Relax and Enjoy....

Peaceful.

What do you do in the 95 degree weather? I go outside.....

So today was another hot, humid 95 plus degree day in Ohio. What did my husband and I decide to do?  Stay inside in the cool a/c?  NO.  Go swimming in a refreshing pool? NO.  We decided to travel to Mansfield to Kingwood Center where we did a self guided tour through the beautiful gardens and greenhouses.

Look closely at this photo.  Nestled in the red flowers. Do you see him/her?  A Peacock.  Trying to stay cool in a shady garden.

Dole or Del Monte?  Ohio???? I want one too.

One of their gorgeous Day Lilly beds.

Wouldn't this be a beautiful setting for a wedding?

This was one of two beautiful Peacocks on the grounds today.  They decided to call to each other frequently throughout the afternoon.  I was hoping to get a photo of this one with its tail fanned open. No such luck. The hubs was the one behind the camera today and decided we were getting a little to close for comfort.

I hope you all enjoyed the gardens and landscaping as much as we did today.  I was a little lot disappointed as the mansion was not open to tour.  It is open by appointment only.  Ding-dang it.

Thanks for stopping by.
Stephanie

A little home tour...... Part I

 Welcome to our home.  This is not a decorators show house by any means.
This is the place we come to after a long day at work, the place we call home.
This is a lived in house.  We have two dogs and many young people
coming in and out on a daily basis. You don't need to take off
your shoes, but I do ask you make sure they are clean.
Grab a soda in the fridge and make yourself at home.

This is our living room.  The walls are painted a creamy, off white.  The bench to the right was a 3/4 antique bed that my dear husband made into a bench for me.  The bed was purchased by my parents when they first got married in the 50's.  I didn't have room for it as a bed so it is used as a bench, but can be easily converted back into a bed if we desire.

This is a little vignette above the TV armoire.  The birdcage was a red, not so pretty cage.  A can of black spray paint and some accents inside and now I really like it.

Above is a view of the entrance to the home and living room.  This is the chair that we purchased a couple of months ago.  It is big and comfy!

Please forgive the photos, I am still using a cheap camera and I am not very good at deciding what angle to take the photo from.  The dining room looks messy.  It really is not that bad in real life.  It is a small room and tends to be dark.  The reason for the cheery yellow paint to eliminate the darkness.  As you can see I collect white pitchers, plates and teacups. The shelving unit was built in when we purchased the house.  We requested the hutch to stay as it was a perfect fit.

I am proud to say that all of my plates and pitchers are from second hand stores and "antique" stores.  The teacups I started collecting back in the 80's.  Some are from both of our Grandmother's collections.  I display them proudly.

The white pitchers to the left are from my Step-Dad.  His grandfather used them in the medical field.  They are unique as they are granite ware.

This is the awkward kitchen.  It is connected to the dining room, so I carried the yellow paint in the kitchen to make it feel more uniform.  As you can tell the kitchen is original to the house.  This room could use an updating, but the layout is so strange, not sure what to do to help it.

Our message center and laundry shoot.  I love having the laundry shoot.  This is a two story home and the laundry room is in the basement.  The shoot saves on the foot traffic! It has been used for much more than laundry.  Our boys have thrown many items down it to get from one floor to the other.  It is also a great "intercom".  Use what you have :)

The kitchen has a shelf that wraps around two portions of the walls.  I have a collection of baskets and kitchen items on display.

The light above the sink was an old porch light.  My husband rewired and I painted it black (of course....is there any other paint???)

This is a view of the den.  Some people call it the sun room.  The back wall is all windows.  It is a great place to be in the Winter with the fireplace.  I try to avoid spending much time out here in the summer as it gets really warm.

Below is the wall of shelving and TV unit.  As I said, this is a lived in home.  You will find our DVD's and supply of candles for power outages stored on the shelves. No those "statues" are not GI Joe figures.  They are law enforcement statues.  Some of my husbands collection.  He is are hero and in law enforecment here in Ohio.

Well that is the first level of our home.  Nothing fancy, nothing expensive, but ours.  Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you enjoyed the tour.  I will try to show you the second level sometime soon. 

Peace,

Stephanie

Independence Day - July 2, 1776

No I did not make a typo and No you did not read the title wrong.  July 2, 1776.  That is the day the Declaration of Independence was signed.  It was formerly announced on July 4, 1776.

What does this day mean to you?

It is more than a holiday to have fun in the sun, eat the "American" comfort foods of Hot Dogs, Apple Pie and your favorite soda.  Don't get me wrong....those are all good.  I have not really thought in any depth what this day really means to me.  I am humbled and grateful for the men and women who have made many sacra fices while defending this wonderful country.  Many have made the ultimate sacrifice of death.  I can not thank them or their families enough for their service to this country.  I am forever grateful for my freedom that they have fought for.  I am proud to say I am the grand daughter of a Navy man who served in the WWII.  I am proud to be the daughter in law of a Air Force man who served in the Korean Conflict.  I am proud to be the niece of a Vietnam Vet and proud to be the friend of  several young men and women who are serving this country as I type.

Ok, a small portion of the Declaration states.... "We hold these truths to be self-evident - that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights - that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness..." Think about it.  All men are created equal....so we fight for the equality of all men, not just US citizens. That they are endowed by their creator.  Their creator could be God, Buddha..... with certain unalienable rights....Rights that should not be taken away by anyone or any country! Rights that include life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  So I need to remember when I get up on my soap box and state we should not be fighting in other countries.....Our forefathers founded this country based on ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL.  Wow, what a wake up call. We are still a strong and proud country.  I think we just need to be reminded of how great every once in a while.

July 4, 2011.

What does this mean to YOU?

Now on a lighter note....I will be celebrating in an American way....camping, eating hotdogs and drinking soda.  I too will watch the fantastic sights of fireworks and I will silently thank my family, friends and all people who serve this country so that you and I can post things like this for anyone to read.

God Bless the USA!!!

Happy 4th of July to all.

Blog Party Link

So I have not figured out this blog and linking thing yet.  I am still trying.  I invite those of you who followed me here from Debbies to look at the  blog party....you will need to look at my older posting on May 29 and you will see my porches.  This is where I am most happy and relaxed.  Sorry to be so scattered, but I could not get the link to work properly.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope to visit your blog soon, if you would be so kind to leave a comment.
Come back again soon.

Stephanie

See You There.

ALERT!!!!!!

I found this alert on the blog Home Is Where The Heart Is.  I finally have the reason I am "fluffy".  Please read with caution.:

Shampoo alert!

   As I was conditioning my hair in the shower this morning, I took time to read my shampoo bottle.  I am in shock!  The shampoo I use in the shower that runs down my entire body says "for extra volume and body"!  Seriously, why have I not noticed this before?  Now I understand why I am so "full-figured"!

   Tomorrow I am going to start using "Dawn" dish soap.  It says right on the label "dissolves fat that is otherwise difficult to remove."

   It pays to read the warning labels, my friends!

See does that not explain MY problem and maybe yours also?  Hope you got a smile from this post.
Happy weekend to all.