This and that.....

Hello, my friends.  Early this morning I took a walk in the garden.  With the sun we had yesterday and the heavy rain last night, things are growing like crazy!  I picked a gardenia and brought it inside.  My neighbor gave me the small gardenia bush last year and this year it is full of blooms.  I planted it by the back screened in porch where we can enjoy it's fragrance.  

I realized I left you hanging as to how I made out at the doctor a few weeks ago.  All is fine, however I am not out of the woods for at least another four years.  Appointments have been scheduled in advance and I will have to have a scan for osteoporosis since the one drug I am taking for my being hormone receptor positive is not a big help to my bones.  So I am doing resistance exercises and walking and moving and keeping busy, and enjoying life, since I have been feeling great.  Also staying positive and looking to the future.  

Yesterday I hung new drapes in the study.  I'll take photos later to show you the room.  

Galen and I will be heading to the beach on Tuesday to enjoy the day with my sister and her husband.  Can't wait to walk on the beach, stick my feet in the ocean, and eat lots of fresh sea food!  

Enjoy your week!  

Just a short time on the porch this morning....

....before the heat becomes unbearable.

I imagine myself walking on the beach early in the morning, a cool salty-air breeze.....seashells,

the pounding ocean waves and the sound of seagulls.

Lovely ~

think cool thoughts today if you, too, are dealing with this summer heat wave.

Enjoy your day!

French table linen

I'm back! It was nice to have a bit of time off.

I spent a few days at the beach with my sister and even though the weather was cold, that didn't stop us from antiquing and thrifting. I found this lovely French tablecloth for only $8.00,

and napkins $2.00 each,

at this wonderful little thrift shop (below),

and it was packed with all kinds of goodies. I brought quite a few things home with me. This shop was in Carolina Beach, but we stayed at Shell Island in Wrightsville Beach, NC.

Aside from the shopping we also enjoyed

the ocean, the sunrise and sunsets,

and just hanging out and having fun.

And one of my most favorite things was watching the pelicans fly past our balcony early in the morning.

I'll be around to visit all of you soon.

I missed you!

Otis and Riley and a painting

A nice rain fell last night and this morning everything smelled so fresh! Otis and Riley were not sure they wanted to come outside because they didn't want to get their feet wet. They needed a little coaxing.




Riley had a drink from a small puddle he found on the picnic table.




Then it was back inside and they resumed their positions on the back of the sofa.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Yesterday I spent some time painting ~ a beach scene (watercolor).

I painted this one specifically for a gift shop at the beach where I've been selling my note cards ~ the Shell Island Resort in Wrightsville Beach, NC. I'm thrilled they're doing so well, and beachy things are always fun to paint.

Seashells

I'm a seashell collector.

I've always loved seashells ~ I guess because I've always loved the beach.


This is what I did with some of my collection......a project.

First, lightly spray paint a grapevine wreath with white paint. Next, heat up the glue gun and start glueing the shells to the wreath ~ any which way you choose. Add some spanish moss, maybe a few twigs, and......voila!

You have a beautiful seashell wreath.

I hung mine on our screened-in back porch. It reminds me of the beach and I love it!

A fun roadtrip

Galen and I took a road trip to the Outer Banks this past weekend. We went to Kitty Hawk, NC to see the Wright Brothers National Memorial, the first powered flight of Wilbur and Orville Wright, (this was a trip we took for Galen's birthday) and the beach (for me!). Of course I wanted to see the memorial too, but I REALLY wanted to be at the beach. We took Otis and Riley too. They had a great time running along the ocean front and exploring everywhere. Galen and I stayed in a hotel right off the beach and you could see the Wright Brothers Memorial in the background.

The weather was great, a bit windy, but in the 60's.

We had a fabulous time and some excellent seafood! And, of course, I got my fill of the beach ~ the salt air, the sunshine, the sea gulls, and seashells. Ahhhh.