Me and Maggie

She is a wonderful companion.  She laid down and waited patiently while I took some pictures this morning.  We still miss Bonnie so much but this is our new normal..me and Maggie..we make a good team and she is intent in keeping her eye on me...taking her job very seriously.

The Lord gives us what we need when we need it...  She was here and waiting when Bonnie died.  It really has been an easy transition for her to be a full time house dog now...

We still love, love the screened back porch.  We are having such warm springlike temperatures that I am tempted to eat supper out there tonight...

I found this little magnolia seedling this morning.  I wonder if I can successfully move it?  hmmm  I just might try that.   We have several bigger magnolias all through our woods.

This are mahonia buds.  They look like stalks of brussell sprouts to me.  I love this plant even though some say is it invasive.  It behaves rather nicely on our property..so far...

Well, my dear husband gave me a new very BIG monitor for Christmas.  It is one suited for photography and the colors are spectacular..  I must say I am really enjoying it.  Right before Christmas I ran up on an antique white wicker desk for a few dollars.  I bought it quickly because I have been looking for one for about 20 years.  So, this morning, with husband's help, we moved the old too high desk OUT!  and the new white wicker PERFECT height desk into my room.  I tell you the truth, I feel like I have my life back.  Since we moved the office from our house into a business district several years ago, I have been just making do with what was left here.   Not any more...This is the first time I have enjoyed typing a blog in months   years..  Yes, it is nice to have a desk I can call my own.  a ladies desk that fits me..whew, I had no idea how much I missed this..  Maybe I will begin to blog again...

Thank you for stopping by..

Love, 

Mona

Friday Flowers #11

Summer seems to be heating up rather than winding down.   I can't believe we enter August tomorrow....where has the year gone?

At least the okra, peas and crepe myrtle like this weather...I think we should have some ripe tomatoes this next week...hooray..  as my son in law said..they are about $500 a piece tomatoes.  LOL  It does take a lot of water and sweat and work but in the end, it is worth it to us to taste those homegrown tomatoes...and make tomato sandwiches with Duke's mayonnaise...

It is just too hot and miserable for me to take pictures this week so I thought I would show you all the differences since we added the porch.  I cannot wait for cooler weather so we can live out there..

Here is the" before the ice storm" and all of that...It was taken last year..  That huge oak being gone has made such a difference.  It shaded the whole back of the house..The new porch is wonderful and shades the house somewhat but not the flowerbeds.  The Bloodgood maple has died back from sunscorch.  I am sure I will have to make lots of changes in these beds this fall....

 Just a few before and afters...  Lots of changes around here..  Even though it was not something we had planned to do, I am thrilled with the results.  The new porch and deck have made the whole backyard more livable and beautiful.  It was definitely a silver lining...

Thanks for stopping by.....

Love,

Mona

Progress...week 8

We are making real progress on the new porch.  The wiring is being done as I write this and I am glad.  We are needing a fan out there...and lights..

As I look at the landscaping around the porch, it looks like I planted it in preparation for what we have done.  It doesn't look at all like there was a huge oak tree and deck devastation a few weeks ago..

This is where we started in February..it's a whole lot different and BETTER now......

Still learning patience around here but life is slowly, but surely getting back to normal.  I am learning to choose what is important and pursue that.  Not all that I thought was important is so important after all the lessons of the great big oak tree..

Love,
Mona

The Back Porch

 We are entering week 7 of the grand reconstruction of our back yard....and deck/porch...

I am telling ya...new construction is not for the faint of heart...  LOL

The screen is being installed as we speak and the tin roof was finished yesterday.  I can't wait to get inside the porch to paint the floor and add furniture, etc...that might take a while...

Ceiling fans, light fixtures and on and on..who knew how many decisions would have to be made....

It all started on one cold, icy night back in February....we heard an enormous limb   two enormous limbs laden with ice come crashing down on our deck and roof.....  little did we know.....
all these months later, and we are still not back to normal yet...whew!

But out of destruction, came beauty.....kinda like the Phoenix rising out of the ashes...

We have truly been given a crown of beauty for ashes...

Love, 

Mona