Keeping it Real

Earlier this evening I was sitting on the front porch reading an post from Claudia over at Mockingbird Hill Cottage. She's proposing a weekly series called Reality Shots about... well, keeping it real. The blogosphere is so filled up beautiful and often staged shots that a dose of reality can be refreshing. Claudia wants to make it a weekly meme. Good idea I thought to myself as I looked up and saw my own reality.... yikes!

Inspired by Claudia, I'm sharing my a little of my reality this evening. This is what it looks like from the other side of the porch. 

And this is before you even get into my house. Ack!!

Earlier this evening I was sitting on the front porch reading an post from Claudia over at Mockingbird Hill Cottage. She's proposing a weekly series called Reality Shots about... well, keeping it real. The blogosphere is so filled up beautiful and often staged shots that a dose of reality can be refreshing. Claudia wants to make it a weekly meme. Good idea I thought to myself as I looked up and saw my own reality.... yikes!

Inspired by Claudia, I'm sharing my a little of my reality this evening. This is what it looks like from the other side of the porch. 

And this is before you even get into my house. Ack!!

Savoring Peach Pie

Every year about this time I'm flush with peaches. We have old trees, new trees and they put out a lot of peaches. Except this year. A late frost right after they started to bloom did them in. Only one small tree, tucked away in a sheltered spot, managed to produce peaches. Not many, but enough for one peach pie.

Luckily, I didn't screw it up and it turned out perfect. I used this peach pie recipe here, but without the cinnamon, sugar on top and lots more peaches. It was simply "peachy" and thoroughly enjoyed.

Here's hoping to a better peach crop next year because I have whole bunch of recipes and canning I'd like to try.

Linking to the Tuesday Garden Party at An Oregon Cottage

Every year about this time I'm flush with peaches. We have old trees, new trees and they put out a lot of peaches. Except this year. A late frost right after they started to bloom did them in. Only one small tree, tucked away in a sheltered spot, managed to produce peaches. Not many, but enough for one peach pie.

Luckily, I didn't screw it up and it turned out perfect. I used this peach pie recipe here, but without the cinnamon, sugar on top and lots more peaches. It was simply "peachy" and thoroughly enjoyed.

Here's hoping to a better peach crop next year because I have whole bunch of recipes and canning I'd like to try.

Linking to the Tuesday Garden Party at An Oregon Cottage

Making Mimi Crazy

Hi everyone, Emma here. Want to play a game with me? It's called "Let's make my Mimi crazy." She wants to take a pretty picture of me today, but I say... no way.

Not gonna make me smile, uh uh!

Mimi makes a funny face when I do this, too. Hehehe!

This is fun! No, really!

She's bringing in reinforcements, but not even my sissies will make me smile today!

Uh oh! Mimi says she's going to save these pictures and show them to my first boyfriend! Okay...

Is this pretty enough for you, Mimi?

"Thank you, Emma, Mimi's happy now!"

Hi everyone, Emma here. Want to play a game with me? It's called "Let's make my Mimi crazy." She wants to take a pretty picture of me today, but I say... no way.

Not gonna make me smile, uh uh!

Mimi makes a funny face when I do this, too. Hehehe!

This is fun! No, really!

She's bringing in reinforcements, but not even my sissies will make me smile today!

Uh oh! Mimi says she's going to save these pictures and show them to my first boyfriend! Okay...

Is this pretty enough for you, Mimi?

"Thank you, Emma, Mimi's happy now!"

Trying Out Table Centerpieces

So many bloggers are getting ready for Fall that I'm inspired to make a change or two (even though its as hot as Hades here at the moment). Because of the heat I'm not ready to pull out all the Fall decor, so I thought I would start simple. A new centerpiece for the kitchen table.

This is the way it's been looking for a few months. A vintage style tablecloth with a yellow Bauer bowl with fruit.

Of course, I could change it out with an orange Bauer bowl... but that's not much different, huh?

A couple months ago I found a real vintage, 40's-style tablecloth on eBay. I love the blue and red and as long as you don't look too close, you won't see the tiny holes or specks of green paint. I got it cheap and I don't mind "old and used." But my table takes a lot of abuse, so I don't like to use this tablecloth too much. (See note below.)

The hubby likes to see the wood on the old table. It originally belonged to his grandmother and we spend a lot of hours stripping and refinishing it. If you look close, you'll see it's about time to do that again. Oh well.

I have a lot of dark blue in my kitchen, from the wall to the 70's floor, so blue it is. I like the blue check of the tablecloth ($2 at my favorite thrift store) and the blue vase (number #2 son gave that to me for Xmas a few years ago) and the sunflowers really say "Fall," (even though they're fake).

Note: A few hours later the tablecloth was covered in chocolate milk! Good thing it's washable! And I realize it won't be long before I do have to pull out some of my Fall decorations. The kids were talking about Halloween already. Yikes!

Linking to Tablescape Thursday at

Between Naps on the Porch

check it out because there's

some really great Fall tablescape

ideas over there

So many bloggers are getting ready for Fall that I'm inspired to make a change or two (even though its as hot as Hades here at the moment). Because of the heat I'm not ready to pull out all the Fall decor, so I thought I would start simple. A new centerpiece for the kitchen table.

This is the way it's been looking for a few months. A vintage style tablecloth with a yellow Bauer bowl with fruit.

Of course, I could change it out with an orange Bauer bowl... but that's not much different, huh?

A couple months ago I found a real vintage, 40's-style tablecloth on eBay. I love the blue and red and as long as you don't look too close, you won't see the tiny holes or specks of green paint. I got it cheap and I don't mind "old and used." But my table takes a lot of abuse, so I don't like to use this tablecloth too much. (See note below.)

The hubby likes to see the wood on the old table. It originally belonged to his grandmother and we spend a lot of hours stripping and refinishing it. If you look close, you'll see it's about time to do that again. Oh well.

I have a lot of dark blue in my kitchen, from the wall to the 70's floor, so blue it is. I like the blue check of the tablecloth ($2 at my favorite thrift store) and the blue vase (number #2 son gave that to me for Xmas a few years ago) and the sunflowers really say "Fall," (even though they're fake).

Note: A few hours later the tablecloth was covered in chocolate milk! Good thing it's washable! And I realize it won't be long before I do have to pull out some of my Fall decorations. The kids were talking about Halloween already. Yikes!

Linking to Tablescape Thursday at

Between Naps on the Porch

check it out because there's

some really great Fall tablescape

ideas over there

Does this Mean Fall is Here?

Happy Labor Day, everyone. I guess this means we're at the start of the Fall season. For me, that means my nesting instincts are really kicking in. Maybe it's the anticipation of cooler weather or that the holidays are getting closer, but I have a lot of things around the house I want to get done.

Today's a good day to start making my plans. Although I shared my To Do List already, this one will detail the things I can actually get done. On the top of the list is laying a new laminate floor in the living room. It's my make-do floor because I'm just getting tired of looking at the concrete. Carpeting doesn't work here and as much as I would love hardwood floors, this house takes a lot of hard living. (It would take all of five minutes before the hubby would drag in a stone on the bottom of his boots). Now I have to tell the hubby we're going to be doing this before September end... Honey?!

For the rest of the day, though, it's plotting and planning. Besides my nesting projects, it's time to think about Christmas shopping, too. The girls were over yesterday and I started quizzing them on their Santa lists. They have some mighty big lists! Yikes! I better get busy.

Have a good day everyone... and take some time off to enjoy yourself today!

Happy Labor Day, everyone. I guess this means we're at the start of the Fall season. For me, that means my nesting instincts are really kicking in. Maybe it's the anticipation of cooler weather or that the holidays are getting closer, but I have a lot of things around the house I want to get done.

Today's a good day to start making my plans. Although I shared my To Do List already, this one will detail the things I can actually get done. On the top of the list is laying a new laminate floor in the living room. It's my make-do floor because I'm just getting tired of looking at the concrete. Carpeting doesn't work here and as much as I would love hardwood floors, this house takes a lot of hard living. (It would take all of five minutes before the hubby would drag in a stone on the bottom of his boots). Now I have to tell the hubby we're going to be doing this before September end... Honey?!

For the rest of the day, though, it's plotting and planning. Besides my nesting projects, it's time to think about Christmas shopping, too. The girls were over yesterday and I started quizzing them on their Santa lists. They have some mighty big lists! Yikes! I better get busy.

Have a good day everyone... and take some time off to enjoy yourself today!