Sunday, March 27, 2011

Easter Hutch Decor

My Easter hutch is done in little vinette collections. Here is a sampling of each.

A white rabbit family with apple blossoms.


Here's a little Russian bunny in the cabbage.




My mother gave me this when I was a young mother. It is hand painted, someone really did a nice job.




The little green birds from Michael's have.....and everyone else!


The top of the hutch:








I am joining


Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Easter Decor Peter and Beatrix



I have decorated my hutch for Easter, and thought I would share parts of it today. Who doesn't love Beatrix Potter and Peter Rabbit?

"Peter who was very naughty, ran straight away to
Mr. McGregor's garden and squeezed under the gate. First he ate some lettuces and some French beans and then he ate some radishes." - Beatrix Potter
 
There's another little bunny hiding in the lettuces with some eggs.
 




 
"Mr. McGregor hung up the little jacket and the shoes for a scare crow to frighten the blackbirds." - Beatrix Potter
 
 
 
Please see more vinettes at
 
 

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Some Antiquing and Flea Market Time Reprise

Today I am joining Char at Happy to Design  for Sunday Favorites. This post was from September 5, 2010. Please check out the other great reposts at:




Country Living Magazine said, "Tiny Sparks, Kansas — population 9! — hosts crowds of up to 75,000 twice each summer, with 450 dealers displaying a range of antiques and collectibles at great prices. "


Coming to Sparks on Labor Day weekend has become a fun tradition in the last few years. Saturday was a beautiful day, high in the 80's and sunny. Several of us went to the Sparks Antique and Flea Market and then up the highway to the White Cloud Flea Market. These little towns are northwest of St. Joseph, Missouri, in Kansas.










As it got crowded, many began standing on tip toes to see.





This little bottle fed goat was a pet of one of the vendors. He got lots of attention!






Then I started getting hungry......I am very suggestive.







As we got back on the highway, the trail of parked cars had grown.





That's a soybean field behind the cars, and running along those hills in the background is the Missouri River.







White Cloud sits on the banks of the Missouri River. Long before the white men came to the area, the land belonged to the Ioway tribe, whose chief was White Cloud. Entry to the river is right at the base of Main Street. White Cloud's flea market was all on the main drag.










Ice Cream time?

Saturday, March 19, 2011

What would I do if I won the lottery?

I am joining Lori at Family Tree May Contain Nuts for the writer's challenge.


 Today's topic is:
How would a massive lottery win change you besides the fact that lack of money would not be a problem any more?

I have not really day dreamed about winning the lottery, as I don't buy tickets. But it did not take me long to get  thinking, after reading  Lori's post. Assuming it was a very large sum, here goes:

What fun, crazy things would I run out and do?

Take all my teacher girlfriends on a trip. I'll come pick you all up.



Buy more dishes and flatware!



Do all those house fix ups.



Then when things settled down I would:


Although I would love a different home, I am not sure I could leave my yard and flowers. That would entail a lot of transplanting. NO, I would not just buy new plants, as a lot of them are heirlooms from family ancestors, and others are just my babies! (My flowers below:)




 But I bet I could be convinced to pot up and move somewhere warmer, so I could garden most of the year.( Would they let me live at Bellingrath Gardens?)


I would, though, buy an RV in a heartbeat!! We took a trip in an RV when the girls were little, and it was the ultimate. Cook when we wanted, our own beds each night, it was like having a playhouse on wheels! There is still so much of  America I want to see, and to me that's the way to do it.

 Did this:

Want to do this:


Would I retire from teaching? Yes, but I would need to have a contingency plan, as I need to be around students. Maybe I could do some volunteer work at the high school, and set up a scholarship program to encourage students to do volunteer work. Every young person needs to experience volunteer work. It helps develop character. I also would become an emergency foster parent. There are many times that my students have needed a place to go, and would have come home with me, had I been  licensed. I should look into  that anyway, lottery or not.

The best thing I could do for my 2 daughters would be to pay off their student loans, and then give them a determined amount of money, some for fun, and some with the assignment of finding a charity they want to permanently  be involved in.



Charities? Oh, there are so many worthy ones, but my heart and money would belong to animal shelters.


SO, there it is. The ramblings of a very practical person allowed to daydream, scary! SO, back to the question   How would a massive lottery win change you besides the fact that lack of money would not be a problem any more?

After reading the above, I must say, I would be more responsible in what I consider my duties to the things I think are important. I did realize I can do much of this WITHOUT the money I thought I would need. Not having money can become an excuse not to do some things. However, I could sure have fun with a lottery win, for others as much as myself!