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!