The Little Things That Make Me Happy - Day 5

"Farm livin' is the life for me...."  

Cutting hay on a sunny day.  Thanks Al!

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.  

The Little Things That Make Me Happy - Day 4

I'm a day behind...but, our apple trees make me happy.  We should have a good year.  

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.

Little Things That Make Me Happy - Day 3

The barn cats.  

Sabastian is the black one.  I love his furry ears....take a closer look at the first pictue....

Sally is on the table, she saw my eating breakfast out there and want to join me.....

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.  

Little Things That Make Me Happy - Day 2

Eating breakfast outside - day 2 of the little things that make me happy.  Especially this morning, it is beautiful!  Mindful eating and listening to the sounds of summer.  

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.  

A Week of Things that Make Me Happy

I'm taking the lead of my blogging friend Sharon at https://mynewuneventfullife.blogspot.com/ and doing a week of these posts.  First, foremost, my family makes me happy, but these posts are about the "little" things that make us happy.  Go over and check out her list too.  She grew up in Ispwich, England and now lives in Michigan.  She is an amazing photographer as well.  Anyway, these posts are her idea...I just happen to love it too.

Early in the spring, long before I started planting my garden there was a lone onion coming up.  It was in the raised bed I had my onion patch in the year before, so I just let it grow.  Now it has gone to seed and made this beautiful flower head.  I hope to catch some of the seeds for an experiment in planting.  I also had several tomato plants that came up this same way.  These are called volunteers.  These must be of the hardy variety as we have such cold winters here in Wisconsin and for them to lay as seed in the dirt and then come up...that makes me happy.  

I do a lot of volunteering, I have my whole life.  It's in the genes and I've had wonderful, giving maternal mentors.   Anyway, that term vounteer had my thinking about that.  Be a plant, flower that produces good things or works and so that your seeds may produce little volunteers.  

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.  

In the Good Ol' Summertime - Cozy Cottage

This is the fictional story that follows along with this month's VIRTUAL pop up, "In the Good Ol' Summertime."  

Link HERE:  

https://www.facebook.com/events/2758757087563380/

Margarite just loved the little house, really a cottage, in Three Lakes, Wisconsin where she has been house sitting for 6 relaxing weeks.  She wanted to leave it, better than she found it, for Vivian's return.  She went over every inch of every room, "well, little cottage, you're spick and span clean."  She admired Vivian's style, the mix of old pieces with the new, it was so cozy.  "When I return to Chicago, I'm going to look around at the antique and thrift shops and redecorate my apartment." she thought.  

This experience really ignited her creativity on so many levels.  She left Tinley Park back in June thinking she knew who she was and what she wanted.  She wrote and is working on a children's book, not the novel she envisioned.  She spent time doing the hobbies she thought she never had time for.  She made new friends and neighbors, that now feel like family.   "I am ready to go back home, a new Maragarite," she told herself.  "I have a few more weeks before school starts, I will make my surroundings as inviting as this little cottage."  "Margarite," she said, "you, will return to this little town again, it is now my second home."  

The items in this staged vignette (Vivian's cottage) will be for sale tonight in the VIRTUAL Event (link above).  

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.  Where my seasonal shop is located on our hobby farm.  Follow along next month when Maragite returns to Tinley Park, Chicago area, as she redecorates her tiny apartment and prepares to return to teaching high school English.  

In the Good Ol' Summertime - R & R

This is the fictional story that follows along with this month's VIRTUAL pop up, "In the Good Ol' Summertime."  

Link HERE:  

https://www.facebook.com/events/2758757087563380/

The summer days in Three Lakes were just glorious.  "Six weeks of rest and relaxation, just what the doctor ordered," Margarite told herself.  The tiny town was bustling with tourists.  She walked nearly every day through the main street, up and around the center of town and back past the lake.  The "locals" were so friendly and helpful.  "Well, you must be Margarite, Vivian mentioned she had a house sitter for the summer."  After a few days of walking and talking, she bagan to feel a part of this little community.  "Good morning, Margarite, it's going to be a hot one today."  She hardly knew any of her neighbors in the apartment complex.  Everyone kept to their own business and rarely spoke to her.  "Now, if you want to go fishing, I'll share with you my secret spot," the shop keeper told her as she picked up a few staples.   "Oh, that sounds fun, but I've never been fishing."  Margarite hated to admit.  "Well, then we have to go" he said.  "You two go fishing and I'll prepare them for supper," his wife added.  They were a cute elderly couple.  "Oh, it will be nice to cook for someone again," she added.  "Since our children married and moved away, we've been missing visiting with the younger generation.  Isn't that right Henry?" She called to him, but he was already digging in the fishing tackle.  "It'll be nice for him to go fishing with someone too."  Henry looked up "come on back around 3:30 and we'll go," he told Maragite.  She took her groceries and headed back to the house.  

Margarite made sure to enjoy every sunny day sitting outside and working on her favorite hobbies.  "I never seem to have time to do the things I enjoy" she thought to herself.   Writing was just one of her many talents.  "My creativity is in full bloom, just like the many beautiful flowers this time of year."  Margarite was going to miss that the most.  She had a few plants in her tiny apartment, but Vivian's cottage gardens were so lovely.  "One day, when I have my own house," she said, "I will plant lovely roses and hollihocks."  "There is so much beauty here, how could I not be inspired to create."  She picked up her sewing box, kicked off her sandles and she slid comfortably in to the painted chair.  As she pulled her hair back into a ponytail, she thought of just how blessed she was to be able to spend time up north.   

"I've been so productive these past few weeks, I have accomplished almost everything on my list."  Margarite always made lists, she loved crossing things off, it must be the teacher in her.  "And, later today, I can cross off, fishing."  She was almost too excited to work on her project.  "Maybe a nap first."  

Follow along this month and maybe next, with Margarite's story.  All the items in the photos and more will be featured for sale in the event (link above).  

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.