I Like Thursdays #95

Welcome to this week's list of likes!
Home is where the COWS are! lol
Let's start with the closing, leaving the rental and getting the deposit back, moving for the second time in 6 months, all being done! Yea!

Our agent gave us these flowers and a gift card at the walk thru. I love the colors and that most of them are still alive at ten days!

how they look amid boxes

Note the bags of scraps next to the flowers... given me by Mary in Boulder who came for a visit! And brought fabric along with this...

beautiful planter for the back porch! She also gave us some patio lights they no longer needed, and I like lights.

My sweet friend Nancy (https://pugmomquilts)    has sent me two moving presents, a set of vintage poodle embroidered towels and a set of the coolest flamingo fabrics! That made moving much better, and I love her for thinking of me and acting on it! If I could put my hands on them I'd show you!

Since one of our wicker chairs broke, we went to pier 1 who had a sale going on the weather resistant bright chair in turquoise... yum...

 We had two like this, one in dark blue and one in red that are now living on the front porch. We tend to sit on the front porch while having morning coffee as it's in the shade, and sit on the back porch in late afternoon as it's more in shade.

speaking of which, it's been hovering around 100 F here, so we cling to any scrap of shade. Here we are in the shade of a sweet blooming linden tree

I would say it rivals orange blossoms for scent, and night blooming jasmine... I like them all!
I like bright sunny days, and blue skies, but now I'm brown as can be despite using sunscreen and am tired of the unrelenting blistering sun. Everyone I talk to says it used to be nice and cool this time of year, but the climate has changed radically for the hotter all year. 

Not what one thinks of for Colorado, right? but true... they all are tired of less snow and hot temps.

so we love the shade given by live trees. Our home here is older than the rental, so the trees here have had about 10 more years of growth and are able to shade some sidewalks and provide oxygen! Thank you! Our yard is very, VERY sunny though. I'm considering planting some more trees.

We've been exploring the neighborhood on foot, and learning the layout. I spied this little log train on one walk, so cute.
More later, when I start to come to my senses...
I do not like moving, but little by little the doors closed behind us, causing us to keep going.

 
 We sold our MD home at a loss, we were forced out of the rental after coming to love the layout and neighbors, we hired the second set of movers, this time to take our possessions to this house, and gave back the keys to the rental, we did change-of-address forms for the 2nd time. We are so. very. tired.

MIlo's Moments

For Barking out loud, I'm tired too! I had 5 men come into the house last Wednesday and take ALL OUR STUFF including my crate! I liked them, I even played with them, but it was noisy and scary and Mama was nervous too. 
The day before I helped Daddy pack up yard stuff...

Mostly I helped tear up the paper after he wrapped the bird bath... 

It was a big job but everybody was so busy running around, they hardly noticed how hard I was working.

 

I like my big new yard but the three barking snapping doggies at our back fence scare me.
Well, they did but now I just stand back and watch them throw themselves at the fence, out of snout reach.
Get used to me dudes! I'm the new poodle in town!
Lookie here, Mama moved my crate to a cozy place and I can get in whenever I need peace! 

My toys are here, and no worries! I'll have the place smelling like me in a flash!

Milo had to share this with you... we're all howling with laughter around here!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4jTFQRDr0I&list=RDOWOx95nje4Y&index=13
Squirrels playing trumptet for the conga line of hamsters and cats at a dinner table while mice dance.

Please consider joining us in keeping track of the good around us each week. It is so uplifting to keep your eyes open for things that are nice. Just let me know in comments or email if you do a post!

Visit these peeps!

.maryinpeoriahandmade.blogspot.com
.http://littlepenguinquilts
.https://canadianneedlenana.blogspot.com/  
  .http://homesewnbyus

http://imworkingonaproject.blogspot.com/
https://grammasquiltingroom.blogspot.com/
craftscaviescontras
  http://whataboutrheema.blogspot.com/

http://3poodlesandanana.blogspot.com/

  http://sandysnowden.blogspot.co.uk/  
http://www.mmmquilts.com/  
Mary in Boulder 
 minousminute.blogspot.com 


linking to some of these
https://comedy-plus.com/ Awe Mondays
design wall Mondays at smallquiltsanddollquilts
lovelaughquilt.mondays
http://abcwednesday
Our World Tuesday
Travel_Tuesday  Our World Tuesday
Travel_Tuesday 
  http://sky watch Fridays
http://asoutherndaydreamer
Thankful Thursdays pet parade
http://goodrandomfun.blogspot.com
http://itsasmalltownlife.blogspot.com/
http://shabbyartboutique.com
willy nilly Friday (random images)
habbyartboutique fridays

Another Summer.... a writing prompt story

THIS WEEK'S WORDS  provided by sunday whirlagig come from "Five Chinese Verses" by Wendy Xu: toe, gate, glint, while, gaze, text, dimming, cooling, taste, sweltering, without, forward

 My offering is:

Another summer on the farm


She hadn't been to the farm in a whole year.

She still remembered the feel of the place though.
She started looking forward to it last month, while she was finishing up grade 6 and tired of learning.

She came nearly every summer as she grew up,  to visit her gran, to get out of the city and her mother's hair, to experience country life. Her mom drove along the lane approaching her summer home, the safety and happy place gran provided. She loved the way the sun sparkled through the leafy trees along the long drive to the door. It sparkled like fairy dust in her mind, like she was entering a magical place.

This year she would ride the horse by herself she decided. She would eat half the blackberries she picked, she would kiss that boy on the farm next door. She was 12 and old enough to do lots of things here. She gazed out at the fields seeing it all looked the very same as last year, grasses waving to her in welcome, sun glinting off the metal barn roof, cat resting in the shade of one wall.

It was hot here, no doubt about it, she remembered the feel of cotton shirts sticking to her sweaty back after helping gran in the garden. The sweltering heat of July.

She remembered the creek nearby was great for cooling off after playing in that sun. While the  creek rushed over rocks, she carefully stepped from one rock to another trying not to slip into the cold water or step on a fish. Those million little fish playing in cool water.

She loved the freedom gran gave her. She felt like an equal, like she was an adult with so much freedom. Gran said to choose wisely, then trusted her to do so. So she did.

She thought about taking a book to that old tree with the arms. She loved being half hidden, swatting away flies, dreaming of boyfriends to come, reading adventures in a book and imagining herself living them. She swung her feet on each side of the branch, toes still damp from the creek, pink polish on the nails. She always loved pink. She remembers buying her first lipstick here at the 5 and dime, bonnie bell pink lip smackers. She looked great in that. She left it here because her mom felt she was too young for make-up but gran didn't mention it if she noticed.

She gazed out at the fields again, seeing the little gate to gran's driveway ahead! I'll bet gran is baking cookies for me, she thought, and could almost taste them. Those big fat ones with sugar on top. One last text to her best friend Whitney to say good bye for the summer. Gran preferred them to live old school here, no devices and secretly she agreed it was kind of nice to just be there.

Just her and gran. Equals. Oh she loved gran! Just two women playing cards on the porch at night,  or singing along with gran's fiddle. Or going into town to a square dance. Yes, that's where she'd kiss that farm boy alright... behind the dance hall after they danced and had some punch.

She was happy to see everything looked the same, clothes on the line needed her to take them inside. She liked to know life would always be just the same here so she could relax, knowing what to do and what not to do. Life was so complicated at home right now.

She hoped her mom would just drive off quickly without a big show of telling her to be good.  She wanted to start the good times, to put her shorts and t-shirts in her dresser with the cracked mirror, to put out her drawing stuff on the little desk in her room.


Her mom was going through a difficult stage and annoyed her right now.


Finally, we're here! She waved to gran from the open car window...

I Like Thursday #94

L to R, yours truly, Diann from little Penguin quilts and Sharon Engel, award winning quiltmaker

Welcome to this week's list of likes. Let's start with meeting up with friends!
Through blogging, I have met some mighty fine and fun people, and here are two of them.
The picture was taken by Sharon's husband at the outdoor quilt show this past weekend in Berthoud, Colorado.

We three, Drew Milo and I headed north to the town of Berthoud. It was known in 1900 as a town to help one heal lung conditions, and is now known as a flower center. This show was small but nice in a shady park.

I've never been to Sisters Oregon but it was terrific to see quilts hanging in nature.
Diann blogs from littlepenguinquilts.  We met she and her husband on a trip to Boulder last Spring and have a lot in common. She's so easy to be friends with! We walked around looking at lovely work, some we'd like to try, some we just admired.
Sharon is an award winning quilter, freshly back from Paducah show where one of her recent quilts was shown. What a fun person to know! She was with her husband and daughter, and we all got along famously! Sharon has jollied me along this move, listening and making me laugh when I was closer to tears!

Milo makes a friend

Milo gave them both two paws up!

I liked this santa quilt, and several made with repro feedsacks...as well as this modern flower...

great way to use large blocks!
Tired? When we all went separate ways mid day, we continued on to town for a rest

and a bite of lunch amid lush flowers

it was cooked on this... just kidding!

cool outdoor gas stove from days gone by. I like a gas stove but....

I had fun looking thru an outdoor antique store after lunch... remind you of the 60's?

 fancy french cookware from some fancy restaurant I guess...

a few vintage gnomes...  Kind of wanted the rolling trays below

hard work for some...

a small pail with rollers attached

and playtime for others

I love looking at items from years ago, wondering what the people were like that held them
I like old homes too, especially this little house now a barber shop...

Who lived there???
look closely... think it's haunted?

 Now this seems to remind you of time gone by, repairing a clock instead of buying a new one

I love alleyways... behind old homes are cool alleys

We all liked the Italian Ices

Mine was creamsicle  YUM, my favorite flavor of popsicle growing up! Drew got Mango, and Milo had some of each, declaring, well I'll let him tell you
MILO: " is this what you've both been eating while I have kibble?!!! Wha'  the heck! And why didn't you get me one? Not one of the kid size y'all got, I mean POODLE sized? What are you thinking..."

ER, maybe we won't let Milo speak at the moment... I've heard people say they wonder what their dog is thinking... not me... from what I hear in my mind already.
I'll finish my likes with this flamingo-in-a-stump, of course!

Milo's Moment: I loved being with my pawrents and meeting new friends and Aunties! 
I like the sweet icy stuff, and watching kids at the pool...

they won't let me swim... that's profiling at it's worst. I never pee in a pool.

I like shade, and will on occasion pee on these kinds of bushes

LeeAnna's likes... sunset colored roses!!!

Gosh Mama! You had your turn... just because you forgot... okay she also loved the way this tree was trimmed...

and because I love her, I'll let her jump in my post!
Now, stay! clickety click on her links to friends also keeping it pawsitive today!



  http://sandysnowden.blogspot.co.uk/ 
  http://whataboutrheema.blogspot.com/
.maryinpeoriahandmade.blogspot.com
.http://littlepenguinquilts
.https://canadianneedlenana.blogspot.com/  

 .http://homesewnbyus
http://imworkingonaproject.blogspot.com/
https://grammasquiltingroom.blogspot.com/
craftscaviescontras

https://tentoesinthewater.blogspot.com/
http://3poodlesandanana.blogspot.com/
 minousminute.blogspot.com


linking to some of these
https://comedy-plus.com/ Awe Mondays
design wall Mondays at smallquiltsanddollquilts
lovelaughquilt.mondays
http://abcwednesday
Our World Tuesday
Travel_Tuesday  Our World Tuesday
Travel_Tuesday 
  http://sky watch Fridays
http://asoutherndaydreamer
Thankful Thursdays pet parade
http://goodrandomfun.blogspot.com
http://itsasmalltownlife.blogspot.com/
http://shabbyartboutique.com
willy nilly Friday (random images)
habbyartboutique fridays

A Home of our own

 We found a house, hooray!

Nothing about this move from Maryland to Colorado has gone as planned but it seems we finally have a place to call home in Aurora.

We thought we had a home last fall but the deal fell through because the sellers had not disclosed it was owned by a trust and would not release the trust info. We thought we had the rental as long as needed but the owners decided to sell in this hot market. We soon found out how hot it was.

We looked at so many homes trying to find the right one. When we lost bid after bid to cash, 30K over value, appraisal bridges, multiple offers, our agent said, stop looking for the right house and take any house. 

Then this one came back on market because interest rates went up and the buyer had to back out. We were looking at it when the call came in the house we bid on the night before, had three offers over our bid at asking price.

I wrote a note to the owners, "we love it, we'll take it, please choose us, leave the elephant" and put in a bid at asking price.
They accepted!

They had lovely artwork including a 220 lb ceramic elephant from India.
We were nervous through each stage of negotiating, appraisal (it was priced right!) inspection (the usual things including radon mitigation so we chose a few items to request and they agreed to some) loan and interest rates, taking a loss on the MD home to sell quickly, and all the paperwork to close the deal. After losing the other house one week before closing, I didn't want to discuss this until it was a done deal.

Our home may not be our dream house, but it's pretty, close to work, there is a lot of walking nearby, a porch on the front and back, and a larger yard waiting for us to make it into a haven.

We are all uneasy in it at the moment. I've been trying to clean it so I can put away my possessions. I need to make lots of decisions about where to store things differently than I have in the last 18 years.

The studio situation is two small bedrooms side by side, one for tables and design wall, one for supplies. Not optimum but with a bit of mountain view on a clear day.

I realized my old systems may not work in this house, so I have to open my mind to designing new ways to store things. Big changes might be stimulating but they are also tiring.

Right now it's empty with big running places for Milo, who is scared and staying right next to me.

He goes off to explore the yard, then quickly returns to stick to at least one of us. We are trying to figure out what the trees and bushes are so we know how to care for them

The movers will bring our possessions to the house and we'll find places for them in the days to follow. We'll need to put up wire mesh first to keep Milo inside the yard! And learn how to keep the lawn alive with watering.

That's a big deal here.

The sky has not been blue in a while, with forest fires in Utah coming over, and rain, and hail.

We are so tired. But we are grateful not to be looking for another rental. We hope this will be a good  home for us, a place to learn and grow, a place of happiness and joy, a base from which to explore the area, a place for friends to gather and for me to create.

I've been bringing over flamingos, cows and mermaids, to make it look like home. Just wait til these Coloradoans realize a Flamingo is moving into the 'hood.

We even have a mailbox in front of the house, pretty unusual these days...

The past year has been so stressful and the housing market in Denver is so cut throat for buyers, that we fell into despair with the looming deadline to vacate the rental. It's not over by a long shot...

This may not be our dream house, but it's a good house and we are grateful to have it.

 I have been supported by many of you through this ordeal, giving me hope when mine had run out, encouraging me to keep trying.

 I love you and appreciate the connection we've shared, it's what life is about to me.