PLANNING FOR FALL

I feel a change. The long hot summer is finally giving way to cooler weather. Just yesterday we noted the slight blush to the leaves in our town. Fall is going to be early I think and I had a pang of planning for fall decor at my cottage. 

Autumn color, fall scents, and warm candle light. I will begin layering around the house, the sights, smells and textures for fall ambiance. This is my favorite time of the year!

We made a trip to Yankee Candle outlet to check out the fall scents. I bought a clearance jar called Be Thankful. It smells great! 
The potpourri looked great, so I bought a bag of spiced orange. I filled hurricanes with little apples and candles.

I need to change out my silk flowers to autumn stems. Perhaps sunflowers. I need to get into the attic to locate my florals. I just can't remember all that is up there. 

It won't be too long for some pictures but wait until I have everything in place.

Try To Remember

The Cottage Girl has the worst time remembering to bring the grocery totes with her shopping. Do you have this same trouble? 

Well, I am making a habit of storing them near the door and many eventually make it out to the car. Still doesn't work. I get to my favorite grocery store and jump out already thinking about what I need to buy and totally forget the totes.

I fill my basket and get in line to check out. I love the cashiers at the local Harris Teeter because not only are they fast and efficient but they are so friendly. We are smiling at each other when it happens. She may say something like paper, plastic or did you bring your own tote bags?  Frown. Oh no I did it again; I forgot them, I say sheepishly. It would be bad form to halt the line, and the process of checking out to dash to the car. So I go with plastic vowing to recycle them.


I am now thinking of posting a note near the drivers seat  that says
GROCERY TOTES,  that way I might remember. Why haven't I ?
It reminds me of my grandmother's house, especially the kitchen where she must have had a hundred little notes posted all over the place, reminding her of something. I hope it doesn't come to that!!!

Water-Are you thirsty?

Are you thirsty? Soda and iced tea a bit more than you desire, but plain old water seems, plain old?

I was at a work conference here at Colonial Williamsburg. They were serving water in large glass decanters with spigots at the bottom. Inside they floated lots of lemon slices and strawberry wedges. It was festive and colorful for a hot summer day, although we were in an air conditioned room. The water was new and the  taste was very light. Not Plain-Old! I thought to myself, I'll have to try this next time I have guests. I'll serve it in a large glass pitcher. I hope they won't think it is lemonade!

Then this morning. I was checking my favorite blogs. Mind you it is really early, say 5AM or so. I really woke up when I saw it. Water. Again in a large decanter with a spigot. I saw it on the Joyworks blog. One of my blog favs! I love their store and visit whenever I am in Snohomish. Anyway, Jana  wrote about the Saturdayz Flea Market at Sand Point. Lovely pictures and then at the end...there it was, water. In it was floating mint leaves and watermelon wedges! Fantastic. I can just imagine how cool and refreshing that must be.

I see a trend. Flavored waters you make yourself and without the chemicals or fizz. What could be better than that? So if you are thirsty, and want something better than plain old water, try one of these. Recipe not necessary!

Spring Iris

A Special Addition To My Blog List

Please be sure to stop by Flannel Jammies Farm recently added to my blog list. The blog is written by my farmgirl friend Donna Rae! She is a real sweetie who lives in Virginia Beach, Virginia! Welcome to blogging Donna Rae and may you meet many lovely friends as I have!

I'm getting ready for spring!
The dreary winter has me looking for some brighter colors.
I went shopping around town looking for spring wreaths and found some lovely really full ones costing $19 and up. However I was looking for something simple and sweet and at a lower price because I would be needing several.

Look here. Spring garland came into American Harvest in Williamsburg just this week. It was exactly the style I was looking for. They were priced at $15 and 20% off. So I bought one to experiment if I could make a wreath with it. It worked very well so I went back and bought the last three she had on hand! I would have bought more if they were available.

I just twisted the little branches around until I was satisfied with the look.

Time to take down the Christmas berry wreath from the pantry door.

I like the spring replacement and it looks so cheery!

I have a hook at the top of the window casing to hang the wreaths on each kitchen nook window.

Here are the windows with the Christmas wreaths.

Changing to the spring berry wreath.

The windows look cheery. Click to enlarge photo!

I'm glad I DIDN'T buy the really full wreaths at the higher price because it would have covered the view of the yard, woods and especially the bird feeder that we so enjoy!

Tuesday is Fridge Cleaning Day

It's Wednesday garbage day not Tuesday, I know. Starting next week I am making Tuesday, refrigerator clean out day. That way the fridge gets cleaned and any throw aways will be in the garbage can in time for the Wednesday visit from our garbage collectors. Makes sense doesn't it, but I am just now making it a household rule!

The really annoying thing is the beep, beep, beep the fridge sounds when the door is left open too long. The temperature sensor knows when the temp is going up!

This is really irritating and I am trying to work quickly.

I'm using these wipes, so convenient to have around the house and they work pretty well with enough durability.

I must speak to the teenagers about opening all the juices before the previous bottles are empty!

How many sauces do we need anyway?

More sauces and condiments but where is the food?

The freezer is another story!

Have you cleaned your fridge lately?

Not the Pampered Kind!

This Cottage Girl has never had a pedicure, and maybe two manicures in her whole life now on the threshold of age fifty! I just don't put a lot into my appearance. I adore jeans and a t-shirt, jean jacket and my Merrill shoes.

Some Cottage Girls are very pampered with clothes, hair, makeup, jewelry and the sweetest of home accessories. Perhaps you are one of these lovely girls and gasp at my lack of refinement.

Cottage Girls come in such a variety. Some are "Nifty and Thrifty" with their flea market and by the side of the road finds. Other Cottage Girls are "Rosy" surrounding themselves in roses. Yes, you know what I mean, roses on everything including the clothes they wear. There are the "Sparkle and Shine" Cottage Girls collecting glassware, jewels, silver and anything glittery.

The "Make Do" prim Cottage Girls go way back to basics.

I guess I am the dig in the dirt with your hands and paint in the hair type of Cottage Girl. I love nature, being natural and going without makeup, although I do color the gray out of my hair!

I am thinking on changing that. This year I will be fifty years old and I am reflecting on what I have done and what I have not done. So I am going to be working on a list. Not a "Bucket List" really just a personal growth and experience list. I am going to pamper myself more and see what it is the other Cottage Girls are so thrilled about!

I better get to thinking on it! Perhaps you could make a list of your own. Here's to personal growth and trying something new, not dangerous or careless, just new!

My Valentine

Sharing my Valentine with you! Not a card, but a bunny. Confused?
This is my bunny and her name is Valentine given to me by my daughter as a Valentine gift six years ago. So I named her Valentine.

Valentine came from a pet store where she had been picked over. We think she may have been poked and prodded too much. She doesn't like to be handled very much. Now that she is an old age rabbit, she has become more mellow and will allow some cuddling.
Wishing you all Valentines, no matter what shape they come in!

PLANNING TO REOPEN THIS BLOG

I think I may be reopening this blog. I need to cancel the new one I created first. The Cottage Girl really does fit me very well. So stay tuned!
The Cottage Girl