Tag Archives: summer

Kids’ Summer Questionnaire….

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It’s hard to believe that summer is almost here!  I’m not quite sure who is more ready….me or our three kids! {We homeschool….and I think it’s me!} heehee

Over the years we have given our kids this simple questionnaire each May…..it’s always been fun to see what they would like to do with us; as well as, something new that they would like to learn how to do.  Summer is a great time to learn something new, or have a new experience…….

When they were young…..they would get so excited to get the Summer Questionnaire!  I think one our daughters started planning her answers months in advance. ha!

In case you have children….or grandchildren….here it is…….

Cottage in the Oaks_Kids Summer Questionnaire

Kids Summer Questionnaire

Just click on the title for the pdf that you can print.

Over the years it has been so neat to get insight into what each child wanted to do with each one of us…and hear why.  I think we looked forward to getting them as much as they looked forward to filling them out. It’s just three simple questions…..but opened the window to so many special times.

Is there something fun that your family does each year to plan some summer fun…other than vacations and cookouts? {Boy! I love vacations and cookouts! They’re my favorite!}

Have a great Tuesday~

daune

Sharing with:  Tip Junkie, Between Naps on the Porch, Thrifty Decor Chick, Funky Junk Interiors, DIY Showoff, Home Stories A to Z,  Serenity Now, Savvy Southern Style, My Romantic Home, Jennifer Rizzo, Uncommon Designs, The Shabby Creek Cottage

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HomeTalk Show

Think Outside the Pot – Creative Planter Ideas

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I want to invite you guys to some fun! I have the honor of joining three other lovely ladies to host a special show for HomeTalk……and I want you guys to join us! I’ll be joining Kelly of Eclectically Vintage, Jane of Cottage at the Crossroads, and Tammy of Deja Vue Designs.

We are going to be sharing some fun ideas on using unconventional items as planters….we’ll show you how to ‘Think Outside the Pot’!  Check out Kelly’s HomeTalk board here to see some of the great ideas.

Unique Planter Ideas

AND…..after you RSVP you can enter to win a great set of 6 blue Ball jars! Woohoo!

Be sure to click the the graphic below to RSVP and enter the giveaway…..

The show is Tuesday, May 7 at 2:00 EST…..and should be about 30 minutes!

HomeTalk Show

 Hope to see you guys there!

Happy Weekend~

daune

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Summer Projects 2013

12 Fun Summer Projects…..

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Can you believe it is May? I thought it would be fun to do a roundup of some fun summer projects for your home and garden…..ones we’ve done in the past and are still really enjoying.

Summer Projects 2013

1. Frappuccino Bottle Mementos

2. How to Dry Hydrangeas

3. Outdoor Chalkboards

4. Decorating with Seashells

5. Sea Glass Mirror

6.  Mosaic Birdbath

7.  Beach Blanket Art {great for graduations!}

8.  Outdoor Chalkboard Tables

9. Bible Garden Part 1 and Part 2

10.  Seashell Covered Frame

11. Homemade Strawberry Jam

12.  Volleyball Post Flowers

What are some fun  projects you have in the works?

Blessings~

daune

Sharing with:  Tip Junkie, Between Naps on the Porch, Thrifty Decor Chick, Funky Junk Interiors, DIY Showoff, Home Stories A to Z,  Serenity Now, Savvy Southern Style, My Romantic Home, Jennifer Rizzo, Uncommon Designs, The Shabby Creek Cottage

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A Year of Front Porches……

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Our porch is our favorite place to hang out….and we eat as many meals as possible on it. It’s where we sit with friends. Have long talks. Hash things out. Visit. Catch up. Read. Curl Up. Contemplate. Have quiet times. A place for lemonade and iced tea.

Last week I looked back over a year of mantels….and I thought it would be fun to look back at a year of porches.  We enjoy changing our porch with the seasons….or for whatever happens to be going on at the time in our home.

So, here it is….a year of porches:

{You can click on the links and see the entire post of each porch with more pictures}

Christmas 2011

Winter 2012

Spring 2012

Summer 2012

Autumn 2012

fall front porch

Do you have a porch? Do you enjoy changing it with the seasons?

What’s your favorite thing to do with your entryway???

On the porch~

Sharing with:  Tip Junkie, Between Naps on the Porch, Thrifty Decor Chick, Funky Junk Interiors, DIY Showoff, Home Stories A to Z,  a.k.a. Design, Serenity Now, Savvy Southern Style, My Romantic Home, Jennifer Rizzo

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Saying Good-Bye to Summer…..

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Today is the last day of summer.

saying good-bye to summer

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To me September 1st is the official first day of autumn….and I am so happy!  I love autumn and I am ready to welcome it in.  We’ve had a wonderful summer…..filled with fun and great memories and mile markers.  I’m ready to move into the next season.

welcoming autumn

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Tonight is the full Blue Moon….I hope that wherever you live it will not be cloudy and you can go outside to check it out. I have a habit of going outside each night before turning in to walk down our garden paths and check on the moon and the stars. It puts things in perspective to me….whatever might be weighing on my mind or heart….the One who made the moon and stars has already got it covered. I can lay down and rest.

blue moon

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We are headed to some friends’ house for dinner and then to Busch Gardens this weekend…what are you doing fun this weekend?  Relaxing at home? Having a barbecue? Taking a quick trip? Visiting family or friends? It all sounds fun to me!

Whatever you do this weekend….I hope it nourishes your soul and refreshes your body.

Happy Weekend~

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Summer Evenings…..{A Fond Farewell}

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We just have a couple more weeks of summer here at our cottage. It has gone by so very fast. Even though fall is my very favorite season and I’m looking forward to it….I’m not quite ready to give up the carefree evenings and days of summer.

We have several traditions that we enjoy each summer. One of them is to attend lawn concerts…..and our favorite is always the symphony. We have some great memories from this summer, and have gotten to have lots of fun, but as I look back through the pictures our evenings on the lawn listening to the symphony always jump out at me.

The program is always wonderful…..our teenage son ends up finding new pieces that he would like to add to his repertoire within each concert.

summer evenings

We enjoy our picnic and the lovely smell of clover wafting in the evening breezes.

summer evenings

And sometimes have fun playing a game…….

summer evenings

Handsome’s favorite is hacky sack…a game played with a small ball filled with sand in which you can only use your feet and body to keep in the air. He takes his hacky sacks everywhere he goes, and usually draws a crowd of curious onlookers that want to learn to play….or at least just watch the fun.

summer evenings

summer evenings

It is said you can always tell a ballerina by the fact that she can’t ever keep her feet still. It’s true…I’ve never known a dancer that could keep her feet still. Mine move even in the bed at night until I fall asleep. So, when the symphony is playing Strauss waltzes….it is all I can do to not hop up and start dancing; but usually I gain control and dance in my place on the blanket.

summer evenings

This particular evening there was a gorgeous full moon over the water and blooming magnolias……just adding to the perfect evening.

summer evenings

And, of course, the night was capped off with fireworks over the water.

summer evenings

I will miss these lovely summer evenings.

How about you? Are there any summer traditions in which you don’t want to say farewell?

Blessings~

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Unique Gardens {Fun Discoveries}

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If you saw the movie “Julie and Julia” do you remember the scene where Julie is in the kitchen trying to make dinner and has a complete breakdown…crying, laying on the floor in a fit of desperation, waving the white dish towel? Yeah. Well, that has been me today. It’s been one of those days.  So when I came across these fun pictures…they made me smile and giggle. Martha would say “It’s a good thing”.

Gardening is one of my favorite hobbies….and whenever I go somewhere I love to check out the gardens in the area. Strolling through a garden is such soul ministry to me.

I had fun finding these unique gardens over the past few weeks….some of them make me laugh and giggle; and others make we want to run out and get the supplies to duplicate them in our yard!

Check these creative, fun gardens out……..

How fun is this garden in a shoe bag!? What a fun idea!

garden in a shoe bag

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This garden is planted in copper gutters and then hung from the porch on small chains.  This would look great on our front porch! {“Oh, Handsome, dear……..”}

garden in hanging gutters

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In an old tree trunk…one way to not have to call the stump grinder…..

tree trunk garden

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We love to make fairy gardens. We usually make ours outside and use only all natural ingredients that we find in the garden and yard. {Supposedly a true fairy garden only has things from nature in them…..}  This one would be fun on a table on the porch or inside.

fairy garden

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A garden planted in a pallet…..great way to make use of vertical space. This would be perfect for apartment balconies or porches; or any other small area.

garden in a pallet

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OK..this one I’d like to do! We’ve planted many things in furniture before….but check out this rooftop garden! It’s a work of art! L.O.V.E. I.T.

unique garden

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This is the one that I cannot stop giggling at….no matter how many times I look at it. This is just hilarious….but to add to it, check out the faces of the people inside! Cracks. Me. Up.  I laugh every time….I’m laughing now.

car garden

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Here is a link to a list of 10 of the most beautiful botanical gardens…with pictures. It’s so fun to walk through botanical gardens. Such a treat.

america's best botanical gardens

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I’m still laughing.

I must get control…..

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monarch butterfly

Song of the South…..

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As summer begins to wind down over the next few weeks I think one of the main things I will miss is the evening sounds….the cicadas verifying how hot it is, the crickets, the bullfrogs. I love sitting in the porch swing after dinner and just listening to these sounds along with the evening birdsong. It’s the Song of the South in the summer.

Another thing I will miss is watching the butterflies in the garden.  I snapped these pictures the other day………

monarch butterfly

We’ve planted many flowers that they love…three of their favorites are butterfly bush, lantana, and verbena.

monarch butterfly

monarch butterfly

We also make sure to have small, shallow water available for them and keep a butterfly feast awaiting……You can read about attracting butterflies here.

monarch butterfly

monarch butterfly

There are tons of them out in the mornings and evenings at dusk.

monarch butterfly

It’s so inspiring and relaxing to sit and watch a butterfly.  They are so free. Unencumbered. Graciously confident. Lavish beauty. Simply extravagant.

monarch butterflyI had a wise friend ask me one time…”Do you know why butterflies fly so free?”

monarch butterfly

I didn’t….so I waited for her answer.

monarch butterfly

She said it is because they are not judging themselves.

Love that.

Happy Tuesday~

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Holding on to Summer {Before it Slips Away!}

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Summer is quickly slipping away…but I am holding on for dear life!

For the weekend….some visions of summer that I’m holding onto……

Quiet wonder……

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Seeing the power and beauty in nature…..

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Farmer’s Market mornings…..total freshness!

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The best peaches EVER……

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Family fun at night in the yard……..

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Getaways and paths that lead to new discoveries……

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Diving in….no reserve……..

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Fun and laughter…..

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Afternoon berry snacks……

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Reflection on my many blessings…..they are more than the blades of grass.

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Beach days in the sun….and the shade…beach naps under the umbrella……

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Date nights outside……

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Lawn games and family fun…..

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Buying watermelon on the side of the road…..

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Movie nights on the lawn…….

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What are some summer things that you are holding onto???

I hope your weekend blesses your socks off….it’s too hot to wear them, anyway!

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sleeping porches

Dreaming of Sleeping Porches….

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We absolutely LOVE our front porch….and use it everyday.  It’s therapy.

I would love to have a sleeping porch.  Sleeping porches came about long ago – mainly in the south – when there was no air condition.  It was much cooler in the evenings outside because there was air movement.  So, beds were pulled out onto the porches for the night.

Here are some I am drooling over…..

sleeping porches

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sleeping porches

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sleeping porches

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sleeping porches

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sleeping porches

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sleeping porches

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sleeping porches

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sleeping porches

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sleeping porches

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sleeping porches

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sleeping porches

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Do you have a sleeping porch?  Ooooo, I just love them! That’s what I’m dreaming about this weekend…….

Have a great weekend~

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