4th ~ The Details

Happy summer afternoon to all....I wanted to share some 4th details that I have been playing with today. Some of these are tried and true and "must~do" traditions for the family. All are lots of fun...it's all in the details...right?!

Old glories from the dollar bins...here and there and everywhere!!!

Been making these for years...in fact the world would cease to exist if I didn't have these on had for the 4th....what are they? Rolos {or any round tube of candy} wrapped with foil with a foil pipe cleaner as a wick...firecracker favors!

Red, White and Blue quilts...

Yummy family favorite sugar cookies...decorated with patriotic flair...

These spray bottles will be filled with lemonade for the young folk or anyone that is young~at~heart...just a fun and festive way to drink a refreshing beverage!

I punched out some stars and glue~sticked them to the spray bottles...

4th festive~ness achieved!

Then I took the Easter tree that I made in spring and hot glued some flags here and there and added some hanging wooden stars...

Twigs, flags, stars, and coffee filters...love it!

I can smell the fireworks...

I even decorated the pooch...she's like..."who are these people and WHY can't I chew all this stuff?"

I am off to make pancakes for dinner...my favorite!

Smiles ~ Ramona

Meet Lainie Day

Just in time for the 4th...a new member of the family...Lainie Day. She is sweet and cuddle~y and soft and playful and gentle and has puppy breath and is very patriotic and we already love her bunches and bunches...

Pop on back over tomorrow because I will be sharing some easy~peasy 4th decor tid~bits I made with odds and ends I had here and there around the house. Remember...it is ALL in the details!

Smiles ~ Ramona

Herb Pots & Tea Pots ~ Together At Last

The sun was out today and my flower beds were calling. While weeding the herb pots I got a notion that what these pots need are some tea pots. I was instantly hooked on the idea...and it's time to have a little party. I love a reason to go to a party...not just any party...Julia's Hooked on Fridays party...guaranteed Friday fun!

Take a peek at the tea pots "hanging around" my herb pots...cha, cha, cha!

I painted this old tea pot with chalkboard paint...Time for Tea!

Attached this chubby little tea pot to a unfinished wooden candlestick...

Love it...

This pot has filled with dirt...sometimes it has ivy growing out if it and sometimes not...but has lived happily on the porch for years and years...

I think I will stick some flags in this cutie~pie for the 4th...

Pop back on over to Julia's Hooked On Fridays for more things we are all hooked on...I think it is time for some tea....maybe herb tea?

Smiles ~ Ramona

The Aroma Of Bread Baking~Heaven!

My trusty bread machine is older than the hills...but has never failed me.

With limited counter space in the kitchen...this poor machine has sat in the cupboard for too long...so I decided to pull together a little 'bread station' with yummy flours tucked into a wire basket...you can bet I'll be making bread till the cows come home. Yum!

An oldie but a goodie!

Wholesome, healthy soy and whole wheat flour...

I'll be gleaning some recipes from the net and making the house smell like Heaven!

Buy assorted flours and ground seeds in bulk...

Good for the ol' heart~ola...

My favorite snack is bread fresh from the toaster

spread with crunchy peanut butter...oh my, my!

Smiles ~ Ramona

Great Fathers I Have Known

This man pictured here with three of his six grandchildren is my Father. His name was Tom. He was one of the most honest men I have ever known. He could always see his way clear through a storm with truth and guide those around him to safe port. Yes, he was a sailor. A Marine Geologist to be exact. He used to map the ocean floor. This man loved the ocean and he loved his family.

To thy own self be true....these words I heard my whole life...it is truly the best advice I ever received from him.

This man raised my sisters and myself to be strong and happy women and to choose good men for our own husbands...and for that I thank you Dad.

My Dad passed away ten years ago last January. I gave his eulogy...it was one of the proudest moments of my life...here is a bit of what I said to honor him on that morning.

" Thank you Dad for tide pools and abalone dinners, motels with swimming pools and drive~in movies, camping trips and new sandals each summer, Balboa Park at Christmas and jumping into the pool with all of our clothes on. For A&W memories and you and Mom coming home early on New Year's Eve. For the high standards you raised us with and the respect you made us give ourselves...for the "Golden Rule" and for a family of Bears. For your great laughter and making me believe that everything would be alright. For freedom when it was my time to go leave and a door always left open. For happy hands and for our Mother...you are truly "One of the Good Guys". I love you Dad."

My Father ~ Tom {September 11, 1931 ~ January 20, 1999}

With such an amazing example of a Father...I just knew that I found "One of the Good Guys" when I met and married the Father of our children.

I love you Don...Happy Father's Day!

I hope that all of the Dads in our lives have had a wonderful day!

Smiles ~ Ramona

A Little 4th Festoonment On A Fine June Afternoon

Happy Summer~time my friends! I am really appreciating the season and loving the warmer weather. I have become so lost in wonderfully wonderful~ness of June afternoons that I almost forgot to do some decorating for our Country's upcoming birthday.

You know I love a good party!

Take a gander at some of my 4th festoonment ideas I whipped up from goodies gathered here and there...

Upside ~ down tomato cage with a bit of 4th inspired plaid~ness...

Spoon? Yes, a spoon....don't know why...just 'cuz...

I have zillions of these little old glories....nothing is safe from my 4th festoonment folly...

Enough said...

I couldn't help it...you know I love a good potpourri...

You too can make a batch...just save and reuse old goodies from past potpourris and add of bits of fun~ola to match the season...

Here...hand painted wooden stars and cinnamon stick fire~crackers do the trick...

You could add painted stones, little pieces of silver do~dads, buttons, yummy berries...let your imagination go wild...afterall it is just potpourri, not rocket science...ohhh...firecracker rockets would have been fun tucked into my concoction...but I digress...

Have a wonderfully wonderful June afternoon...

I am now off to see what other trouble I can muster up with my

red~white~&~blue paint and some imagination.

Smiles ~ Ramona

Just A Plain Ol' Tuesday...

I was just having one of those plain ol' Tuesdays...

Just going along...

My merry little way...

Nothing much happening...

Same old, same old...

Minding my own business...

But then...when I least expected it...

The most unexpected happened...

I was featured on one of my favorite blog~o~ramas!

Thank you Kim!

I am truly honored and delighted...

and all there is left to say is ~ it takes one to know one Sister!!!

Smiles ~ Ramona

Hooked On Beds Of Flowers

Oh don't you just love it...beds of flowers...I'm hooked! Thank you Julia from Hooked on Houses for more Friday fun~ola!

First ~ get a doll bed...but don't put your dolls in it...put flowers!!!

Sweet little bed of flowers...

Adorned with this, that and a fork...


Sleepy~time for petunias...

The details...

Fleur~de~lis~a~skip~pa~de~do~da!

Also known as a lily~like emblem...no matter what you call it...it makes me smile lots and lots...

All tucked in and ready for bed~die bye...

Scroll~a~rama!

No details spared!

Hop on back over to Julia's HOH Friday Blog Party of Delight....I can't think of a better way to spend a Friday afternoon.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Smiles ~ Ramona

The Peony Waits For No Man!

Being raised in San Diego and the daughter of an Oceanographer....we spent a lot of time going the the tide pools at the beach. As my Father would try and hurry 3 pokey girls and our Mom out the door...my Dad would sing..."The tide waits for no man!!!"...Ahhh, great childhood memories. I could hear my Dad's voice in my head earlier today as I noticed that the first peony on the little bush was blooming..."The peonies wait for no man!" They bloom for a very short and wonderful moment during mid spring and they ain't waiting for no man, no way, no how.

So glad that I didn't make

these beauties wait.

And now...I thought I would play with my camera and expand my blogging experience...so here is short and sweet peek at the garden outside my front door...

And more garden strolling...

I hope that you are having a wonderful June day...I love this time of year and I hope you do too.

Smiles ~ Ramona