How We Recycle...

Mr. Bird Nest built us our own recycle center.  Today, I finally made a sign for it.

I started with this piece of wood that I already had.

Next, I pulled out my dusty Cricket machine and put it in my craft room (aka:  the kitchen).  After reading directions and trying to remember how it worked, I finally got letters printed.  I Mod Podged the letters on the board and then sealed it.

And here it is in all it's glory.  We have two cans for plastic and glass and two cans for paper.  These cans are great for taking things to the recycle center because the lids snap tight.

We always crush our soda cans to make more space.

Mr. Bird Nest built a shelf just wide enough and long enough to hold my four plastic cans.

It's really handy since it is right by the garage door where we enter the kitchen.

Since we began recycling we only have about one small bag of actual trash each week that can't be recycled.

Gretchen

Let's Walk Around The Garden...

My favorite flowers, the gardenias, are in full bloom right now.  



 The aroma from those bushes is just dreamy.

 The azalea's are done blooming but the day lilies are almost ready to bloom at the pool. 
 

 

Even the bluebirds are happy in the garden.

 

Let's take a break on this concrete bench and relax for a minute.

This is my angel garden.

Two friends gave me this angel for my birthday to add to my garden.

This is my bunny garden.  Oh look...that little bunny lost his ears. 

Finally my hydrangeas.  I've been trying to grow these for quite a while and I've finally succeeded.

Look at these blooms.

You can even see the dew on them.

I hope this walk was relaxing and starts your day happily.

Gretchen

Let's Tour The Garden...

This is the stone that welcomes you to the garden.

Remember that a garden doesn't have to cover an acre.  It can grow in a few pots if you don't have a lot of time or space.  By most standards, my garden is small but it's enough to feed us all summer long.

These are my herbs and all but the basil came up from last year, so I didn't have to plant them again.

 

From the bottom of the picture to the top are Rosemary, Parsley, Onion Chives, Basil and Lemon Balm.  I cut the Lemon Balm back last week because it was covering half of the sidewalk.

There are 5 tomato plants.  2 Big Boys, 1 Better Boy and 2 with Italian tomatoes.  YUM, YUM.

The plants at the bottom are my 2 pepper plants and above them are the zucchini and yellow squash.

 

On the bottom, there are cantaloupes (I've never grown them before) and cucumbers.

Finally, my zinnia garden which is just beginning to bloom.

Aren't they pretty?



These will still be blooming in October and that's what I love about growing them.  I'll have bouquets throughout the house all summer long.

Gretchen

June 16, 1990...

 

This little wedding topper was used on my parents wedding cake when they were married.

 



Twenty-three years ago today Mr. Bird Nest and I used that same topper on our wedding cake.  One of my sons had returned from his Naval Base in Japan and my other son had just joined the Navy.  My parents had both passed away the previous year.  They would have both been so pleased to have me marry this man.   Therefore, it was both a happy day and a sad one. 

 

We weren't kids.  We'd both  tried marriage before and been unsuccessful, but after 10 years of dating, we decided to give it a chance.

 

Who knew within that first year we would buy a house, leave both our jobs, move from PA to SC (700 miles from home), buy our 2nd house (Bird Nest Cottage) and finally begin our life together.

 

It hasn't always been easy.  We've had laughter and tears but together we committed to making it work and luckily it has.  We now think the same things, answer the same thing at the same time and really are best friends.  I can't imagine anyone I would have wanted to take this journey with, any more than this man.

 

Happy Anniversary Mr. Bird Nest.  I love you more than mere words can say. 

 

These are the words we spoke to each other twenty-three years ago.

 

"I want to live with you,

 

 just as you are,

 

 and I choose you,

 

 among all others,

 

 to share your life with me. 

 

Grow old along with me.

 

The best is yet to be!"

 

 

 



 



Caring For Our Feathered Friends...

 

We've always had bluebird houses in our yard, almost from day one.

 

When we (I mean Mr. Bird Nest) tore down the fence that surrounded our back yard, the sad bluebird houses had to go too. 

 

 A few weeks ago we added four new ones made of cedar by Woodlink.  I purchased them on Amazon.com for about $20.00 each.

 We worried that moving their homes might make them not return.

 No fear.  Almost the same day this one went up by my garden, a bluebird began building a nest.  That was about 3 weeks ago and I see the bluebird going in and out almost every day.

When you are thinking about what you need to do inside your house, don't skip the outside.  Add a bluebird house, a bird house, a bird feeder or hummingbird feeder.  Birds are a joy to watch and a great way to teach your children and grandchildren about birds and nature.

Gretchen

 

 

 

Master Bedroom Redo - Phase One...

Currently, we are working on a Master Bedroom Update.  This is Phase 1.

First let me tell you this isn't a 1950's sitcom bedroom.  It is mine. 

Mr. Bird Nest is a "big time" snorer and I want to be as far away as possible to sleep at night.  Due to my RA, I had problems changing the heavy king sized bed we had.  We went with twin beds and now we're both happy. 

We had been living with the frame and mattress only with no headboard.  They were not very attractive. 

The new headboards came from Ballard Designs.  I looked everywhere for the right style and best price and these fit the bill.  Even Mr. Bird Nest loves them.  OK, he's happy that I'm happy and that I quit bugging him about them.

I thought it would be harder to talk Mr. Nest into spending this money, but I told him I finally wanted "big girl" beds and he took pity on me.  I've got to save that thought for the next time I want something, cause he fell for it right away.

The drapes are also from Ballard's, as are the lamp shades.

The watercolor above the beds came from our first trip to Charleston, SC and is "Rainbow Row".

The coverlets and pillow shams are an oyster color and I purchased them from Overstock.com at a great price and free shipping.  The dust ruffle were ones I already had.

Remember, this is just Phase 1 and I have two Phases to go.  One of them won't be delivered until July, so stay tuned.

Gretchen

Spiffing Update...

This morning I went to my favorite little True Value hardware store and got plate holders to hang the rest of my plates on the wall. 

Just ignore that pitcher of sweet tea I'm makin' on the counter.

The gold of the mirror highlights the pattern of the plates.

Now all I need is to find a little tiny saucer to hang at the top.  Am I never satisfied? 

Gretchen