Highlights of My Week

I've been Watching:

Call the Midwife & Mr Selfridge on Masterpiece Classic on PBS

Such great shows!

OMG the season finales were so heartwrenching!   Tears for both!
But now they are over with and PBS will be airing Masterpiece Mystery! which I also LOVE to watch.

Poirot, Endeavour, Silk, Law & Order UK

and some new mysteries that I've never seen called The Escape Artist with David Tennant, aka The10th Dr! That should be interesting and also a show called Breathless that looks retro, sultry like Madmen.

Who doesn't Love a mystery?

I've Been Reading: 

Another book in the good mystery series by Ms. Atkinson that takes place in the UK.  I mostly read at bedtime to relax and get sleepy, part of my bedtime ritual.  You do have a bedtime ritual don't you?

I've been drinking:

collecting my inspirational Oprah quotes & trying to earn some Bonus Stars during the Summer Star Dash!

New Nail Polish:

Cute new scented line from Revlon in these adorable bottles.  Have you tried them?  I bought Wintermint for the obvious reason, I ♥ mint green and this one is a very Lovely soft green with blue sparkles, very mermaid and summery + it has a slight mint scent for 1 day.  I feel Like I need to collect some more of these!

 Blooming in My Garden:

 This is a shrub called Mock Orange that has gotten quite big and is covered with these adorable tiny white bell shaped flowers that are lightly sweet scented.

 Little baby peaches that look so fuzzy & cute!  This is the most fruit I've ever seen on this tiny peach tree.  I've been doing a bit of pamepering to it, feeding, mulching, trimming and such.  I even planted a fig tree next to it recently so it has a fruit bearing friend.  It just so happens that this one area of my garden receives the most sun so I'm taking advantage of that.

This interesting plant has many funny names but I've always known it as Jack in the Pulpit.  I have a nice clump of it nestled in with the hellebores next to the pond.  I first saw this unique looking plant when I was child  we found it growing in the woods way way way behind our house when we lived in the country.  Sometimes in the summer we would hike down the dried up creek bed, be gone for hours & hours exploring the fields and woodlands.  Do you remember that, dear sister?

This is Memorial Day weekend, the official kick off to summer and all the flag flying patriotic holidays coming up.  I found my American flag and hoisted it up so it can wave from the veranda again.  I think it looks nice while honoring all the soldiers that fought and died serving our country. Give a jaunty salute!

I'm looking forward to lots of summer parties, graduations, BBQ, get togethers, vacations and family visits.

I Love spending time on the veranda, 

sipping a cold drink, working on my blog...
or reading & waiting to catch a breeze.  If you're lucky it will be sweetly scented by honeysuckle or magnolia blossom which I think has a slight lemony scent.
In the evening, it's a good spot to watch for fireflies or...
                                                                 just sitting watching the world go by.

How are you spending your Memorial Day Weekend?

Thanks for chatting,
XO,
♥ Michelle

After Xmas Meeting of Glittery Nutcracker Army

My Glittery Nutcracker Army - 2013

I simply adore Christmas.  Everything about it is so festive and exciting.  Except after Christmas, and the drudgery of packing it all up and putting it away.

I'm a bit obsessed with Nutcrackers.  I cannot resist their charming painted faces with that mischievous and dashing moustache, silly nutty toothy grin,  as they gaze coyly back at you.  Aren't they terrific?  They always make me smile.

Like every collection, this one started out with a modest purchase years ago of 2 chubby Nutcrackers that I bought for each of my daughters.  Every Christmas we'd add another well-dressed friend or two to stand guard over our other Christmas decorations.  Over the years we have amassed an army, which struck me as funny, when I was collecting them all together to pack away and perhaps worthy of a post on my shiny new blog?

Taking down Christmas decorations is always a bittersweet, time consuming, rather tedious project.  Am I right, ladies?  Definitely, not as fun as decorating.  Everything look so bare afterwards ... and dusty!

Even though my Glittery Nutcracker Army will soon be tucked away in a box in my attic to slumber for the next 10 months and rest up for their Christmas 2014 debut.  I'll still have all the cute colorful photos of my Darling Treasures saved to peek at when ever I need a tiny fix of Christmas magic.

As you pack away each wonderful piece, from your children's darling handmade gems, the Hallmark Baby's First Christmas ornament,  to the lovely vintage Shiny Brites that belonged Gramma,  you can't help but ponder where your life will take you when you next see all these marvelous keepsakes again.  What changes will the new year bring?

                    ~    It's been Lovely chatting with you, now go have some fun