Show and Tell Friday

It's time for Show and Tell Friday. If you would like to participate, drop over to Kelli's at There's No Place Like Home.

Last Monday, which was Thanksgiving in Canada, the boys came over to help me finish decorating the yard. We had started it about two weeks ago and hadn't had a chance to finish it.

First we took some Indian corn and tied it together with binder twine and hung it by the door. The photo doesn't do it justice. It is rather pretty.

While we were tying the Indian corn, Grandpa went to the basement and brought out the pumpkin head man that we've had for years. He is getting in kind of rough shape, but he still looks good lounging on the bale of straw.

We put a mum plant and some gourds and pumpkins beside him to brighten up the yard near the driveway.

Then we put up the ghost that I got last year. It has such a pleasant face and welcomes trick or treaters to the yard. We couldn't get it into the hard ground, so Grandpa put it in for us. Mmm! My fairy is lying on the ground. Looks like Meeko has been in the flower bed again. Grrr!

Then we added last year's scarecrow that will keep my new larger one company this year. We added a few cornstalks to the mix.

About three years ago the boys and I were at a holiday speciality shop and saw the groom from the Nightmare Before Christmas on sale. I bought one for their house and one for here.

A look at all the decorations from the top of the terrace steps. It looks kind of spooky, don't you think. Brandon was sure enjoying it after it was all done.

See that smile. And Anni, that witch hanging on the porch railing was given to me about five years ago by the boys. She has watched over the yard every Halloween since.

Jordan helped with all the decorations but for some reason didn't get in the photos. I think he was too busy raking leaves and trying to fill that big bag with the pumpkin face on it. After the decorating was done, we went to the front of the house where a poplar tree sheds leaves like crazy and filled that bag to the brim. I didn't get a photo when it was finished, but the boys took it home to set in their yard. They can't fill them they don't have many trees in their survey, except at the park.

We had a lot of fun decorating again this year. Oh, and notice the green Christmas lights that we are going to light on Halloween to make the yard look eerie. After Halloween, they will be shut off until December. I'm hoping that someday the boys will have many fond memories of decorating for Halloween at Grandma's.

It's colder here today and our lovely Indian Summer is gone. The wind is nasty and it has been overcast all day. Have a pleasant weekend, stay safe and take time to enjoy the simple things in life. ~Blessings, Mary~

Show and Tell Friday

It's time for Show and Tell Friday. If you would like to participate, drop over to Kelli's at There's No Place Like Home.

This week I have a family treasure to show my readers. The bone china covered dish below is 106 years old. It was purchased by my father in the 1970s for my mother. It cost an atrocious amount - $25 to be exact. That was a lot of money in those days and Dad was disabled at the time. He would have had to save for months to buy Mom such an expensive gift.

Notice the beautiful scrolled handles on the dish and the unique handle on the cover. The bottom is kind of scalloped. The dish is white as snow and is in mint condition. Even the roses and gold trim are in pretty much perfect condition. A bit of the gold has faded on the dish handles, but not many things are in such excellent condition when they are 106 years old. You can tell just by looking at it that whoever owned it before mother gave it a lot of TLC. There isn't so much as a nick out of the rim.
Here is a top view. I love the pink roses and will cherish this piece until it is time to hand it to Brandon. When he gets it, he will treasure it. He often asks to see it. He knows that one day it will be his. Why? Because one day when we were at Mom's, he saw it and exclaimed how pretty it was. He asked where she had got it and she told him that his great-grandpa had bought it for her long before he was born. He then asked if it could be his someday and the next time Mom dropped in to see me, she brought it and told me to see that Brandon got it when he set up house on his own.

Now this is a rare piece in my estimation. It was made in England and it is stamped with a green crown stamp that says, "Johnson Bros. England Patented 1902. There is something else there but the stamp has faded a bit and I couldn't make it out even with the magnifying glass.

I wish this dish could talk. I would like to know where it was purchased, who owned it from 1902 to the 1970s when Dad bought it for mother at an auction. Why was it held in such high esteem? Was it used for family dinners on holidays or did it spend much of its life in a china cabinet where the owner could display it proudly for all who came into her home to see? Lots of questions and no answers.

I hope you enjoyed seeing this family treasure. Enjoy your weekend. ~Blessings, Mary~

Show and Tell Friday

It's time for Show and Tell Friday. If you would like to participate, drop over to Kelli's at There's No Place Like Home.

This week I'd like to show you a few fairies from my fairy collection.


The one above was given to me by Pea at Pea's Corner when hubby and I met her and Steve in August. I've made her a home in my china cabinet and she seems to be very comfortable there. She is awesome and I love her so much.

Can you guess who the above fairies are? They were in the animated Disney film, Sleeping Beauty. Do you remember what their names were. Flora (pink) Fauna (green) and Merriweather. I can remember these from one of the first movies I ever saw in a theater and of course, since I love fairies and saw these beauties at a bargain price, I snagged them. These are miniature Royal Daltons and stand about 5 inches high.

The fairies above were bought for me by the boys. They were selling them at the apple festival last weekend, so the boys bought them for me for my birthday, which isn't for a while yet, but they just had to give them to me and I wasn't going to refuse. I always like a new fairy to add to my collection.

The beautiful green fairy above is one that hubby bought me. She is a tealight candle holder and I love her. Along with some of my other fairies, she lives in my china cabinet.

I even have twin fairies, but they're not identical twins. Hubby bought these for me about 3 years ago for my birthday. They are so cute.

I hope you enjoyed my Show and Tell Friday. Have a great weekend and be sure to take some time to enjoy the simple things in life. ~Blessings, Mary~

Show and Tell Friday

It's time for Show and Tell Friday. If you would like to participate, drop over to Kelli's at There's No Place Like Home.

As many of you know, I have been working outside when I can to get the garden weeded, mulched and the porch area cleaned up. Along with the renovations, this is at the top of my to-do list. I can't work in the garden like I used to, but I've been making progress.
On Wednesday, I worked outside for a while just to take a break from household chores. I left the renovations up to hubby and the neighbor's son who has been giving us a hand. I tidied up the living room and then took this little boy garden ornament out, cleaned it up and gave it a coat of sealer. I always seal my garden ornaments. They last much longer that way. However, instead of placing him in the garden, I decided he looked nice on the glass-topped table on the porch. Then I took the snake plant that I thinned out early this spring and placed it beside him. I thought the effect was rather nice. So for now, this is where he'll stay.

I purchased this little guy at an auction a couple of years ago. He reminded me of the boys and their love of gardening. I love cute whimsical ornaments for the outdoors.

Take care and enjoy the weekend. Remember to take some time out of your busy schedule to enjoy the little things in life. ~Blessings, Mary~

Show and Tell Friday

It's time for Show and Tell Friday. If you would like to participate, drop over to Kelli's at There's No Place Like Home.

This week for Show and Tell Friday I'd like all of my friends and readers to join Meeko and I on the evening walk we took on Thursday.

We left the house and walked across the street into the park. From there we turned east and walked down the trail.

We hadn't gone far until I noticed the most beautiful fragrance being carried along on the breeze. I knew what it was before we rounded the bend. This is what I saw. A beautiful lilac bush. In the above photo, the lilacs look pink.
In this one they look to be more purple. This is their true color and they are beautiful and oh, so fragrant. Though they are in the park I believe my neighbor planted the bush. She plants many plants on the park side of her fence. She likes to beautify the neighborhood.
As we continued on, the sun was beginning to set. You can see a bit of the glow in the top of the tree in this photo. If you look hard, you will be able to see a park bench. Sometimes Meeko and I stop here just to watch the birds.

Here is another area where there is a bench where we stop to view nature. Just beyond is the canal and mallard ducks sometimes congregate here. I was a little disappointed that there were none. I enjoy watching their antics as they splash in the water.

As we made our way toward home, I noticed that one of my neighbors near the trail has planted a new clematis. It is going to be lovely once it takes root. She's even put a little fence around, which looks really cute.

As Meeko and I walked, we were givien the honor of being entertained with the songs of sparrows, robins, cardinals and red-winged blackbirds. I really enjoy getting out into nature during the spring and though there was a chill in the air, it was warmer than it's been for a few days.

What gifts of nature have you enjoyed lately? I'd love to hear what type of birds and other critters can be found in your neighborhood. Enjoy the weekend. ~Blessings, Mary~

To my friends and readers in the US, enjoy the Memorial Day weekend. If you are traveling, use caution on the roads. Stay alert, stay safe!

Please be sure to drop by and check out my Friday Flea Market post. This week I have some vintage sundress patterns and a vintage headvase up for sale.

Show and Tell Friday

It's time for Show and Tell Friday. If you would like to participate, drop over to Kelli's at There's No Place Like Home.

My regular readers will know that I love all types of birds. I especially like those that have bright colors and beautiful songs. Birds are natures music and they always bring a splash of color into our yards. There's nothing like waking up in the morning to bird song outside your window.

When I turned 50, my mother gave me a birthday party. It is not something that I would have planned for myself, as I dislike being in the limelight. However, Mom felt that I had missed out as we never had birthday parties when we were kids. She'd thrown a party for my brother three years before when he turned 50 and so she did the same for me.

Even though Mom told everyone "Well wishes only," I got quite a few gifts. One of these was music box.

This was given to my by Aunt May. She is Mom's sister and my favorite aunt. The birds are beautiful, as are the porcelain flowers.
I took a photo from the end so you can see the beautiful flowers. Every petal is perfect.

This basket of flowers with the birds is a music box and it plays the song, Everything is Beautiful. Aunt May was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005. In April 2007, she was diagnosed with bone cancer. Since that time the cancer has spread to her head. She never was well, as she has the same rare blood condition that Grandma had, but now she is battling for her life. Please keep her in your prayers.

No matter what happens, I will always have this beautiful music box that Aunt May gave me when I turned 50. It will be passed down in the family as a treasured heirloom.

Have a great weekend and if the opportunity arises, do a random act of kindness. ~Blessings, Mary~

Show and Tell Friday

It's time for Show and Tell Friday. If you would like to participate, drop over to Kelli's at There's No Place Like Home.

I mentioned to someone in their comments that I had several stuffed animals and they asked me to share them. So, here they are. All of them still have the price tag. In the chair is the guest of honor, my panda. I love panda bears and I got him when I managed a toy store. He is brand new and I keep him packed away to keep him nice and clean. This old house is dusty and I wouldn't want him to be ruined.

On Panda's right is Freddy the Fox. When I was a child I read books about Freddy the Fox and when I saw this one, I fell in love with him. He is a hand puppet and he has entertained many children in his day, including my own grandsons.

On Panda's left is my reindeer that Santa left me one year. His colors are beautiful. I had never seen a blue and white reindeer until he came along. He is very unique, that's for certain.

Above Panda's head is my snow tiger. He has velcro on his paws, which enables me to hang him on the mirror of my dresser. The dresser belonged to Grandma and it has posts going up each side of the mirror. Freddy the Fox sits on the post and then the snow tiger hangs from the top of it. They certainly dress up the mirror.

So, that is my animal menagerie. I hope you enjoyed being introduced to my animal friends.

Thursday after school, the boys and I loaded up their bikes and headed to the farm. We also had a huge ball in the car. Getting the bikes in there was no fun, but we managed. We didn't arrive at the farm until 4:30 - late for us. We are usually there by 4 pm.

The boys rode their bikes for a while and then Jordan stopped riding to play ball with Conner who is at the farm after school every day. It seemed quite a while since we'd seen Brandon so Jordan hopped on his bike and went to find him. The two boys finally appeared and Brandon was dirty all down his right side. It seems he had hit a rut in the lane and taken a tumble, but he said he was fine. I breathed a sigh of relief that he wasn't hurt.

The boys and Conner played ball for a long time and even played Monkey-in-the-Middle. Remember that old game that we played when we were kids? Well I taught the boys how to play it and they love it. After that, the boys went on the trampoline and had a wonderful time. We headed for home at 6pm. It was a beautiful day. The breeze was a bit chilly by the time we were ready to leave, but the boys had a great time and I enjoyed watching them.

When they arrived home, the boys helped me get the bikes out of the car and rode down to the park. Their parents weren't home from running errands and so the boys raced each other down the hill at the park and had a good time together.

It does my heart good to see the boys outside playing in the fresh air instead of sitting in the house playing video games. They both love their bikes and it is great exercise, as is the trampoline. I'm not sure if it is true, but the child psychologist at the farm told me that playing on the trampoline for 10 minutes is equivalent to 20 minutes of walking. Do you think it's safe for this ol' gal to get on a trampoline. I sure could use the exercise. LOL

That's about all the news from here. Nothing very exciting is happening. Tomorrow is hubby's birthday and I think the boys are coming over for birthday cake. We will see what happens and if that works. Their parents might have other plans.

Enjoy the weekend, get out in the fresh air and sunshine and take some time for rest and relaxation. Be safe and remember not to drink and drive. The life you save might be your own.
~Blessings, Mary~

If you would like to read my memories of the Old Red Barn of my childhood, please click HERE.