Little Book with a Big Message: The Dollhouse Bible

 

Reading the word of God in the Bible can be very powerful.

There are answers to all kinds of problems in there and soothing messages when one's world looks dark and hopeless.

Naturally, being a lifelong miniatures afictionado, there had to be a Bible in the dollhouse.

Imagine my shock and utter delight when I found the tiniest Bible imaginable.

Even more amazing is that every single page of it is filled with teeny tiny print that contains all the Books of the big Bible!

It has a gold tone and white cover with a gold tone cross on top, an itsy bitsy latch, and a red ribbon marker. 

The Bible shares a table in the dollhouse living room with a bouquet of flowers in a picturesque vase.

  Happy Sunday everyone.

 Enjoy every moment!

Fresh Veggies and Homemade Breads at Farmers' Markets and Farm Stands

 

One of the best parts of summer and fall is finding abundant and fresh veggies and home baked goods.

These can be found in just about any town's farmer's market or individual, side-of-the-road farm stands.

Hit the jackpot on Friday with wonderful fresh veggies, cantaloupe, carrots, corn on the cob, fresh dill for cucumber salad, cucumbers, and fresh eggs, tomatoes, and lettuce.

 Also, in the carb department, we found freshly baked wheat bread and many other varieties as well, biscuits to use for strawberry shortcake, and currant scones, to name just a smattering of items available.

We also picked up some strawberry rhubarb jam to put on the bread. 

At one farmers' market, an orchestra played delightful music that wafted throughout the entire place, making shopping even more enjoyable.

 Oh my goodness, the abundance  at the markets and farm stands was amazing.  The gratitude, immense!

Putting up with high temps and humidity are worth it when it comes to buying fresh produce outdoors from hard-working farmers.

DO YOU ATTEND FARMERS MARKETS AND GO TO ROADSIDE FARM STANDS?

A Love Affair with Books

A life-long love affair with books continues.

Once a person retires from full time work and begins to downsize, books are often on the "get rid of" list.

Around here, that is clearly not the case at all.

Books are like friends-----precious, special, and treasures.

That's not to say hundreds of my books have not been given away because they have been released.

 When I moved from a house to an apartment, a huge library had to be weeded out.

But many other boxes of books never made the cut and have been in storage for three years.

As each box comes out of storage and is opened, (in a desperate attempt to get rid of the storage unit,) my heart jumps a few beats.

The reunification with books I love has been sweet.

One major problem remains. Where, oh where, will the incoming books be stored in this small apartment?

I need just one more tall, skinny, white bookcase so the incoming books can be rescued and remain rather than be packed in bags and donated.

Friends are treasured, right?  Well, books are among my dearest friends, probably always will be, so books need to keep me company while I still have breath.

DO YOU PREFER A PLACE WITH NO OR FEW BOOKS OR MANY?

Unpacking Treasures

During major life-impacting changes these past few years, hundreds of possessions have been packed inside a storage rental facility.

At long last, the feeling of "readiness" to get rid of that monthly money-drain facility, is here.

So, little by little, each plastic tote or box has been coming home to an apartment.

There are still too many boxes and plastic bins left to close down the storage rental space but progress is being made.

Opening each tote is like opening a Christmas present.

It was thrilling to once again find one of my all-time favorite books, "Simple Abundance" by Sarah Ban Breathmach. 

There are daily essays in there and many of them go straight to my heart.

Published in 1995, the book brings me as much pleasure today, while reading each entry, as it did when I first bought it.  Love it.

Many of the totes carry remnants of a large doll collection. 

Many of the beauties will have to be sold, donated to charities, or otherwise let go because there is no where to put them in the tiny apartment where I now live.

The photos of  the little dolly in today's post is of Anne of Green Gables. 

The red-headed darling doll happens to be in my favorite "Anne of Green Gables" book series.

Life is so full of changes, joys, relinquishments, sorrows, and surprises. Currently, I am in the midst of all of those.

It's imperative to live just one minute at a time.

HOW DO YOU COPE WITH THE CHANGES OF LIFE?

Mama Wren Is Still Keeping Watch

Remember the family of  House Wrens who built a nest inside the beautiful Supertunia that was a Mother's Day gift?

Well, it seems the babies have still not been born.

The plant is up too high and is too heavy to lift off the hook so it's impossible to actually look inside the nest.

If there was a lot of chirping or if pieces of broken white eggs could be spotted, the mystery would be solved.  But neither of those things has transpired.

What was caught on cell phone camera was a mother wren perched on a wrought iron shepherd's hook near the Supertunia.

Hmmmmm. Maybe she just needed a break from watching over the eggs?

Stay tuned.  As soon as news of the babies' birth arrives, you will hear about it.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BIRD?

A Summer Sunday

If memory serves correctly, this is the first Sunday of official summer.

However you choose to spend it, it is hoped you will enjoy it.

The cross in the photo at the top of this post is on a hill in a cemetery and it overlooks hundreds of graves.

It is quiet and peaceful there.

It's a reminder of so many things.

Life does tend to be quite temporary and the passage of time is swift. 

The older one gets, the faster the days seem to go by.

So we must enjoy each moment, if possible and treasure the gift of life.

It is hoped you will have a great Sunday.

Happy Weekend!

 

Hello Dear Blog Peeps:

Here's to a good weekend for all of us!

It's going to be hot here, in Massachusetts.  

A big fan is whirling away in the apartment because air-conditioning is very expensive.  

We'll save that until it gets oven hot!

One thing is making me wonder.

House wrens built a nest inside my hanging plant and there were tiny white eggs in there.

The thing making me wonder is if the little eggs have hatched yet.  

How can one tell?

Try to get out into nature this weekend!  

I will, for a bit, then I'll run inside to keep cool!  hee hee

WHAT IS SOMETHING FUN YOU WANT TO DO THIS WEEKEND?

Making Lists of Things We Like

 

It's a good lesson in self-discovery to make a list of things you like.

It helps define what brings us joy.

It gives us an awareness so that we don't let the humdrum of life take over.

Below is a greeting card box kept and organized by occasion such as anniversary, birthday, graduation, and so on. 

 

Some of the things on my "Things I Like List" follow:

1. Baking

2. Books 

3.Flowers

4. Dolls

5.Decorating

6. Dollhouses

7.Music

8. Photography

9. Preserving a costume jewelry collection

10.Thrift store shopping

11. Traveling 

12. Writing  Writing   Writing Writing Writing 

That's a good baker's dozen.  

The writing and photography encompass my beloved blog that I have kept up since October of 2009.  (That's a long time!)

 The box shown in this post shows the way I organize greeting cards. Whenever a pretty card comes into view, it is purchased and added to the greeting card box.  

Even though it looks messy, the box contains each category of card required as the need comes up.

COULD YOU SHARE SOME THINGS THAT YOU LIKE THAT BRING YOU JOY? 

A Wednesday Wish

A Wednesday wish for you is that you will have a peaceful, fulfilling day.

It is hoped you will  find things to smile and even laugh about. 

 Also, it's hoped that stress will be kept to a minimum.

Make it day that's like the cat's "meow."  

By the way, my pre-teen granddaughter painted  the kitties in the photo below.

She must have had something to look at to paint it but I think her rendition is the colorful pizazz.

Many thanks to the unknown artist whose painting it may be modeled after.

My   sweet pre-teen granddaughter is a very good artist.

Thinking of each of you on this overcast, light rainy day in Massachusetts! 

WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?

Keeping Costs Down

In these very expensive times, it's imperative to stretch each dollar as much as possible.

This even triples in meaning when one gets older and the budget gets even tighter.

In the evenings, when it's hot, thinking of putting the air-conditioner on definitely runs through the mind.

However, air conditioning is $$$expensive.$$$

A quick solution is to keep the cooler night air circulating by leaving the door open. The upper part of the door has a screen.

Keeping the door locked, it's possible to block some of inside view by positioning a faux tree covered with white lights in front of the door. 

Problem solved!

Cooler air comes in, the air conditioner stays blessedly off, and all is well!

COULD YOU SHARE SOME OF YOUR COST-EFFECTIVE IDEAS FOR THE SUMMER?

Happy Father's Day To Dads Everywhere

Happy Father's Day to fathers everywhere.

May your day be blessed and happy.

Fathers are incredibly important in a young person's life.

Most people can recall things their dads taught them from a very early age.

My own father has been gone for many years. He died in 1989.

He was funny, a hard worker, planter of a gargantuan garden with carrots, corn, squash, and many other veggies, faithful to Almighty God, and tender-hearted.  

He also grew many bushes of raspberries that were fat and sweet. They made fabulous jam!

He made a big production of feeding wild birds. He'd chop up things in tiny bites for them to feast on.

I miss my Dad, like everyone who has lost their fathers knows.

Today, we can remember our fathers and be grateful for all the love,  generosity, and kindness many gave.

Once a father dies, life is just never again the same.

Life-Long Hobby Still Brings Joy

A favorite hobby can last through life.

Here, dollhouse miniatures have been a happy part of more decades than one would wish to count.

It's great fun making, as well as buying, furniture, accessories, and more for a dollhouse.

Flowers are definitely part of the decor in the apartment but they also play a role in the dollhouse.

The arrangement shown at the top of this post, and below, are on a table in the dollhouse living room.

The flowers below are in a tiny bottle that once held perfume!

It's on the dollhouse kitchen table.

There's a tiny cross from El Salvador on one of the walls, too.

One of the best parts of having a dollhouse is that one can have items that have been impossible to obtain for the house in which one lives.

Here's the dollhouse four poster bed that has always been yearned for but not purchased by the dollhouse owner for herself but the dolls have one!

A life-long dollhouse and miniatures hobby has not lost any of its luster.  

WHAT IS ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES?

A Couple of Decorating Ideas

 

 Once in awhile, some copycat decorating takes place around here.

For instance, since this apartment is so small, the banjo and guitar cases ended up along a wall in the living room.

At my daughter's house, she put holders on her living room wall for her guitars.

"What a great idea,"  I thought and told her, so she ordered two holders for me from Amazon.

She even came over and put them on the wall behind the television.  

I love the way they look, plus, being out in the open makes it much easier to take one down to play.

Sometimes "copycat" decorating turns out really great.

IF YOU HAVE INSTRUMENTS IN CASES AND A SMALL SPACE IN WHICH TO LIVE, WHERE DO YOU STORE THEM?

Three-Sided Mirror

 

Several years ago, while driving through Bennington,Vermont, a stop at a Goodwill Store turned up something that really attracted attention.

It was a three-way mirror, very heavy, and probably old.

For $15, it was impossible to pass-up.

 After several moves the past five (difficult) years, the unique mirror made the cut from dozens upon dozens of items let go due to downsizing.

For the past year, it has been sitting, all closed up, against a bedroom wall.

"Why not put that bad boy back into circulation?" the mind asked.

There has been no piece of furniture with enough space to accommodate it. That's why it hasn't been used.

Enough excuses.  This week I carried the heavy three-way mirror to the living room and set it up on a small table.

If another wider table is ever found, the table the mirror is on will be let go.

 The mirror is soooo pretty with a candle and a round ornate vase with pink roses in front of it.

Do not, repeat, do not let items you love get lost in the shuffle of life. 

 

Dig them out from storage, display them, and then sit down and love them with all your heart!                                                                       

Sweet Georgia Peach

Almost everybody has a favorite fruit, of one kind or another.

Peaches are among my favorites, especially when they are ripe and juicy.

When the sweet juice runs down one's chin, it's even tastier!  ha!

Luckily, while doing grocery shopping the other day, "Georgia" peaches were highlighted.

I have no idea why Georgia peaches are any different from others but have no qualms about arguing about them.

The bag of Georgia peaches came home with the other groceries. 

They are still quite hard and it will be necessary to let them ripen for a few days.

Peach cobbler is so delicious (but fattening) and so are peach preserves and peach iced tea.

Peach-colored roses are gorgeous, too.

Peach anything is fine with me. 

Does anyone know why Georgia peaches are supposed to be the best?

WHAT IS YOUR VERY FAVORITE FRUIT?

 

Tweet Tweet House Guests

 

                                This little glass blue bird perches on a window sill in my bedroom.

For Mother's Day, one of my gifts was a gorgeous Supertunia in shades of pink and white.

It now hangs from the rafters outside my apartment. 

Imagine my shock when a couple of birds flew out of the plant one day recently when watering it.

 A family of house finches has apparently moved into the middle of my plant!

There's a nest with eggs in there, too, so the happy couple are expecting babies!

Looking  up "house finches" on the Internet, I learned they are native to Mexico and the southwestern part of America.

The best news about finches is they are said to be "powerful symbols of joy, adaptability, love, creativity, and health."

Holy Moses!  Those traits are pretty amazing and kind of mirror my life these past five tumultuous years.  

The Internet site also had this to reveal about a house a finch....."It's presence reminds us to find happiness in the simple things, to remain resilient and adaptable, and to cherish our relationships and family bonds."

Check, check, and ongoing check.  All of the above are so very true that it's beyond amazing.

Hope your Sunday is blessed to the max. 

 

A Bouquet of Beauty and Color

 

Leaving the Dollar Tree the other day, all purchases complete, my eyes were immediately drawn to a vase full of sizzling, colorful flowers.

They stood on a shelf near the front door.

It included a variety of really lovely blooms.

How nice they'd look in my apartment!  

There is already a lot of pink in the decor and these flowers would fit right in.

Nope, there is too much stuff in the small apartment already so the flowers were left behind, unsold. 

Out in the car, before I started the engine, the bouquet of flowers, kept flooding my mind. 

Why couldn't there be a beautiful bouquet of all different kinds of flowers in the stuffed apartment?  Why not?

It's not like I was putting more than a hundred bucks down for a  bouquet of real flowers, like some people  do, all the time. 

This bouquet came to a mere $7. 

The car door opened and I went back into the store and purchased the flowers. 

Ever since, the fake but beautiful blooms have brought me great joy.

Sometimes the littlest gestures can make the biggest difference in our lives!

May your weekend be filled with little things that bring you great joy!

"Sweet" Post with Pineapple and Cherries

Every so often, the need to bake something special rolls into my brain.

In past years, while raising children, baking was a very frequent happening.

It's definitely not a thing of the past but these days, baking is done less often.  

We all know that sugar is not good for us and extra calories are definitely not needed.

However, last week's baking session centered around a pineapple upside down cake.

The "new to me" recipe called to make it in a frying pan! I used a cast iron one.

The cake was not a high riser but it tasted quite good.

The worst part of the cake came when it was time to flip the burning hot frying pan over on to a plate. 

I could have used an extra pair of hands but since there were no extra hands,  it was necessary to "make do."

The cake eventually came out onto the plate and there was no catastrophe doing it.

The recipe came from one of my very oldest cookbooks.  I had just never tried it before. 

The cake went to my daughter, who loves that kind of dessert.

If you like pineapple upside down cake, it's worth a try.

Sweet snacking!

Irresistible Iris

 

Oh gosh, it's starting to look like this blog is a flower blog since there are columns and photos of flowers all the time.

It's not a flower blog, though. It's just that I love flowers and this is definitely a flower-filled time of year!

 The deep color of the irises in my daughter and SIL's backyard is astoundingly beautiful. (They are actually dark cobalt blue but look lavender in the photos.)

What gorgeous irises they are.

The pink plant is not identified because I honestly don't know what it is except that it's pretty.

 Well, more flowers will appear on this blog as the summer progresses.

Enjoy every bloom that comes your way! 

Birds in the Tunia?

The new month has started out with a special surprise.

A gorgeous pink supertunia plant that hangs outside the apartment has visitors.

Actually, they are kind of renters!

Yup.  Birds seem to be building a nest inside the plant.

The plant is very hard for me to water because it's up too high. 

 I've been tossing in plastic water bottles filled with tap water and just leaving them in the plant until they can be retrieved empty.

Does anyone have suggestions of how to water a plant that hangs so high?

Anyway, every time my car swings in front of the apartment, birds have been flying out of the supertunia.

I think they have built a nest in there, nestled in the beautiful pink blossoms !

I have no idea what kind of birds they are or if there is a nest already filled with eggs or what.

There is no possible way to look into the plant to see. 

However, if there are eventually baby birds in the middle of the plant, they stand the chance of getting a shower when it's time to water the supertunia.

The supertunia got trimmed the other day and I stuffed the blossom-covered vines in a vase and put it in the bathroom.

 Those blooms have lasting power and look so perky and pretty! I'm grateful for such generous flowers. 

HAVE YOU EVER HAD BIRDS BUILD A NEST IN YOUR FLOWERS?