art and ideas

 A perfect day to attend an Art Fest

 at nearby Riverside Gardens.

 Artists of a wide variety of mediums set up booths

to display and sell their works.

 I picked up several business cards (and seemed to have dropped a bunch of them SOMEwhere...)

 After a taco pizza at Pizza Hut (our favorite),

my husband and I headed to Barnes and Noble

 where I did some SERIOUS magazine browsing!

 I came home with some ideas to incorporate into our house/home.

There is no shortage of magazines in spite of

competition from blogs and other internet sources.
In fact, I believe there were more than I've ever seen there before!

I enjoyed my day filled with Art and Ideas.
No cost entertainment--shared with my favorite man.

appropriate somehow...

I've been absent for a little over a week.

I spent eight days with my aging parents.

The decisions we needed to make were heavy ones.

I returned home yesterday afternoon and today went with my husband to Winona Lake (IN)

where he attended a seminar.

I stopped at a Goodwill store before settling in at a coffee shop there.

I purchased a mug ($.50) and this watercolor ($.75).

This was the explanation enclosed with the painting...

It was very appropriate to my current situation.

There WERE hours when the effort to look up in hope seemed too much;

however, the touch of the Holy DID invite me to stand up straight.

I shall cherish this painting and consider it quite a token of God's reassuring presence.

 (OK.  I THINK it is a watercolor.  I need to do a little more research.)

possibly again...

 While waiting for a load of clothes to dry this morning,

 I decided to photograph some of the "fowl" that have flocked to the

dining area of our kitchen.

 High...

 and low,

 they perch.

 Silent (and sometimes dusty) sentinels

 filling most available nooks and crannies.

Most all of them are garage sale

or thrift store purchases.

Perhaps my favorite is this life-sized rooster lamp--

a ceramic piece painted by my dear grandmother years and years ago.

I checked posts appearing under my "collection" label in the sidebar

and ran out of patience scrolling through the 60+ posts.

I find it hard to believe I haven't posted about this collection already...

but maybe not.......

ANYway, here it is.  Possibly again.

two reads

I count myself blessed indeed to have found these two "reads"

at a now-favorite thrift store!

I guess I'll leave these check-out pockets inside the back covers.

They are IN 'em to last--unless you've discovered a way

to remove them without damaging the page...

If you've never read Miss Read's books, you are missing out

on some charming, simple and satisfying stories.

 I was also happy to add this tablecloth to my small collection.

It just fits the table and sports beautiful autumn colors...

The two white (Buffalo china) bowls and the creamer

were also purchased at the thrift store.

inside out

Inside - enjoying the delicate beauty of these padded hangers.

At only  a quarter per bundle of three, I brought all three bundles home!

Meanwhile, outside...

we took advantage of the beautiful weather we've been enjoying 

to steady up and improve this free cabinet.

My husband will place it in the shed behind him

to organize our "stuff" a little better.

What fun it is to improve life "inside and out" with inexpensive "finds"...

the pleasure of a panel

 It's just about impossible for me to pass up vintage curtain panels.

 I'm especially fond of this print...

so cheerful!

Fifty cents was a small price to pay for the pleasure of this panel!