Bits and pieces of Autumn

Mom and I worked on my front porch Thursday and still didn't get done. Well, she did, but I didn't. I still have pillows to make.

Here are a few things. Unfortunately, the wind is blowing 30 mph right now and stuff is flying everywhere. I've had to bring in two mums and my native grasses. No telling what else will fly before this is over.

An old milk can holding a mum.
This is the folding chair I found by a dumpster. I have a hat with a sunflower to hang on the back. I've rescued it from the street once so until the wind stops it's in the house.
Mom fixed my old rake up with Indian corn and a silk leaf garland. I'm still debating about whether or not to add a big old raffia bow to the handle.

Enjoying my morning

Today is a glorious day! It smells so good outside. I took a quick trip around the yard to see what's happening.

The Bradford pear is now in full bloom compared to just the other day.

The rest of the daffodils are blooming and the hyacinth are beginning to open.

The forsythia has also filled out compared to the other day. Poor thing looks so scraggly. Considering he was just a little twig when I first planted him, he's doing well. We're up to three twigs now. LOL.

It's a great day to be alive.

What do groundhogs know anyway?

I hope he's wrong. I hope good old Punxsutawney Phil was just grumpy this morning and he really didn't see his shadow. I'd fib if it meant I could go back to bed so what makes me think Phil would do it any differently? I'm ready for warmer weather, flowers, and the sun.

We made it through another week and I'm eternally grateful. DH has bounced back remarkably well. He's still tired, but I suppose we're all tired these days.

I downloaded a new photo editing program that makes my icky pictures somewhat better. Gimp is a snazzy little thing that works just as well as my Paint Shop Pro. The best part is that it's free. Yes, free!

So far I have 33 pictures on my challenge blog. At some point I either need to get a better camera or get a better camera. Mine is just junk when trying to take pictures outside in the sun. Everything is overexposed and there are no manual adjustments. I'm at the mercy of my camera. Today I lost a perfectly wonderful shot of longhorn cattle because it was just as white as could be. Maybe we'll come across a deal too good to pass up. Otherwise, I know what I want for graduation.

In other news, I'm dreaming about reclaiming the basement. I'm trying to decide what colors to paint the rooms. I really want a nice light color for my sewing room. Something neutral, but not boring. I'm going to try to completely outfit the room without buying anything other than paint and mini-blinds. I think I can do it with what I have in storage, the garage, and the guest room. Yes, we're wall-to-wall around here. I believe we also have enough furniture to make a very cozy den while we're at it.

I hope everyone has a stress-free, much blessed weekend.