Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Five for Friday (Tuesday edition)

Just thought I'd share a few miscellaneous musings...


Signs of summer!
(Now that all of the watermelon seem to be seedless, is there any way to grow cherries without the pits?) I still love them anyway!




One last harrah with the peonies! Farewell, until next year--old friends!



This just might be considered the find of all finds!!!



Heather gave me this old glass bookcase. I love that it has a story! This used to be one of Bruce R. McKonkie's old law shelves. His son had a bunch of his law shelves. This one set was in need of repair and was sitting in a horse trailer. Since Heather is good friends with two of his grandsons, they offered them to Rob and Heather when they were first getting married for $100. They've had it in their house for almost 18 years. They've been recently changing their home over to a bit of a more contemporary style and the shelves just didn't work with the new look. They truly hated to part with them but felt that they would have been better suited in a loving OLD home. ...(Lucky me!)

It's so cool to see all of the original tags and hardware and workmanship (old glass)--It will truly be one of our most treasured pieces.


Brian gave me the ultimate gift on Saturday by taking the kids for the day and giving me a break! He drove them up to the Delaware Water Gap (about 2 hours from here) and tuckered them out on a nice long hike. It was nice to just be able to spend time at home and clear my head. I was able to clean (and have it stay clean for a couple of hours) and run some errands without interruptions. Although I've actually enjoyed spending more time with the kids as they are getting a bit older, I need time without them occasionally to recharge my batteries...

I felt refreshed and ready to resume my motherly duties upon their return!



What are neighbors for?!...

My neighbor, Jeannie, keeps fine lager on hand for special guests...(apparently, that includes slugs!) We've had a problem with slugs this year eating the heck out of our peppers, beans, lettuce and broccoli. Rumor has it that beer poured in a shallow dish will attract them and they end up drowning. Die! I say! Slugs--be gone! We'll see how this works out.



Jeannie has a swallow nest in one of her blue bird boxes...
Look what just hatched!
I am so in love!

**What are your signs of summer?

**Does beer really work for slugs?

**Have you had your last harrah with peonies?

**Do you need time alone to recharge your batteries?

**What birds are nesting in your trees?



12 comments:

  1. Cherries without pits would be marvelous! Though I'm baffled by seedless watermelons, how is that possible?

    The bookshelf with your white ware is fabulous! What a great history behind that piece, and now it's found a perfect place in your home.

    I think time at home alone is the best. I love having the house to myself, having it quiet and clean, and just being able to mentally regroup. I think husbands everywhere would do well to figure this out and give this gift to their wives more often.

    We don't have slugs in Utah, or if we do I've never seen any. Drunk, drowning sounds like a good way for them to go.

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  2. I love cherries, but they can be messy!

    And those flowers are gorgeous.

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  3. this is s great post-
    cherries- is there anything mmore beautiful & more delish??
    Love that shelf- wow what a story- & the white dishes mmmmm yes!
    Hooray for a day without the kids- Mom's need to recharge OFTEn!! I am needing a recharge & another long nap... after last week!

    I've heard of the beer & slugs thing- please let us know if it works!

    the nest of birds it doesn't seem real it's so perfect- amazing

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  4. neat things - you sat. sounds divine! every mom needs a day like that- yay! brian.

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  5. Time for yourself--sounds wonderful! My kids are out of school, but I did grow up in upstate New York, and we didn't get out until the end of June. It seems like PA school got out a lot earlier?!?! What's going on? If you ever want to do collages with pictures you can do it for free at Picassa--that's where I do mine! I hope you get more time to yourself!

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  6. I'm totally jealous of the old law cases! Way too cool! I was just putting some things away over the weekend that I had raided from my home for my designer room, and I took a moment to admire the old cases of several kinds that I have to show off some of my favorite collectables as well. I love peering into the cases and seeing my favorite things all proudly on display! Your collectionn looks divine in them. And, great history to boot!

    Sounds like your Saturday was a day made in Heaven, for sure. I long for one of those...any Saturday without working! (in my store, that is...)

    I love cherries and even like the pit-part. Great photo. You should make a cute card out of it.
    Those birds are the sweetest ever! Now that's what I call a hairless wonder. The downy feathers are such a naturally divine addition. Another good shot.

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  7. I LOVE time alone. But, I always end up ready for them to come back. My husband didn't read your blog, but saw the Lager. He says, "They like beer?" I had to explain it was for slugs.

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  8. i love that you have lager and bruce Mck. in the same post. ha.
    serious envy on that book shelf, not to mention the lovely collection you have going inside it. really what a wonderful case. kudos to brian what a dude.

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  9. I love the waterfall picture! Sigh, my peonies are gone too. What beautiful flowers.

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  10. love those cherries - i just want to eat them up!
    love that book shelf
    love the great story to go with it.
    i'm IN LOVE with all the gorgeous white dishes.
    love that you not only got a day off but that your husband was cute enough to even get a photo. (rich would give me the day but never think to take a photograph)

    i've heard the same trick works with snails, let me know how that goes. and i'm with jill, i think drowning and not caring because you're drunk is a great way (for a slug) to go.

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  11. The image of cherries on your blog makes perfect sense, Shannon! You are the modern day Erma Bombeck and she did write a book called, "If Life Is A Bowl of Cherries....Why Am I Always Getting The Pits?" Didn't she? My mom proudly
    had that book and a few decorative plates and a Durer print on our foyer bureau.

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  12. I think your peonies are beautiful.

    And so is the waterfall.

    I need to recharge my batteries. I'd like 1/2 a day every day to do that. Instead, my husband is out of town. But, since he's working a ton and not recharging his batteries either I can't feel resentful. Vacations are nice, but they aren't that completely alone time that really recharges. I'm glad that you got some!

    I have no idea what kills slugs, other than salt. If the beer works, you'll have to make a post and tell us that it did!

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