Framing 101......

I have been meaning to put some photos in some frames for the looooooongest time...[sounds like a Billy Joel song]. I get some of my photos printed or enlarged thru an on-line service called "Shutterfly". My son got me started a few years ago. I usually only order when they send me a special deal. I have also ordered address labels, which I LOVE....

Back in January, they had a special on 8x10's and 5x7's...I was all over it like a cheap suit.
I picked several of my favorite photos...cottage pics [of course] and flowers...
I gave my daughter and son-in-law 3 of the 5x7's of the Limelight Hydrangea...for their first wedding anniversary....they looked luscious in dark frames, which I purchased at Winners

Finally made a trip to IKEA to pick up candles [always need candles], and to get some of the RIBBA frames. I chose the white for one...and the dark for the other 3 photos I intended to use. Instructions are pretty simple.....love the illustrations....pretty hard to go wrong...

Here is one of the Limelight  Hydrangea, looks great in the dark brown frame

             Hope you all had a great day...
   
             Cheers        :o)

Walking West...

Our cottage, located on the north-eastern shores of Lake Erie, is more "Rural", than "Northern Cottagey"...if there is such a word..

On our last visit, we took a walk in the late
afternoon....as we certainly hadn't had enough
exercise, working in the yard ALL day....

I'm not complaining....really I'm not... :o)
So, we headed west...along Lakeshore Road..

As you can see from the photos, it really isn't
like being up North...because it really is down
South!!! Almost like a different climate down
there.

It is in Niagara...that says it all...
Most of these houses are permanent residents..
I really don't know how they take the brutal
winter weather....BUT THEY DO...

These 2 places were completely torn down...old and crumbling...and all rebuilt from nothing...the one on the left is a Dr.,and it is gorgeous....all PVC decking, and roll-down shutters over all the windows....had to be built on the same footprint...something called a "grandfather law"...the other was a trailer, and now an adorable bungalow...BUT...they hardly ever come out to the lake!   go figure!?

This is across the street...they live here year round...completely all redone...from top to bottom...nice...

We are nearly back...this is our neighbour to the west...Matt and Rose...They have been here for over 30 years........and they love it!!!

              

                                                  

  

Ahhhhhhhhh here we are....nice new fence last year...built by our trusty handyman Lloyd..

Looks great....can't wait for more warm weather...spring flowers...summer pinks, yellows...

We love to go for walks.....my husband loves to go for bike rides....he always takes a stick with him...not on his bike rides....on the walks....never know what kind of wild animal you might meet along the way!!

Hope you enjoyed this brief western tour....will travel East soon...even more exciting that way!!!!

Hope you have a great day....Enjoy the view to the deck...               


                                     Cheers!            :o)
                                                                              can't wait for summer......yes.

Fresh From The Garden....

 As I was getting out of the truck, after fitness [groan]...
I noticed 2 teeny weeny daffodils at the
edge of my front garden...

I believe they are called tete 
daffodils...and there was only 2..

They were so small...so frail...
so YELLOW...that I just HAD
to pick them and bring them inside...

They needed some lovin' from
a cute cuddly chick...not me...
the fuzzy YELLOW guy to the right!!!

You can see how small they are,
laying beside my $ store chick...

He can be wound up..... and he hops around... isn't he cute?

 Don't you just love the way my font color just changed????
Must have been when I was a smarty pants, and put the YELLOW in...whoooops, just
did it again........too lazy to go back and fix it....       :o)

 Will you stay with me anyway????     Good...I thought you would....

 

                    These lovely daffodils and hyacinth were in the back yard....
                     I thought they should come in as well....
                     The more the merrier, I always say....
                                               :0)

                    

 

         Can't you just smell the hyacinth????           Delicious.........

    


                            Hope all is well in your world.....had a pretty good one here...

                            Will be back with what's UP in the backyard........perhaps some more
                                               jolly jump ups....love saying that...    :o)
                         
                            Used fresh chives from the garden, on my mashed taters tonight
                                               yummmmmmmmy

                                                        Life is good......where have I heard that before?



                             Cheers                       :o)

Past their Prime...Still Beautiful..

My friend brought me a bunch of potted tulips...

in a lovely pot...

They were beautiful...

They brightened up the room...

They started to fade...

They still looked beautiful...

Thought I would share them with you...:o)

Hope you enjoy them 
as much as I did.... 


tee hee hee...off to the garden they go....for next year  
                 :o) 

Funny how some things are beautiful....thru all their different stages...I guess like life...

Hope you all enjoyed your day...supposed to be warm again tomorrow...but short lived...

Have to be grateful for what we have been given....Cheers       :o)

What's "Up" At The Lake....

We were lucky enough to take off for the Cottage on Thursday morning. We wanted to take advantage of the crazy warm weather we were having.

We arrived just before noon, and I started my "walk about" almost immediately....  :o)

This tiny Tulip comes up every year...all by itself...not in a clump...and it really is teeny...

The next few pictures are self-explanatory....you are on your own here....I will jump in when needed!!

Tiny succulents green and juicy...

Sedums in one of my wash tubs...and below in a log cavity..

These 2 photos are the beginnings of my HUGE rhubarb plant...love this...

Who would believe HOSTAS in 3rd week of March...outrageous  :o)

Flag attached to pole....installed at the beach...new one every year, as the winter takes the pole and all........

Finch in the bird bath...

He's Back........

From this big pile....to this blazing inferno....

                                           The wind was co-operating so we went for it!!!

Thought this piece of driftwood, kinda looked like a steer skull...

                          What do you think??

Around 6:30 the clouds started to roll in...on Friday evening...so we were soon forced inside..

The sunset was decent, considering the amount of cloud...

                               We head in....to another fire.... chili, ceasar salad and rosemary bread...

                               And we slept like logs....pooped from 2 days of hard labour!!!

                               Saturday morning was pretty chilly, dark, windy, and rainy...

                               We packed up out stuff and headed home....satisfied with a job well done..

     Hope you all enjoyed your weekend.......looks like a chilly week ahead....time for some 
                                  
                                 indoor work......perhaps I will get out and get myself that new sewing

                                 machine I have been promising myself....

                                                                    Cheers          :o)

Five things I did yesterday

1.        Went to the Gym and did an Aerobics class. Enough said...

                                      2.      Went to Wal-Mart and bought 2 Areca Palms for $9.99 each
                                                What a steal!!! They are actually going to go outside, when
                                                 the weather permits....they look fabulous on the patio..  :o)

                                       3.     Went back to the backyard to check what was up..
                                                Found a fresh new Holly Hock..Forget-me-nots,
                                                some money plants...and some more Jolly Jump Ups
                                                                      jolly jump ups     jolly jump ups

                                      4.      Fed the birds....and of course RED our favorite squirrel

                                        5.     Went around to the side of the house...
                                                 Daylilies growing thru gravel
                                                 Climbing Hydrangea budding
                                                 Lilac budding
                                                 Tulips coming up in the pine cones

                                        6.    Went grocery shopping
                                                Bought cornstarch...who knew the packaging had changed
                                                Tells you how long it has been since I replaced that...

                                               I actually use cornstarch quite a bit...I had 2 boxes in my
                                               pantry for the longest time....and then... none.. it took me
                                               a while to find this at the store, as the packaging was
                                               so different.........I prefer the container...guess it will stay
                                               fresher...

                                       7. Bought the fixins for chicken /rice/veggie soup
                                           2 skinless bone-in breasts...simmer...cool...flake the chicken
                                           off the bone....chicken broth....any veggies in the fridge,
                                           got to use up the baby bok-choy...baby bok choy!
                                                                                     Can I get you a bowlful??

            
                                         8. Also made Pepper  Steak for dinner
                                              Beef marinating in  soy sauce, "cajun" seasoning and 
                                              freshly ground black pepper.
                                              Brown the beef in butter...add beef broth...simmer, covered 
                                              for 20 minutes...
                                              After simmering in beef broth, add freshly chopped
                                              green onions, green peppers, and sliced tomatoes.
                                              Thicken with soy sauce and corn starch.
                                              No finished product pic.....TOO HUNGRY!!
                                    

                                           Serve over "No Yolks" Noodles.....yummy....

                                         


                                           9.    Made Greek Avocado  Salad, with calamari olives, goat's cheese,
                                                  fresh basil, red onion, olive oil and fresh ground black pepper
                                                  Also yummy.............yummy     yummy    yummy

                                         10.    AND I put together this post!!
                                                   Went for an after dinner walk...

                     Guess I better change the title to "10 Things I Did Yesterday"...or is that 11??
                      naaaaahhhhh...If I did that, no one would read it!!!

                      Hope you all did a FEW things yesterday....were you as busy as me??!! 

                                                           as busy as a little bee....
                       


                                                        Cheers          :o)