Monday Morning at Downton Abbey Updated at the end

I don’t really live at Downton Abbey but I do have a pretty view of a golf course from all of the windows at the back of my house. It was a beautiful weekend here in Florida. I know. I looked out the window.

That’s an improvement. For a few days I couldn’t bear any light but I think I’m finally on the ‘upswing’.

This little girl was adorable spending a day out, golfing with Dad.

To really enjoy some Downton banter, I’m going to give you the link to Susan B’s blog. I know many of you visit her often, but have you taken part in her Downton posts? Click HERE! She is so witty and fun and I love her comments, too.

I haven’t been on my computer much with this wicked headache that hurts with every cough. But I know you understand. I’ll visit when I can…and I hope that is VERY SOON!

Take care of yourself

and take your vitamins!

Update, I wrote this post Sunday, now it’s Monday morning. My upswing didn’t last and I feel worse than ever. Thanks for all of your well wishes. I appreciate your kind words. Back to bed. 

The Book I read…and the one I didn’t.

This is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. And a very easy read.

It’s A Man Called Ove

by Fredrik Backman.

I know someone did a review on their blog but I don’t remember who. Please let me know if it was you! Because of the blog review, I requested the book from the library and read it this week! It’s amazing and I would recommend it to anyone and everyone! It has a high rating on Goodreads and I gave it the highest!

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak also has high ratings and I bought it at a book sale last weekend. But I’ve decided not to read it. Not right now anyway.

I love going on Goodreads and reading the reviews left by my friends. It helped me decide whether to read The Book Thief right now or wait. I’ll wait.

Right now I’m reading a good old faithful, Maisie Dobbs mystery, Leaving Everything Most Loved by Jacqueline Winspear. It’s so very good…

and I’m so very sick. Please keep me in your prayers. I thought I had allergies from the pollen but it has developed into fever and chills, coughs and congestion, headaches and general misery. (just ask my hubby, lol)

 

Luckily I have this medical book to refer to. I bought it at the thrift store awhile back for a quarter and guess what?

It still has the bandaids!

I’m joining Beautiful Sunday and

Lavender Cottage for Mosaic Monday.

Have you read a good book lately? One that you’ve given 5 stars? Have you read the books I mentioned?

The Cross Florida Greenway “Good Fences”

We hiked a new trail last weekend.

 

It was the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway trail. (or a small part of it)

We hiked for 2 hours which is about our limit but it was such a beautiful day.

 

It’s always exciting to go on a trail we’ve never been on before.

You just never know what you’ll see or ‘hear’!

We heard 2 owls calling back and forth to each other, ‘who cooks for you’! We also saw a hawk fly low to the ground right in front of us across the trail. It was nice to see a few other hikers, a couple of bikes and then THIS!!!

It was a first for us!

Meeting a horse drawn carriage!

Walk on!

I’m joining Tex for the

Good Fences party.

“Once Upon a Time” Wednesday Wee Ones

“Fairy Tales can come true”

When I went to the craft fair and met the sweet lady that makes doll clothes, I may have gone back later that afternoon and bought a few more.

 

Maybe I couldn’t resist the Princess dresses that she had made and maybe I had to drive past the craft sale on the way to the public library. (and maybe she gave me such a special deal because I bought more than one)

(my library)

Well…’maybe’ sounds good to me!

And “Once Upon and Time”

and ”Happily Ever After” too!

Visit JoAnn HERE to see her dollies in their precious Spring time outfits. She even made garden totes for them! Oh my!!! And if you are joining us with a ‘Wee Ones’ post today, let me know and I will add a link to your post, too!

I’m joining Ivy and Elephants HERE

and Roses of Inspiration.

Remember to take time to

PLAY and HAVE FUN!

Library Finds!

My library has books for sale in the lobby and I always spend some time browsing the shelves.

 

They also have bins of FREE magazines!

Imagine my surprise when I found these Art magazines. (I only chose 4 to take and left about 30 for others to have.)

I’m not an artist but I have several talented artists in my family. (some are even famous!)

It would be fun to ‘dabble’ in paints or even get my colored pencils out and draw.

I love this one!

How about fashions for Florida?

Or the ‘latest styles’?

 

I know they would be great to cut for journals and cards but I don’t think I have the heart to cut the books. Would you?

I’m joining the Vintage Inspiration Link party HERE,

and Roses of Inspiration.

Downton Abbey ‘Décor’!

I’ve been enjoying the comments and speculation on what will happen next as we watch Season 5 of Downton Abbey. It’s been so good…so far!!!

I thought I would share my Downton inspired décor, thanks to a friend. (I made the pillows behind these)

My friend from Olive Out gave me these pillows!

I admired them when I saw them in person at her shop and I ‘may’ have mentioned it a few times in passing. She sent them to me as a gift last year!!!

The link is HERE to the post I did about her shop at Ridge Spring Antiques.

Aren’t they perfect on my red sofa?

Have you been inspired by the fashions and décor on the show?

Are you having problems with comments?

Have you noticed if all of your comments are publishing? Mine weren’t!

I have comment moderation but I do that from the comments that come in as emails.

Imagine my surprise when Celestina Marie wrote and asked me if I had checked to see if all of my comments were published. She said her comments hadn’t shown up lately on my blog.

I found 47 comments…

47…in awaiting moderation!

Pat also wrote me to let me know!

Thanks to both of you!!!

So here’s how to check. Go to your navigation bar at the top of your blog, click Design, click comments, click awaiting moderation. You can publish your comments from there.

And that’s what I’ll have to do now for awhile. Because many are NOT coming in as email alerts. Also check your Spam while you are there. I didn’t have any.

I hope everyone has a nice day. Take care during the bad weather…stay warm and safe.

Our azaleas are blooming and we have pollen already. (but I’m not complaining about that!!!)

Happy Sunday!!!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

I did a little bit of decorating around the house.

Hearts look pretty all through the year.

I love putting seasonal things on these little shelves.

And displaying cards on the table next to my chair in the lanai.

I’m joining Beautiful Sunday and

Lavender Cottage for Mosaic Monday.

Poppy at Poppy View had a wonderful idea to make a Valentine for everyone, so I made one, too!

This one is for YOU!!!

Happy Valentine’s Day to you ALL!!!

XXXOOOXXX

Gifts and ‘Gives’

I have been blessed to receive pretty things from friends and to win giveaways. I appreciate the wonderful friendships I’ve made on my blog and am very thankful.

My girlfriend, Sam sent me something special for my birthday. It’s a quilt top for a doll quilt! Isn’t it pretty? I love the beautiful card, too! Thanks Sam! Visit her at Farm Girl Sam to see what she’s making now! She finishes more projects in a week that I do in a…well, never mind! lol

And another sweet quilting friend is Di at Quilting is Blissful. I won her giveaway and look at all the pretty things she sent me. I have some of them in my Valentine decorations now. (and I was sweet and gave the Hershey bar to my sweetheart) Thanks so much Di! You are so talented my friend!

I won an original work of art from a blog friend that lives here in Florida.

 

Thank you so much, Ana. I will display it in my craft room. Won’t it look nice there?

The card is her art work, too! She blogs at Introverted Art.

Another exciting giveaway I won is from our friend Judy at Cranberry morning. She makes the BEST soaps and I’ve used them now for a few years. My favorite is Vanilla Bean and Cocoa! OH MY! It is pure luxury in the bath! If you haven’t tried her soaps click HERE to visit her shop. Buy FIVE and get one FREE! That way you can try several scents. They are all wonderful! Thanks Judy!

I love her business cards, too!

I hope everyone has a wonderful day!

Thanks to everyone that visits me and takes time to leave sweet comments, too. They are priceless!

Sightings at the Preserve!

We are always so excited to see the Florida Scrub Jay when we hike at Halpata Tastanaki Preserve.

Here’s a quote from “All About Birds”,

“A bold and curious bird, the Florida Scrub-Jay can become hand-tame in areas where it comes in contact with people. Unfortunately, it is restricted to the rare oak scrub community of Florida, a habitat under constant threat of development, and is classified as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act.”

I wanted to find a way to document our hikes on my side bar so I changed my profile pic and added the number of hikes to the caption. I’ll change it when I have a new hike to add. So far we’ve been on 11 hikes this year. The one we took last Sunday afternoon was 2 1/2 hours long! FUN!!!

Striking a pose…

Enjoy your day and get outside if you can to enjoy the beauty that surrounds you!

While we were in the parking lot, getting ready to hike a bicyclist ‘flew’ by us and I managed to get a photo that included a FENCE! lol

So I’m joining Tex for the

Good Fences party.