Back From Home

I've been away from blogging for a couple of weeks as we were busy working on our 1907 old house in Alabama.  Dear husband finished staining the floors and we needed to move the furniture back in place. We came to work on the porch but it rained at least most of the days we were here.  I persuaded dear husband to help me move furniture around.  Here are some of the little changes we made.

We turned everything in the living room on the diagonal.  It made the room (in my humble opinon) a little more interesting.  The fireplace became more of a focal point.  We hardly watch the TV when we visit so we have it available for the news.

Also, I created a cozy reading nook by a sunny bay window in the living room.

In the front hall, we bought a new red rug to place in front of the fireplace.

We moved the bookcase into the center hall and I love it there!  I keep the lamp on all day and just love the cozy feel of the bookcase.  I would like to fill it with games and more books to give away to visitors someday.

And then we started putting back the master bedroom.  Dear husband did a wonderful job on the floors in this room.  We washed the windows and hung sheers and curtains before moving furniture back.

We did some rearranging in the butler's pantry.

 

And that brings us to the curtains in the butler's pantry and dining room.  I showed you last time you visited the old house that I was unsatisfied with the curtains in the dining room.  There was too much lace and not enough light!

I forgot to take the AFTER pictures from our last visit, so here they are.

Actually, the curtains look better open all the time!

Now I just need to find a  l-o-n-g table to put in the dining room!

We were away a week and I had started a walking challenge for the month of July.  Dear husband walked with me while we were here and I was able to get a mile in each day.  It was strange walking in the city with sidewalks and "curbs" to step on and off.

Thank you for visiting today!  I just wanted to share with you some of the changes.  Have a great day!

Love,

Lottie

 

Flowers

I woke to a beautiful bouquet of flowers on the kitchen table and a card.  It is my birthday!  I'm 58 years old and I don't mind at all.  My family is well and all called or text  me with happy wishes.  Forty years ago on my birthday, I turned 18 and was engaged to the same man who gave me the flowers today and then.  All in all, I would say I am pretty fortunate!  Sometimes it takes a birthday to realize that. 

Meanwhile, in the garden ......

It has rained the first fifteen days of July this year.  The hydrangeas are the best they have ever been.

Orange everywhere ....

The canna lilies are blooming in the far back corner of  the yard by my clothesline. 

Dear husband has been pulling ivy everyday!  The wet ground makes it easier. There are piles of ivy ready to be composed.

One more picture I want to share today.  This is my Elizabeth looking out the bay window.  Do you see the baby bird who landed on the window sill?  The bird finally flew away.  That is one lucky bird!

We all have our share of troubles in life.  My dad always says, "Just do the best you can."  Good advice.  If you think about it awhile, we are all incredibly lucky.

Hope you are having a great week!  Thank you for stopping by today!

Love,
Lottie

Voice of an Old Friend

Hello Bloggy Friends!  Our hearts jumped for joy this week!  Many years ago dear husband inherited this beautiful reed organ.  It didn't work.  The peddles didn't work and when you played the keys, all you heard was silence.  We still loved it and it stood in a prominent corner in our dining room. Year after year I lovingly dusted and polished it.  Oh, how beautiful it looked decorated for Christmas!

 

I have noticed the name Farrand & Votey above the keyboard for years but for some reason I looked at it a little harder.  I wondered what would I find if I did a Google search?  I found the history of the organ (1890) and everything you would want to know about reed organs!  Youtube provided tutorials on repair and restoration.  Dear husband watched the tutorials and discovered the organ was in incredible condition in the workings.  He took a chance and connected the straps from the foot peddles to the bellows.  Then he sat down and played!

Next to the Word of God, the noble art of music

 is the greatest treasure in the world.

                                                                                                - Martin Luther

I love to hear dear husband playing old songs.  The sound is deep and rich and seeps into every room of the blue cottage.  It is an amazing sound, like the voice of an old friend.

Thank you for stopping by to visit today!  I hope you have a great week!
Love,
Lottie


To hear a Farrand & Votey reed organ click here.

Click here for a page of links on reed organ information.

Healthy July

I ran across a wonderful blog about one woman's journey to change her life around by improving her health.  The woman is Laurel Dodge and her blog is What If?   I spent two evenings reading her entire blog about exercise and how she lost 115 pounds.  More important, she gained back her health.  Her blog really inspired me to challenge myself a little more. 

Then, I read Marie's blog The (not always) Lazy W  about her Iron Goat challenge for July.  She wrote about running 26 miles in July.  I thought to myself how I had struggled this last year walking a half mile a day a few times a week... and why don't I increase that?  Why don't I make up my own Iron Goat challenge and increase that to one mile a day?  Then I settled on walking one mile a day in July for a total of 26 miles out of 31.  Do-able!

Sometimes we just have to make a game out of the mundane, difficult things in life so we can see if what we are doing is working and make a change if those things are not.
--Marla Gilley and Leanne Ely,  Body Clutter love you body, love yourself

So I have been walking with Sardis one mile each day for the last week.   I just look for a good time, as early as I can, and put on my walking shoes.  It has been a challenge getting it done each day because I've been busy with other projects.  It rained today, but I just enjoyed the gentle rain.  I was pretty wet by the time I made it home (so was Sardis). 

After I finish the walk, I write down how far I walked on a calendar on my desk.  I mark a 1 each day and below that I wrote 4/26 today.  To write that number over 26 is the biggest reward for me!  Yes, I know there are 31 days in July, but setting my goal at 26 gives me a little wiggle room.  I feel good about that number.  I believe I can do it!

Isn't it funny how much  better you feel after you take a walk than before?
Hope you are having a wonderful day!
Love,
Lottie