I'm not a dog person, but I LOVE MY GRANDDOGS!

I've never been a dog-person.

 

When I have owned a dog, because my children as little ones insisted,

they were backyard-dogs, or eat-the-neighbor's-shoes dogs, or

turn-over-the-neighbor's trash-can dogs, or dig-deep-holes-in-the-yard dogs.
My husband called them "garbage-eating-yard-dogs."

 

All of which made me verrrry unhappy.

 

I could never train a dog to stay inside.

I could never handle pee and poop on my floor

or hair all over the furniture and my black pants.

I always wear black!

 

 

However, in spite of myself

I have become quite attached to my GRAND-dogs!

 

Allow me to introduce you...

 

Our First GRANDdog, Bennie

 

 

We came to love Bennie as a just a pup.

Bennie is a a Sheltie and looks more like a little Lassie.

He is the first dog that we have EVER let in our house.

He pooped and peed and ate toilet paper and dirty underwear

and still we loved him.

NEVER, NEVER would we have allowed that with our little canines.

But like grandchildren, GRANDdogs can do no wrong.

 

Bennie is very protective of Connor, but he's a bit jealous too.

Bennie always like to play throw and catch.

In this photo, we were playing keep away, I guess.

I'd put the toys around Connor, and Bennie would pull them toward me with his paw.

 

He's still the King of His Castle

 

But the two have become best friends.

 

My daughter and SIL rescued this little pup from the pound.

 

 

His name is Charlie.

Charlie is part shiatsu.

I can't imagine who would want to let go of such a precious baby.

Our first introduction to Charlie was on a stormy weekend in Spring.

Charlie is keeping his mommy safe while waiting out the tornado warnings.

 

Char-Bee is already for Halloween.

 

This little bundle of fur has nEVER messed up BonBon's floor,

but when the mommy and daddy are away, the mischievious one will play.

 

He was so excited to see us this weekend that he pee peed on the floor.

 

He's an indoor dog by all means, BUT HE waited for an open door and took a stroll this weekend-ALONE!

 

He thought it was a GAME.

 

It was terrrrifying!

 

We'd throw him a bone.

He'd act like he was going to retrieve it-

only to run away again and this time a little further.

I was a basketcase!

The treats did it.

 

 

Christy and Troy got a chance this weekend

to babysit a precious little girl.

Charlie and Emma enjoyed each other.

We know one day he'll make a great big brother.

 

 

 

 

 



Fun, Filled Fall Weekend in Nashville

Fall Weekend in Nashville

 

The party had been in the making for a whole year.

The Halloween decorations were perfect.

 

 

 

An Orange Burlap Banner with  Yellow Pom-Poms..

 

 

An Orange Burlap Banner with White Pom-Poms-

made by my sweet daughter in law.

 

Preparations were made and all things were ready for

 

The guest of honor,

Connor Dawson Hitchcock

 

 

 

Nothing like the wonder in the eyes of a child!

 

 

What do I do?

 

 

YUM! YUM!

 

We stayed at our daughter and son in law's home.

 

It was decorated with touches of Fall.

 

 

This is my favorite bedroom.

It's ours when we are there:)

 

 

The colors are always coordinated-fitting for each room.

 

 

The colored frames are always a focal point,

whatever the season.

 

A painted pumpkin and a pine cone,

perfect small table decor.

 

 

My favorite fall vignette

 

 

Great minds think alike!

 

 

 

A spray with a burlap ribbon...

 

Fall berries with a G...

 

for The Grants..

 

we enjoyed the beauty of God's blessings-inside and out.

 

 

 

 

 

My daughter and her husband took my niece

to Nashville's Flea Market after the party.

 

Can you believe that I was in bed with vertigo and

missed the biggest flea market of the year

and missed the Georgia Game with My Boys???

 

Maybe next time.

 

BTW, my daughter can't take all the credit for the homespun ideas.

Troy is quite creative!

A piece of that creativity is what I'm asking for Christmas!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Hodge Podge of Mercury Glass and a Cinderella Pumpkin

Mr. H never knows what to expect when he comes in.

 

Since he expects to not know what to expect :)

I'm once again changing things up a bit.

 

My first love, WHITE.

 

 

I love mercury glass and I found these sweet little votives

at Warthen Lane Interiors, the shop next to Geo.'s Quarters

where I have been working.

 

The glass pumpkins, I found at T.J. Maxx.

The white pumpkin had the look of mercury glass.

It fit perfectly with the white compote.

 

 

A closer view.

 

 

The ad art on canvas and burlap was a great backdrop.

I found it at T.J.Maxx for $3.

Couldn't make it for that.

Canvas is $5 at Walmart not to mention Mod Podge and burlap.

 

 

I'm not sure that this goes well with the vignette, but

I've been wanting to show off my handmade toolbox.

Just threw it in there.

Will probably change this when I figure out what to do.

 

 

I liked it better after I added the ironstone dish and

the doilie.

Texture always helps.

 

 

I added the ironstone cake plate to display

the Cinderella pumpkin.

 

 

A closer view of the silver colored glass pumpkin.

 

 

For those of you who need a little color,

I added these sweet little faux plants that I won

as a door prize at our recent retreat.

FUN!

 

 

Happy White Wednesday!

 

Bonnie:)

Little Bench Project and GREAT Finds While Junking on Tybee

A Great Little Bench with Perfect Bones

 

 

 Wanted to try my hand.

 

So, I took the backing and seat off.

The fabric was dirrrrrty!

 

Sanded, painted, and padded.

 

 

Not so bad for a first, huh?

 

It's going to the shop this weekend.

 

Finds on Tybee

 

 

I love any mirror.

Already painted white-LOVE!

 

 

Tole lantern-

to be painted white:)

 

 

Another lantern-

watch for the transformation.

 

 

Cutesy little white planter.

Will sand and make shabby chic.

 

 

White porcelain fish platter

 

I also found a great wooden beach lounge chair from the 40's or 50's

and a sweet, pink metal bathroom shelf.

 

Will refurbish and reveal later.

 

Happy Junkin',

 

Bonnie:)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



One Straaaaaange Pumpkin

The Report on Tybee Continues

 

Pumpkins now come in all shapes, sizes and colors.

 

 

I was laughing hysterically at what this one would look like turned on its side.

My hubby has a real sense of humor that not everyone sees.

We sit around and laugh sometimes about our weight.

He says about himself, "I look like a ruptured sausage."

Can you see the resemblance?

 

 Ladies, the lesson on coarse joking.

Hope this doesn't qualify, but you have to admit this is funny!

 

 

Our pastor's wife was along to keep us in line.

Yeah, right!

Isn't she just the cutest pumpkin?

 

 

Some little bitties!

 

 

We crashed a yard sale/ pumpkin patch/carnival while we were junkin.

Always love a cross.

 

 

Someone called this a swan gourd.

Looked more like a goose gourd.

 

 

Another one.

 

 

I guess we're all strange in our own ways, yet

fearfully and wonderfully made-warts and all:)

 

From One Stange Pumpkin to Another,

 

Happy Monday,

 

Bonnie:)

 

 



Retreat at Tybee Island

RETREAT

 

According to Wikipedia, a retreat can have several meanings.

 

Retreat can be a spiritual term for taking time out or away to reflect or meditate.

 

In the military, retreat is the withdrawal of forces.

 

In survival, to retreat may be finding a place of refuge.

 

The bugle call signals the end of the day or retreat.

 

This weekend was our LIFT (Ladies in Fellowship Together)

getaway retreat.

 

I honestly, didn't feel up to.

I had backed completely out in my mind.

My mind was on "retreat" anyway and the place I least wanted to be was with

a bunch of giggling gals.

 

I wanted my own retreat, to withdraw yes!

From everything and everyone!

 

In 2000, I was going though one of the most difficult times in my life-

my baby girl went away to college.

 I experienced some significant losses of friendships.

I took a break from the church that was home.

I was hurting.

 

My mom gave me a scripture that became my life verse,

"Hide yourself for a little while until the storm has passed."

 

Well, somewhere along the way, I developed a hiding place within myself.

This hiding place became a place that I ran to

to hide from the world.

 

Anytime things became uncomfortable OR UNBEARABLE, I ran to hide.

 

I don't think that's what mama had in mind.

 

Someone said this weekend,

"Sometimes the place we want to be the least, is the place we need to be the most."

 

I spent a long time this weekend thinking about this.

The place I least wanted to be was with a bunch of silly women,

and yet it's what God knew I needed most.

 

 

Oh, how I needed to find myself in this place of quiet reflection.

 

 

And oh how I needed a place to shed the facade, be real, and yes

giggle with a bunch of silly gooses!

 

(Oh yeah, we got up at dawn to go junkin'! I didn't even know anyone else liked to junk!

Can't wait to share my finds)

 

 

Oh, how I needed to find a place of refuge.

To find love and acceptance among new friends...

 

 

and treasured old friends, sisters because of blood

 

 

and sisters because of faith.

 

So, the definition of Retreat for me this weekend was all of the above...

 

time taken to reflect,

 

withdrawal from the forces (the enemy) that try to take my life and steal my joy,

 

a place of refuge.

 

Thank you, God, that you didn't intend for me to hide away forever.