HOME CHALLENGE

This is one of my perennial beds.




I wish I had taken a photo of my gladiolas while they were in bloom. They were spectacular. I really had some vibrant colors this year.



I love the look fresh cut flowers in my home and we keep several cutting beds and flowering shrubs to be able to dress a table or cozy up a nook at a moments notice.







PURPLE SAGE

I also like the pleasure that having fresh flowers and growing my own herbs give me . I love to place gardenia or sweet olive by an open window so the breeze can carry it through our home. To spritz my linen with my home made Lavender water. Not only does it have a fresh scent but it aids your sleep. I also like to use my sage such as you see pictured and make vinegars, rinses etc. and place the bloom in side the bottle. It is nice having flowers and herbs around so it is pleasing to the senses. It all makes for a comfortable home.

The Simple Woman's Summer Swap

Head over to The Simple Woman's Summer Swap today's end is the last
day to sign up! See my side blog roll for link. This is a wonderful blog
and Peggy is truly inspired. Check out her blogs and archives while your
there.

Home Challenge week 3 and other things

In keeping with the home challenge I am posting a picture of a hutch in my kitchen. My kitchen is a working farm style kitchen and all though it is neat to collect things. I want things that I collect to also be useful. I think this sends a nice homey touch and still very functional. I have my baking supplies and cook books in the below cupboard. The upper cubby holes hold my "collectible" mixing bowls, tins of spices, etc. I have a nice surface for working dough on middle shelf. The picture is not that good but on it I have a pink glass rolling pin. This was a real find. You can fill it with hot or cold water to help work the dough.Sometimes I hang bundled herbs to dry from the pegs on it. I love my old stone crock you see there complete with spigot. Great for lemonade or sweet tea. The hand painted tile you see in the background with Deborah's Kitchen on it was a gift and I treasure it.

This week continues to be a busy one as we harvest, preserve and tend our bounty from the garden. Way in the back is a big basin full of my first peas of the year freshly shelled. I put up tomatoes yesterday and today it will be eggplants. I have a few peaches on my lone tree ripening and I hope to get a pie or two from it. We received another beneficial shower last night so everything seems to have renewed its vigor. Including the grass! We really needed a little rain unlike so many unfortunate areas that are flooding.

It is that time again and my duties call. I just have to keep in mind when the spirit is willing and the flesh is weak.
I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST JESUS WHO STRENGHTHENS ME!
Isn't our God great. Later, Deborah

Wanted to mention

I wanted to mention there is a" neat" giveaway at HOME SWEET HOME
by Noble to celebrate her birthday she is giving away a
"Pretty in Pink" Patchwork Apron.and an Americana Pincushion Set
if you are interested in helping her celebrate you must visit her by
midnight June 12th. this is the link
auntdaisyscottage.blogspot.com.

Home Challenge and Doings

THE BEFORE DISASTER

I have struggled with this post for I have tried repeatedly to upload the images of my home challenge( issued by Blueberry Cottage) and as I write this I still do not know if they will magically appear on the blog or not. I am late posting because of this so I am posting with or with out pictures. I have learned, however to add a blog list as you will see on my sidebar. They are so many well written, inspiring heartfelt bloggers out there I want to help direct others to their sites. I am determined to get the feel for this technical stuff....eventually.

I chose for my month of June challenge to clean, declutter and spruce up an area that has gotten totally out of hand. It is a shame for it really is a nice area of my home. I am speaking of a wall in my den/computer room. If the pictures load, you will see the disaster that it has become through a move, an extended illness in the family, etc. and has become a catch all. Well I am proud to say it is pretty and inviting again. My BIL is a skilled cabinet maker and he built these custom made floor to ceiling book shelves out of solid cypress complete with window seat between and hand routed molding for the finishing touch. I keep my personal library of books on the shelves. There is amble room above and it and below the window seat for storage in rattan baskets. I am glad to have it back..hmm that window seat is calling me to browse
in my herbal books.
THIS IS ONE SIDE AFTER
The other side much the same. I promise I am not hiding anything
I am not good at this picture stuff
hopefully I will get better

If you are wondering what that is on the right of your screen it is a ribbon board to hang my incidentals like photos, cards and sundries.




I know the one below is very dark. I don't know what is up with that since there was light streaming in. This is the window with new curtains hanging above the window seat and there is a sweet little sign hanging above with an angel saying "sow seeds of kindness" Given to me by a dear friend.









I have been busy preserving my extras from my garden this week and I also made a Blackberry and Blueberry cobbler this week and it was very tasty if I say so my self. I have to give credit to another blogger though. She posted a self crusting cobbler recipe on her site Bayou woman .
It was simple, fast and good. She has some breath taking photos o(which by the way she is VERY good at) http://bayouwoman.wordpress.com/

It is very late now and I have quite a day ahead of me tomorrow and I still want to look at a blog or two so I will say goodnight.

HOME CHALLENGE

I just visited a fellow blogger and was inspired by a challenge she issued. Suzanne at Blueberry cottage is hosting the Make Your House a Home Challenge in June. Each Monday in June you will post a picture and a blog entry on your blog showing and explaining how you have added a homey touch to your home. I am going to be apart of this. I just hope that since I am a rank beginner at blogging I can figure out how to post a picture on here. I have failed miserably at this so far.
I have spent almost all week preserving our rewards from our garden. I can't believe I am saying this but we could use a little rain.
Because of gas prices it makes you think twice before running out for this and that, all the more reason for our little garden to flourish. It is supplying us nicely with fresh veggies and herbs. I
can not wait for the taste of my first vine ripened tomato. MMMM! the store bought ones are tasteless. Off to clean the pool. It is that time, it gives us a lot of enjoyment. I bought one right after Katrina. It will be very useful if we lose our electricity again. I pray that is never the case again. Deborah