Tuesday 4: "Home Sweet Home"

Home Sweet Home


Welcome! It's time again for Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.


How would it be if we talk about some things related to home?

1. What styles of décor do you like? Mid Century? Colonial? Contemporary?

Our home is a combination of family "heirlooms", most of which were handed down from our parents and/or grandparents.  Nothing is particularly valuable, except for its sentimental value. I've written about our furnishings before in places too numerous to list here, so I will just share one picture I took this week and explain. Well, you know me better than that. When have I ever been able to share "just one picture"? LOL.

This is our sofa. It is over 30 years old, and actually is still in great condition, except the original fabric underneath is a blue, taupe, and mauve flowered upholstery.  After so many years I got tired of it and decided to get a slipcover for it.

During the winter months I had put this buffalo plain flannel comforter over it to make it more wintry and cozy.

And now, I decided it was time for something more spring-like for a change:

This tapestry throw was something I had given my Mother years ago, because it had a pleasant farm scene on it, and she always loved the farm  and longed to be back living on one.  There's a cow on the top of it you can't see in this picture.

There, now you can see it:

And a sleepy cat taking a catnap beside the rocking chair on the porch:

I was happy I could reclaim this for my own when we were cleaning out my parents' home after they both had passed away.  When I look at this now I think of them both and how wonderful they were...and how comfortable their home was....and that's how I want my home to be...very comfortable for anyone who comes to visit.

2. What makes your bedroom comfortable?

Our bed and just the general coziness of it...and being with the one I love...

3 What do you think makes a home comfortable and welcoming?

The people who live there.  Warm hospitality...love and people who truly care...

It really has nothing to do with furniture or things. It's all about the love that is shared in that home that makes one feel comfortable and welcome.

4. Do you share your home with pets? Would you tell us about them please?

We don't have any pets of our own, but we do love our grandpuppies, Sugar and Spice:

We are always happy when they come to visit. They are such sweet little girls.

Right now we are on Baby Bluebird alert. 

This one is getting up his courage to stick his head out further and further from the nest...

Daddy was enticing him with a juicy bug, trying to encourage him to fly up and get it.

But as of this moment he has not "flown the coop".  I will keep you posted.

So that's it for today's Tuesday 4.  Click HERE to go visit with our other friends in their cozy homes.

A Menagerie of Thoughts and Things

Guess who's back?

Yep! Our bluebird couple is back again! They've been staking out their claim on the birdhouse again, and seem to be seriously building another nest inside!

Yes, we had cleaned it out from their last brood, and so it was open and ready for a "new family". I am assuming this is the same couple. (I didn't get a picture of the female. She was busy either sweeping out the house inside, or gathering twigs for the new nest)

I understand that they normally do have three broods per season, so this would be #3. The first batch was destroyed by a predator. The 2nd batch we watched fledge out of here about two weeks ago. Here's the LINK to that on Lily Grace's adventures, in case you missed it.  Can they really be ready for another new family this quickly?  I guess so...So we will be watching and waiting to see what "develops". I will keep you posted.

Meanwhile, this young Red Shouldered Hawk has taken up this territory for his claim as well. He's been quite busily patrolling the trees all around Still Waters Pond, chasing off any intruders. I just hope he will protect our Bluebird family rather than "invite" them to dinner...

Here he is, keeping a hawk's eye on his "claim".  

It is interesting to watch and to hear his keen cry as he swoops through the air, warning off any who dare to usurp his authority. Maybe we should call him the "Sheriff".  LOL.

Oh, hello! He does have a fuzzy youngish face, don't you think?

So, what else is new in the neighborhood you may ask?

Well, Lily Grace  and I have been on a few walks over at our walking trails...

We had a follower trailing along behind us, bringing up "the rear"...LOL

Sorry this is a little blurry. He was caught in the act! LOL. Yes, that is how Lily gets to go on walks, fearlessly helping lead the way through the wilderness!  But lately it's either been too hot or raining and she's had to stay at home. Plus, I've been having a lot of neck issues, (yes, even WITH "My Pillow", although I think it has actually helped), and I am having to leave my heavy camera at home rather than wear it around my neck, and also leave Lily at home rather than carry her.  

(I know there are some who are truly wondering about me right about now...LOL. You're not alone. My son just about fell off his rocker when he read a comment I made on Facebook about Lily Grace and I singing "This Little Light of Mine...".  He literally had to call me up on the phone and ask me if I was all right. Well, what do YOU think??? Of course I'm just fine!!!  And Lily has a wonderful singing voice!)

Today I had the wonderful experience of having an MRI on my neck, trying to determine just what is really going on in there. About half way through the extremely noisy procedure, everything came to a screeching halt, and all was silent and the lights went out. The power had gone off in the building, and they had to come "rescue" me from the machine. The machine was stuck in the high up off the ground position,  so three technicians (all ladies) had to come and help me step down to get off of it. I was surprised to see how high off the ground I was, and there were no steps to get me down...so they just had to kind of "carry" me and let me gently glide down their arms as they held me. That was a great adventure!   Had to go wait in the waiting room until the power came back on...thankfully it wasn't too long...and then we could start the process all over again. Actually, they were able to start where they left off, so I didn't have to endure the pounding all over again for that first session...just for the rest of it. I was sure happy for earplugs! I can't imagine how bad it would have been without them! So anyway, I have an appointment with my doctor next week to find out the results.  He's probably going to say something about "old age"...

Remember a few weeks ago when I was talking about "Fanning Away"?  Well, one of my Facebook friends had commented about remembering the old fans they used to have in churches with pictures of Jesus on them.  She said how she hadn't seen any in a long time. I was thinking in my mind that I had seen one somewhere not too long ago, and sure enough! This past Sunday our choir did not sing, so I got to sit in the pew next to my hubby for a change.  And what did I see right before my very eyes in the pew in front of me???

Yep, there He was! Jesus, in the Garden of Gethsemane, well, the picture of Him there, on the back of one of those wonderful old fans!!

(Interesting that if you look on the bulletin you will see that we sang "Open My Eyes That I Might See, Glimpses of Truth Thou hast for me..."    I love it when God "opens my eyes" to see the special things He has there for me...)

And I thought I was right that these were usually sponsored by either an Insurance Company or a Funeral Home or something like that.   Sure enough! Why this one is from an insurance company in Georgia I'll never know. We are pretty far away from Macon, Georgia here in north central Florida. But maybe someone left it here from there...it looks pretty old. But is sure is beautiful, don't you think?

Shifting gears again...I baked another one of those peach/blueberry cobblers this week.  We've really enjoyed some fresh peaches this summer that we've been able to get at the local flea market. And it's good to throw in a few blueberries to add to the flavor as well.  You can find the recipe on that link above.

Well, I think that's about it. I've been going back through my photos from the week to make sure I didn't miss anything important.  I took this picture this morning when I was having my morning cup of tea. The tag on the teabag says: "Make today's !DEA tomorrow's REALI-Tea"

I like that "idea".  What ideas do you have today that could become tomorrow's "reali-tea"?

Here's some things to think about as we close this for today:

"But you, be strong and do not lose courage,

for there is reward for your work."

2 Chronicles 15:7

I like what this little devotion from "Choose Grace" says:

"God wants to use your hands, your intelligence, and your efforts to build His kingdom,

the place where grace dwells."

I hope you enjoyed this little "menagerie of thoughts and things" today.  

They say "variety is the spice of life."

Have a blessed Thursday evening and also a good "Friday Foto Friends" day.