JACK and JILL ELVES

 I was able to purchase these adorable elves at a local business last year after Christmas for 75% off . . score!!  I couldn't resist and they are a fun addition to the house this year.  I've named the little guy sitting by the lamp "Jack" and the cutie hanging by her hands "Jill".  I discovered the Jill is wearing a cute little jumper too.  Her hands are filled with something that weights her hands and she can easily "hang out" most anywhere.  
They are such fun!!!!

CHRISTMAS SALT & PEPPER SHAKERS

These little young ladies are a salt and pepper set I found at an antique store.  They were made in the 50s and I thought just as cute as they can be.  The sit on my "treasures" shelf all year but are come down off that shelf at Christmas to be included in the Christmas decorations.
(My "treasures" shelf goes across the top of my kitchen windows on two walls and connects with the top of my upper kitchen cabinets on the third wall . .  a great place for display of treasures)

SOCK SNOWMAN

I love snowmen/snow people and have a collection of them.  I saw a posting on Facebook about making a snowman,  and decided to make one.  Finding white socks without any other color/printing on them was a challenge, but I did find some . . . had to buy the "value" pack so I have lots of white socks now.

So, with a bit of rice (to weight the bottom), some fiberfill and buttons, fabric scarf, he was pretty quick and easy to make.  I think he's pretty darned cute, as well!

A "Reiver's Rest" MERRY CHRISTMAS!

The "Reiver's Rest" lit up for the evening!

"Reiver's Rest" by day when you can see the greenery, wreath, red tartan and little Christmas tree on the tongue

Now that this cute little glamper trailer is all painted with her new coat and pretty much ready to hit the road I decided to dig out some greenery and a little Christmas tree that I have and deck her out.  Opened new boxes of lights and, using badge clips/coffee bag clips affixed the strands to the "c" rail and now we can enjoy looking at her both in daylight and at night.  

 MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

SOME VINTAGE CHRISTMAS GOODIES

I'm quite fond of vintage things and I love Christmas!  I was tickled pink to find this box of glass ball ornaments at a thrift store for $1.00.  The egg scale was one that we used when I was a teenager, on the farm to weigh the eggs that my mother sold to her customers.  Just a few fun things to use to decorate for Christmas!

MITTEN WEATHER IS HERE!!

I go for power walks every day, even in the winter.  And that means coming up with the right kind of winter gear to stay warm and some days it's pretty darned cold out there.  For me, mittens work better than gloves for my hands, keeping my fingers warmer.  I was able to get a wonderful, wooly pair made from felted wool by a farmgirl who lives in Vermont and they are great!  These mittens in the pic are just teeny tiny ones that decorate a tree of wreath

BRAMBLE SNIFFS FIRST SNOW OF THE YEAR

We found snow on one of our mountain day-trips into the high country.  Decided to get out and walk in it as it wasn't terribly deep.  Bramble loves to roll in the snow and then sniff the tracks of the forest animals.  She also is a great sport in catching snowballs we throw for her.  Since this trip there is more snow in "my mountains" . . . very much needed!!!

SETTLING IN FOR THE NIGHT

At the Wellness Village in Frisco, CO, getting beds and gear organized for the night.  It was a VERY COLD night.  Frost on the grass in the morning, elevation is 9042 feet, it was late June and, as you can see, snow still on the peaks. Oxygen is thin and the sun is very intense.  Such a beautiful location!  Walk is from Keystone, Colorado to Breckenridge, CO.

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS . . .

My daughter, Robin, and I working as Sweep Crew at the 2010 Santa Barbara, CA AVON Walk for Breast Cancer event

Wellness Village at the 2011 Rocky Mountains AVON Walk for Breast Cancer Event, Frisco, CO .  We worked as Quick Stop C Crew members at this event

October is the "official" month for Breast Cancer Awareness and my daughter and I try to focus on what we can to honor and remember.  We know that those fighting this battle fight it all year. . . long and hard . . . so we'd like to encourage folks to be aware, sensitive, giving, sharing, honoring,  and encouraging!

Robin and I have participated in breast cancer awareness/fundraising events for the past decade, which include the Komen Race for the Cure, Komen 3-Day Walk for Breast Cancer, Relay for Life and AVON Walk for Breast Cancer.  We have worked as crew members and we have walked these events, which have taken us to different locations across the US, from Charlotte, North Carolina to San Diego, CA.  I have truly been honored to have Robin along side in our endeavors as the "Celtic Hearts" team.

ASPEN LEAVES ADORNING BRAMBLE

About three weeks ago, while we were having our picnic lunch in the mountains we noticed that the aspen leaves were falling all around us.  My hubby said that if we sat there long enough we'd be covered up with them.  Bramble was laying right by my chair and I noticed this leaf had softly landed on her head.  Thought it made a fun photograph!

WINTER is COMING to the HIGH COUNTRY!

My hubby and I have been making weekly day trips into our mountains, where we hike, picnic, sightsee, rest and relax.  We've enjoyed the summer warmth and green of our mountains.  We've also enjoyed the fall colors, cooler temps (lack of bugs) and some rainy drives. The aspen trees in the higher elevations, at this point, have dropped their leaves and the rest of the fall foliage is starting to do the same.  There has been rain and sleet . . . snow on the peaks and winter is on its way!

It's APPLE TIME!!!

I grew up on a farm here in southwest Colorado where we raised a variety of crops which included lots of apples of different varieties.  Homemade applesauce is one of my favorites so I talked my hubby into preparing some Jonathan apples and I made this beautiful rosy pink applesauce. 
I don't peel my apples so that the red/pink from the peeling colors the applesauce.  Just quarter, core, cut out bad spots, cook in my pressure cooker and run through the ricer.  I also either can or freeze the applesauce and don't add anything to it.  When we have some out to eat I usually only add a bit of cinnamon, very rarely do I add any suger!  Yummmmmmmmmm!!!

GLAMPER GIFT from a SWEET FRIEND

One of my sweetest friends gifted me this week with this lovely set of ivory colored napkins with cutwork embroidery and this set of brass glamper trailer napkin rings.  Their style and coloring is perfect for our little glamper trailer, the "Reiver's Rest".  It'll be great to use them to serve tea to some friends sometime!
Thanks to my friend, Deb!

BILL and BRAMBLE . . .my HIKING BUDDIES!

After our hike on the Galloping Goose Trail, Bill (my hubby) and Bramble take a little break in the cool, mountain air.  At an elevation of 10,000 ft. for the summit of Lizard Head Pass, it was cool and we did get some rain that day.   It was a nice, relaxing day! 

The Lizard Head (locals are pretty confidant that some of the rock formation has broken and fallen away over the years) and behind it are three of Colorado's "14'ers" . . . El Diente, Mount Wilson and Wilson Peak.  Rugged, steep and rocky!!!

HIKING THE "GALLOPING GOOSE" TRAIL

 On top of Lizard Head Pass, with a summit elevation of 10,000 ft.  (The peaks around are higher, including three of Colorado's "14-ers"). Hubby and I were hiking the Galloping Goose Trail which is a driveable train grade road that once saw a train called the Galloping Goose traveling over it . . . very high, very steep and very rocky!
Beautiful mountain escape day this week!!

ROCKY MOUNTAIN THISTLE . . . and a BEE

My hubby and I are trying to take one day each week and head for the mountains for an escape, to hike, picnic, enjoy the beauty of the Colorado Rockies and get some cool, clear, fresh air.
I try to get photos along the way using my cell phone.  This last week we were in an area with two different kinds of thistle plants, most of which were quite tall.  This one was probably 6 1/2 feel tall . . . it was way over my head.   I loved the bee that was enjoying it!

TRACTOR SEAT SMILE

I grew up on a farm.  My dad used Allis Chalmers tractors, which, for the most part, were orange.  This is a seat from one of his old tractors that sits right there at the edge of my herb garden.
When walking past there one day I looked at it and I definitely saw a smile!  A smiling tractor seat!  How fun!

BRAMBLE and ME . . . on a HIKE!

I love "my mountains" and, as we did last summer, my hubby and I are trying to take one day a week to go on a mountain escape.  We can hike, picnic, soak our feet in the Dolores River . . . whatever. we want to enjoy the coolness, quiet, and stunning beauty of our Colorado Rocky Mountains.
Bramble loves to go to the mountains as well and is an excellent hiker dog.  She stays on the trail, stays with us and just enjoys it so much.
This hike was near Little Bear trail and we chose some lavender wild mountain asters for our foreground.  Lots of wonderful, beautiful wild flowers!

COLORADO COLUMBINE

The Colorado Columbine is the Colorado state flower and grows wild in the mountains of Colorado.  It can be found in any number of places, including growing up through cracks in rocks which seems almost impossible.  They are also my favorite flower and I am always looking for them when we are on our mountain getaways.  This one and a few others near it are growing near some Colorado Blue Spruce trees along the Little Bear Trail high in the San Juan Mountains range of the Colorado Rocky mountains.

MR. COCKA-DOODLE-BLUE

This adorable soft sculpture rooster was given to me by a farmgirl friend, Debbie.  I named him "Mr. Cocka-doodle-blue" and he goes glamping with my daughter, Robin and me!  He's just one of our glamping companions.  Last summer he went with us on our 3-Week Glamping Roadtrip, traveling over 4000 miles with us!  He sits in the back window of whatever vehicle we're driving and smiles at folks following us.
When not traveling he sits on a display table in my living room area and reminds me fond glamping memories!

JULY 4th GLAMPING

This photo is actually from a glamping adventure my daughter, Robin, and I enjoyed in 2012.  We spent five days by the Dolores River at Priest Gulch Campground, nearby to my house here in southwest Colorado.  We were there on the holiday as well and just enjoyed the daylights out of the holiday . . . and the entire time we were there!

AN OLD WOODEN IRONING BOARD

 While my daughter was visiting in June, we went thrifting, which is one of our favorite things to do together.  In one of the shops I spied this old wooden ironing board.  In really good condition but someone had used magic marker to write a name on it and there was no price tag on it.  I figured that, if the price was right, I'd take it and cover it with vintage linens.

Shopkeeper said the price was $3.00!   Well, that settled that . . . so I loaded it up in my car and it came to live at my house.  Only needed a bit of Titebond wood glue to reglue the end of one wooden strip.

I'm tickled to have it to also use with our glamping setup.  And when it's not being used for something special it will be folded up, leaning in my project room and wearing an ivory colored vintage apron!!!

"WORKHORSES" OF DAYS GONE BY

On my last trip to our local salvage yard with my hubby, I spotted these very old tractors that had obviously been sitting there for a long time.  Growing up on a farm where there were always tractors I was thinking about the work these pieces of machinery did, the farmers who drove them, etc.  The upper one is an old Case but I was unable to find anything on the other one to indicate its make.  Memories!

IRISES in my ASPEN ARBOR

 

I have a little space in my yard tucked in some aspen trees and a Colorado Blue Spruce tree that I call my "Aspen Arbor".  I have a comfy chair, an overturned washtub "end table", a very old woodstove (just for decor), a vintage birdcage, a section of weathered white picket fence, and a few odds and ends.  

In front of this section of fence are these absolutely gorgeous irises.  One of my favorite colors is purple and I just think these irises are stunning!  What a pleasure to enjoy!!!

SNAPDRAGONS and RUSTY METAL

Snapdragons are one of my favorite flowers and I love that mine bloom for a really long time.  These beauties are in a little bed at the edge of the deck on the east side of our house. I also like to collect old metal objects, farm implements, etc. and an old milk bucket from our family farm is in the backdrop while a funky metal flower with metal petals is positioned at the end of the bed, right next to the snapdragons!  They are right by the pathway across the deck and into the backdoor and are very cheery!

"SILKY" GOES OUTSIDE!

We decided that our new kitty, "Silky", needed to be an indoor cat without her being free to roam the countryside and woods, etc.  Our last kitty, "Skye", was an indoor/outdoor cat who lived with us 16 years.  We worried about her a little, but she did very well all those years but the last time we saw her she just disappeared and we believe a predator got her.  We have bears, mountain lions, coyotes, eagles, lots of dogs . ..

Silky likes to be outside and we've been taking her out in her kennel or just holding her in our laps.  Then we decided to try a harness to see how that worked.  She's just a little over one year old and we felt like she'd adjust to it okay.  At first she acted like her front legs were broken, but she adjusted to it quickly and very well and now gets to go outside and wander around as far as the nylon leash rope allows her.  She likes to walk in the grass, sniff the flowers and sit in this little vintage metal child's chair (we have two of them).  For the most part, though, she is very content to lay on a cushion in one of the metal patio chairs and just watch the birds, or anything that is happening and enjoy the fresh air.   My hubby takes her on walks around the yard . . . it's a sweet thing to watch!

ASPEN, SALVIA and a FORK

I have several rock gardens in my yard and they are all built with sandstone rock that is from right here where our house is built.  They all sort of "happened" as a result of excavation and cleanup after our house fire in July 1994 and there were piles of rocks and dirt . . . just beckoning for me to plant flowers in them. 
This is one of those rock gardens and I love this composition of purple salvia, a couple of young aspen trees and an old turning fork from our family farm.  Growing as ground cover under and around the fork is some creeping thyme which I really like as ground cover.  Also in this garden are some yellow irises that aren't open as of yet, but will be soon.

FLOWERS for MOTHERS DAY

This is my Mothers Day bouquet . . .aren't they beautiful!  My hubby brought me the purple irises that he picked from the neighbors garden.  I love irises!  I love purple!  Then at church all ladies were able to pick a rose and, as you can see, this is the one I chose!  It is opening up a little more each day and is just more and more gorgeous.

The day was special with a phone conversation with my daughter, who lives out of state; time with my son and enjoying a sweet gift from him.  A trip to a favorite burger place in a Colorado mountain mining town!  I really don't want "stuff" . . . I just desire and cherish time with my family!  Thank you, Lord, for my family!

My BEST PAL . . . BRAMBLE

Bramble, our Australian cattle dog, is such a sweet, companion.  We have appreciated her so much!  She's smart, affectionate, well-behaved and just the best pal!   She does some cattle dog duties, goes on power walks with me and loves to go glamping with my daughter, Robin, and me!  What a friend!!!

CATNIP for the CAT!!

I went to our favorite greenhouse/nursery and purchased a few pansy plants to plant in pots for the deck.  Decided on a few herb plants as well . . . and catnip for our Silky cat!
Well, it didn't take long for her to discover it and bury her face in it, chewing on the leaves and stomping around on it.  Very entertaining!!!

A BOTTLE CAP and a BUTTON

Painted a bottle cap to look a bit "weathered", applied a button with a gold wire curle-que to coverup some unattractive nut/bolt/washer fasteners on the inside of the "Reiver's Rest" glamper trailer.  There are two of them and they are what fasten the outside grab bar to the side of the trailer right by the door.
Really like the "cover up"! 

AWWWW . . . "SILKY"

Silky is mostly black but has enough markings to be called a "tortoiseshell" kitty!

Silky has decided she likes to curl up on our bed on this afghan for her afternoon nap.  She's one lucky kitty as she's the first cat we have ever allowed to do this!  We have certainly enjoyed her since she came to live with us in September!  She's young, playful, VERY energetic and active and has some very entertaining qualities!  She is also a sweet, affectionate kitty who purrs and cuddles a lot! I think she's spoiled!!!

HAPPY EASTER

Hallelujah!  What a Savior!  I'm thanking the Lord for the gift of His Son and the hope we have in Him!  HAPPY RESURRECTION SUNDAY!
HE IS RISEN!
HE IS RISEN INDEED!!

LINENS & LACE on the LATTICE

At our backyard glamper party we also used some linens and lacy items to glamp up Robin's back patio.  She has this section of lattice over a built in flower bed and is a perfect place to drape/hang some lovely things.  The lacy tablecloth belonged to her maternal grandmother . . . my mom, Evelyn . . . and then other items are curtain panels, tablecloth and dresser scarves!  Just to help create the "glamper girl" atmosphere!

HEY KIM . . . LOOKIN' COMFY!

Kim joined us for our backyard party and sleepover.  It was such fun having her stay overnight with us.  We pitched one of Robin's tents for her and I loaned her some linens and such from my suitcase stash.  She brought her own quilt that she made . . . you can see it behind her.  And we had some sweet dreams overnight . . . along with some city traffic racket!
We had a really fun time!

SWEET THINGS for our GLAMPER PARTY

The chocolate from Mary Janes Farm is the best and comes in a very unique variety, so it was a must for our "Backyard Glamper Party & Sleepover".  With each chocolate collection also comes some of Mary Janes Farm's wonderful postcards.  The postcards can also be purchased in collections, so we had to have a few to share so we can send them out to our friends and family.  Pam came with some vintage hankies to share and we were each able to make a choice.  And, there were soaps to purchase, made by Michael & Sharon Demers.  Sharon is known as "Calicogirl" on the Farmgirl Connection and is also a member of our Farmgirls Southwest Henhouse.  They are WONDERFUL soaps!  The little birdhouse glamper is Robin's . . . it sits on the coffee table on her patio.  Cute!

LET's GLAMP UP A TENT OR TWO

Pam and Kim helped me set up a tent for Kim and the tent Robin and I used.  Then Pam and Kim started glamping up the tent for Kim.  I started glamping up our tent, while Robin was making something special for our potluck salad supper.  She was able to come and help me finish hanging lace and such on our tent.  Then we were all able to sit on the patio, enjoy iced raspberry tea and have some farmgirl chat and laughter time!

A FEW FARMGIRL FRIENDS

A small group of Farmgirl Friends at our recent Glendale, AZ "Backyard Glamper Party & Sleepover" at my daughter's house.  We were few, but we had the most fun and our time together was RICH, BLESSED and just what we all needed at this time in our lives.
Please let me introduce you to (left to right) my daughter, Robin . . aka "Birdie", myself, Pam and Kim.  Wonderful Farmgirl Friends!!!

PETUNIAS and LITTLE RAIN BOOTS

I recently visited my daughter's home in Glendale, AZ where we hosted a small gathering of farmgirl friends in a "Backyard Glamper Party & Sleepover".  Since it's Arizona the weather was really nice and Robin wanted to start it all off by planting some flowers.  So, petunias were planted in some big pots and this cute little pair of pink rain boots!  And, this little gathering of farmgirls had a rich, fun time together!

JUST PERFECT for FARMGIRL SPRING

Closeup of the chickens, basket of eggs, basket of food and hoe that embellishes the wreath

I recently participated in a craft swap in a Facebook group and the talented lady I swapped with, who lives in California, sent me this wonderful wreath.  It's cheery, springy and very timely for looking forward to spring here in farmgirl Colorado.   It's hanging on the door that goes into our living/dining/kitchen area.  I'm just tickled all shades of pink with it!