I found myself wandering around my yard today, taking photos of all my 

(what I call) 

"Little People"

I lost a friend this week to Cancer... that horrible disease that takes so many people before they are able to get old...

Being outside, close to Nature gave me a bit of peace. It's not easy hearing about a friend loosing her battle with cancer.  She fought so hard to recover from two brain surgeries in  two years.  I think the surgeries were more painful than the cancer.  Makes me think hard about what I might do, or not do, if I were ever to have cancer diagnosed?  The so called cure is worse sometimes than the cancer.

 This little lady greets all who enter my driveway.

 This bunny was the first ornament I put in my yard when I first moved in.  Found it at a garage sale for all of .25 cents.  

 Many of my plants are blooming and the colors are uplifting somehow.

 My fountain, a gift from my Niece,   I've kept in the house   not wanting the weather and rain water with it's minerals to clog it. 

 Purple Shamrock blooming.

 This little guy is romping through the Wandering Jew and the Green Shamrocks.

 Can you see the Lizard on the right wing of this little guy?

 My little Angel sitting with a bird in hand and a Hibiscus at her feet.

 The warm sun felt wonderful today.. I needed it to help me come out of the fog I've been in since my friend Dana died... Much too soon.

I know my sister is feeling sad today.  Wish I could be with her to offer a bit of comfort.  She and Dana went to High School together and remained friends for over 40 years.

  

 My special Angel.  She sits on my back deck just outside the kitchen window.

 The little fat piggie...  is so heavy!

Little birds scratching in the pot full of Chives. 

I lost a friend this week.. Cancer is ugly and no one should suffer like that.

This one is for you "Dana"

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I'm joining  "Rebecca Ersfeld @Vintage Living

Studio Sunday

Outdoor Wednesday

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"Dana our friend"

 "Dana Skydiving"

An unfortunate update..... Dana fought a hard battle from her cancer and I'm sorry to say she passed away the other night.  I wanted to send Love and Blessings to her Family and Friends.  She will be missed by so many.  Such a sweet, good woman who spent her adult life as an RN helping others......

"God Bless and Keep You Dana"

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I'm sending this post into cyber space... asking the Gods to comfort and take very good care of our friend "Dana".   She has been suffering for two years now from Brain Cancer and has been so brave.  Several surgeries, chemo and so much has been done to her.  This past two days she has been given the tender care of Hospice....
Dana is a life long friend who we first met in High School.  My sister Dolly and Dana walked the halls together, shared lunch and classes together then went their separate ways until a few years ago when we all met again.  


The above photo was after her first Brain Surgery.  Dana wanted to do her bucket list and skydiving was crossed off her list.  She has lived a wonderful life   this past few years and had the pleasure of a wonderful loving family to be with her through it all.   She never complained and smiled each and every day even though she was suffering.

I'm sending all the "Good Vibes" I can muster to "Dana"  She is not able to talk now and her daughter said "She is in want of nothing".  Her family is with her and she is very comfortable surrounded by their love.  

"Much  love Dana. God's speed"

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I'm a Winner

This past week has been full of wonderful things for me.  Then yesterday I got word from  "Jessica @   

"Don't Mind the Mess"   

She told me "I won her giveaway"  The prize, "4 tickets to Sea World Orlando"!

You bet I'll be using these this summer... my sister will be here and we sure need
some good R&R.... I'm also going to ask the two girls that  live next door if they would like to go with us  (I know for a fact they will say YES)  we are planning the trip already.  An all  girl road trip, how fun!

The best part, Orlando is only about two hours  from my home in Clearwater.  Although I  have  been there quite a few times,  I  will always love  that theme park and  I can eat my way from one food stand to another as I make the rush  to see the shows...  The trainers   are now going back in the water with Shamu  so that will make it extra special!

"Thank you so much Jessica" 

I'm going to Sea World!

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Floor Reveal

 I found myself walking out of the suite of Doctors offices with the silliest smile that would not go away.  When I opened the door to the waiting room, about 10 women were all sitting like I was just an hour before, waiting their turn to get their breasts looked at after a negative mammogram the week before.    I'm happy to say the Radiologist came to me and said.. "All Clear". After a comprehensive test she said,  "It was just the roots of a mole" (she used more medical words but that was the jest of it)  that I have had for years!
While walking into the waiting room I held my smile, but it came back and the sad, scared faces of the women in the seats could not take that smile away.  As I opened the outside door all I could do was wave to everyone, let them know "My results were good" and wish them all luck as I felt so foolish almost skipping!  Some smiled, some looked at me as if  I had two heads.
All the way home I smiled at everyone and everything.

Today is the best!

I came home to see the floor was almost finished.  This has been a long week for me. Between worry and wanting my house back to normal.. but not that normal. I wanted the new floor finished.   
Here he is "The man of my dreams", Mr. Duncan.  He worked hard for three days and did a wonderful job.  While I was making both Mr. N and Mr. Duncan lunch he saw my smile as I cooked the taco meat (turkey)...  "You look like you had a good morning" he said.  Yes, "This is a good day" I had the best news this morning and besides, Your here.  Poor guy thought I lost my mind!

As each room began to show the finished look I started bringing all the stuff, pillows, lamps, nick-nacks from the upstairs.  Time to get the place back into shape.

Let me warn anyone who has never lived through "New Floors"  installed on an entire floor!  What a mess!  Everything except the heavy furniture had to go upstairs.

But Look at the results... I'm one happy camper today!

Mr. N told me to just leave the mess and 'we' will do it tomorrow.... haha!  How could I not start putting it all back together? It took me the better part of 4 hours but "I did most of it".

I'd like to tell every woman who keeps putting it off, "Go get your Mammogram"!
Although I already have the number one killer of women, "Heart Disease" and "Heart Failure" I went to the Doctors as soon as I first felt the symptoms,  and now live with a Pacemaker/Defib  implanted.  I feel fine now but the thought of Breast Cancer scared the wits out of me?  
Please don't put off seeing your Doctors when you feel odd.  We take feeling well for granted,, but when that "one" twinge hits we say, "It will go away" and do not get it checked.  
"Don't do that"!  Run to the Doctors.  Let me get off my soap box....

Today is the best!

I'll be joining

Metamorphosis Monday

Strut your Stuff 

Refresh your Room Party 

Before and After Party 

 

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Beautiful Day

Such a beautiful day today, in many ways. "The first way" was the warm sunny weather. After such a cold winter it was good to feel the heat in my bones.
  This morning while upstairs I looked out from my balcony to see what needed doing in the yard.  I noticed the banana trees were damaged from the cold we had, so tomorrow they will come down. I have a large butcher knife from my catering days and it's perfect for chopping the bananas.  Each large tree has one or two babies below each stalk and they will replace their momma.
My mint came back,  I keep it in a pot on the balcony where it can get lots of sun.   It's so refreshing to chop some in salads.

I have several flower beds that needed weeds pulled.  The Humming Bird feeder needed cleaning and filled.  I keep the feeder right off my deck so I can watch the birds from my kitchen window and the top balcony.  They are so small and come and go so quickly sometimes I miss seeing them. 

I noticed the Geraniums were blooming... 

Did you ever notice the Europeans have window boxes in all windows.. they grow Geraniums to keep the bugs at bay.  I learned this trick while living over seas.  I keep them on my balcony all summer and the bugs hate them.  Natural repellent!

"Such a beautiful day, in many ways"

Another of the 'ways' was when the "Floor Guy" arrived bright and early to install my new floor! 

This was indeed a "Beautiful Day"

And How was your day?  I do hope it was as beautiful and Sunny as mine!

I'm joining

Outdoor Wednesday 

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Spring oh Spring....

Here they come!!

Poking their sweet little heads through the earth.....

Our local weather man said today "For all of you wanting to plant your spring flowers, it's ok to do so. No more cold or frost is expected"... 

Yeahhhhh!

I gave up on the floor and called for a handyman and he will be here bright and early Sunday Morning... "He is going to install my floor"

So today I went out in the beautiful weather and did a bit of transplanting. I put in a few Zinnias in the yard.  I noticed my bulbs are all about 6' high already, the day lilies are all showing their leaves and many other plants that went dormant for the winter are all sprouting.  In fact I noticed some Pumpkin plants that took from my Halloween Pumpkin that was tossed way out back for the critters to munch on.  I'll have to get some photos of them!

My succulents were in bad shape so they too were transplanted into another pot.

Oxalis Triangularis, purple shamrock are blooming and so beautiful.

Look how bright the sun was today... the temps reached 80' and felt just wonderful.

Even the orchids in my front tree were straining to reach the sun...

The potted orchids are sprouting once again... this is one that was left outdoors and it went dormant, but came back, right on schedule.

I have no idea what this flowering plant is called but it's a tuber and came back to life about two weeks ago... blooming and "oh so happy"
Our trees out back must have thousands of Robins doing the mating dance.. My two bird baths have 6 or 8 at a time washing away the dust.  I also can see the squirrels gathering leaves for their nests.  One has been making so much noise while she builds her nest in the gutter above my bedroom balcony.

"Spring in Florida"

It's a good thing!

I'll be linking to
Common Ground 

Fertilizer Friday 

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Silly I know, but I cried...

The guys spent almost 4 hours trying to get my new chandelier up in the stairwell.   They worked on it together and the one on the top of the ladder could not get it up.   He dropped the original globe and it shattered everywhere... messed up my new paint job and chipped the molding  I so gingerly placed on each stair step.   All I could do was just go outside to wait it out.  They needed a new ladder and then gave up!  I was good though, said nothing  and  came back in to clean up the mess they made. 

I did not cry then!

 I got a call from the Doctor today.   My mammogram results came back.

They found a "SPOT".  What ever that is?

Monday I will go into the hospital for a simple test to take a look at what they found?  I know many of you have had the same results from your mamo only to find it was nothing more than a little cyst or something of no consequence.  Lord knows I don't need anything else wrong with me!

"That did not make me cry!

This made me cry!

Thinking I could install my new floor.   All of you who know me,,  know I'll try anything!  But no matter how much I worked on it today,  I could not get this puzzle together!   The job was not hard at all.  My jig saw cut the wood  so easy.  I used paper to trace a pattern for the areas along the wall and that was easy, but the grooves,  how do you get them together?   Got one ok,  then the next would move.. this went on all day.  Then Mr. N.  called a few handymen and they quoted prices to install the floor.  "They wanted double and tripel what I paid for the floor"   One nice handyman,  that came by,  gave us a price then was kind enough to give me some tips and he made it look so easy. "Well, it was not"    My new floor boards are now scattered all over the house. The house is a mess, furniture  everywhere and I gave up!  Took a shower, then sat on my bed to write this post.   
All the boxes now sit waiting for some kind person  to come install my floor.  
Mr. N.  bless his heart,  went out and bought me  Knee Pads".  He is as confused as I with this floor!    I'm so upset with myself  because  I'm not one to "Give in to defeat"!   "I really want to install this floor"   I love doing such jobs.  But as I said before,  "This is one heavy duty puzzle"


Tomorrow is another day and I'll give it one more try. 
Then I'll call one of the nice handymen to come do it.. but I'll not be happy about it at all because  "I hate to part with my money!"

I'm truly excited to have my new floor.  It's replacing such a dirty old carpet that once graced my home. Until then I'll  gather my thoughts tonight,  in peaceful sleep.  Get up tomorrow and give it one more try.  If I'm not able to do it.. then it's only a phone call away!  
I can't wait to show you all the finished floor.


to be continued.......
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Framed Apple

SWW

Today I worked on my Apple Arrangement... It took me back to my  fun days as a Floral Designer.  I have not done any designing in years and found how much I really enjoyed doing it.

This project started when I found this old apple door hanging in a closet.  I did not want to toss it and thought I'd do something different with it... so I went to a few garage sales and paid $2.00 for this frame.

It's pretty heavy and of good construction but much too big,, I took it apart and cut to a smaller size,, one to hold the apple door hanging....

After gluing it all back together I then painted with glaze and wood stain.

I used my glue gun  to attach the apple door hang, then looking at it I felt it was much too bland in color so I went to a table arrangement of silk flowers and pinched a few..

Yes, just what it needed for color...

Now that it's finished I found the perfect spot on the wall above my new green table lamp.... Not bad!

You know, I like the dimension it brings to the framed art.... the colors are also nice against my blue painted wall.....  
It's a good thing to recycle old items into something new and useful and I also brought back some happy memories of my days working with silk flowers.

 I'm Joining These Parties

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Tuesdays Treasures 

Take a Look Tuesday 

The Power of Paint 

Wow us Wednesday 

Show and Tell 

Wallet Friendly Wednesday

Strut your stuff Thursday 

Hooking up with HOH 

DIY Project Parade 



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Sandy