There's a price to pay for decorating for the seasons.
So far I've been willing to pay the price and will continue as long as possible.
This means I must start earlier and give myself additional days plus I have narrowed my extensive decorating to Fall and Christmas and using limited things for winter and my beloved sunflowers for the summer.
While I am transitioning things, the house is in disarray and the cats love this!
A wreathe left on the floor looks like a perfect place to sleep!
Louis Dean and I went over to visit Billy and Brenda to make plans for a spur of the moment vacation!!
Louis Dean was such a happy camper!
Brenda noticed how much he enjoyed the music videos on TV at Billy's birthday party....
and she and Billy had been wanting to go to Branson, MO - and were so gracious in inviting us to go with them!
We went on an Alaskan cruise with them and they still love us!
Louis Dean was not a good cruiser - but I loved it!
For them to invite us to spend another vacation with them is such a gift!
We made all our plans, reservations, and selected the shows we wanted to see and then went to Braums to have a quick lunch
Thursday I was working in the living room but we stopped in the early afternoon to go over to Kimmy's.
Sophie is adorable and so sweet!
Louis Dean played some music for us and we all had a good time!
Kimmy gifted us some of June's things and we will treasure them as we recall so many good memories of her.
Dinner on Thursday night!
Louis Dean dearly loves my sweet potato casserole and I made some chicken with noodles and green peas plus a salad and garlic bread.
By Thursday's night end - I called the living room DONE!
All the Santas are gone and I have so many paintings that I can pick and choose from all of them and only hang my favorites!
I have a stack of my 'less' favorites and plan to rework them.
Perhaps they will eventually become new favorites!
Friday 'brunch' was served in the middle of the afternoon on Friday!
I saw the recipe on Facebook - flour tortillas, eggs, cheese, seasonings, chopped tomatoes and onions!
Bake for 20 minutes in the oven in an iron skillet!
Served with a dollop of sour cream and a large spoonful of salsa!
I worked in the den all day!
First comes chaos and then comes order.
I admit it is a whole lot of hard work!
Not only am I changing out the Santa wall and back to the gallery - I also took all the 'debris' down from around the window area here in the den.
Such a mess!
I should have counted the number of Santa paintings I've done.
Storing them away is not an easy chore.
I used to put them under and behind the den couch - but in 2019 the terrible 100 year flood in September while we were up in Canada did considerable damage to the den and furniture AND my paintings!
The next year we stored them up in a storage building - but that didn't work well either!
My rule now is that the must remain inside the house!
The next year they went back to behind the couch - but in white trash bags to protect them if they get wet - which they haven't so far!
Samantha found this huge basket and explored!
This is where I have now stored all my Santa paintings - and then covered the basket with a blanket.
While I was working in the den - Louis Dean has been working on his music!
He is so happy when he's making music!
It is now Saturday night and I have been working on the den all day long!
The window wall has been freed from al the baskets, paintings and other debris in anticipation of the upcoming 'redo' of this area.
All of the Santas are gone and I am enjoying the den wall!
I've been watching lots of good movies and shows while working in the den.....
I'm about to go to bed and am feeling so good about everything!
Louis Dean is happy and has been doing some really good things in the back yard and has made it look like a 'real' yard - for the first time in a long time!
I feel accomplished in taking the very last of Christmas out and cleaned the entire house - more or less!
My next projects are cleaning up the gazebo and changing out my closet to spring and summer.
Then there's gardening and weed pulling and mulching and such!
There's always so much to do and would we have it any other way??
If we had nothing on our 'to do' list - I think I would be be a little sad.....
16 comments:
Decorating for the seasons has gotten progressively harder ever since I turned 70. Now I need to take two weeks to do it all, and we have a small house! But we do need SOME projects and things to do! Just sitting around is not good for us, plus we need things to look forward to. I'm so glad to hear how well Louis Dean is doing! I have most of my big pictures that I hang on the wall stored behind the love seat. The Branson trip should be so much fun, and I am already looking forward to your photos. I tried this tortilla recipe earlier this week!!
Oh I wish you would give us readers, first dibs on what you want to discard. Dee
That looks like a lot of work! Branson sounds like a lot of fun. We have never been there, but I am sure we will make that trek someday.
woo hoo on another vacation and with friends. sounds great and you den is looking really good, the other rooms, well I have been shuddering at every room. I am smiling as I looked up and my one picture on each wall, with 4 on the wall behind me..
so glad LD has his music to play and write and organize, ha ha on that part. I never stop doing stuff but most of mine is Playing. the new ipad has my neck hurting. I downloaded procreate app for art and am watching videos on how to use it. that is my decorating.. I decorate and delete. I was looking at the end table bob uses yesterday while dustiing it and thinking maybe I should take a page from Linda and put a table cloth on it. he has ruined the finish and I rather wash a cloth than dust
Wow - I could NOT do all the decorating you do - bringing things in and taking them down and putting them somewhere. KUDOS to you. You are impressive. Plus you are a great cook. A lot to be admired. And I am glad that Dean has his music! It keeps him busy and happy. Enjoyed the visit.
oooooh linda, i do not know how you do it - i stopped many years ago. and although i miss it, i was just not able to do it anymore. your house always looks so beautiful and i totally appreciate all the time/work you put into it!! i love the way you cook, the items you pair together, your meals always look wonderful!!
chuck and i watched megan leavey and we loved it. we also recently watched "the judge" on Netflicks, that was awesome!!
i too like being busy, i just can't do what you do. your amazing...ld too!!
Love your home, so inviting! Those four den windows are so pretty, you could really show them off with unique curtains. Thrifted of course! My home is mostly thrifted treasures from last 40 years. Thank you so much for writing your blog, its a blessing to me and so many others. Dee
Hi Linda! Oh a trip to Branson sounds so much fun! How nice you and LD were invited to go along. I am going to make that egg dish you posted on Facebook. It looks great and is on the menu for the coming week. Your living room truly is a lovely art gallery! I hope you have a good week. See you again soon!
You will have such fun in Branson! Loved that place! I'm taking note of the movie recommendations. Thanks.
Amazing when I think that all of those paintings you did yourself, right? You are quite the amazing artist! I love the new summer look, and I am sure you will enjoy the change and variety of new things to look at, even though you know them well. You should charge admission to come and view your home...so much to see there! And how do you find time to cook such wonderful and beautiful meals? You are a true artist, right down to how you present your meals. That is a true gift. I find that I do not have the energy I once had for decorating each season. I seem to have lost my drive for it as it is a lot of work, and no one comes here to see it anyway except for immediate family and I don't think they truly appreciate it that much, so I've become rather "why bother" in my attitude. But you inspire me to keep persevering, at least as much as I am able without wearing myself out. It's nice to celebrate the different seasons. Thank you for all the things you do. You are truly amazing. Oh, that trip to Branson with friends sounds so lovely too! How very nice of them to invite you to come along. I know you will have a great time. Be sure to share pictures with us. Well, take care and enjoy your week. This was a nice little break for me.
I have always admired the way you embrace and decorate for the various seasons. I would love too but I know I won't like the picking and packing up in the end. LOL
The kitty in the wreath was so cute.
Sounds like y'all ready to go on some adventures this year.
All that food talk made me want to snack. Nope can't do it.
Hugs
You are one in a million Linda!!!
Love you to pieces and I feel your joy with Life.
Your home is cozy and inviting and your Knight in Overalls is a prize.
How wonderful that you can take a trip to Branson. Slightly Jelly...
Sue
Wow...I'll bet you Were tired! Glad you finally got it all done...
Branson sounds like fun for y'all...lots of music...I think LD will especially enjoy all the stars.
Happy Weekend!
Donna
girl, i freely admit that i cannot keep up with your energy! nor do i have your patience level at all! its good to see you doing all that you get done tho - it is motivation for me to get busy. i have two twin quilts started and tons of baby burp cloths for donations to sew, AND the dreaded weeds to spray (cant get down to pull the any more). i DO have dinner in the crock pot tho -- at lest there is that. not sure when i will be back out there but hoping we can visit then. bless you both. love ya.
Linda, honestly your decorate more than anyone else and your joy shows through despit all the hard work. Your den looks very inviting and I'm sure you and Louis Dean will have many happy times there. Sad about the flood ruining the furniture and paintings and hopefully it was a one-time event.
You have so much energy. I don't know how you do it all.
Love the picture of you and Louis Dean.
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