First Friday of June

Hello from Willow's Cottage on this first Friday of June.  I hope you have had a wonderful week.  I look forward to Fridays to post about all the blessings of my week.  It helps me stay grounded in gratitude.  Every Friday Susanne hosts Friday Fave Fives.  Join us if you want.

1.  On Saturday, Nurse daughter and I joined some other people and drove about an hour north to Groovy Plants Ranch.  Oh my!  So. Many. Plants.  We had a great time.  And we didn't carry home "that many" pots of flowers and herbs.

So much lavender!  I had to help them out by taking one home with me.

2.  A second fave about the trip to Groovy Plants Ranch is that I managed to get the lavender planted in the front garden and the bellflower and salvia planted in the back-- those 'few' plants I purchased.

3.  This week, a new to us handyman came to do a few jobs around the house.  He did a great job, and now our back door and front door are working better, there isn't a spot above the back door leaking raindrops on us.  It's not easy to find a good handyman, so we are very thankful for him.

4.  Time to read.  I love reading books.  This week I finished reading Christy by Catherine Marshal which is about 500 pages.  Now I am enjoying Francie on the Run, a children's book by Hilda van Stockum.

5.  Of course, I've been knitting.  I love to knit and I am thankful that I am able to do it and have an 'ample' yarn stash (insert laughing face emoji here).  These are two current projects.

A baby blanket in neutral grey.  The pattern is sometimes referred to as waffle weave.

 And an experiment.

A knitted US flag.

This is my first attempt.

So this was my week.  Nothing exciting or unusual.  But it was a blessed week.

How was your week?

Red Barn Part 1

 I am not sure why, but red barns are popular around Ohio. It could be a Buckeye thing.  I don't know.  Whatever the reason, they're everywhere.  Old and New.  Small and Large.

Which one is your favorite?

The End of May Faves

I had big plans to post a couple of times this week.  You can see (actually, you can't see) that that didn't happen.  But I really need to pause and be thankful on Fridays even if I am busy all the rest of the week.  Friday Fave Fives does that for me.

1.  Tall Boy graduated from high school!  Because the weather was wet and rainy, the usual outdoor graduation ceremony at the football stadium was moved to the basketball court inside.  It was a bit more crowded and seating was limited.  I am thankful I could attend in person and watch him walk across the platform and accept his diploma.

Celebrating with Tall Boy and his best friend

2.  Monday was Memorial Day.  We spent the whole day at home.  In the evening, we did our first bonfire of the season.  Some of the family joined us.  Weather was perfect and it was a good evening.  Both of our fathers served in the US military during WWII.  And so did two of my uncles.  The Professor served in the US Army in Vietnam.  And our son is a US Army Reserve Chaplain.  Memorial Day is important to us.

3.  On Tuesday, we drove north about an hour to meet up with our friends who drove about an hour south from their home.  We've been friends since we all lived in Oregon and attended the same church.  They chose a very interesting place for us to have lunch.  Buckeye Express Diner.  It's a train car turned into a restaurant.  I'm sure we will visit it again.

Sign at the gas station pointing us to the street taking us to the diner.

A fun place to enjoy lunch... what!  What's that giant cook doing??

Oh, it's just a statue ...

4.  A local brewery hosts a Trivia Night every Wednesday evening.  The Professor and I joined our three adult kids who live in our town and a couple who Older Daughter knows to play as a team.  We didn't win first place, but we didn't end up in the last place, either.  It was fun.  And I am thankful that we can enjoy impromptu time with our family.

5.  A few days this week, the weather has been perfect for messing in the garden.  I am in the process of 'redoing' the front gardens.  I finished clearing one section and planted some zinnias around the edges.  I'm liking the new look.

How was your week?

Busy Busy Week

Another busy busy week here at Willow's Cottage.  And I am thankful for a small break in the busyness to take a breath and be thankful for the blessings in my life.  Thanks to Susanne for hosting our Friday Fave Fives.

1.  Our busy week started with Saturday.  The Professor had a meeting at 9am.  I had Fiber Arts Group at 11am.  And then we drove north more than an hour to visit Milk and Honey Acres which was having an open house.  I enjoy buying and using their salves, and they experimented and made one with tallow instead of beeswax just for me.  It was a busy day but it was filled with blessings.

2.  On Tuesday, I received a text from Tall Boy noting that he needed a ride to the high school for the honors convocation ceremony.  Umm, ok.  We didn't know about it... The Professor had Trail Life to attend, so he dropped us off at the high school, and later his mom arrived (just getting off work) in time to watch him stand and receive his award.

Yes, he really is that tall.

And after the ceremony, Tall Boy and his mom had a silly photo shoot.

Then I had just enough time to race over to my son's house to attend Well Read Mom book club meeting that my daughter-in-law was hosting.  I am thankful I can be available to spend these special moments with family.

3.  Wednesday noon was a special time.  We have a friend who lives in Vietnam and works with an NGO there.  We were friends when we lived in California.  But now her mom is living in Columbus, so she visits here whenever she is in the US.  So we always plan a lunch time to catch up on our lives.  I am so thankful for this friendship!

4.  Lots of garden time.  I have been outside working in our gardens almost everyday this week. Except today because it has been raining nonstop all day.  So much weeding to do.  And making changes like adding more beds for wild flowers.  I am thankful that we have enough property that we can add more areas to have lots of flowers for our bees.

5.  Speaking of bees... our hives are going bonkers.  So busy doing their business of making honey.

I am thankful for our beekeeper Steve.  He comes immediately if there is an issue.  Yesterday, he arrived in five minutes to close up our hives (and our neighbor's hives) when there was a suspicious smell all over our neighborhood.  Then this morning he returned and checked the hives to make sure 'the girls' are healthy.  They are.  And maybe soon, we will have more honey.

And tomorrow is another busy Saturday.  Tall Boy graduates from high school!!

Mothers Day Week

Friday!  It's Friday!  Finally!  It's time for Friday Fave Fives, the weekly time when I focus on what has blessed me this week.  Susanne is the host and others join us to share our gratitude for the past week.

1.  My first fave is about today.  For the first day all week, there is nothing on my calendar.  My plan is to work in my garden and walk the granddogs with my daughter.  I am thankful for a 'down day'.

2.  Mother's Day!  All the Ohio family came for dinner after church.  We did the usual:  BYOL, Bring Your Own Lunch.  We had fun chatting and sharing gifts.  Then most of us took a walk around the neighborhood to wear off some of the dessert.  I am so blessed to live near three of my four children.  Younger Son did text me "Happy Mom's Day!"

3.  Nurse Daughter had a day off during the week, so she helped me in my garden in the morning, and then I helped her in hers in the afternoon.  We did much weeding.  Then she cut me these flowers from her bushes to take home as a bouquet.

4.  I finished the sweater I was knitting.  Finally.  Actually, I finished it last week and wore it one day.  But I decided that the length was too short so I added an extra three inches to the body.  Here is the final product.

The yarn was Coboo, a combination of cotton and rayon from bamboo.  Needles:  Size 2 for ribbing and size 3 for the stockinette stitch body and sleeves.

5.  Back to 1. And that walk with my daughter and the dogs.  It was so refreshing.  Walking along the river.  In the shade.  Under the trees.  By the beautiful spring flowers.  I'm thankful for time with my daughter and for a wonderful place to walk.

How was your week?

May Faves 2

 Running in at the last hour to share my Friday Fave Fives for this second week of May.  As always, I am thankful for Susanne hosting Friday Fave Fives.

1.  Fiber Friends on Saturday afternoon.  Younger Daughter had the day off from nursing, so we drove down to the next county to our friend's home where she was hosting an afternoon of knitting.  We had a great time just hanging out and knitting.

2.  That evening, The Professor and I met T and S to attend the Denison University Gospel Choir concert. Our neighbor is a community member of the choir.  The music was excellent, as usual.

3.  Monday evening we joined PAL and her mom at their house for dinner and watching Star Wars.  May the Force Forth be with you.

4.  Yesterday, Thursday, was the last class for my Bible Study Fellowship group.  We had a great year studying Bible books in the Old Testament.  And after class, we enjoyed a lunch at a new local cafe.

5.  The weather has moderated some this week, so I have been able to be outside in both front and back garden doing clean up and prepping.  Hopefully, next week I can begin planting.

Bonus:  just to have some visuals for you.  Barn photos I took on Saturday as we drove through the rural areas on our way to Fiber Friends.

And now we are looking forward to Mother's Day in the US.  Happy Mother's Day to all the moms.

May Flowers

 April Showers did bring May Flowers.  In my garden.

clematis

dianthus

peonies

red clover

rhododendrons

yellow flowers

I do not know the name

but they are bright and beautiful

Are May Flowers blooming in your garden?

May Day!

 May Day!  May Day!  Come save me from a busy week!  At least it wasn't as busy as last week was.  I'm posting my Friday Fave Fives for my weekly list of things for which I am thankful.  This practice of writing out my blessings every week has become a wonderful habit for me.  Thanks to Susanne for faithfully hosting this for years.

1.  After last week when eight of the nine evenings (yes, more than a week) were booked, we enjoyed a couple of nights this week with nothing on our calendar.  I am thankful for a less busy week.

2.  Today has been cold and rainy, but a couple of days this week the weather has been sunny and warm.  So The Professor and I were able to be outside working in the gardens.  He has been weeding around the five fruit trees to prep them for being fertilized.  One project I worked on was preparing an area that used to be a firepit into a garden circle where I want to plant some bright flowers.  Maybe this coming week the weather will cooperate so I can plant the seeds.

3.  One evening this week, we invited a younger couple to our house for dinner.  The four of us have been enjoying dinners together once in a while.  We had a great time. Wonderful conversations. And we introduced them to Indonesian food. Yum.  

4.   I've been knitting a sweater this week (and the past couple of weeks).  The body is done and one sleeve.  All that's left is one sleeve.  When it's finished, I'll post photos.  I am thankful for the time this week to be knitting.

5.  And I've had some time to read.  Right now, I'm going back and forth between two books.  Am I the only person who reads more than one book at the same time?  I'm just thankful for the time this week to read.

I hope you have had a wonderful First Day of May.

Fave Fives in Third Week of April

Another busy week.  And I've been mostly MIA online because of all the activities.  But it's Friday evening  and I am sitting in a chair relaxing and writing my Friday Fave Fives.  This is the first evening in more than a week that I haven't had something on the calendar to do.  So now I can focus...  Here are my five blessings from the past week.  (click on the link to go to Susanne's blog and join in)

1.  I am thankful for the two day conference I attended last weekend.  I learned lots about health choices.  And knowing some of the people also attending was an added enjoyment (I mentioned that in last week's faves).  And I'm thankful I arrived home safely even though I drove country roads through a rainstorm.

2.  An appointment at the dentist is not usually on anyone's fave list.  But I have a wonderful dentist who is careful, thorough, kind and gentle.  I made it through the procedures successfully.  So I'm doubly thankful for good dental care and for good outcomes.

3.  I always love walks with our granddogs.  Three miles this time.  I think we finally wore out Sawyer (the sheepadoodle).  Athena was lagging a bit at the end.  I'm thankful that we can enjoy these times with our daughter and her dogs.

And our county trails are so beautiful!

4.  I finished another crib blanket for the local pregnancy resource center.  And I made three pairs of booties for them to give away to moms who come in for a consultation.  I am thankful I can knit and help others, too.

And I made a Plain Vest and headband for a little two year old girl who loves pink.

Eleanor thought they were pretty and wanted to model them.

5.  Time in the garden.  Finally, we had a week of okay weather and some time in the afternoon to work in the garden.  Our veggie beds are ready for planting.  The weeds?  Well... we're working on them.  I'm thankful that I have enough property here at Willow's Cottage to grow a garden.

What has made you thankful this week?

Time for Fave Fives

I am away from home again, but I'm pausing to carve out some time to share my Friday Fave Fives for this past week.  It was a busy week.

1.  Saturday was fun.  Nurse Daughter and I spent all morning plant shopping.  Then in the afternoon, I worked in the garden a bit.  After that, The Professor and I met both daughters at the local arboretum and walked the dogs.

What was Older Daughter searching for in the pond at the Japanese Garden?

Koi!

And turtles!

2.  Sunday, after The Professor took his turn preaching the sermon at our church, we grabbed a quick lunch and then visited Bryn Du Mansion where the local gardeners club held its Daffodil Festival.  Yes, the theme was America's Two Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary.

3.  Monday was one of those days when the errands piled up.  We were able to put them all together in one long trip. I'm thankful the errands all got done.

4.  As usual, we enjoyed our time with T and S at a local coffee shop.  I am so thankful for our friendship with them.

5.  Why am I gone from home?  I am attending a wellness conference called Seeking Whole Health.  I thought I'd be sitting along all day.  BUT.  It turns out that a good friend is attending with her sister-in-law.  So we've been enjoying our fellowship together and learning lots.  After dismissal today, we even got in a mile and a half walk in a local park.

What did you find in your week that made you stop and be thankful?