Happy Earth Day

From my little corner of it

and finally 

go white or go gray

for me it's white

better for your health

better for the planet

better for your wallet

Only for earth day would I do this.

I am notoriously camera shy

Suzan with a z not an S 

 

Happy Sunday!

Pink Ladies always shine this time of year.

Sooooo many bees. Doing my part for local beekeepers.

It works!!

SO much work to get it back, but I still have to 

be water conscious lol

Welcome Hummers

Everything coming up nicely

This time of year the blinds are open, and windows 

as well. Fountain sounds all over the first floor 

Double foam, sweet cream, cinnamon, vanilla, cold brew.

My treat on this beautiful day.

How did I ever exist without a frother? 

OH BOY!!!

 

Love Affair Continues

The plants and I are in a devoted romance  - first chihuli rose

Tree in half bloom already, with my chaste tree (purple blooms) coming up fast behind

Loving the reflection in my windows

Although I bought two chihuli roses they are coming out differently

2nd chihuli

That rooster vane I bought for my father 

when, after retiring, he built his dream house.

It was on the property many years.  He removed and brought it out to me

then, and it has been in my garden ever since.

The Pink Ladies are out part way this week.

Showy but short lived.

I cannot seem to get enough out door time these days.

BTW the concrete repair I tried on the old fountain

seems to have worked, but I needed a larger pump.

Amazon to the rescue this weekend.  

Stay tuned for that also.

 

A Studio Reboot

This is my dear friend Sue's Living/Dining Room.

Rarely is it used, and she hates going up the stairs to her studio, so 

about a month ago she decided to move her studio downstairs

into this room.

We talked it out a lot, and planned, and her first step was to rip out the carpet

and put in hardwood flooring to hopefully match the flooring in the rest 

of the house that was no longer available; and if it had been 

it would be way over budget.

Ignore stuff on the table she had begun to purge and she sold 

that china which always help the budget.

She also reduced by half the hummels in that glass cabinet,

and gave the cabinet to a family member.

The flooring was completed on Monday.

Meanwhile I assigned purging chores of her current studio to Sue and 

she really had her work cut out for her, and work she did!

For you see...

Not everything had to come down,

gift wrapping supplies and dollhouse and 

Misc supplies from years of teaching remained upstairs.

( the old studio now also needs an overhaul)

Like many clients I've had over the years Sue had to 

really think about what she wanted the new studio to look like,

how it would serve her, and then purge and plan with "intent".

You see, she is enclosing that new studio behind beautiful, 

expensive glass doors with a transom, 

as it is the first room you see as you enter the home

 and it is just a wide opening now. Being able 

to keep the studio looking fabulous at all times,

meant everything had to have a dedicated space

with the majority being behind a door or in a drawer.

Sue has many wonderful things, but as happens 

frequently when you collect so much, eventually you

just starting plunking things in anywhere they will fit

because...

you loved them once

you paid good money for them

or purging is just hard for you.

It had gotten away from her, working outside the home

 and Sue volunteers often, so while making gorgeous cards

is a passion, there wasn't time to stop and FIX things.

Enter - me

I arrived Wednesday, and Sue had already moved the furniture down and 

had started filling the cupboards in the way I explained that it should be done.

She did a fabulous job!

I tweaked the hutch she had begun, I'll explain later,

 and then planned the placement of machines, 

computer printer and with "intent" we selected what went on the walls

and the essentials to have within reach near her desk.

You get only one peek as everything wasn't in place just yet,

and I didn't get great shots anyway

but soon, this weekend for sure.

I convinced her to keep the matching dining hutch 

in the room as it offered great storage and

it provided  a wonderful way to display her travel treasures.

When I arrived she had styled it, but had mixed in vintage pieces

 she didn't know what to do with, along with these pieces she has collected

as she travels the world each year.

We had again the discussion of intention, and then I restyled

using only mementos from her trips, leaving room for 

future trips to come. She approved.

And there is the gorgeous floor!

Stay tuned

 

 

I Can Be Found Here

I begin my day with coffee out here

while listening to KNPR

and end my day with iced tea and maybe

 some brie and bread, and always, always Walter.

I hauled 10 very heavy bags of mulch from the front 

to this very neglected area.

Three days ago it looked like this. 

Rerouted all the drips.

This morning the first Chihuli rose opened.

Rosemary and peppers in the rear (so far)

First Hibiscus bloom today

That whole wall of Pink Lady will be in 

full bloom in about a week.

I plan to paint window and have ordered a pretty rattan blind.

Brought out a pouf for the many times I need to rest.

One of two lemon trees. 

The blossoms smell divine

 

Sunflowers in tubs, below tomatoes

Fourth year fig tree loves it's new spot

Herbs are loving this spot so far- fingers crossed

I loved this yard for many years 

and then upkeep by myself with three huge trees became a hassle.

Tore out the trees before the they tore up the foundation.

Then I updated a few years back and loved it again,

then I got sick and then covid.

I'm back in love

Today I repaired with new concrete ( first time mixing concrete) 

 an old defunct waterfall fountain

that will now just have a fountain in pool at the base.

I hope

Tomorrow we test water retention.

If you don't see it soon, I'm back to the drawing board.

It's beginning to get warm 

so finishing up just in time.

Then it'll just be early mornings and very late nights

till fall.

Everything else in the world seems unspeakable,

so I don't.

Those of you who have been here with me forever

know my feelings about most of it.

My kids are flourishing and are healthy and happy.

You'll be able to see a lot of their work quite soon 

on many streaming sites, if you stream

Netflix, Disney+ or  Hulu.

They are uber busy.

I adore my friends and am blessed with good ones.

Once again, I'll be helping a friend this week set up an entire 

new space in her home. Hopefully there will be photos.

I'm choosing contentment.

It's taken me a long time to get here.

I chose to be boosted again today and feel lucky to be able to do so.

Stay safe, stay healthy

Suzan with a Z not an S