Monday, August 8, 2016

A WHOLE LOT OF PRIMPING EVERYWHERE


A precious find from Asheville

Happy August!  We're in the home stretch now.  I'm trying to be a good Flower Mother in keeping my pots watered, a bit of the sprinkler action going on in the evening and trimming the ivy.  Not sure if I mentioned that I have ivy growing over a large window which happens to be the biggest window in our living room.  We can no longer see out.  That's not the effect I was looking for when I planted it back in the Renaissance age.  After my tumble off a chair last summer and resulting broken arm, I certainly don't want to get on a ladder.  I don't want to embarrass The Husband but he doesn't care for ladders either.  I was able to pull a bit of the ivy from a section of a shutter and it took a chunk of paint with it.  OH NO!  Somehow I have to figure this out.  The problem with ivy is that the more you cut it back, the healthier it becomes and it grows much more vigorously.  I don't EVEN want to think of the Wisteria at the lakehouse.  

On to an entirely different subject.  While in Asheville last week we toured the Grove Park Inn as I mentioned in my last post.  There were a great many shops just off the lobby and in one of them I found what was called a tumbler although I thought it was a vase.  Love at first sight.  I look at it and it makes me happy.  And it screamed for bright flowers, not pink or white or pastel blooms.  That's it above.  Those babies are still alive after days.



New ideas after shopping the house


I've had this tin pail (for lack of a better description) for ages.  I'm a little slow on the take but I couldn't think of a way to use it for fresh flowers as the WELCOME is cut out.  Duh.  I found the perfect vase to fit inside and now I'm loving using it on the dining table.  I really like these yellow carnations.  I rarely see them in this shade and as they last so long they are a good buy.  The pink flowers are asters.  I'm going to plant some next year...a done deal.  They are annuals but I've never really paid attention to them before.  The colors are a pretty combo.  Don't you think some vases just beg for a certain sort of mix and color?



Stumbling upon a fabulous festival

Again, going through the last of my pictures from Asheville I wanted to share a festival The Husband and I stumbled upon the day before we flew home.  We were just planning on doing a bit of souvenir shopping in the downtown area.  We stumbled upon a park and noticed all of the white tents and throngs of people in a park.  Turns out it was the annual Leaf Festival.  How lucky we were!  We really had a great time.  I found so many great treasures; new collars for my dogs and a portion of the proceeds go toward 'No Kill' centers.  The Husband found some great local pottery and I came upon some candles for our daughters.  They are quite amazing.  The warmed liquid wax surrounding the wick is meant for dipping your fingers in and it's basically oil you can massage into your hands that smells just like the candle!  It was amazing to watch the sellers demonstrating.  Not sure what sort of wax they used...I'll have to ask one of my girls to give me the website and if you are interested you can check them out.  All in all it was a great ending to a marvelous week in my favorite mountain place!  If you ever visit, give me a shout and I'll try to help you out with places we've loved.  :-D



Making a beautiful hairdo my own

This was one crazy busy and fun filled week after getting my bearings being back home.  We were invited guests to a family wedding on The Husband's side.  And when I say family I mean all 4 of our kids and their partners and many, many in laws, cousins and friends.  I haven't been to a formal event since my son's wedding last summer so I was sort of excited to get a new dress.  I had been to one of my favorite shops three times, once actually in Asheville, and had my eye on a pretty dress. I bit the bullet and  of course that led to new heels and an evening bag.  Tuesday Abby was home and wanted to get a pedicure together.  It wasn't on my agenda but I love doing this sort of thing with my daughters.  This was a 'new to me' salon and it was so cool.  The package I chose involved a paraffin wax treatment for my feet and an incredible leg massage.  The guy was so nice and after a lot of encouraging I had my nails done, too.  Nothing artificial, just a good 'ol manicure that was close to having Madge soaking my fingertips in Palmolive.  Remember those commercials? ;-)

Later in the week I went with Emily to a maternity shop in the local mall and helped her select a dress.  She found a beautiful one in a light floral silk.  I love that girls are showing off their growing tummies.  A far cry from my pregnancy days and before when we wore loose smock tops, as if we needed to hide something.   Anyway, she looked gorgeous.  After leaving this shop we moved on to Sephora as she needed one of her favorite foundations.  I roamed around and ended up buying 3 lip glosses.  How I love makeup, products and playing around with different looks.  I've been that way since I was allowed to wear makeup when I was about fifteen.  You don't want to see my vanity table!

Regarding the picture above, I've had this on my Pinterest board of hairstyles forever.  I remember wearing my hair blown out and straight at a salon for son Jeff's wedding last August.  The heat and humidity caused it to curl up and frizz beyond the point of an actual hairstyle.  I can't even bear looking at the pictures.  My girl, Peggy, who's been doing my hair for the last 8 months said, "Sure.  I can do this for you."  And that she did.  I wish I had someone take a picture of how pretty it was from behind.  In fact, my sister in law, Megan had a very similar hairstyle.  She said she had wanted something loose that looked like she had done it up herself.  That was my plan, too.  And Peggy also offered to do my makeup.  I'm so glad I had her do it...she had so many products and expertise in applying everything I couldn't believe it was me.  Yet it was very natural.  When my own kids say I look great and I could truly feel it.

Me and the ever elusive Husband





Here's The Husband and I at the reception.  It looks like we have cartons of Chinese food in front of us!  Just napkins tucked into glasses.  The curls around my face sort of wilted and I can't begin to tell you how hard it was to remove all of the pins from the back of my head once we got home.  It was so worth it.  And we had a ball.  We all danced as soon as the Deejay started and I don't think I rested a minute.  So fun, well until...Abby's boyfriend Tom pulled me out on the dance floor and we were dancing to a great upbeat song.  He grabbed my hands and we were whirling and twirling and the next thing I knew I was falling, falling, falling and I ended up on my rump on the floor.  I was mortified.  To make things worse, a heavy bracelet I was wearing flew off and hit one of the bridesmaids in the chin.  In the background I could hear one of my sister in laws yelling, "Jane's down!  Jane's down!"  Arghhhh...  Well, I survived, we all do.  I kept my dancing to slow ballads with The Husband and Papa.  



My Emily 

A little change in subject matter.  This is my Emily at six months pregnant.  Isn't she a doll?  She's having a few issues with her feet swelling but otherwise she's on the go.  I don't think I've mentioned, the baby is going to be named Madelyn Elise.  Isn't it a beautiful name?



Roasted Asparagus with Bread Crumbs and Parmesan

I know, another terrible food picture from me.  I hope you don't judge a book by its cover.  And trust me, I would never post a picture and recipe if it wasn't delicious.

In trying to keep carbs down at dinner we have our protein (otherwise known as meat) and then 2 vegetables rather than a starch (otherwise known as bread, potatoes, rice and pasta).  Maybe not so appetizing to some.  But keeping things interesting is the name of the game.  

I roasted a bundle of asparagus after cutting off the woody end and then slicing the remaining piece in half.  Toss the pieces in a bowl with a tablespoon of oil.  In another dish mix together a half cup each of breadcrumbs and shredded or shaved pieces of Parmesan cheese.  Toss the asparagus in the dry mixture and place on an oiled baking sheet.  All it needs is about 7-10 minutes in a 400 degree oven.  I found that some of my shaved pieces of Parmesan came off and toasted a bit on their own.  Tasty but not what I had in mind so I recommend you use shredded cheese.  

I've been coming upon so many other veggie recipes in cookbooks, magazines and Pinterest.  Variety is the key and as I said, we eat two different vegetables with our dinner (and I usually have a salad for lunch, and cucumbers, carrots, celery or zucchini with a creamy dip as a snack), I really need to put thought into dinner to keep it interesting. 

 It looks like everything is wrapping up at the lakehouse and our belongings, furniture, etc., may be delivered back to us possibly within the next two weeks.  I am beyond excited.  We have a long road of hard work ahead in getting everything inside and out put back together but it's a clean slate and that helps.  I can't wait to share pics with you guys.  We may have missed our second summer there but I have to admit, autumn is beyond beautiful in Michigan.  I can foresee many nights relaxing around the bonfire after a long days work.  And having family and friends back up next spring...we are going to be in good shape by then.  How blessed we are!

That's it for today.  Have a great week everyone!

Jane 

50 comments:

Marty@A Stroll Thru Life said...

Sounds like good times with friends, shopping and great recipes too. You look gorgeous in the pic.

Lisa said...

Madelyn Elise! What a lovely timeless name. Emily looks beautiful and I'm glad to hear she's having a healthy pregnancy. Jane your hair looked so pretty for the wedding! Sorry about the fall.;-( Asheville sounds amazing. My youngest has UNC on her short list for grad school and I'm secretly rooting for it. No excuse not to go visit Asheville then! LOL

Linda said...

Hahaha! "Jane's down"...OMG! You must have been horrified! Glad you didn't hurt yourself! I would be black and blue, for sure!
The baby's name is lovely...and your daughter looks great! I remember the swelling feet...:o(
Can't wait for you to get back out to your Lake House...good times ahead!
Love the pic of you and hubby...we are so lucky,aren't we???
Enjoy your week Jane..
Cheers!
Linda :o)

Mary@mydogsmygardenandmary said...

Great post Jane. Your hair loos great and I love the picture of you and Husband, oh so pretty. So glad that you had a wonderful time at the wedding. So sorry you fell, but at least you didn't break anything.

Your daughter looks amazing pregnant and what a beautiful name for the baby. Two little girls you are going to have so many wonderful memories with them.

Your vacation sounds like you had a great time. Love the part of the world, so beautiful and especially in fall with all the fall foliage.

I am so happy to hear that you will be soon getting Lake House ready. I know you must be so excited to have the house finished and now you can start decorating. I am so looking forward to the pictures. Fall should be beautiful up there with all the pretty leaves.

I can hardly wait for FALL so we can get rid of this HOT weather, it's been to long. I certainly hope that we get some much needed rain as we will not have any lawns or plants left.

Have a terrific weekend Jane.

Hugs,
Mary

Rita C at Panoply said...

Girl, I hope you DID get right back up and finish that dance! The fact that Abby's bf wanted to dance with you is a real compliment. You & hubster make a great couple, glad you shared all your Asheville fun, as well as your family fun. Emily IS a doll baby, and the baby's name is beautiful. Can't wait to see that lakehouse!!
Rita

Unknown said...

Fall in Michigan at the lake house sounds wonderful and cozy. Perhaps find a good gardner to remove the ivy, already sounds like a challenge.
What a handsome couple you are:) and keep on dancing!
Kathleen in Az

Barbara F. said...

I enjoyed reading about your vacay in Ashville. I love the photo of you and your hubby. Emily looks great. I can't wait to see her adorable baby girl. And, very happy that you were not hurt when you fell.

It's me said...

Hi Jane.....thanks for sharing your life with us....love your blog always good to be here nce picture from you and your husband......love love love Ria ❤️❤️❤️

Unknown said...

Great post Jane! You and Al look so spiffy. Your hair,just gorgeous. I love the name for your new granddaughter to be. Your daughter is glowing.
Life continues to be tough here, but Dan and I are trying to get by.
Keep in touch,
Big hugs
Cindy

Dewena said...

Autumn in either Asheville or lakeside Michigan sounds heavenly! It's been several years now since we were in Blowing Rock, NC during peak leaf season and I miss it so much. And as I lived in Asheville as a child, I miss it in any season!

Your hairdo for the wedding is beautiful from the front, wish you had gotten a picture of the back. It must have been so casually elegant. But thank God you didn't hurt your arm again when you fell, better to have your pride hurt than that.

Your Emily? Darling and beautiful! And it is wonderful that maternity clothes are no longer hide all styles. Why did we do that for decades?

Susie said...

Blondie, You and the husband look fabulous. I love the wispy tendrils . Talk about dancing...I can't remember when Ted and I last danced. So Long ago...I probably have forgotten how. Sorry you fell and were embarrassed. You have to jump right up and pretend you were tripping the light fantastic and it tripped you right back. :) Hope you get to enjoy some wonderful times in the lake house soon. Blessings to you sweet girl, xoxo, Susie
p.s. when I first started following your blog, your Emily had just graduated.:):)

Unknown said...

One thing about it girl, you looked good going down!!! Love the hair style, and you crack me up telling about the fall. It's a joke in our family every Christmas, I have to report all the places I've fallen throughout the year. I'm a pro!! I jump up and look to see if anyone was looking. Oh Lord, it's so humiliating. Love the picture of the little future mama, and you and the hubs look great too. Be careful, it's a jungle out there!

Deborah Montgomery said...

Oh, I know all about fall in Michigan, as I live here! It's my absolute favorite time of year, as the weather is perfect! We will be in the U.P. for a week this fall, can't wait!
And our daughter in law grew up in Asheville, and she and my son were married there. Beautiful area, and yes, lots of crafts and artisans there.
Your hair looks beautiful, and your daughter is adorable.

Lynne said...

Oh my . . .Jane's down . . . made me giggle . . . but I too would have been mortified!
What a lovely post . . .
I loved your Asheville vase . . . so pretty, and yes to the red for that vase.
I like the tin vase too . . . pretty asters and yellow carnations.
Sweet name for the new baby . . . Sweet, adorable daughter, momma to be!
Love the hair . . . Loose and natural . . .
Isn't it fun to get all prettied up . . .
I look forward to seeing your Lake House . . .
Where in Michigan . . .
Will you be on the "big lake" or a smaller inland lake.
I enjoy your writing style in your posts . . .
Seems like we are in the same room, having a conversation . . .

Pinky at Designs by Pinky said...

That's a great pic of you and the hubs:) Sounds like you had a great time...well till you fell:( I LOOOOVE Asheville too. Hope to get back there again someday. Your Emily is adorable. The girls now are so lucky that they can show off their bellies. I was HUGE with my first (he weighed 10 lbs) and at the end I only had one dress/tent that I could wear. UGH!!!

baili said...

you and your hubby make lovely couple ,looks like your efforts on your plants fruitful dear,

your doll looks so beautiful may god bless her with healthy baby amen

Theresa said...

I LOVE Weddings:) Sounds like a great time, minus the fall:( Can't wait to see your lake house all put back together and I know it will be more beautiful than ever! Emily is adorable! Have a blessed day dear friend, HUGS!

Decor To Adore said...

Emily looks fantastic and I adore the name she has selected. Enjoy the days and have a wonderful week!

Lisa @ Texas Decor said...

I love the baby name Emily picked! So sweet! Sounds like your trip was fun! I love stumbling onto a neat festival like that. Hope your rump is okay after that fall. You did make me chuckle with "Jane's down, Jane's down!" :)

Anonymous said...

Hi Janie! Emily does look gorgeous and she is just glowing! The baby's name is adorable too. You and your hubby look so nice all dolled up! Lord, have mercy, let's not talk about falls! When I am trying to walk down hill, I get all tensed up praying I won't fall again! You are a hoot though, and I love hoots! ;)
Be a sweetie,
Shelia ;)

Anonymous said...

What great news that the lake house is nearly ready for all your stuff and treasures!!! You are so creative with the hair-dos, kiddo...nice!! Of course, the vase inside the pail is right up my alley, since I have two metal things that I could do that with...THANKS for the idea, honey!!!...:)JP

Celestina Marie said...

Hi Jane, wonderful happenings with you and yours. Your daughter is adorable. Love the pic of you and your hubby. Sounds like you enjoyed a great time. Your hair looks beautiful. So glad your lake house is almost complete.
Wishing you a great weekend ahead. xo

Row homes and Cobblestones said...

Hi Jane,
I used to climb on ladders and hang like a monkey painting murals for people and doing faux painting, when I injured my ankles and tore the ligaments I learned to respect my safety! I hear you and I agree. Hey I loved your hairdo and what a sweet photo of you and your man. Enjoy your late summer, in Philadelphia it's still really hot and humid in the 90's. This weekend I plan to start making more velvet pumpkins - who knows maybe in my mind it will feel cooler. Thank goodness for central air. Be well and be happy!
xoxo,
Vera

Kathleen Grace said...

Emily is so pretty and I love the name she has chosen for her precious baby! What an exciting time for her and you :) It's always fun to have a reason to dress up, you and your husband looked fabulous at the wedding! The festival you found in Asheville sounds like fun, I love summer festivals. So much to see and a great way to get out of the house.

Kim said...

You look so pretty, Jane! I love catching up with you and your family. Beautiful baby name...can't wait to meet her! :)

Carla from The River said...

Hello,
I always enjoy catching up with you. You are so positive and take things with a smile.
Enjoy the weekend,
Carla

Pondside said...

Ah Jane, I always love your posts! Your hair must have been lovely for the wedding - don't you love it when you find something to make your own, something that makes you feel really good? I love the name your daughter has chosen for you soon-to-be-here granddaughter!

bj said...

Gosh...I love the pretty name for the baby...love that hair style...and your hubs is a very handsome dude....:)
We had English Ivy growing up the front of our house once...it started pulling the mortar out of the bricks...we had to cut it all down and I nearly cried...I LOVE the look of ivy growing up the side of the house.

Melanie said...

My aunt has ivy all over her house and covering windows, too. She knows she should get rid of it because it's destroying her siding, but she hasn't done so yet.
Emily is so cute and I love the name she has picked out for her baby. :-)
Great photo of you and your hubby, but I am so sorry you fell when you were dancing. Is you back going to be OK? That's the first thing I thought of when I read that you fell on your rump.

Sarah said...

Jane, love the baby name, and Emily is adorable. I'm glad you survived the fall. I can just image the slow motion reaction to all of this. Not funny! '-) Definitely stay off that ladder. Hire a yard person to tackle this task. We had ivy growing on our previous house, and it would grow in through the casement windows. What a mess it became to keep under control. And when we pulled it off the side of the house, it left ugly marks from where it was clinging.
Good luck with the move back into the lake house. I know you are excited.

Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces said...

Sounds like a lovely trip to Asheville! Lovely photo of you and your husband! Sorry about the fall...glad you weren't hurt. You have a good story to tell anyway! So glad to hear the lakehouse is nearly ready!

Linda said...

What a lovely chat we've just had!! Visiting you is always such a pleasure! I have on eof the candles you can dip your fingers in and massag the wax into your hands. It was a gift from an old friend - though not so very old in years - she was younger than I - who died recently. I think of her every time my eyes look at that candle.
Loved hearing all about your comings and goings and your Emily is adorable!

Curtains in My Tree said...


You have a wonderful fun busy life
I like reading all about it

xinex said...

I am glad you stumbled into that festival. John and I both enjoy them. Pretty flowers! And Janie, you look so pretty in that picture, Emily too. Looks like your grandkids are multiplying. How fun! Thanks for stopping by my blog! Christine

Kit said...

Hey busy lady! By the way, you looked fabulous at the wedding! Love the hair do. I love hearing all about your many different events. So much fun! How do you fit it all in? LOL Enjoy the Olympics and the end of summer! :) Kit

susan said...

Love your bucket of yellow and pink flowers, Jane. They're just exploding with color!
Lovely picture of you and your husband and you really looked beautiful! I'm sorry about the fall you took, but you managed to make it sound like a funny scene from a sitcom.
So glad that you'll be able to get back into the lake house. I know how special it is to you.
Happy Days!

Pamela said...

What a beautiful name your daughter has picked out for your grand daughter! I ha trouble with my feet swelling as well because I was always on the go. Hope she gets some relief.

ann said...

Your posts are always so full, cheerful, pleasant, happy. Emily is precious. What a long wait 9 months can be. Love the hair style. I have thin, straight hair with a bit of twist at the ends. I wear it short now--shorter than I want because my hair dresser cuts it so. But it grows. You and your husband are a handsome couple. I hope you are having a good week.

Linda @ Life and Linda said...

Great picture of you and hubby. Loving the pretty flowers. That hairstyle is beautiful. I am envious. My hair is mid length. All of my friends keep asking, why don't you cut your hair short. Glad to hear you were dancing, but falling is no fun. How exciting, a new baby. The name is precious. I wish I had been more original naming my children. xo

Jemma@athomewithjemma said...

I so enjoy seeing photos of my friends with their hubbies, and you are such a good looking couple too.
I love to dance too and when Stacey and I were at Haven we danced with each other and many other bloggers, so silly and fun!
Happy for you and the new baby on the way, we are getting a new one too (Kennedy) she will arrive on November 16th via c-section.
xo
Jemma

thistlewoodfarm said...

I was just in your neck of the woods last week at Lake Junalusca. It was so pretty! I love North Carolina. :)

What a beautiful name for your grandaughter!

Happiest of days to you friend!
karianne

Judy at GoldCountryCottage said...

Hi Jane, you really are blessed. I could have written this week's post just for you!! You look so pretty and glad you had a great time at the wedding, except, of course, that humiliating rump scrawl! I know the feeling, did one myself many years ago, only fell into a fireplace. Thank heavens it was summer and it wasn't lit. Only me!! Food is really hard to take pics of. I can't do it but envy those who can. Yours looks pretty good..Have a wonderful week..Judy P.S. Your daughter looks so cute, I agree about the maternity fashions this day and age and the name she picked out is really a beautiful one.

Helen Philipps said...

Lovely to catch up here after a little break.....what happy times you have been having. Emily looks beautiful and so do you with your lovely hair do! The dancing sounds great....though not the falling bit though we all have a moment like that sometime to feel embarrassed about! Glad you were ok. Enjoy the rest of August, Jane. I am going to read your previous posts now!
Helen xox

Preppy Empty Nester said...

Hi Jane.. darling pic of you and your hubby. A few years ago, I visited my sister and got up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night - went into the wrong doorway and ending up falling down a full flight of stairs. I ended up with 30 stitches and a broken nose. My sister and I still laugh about it because the doc looked like George Clooney and he as if we were a couple. Anyway, I love the baby girl's beautiful name. Have a good weekend.

Kelly said...

Omg! Your falling on the dance floor and earring hitting a bridesmaid sounds like something from a movie comedy! Ha! I love the picture of you and your husband at the reception. I'm sure your hair looked so pretty from behind too. It's always nice to get dressed up once in a while. I've been to Asheville several times and it's such a pretty city. There is always something "artsy" going on there. I look forward to seeing your lake house once it's back to normal. Hopefully, you will be able to enjoy it this Fall.

Anonymous said...

How are you doing, Janie! I know you're always a busy gal! Hope you have a great weekend! Thanks always for popping in to see me.
Be a sweetie,
Shelia ;)

bj said...

back to say that you should try the Cloud "bread"....the hardest thing about a no or lo carb diet is missing bread so much...this tastes good and I think you will like it.
just be sure to whip your whites until they peak...and when adding the yolks and other ingredients, very gently FOLD them into the whites (don't stir)...xoxo

Maggie said...

So much to catch up on (as usual).
Love the vases; the hairdo; the "Jane's down" comment; the photo of beautiful Emily and the name of her new daughter.
Looking forward to hearing more about the move back into the Lake house.
Have a wonderful week!

Summer said...

The Roasted Asparagus with Bread Crumbs and Parmesan looks so delicious ♥

Hope you are enjoying what is left of summer ♥

summerdaisycottage.blogspot.com

RCA said...

this is great!