Prayers for My Darla...

Some of you know my best friend of almost 12 years has not been well for the past month. She started with a seizure-like episode lasting 20 seconds. I noticed an engorged tick on her. Extremely bizarre since it's winter here in Central NY. (My guess is it came in on some fire wood) Hubs removed the infected tick and I brought her in to see the vet.
He did blood work and a Lyme test. Lyme test was negative but her liver enzyme was slightly higher than normal. He put her on an antibiotic for the tick bite and wanted blood work done again in 3 weeks to re-check everything.

I brought her in the other day for blood work. I also asked him to check her ears because she was scratching at her left one. My mild mannered Darla snapped at him when he tried to clean it. Yikes! I was shocked! He said it looked inflamed, gave her an injection and sent us home with another antibiotic.

Yesterday, she started acting really disoriented. Unsteady,lethargic and showing odd neurological signs. I called the vet. Her liver enzymes were elevated again and higher than the last time. She is eating and drinking as normal but doesn't want me to leave her side.
He is unsure of what's wrong but wants to wait to see how her thyroid panel come back. But that won't be until Monday. Sigh. So we wait...

I am beside myself with worry. For those of you who pray, I ask that you please keep Darla in your prayers. For those of you who send positive thoughts, please send them Darla's way too. She needs them all. ♥

She is the most happy, loving, loyal four legged best friend I've ever had in all my years of living.

I know I can't have her forever. But oh how I wish I could.
♥

This Is Going To Be Hard To Believe...

But I am really trying to declutter, simplify and get back to basics. Yeah I know crazy, right? Especially after my last post about not being able to get rid of anything. ((giggle))
But trust me, it's true.

Rumor has it, I've been known to hang pretty much anything on the walls. That includes my husband if he's standing around long enough.
But since I redid my kitchen, I decided it was time to take things down and simplify.

Here's the proof.
Every time I took something off the walls, I tossed the nail in this old rusty scoop.

Wholly schnikes! That's a lot of nails. For every nail removed, a nail hole was left behind.
I wonder if I connect all holes they would form the "Great Bear?" (hee-hee)

Even after taking a ton of stuff down, my hubs couldn't contain himself and laughed hysterically when I told him I thought I had a lot less on walls now.
Men! What do they know anyway? They don't understand a woman needs to hang her antique pitchfork on the wall.
:> )

After all this talk about decluttering, I'm in the process of working on a new sign for my kitchen. *snicker*

Remember my post about shutters a week or so ago? Well I fell in love with the "GROCERY" sign in this kitchen.

So I contacted Amie at Scrappin' Along and she whipped up a stencil for me.

Although now that I see it in this photo, I may have to narrow the pine board a bit. Bring on the power tools!! Woo-hoo!!

Shhh.... But don't tell my hubs. You know how accident prone I am and he tends to worry about me.

I'll keep you posted.
(As long as I still have all my fingers to type.)
;> )

"Yes I know it's impractical, BUT...

I don't care." I utter those words quite frequently to my husband. Heck, "impractical" is my middle name.

Is it just me, or does anyone else have impractical furniture they can't part with?
I spent this entire day trying to rearrange some furniture because it has to be done by the weekend. Since I can't bring myself to sell any of my favorite impractical pieces, I keep moving them from room to room.

The particular piece I'm talking about today is my wonderful old church pew. I've had it in every room in this old farmhouse with the exception of the bathroom. (Don't think I wouldn't have tried it in there either if I knew it would fit!)
Yes, I have officially turned into my mama. Sigh.

Sure it's extra seating but most of you know how uncomfortable a church pew is. If my choice is to sit on a big ol' fluffy La-Z-Boy or a vintage, hard oak church pew... I know which one I'm going to plant my butt in when American Pickers is on.

So I moved it into my dining room and I'm pleased with how it looks in there.

But it came with consequences. In the process of moving stuff around I managed to knock over and break not one but TWO vintage glass lamp shades. :> (
Each time my hubs heard the shattered glass, he piped up and said from a distance, "I'm glad I didn't do that!"

She wasn't too thrilled when I broke those shades either but she gave me two paws up with church pew approval.

:> )

"Posterity:

you will never know how much it has cost my generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make good use of it." ~ John Quincy Adams (1767-1848)

I see your true colors shining through...

I see your true colors. And that's why I love you.

In 1864, Joseph W. Binney founded the Peekskill Chemical Company in Peekskill, N.Y. This company was responsible for products in the black and red color range, such as lampblack, charcoal and a paint containing red iron oxide which was often used to coat the barns dotting America's rural landscape.

Around 1885, Joseph's son, Edwin Binney, and nephew, C. Harold Smith, formed the partnership of Binney & Smith. The cousins expanded the company's product line to include shoe polish and printing ink. In 1900, the company purchased a stone mill in Easton, PA, and began producing slate pencils for schools. This started Binney's and Smith's research into nontoxic and colorful drawing mediums for kids. They had already invented a new wax crayon used to mark crates and barrels, however, it was loaded with carbon black and too toxic for children. They were confident that the pigment and wax mixing techniques they had developed could be adapted for a variety of safe colors.

Crayola Crayons were invented by the cousins and made their debut in 1903.
(info courtesy of Inventors About.com)

Eight colors: Black, Brown, Orange, Violet, Blue, Green, Red and Yellow.

By 1905 the product line had reached 30 colors. In 1958 the number of colors increased to 64.

In '72 the fluorescent crayons were introduced. But I didn't like them at all. You could barely see the colors on paper.

Here's the mother lode of all crayons! Not only did you get tons of colors, you got that really cool built in sharpener in the back.
I can't tell you how many times I went crying to my mama because I accidentally broke off a crayon in there. But she always managed to come through for me and dig it out. Only to have me come back to her with the same dilemma 3 minutes later.
:> )

Makes you want to grab a box of crayons and a coloring book, doesn't it?

Go for it!

You're never too old to color.
♥

Have a great weekend all!
:> )

Pysanky...

When I was a young girl, my mama took my sister and I to learn how to make Ukrainian Easter Eggs.

Oh what fun we had!! I remember the excitement when I was finally able to melt all the beeswax off and see my "masterpiece."

Mind you, my eggs didn't look anything like the ones you see here. Mine were more like colorful blobs and squiggly lines. But in my young eyes they were just as beautiful. ♥
Man, I would love to try my hand at them again.

This is all you'll need.

Eggs

A pencil

Kistka and beeswax

A candle

Dye

and a lil'...

Make wonderful memories with family and friends. Keep traditions alive. Teach them history. They will thank you for it.

♥

Here are a few step by step blogs.

Making Memories

Pam I Am

Daily Nibbles

:> )

"There is no danger...

of developing eye strain from looking on the bright side of things." ~Unknown

"Inner sunshine warms not only the heart of the owner, but all who come in contact with it." ~J. T. Fields

"Always be sunny on the inside. You'll never need an umbrella." ~Karin Pender

Be positive and spread the sunshine.
:> )

Call Me Old Fashioned...

I love tablecloths.

I don't mean those fancy, "don't spill anything on it or I'll have to kill you" kind either. Just the every day, casual kind.

I'm not one for vinyl though. As a kid I remember my arms stickin' to it in the summer.
Instead I prefer a poly/cotton blend. They look pretty and clean up nicely.
But man are they hard to find! Unless you're looking for a boring, plain basket weave design in colors you wouldn't think of using. Then you're in luck. **giggle*

I've been doing a little computer screen window shopping...

Lace is a favorite of mine.

Can't go wrong with a stripe.

Plaid is perfect.

My whimsical side adores polka dots!
Eh I know it's vinyl, but it's still fun.

Anything with flowers makes me smile. ♥

I'm in need of a 90" square one. But they are impossible to find with any kind of design. Maybe I could make one myself?
:> )

I LOVE Ingenuity...

and repurposing!

Got old windows?
Why not make yourself a little greenhouse and get an early start on your seeds for your perennial or veggie garden.

Check these out.

Pip and Pipper

Apartment Therapy

Gardening In My Rubber Boots

Here's a step by step from Instructables.

These are so freakin' cool and I do have old windows!
I'd better break the news to my hubs gently.
((giggle))
Have a fantastic weekend, everyone.

Remember to get off the computer and go outside for some fresh air.
♥
You say you don't have the time? That's an easy fix... You make the time.
:> )

"If we all did the things we are capable of doing...

we would literally astound ourselves." ~Thomas Edison

Whatever you do, be outstanding!
Never mediocre.

♥