!

I took down my blue and white quilt and hung this one. The warmer colors are cosier for fall and the orange color of the tablecloth picks up the orange colors in the quilt.

I have to go to work now but could you come back tomorrow and have a cup of tea with me? I'd love to have a longer visit with you.
Hope to see you tomorrow
Rhondi xo

Where Has The Time Gone?

2011-08-31T11:52:00.001-04:00

My goodness, I can't believe it's been two months since I last posted! It has been a busy summer! The best thing that happened is that we have a precious new grandbaby, Sophie Elizabeth, born in July. We did lots of driving too: trips to Cape Cod and Texas to spend time with our kids and grandkids.

It has been such a hot summer here, day after day above 90 degrees. I am so ready to be done with the heat! This morning it was finally a little cooler and I could open the windows for a little while. What a relief!

Do you remember when I showed you these chairs I got at a yard sale?

Well I FINALLY finished making the slipcovers!

I need to get a bigger table to go between them.

Did you notice I put a tray out for tea? Hope you have time to stay for a visit. We have so much catching up to do!

Another thing we did this summer is put our house up for sale. We have decided we'd like to get something smaller with less yard to keep up with . There's just the two of us and we don't need so much house anymore. It is a charming home but doesn't have all the granite and upgrades that everyone wants these days, so it may not sell at the price we want. Some of you will notice we painted the dining room yellow. I miss the red , but thought it was better for resale. Here is the virtual tour.

If you know anyone in Charlotte who wants to buy a home, let me know.

Glad to be back!

Rhondi xo

Happy Canada Day

2011-07-01T08:19:00.000-04:00

To all my Canadian friends and family

HAPPY CANADA DAY!!

Rhondi
xo

Porch Party

2011-06-20T17:00:00.015-04:00

Hi
Oh, I'm so glad that you came to my porch party! I was wondering if anyone would come since I haven't been blogging very much this last year.

Oh, just hold on a second while I go and get the flag to put out. I always love the look of a flag. To me, it makes a home seems more welcoming somehow.

This year I kept the porch very simple: just the rocking chairs, a couple of ferns, the birdcages and a wicker chair and tea trolley.

It's going to be another very hot day, so I made us some sweet tea with plenty of ice.

And I know you like my lemon squares, so I made them for you too.

Sometimes when it's just me, I like to sit on the porch and read. Right now I'm reading The Distant Hours, by Kate Morton. She is a very good author and I loved The Forgotten Garden, which was the last book I read by her. This one is good too.

Did you notice this wicker chair by the front door? I love wicker! You probably know that already. This is my newest purchase and quite old. I found it on Craig's List!

It was in excellent condition. All it needs is a cushion.

And it has this little pouch on the side to hold magazines or a book. Isn't that cute?

Well I hope you have time to stay and chat. I have missed having visits with you! I want to know everything that you're doing: do you have any projects on the go...plans for the summer... new grandbabies on the way? We have one the end of July....number 5!

I am SO GLAD you came today. My door is always open and my porch is always ready for visitors, so I hope you'll come back again real soon.

If you are joining the party with your porch today just sign in below. Make sure you link to the specific porch post not your general URL. To do that just double click on the post title.

I hope you have time to visit the other bloggers who are having parties today. I know they've love to see you too!

If you're not having a party, I would so love it if you leave a comment so I could visit you too!!.

Rhondi xo

Porches

2011-06-19T13:25:00.001-04:00

In preparation for my porch party on Tuesday, I thought I'd show you a couple of porches near my house. Very few of the homes in my neighborhood have porches, so I drove to a neighborhood a couple of miles away. In this neighborhood almost every home has a porch. None of these homes are old. They were built in the 1980s.

This last one is in a different development. They enlarged their existing porch and gave it this craftsman style look. My husband likes this one because they have a flat screen TV which hangs from the ceiling!

Well that is just a preview of porches. I don't know the people who live in these homes. If I did I'd invite them to my porch party on Tuesday.
But I do know you ... so you are all invited!

I will have the link ready for you to sign up at 5:00PM Monday.

Rhondi
xo

Time For A Change

2011-06-11T08:44:00.001-04:00

Last week I had the idea to switch our rooms around, so I asked my son to help. We moved all the furniture from the living room and put it into my sunroom/studio. The dining room furniture went into the living room and my sewing things went into the spare bedroom.

So what was once my sewing room is now our living room. This is such a great room, that no matter what I do with it, it looks good!

The red dining room is getting painted a new color (not sure yet) and I am still in the process of getting the dining room together so you'll have to wait to see how that turns out.

Don't forget my porch party June 21. Information is in the previous post.

I'm looking forward to seeing you there!

Hope you enjoy the weekend.

Rhondi xo

Fourth Summer Porch Party June 21

2011-06-04T16:36:00.000-04:00

I had an email this morning from a very dear friend, Dana at The Stone Rabbit. That little stone rabbit just loves a party and was wondering if I was going to host my annual summer porch party again. I haven't been blogging much because I'm working full time and I sure do miss it.

But I decided a party is just what I need, so I hope you can join me.

We will celebrate the first day of summer June 21, with a porch party. Get your porches ready. You can link up anytime after 5:00 on June 20.

Tell your friends.

Missing you
Rhondi xo

A Lazy Sunday Afternoon

2011-04-10T17:02:00.001-04:00

It's a beautiful Sunday afternoon. The azaleas in the woods are in full bloom.

It's a perfect day to while away the afternoon in the hammock with a good book.

And while I was setting up my hammock I disturbed a mother cardinal nearby.

As I was being lazy in my hammock, she was busy sitting on her eggs.

How did you spend your Sunday afternoon? I'd love to know!

Rhondi xo

Come For Tea

2011-04-04T09:10:00.000-04:00

The dogwood are in bloom. It is a beautiful morning.

We need to celebrate the beauty. So I've made a pot of tea and set the table on our deck.

Aren't the dogwood beautiful?

I hope you have time for a visit. I made some banana muffins with chocolate chips in them :)

It's another beautiful spring day here in North Carolina, made by God just for us, so I am going to take a little time to enjoy it before I start my work day. I hope you have time to stay a little while and enjoy it with me.

For those of you who are still waiting for spring, be patient. It's on its way!!

Rhondi xo

You've Got Mail

2011-04-02T09:02:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite movies is You've Got Mail.

Yesterday I had a mindless job to do so I watched the movie while I worked. In the last scene, as soon as the music, "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" starts I always begin to cry.

What movie always makes you cry?

Rhondi xo

Red and White

2011-04-01T09:20:00.000-04:00

I made this red and white quilt in 2006. Red and white is such a wonderful combination. Apparently a lady who lives in New York thinks so too because she accumulated 650 red and white quilts. So last week, for her 80th birthday her husband had them all hung in a display, in NYC so she could see them all at once. It was open to the public. I would have loved to see it!

Here is a sample of what it looked like. Amazing!!! Makes me want to make another red and white quilt.

It was hosted by the American Folk Art Museum. You can see more about it here: display of red and white quilts. When you get to the website, click on the photos it will give you a slide show.
Martha Stewart also blogged about it here.
The funny thing was, the lady said she wasn't a collector...talk about denial!

Have a happy weekend.
Rhondi

Tulips Again

2011-03-29T21:31:00.000-04:00

Remember the tulips I showed you last week? Well I just had to show you how they opened up... the blossoms are about the size of a bread and butter plate!

Aren't they beautiful?

Rhondi xo

Bargains Make Me Happy

2011-03-27T17:10:00.003-04:00

On our way to have breakfast out on Saturday morning we came across these chairs at a yard sale, $75 for both chairs and ottomans. A great deal right? But we don't really need any chairs. So we passed them up.

As we were eating, I kept thinking about what a great deal they were. So since we had to drive almost right by there on our way home I talked my hubby into just taking a look. I didn't expect them to still be there at that price, but they were and they had reduced them to $40 for all. Well I couldn't say no to that, so we loaded them into the back of our car and home they came. Bargains make me happy!

These chairs are nostalgic for me because they are the exact same style as the pair of chairs my parents gave us when we got married. They are called Lawson chairs. A Lawson chair/sofa has plump cushions, a low back and even lower arms. It is named after a Boston billionaire named Lawson who it was originally designed for.
I found a great deal on some white matelasse bedspreads at Kmart.com which I'll use to make covers for them and they'll probably replace some worn out chairs in our TV room.

I'll show them to you whenever they're finished.
Bye for now!
Rhondi

Thankful Thursday

2011-03-24T08:28:00.000-04:00

When I was blogging all the time I always made time on Thursdays to be thankful. It's easy to be thankful on a day like this. The dogwood trees are in bloom. The sun is shining. Chickadees are making a nest in our birdhouse. Everything is green and wet from a good night's rain. The woods are turning green overnight. We saw an owl and a hawk on our walk this morning.

And yesterday a gardening friend picked these from her garden just for me!

What are you thankful for today?

Rhondi xo

A New Friend

2011-03-16T09:03:00.001-04:00

Don't you love it when you meet a kindred spirit? That's how I felt when I met Rhonda, the girl who lives here.

I know you'll love her too. She is a new blogger and I know she would love it if you stop by and visit her at Blissful Spirit. Tell her I said hello! And check out the jewelry she makes!!

Rhondi xo

Fun Garden Flowers

2011-03-10T09:17:00.001-05:00

We have a wonderful shop here in Charlotte, Blackhawk Hardware,and it has the most amazing garden section. I snapped this photo when I was there yesterday. The large flowers are metal. Aren't they fun? I just love the way they pop out among the blue pansies.

Rhondi xo

A Bouquet Of Sunshine

2011-03-08T12:41:00.000-05:00

A bouquet of sunshine from my garden, just to say I'm thinking about you today and missing you!

Rhondi xo

Three Years!

2010-11-29T20:33:00.000-05:00

Hello dear friends
Now that I am working as a realtor, I am very busy and I haven't much time for writing. I thought that November 30 was my three year anniversary of blogging, but as I was getting ready to write this post I saw that the first one was Nov. 19!! Three years and over 500 posts!! It has been such fun. I planned to have a big celebration party but with working I just haven't been able to get it organized. That just shows how distracted I am....

From the very first cup of tea we shared, you have been very special to me. You came into my life and left your sweet comments. You invited me into your lives through your blogs. I have enjoyed every minute of it!
There is a season for everything and right now I am in a season of building a business. To really do it well I need to give it my full attention which doesn't leave time to do lots of creative things and blog about them.

So for awhile I am putting my rose colored glasses away.

It has been a wonderful time and I'ved loved all of it. You are all amazing women and I've enjoyed getting to know so many of you.

Perhaps if we decide to move to a new house I'll pick up my rose colored glasses again and take you on the journey with me. Until then I'll stop by for a visit when I can.
Rhondi xo

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-24T08:24:00.000-05:00

I hope that you are able to spend time with people who are important to you and in the midst all the feasting let's take time to be thankful.
Rhondi xo

Thanksgiving #8

2010-11-18T08:36:00.001-05:00

Today I am thankful for the flowers still blooming in our garden. We haven't had a hard frost yet. I am specially thankful for this beautiful white anemone, Honorine Flaubert. I bought it 3years ago and the deer ate all the buds 2 years in a row, so this is the first time I have seen it bloom!

These Chrysanthemums are so beautiful too. I showed them to you before, but I just had to show them again because they have turned such beautiful colors, even being spotted with dark pink in spots.

I have written 500 posts and didn't even know it. On my dashboard it says 497 posts but in my archives I have 504! I am coming up to my third year blogiversary at the end of the month so I'll have a big celebration for both occasions then!

Hope you have a great day!

Rhondi xo

Thanksgiving # 7

2010-11-09T08:49:00.000-05:00

I thought I'd be able to post something to be thankful for every day, but I just have not been able to do it, so I'll just post as many times as I can this month.

Today I was thinking about how thankful I am for all the wonderful friends God has given me over the years and how many cups of tea we've shared using my dainty blue tea set. If it could talk!

We've laughed , we've cried, we've planned, we've rejoiced, we've regretted, we've forgiven, we encouraged, we've advised, we've reminisced, we've solved problems, all while drinking tea from these teacups.

Neighborhood gatherings, ladies bible studies, quilting groups, baby showers, bridal showers, garden clubs, goodbye parties, birthday teas, planning meetings, all with a cup of tea.

I am so thankful for dear friends I have had over the years, many of whom live far from me now. I am thankful for the new friendships that have formed since we moved to North Carolina and I am thankful for all the wonderful friends I've made since I began blogging!

One of my friends has moved to Dallas. She is a quilter and she is also looking for a good church and a Beth Moore bible study. If any of you live in Dallas and would like to make her feel welcome, email me. If you have moved you know hard it is to move to a new city and have to make new friends.

To all of you, thanks for being my friend. I wish everyone could come and have tea (or coffee) with me. If you are a coffee drinker, I just need to warn you I make the world's worst coffee so I'll ask you to make it when you get here!

Rhondi xo

Thanksgiving #6

2010-11-06T08:15:00.000-04:00

Whenever I think about counting my blessings, my family is right at the top of the list. I have been married for 41 years to a very good man and we raised 4 wonderful children, 3 sons and a daughter. I love all my kids, but I have to say I am very thankful that I have a daughter. My sons are great, but 2 live far away and let's face it, guys just aren't as relational as girls are.
So today I am thankful for our daughter. I am thankful for her many phone calls and drop in visits and thoughtfulness. She is a sweetheart.
And while I'm at it, I'll brag a little on her too. She teaches kindergarten and was voted teacher of the year at her school. Not only am I thankful for her, I'm proud of her too!

Enjoy your weekend.
Rhondi xo

Thanksgiving #5

2010-11-05T16:28:00.001-04:00

I think I already told you that I won a giveaway from Lori at Bee In My Bonnet. It arrived in the mail today. I am thankful for all this free fabric! Isn't it great?

Lori is a talented designer and she also sent me two of her patterns. They both look wonerdful.

I especially like this one because it has teacups...perfect for me!!

I feel very lucky today. Thank you Lori.

Rhondi xo

Thanksgiving # 4

2010-11-04T09:30:00.021-04:00

I was going to plant my pansies today but I'll have to do it another day because it's raining. It's one of those nice gentle rains that sounds so comforting when you're sleeping and the window is open. I made my Gran's oatmeal cookies, so I hope you have time to stay for a visit and have a cup of tea and a cookie ( or two)

Let's use the red dotted teapot. It looks so nice on my black tole tray.

A cup for you and a cup for me. The flowers are from my garden.

I'll pour yours first.

And one for me.

Now let me tell you what I am thankful for today. Last week we flew to Texas. I have this habit of fiddling with my ring and as we were walking down the hallway at the airport I suddenly realized the diamond in my ring was gone. I had just gone to the restroom a couple of minutes earlier and recalled having banged my hand against the door in the stall as I closed it . So I rushed back hoping that's where it had fallen out. I wasn't sure exactly which stall I had used, so I randomly picked one and there was my diamond lying on the floor! It is a very tiny diamond from the engagement ring my husband gave me when we were just college students and had no money, so I was surprised I was even able to see it. It symbolzes 43 years of marriage and I am very thankful I found it.

Thanks for stopping by today and making a dull day cheerful!

Rhondi xo

Thanksgiving # 3

2010-11-03T09:00:00.003-04:00

Yesterday I bought these pansies.

I am thankful to live in a place where I can plant pansies now and have flowers to pick all winter.

I can enjoy them here.

and here

and here.

I am going to plant them tomorrow afternoon. If you'd like to come and help me I'll make us a nice hot cup of tea and there might just be some homemade cookies to munch on!

Rhondi xo

Thanksgiving #2

2010-11-02T08:36:00.000-04:00

For the month of November I am going to try to post every day about something I am thankful for and make it a month of Thanksgiving rather than just one day of Thanksgiving.

I am thankful for the freedom and privilege we have here in the US to vote.

Mark Twain said, "A person who won't read has no advantage over a person who can't read."

I think it is the same for voting. A person who doesn't vote is in the same position as a person who can't vote. Neither gets to have their opinion counted.

If you haven't voted yet, do it today.

Rhondi xo

Hello November

2010-11-01T22:21:00.000-04:00

Hello November. I love the way you paint my neighborhood with beautiful color.

I am thankful for the beautiful colors of November. We wait until the end of the month to celebrate Thanksgiving, but I am going to start the month with thanks and try to post about something I am thankful for every day until then. Maybe you'd like to join me?

Rhondi xo

Halloween Party

2010-10-31T14:34:00.000-04:00

We are in Texas visiting our grandkids and got to go to a neighborhood Halloween party.

The decorations were amazing. I will let the photos speak for themselves.

Across the street were 2 large black cats, keeping guard over things.

It was a fun party. Sorry I don't have time to tell you any more about it but my grand daughter wants to play another game. Gotta go!
Rhondi xo

I Won!

2010-10-25T08:36:00.001-04:00

I just won a giveaway! Don't you love to win things?

Jodi from Pleasant Home organized a bunch of blogging quilters to have giveaways for their scraps of fabric.

If you aren't a sewer, you won't know that we all save our scraps because they might be useful in a project some time later.

This morning when I checked my email I had a lovely surprise: an email from Lori at Bee In My Bonnet telling me I'd won her giveaway. These are the fabrics I won...perfect colors for me !!

She is sending me a whole box full! It is just the inspiration I need to get going on a new project.

I'll be watching my mailbox.

Rhondi xo

Thankful Thursday

2010-10-21T20:18:00.000-04:00

When I was posting more often every Thursday was Thankful Thursday.

We have 4 children. Our two older sons live far away but our younger son and daughter live 10 minutes away and I am so thankful that they can just drop in to see us. They were both here for dinner tonight. It would be so great to have all our kids here but I am so thankful that at least two are!

What are you thankful for today?

Rhondi xo

An Afternoon In The Garden

2010-10-18T14:25:00.001-04:00

It was such a beautiful day yesterday and so I took my camera out into the garden to record what was blooming.

I have lots of these pretty mums. They start off white and turn a pale pink and they provide lovely pops of color in my garden this time of year.

On closer inspection I began to notice the bees.

So I zoomed in and this is what I saw.

Amazing aren't they?

Rhondi xo

A Blogger's Brunch

2010-10-17T12:54:00.003-04:00

What a wonderful day I had yesterday. It was the blogger's brunch at Penny's home. For any of you who have never met Penny make sure you go and visit her at The Comforts Of Home . Three of us from Charlotte headed out early in the morning on our adventure. We talked all the way there, enjoying the beautiful scenery along the way and arrived a half hour early. Penny made us all feel so welcome! Her home is so inviting and beautiful. She is a talented mosaic artist and a great cook too. She served a delicious brunch: 4 different quiches, still hot from the oven.

Homemade pumpkin bread and fresh tossed salad, all served buffet style in her beautiful kitchen.

Penny invited anyone in North Carolina to ocme for brunch and 14 of us plus husbands showed up! Aren't we a great looking group? So do you want to know who everyone is?

Back row: Ulrike, Angie, Mary, Sherri, Jeanne, Jennifer and Melinda

Front row: Sam, Penny, me, Diane, Penny our wonderful hostess, Donnie and Kim

What a delightful group of women. We talked and laughed and took pictures of each other. It was quite funny to see 14 women walking around Penny's home snapping photos of everything and everyone. Then we went shopping to some of Penny's favorite places.

Here we all are as we descend upon The Screen Door.

It was filled with all sorts of fun things. I love this chair!

And these boots would be fun to wear!

We had a fabulous time and by the end of the day we were all tired and happy! Here are the 2 Penny's taking a rest.

Thanks Penny for a beautiful day.

Rhondi xo

Stop By For A Visit

2010-10-14T10:00:00.000-04:00

I was thinking about you as I ate my breakfast this morning. Typical breakfast for me is a cup of tea and non fat yogurt with some fresh fruit and granola sprinkled on the top. As I was planning my day I wondering what your plans for your day were.

This is my favorite mug and I just love it. It's got a chip on the rim and I should probably throw it out. I have lots of other ones but this is my favorite.

I love a cup of hot tea. It is just so soothing and relaxing.

I love mornings too, the air is still, the busyness of the day has not begun yet. There is time to think, pray and plan for the day. Then the birds begin to chirp as it gets light and then we go for a walk.

Every day has the potential for something good to happen.

I wonder what today will bring?

I will be working from home this morning so if you have time to stop by for a chat I'll have the coffee pot on and the tea ready to pour. Now that I am working full time, I miss having the time to chat with you!

Rhondi xo

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving

2010-10-10T15:15:00.001-04:00

I was born in Toronto Canada and lived there until I was 46 years old when we moved to the US. Today I am thinking of all my family and friends in Canada who will be feasting on turkey because tomorrrow is officially Thanksgiving day in Canada.
We are having turkey and all the fixings today too in honor of our Canadian roots. Right now the smell of a turkey in the oven fills our home. It is a beautiful fall day here, a perfect day to be thankful.

So to all my Canadian friends, Happy Thanksgiving!!

Rhondi xo

Seeds

2010-10-02T07:42:00.001-04:00

Every problem has in it the seeds of its own solution. If you don't have any problems, you don't get any seeds.

Norman Vincent Peale

What are the seeds in your problem today?

Rhondi xo

Homearama

2010-09-30T21:53:00.000-04:00

Now that I am a realtor I get lots of chances to see beautiful homes. These are pictures of a gorgeous home I saw this week, which was part of Homearama, a tour of custom homes here in Charlotte. Everything about it was just beautiful!

Fabulous kitchen

What a beautiful home. I hope you enjoyed the tour.

Rhondi xo

Come For A Walk In The Woods

2010-09-24T08:37:00.000-04:00

Every morning, Mr Rose Colored Glasses and I go for a walk and part of our walk takes us through the woods. For the last week or so one section of the path has been bordered by these beautiful yellow daisy like flowers. I''ve wanted to show you but I as you may know, I dropped my camera and broke it a few weeks ago. I'm go glad that I got another camera in time to show you these flowers before they finish blooming.

They line both sides of the path and are about 3 feet tall.

Aren't they a lovely color of yellow?

It's such a delight to walk here every morning and enjoy the beauty. I'm glad you were able to join us on our walk today! Have a great weekend.

Rhondi xo

Tea Cup Tuesday

2010-09-21T07:11:00.001-04:00

Hello dear friends. I apologize for such a long time since my last post. My camera broke and I've been working, so I haven't had the time or the tools to blog about anything.

I miss talking to you!

There are lots of tea related memes on Tuesday so I decided to join a couple:

Tea Cup Tuesday at Artful Affirmations and Martha's Favorites and Tea For Two at The Plumed Pen and Tea Time Tuesday at Lady Katherine's Tea Parlor

Here are just a couple of teacups which you may have seen before. The first three were $1 each from Goodwill.

Any of you who have visited me before will know that this blue and white teacup comes from my dainty blue tea set by Shelley. I've had it since before I was married and would have to say that it is my most treasured possession.

I miss you. My new camera is on it's way so I'll be back soon. Do you have time to stay for a cup of tea? I'll put the kettle on...

Rhondi xo

September 11

2010-09-11T08:58:00.001-04:00

A day etched in our memory. A day we all reached out to loved ones to make sure they were safe and say we loved them. A day when we flew our flags. A day when you heard people talking about prayer in the checkout line at the grocery store. A day when we gathered together as Americans to weep.

My heartfelt thanks to all the rescue workers who put their lives in danger and my prayers are with all the families who lost loved ones that day.

GOD BLESS AMERICA

Rhondi xo

Still Dreaming

2010-09-06T16:34:00.001-04:00

Dreaming of fall...cool nights, open windows, leaves falling

Dreaming of wearing sweaters, evenings by the fire, simmering pots of hot soup on the stove...

Dreaming of fall.....are you coming soon?

Any signs of fall where you live?

Rhondi xo

Dreaming of Cottages

2010-09-03T10:17:00.001-04:00

I dropped my camera and it broke, so I haven't been able to take any pictures since my last post.

I have been dreaming about living in a lovely little cottage. There is something romantic about the idea of a cottage isn't there? Isn't dreaming fun? You can have whatever you want. I love to dream because it's free! No decisions to be made about price, or practicality etc.

Maybe a thatched roof cottage in England surrounded by a beautiful garden, in a charming little town where my friends stop by every afternooon about 4 for a nice cup of tea and a chat.

Or maybe a little stone cottage in Carmel rubbing shoulders with millionaires, with the Pacific Ocean nearby.

Or a little cottage in the woods with a porch for enjoying the fresh air and the only the sound is of birds

Maybe a cottage high on a cliff with a view of the ocean, and the sound of crashing waves lulling me to sleep every night.

Maybe a cottage right at the edge of a lake where I can rise early in the morning, take my tea down to the dock and enjoy watching the mist rise off the lake and maybe hear the loons.

Just imagining living in these cottages makes me feel relaxed. Now how am I going to decorate them? I'll have to save that dreaming for another day.

What would your dream cottage look like?

Hope you enjoy the holiday weekend.
Rhondi
xo

Teapots

2010-08-21T09:15:00.000-04:00

Good Saturday morning to you! What are your plans for today? Do you have typical Saturday errands or do you have some wonderful project to work on?

We are going to a "move that bus" type event like on the Home Makeover TV show. Our church has been involved in fixing up some apartments for single moms and today they are being presented to the young women so 500 of us are going to be there just to create some excitement.

You know I like teapots. I was visiting Attic 24 and saw this amazing teapot. Isn't it fabulous?? If you've never visited Lucy you really must.

She lives in England and her blog is filled with the most cheerful colors. The crocheting she does is beautiful and she takes you along on lots of outings to beautiful places nearby.

Then I found another teapot, just happens to also be in my favorite colors. It's not a big one but it is so creative. I wonder if I could make one just like it?

This one came from Art For Housewives. I just discovered the blog this morning and it has all sorts of wonderfully creative ideas.

This last teapot comes from Teapots, Teapots, Teapots. Look at how big it is, as tall as the display shelf! That is the size of teapot I'd need if everyone who I visit in blogland came to tea at the same time. Oh what a party that would be!! To have all of you come to my house for tea would be a dream come true, to hear your voices, give you a big hug... oh how wonderful!!

So let's at least share a virtual cup of tea and I'll send you a virtual hug and wish you a Happy Saturday.

((hugs)) Rhondi

Thankful Thursday

2010-08-19T08:48:00.000-04:00

It has been a long time since I did a thankful Thursday post.

Today I am thinking about all the things in my life to be thankful for.

There are so many things I take for granted:

a loving husband

healthy kids

grandchildren

good health

the best sister in the world

great friends

Then there are things which are considered luxuries in other countries:

a house

clean water

enough food to eat

safety

access to medical help

2 cars

more than one change of clothes

a job

But what I am thankful for most of all is Jesus.

Nothing much else really matters in the grand scheme of things.

The rest is just icing on the cake.

What are you thankful for today?

Rhondi xo

A Summer Bouquet

2010-08-17T06:00:00.002-04:00

I love being able to pick flowers from my garden.

There is something very satisfying about walking around the garden, scissors in hand and snipping a few things here and there.

Then choosing a favorite vase and arranging them in it.

The knockout roses, phlox and salvia are blooming in profusion right now.

Last year I didn't have any blooms on the phlox thanks to the deer.

The deer still visit, but this year I've sprayed all the flowers that bloom, with something called Deer Off and it has done a good job of keeping the deer from munching on all the blossoms.

Red white and blue flowers in a white vase with a pair of yellow birds sitting in front. I love it!

By the way, I finished the book I mentioned last time. It was a good read and I'd definitely recommend it.

Rhondi xo

A Good Book and a Lazy Afternoon

2010-08-15T13:13:00.001-04:00

I'm sorry I haven't written for awhile. First I had problems with downloading photos and finally figured out that I had exceeded my quota and had to purchase more space.

Then we had the most wonderful surprise! Our two married sons and their families who live in Texas and Massachusetts decided to come and visit at the same time! So we had a house full of adult kids and grandkids all week. It was so great to have everyone together. There was constant laughter, playing, eating ,going on outings, eating, swimming, did I say eating?

But now they are gone. The house is quiet. It's Sunday. We've been to church and I plan to spend the rest of the day relaxing, lounging around and reading a book. It's fun to share books and I loved reading aloud to the grands.

I have a wonderful book to read. It's about solving the mystery of a little girl who gets put on a ship in England headed for Australia and told not to tell anyone her name.

Are you like me? When I have a book I'm enjoying I am like a dog with a bone. I just can't put it down. This is a good one.

I've made a pot of tea.

I'm going to relax in my favorite chaise.

Enjoy my book and tea

and be totally lazy

Yes...It's a good thing to do on a hot Sunday afternoon in August.

Rhondi xo

This 'n That

2010-08-04T09:00:00.002-04:00

Hello dear friends

Yesterday I quit work at 4:00 so I had some time for a little cleaning and puttering in my garden and writing a post.

My daughter told me about this wonderful cleaner from Target. It has a lovely fresh cucumber smell and made the kitchen smell so fresh and clean. I think you'd like it too.

I know some of you love to clean but it still didn't make cleaning fun as far as I was concerned!

Then I went into my garden and took some great photos of all the butterflies fluttering around the buddleia

and one of a baby bird in a nest in the rose bush. Here is the mother keeping a close watch nearby, making sure no harm comes to her baby.

The bees were busy at the salvia too.

I tried to upload photos of the little bird and all the beautiful butterflies but blogger won't let me load them. There was a new window for loadinfg pictures and I kept getting a message that said "server rejected". Has anyone else had that problem and did you get it solved? Blogger help was no help at all.

So I finally get a chance to post about something and can't do it... oh well.

I hope you have a wonderful day today.

Rhondi xo

Seasons In Our Lives

2010-07-26T19:54:00.001-04:00

Hello my dear blog friends.

I miss you. I miss having tea with you. I miss showing you what I have been doing. I miss talking about things that don't seem very important in the great scheme of things but ARE important in our everyday lives. I miss snapping photos and thinking, "Oh this would be fun to show my blog friends!"

I've had the same quilt on this table in our lving room for a long time.

There is nothing decorating our dining room table.

I did one little project, framing a beautiful yo yo flag that my friend Karen gave me a long time ago.

And I've started making some squares to make into a tablecloth.

Concentrating on work takes all my time and creative energy. I have my first closing on Friday so it has been worth the work but I have to figure out how I can balance work and my blog. I'm out of practice taking photos too! These sure aren't very good!

I haven't forgottten you and will stop by to visit as soon as I can.

Your friend

Rhondi xo

A Scene From The Past

2010-07-16T17:03:00.002-04:00

Cape Cod

2010-07-10T15:11:00.002-04:00

We were in Cape Cod. Many of you guessed New England but Angela at Love Being a Nonny was the only one who said Cape Cod.

These pictures are in Chatham.

I would have loved to buy all this china. Prices were too steep for me.

Window boxes were everywhere.

Cute little signs tempted you into the shops.

There were huge hydrangea bushes everywhere you looked.

Flowers in abundance. Isn't this lavender fabulous?

We stayed at a house in Dennis. This is a home in the neighborhood where we stayed.

You can't be in New England without having lobsters and steamed clams!

The best time of day was sunset at Breakwater Beach in Brewster. The tide goes out really far and you can walk very far from shore. See how small the people are and you can walk out much farther than that.

Here is my family "posing". Our oldest son and his family weren't able to join us, but at least we had one of our grandchildren with us. I'm taking the picture.

Good bye Cape Cod. We loved you when our children were young and spent many summer vacations there with them and you helped us make some wonderful memories again.

Rhondi xo

Summer Vacation

2010-07-09T04:28:00.000-04:00

Can you guess where we went on our summer vacation?

More photos tomorrow.

Rhondi xo

It's All In Your Head

2010-06-23T10:15:00.000-04:00

If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right. Henry Ford

Rhondi xo

My Third Summer Porch Party

2010-06-20T20:03:00.000-04:00

It's party time! Welcome to my third summer porch party. I am so glad you were able to come!

This year I am hosting my party on our deck overlooking the woods in our backyard. It is very large so there's room for everyone.

So come and have a seat, sit in the shade of these beautiful trees and enjoy the view of the woods. Maybe you'll see some deer!

I have a couple of different sitting areas you can choose from.

You can sit at the table.

You can sit in my blue chairs.

Oh, Dana, my ceramic rabbits have been expecting you. I told them stone rabbit might come with you today.

It is very hot here today so I've got lots of iced tea in the pitcher on my tea trolley.

You can sit in the black chairs.

These are some baby orchids a friend gave me. She said to keep them outside until just before the first frost and then if I keep them in a sunny window they will bloom. It's amazing how much bigger they've grown already.

I love the way the sun shines on the table. I got this lace cloth at a garage sale recently for $3. What a deal.

I made some lemon cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.

My husband couldn't wait for you you to get here!

Thanks for making my party special. I have missed spending time with you!

Now there are lots of other porch parties today in blogland so have fun visiting all of them. They are all listed below.

If you have your porch ready for a party then link in below. There are a few rules:
Publish your post first.
Make sure you provide a link to my blog in your post so your readers can visit the other parties.
Double click on the title of your post.
Then copy the URL at the top of the page.
Come and visit me and sign in with Mr Linky.
The last thing to do is leave me a comment.

Thanks again for coming to my party. It just wouldn't have been the same without you.

Rhondi xo

Porch Party Preparations

2010-06-18T08:51:00.000-04:00

Hello friends
Just a reminder that my porch party is Monday. I'll have it up and ready for you to link to on Sunday night after 9:PM

Can't wait to visit all of you and celebrate the first day of summer on all your porches, decks, patios.....

Now I've got to go and get everything ready. See you Monday!

Rhondi xo

Random

2010-06-12T08:41:00.001-04:00

It's a beautiful Saturday morning and it is cool enough to have the windows open for a little while and let some fresh air inside. As I sit looking out the window this morning I am captured by how beautiful the hydrangeas look poking through the railing on our deck, so I just had to take a picture and show you.

From my window I can also see this silly flamingo that I got at a yard sale a few years ago. He would be perfect for Beverley's Pink Saturday but I didn't join in time.

A pot full of blue bottles sits nearby.

I had the beginnings of a bottle tree but the branch fell over, so they're now a bottle garden.

Tucked away under the bushes is a piece of one of my favorite planters that was broken when the tree fell last year.

A close up of one of my favorite plants in my garden, salvia guaranticia. It will continue to bloom until we have a frost.

If you were sitting here having a cup of tea with me...oh how I wish you were.......I can make you some coffee if you like........ this is what you would see out the window in my studio...just some random photos.

Make sure you take some time to enjoy the weekend.

Rhondi xo

Heavenly Blue

2010-06-09T10:33:00.000-04:00

The hydrangeas in our garden this year are spectacular...a heavenly blue. I picked a large bunch of them yesterday and just had to show them to you before I start my work day. Aren't they gorgeous? I thought of Erin at The Painted Garden, when I put them in this blue glass vase. She has done some beautiful paintings of hydrangeas, one of which I won on her giveaway!

The thing that is so amazing about hyrdrangeas is how many different shades of blue there can be at the same time on one bush. They start out cream with a tinge of blue, then get bluer then begin to turn lilac and eventually become a rich greenish/lilac color. These photos were from one bush this morning.

Just had to show them to you!

Hope you have a wonderful day
Rhondi xo

Happy Second Annniversary Pink Saturday

2010-05-29T01:23:00.003-04:00

It's time for a big celebration. Our wonderful hostess Beverley has been hosting Pink Saturday for 2 years!!! And she was also featured in The Artful Blogger magazine!! Congratulations Beverly. You are the hostess with the mostess.

We love you Beverly and we celebrate you today.

So blow up the balloons

Get out your party hats

Put on your best pink party dress

We'll need lots of cupcakes

And of course lots of beautiful pink flowers, especially for Beverly

Bring your pets to the party

There'll be tea and dancing

and champagne...

and lots of cake...

Word got arund that this was the party of the year and so a few special people got all dressed up in pink and surprised us

So let's all raise our glass and drink a toast. Here's to you to Beverly. You're the best. Thanks for 2 delightful years of Pink Saturdays!! Click here to visit Beverly and congratulate her too.

Don't forget about my porch party on June 21. You can read more details about it in the previous post.

Happy Pink Saturday
Rhondi xo

Painted The Deck

2010-05-16T13:42:00.003-04:00

We have a large 2 level deck at the back of our house. It sits in the trees and when we sit out there, it is easy to forget that we live just 15 minutes from the city.

It was stained brown when we moved here and we continued to stain it. Then last year I got the idea to paint it, grey on the floor and white on the railing.

It took us a year to finally get around to it but this spring our son painted it for us.

What a difference!

It turned out so much better than I had envisoned and I just love the look.

I haven't put any plants out there or decorated it at all and until I do we'll just enjoy it the way it is.

I am going to host my 3rd annual summer porch party again this year on June 21, the first day of summer. That gives you lots of time to get ready for it. Hope you'll join the party! I have posted this button on my sidebar, so copy it and spread the word. If you don't have a porch, a patio or deck would be welcome too!
For any of you who are new, I'll have my post up the night before and you just come and sign up with the Mr Linky then.

Maybe I'll have my party on our freshly painted deck.....

I hope you're having a restful weekend. That's what I am trying to do.

Rhondi xo

Missing My Puttering Time

2010-05-12T21:25:00.002-04:00

Hello dear friends

I have been very busy getting my real estate business up and running again. There has been no time for the fun of puttering around he house, but we did manage to go to Boston last weekend to visit our youngest grandson. He will be 6 months old on Friday. He is such a happy baby and so good. Did I mention how cute he is too?

There's not much time for puttering but I did pick some flowers from the garden.

And put one of my unfinished quilts as a table cloth in the living room. Nothing else in the house has been changed which is very unusual for me!

Friday is our sweet daughter's birthday. She will be 28. Tomorrow is also Thankful Thursday and I am thankful for having such a wonderful daughter! She is a joy to my heart.

Rhondi xo

I Miss You!

2010-04-27T14:18:00.001-04:00

I have missed you! Since I started working again, there has been no time to post or visit you. So this afternoon I am taking a short break.

I've made some tea and taken it out to the front porch and I am going to relax for a little while. So what have you been doing the last 2 weeks? It's hard to believe I've only been back in real estate for 2 weeks and I'm so excited because I got my first listing on the weekend! I am really enjoying connecting with past clients, looking at houses and talking about houses.

Just a minute, while I go and get another cup and I hope you can visit for awhile. Help yourself to a chocolate covered digestive cookie. They are delicious.

Now, did you know that if you are going to sell your home or buy another one, even though I don't do real estate where you live, I can refer you to a great realtor there and I will get a referral fee from the firm that you use? It doesn't cost you anything, but benefits both me and the realtor I refer you to. So if you or anyone you know needs a realtor and doesn't know of a good one, please contact me and I will connect you. Or if you've heard of a good one but never personally done business with them, you can tell me who it is. I call their firm and tell them I have a client for them. It's very simple.

I've hardly looked at my house, no fluffing, puttering or re-arranging going on right now, so these are photos from a previous post. Hope you don't mind.

So my dear friends, I miss you!

Rhondi xo

Thankful Thursday

2010-04-22T07:50:00.000-04:00

Good morning friends.
I miss chatting with you and visiting with you. As soon as I get my real estate business up and running again, I am definitely going to make time for blogging, so just bear with me for awhile and I'll be back at it but I couldn't miss Thankful Thursday .

Today I am thankful for
beautiful spring weather
a woods to walk each morning and the good health to be able to walk
my friend who is helping me as I start up my real estate business again
happy sound of the birds outside my window
all the amazing colors of the azaleas which seem especially spectacular this year.

What are you thankful for today?
Rhondi xo

Selling Houses

2010-04-18T07:47:00.001-04:00

Spring in North Carolina means azaleas and dogwood. The dogwood are too high for me to cut branches , but I always have a big vase of azaleas inside as long as they are in bloom. The colors are amazing!

I went to a couple of garage sales on Saturday and found this rooster for $2. Just couldn't pass it up at that price! So I thought he'd look good on the dining room table beside the azaleas and he can be a friend for my other roosters.

I'm sorry that I haven't been able to visit most of you this week. I've gone back to work as a realtor again. You must be thinking, "Is she crazy in this market?" Maybe I am! I love houses, as many of you do,so real estate is the perfect job for me, but that means I won't be posting as often and I can't host any tea parties for awhile.

I love writing my blog and I love visiting all of you dear friends, so as soon as I get my work established and get my work routine organized I hope to be able to post more often again, but for awhile it may be very hit and miss.

I'll still be visiting you when I can.

It is a beautiful weekend here. I hope you are enjoying your weekend too.

Rhondi xo

Thankful Thursday

2010-04-15T08:08:00.000-04:00

There are so many things to be thankful for and I like writing them down because it helps me to me more thankful more often. Today I am thankful for:

beautiful spring weather
being healthy enough to go for a long walk every morning
a husband to walk with
a woods to walk in
seeing the first hummingbird yesterday
spending the week with our grandchildren in Texas last week
azaleas blooming in profusion
dogwood in the woods
chirping of the birds just before it starts to get light
my friend Susan who is helping me get back in to real estate again
my sister who is my best friend
a week today we'll get to see our 5 month old grandson who we haven't seen since Thanksgiving

What are you thankful for today?

Rhondi xo

If you are posting for Thankful Thursday sign in below. Thanks for joining me today!

Tea Party Tuesday

2010-04-12T20:29:00.001-04:00

Welcome to Tea Party Tuesday. Today I want to treat you to a traditional Devon cream tea. It is tea served with fresh baked scones and strawberry preserves and wonderful clotted cream that is thick and gloppy. Is that a word? Well gloppy describes what it looks like! It is delicious.

Here in the United States people think that tea has to be fancy, but this is a typical cream tea: a metal teapot, little glass pots for the jam and Devon cream and simple white tea cups on a tray.

You can buy Devon cream in specialty shops here but it isn't nearly as good the clotted cream they have in Devon, so we're going to England to the little town of Lustleigh in Devon. This is not a movie set. It is a real town and people actually live here. I've been to Devon, but not to this town.

Aren't these homes charming?

Primrose Cottage was on a list of the best tea rooms in Britain.

Look at that thatched roof. Isn't it amazing?

On the right hand corner of the building you can see a yellow sign leaning against the wall. It probably looks just like just like this: a blackboard with the menu written with chalk.

Here is a table set for cream tea.

and another one. I love this teapot.

Tea at Primrose Cottage will probably look more like this with a simple brown betty teapot and a wood table with placemats

It's a long way home so I suggest we spend the night at The Cleave.

This is a sign at the entrance to The Cleave! Another chalkboard sign.

England is a long way to travel for a cup of tea, but it's well worth it. I hope you enjoyed our traditional Devon cream tea. I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself too as you visit the other tea parties on Tea Party Tuesday.

Rhondi xo

If you are having a tea party and want to link with me, here is what to do:
Write your post and include a link to my blog.
Use my tea party button if you'd like.
Publish your post, then come visit me and sign in with Mr Linky.
Thanks for joining me today!

Back Home

2010-04-10T14:32:00.000-04:00

Hello my dear friends.

I have missed you!

We have been in Texas visiting our granchildren. We had a wonderful time and hated to leave. We told them that we were leaving really early and that when they got up we would be gone, to which little Christopher replied, "You'll disappear!" They are just so darn cute!! You can never get enough hugs and kisses from your grandchildren. They just melt your heart. I hope all of you grandmothers who can see your grandkids any time you want, apppreciate what a blessing that is!

So I'm back home and I missed all of you. I wonder what has been happening in your lives while I've been away. I missed reading your blogs and seeing what you've been doing and I missed reading your comments.

While we were gone Spring arrived in all it's glory. I am amazed how much everything has grown around here!

The first thing I did this morning and what I always do when we've been away for awhile, was take a walk around my garden and see what is blooming. I picked some flowers too.

These yellow ones which I picked for my studio grow like weeds in our backyard and in the woods. I forget what they're called.

I picked some ajuga (which is growing all over our lawn) to put on my wicker desk. Right now we have ajuga, violets and several other little flowering weeds growing in the lawn. They are so pretty I'm tempted to let them spread and forget trying to grow grass. I wonder how the neighbors would react?

And some azaleas for the mantle in the living room.

I've got the dirty clothes all washed and put away and my husband did the grocery shopping, so now we are ready to relax for the rest of the day and recover from the long drive home. Now I am just going to go and make myself a cup of tea. Then as I read your posts, I'm going to pretend that we are sitting out on our deck enjoying the sunshine and chatting just like good friends do.

Your friend,
Rhondi xo

Taking a Break

2010-03-30T22:03:00.000-04:00

Dear blogging friends

I'm taking a short break and going to enjoy Easter with my family. Be back soon.

Rhondi xo

Tea Party Tuesday

2010-03-29T21:00:00.001-04:00

Welcome to my tea party. I am so glad you were able to stop by today for a cup of tea. I picked some flowers from the garden just for you.

Since it's almost Easter I got out my bunny tea set. My cute little bunny teapot only holds two cups of tea so I hope you come one at a time today!

Bunny sugar bowl

and bunny creamer.

A blue striped tea cup

Put it all on a wicker tray and we have a perfect little Easter tea.

The weather has been so beautiful so I thought you'd enjoy sitting on the front porch today.

I just didn't have time to bake anything to have with our tea today, but I do have some Oreos and they are great to dip in our tea, so I'll just go in the house and get us some. You can enjoy the spring flowers that are blooming in my garden and I'll be right back!

Rhondi xo

If you are hosting a Tea Party on your blog today here are the rules:

Write your post and include my tea party button and a link to my blog.

Publish your post.

Come over and sign in with Mr Linky.

Pink Saturday

2010-03-27T05:49:00.002-04:00

Look what I just bought...pink boots!

Aren't they cute? Just perfect for gardening.

I got them at Target and they happened to be on sale. My lucky day!

Don't they look cute sitting by the back door?

For lots more pink posts visit Beverly who hosts Pink Saturday at How Sweet The Sound.

Happy Pink Saturday.

Rhondi xo

Playing With Spray Paint Again

2010-03-26T08:33:00.001-04:00

The day was warm, the air was still. A perfect day to spray paint!

I covered the seats with fabric left over from a project years ago.

Before...

After

I'm in love with this color!

Rhondi xo

Thankful Thursday

2010-03-25T07:21:00.000-04:00

My list of what I am thankful for today is short and sweet.

Today I am thankful for:

the days being longer so we can go for a walk after dinner

our son painting the deck (I'll show it to you when it's done)

fresh flowers picked from our garden

the magic of spray paint (I'll show you tomorrow)

What are you thankful for today?

Rhondi xo

If you are doing a Thankful Thursday post here is what to do:

Include the Thankful Thursday button and a link to my blog in your post.

Publish your post.

Thanks for participating!

Tea Party Tuesday

2010-03-22T20:10:00.000-04:00

Hi! I'm so glad you came to my tea party today because I want to tell you about a very special person in my life and how tea at her home had a great influence on my life. The person is Aunt Lottie, my dad's older sister. It was Aunt Lottie that started me on collecting my Dainty Blue china.

She had a wonderful collection of tea cups and whenever we went to visit she always used them for tea. I feel so fortunate to have a couple of them.

Aren't they beautiful?

So let me tell you about my aunt. She was always so loving and caring , but there was a particular time in my life when she was an even greater blessing than usual. I lived fairly close to her for a few years when the children were young and often when we needed an outing, we would just drop by to visit unannounced. She was always so happy to see us and stopped whatever she was doing and put the kettle on for tea. Then she would get out her bone china cups and saucers and we would sit at her kitchen table.

She ALWAYS had a fresh baked batch of chocolate chip cookies and she always had time to stop and have a visit. For a young mom who desperately needed some adult conversation, it was heaven!

I can't remember what kind of a teapot she had but I don't think it was anything fancy.

We would chat about all kinds of things, how the children were doing, how her ministry to all the ladies in the apartment building across the street was going, and how the rest of the family was. There was always this little plastic loaf of bread with bible verses which the kids loved to pick and have her read it to them.

I have such fond memories as a young child, then a teenager and then a young mother with children of my own of sitting at her simple kitchen table, with her fancy cups munching on chocolate chip cookies enjoying the peace that filled her home and feeling so loved. Thank you Aunt Lottie..

So come sit at my table, munch on some chocolate chip cookies and have some tea from one of Aunt Lottie's teacups and maybe I can make you feel special and loved the way my Aunt Lottie did. After all, you are special and I do love every one of you.

Rhondi xo

If you are participating in the tea party here are the rules:

Write your post, making sure to include my Tea Party Tuesday button and a link to my blog.

Publish your post.

Come and sign up with Mr Linky

That's all there is to it.

Thanks for joining the party!

Wash Day

2010-03-22T11:15:00.000-04:00

Monday is wash day at my house. I often hear people complaining about doing the wash. This lady doesn't look too happy about it. Do you remember these washing machines? We had one like this with a wringer when I was a little girl and I was always worried I would get my fingers caught in it.

Wash day here is so easy. No hauling water and bending over.

No beating the clothes clean with a stick.

No carrying my laundry a long distance and then have to wash in dirty water.

All I have to do is sort the clothes, put them in the machine, pour in soap, and press
" start". When it's done I just pop it into the dryer and listen for the buzzer to tell me it's done. If I get the clothes out of the dryer quickly I don't even have to iron them!

Easy shmeasy laundry day, so no complaining okay?

Happy Monday

Rhondi xo