Friday, July 1, 2011

Friday Morning in the Farmhouse

Good morning!  I got up this morning, did my usual grooming routine, then came out to the kitchen like I usually do to make tea.  Hot Cinnamon Sunset for me, Orange & Spice for John.  As I was putting on the kettle & getting the cups ready, I noticed I was singing a little song in my head ...

This is the day,
This is the day that the Lord has made,
That the Lord has made.
I will rejoice,
I will rejoice & be glad in it,
& be glad in it ...

That took me a bit by surprise!  Must mean it's going to be a good day   : )

We always used to sing that little song at the beginning of the Sunday morning church service in a church I attended back when we lived in Florida.  I can remember the congregation singing a stanza & then the pastor sometimes stopping us & pointing out that some of us were just standing there expressionless or looking like we were anything but glad & joyful & he'd do a little impression of what he was talking about & we'd all laugh & then we'd sing the song again   : )

The landscapers worked hard yesterday but are only about half way finished.  I am kind of disappointed that we aren't getting some of the plants we wanted.  We were supposed to get these beautiful dark green grasses that produce large pink plumes but the owner, Bob, tried to get some & couldn't so he brought us some pampas grasses instead & he's going to plant these smaller grasses that bloom pink in front of them & then there will be boxwoods in between.  I'm thinking "blah" but John said to let it go ... maybe it will turn out to look really nice & if it doesn't we can always dig them up & plant some other kind of grass there next year.  We also were supposed to be getting these gorgeous silvery butterfly bushes to plant along the side of the house.  Bob had a bunch of them at the nursery that were spoken for but said he could get more.  He couldn't & brought purple ones instead.  They are pretty too but not what we were counting on   : (   He didn't have enough of them so 3 will go in front of the a/c units & then on each side will be some kind of viburnum bushes that have large white fragrant flowers.  There was a bit of extra space on one corner so he transplanted a sweetspire from the front yard because he said it really should be in a more shady area.  Finally we expected 2 huge hydrangeas we had shown him for the back.  He brought 2 small ones ... said the 2 huge ones we picked out needed full sun but these smaller ones would do well in part shade.  I guess it will all look okay.  It will definitely look better than it has been looking ... lol!

Here is a photo of the trencher bowl I referred to yesterday.    

            
I took this photo after I brought it home in January.  As I'm looking at it here all I can see is that sticky crud on it from the vegetable oil & it just makes my skin crawl   : (   After I scrubbed & scrubbed & scrubbed it yesterday it still felt yucky in places but my arms just couldn't scrub anymore.  I took it outside & let it sit in the hot sun to dry out.  When I went to bring it in it actually felt pretty nice ... not sticky at all except on the 2 ends where I missed scrubbing.  I will work on those ends today, put it back in the sun, & then bring it in & oil it down with the mineral oil.  

I'm pretty excited ... I used my blower this morning for the first time!  Not a blow dryer ... a blower for outside!  Bought it for myself a couple weeks ago & finally decided to use it since John got grass clippings all over the back porch, walkway & garden areas next to the house yesterday when he went around mowing the landscaping area.  The blower works really well!  I've told him I don't want him to mow back there anymore.  He mows with the guard removed from the mower so the clipping fly up into the air & go everywhere.  

The landscapers are on their way.  The treadmill guy was supposed to be here this afternoon but he got his days mixed up & he's coming tomorrow instead.  Later John is going to dig me a space by the fence to plant my gourd seeds.  Life is good   : )        

8 comments:

Angela said...

Thank you, thank you, thank you Shirlee, for showing your trencher. It looks great but I bet it will be even better as you know the feel of it once you are finished cleaning and rubbing it down. My friend in TN. has a really big one like that and altho I would have nowhere in my house to display it, I just love them. Glad you have all the folks lined up and finally are finding their way to your home. Hoping you have that wonderful day. Sounds like it is certainly starting out to be. I have errands to run and my sitting with Mother. Trying to get a little housework done this morning in between visits on here of course. Lord I hope this day is good,,, for everyone.
Blesssings

dee begg said...

Shirlee,

Too bad about the plants. I waited another year to replant our front porch bed, as the shrubs I wanted weren't available at the time that I removed the old ones. I was so glad that we waited too as we then put in a substantial perennial bed with stone walls, so I guess it was meant to be.

Love, love, love your trencher. It's amazing. I can't imagine what they used it for...must have been a large family with more than one cook or maybe it was used at a pub/inn for fixing large meals.

I am watering the grass as I type, or should I say the sprinkler is. I don't let the men in my house mow our grass either and it's kinda funny at the hubby and son do lawn service. They will make everyone else lawn look spectacular...outs, not so much. They don't want to take the time, so I mow and bag ours. The hubby will trim but only when I pester him enough!

Anyway, have a great day.

D

Linda ★ Parker's General said...

That trencher is huge! I would say that it is/was definitely a bargain, even if it required cleaning. It is lovely. I am sure it feels better being cleaned up. Some people do get bad information and that is sad, but it sounds as though you are trying your best to make it better.
I would be thrilled to have something so awesome! The history it carries......priceless!
★Linda★

BumbleBeeLane said...

oh the trencher was well worth the drive.Love it! GGlad days are getting better for you..smile...~Amy

Trace4J said...

Love love love your trencher girlfriend..WooHoo it is huge.You have a great find there.
Have a great weekend. Love your song too..A very good day.
Hugs Trace
www.grannytracescrapsandsquares.com

bettyj said...

I love your trencher. I don't have one at all and would love one. I am going to look for one on the longest yard sale. I always go with one thing in mind. Usually,not always, end up with something I never thought about!lol On my wood bowls and things I use a lemon oil beeswax furniture polish. I love it.
Have a great day, this is the day the Lord has made.
betty

jennifer768 said...

Shirlee love the trencher !It is worth the effort you are putting into it.I think that once the plants get started you will find that you will like them or at least I hope so. I sent you an email hope that you got it .Have a wonderful holiday weekend.Hugs,Jen

Earlene said...

Shirley my heart is pounding! I love love that bowl! It looks wonderful!
Have a great weekend
Earlene