A Little Etsy Love “Duda Daze”

Oh, how I love Diane Duda’s art! I’ve bought a few of her prints in the past and recently I had a great idea.

I always keep a little Duda Daze business card standing up in front of my shell box on the coffee table in the lanai.

I thought, wouldn’t it be great to have some more of these cards to change them out every month.

So when I bought a print from her Etsy store HERE, she included some extra cards.

Now I’m all set to swap them out.

I sit on the sofa with my Netbook in my lap to blog and the coffee table is right in front of me.

Isn’t it nice to be surrounded with beautiful things you enjoy and art you love?

Sneaking in a little Waterlogue!

Here’s another quick link to Duda Daze.

I love pretty things, don’t you?

Conquering your Fears

Do you challenge yourself?

How often do you step outside of your comfort zone?

Do you strettttch your muscles and your brainpower?

Ever read a book that you have to reread passages or look up words to understand what is meant?

Or exercise beyond what is easy or comfortable?

I still love to learn new things even at ‘my age’.

And I like to do a few things ‘on my own’ to make sure I am happy in my own company.

So I went on a hike….in the forest…by myself.

It was fun seeing the pretty Spring green color in the bushes.

And I was rewarded with some beautiful wildflowers in full bloom.

I faced monsters as always…

hahaha!

(and even saw a black racer….yes, it’s a snake and no it is not poisonous…but yes, it still scared me..and no I didn’t get a photo AND of course it’s the ONLY one we’ve seen in ALL of our hiking!!!)

I’m joining Beautiful Sunday,

Mosaic Monday,

and Amaze me Monday!

What have you done lately

‘out of the ordinary’?

Just because I can!

I love Saturdays. Even when you are retired, there’s something special about Saturday.

I didn’t have a post planned for today but here I am already back from a Plant and Craft sale in our community. (I didn’t buy much but got some ideas for some Spring flower arrangements) It’s lightly raining and I’m having a second cup of coffee (and considering a bagel). We have a BRAND new bagel shop, Delancy Street right around the corner from Publix. We bought bagels there yesterday and they are awesome!

I just had to play with my photos from the post yesterday so if you think you’re seeing double….

you ARE!

Photos altered in Waterlogue (app for IPADS)

I hope you have a fun Saturday too.

Do you have special plans?

Good Fences #1 “Florida Style”

I know many think of the ocean and sandy beaches when they think of Florida, and oh how I love the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf Coast. But there are interesting things to see in the interior of Florida, too!

We drive past this beautiful gate on our way to Canaveral National Seashore.

I always look forward to seeing it!

And when we get there, it’s nice to see some of these!

Thanks Tex for the first Good Fences party!

Would you like to join us?

Fresh Scents for Spring!

It’s time to lighten up and enjoy the Spring season.

I love Eco Natural Soap products and they have lots of wonderful fragrances to choose from. My all time favorite is Citrus Sunrise.

This week I am trying Lavender Spearmint, the luxurious soap and the balm for after a bath. My husband uses the lip balms and is trying the Key Lime Pie scent and loves it as well as the natural lip balm (unscented).

And if you’re looking forward to spending time outside, be sure you have the Don't "BUG ME" Insect Repellent Balm to keep the mosquitoes and gnats off. I use it when we hike in the summer months. I can put just a tiny bit on my neck, arms and ankles and that’s enough to repel the pesky mosquitoes. (I can’t imagine spraying poison on my sensitive skin!)

I hope you’ll check their website HERE for all of their products and find out what’s on sale.

I like to buy the sets. It’s a great savings and you get everything you need in your favorite fragrance. I also use their mineral make up HERE! It’s excellent quality at a great price.

Thanks Eco Natural Soap for sending me some products in the Lavender Spearmint scent. I’ll be ordering more Don’t ‘Bug Me’ balm SOON!

Do you buy products with natural ingredients?

They are so much better for you!

Here’s something special from

Eco Natural Soap.

Use the coupon code LD1542 for 15% off any order over $10.00. It can be used on any of their products even the ones that are on sale!

Good through April 2-2014

AND free shipping as always!

I went to the Thrift store but…

I only bought ONE thing! It was all I could carry!

How do you like this mirror leaned on top of the bookcase in my bedroom?

It has a hanger on the back but felt WAY too heavy to try to hang. It appears to be wooden but it’s HEAVY, about 40 inches tall by 16 inches wide!

(Trying to get artsy with a photo of the top part of the frame. I like it’s simple lines!)

It was at the Hospice Thrift store.

(with MY name on it, so to speak)

Perfect for my bedroom.

I wanted to put things in front of it ‘just for show’ but I was too anxious to get all of my jewelry back on top to see how everything would fit.

And yes, I love seashells and turquoise!

What a bargain, too. I bought the book case at Target for $20 or so and the mirror for $10.

That’s pretty thrifty, don’t you think?

Hope you find something beautiful this week, too!

(watercolors are the Waterlogue app for IPADS)

I’m linking with All Things Bright and Beautiful,

HERE! Thanks Kathryn!

I’m starting a new Occupation!

A ‘Dream Job’!

I’m going to be a Riverboat Pilot, maybe even the Captain!

I have my license….

when should I pick you up in my riverboat?

My girlfriend, Kim at Snug Harbor found these at an Estate Sale and she shared with me, and sent me ONE! (this is her pic of all three)

What a surprise to get a big package in the mail and find out she and I (and Chablis, too) are all Riverboat Pilots now! heehee!

Watch out!

The waters will never be safe again.

“Riverboat pilots, particularly on major rivers like the Mississippi, were the most respected people on a riverboat's bridge because their ability to "read" the river as it shifted its course from one minute to the next kept the riverboat from running into something that was going to, in their words, "kill" the boat.  When a pilot took a riverboat down the Mississippi, say from Vicksburg to New Orleans, he would encounter a set of obstacles.  Conditions on the river shifted so much, though, that when he reversed his course and went up the river, by that time he was presented with a whole new set of obstacles that he had to steer around.” source

I’m planning to hang it on the wall but I’m enjoying it on a bookshelf now.

Thanks Kim and Chablis!

Pretty Spring painting

Isn’t this the perfect touch of Spring?

It’s putting me in the mood to decorate.

 

AND to have a little Waterlogue fun!

I won Willa’s giveaway from The Old Cupboard Door and she sent me this painting framed and ready to hang and a beautiful card.

Thanks Willa! Happy Spring!

Are you decorating for Spring this week, too?

Visit The Old Cupboard Door NOW for a ‘Farm Fresh Giveaway’ for her followers HERE !

Help with Identifying something!!! UPDATED Three times!!!

We are having so much fun on our hikes this year and hiked on a new trail last weekend.

But first I want to show you what is so pretty in the fields here in North Central Florida right now.

It appears to be a grass and has a pretty red tip on it. Here’s a close up of an individual plant.

But what is it? It’s Dock weed!!!

This is the trail we hiked last weekend. (one of them)

Halpata Tastanaki Preserve

The preserve is named after Seminole leader H‏álpata Tastanaki (Chief Alligator).

And I got to see Scrub Jays for the very first time!

According to Wikipedia, “The Florida Scrub Jay is found only in Florida scrub habitat, an ecosystem that exists only in central Florida. The Florida Scrub Jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens^[A]) is one of the species of scrub jay native to North America. It is the only species of bird endemic to the U.S. state of Florida and one of only 15 species endemic to the United States. Because of this, it is heavily sought by birders who travel from across the country to observe this unique species.”

They were so beautiful and didn’t seem to mind us being close to them on the trail.

I couldn’t help but think of some captions.

Is she STILL back there?

Just ignore her.

Or give her ‘THE LOOK’!

She’s still there… time to fly!

I’m joining Beautiful Sunday,

Mosaic Monday,

and Amaze me Monday!

Waterlogue effect (IPAD app)

Have you ever seen this red tipped grass in the fields where you live?

Thanks Linda from Wetcreek blog! I think it IS Dock week. Wikipedia has the ID as Rumex crispus HERE. Curly dock, yellow dock or dock week

And it’s found all over North America!

Now we know!

And special thanks to everyone that helped with the ID! You sure are a smart bunch of bloggers!!!