The Neighbors Garden, books, magazines, Art in Progress and more.

Thanks for stopping by and reading. If you haven’t all ready, would you please sign up to get this blog post sent through email. I would like to build that list because it is so much easier to communicate and the pictures look so much better through email. To do this go to the right side of my home page where is says “SUBSCRIBE TO BLOG VIA EMAIL“. That being said…onward ho….Once in a while I hop (not literally) on over to the neighbors garden to see what is growing and I am never disappointed. The Black Eyed Susans are putting up a good show.
Loved the gourd birdhouse hanging among the morning glories.
Her zinnias are gorgeous every year.
Tightly wound morning glories.
Caught these miniature tomatoes at the right moment.
Among the milkweeds and Queen Anns Lace.
The crop dusting plane that surprises me every summer. It is always disconcerting when I hear the plane zooming around.
I am always in awe at how low and fast it can fly.
Something new that I learned recently….only finches like safflower seeds. I picked up this feeder, which is cool because it has a button that pops open the top to fill it. I filled it with safflower seeds and only the finches ate it. Even the birds stayed away from the other feeders. I haven’t looked into the reason for this but once the feeder was empty the other birds came back. I think if the finches could shove the seeds into their cheeks they would have.
I was sitting outside looking for the comet….nope….didn’t see it. Took a picture of the moon and must have moved because I had a slow shutter release on, so I received this interesting picture instead.
Sam and I, last week went to a Chinese restaurant and these decorations were on our plate. Carrot and Rutabaga flowers.
On Saturday I went to the Farmers Market and it is being held at Parkview Field, home of the Tin Caps minor league baseball.
Sent a selfie to my husband with the field behind me.
Thought the trash cans were great as far as trash cans go.
This flower truck so fabulous and memorable. The flowers for sale were beautiful too.
Also a booth selling plants was at the market and I had been looking for a trail of tears plant. I have it very high so certain cats do not chew on it. I would like to make a living wall so I can have plants but not have them chewed up. I have just the right room and wall for it. Look it up on Pinterest.
Michelle, my friend came down to the market too and we went on to Honey Plant on Wells Street. Interesting plants and pots, such a clean and green environment.
Right next door to Honey Plant is the Hyde Brothers used book store, such a wonderful place for book lovers. It has two resident cats and you can see one snoozing in his bed. There are rooms and rows of knowledge up to the ceiling.
I picked up three books while I was there. A few times when we went to Detroit we stayed at a Marriot downtown and the People Mover came into that hotel and it was easy to ride to our destinations. There is beautiful art in each of the stations and this book explains it all. My head was spinning back and forth trying to take all the art in so I was delighted to find “Art in the Stations”.
This is the back cover of the book.
This is another that I found. The author of The Help recommends it and that was good enough for me. “The Postmistress”.
Then this one “Conversations with Amber“. I thought to myself that I know the name Gladys Taber! But not as an author, then I remembered that Susan Branch referred to her often.
I have many of Susan Branches delightful books, and I use her two year purse calendar and follow her blog and website. On her website is a Gladys Taber Fan Club.
Another recently purchased book “Separated”.
This is my first Flow Magazine and it has been great, so much of the things that I love. Still trying to decide if I want a subscription.
Kevin gave this subscription to me for Christmas. This magazine is so so colorful, and you know I like color. I enjoy it every month.
As I was looking at my bookshelf, I found this to add to my organizational library. I have found like cleaning and organizing, Organizing from the Inside Out. You just need to take the time to do it.
Lastly I have two paintings in the works. This floral one is coming along very well. Chamomille, Cleome, Butterfly Bush, Grey headed Coneflower, Liatris. More to come.

I hope that you have enjoyed my tour this week. Please stay healthy.

The Mask

So this past Saturday I got my act together and my sewing supplies and put together 4 masks with two others almost completed. That evening we were taking two of them to Fort Wayne to my son plus some other items. Tom and I decided to pick up some food for all of us. Surprising it was busy and the waiting time to pick up food was 40 minutes plus 15 more. I decided to give my mask a trial run and put it on while I waited inside for the food. It was interesting to see reactions of others who came in. We all did social distancing but only one other person came in with a mask. I got some uneasy looks like….is she sick…..should I be wearing a mask….wonder if I can get someone to make one for me or maybe they were just admiring my cat fabric. I also went to Lowes to pick up some rope for the other masks and only a couple people had masks on there too. To be clear though the CDC just asked for this on Friday, the day before.
I had to go and get blood drawn on Monday at the hospital but not near the emergency room. I wanted to make sure I had this mask on correctly before I went in. When you go into the hospital someone asks you if you feel well, have been around anyone who doesn’t feel well and what are you there for. So I got checked in and was waiting, trying not to touch anything not mine, playing Wordscapes on my phone. They call me back and get the blood drawn, leave, use the restroom, wash my hands, look in the mirror and realize I have my sunglasses on. They are prescription and not super dark and I didn’t pay any attention. I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t going to touch my face. I probably looked like an eccentric lady with her cat mask on and sunglasses.
This mask has three layers of fabric and then a pocket for a replaceable filter. It is comfortable and covers the face nicely and easily adjustable. You’re glasses get steamed up until you get it to the spot where they don’t. You also have to speak louder and clearer when you have the mask on.
This is the front and the back of the other two in progress. You can see the filter pocket.
Showing the replaceable filters that I am using. Small coffee filters with the bottom corner cut off. We had purchased the wrong size and instead of tossing them I thought they would be perfect. This mask also has a bendable wire sewn in to form to your nose.
Here is the pattern if you are interested.
Today is a beautiful day, April 8, 2020. My cheerful porch pic features a fan quilt top and my Teal and Blue painting. If you are interested in purchasing my art go to my online store and place an order. It would be an addition that would brighten your home.
There is a lot of purple and green going on in the garden today. I always love these grape hyacinths and are joyful when they start showing up. This may be the full second year and they have multiplied.
The large purple hyacinths are still growing. They will be so pretty.
The windflowers have had more blooms since last week.
The magnolia tree is slowly blooming and the forsythia that is so bright yellow looks great behind it.
Such a pretty flower.
Pretty purple, greens and yellows just like the garden.

Hope you are staying busy and everyone is getting along.
After I have watched so much of the daily news I have to watch something fluffy and lovey so I have downloaded the Hallmark App. It is calming. Even when they are mad they really aren’t so mad. I have really got to put some light polish or clear on my nails, they are so fragile. Working on my website and adding originals to my store. Planning meals, last night was meat loaf, night before was sloppy joes and Monday was tater tot casserole. Tonight possibly potato soup, homemade bread and a salad. Comfort food, I am staying away from making cookies and such. They are too easy to over eat.

waterfalls and hollow trees

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I couldn’t leave out the statues and interesting features that the garden provided me with. This is the cooling waterfall that the garden provided.This was in the tropics.

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This lovely girl greeted everyone at the door.

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A babbling brook in the foyer as I walked into the building.

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I love the face on this tree. He was hollow so that kids could learn about the inside of a tree.

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Just a pretty fountain surrounded by lovely flowers.

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A garden statuary that resembles an egg with leaves.

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A bamboo water feature in the garden.

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The koi pond.

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A bamboo staircase.

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As I stepped out, this group was outside.

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This lady was hiding upon the flowers. I love the lime green!! That’s it for the tour, hope your day pretty too.

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