Is anything more lovely than a spring day?  I love how the temperatures here never rise too high and the few times they do it is never for extended periods.  I am not a hot weather gal at all!  Give me rainy cool days any day over anything over 90 degrees!  We have had some rainy spells but since moving to the area I have learned to just work right through the rain…..unless it is a down pour!  Oh how I love seeing the outside take shape.  I added a bit of color pop with some potted plants that I found on the half off rack at Lowe’s.  I had no idea they had discounted potted plants daily until my dear friend Mia (who is definitely the bargain queen) enlightened me!  I’ll be visiting Lowe’s more often and adding more bits of color here and there!

I got all the yard decor out and began hanging it on the fence.  Last year I found numerous fun faces at yard sales and figured they were just the thing for the back fence.  Along with some stars and other bits it is coming along nicely.  I like the odd bits of yard decor here and there.  Oh my it is so fun to watch things grow….I did not realize how much I missed having a garden!!

Every time I go to the nursery, I visit the roses and realize how much I miss having a rose garden.  Well with the removal of more trees and additional clean up it looks like I will have plenty of space for roses and a lilac as well!  I still have 2 more trees to get down and then finish some clean up….but it is coming right along!   I also snagged a bag of iris rhizomes free and want to get those in the ground.  I love iris!  That and hollyhocks are my favorite flowers for sure!!  My yard may not small, and I do miss an acre, but I am finding that if I plan and utilize all the space I have, I can still fit in many of my favorite things.

Week ends I am busy hitting the road for estate and yard sales with Mia.  We are never disappointed in our treasure finds!  It just amazes me what is to be found, and for little to nothing, on these treasure hunts!  The past two week ends I have scored big!

When I graduated from high school my mom gave me a top of the line Bernina.  I loved that machine and used it to make my clothes and all the kids clothes for years.  I eventually passed it on to my oldest.  She has used it for years and made numerous quilts, clothing, and other items over the years.  The 830 series is unique and highly desirable as it is all metal construction and indestructible.  Christina wore her cord out and had to hard wire the machine to the foot pedal.  Well imagine my delight to find an 831 sitting forlorn and ignored lost amongst the bric a brac at a neighborhood sale.  I jumped on that machine immediately and walked away with it for a mere $60!  I can’t even!!

I also found this quilt book with all the pattern pieces already on card stock and ready to go.  I just love this….although I’ll probably pass this on to my eldest with the machine.

My mom has had the cutest and handiest chest of drawers under her sewing table since my earliest memories.  I determined a few years back that I just had to do the same.  I had looked and looked as it had to be a particular size to fit.  Imagine my delight when I found one identical to hers.  Mine needs a good refinishing but it is just the thing and extends my storage and organization.  Plus it reminds me of my mom and that is priceless!!  $7 for this antique and adorable little dresser!

Probably by far one of the top bargains I have found was this Cuisinart food processor for $5.  It is in perfect shape and runs like a charm.  I have one, but daughter number 3 who is a cooking wizard was in need of one.  Imagine her delight when I sent her a pic of this and told her it would soon be on its way to her home.

I thought these bits were perfect for daughter number 2 who recently moved into a new home.  I love the dress forms they are funky and fun!

We must always have toys…always!  Look at these finger puppets!!  Too precious!

A precious door stop, very heavy and just the cutest ever little face!   I just had to take him home!

One of the best parts of finding such treasures is seeing how they add to my home!  That chair still makes my heart sing each time I look at it.  I just added that darling plate that is on the table.  It is actually tin, so super cute!

I found yet another basket for my collection.  I collect these as they remind me of my mom.  She has the most amazing basket collection and each time I see one I am reminded of her.  Sentimental old fool I know….but be that as it may….I love surrounding myself with things that create treasured memories and add beauty to my home.

When I came across this for $5 I only saw the bowl on the bottom and wanted it as a planter.  Imagine my delight when I was shown the rest of the piece and found it was a working water fountain.  It is just the thing for out front.  I will find something to put it on to add height however as I think it is too lost at that level.

My sweet little welcome sign.  I do need a better hanging system….but I wanted to get a pic.  It works perfect out front and matches the hanging planter I have hanging as well.

And this…oh this!  I saw this in an ad for an upcoming sale and knew I had to have it.  The handwork is exquisite!  Oh how I love this and immediately hung it in my kitchen area! $3 was a steal!

Doesn’t everyone need a dinner bell?  I have to add the string so it can be rang…but what a sweet little piece this is!

I discovered this rose bush out front partially hidden under a tree between my house and the neighbors.  When the roses bloomed I was delighted in the color and immediately cut a bouquet.  They are just so lovely and look perfect on my mantel!  Oh to get my rose garden started soon!  I know just which roses I want to purchase as I had the loveliest rose garden years ago with over 40 different roses.  Several standard old favorites with a few Rugosa’s and David Austin’s.  It is all planned out in my head already!

I have been desperate for new shoes and have been drooling over the brand Hot Chocolate.  I finally gave in and order a pair.  They are the cutest shoes ever and possibly the most comfortable pair I’ve ever worn.  They were true to size and fit perfect.  I will be adding more pairs for sure.  Check them out at http://www.hotchocolatedesigns.com.

I had been having stomach issues again and after a visit to my MD, a step on the scales, and daughter #3 influence I bit the bullet and went Vegan.  I watched Forks Over Knives yet again to add further motivation and I was off.  It has been an easy transition and I have found that without trying I am losing weight and gaining energy.  I have been following a Vegan diet for 3 weeks now.  I have had a small amount of dairy…less than 1% of my daily intake…but no meat.  I like eating this way.  I find that if I prepare my food on Sunday for the upcoming week and have numerous containers filled with chopped veggies, rice, beans, and lentils I can just mix stuff together and have a meal in minutes.  It is really quite simple.  I do want to add some juicing but haven’t done so yet.  I have allowed whole grains but trying to avoid all processed.  If only my local health food store did not make the BEST vegan donuts in the world……

Look at all that veggie goodness!  And a huge bonus of getting all those greens at the health food store is that the beets come with their tops attached.  I think beet greens may possibly be one of the tastiest foods around!

If someone had told me a year ago I would go vegan I would have told them they were nuts.  But I found that hubby and I were eating meat daily with little to no veggies.  I had been following paleo and while it made my stomach issues go away, I just don’t think all that meat that I was consuming was healthy.  I also found that paleo didn’t eliminate food craving like a plant based diet has done.  I find avoiding dairy the hardest as it seems to creep into everything, yet it is the one thing that seems to upset my stomach most.  I am not a purist by any means, but I strive to keep it all plant based.  I may add some cod and salmon next month or perhaps eggs, I shall see if I desire them at any time.

I am happy to have finally found the perfect work life balance with my new job.  I love the work and find that I can have a positive impact on the residents, staff, and the organization.  I have only been here a short 2.5 months and in that time I have been empowered to enact positive change and design systems for accountability and excellence.  It has paid off in that we just had an unexpected to us state survey and came away deficiency free!  It feels good to be able to utilized my talents and skills.  And it feels even better to be able to have that work life balance as all the extraneous and unnecessary time wasters are not a part of my daily work life since leaving a corporate entity.  This is indeed a good fit!  And a deficiency free survey is all the proof I needed!

Life is good, I find myself in a good spot.  I feel happiness and contentment once again filling my soul.  And that is enough for me.

Patricia