Spring is coming, but that doesn't mean it's actually warm yet!
We still need to cuddle!
I have been hanging a bit of art. Hanging stuff on the walls is serious business around here, so I take my time! I let things sit where I think I might want them until I get a YES or NO from my brain.
These paintings on this wall were a YES!
These are by my dear friend Cindy's Dad, who recently passed away.
I also hung a lovely painting in our bedroom on a wall where it can be seen from the hallway (same as the ones in the guest room).
It looks wonderful! The colors are lovely and the paint is THICK.
From the hallway:
I bought two cute plaid egg pillows. One is here by the front door.
I also put up some art in the exercise room!
The room at the end of the basement is used as a cat bedroom (we don't let them roam at night) AND our exercise room. We currently only have a treadmill and exercise bike in there, but someday we might want to make this room also function as another guest room, so the room is still not very furnished. BUT I can see the room from the main room so it needs to be cute!
And . . . now it is!
That WHITE vent near the ceiling bugs me,
so we might paint it or get a replacement that's a better color.
so we might paint it or get a replacement that's a better color.
I decided to hang original CAT ART in this room! So far I don't have a huge collection of cat artworks, but I can add them over time as I find them. One of these is a charcoal drawing and one is a drawing in crayon by a young friend from church!
This faux fly swatter is from Greg's Mom!
We got to have Cora and Esme overnight again, and it was of course delightful!
We went to the library.
We went out for lunch at Davanni's!
We went to Half-Price Books!
We went to Target!
We made chocolate-covered strawberries - yum!
Esme brought an art activity idea and we enjoyed it.
Oh! And we also made cobbler (mango blueberry)!
We ate fruit and veg nuggets and tater tots plus fruit and veggies.
Then we introduced them to Star Trek: The Next Generation!!!
Greg and I had a friend group in college that met every evening to watch this show, so it's very special to us. I'm happy to say that the girls loved it!
We made smoothies.
Mango!
Some more art was done.
And then, sadly, it was time for them to go home because Cora had a swim meet that evening (and the next day!)
I have found some neat stuff at Goodwill lately.
This rustic, partially-polished wood vase is quite unique!
I wanted to put this tea set on the kitchen island for a while now, but I needed a BIG cutting board to put it on - and I found one!
Plus I added this amazing pitcher with drippy blue glaze.
One evening, Mark called me from the Goodwill closest to our house. He was there with Esme while Cora was swimming at a facility nearby, and Esme was wondering if I wanted some more bins for my toys/equipment. I decided to head on over there!
And I found this cute little chest of drawers!
Plus two beautiful vases.
Look at these two cuties!
I was thinking of using this in the basement as a side table, but Esme said it needed to go in the guest bedroom because BOTH sides of the bed need a night stand! She's right, especially if we have two people in there!
And it looks very cute there!
Animals are getting more active outside.
Nora watching the birds in the front yard:
Ivy hiding under my sweatshirt on the island chair:
Nora lookin' beautiful!
And then I found this little white table on the side of the road!
I did put this table in the basement as a side table!
With this cute lamp I found at Goodwill!
Running outside has been lovely lately! Little bit chilly, but that's just how I like it because then I don't get too hot!
Our maple tree is budding!
And the willows are, too!
There were more people in our life lately!
This is Greg's friend Roger from college and his son.
They came to visit the University of Minnesota and we got to see them, too!
And my friend Heather's daughter came over to hang out with me for a while!
We threw a few rocks in the pond . . .
We played with my toys!
And we cooked! We made mushroom nuggets and fries.
Ivy loves laundry day! She can play in the laundry bins!
I have been looking for old printer drawers.
I want to use one at my parents' cabin to hold treasures the girls and I find! We need a place for shells, bird eggs, small rocks, etc., and I thought these drawers looked neat and would work perfectly. It took quite some time, but I found them on Marketplace!
I got THREE for $20, which is a smoking deal.
I also fell for these birds when I saw them on Etsy a couple of years ago. They are vintage, from 1962, by a company called Masketeers. I love the wood grain and the pretty colors on the metal wings.
I found them on Marketplace for a much better deal and was able to pick them up locally. Hooray!
We have options and thoughts about where we will put them, but we haven't fully decided yet.
We have a large electrical box straight ahead when you go down the stairs to our basement, and it's not cute. I have been looking for various artworks to hang over it, and this is the latest (AND BIGGEST!) option! It is HUGE. 49" wide, 43" tall! That's over four FEET by three and a half FEET! It is an original oil painting and the colors and style are very cool. I like thick chunky paint on art.
I've been gathering paintings and other art to hang on that wall so that it is a big warm interesting alluring statement when people go down the stairs. It's very fun for me to add personality to a pretty basic basement.
It looks like the sun rising over the pines in our backyard!
Ivy watching geese:
Allistair enjoying the sun:
CUTE duck footprints on the deck!
We're still not out of the time of year that the we might wake up to snow and the pond frozen over again.
This duck was surprised! But he waited around into the afternoon and the pond opened up again so he could swim!
Mark and Jillian and Cora and Esme went away for spring break, but we got to hang out with them the day they got home! We went out for pizza.
Cora's selfie:
Esme's selfie:
Allistair in a box:
Ivy in a box:
Delicate ice:
Allistair being snuggly:
I've gotten some great art from young friends at church, too!
One young man made me special and very detailed comic books!
He also drew this picture of me dancing!
Notice the details - I am wearing glasses and a big smile. I have on a blue shirt and black pants (which is what I was wearing the day he drew this!) I'm even wearing a necklace! I love the flowers and the cloud and the happy sun. You can see why I framed this one.
Another friend drew me this CAT! It may join the other cats on the cat art wall downstairs. I love its toes and claws and tongue and cute nose!
A little sweet girl drew this picture of how we share love: one person gives love to the next person, who gives love to the next person, who gives love to the next person and so on! Isn't that lovely?!
Crabless crab cakes. The base is hearts of palm and chickpeas with herbs and other yummy stuff. I made a remoulade (like a Thousand Island sauce) and put it on toasted gluten-free buns. I usually eat with air fried potato wedges on the side. It's one of my favorite meals!
Ivy in a box:
Greg's very talented aunt, Susie, sent us a special care package! She is a skilled and creative artist and we have been blessed with a number of her works over the years. They are precious to us.
The package contained these gorgeous painted wooden eggs! The patterns are amazing and detailed. The pretty blue ceramic bowl was in the box, too!
We already had this painted egg from years past.
Here is our spring tablescape!
Thanks for reading along!
BONUS: my dear friends Sharon and Naomi and I were wearing perfectly coordinating outfits on a recent meeting!
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