Button, button, whose got the button?

 

I am a self described buttonaholic.  They don’t have to be anything fancy but I do prefer the old ones.  I keep several jars of them in my kitchen, this bunch being in an old Mason jar.

 

I keep some on top of my cupboards and this one bugs me because it isn’t full.  Little OCD much???!!  I am feeling the need to go shopping at some of the thrift shops and antique places around town to look for some more.

 

Now this jar is full the way they should be.  :o)   This jar does not cause me angst.  Doing the happy dance!  :o)

I come well by it as my mother and my grandmother saved buttons.  Before my Grammie (on my mother’s side) passed away she spent hundreds of hours putting buttons on cardboard covered with some kind of material.  Her trailer home walls were covered with all of them and I always loved looking at the latest ones.  When she passed away the buttons were divided up amongst us and I am happy with the ones I have.

 

 

There may be some of value but most are just everyday buttons that came off old clothes and lots that were given to her as people knew she loved doing this.  I think she used cereal boxes for the cardboard.

 

When I was in the tote bag business I used a few of the big ones on my bags which I regret.  You can see some missing places in this picture below.

 

There is one in this lot that has an old B & A Railroad button which is probably quite collectible to the right person but my Grampie on my father’s side worked for the railroad so that one is special and will never be sold.  It’s the one with the piece of paper under it'.

 

These are treasures to me that I will keep forever.  It’s so nice to have things passed on down from our parents and grandparents.  I also have a quilt that Grammie made that is amazing.  It was made out of old men's suits and is awfully heavy but the stitching is AMAZING~ Will post pictures of that next time.

The kiddos continue to ride each day that the weather is good.  Mr. D has all of a sudden this year taken to the horses and just can’t get enough of them.  I call this one of Miss T the ‘no fear’ photo!

 

Taking Mrs. Mom’s advice and having her ride just using her legs and seat!  It works!  Thanks MM!

 

Please don’t anyone tell D that he has on a girls helmet!!!!

I love this picture even though Lil’ Bud looks pregnant!

 

Bare back is where it’s at!!!!  :o)   So great for teaching balance.

 

 

Haven’t gone the no reins route with D yet.  This old horse is so patient, I wish I could clone him about 15 years younger.  Look at those heels, D has that down pat.

Helping little brother.  Makes my heart smile~!!

Got to go do some mowing as the rain is coming back in on Wednesday.  We’re hoping for a good day on the 4th for a big family outing at the lake.  Don’t even have the boat in yet as it hasn’t really been lake weather on the weekends yet.  Let’s keep our fingers crossed.

Love you Funsize!!  xoxox

Who stole my sunroom?

The cats and I are wearing earplugs as there is a lot of banging and clanging going on around here.  My sun room is gone and they are now in the process of rebuilding it.

You may notice that they put a railing across my sliding glass doors so that I would not walk out through there and land on my head.

It’s hard having everything in such a mess but it will be worth it when it is all done as it is going to be winterized and made just like a part of the house with heat, good windows and no breezes blowing through in January!  :o)   We have all of the family get togethers here so it will be nice to be able to use it for that at Thanksgiving and Christmas.  It is going to be bigger which is nice as it seems to be the place we congregate.

Miss T and I have been doing a lot of trail riding this week as the weather has been good.  Our weather pattern is such that it is good during the week and then cold and rainy on the weekends!!!  We did get to the lake on Saturday but I didn’t have my plants to set out so took a nice nap on the sofa while the Hubs reclined in his new recliner chair for Father’s Day.

Miss K is coming along good with her riding lessons.  In this shot she is collecting rocks that I place on the fence posts and she puts them in the little bag attached to the saddle horn.  It’s just to practice stopping and starting and bending over to reach the rocks to work on balance.  It’s a game she and Miss T like to play.

Little Bud is such a patient ole’ boy.  My camera had died but after this they rode bareback together, T was facing the back and K was facing the front!  It was a hoot!  Then they practiced Round the World and walking with their arms out from their sides.  I would like to have a dollar for every time I say ‘put your hands down’! ha!  I have tried everything, come on horse people give me some ideas!!!  I’ve done the hold your hands down like you were playing a piano, holding an ice cream cone, even with your belly button etc etc… HELP!

More flowers are in bloom now.  It seems new ones open each day.  This is a new little clematis that I put in last year and didn’t think it would make it but it is blooming like crazy.

The old fashioned roses are in bloom now and smell soooooooo good!

The bridal wreath that I planted on each side of the gate that goes into the barn just exploded with blooms this year!

Wild daisies in the raspberry patch.

 

My nemesis Mrs. Raccoon that has been living in my hayloft finally brought her babies out today.  They are so cute and cuddly looking but I wouldn’t dare touch them! She has three and also a bob tail!  I wonder what happened to her tail?

 

They had better enjoy the seeds and peanuts now because when this deck is torn off due to rot, there won’t be any seeds on the new one.  I’d say they’ve got about a month before the crew tackles that job.  :o)   They are cute though aren’t they???!!!

The glorious days of summer!

 

 

We have been having some glorious weather here in the NE hence my absence from the computer world.  There is nothing like being outside in the sunshine with your hands in the dirt planting annuals or putting in some new perennials.  Here are some of my early bloomers.  Lupine is growing profusely in my front garden even though I pulled a lot of it out last fall.  I love it but it can take over so it shall get another thinning after it finishes blossoming.

I have several varieties of columbine, I love this new white one that I put in this year.  So delicate and lovely.  Here are a few more.

My coral bells haven’t blossomed yet but I love the rich color of the foliage.

I put in lots of petunias.  This is a new variety that is supposed to spread nicely.  I’ll do before and after pictures later on in the season to see if they do what they are supposed to do.

 

 

 

Hummmmm…bunnies in the garden, the best kind they don’t eat the plants!

Even the weeds are pretty, I love these little buttercups.

These yellow daisies bloom all summer and fall as long as I deadhead them.

My bleeding heart is a bit skimpy this year, maybe it was the rough winter we had.

I always put something in the ole’ bean pot.  Actually I would rather it was some nice bean hole beans with lots of molasses and cooked in the ground! Oh, and don’t forget the nice hot biscuits!

Summer also brings fun times with the boys.  Miss T and her best friend K come over and ride often which they love.  Today they were riding Lil’ Bud who is 23 years old and such a good boy for kids to ride.

K is just starting to ride and is building her confidence.  Miss T is going along for support.  :o)

Miss T loves to canter.  Whoops! Got to get those hands and heels down but the lead is right! :o)

Hugs for Bud.

And nice scratching too.

Good job K, she’s riding by herself now!

 Every horse deserves to be loved by a little girl!!!!

Yesterday Miss T and I went trail riding, she rode Kipper and I rode Lil’ Bud.  I wish I had had my camera as it was beautiful out in the woods.  Next time!