Ready Set Go

Just a quick blog while I pack and move! Yesterday Duncan, my ten year old with special needs, ran into my new outdoor arena and said loudly "ready, set, go". This may seem nothing special, but I was worried he wouldn't adjust to the new place. His elation and little private party in the arena made me thrilled.

Still moving....

I am feeling a bit overwhelmed by the task, at times, but know that we are making big progress.

I would post more pictures, but those yesterday can't be outdone, so I will get to work finishing that kitchen, getting the last things moved and getting our horses ready to go. Tomorrow I will take some new pictures. For now, look some more at the kitchen pictures...I love paint!

Progress

Well, we cleaned all the cabinets with TSP alternative, and started priming. We have made some significant progress! I will be at it for awhile, I think.

Here is before of the wooden shelf with fabric front and the poorly chosen hunter green cabinets.

Here is after a coat of primer and putting an inexpensive closed cabinet in the place of the covered wood one. We have decided NOT to put the cabinet doors on the uppers right here. The trim around the door, the lower cabinets and the windows need another few coats of primer and then all finished with a high gloss paint. I am contemplating a color on the inside back of the cabinets.

We also painted the dog door cover white to match since I snapped this pic! The sad part was they had painted over all the hardware and we couldn't even get it off the cabinets. So it stayed and was painted white.
Here is another green picture.
And the same area primed (from a different angle of course)

Clearly we are putting doors back on those bottom cabinets, but they need more paint and why put them back on until they are done.

In my dream world I would replace that dishwaser with a white one (immediately if not sooner), replace all the cabinets (especially base ones) and the counter surface.

I really feel the previous owners had huge dreams (and architect drawn plans to prove it) and let perfectionism become a crutch. When you can't accept 'good enough' you paralyze yourself. They lived for many years (12) with those green cabinets they hated too! The hubby was an amazing workman and he just waited until he could do it 'right'....so it NEVER got anything done. I will take 'good enough' and done over miserable any day.

Speaking of which, the hubby, who did all the work in the sunroom (see previous posts) complemented me on how I had it decorated. I had a little moment of sad, because I think they worked on it all those months/years and never just ENJOYED it. Again...perfectionism! I do, however, appreciate the perfectionism he put into that sunroom!

Packing is a pain

I am in the midst of packing. I hate deciding what to pack now and what to wait on. I really want to get to that new house and start working. It feels like I am spinning my wheels waiting. We are using Fossil's small trailer to fill up and move things. We took one whole load over and put it in the horse barn, but I don't want to 'move things twice' so am resisting doing that again. Ideally we will handle things the least number of times.
Unfortunately, my hubby is working all week and I am doing most of this on my own. It is tiring and thankless work. I keep reminding myself that in a week I will be LIVING in my new home. Of course, when I give myself that reminder, myself says 'oh my we have alot to do"! :-D Silly self!

Which way do I go?

So, now that we can't truly move our stuff and get in and do dirty work until Sunday I am panicking a little. I have to admit I have some serious character flaws and one of them is chronic worry. I need to work on giving it to God.
So, I have a huge 'to do' list for both the old house and the new house. Some very IMPORTANT ones are pictured below.
Put hen house here! So I can stop carrying heavy hens across the yard and moving their little 'chicken tractor' around. I am hoping this job will find a 'helper'. I can see this being something I would spend days trying to do when someone with some 'skills' could knock it out in a few hours.

Next is to take the stone behind the barn and level this little garden. This could surely wait until Spring, but I would like to get a few of these things done before the ground freezes so SPring will be the lovely 'surprise' I like it to be. I want to move some of my Daylilies, a rose bush and plant some new bulbs.

Probably TRULY first is getting out the KILZ2 paint. The previous family had a cute little girl about Duncan's age, but I don't think Duncan will appreciate her Teal wall? Well, he probably doesn't care, but mommy does NOT like it. Also, D's room is the only one with carpet and I can't have carpet in his room. I will have to pull up the carpet and remove that nasty adhered stuff below and see what is there. If it is wood I will paint it, if it is something else I will panic a little more and then fix it as I find out.
About ten seconds after I arrive at the new house I fully intend to CLEAN these Cabinets, go outside to do other stuff (see above), come back in, Kilz2 them, go upstairs kilz d's wall and so on. I really think those green cabinets are dragging that kitchen down! Get some white in there and Ta da, a cute little cottage kitchen that begs me to make some muffins for my family.

Hey, did I mention that Kilz2? I also intend to get rid of this green division between the dining room and the kitchen. I am hoping this will open the space up some more and visibly increase my space.

Oh yeah....see that Traingle of wood? That has to go under some paint, too. If you are in love with that wood I apologize profusely for doing it to you, but again, small space, no islands of bold color change for me.

So....anyone got their paintbrush packed and on their way yet?

Betcha Can't Decorate Just One

Okay, I guess you can if that is the only room you have to move into for today!
We don't technically get the place until Sunday. We talked to the sellers and got permission to offload the trailer load of stuff. So I have space in the barn and in the sunroom.
Here is the new table in the sunroom with just a few of our things. Here is the view from the front door...WELCOME to my new home!

Here is Duncan's pumpkin in an urn with some yanked out plants from some annuals near the door. Literally, I stuffed an old box down in there pumpkin on, broke off stems and ta da...entry done!

So, just for fun I wanted to do a "how expensive was this quick sunroom" run:

Bed frame - $10 yard sale

Table - Barter (zero dollars)

Rooster lamp - 3.50 Goodwill

Cute birdy stands-5/pr clearance at Orchard Country Store

Chairs-Road side FREE

Mattress, bedding and box springs - about $140.

then let's add the tiny pumpkins and big pumpkin -$4

the urn on clearance at Michaels- $5

Grand total: 167.50

Now, I will have a few other little things adding along the way, but I thought this was pretty impressive. I love being FRUGAL!

So as a goodnight gift I share you my garden's denial of Autumn bloom!

Mine Mine Mine Mine

Okay I got THAT out of my system. Now I have to get a grip on my internal two year old and be patient, b/c the sellers are moving a few last things before we can get into our house. Did you hear me? Our house!
So, until Saturday the word is PATIENCE! I want desperately to get overthere, put a few chairs in teh sunroom and watch the sunset at my new house. YES my NEW HOUSE! :D

A long hard day!

Okay, admittedly I have had and will have worse days, yet today still had enough stress for a month of Sundays.

It started well. I got D'bear on the bus, started some laundry and called my realtor. We drove out to take a last tour of the house before we close tomorrow. I still didn't have a number nailed down for my down payment and other costs. I was running around moving money when the mortgage guy called and said the mortgage insurance company had 'changed their rules' over the weekend. We would need $2400 more!

I managed to make a very hard phone call to my aunt and get the money. Our closing has been moved to later in the day tomorrow and I am praying that we are good to go. It scares me to no end that I will have no 'cushion' when we do this. I will be a little scared until we refill that emergency fund and return the money to my aunt.

So, here is the picture out the back door of the 'new place', God will it will be mine tomorrow.

Spiritual Sundays

A moment to think about how blessed we are. This week as we loaded the first of many loads of our 'stuff' to move to our new home we stopped to sit in our chairs on the edge of the little utility trailer we were loading. Lots of times as I sit in a small space like that trailer I think there are many parts of the world where someone would love to have such a sturdy place to raise their kids.

I am Grateful God gave me the skill to earn a living, a husband who works hard and the brains to handle our money well. I am trying to be a good steward of HIS money.

Just the fact that I am here, now, blogging about what color to paint my new table and my new home and that I can afford to feed animals with our 'extra' tells me we are very blessed. Even with the hardships we all face....we are blessed.

This week I also got a letter from my Compassion sponsor child and how elated she is to get the tiniest gifts from me (ten dollars) makes me acutely aware....

What are your blessings and are you counting them or counting sorrows?

Starting to get excited!

Three and a half days and counting. I thought I would share a few more pictures. Part of me is a little afraid that showing my pictures will jinx it somehow, but I can't help it.

Pictured here is the 'horse barn'. The entry door right there is where I will keep my feed and my saddles and goodies. I can just picture how happy my dogs will be to go to the barn with me in the mornings. Way better than two second potty break they get in the city. :-D
Here is a photo of my riding arena. If you are a non horse person this is a HUGE selling point. Sadly, they are taking their jumps with them and I will have to have some standards made, but I can do it!
Here is the yard where the septic finger system is...I will plan to fence this and put my son's playground stuff there! Yay Duncan!
So, Tuesday I may not get to blog until late, if at all, but boy will I have alot to talk about! :-D

Trying not to make this a habit....

Since I got my girls I am noticing chicken/rooster stuff. I typically don't like the over the top things with roosters. However, I saw a few nice pieces in pictures and thought they look cool. Then I go to Goodwill a few weeks ago and see this guy. He was seven bucks and I said "Nope don't have it to spend"

Well, Sunday I went in and it was still there...so it was 3.50! I had to get him.

For now I am considering putting him in the sun room 'as is' and then decide if I want to refinish him.
I think he will look good in here with the black iron joist straps. We shall see! Did I get a good deal or what?

Barter Beauty

Well, I went to a yard sale a few weeks ago. Was my friend Roxanne's house. She had this lovely table. I fell for it, but can't spend any money before we close on house, buy hay, paint and so on....so I told her it was GORGEOUS and moved on.
It ended up not selling so she emailed me and offered to do a barter for dog grooming. I wonder if her mom's "Doodle" has as pretty legs as my NEW table?

Now I have to decide, dining room or sunroom? This is slightly bigger than our 'old' table, so I think dining room, but this is definately a SHOW OFF piece (especially when I paint it....what....WHITE...oh yeah).

Say hello to Star (trying to hog the blog?) again and say hello beautiful table, hello where we shall be serving Thankgiving supper this year.
Now just to annoy you....go up and look at the first pic and then note in the background (besides a toy) is my grandmothers drum table....have a look at those legs? Wonder why I fell for it?

Thank you Roxanne, I hope my Style for LuLu is as pretty as your nay MY table!

Who did you go with?

That seems to be the question everyone asks me when I say "I went Hiking in Brown County yesterday". When they say "With who?" I say "STAR". I was minding my own business running down to Bloomington to get some meds for my dogs. Star went for the ride along. I was so enjoying the foliage that I decided to make a detour to the state park. I am glad I did.
Star is my 'baby dog' she is just a little over one and she was dumped on me by a young girl who handed me the ten week old tiny pup and said "mom is going to take her to the pound". I took this little bundle because terriers are difficult and often get homes and end up BACK in the pound. My plan was to spend a few weeks 'training' her and place her. I started calling her "pup" while she learned manners. Within two days I realized she was that rare super smart dog as well as independent and superloyal. She was just like my old girl and in 14 years I hadn't met one that even came close. So I added her to our pack. We were already calling her Pup so we went with "Party like a Pupstar" as her name. She also answers to Starnessmarie.
Well, back to our story.....We stopped at Target to get a leash, since I hadn't intended to walk with her (bad mom). Then headed to Brown County State Park. These are older pics and the leaves were nearly peak on Monday. I hiked trail number two which is two miles and 'moderate' terrain. Star had a great time, I realized I need to walk more and that carrying this extra weight is really dragging me down.
The scenes were beautiful I saw about six other humans the whole time and lots of squirrels and they just KNEW Star was on a leash so they were barking at her...making her little terrier mind nearly explode.
Part of me felt guilty for walking when I should have been packing, but I always regret not enjoying Autumn more. It was well worth my time. I still think it is funny that even at 34 people seem surprised I just might up and go hiking alone. After turning 21 overseas I forget that there are those who just never would go alone. I was not alone I had Star and I admit I called Daryl and said "if they ask you for one of those 'she went missing' specials, I was last seen walking my dog down Trail 2 in Brown County".
Where have you ventured today?

Spiritual Sundays

If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will you Father forgive your trespasses.

Mathew 6:14, 15

I think alot of us struggle with forgiveness. We somehow want people to DESERVE to be forgiven. We want to know people will NOT do it again and won't hurt us again. We want to hold grudges and be angry, because we are RIGHT!

Forgiveness is about US not them. Forgiving frees you from the anger and hate that dwell in holding a grudge. Those are not fruits of the Spirit, to be sure.

This week I had a hard time with Forgiveness. My usually wonderful, yet human, husband had been taking change from a jar of mine. He had missed the memo that this money had come from my grandmother. She was a woman of little money and yet she saved all the coins of all the grandkids birth years. So I shared 1974 with my cousin Bill and she would sort those coins from her change and put them away for us. She touched each coin with her tiny line-covered hands. She likely had times where the end of the month came before the end of the money and she could have taken a few bucks from any of us without our knowledge, but didn't and still she saved.

I was so angry at DH when he I found the jar, I had intended to use it as a symbol of her helping me to buy our home. He was sure he didn't know what it was when he took it and I believe that, but then I was SO mad that he hadn't listened to me tell him (8 years ago) and that stung even more. I left the house so angry I couldnt' breath. I took the lighter jar and sat in a parking lot and sobbed over that money. I spent most of the week angry about it and thinking how Grandma never had nearly what we had and yet DH used her money for things (pop etc..) she probably gave up for me to have this money.

I became convicted of my feelings a few days ago when I realized that the EMOTION my grandma put in there was important and she too had an imperfect husband (i never met him) and she was also a wonderful wife by all acounts. The biblical description of a good wife/woman was read at her funeral, even. I never heard her say a bad word about another human, even some who had scarred her deeply. My language slips more in a day than hers did in a lifetime. She would NOT want me angry at my husband. She would want me to forgive him for MY sake and HIS. Even more so, God would want me to forgive this too! I am still sad and have some moments, but I am working on forgiveness.

Is there someone you should forgive for YOUR sake today?

What if HE didn't forgive us when we misused his belongings?

Gift for my neice and Tagged

I will show you the complete finished project when I take a picture, but I have been running crazy so I keep forgetting to take it.

My neice Alexis is going to be 12 on Monday, which also means I graduated from Purdue 12 years ago in December. I call her Lexi so much I almost accidentally bought an "L" for her initial thing! :-D

I rarely see my neice as my brother and her mom are divorced. I actually stayed in Indiana after she was born because I wanted to be a role model and good auntie to her. I would call it a 'fail' except she KNOWS I am here and when she has her OWN say in the world she will seek me out. I have always treated her with respect and let her have her own spirit. I remember when we were putting the giant Clifford (big red dog) on Duncan's wall. I drew it, outlined it and asked Lexi and her brother Zack to fill in the big areas with red paint. They acted as if I was giving them keys to the vault. Their mother worried that they would mess up I finally told her I would rather have it 'imperfectly' done by them than PERFECT by some stranger. She still worried but she let it rest and let them finish despite concerns that I might have to start over. LOL It will actually hurt my heart when I do have to paint over that Clifford when we move! :-/

Well, I honestly have to admit I tried to call Lexi's mom and see what colors she was 'into' now but noone answered. My brother would be unlikely to know so I went and started with paper I liked. I found light pink paper with gray 'raining hearts' motif and went from there. I did a tassel for her in 'wilder' colors and more TWEEN style than Would normally suit me....but here they are!

I really do like the end result even though it isn't my personal style. I hope she likes it! I hope she will always know just how much I love her and that I am always here for her.

I was also tagged by Deb - Garage Sale Gal... Thank you Deb

So without more delay:

I have to tell seven things about myself you may not know

1. I have inappropriate laughter issues. When I am at a loss for what to do and I want to scream or cry, but that seems like it might be TOO much for me...I laugh. I tell jokes, I tell stories and I crack up usually UNTIL I cry.

2. I am the friend who nags! My good friends and I encourage each other. So if you say "Hey Chez, I want to remember to get my passport this year" I will ask you ALOT have you done it yet! (DARYL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...have you done it yet?)

3. I am not afraid of snakes or spiders. I know that is random, but alot of people are. I do not ENJOY a snake 'showing up' when I dont' expect it, but am not afraid of them.

4. I am a SCUBA diver. I have my PADI advanced Open Water certificate and I got the second cert. IN Australia on the Gt. Barrier Reef

5. I have lived several places but MOST of my life has been within forty miles of where I was born. I think things like: "I want to live someplace near the ocean" then a Hurricane hits and I say "Oh I love Indiana"

6. I prefer to have a few GOOD friends more than a bunch of people to hang out with. People that will help you move! (hey guys...could you not live so far away?)

7. If you listened to my MP-3 player you would be SO confused. I have country, rock, pop, rap and christian music.

Since I don't know if some people want to be Tagged I will Tag Daryl (new to blogging) and if you guys want me to tag you, let me know and I will link up and add you.

So Daryl at Fair Winds consider yourself Tagged!

A few more pics of the new cottage

It is less than two weeks until closing. I am a little worried about the craziness with the market and economy, but I have hope that people will realize WE control the market. If we all pay our bills, stop panicking and keep buying (Reasonably) we are gonna drop to 'reality' but not plunge.

So, here are some more pictures of the new place!

Here is a photo of the back of the old barn! We are clearly going to have to shore up the lean-to and remortar those blocks, but I love LOVE old buildings and this makes me smile!

Here are the light fixtures in the sunroom. What do you think of my ceiling?

Here s a photo of the horse barn fro the side of the house. All that woods behind the barn is apparantly logging property so it is not being developed AND we can ride our horses there!

Here is a photo from the living room into the hall leading to the bathroom and bedrooms. Those 'spindles' are not structural and will be coming out to 'open the space up'.

I can't believe that in two weeks I will be taking stuff over there to clean, paint and get ready to move. It is crazy!

A bit of fall decoration and an ommission fixed

Despite wanting to pack, I want some 'seasonality' to my house since this is my favorite season. I found the cute silver mirror at Dollar Tree and the silver candle holders for a buck each at Goodwill (surprise surprise). The planter on the left I hand threw back when I took a pottery class. The one on the right I found on clearance a few years ago. They both make me smile. I put little gords, pumpkins and acorns on a tiered tray. I got the pretty crocheted tablecloth at my friend Roxanne's yard sale. (four dollars).
It is a little island I will keep decorated while I pack.
My horrendous OMMISSION was from my "Birthday Blessings" post a few days ago. My good friend Shelly and I have lunch together on Monday's and last week she paid and got me the cutest card and a couple of gifts. I completely spaced putting her gifts on the blog, because in all honesty they were still in my vehicle. The card is a 21 boot salute and with me being a horse girl, how perfect is that? Also a WW cookbook and a points calculator. I know some of you are saying "What kind of pal would get you a diet book?" Well, she is my friend because we met at Weight Watchers meetings. She is actually my leader, my Zumba instructor and first and foremost a funny and great friend.

Yesterday my friend Duda and I went out to see my new house (from the outside), went Goodwilling and to dinner together as a belated b'day celebration. She is on of my horsey friends so she especially wanted to get me 'out' after euthanizing Ruby on Tuesday. We had a great time and she bought me a set of plates at Goodwill I have been eyeballing as my "new everyday" dishes. I already had the bowls, they die like crazy around here! Oddly I got her plates for her 'early b'day gift' a few days ago! LOL
I am blessed with great friends!

Today I went to turn my horses out and saw THIS on the pond and thought I would share the 'moment' with you all! It is a Great Blue Heron, waiting for supper!

This is my 'second attempt' at a tassel and it goes with Rachel's gift from this post.

Have a wonderful night!

Who is Dave Ramsey

Okay Deb opened a can of worms on you all!

I refuse to go read his bio and tell you word for word! You are all welcome to click his pic above and do just that. Dave is an auther his books include: Financial Peace and Money Makeover. He also offers a class called Financial Peace University (FPU) held at local churches, schools and other venues. He has a very upfront common sense approach and really is a great teacher. My hubby and I were able to take the course (about a year ago) and together have paid off everything but our house and a few payments from paying off Jay's car.

The basis for his whole plan is babysteps. Between his babysteps and FLYlady's babysteps it is why I named my blog as I did. All the things I have done (and will do) successfully I have done one step at a time and not at a run.

Dave has his seven steps available to you at his website (and many more tips). Also his books are available on his site as well as bookstores. Honestly, I think the best thing is FPU. There is a link to find one in your area. If you live in the U.S., in a reasonable sized "town" I can bet you find TWO classes in your area (within forty miles) starting before Christmas.

We have managed to make our (same) money go farther, change our attitudes about what we "NEED" and what we "Want" and mostly it helped get my hubby on the same page as me. He isn't as much a partner as I would like in dealing with the daily budget, and in the way Dave reccomends, but it is WAY better. His being on the same page has brought the proscribed PEACE to our homefront.

Now, lest you think this is a 'get rich quick scheme' or a 'fix it and never have a problem' solution it is NOT! We have had just as many "Oh My!" moments as we did before FPU, but we have the emergency fund, we know where money is coming from and going to...and we are TELLING our money what to do. We are making a big step nd buying this second home and the plan is to pay BOTH homes off in ten years. I am alot less panicked by this Economy issue than others are, because I am living within my means and we have no credit card debt.

In ways we 'have less' because we gave up some things (Starbucks) and pared down some others, but we have alot more calm (peace) in our home and being able to pay all the bills on time or early and not 'freaking out' is worth missing my Chai Latte from Sbux.

If you are worried about money and even if you think you are doing 'okay' check out Dave. He has pointers for everyone. I was amazed at some of the things we spend money on (insurance types come to mind) that we are taking a hit on. Also the things you might WANT to have but don't.

Check him out and let me know how it goes!

FLYING again

Okay, I will just make a quick post to say Hey! I really need to spend a few moments FLYing in my house. FLYlady would say "you are not behind" but I feel like the last sled dog in a group..and he is definately behind a behind! :-/ I get STUCK sometimes. I see the house needing picked up and say "oh no can't do all of that" So I FLY I do a little at a time and it gets done. I have to accept that it is okay to NOT finish it tonight.

So I am off to pick up a few things, do a 27 fling boogie, see if I can locate the surface of my end table and swish/swipe my toilet.

Good night friends!

A few finds

Well, I have had some 'retail therapy' this week at Goodwill. I found several things and I just thought I would share two that I kept watching. I prayed they would stay put until they were half off. I am such a bargain hunter that I have a 'mental price' and if it is higher I won't get it.

The first time I saw this picture of Dogwood trees and Nuthatches was a few weeks ago, I fell in love, but it was marked nine dollars and I just couldn't spend it while saving for down payment money. The birds are SO cute and dogwood trees were my mom's fave and I keep my eyes out for anything that FITS my style that happens to have them.
So Monday I wandered in and Ta Da still there and HALF off. I got it for $4.50. :-D That is a good deal! I also picked up the bird that matches for 99cents.
Then I found this mantle clock for TWO DOLLARS! I have removed the back, the glass and pulled off the weird black 'fuzzies' someone glued on. I am debating how to proceed, but I know I will paint it and I have a plan for the glass. The paint (black) on the back is peeling. I have traced the opening and am going to find a way to cover it and maybe even be able to change it seasonally! :-D

I will post some of my other finds later, but tonight I am tired from long hours of dog grooming, errand running and a carb-loaded birthday dinner at my dad's home. The gravy lesson was productive, let's just see if I can do it myself in a few weeks!

Goodnight blogpals!

Birthday blessings

While yesterday was truly hard with losing Ruby and all that entailed. I still can count my blessings. Without the obvious I have a house to live in kind of stuff I will get to the meat or cake of the matter.
My husband woke up early and made me a cake. It stayed uniced most of the day, as he was at work, but he came home, frosted it and used chocolate chips for words.
I also received several cards. My hubby's sister and her family sent those adorable little bear cards. My grandmother sent me one I forgot to photograph along with a check. I put the check in my savings account and I intend to use that money for my downpayment. Along with money my other grandma (deceased) kept for me for YEARS. I will feel as if they had a part in buying my home.

I got call after call and I think I may have used up all my cell phone minutes in one day? :D


I had to reschedule dinner with my dad and his wife until Thursday, b/c DH was working and I didn't want him to miss Pork Chops and Gravy. My dad makes the best gravy EVER and I asked that for my b'day he teach me to take mine up a notch. Mine is good, his is the stuff of legend...and I am not sucking up he has no internet access! LOL


When my day was over and I was exhausted my neighbor Karen came across the road with a gift from Randy and her. What a lovely pitcher, I can't wait to put it in my dining room in my new home.
Last, but actually first to get here was a gift from my pal D'Gaye. Along with the pumpkin and doily she sent me the following picture is all the wonderful things she sent me. I love you too, girl! She is also the one who got me drinking that wonderful Godiva Dark Chocolate hot cocoa....mmmmmmmmmm!
So her package included those really cool candleholders, silver colored coasters, a potato baking bag (for micro), an adorable sign, a cookbook and some really fun summer napkins for lunches on my back deck next year! I am still amazed at the pals I have made in my grooming world!
My good friend Daryl, who is as postally challenged as me....sent me a card, we are always sending late! LOL She knows me so well, so she is sending me money to go buy BULBS for my front yard. I intend to put in some Daffs, Crocus and maybe Tulips. I love this as a gift, b/c I will be able to enjoy it now and then again when they bloom in the Spring.
Last but not least...I tried my hand at making a tassle last night. I used a little bird I got at Goodwill and I don't think it is bad for my first attempt! I will never be a pro, but sure was fun! Thanks for being a part of my day!


EDITED: to add, D'Gaye says coasters are aluminum!