Look Who's Coming To Town

Due to an incredible set of circumstances and all the tumblers of Fate falling into place, a one-in-a-million chance is about to come in. My sister and her family are going to become my new next door neighbors. It's only for a year but I'll take whatever I can get.

Because of our age difference, we've only lived in the same house five years of our lives. After that we lived in the same town only a couple of years. We talk on the phone several times a week and visit back and forth a few times a year, but it's just not the same as being right there day to day.

Now we'll be able to do neighborly things like borrow sugar, check mail, and dog sit for each other. But my favorite part about this whole deal is having my six nieces and nephews right next door so I can spoil them on a daily basis instead of just on Aunt H visits.
I'm sure my sister won't mind if I ruin their appetites with goodies and let them play Wii whenever they want to. There's lots of catching up to do with random gift giving and baseball games. They'll probably want to go to Busch Gardens and Adventure Island at least once a week, too. Think of all the cute clothes I can buy! This is going to be fun.

English Roses

Can you blame me for loving the name of this rose? It's Teasing Georgia and besides having a fun name it has gorgeous color, bold fragrance, and can be grown as a climber or tea rose.

Abraham Darby is a brave little rose. For a smaller plant it works hard to impress with a fully double, deep-cupped bloom. It doesn't settle for one color, either, going from apricot with pink edges to yellow as it opens. On top of all that it has bold fragrance and can be a short climber or prune for a more compact plant.

This feminine little lady is Tamara. Another compact plant that would be perfect in a container or as a mass planting with morning exposure. The apricot double bloom has a shallow cup and pink tips. It's fragrance is a very unusual lilac and mimosa blend.

Don't let the name"English roses" throw you...all of these do well in the US. The three that I featured here can even thrive in zones 9-10. Generally, afternoon sun will be too strong for them in these zones and they will need daily watering if it's not raining. Try these beauties and you'll be rewarded for your labor of love.

Cure for the brown thumb

Who hasn't seen those beautiful rose gardens and wished they could have just a small part of one? Think of roses and visions of spraying, pruning, dead-heading, and spraying some more come to mind, right? In some states the results are just not worth the trouble. If you've wished of having roses without all the bother you've got to try the Knockout rose. This amazing performer loves heat and humidity. It laughs at fungus and red spider mites. It's self-cleaning(not like an oven) which means no dead-heading. No pruning necessary, either. You can stick one right in the middle of a flower border or a pot on the deck. I love them massed in front of evergreen shrubs with thyme planted in front. Along a fence would be nice. If you plant one today you'll have blooms in a week if not sooner. Just be sure to give them a good soak the day you plant and everyday it doesn't rain for about a month. A good trick is to fill the planting hole with moisture retentive soil mix (in bags at Home Depot)then you can skip some of the watering. Just don't let them go completely dry. Clusters of cherry red blooms are your reward for a little bit of time grubbing in the garden. You can't beat the Knockout Rose!

The Night Before

We hosted a rehearsal dinner for our good friend's son's wedding last Thursday night. It was a group effort by the best friends in the world and a wonderful time was had by all.
There were six tables and each one was decorated a little bit different from the others.

The theme for the decor was birds in spring. Birds, nests, birdcages, and pots of fresh grass and flowers everywhere.


The decadent desserts were set out in the dining room. Betcha can't eat just one!

The happy couple just one day before wedded bliss.

Beautiful Music Together

Welcome back to windy corner!!! I had to take a couple of weeks off to help put on a wedding for one of my favorite people so am tired but happy. Here's a little clip that sums up the mood right now.

What is it?

This is a photo taken with high speed shutter and flash of a pellet being shot through four microscope lenses.
For more incredible images go to http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/howaboutthat/5049293/High-speed-photographs-by-Alan-Sailer-capture-the-moment-a-pellet-fired-from-an-air-rifle-hits-an-object.html .

What A Difference A Year Makes

About a year ago I had dreams of a well-organized craft room with a place to sew and a table to craft. Shelves neatly labeled to hold all my fabric, paper, and fluffing stuff. Of course, a big comfy chair in the corner to sit in while I hand sew or flip through books for inspiration is a must. All contained in a bright sunny room with a big oak tree right out the window. That dream bubble burst last year when my sons moved back home from out west. The studio became a boys room instead.
Well, last week my oldest son moved back west to Lake Tahoe so to keep from crying I worked my rear end off cleaning the upstairs like it's never been cleaned before.

Trash cans filled up and closets and drawers emptied. Blinds, windows, walls, and doors got the scrubbing of their lives. Furniture got polished and curtains got washed. Now I've got a clean slate to start up that dream again.

Wish List

The wish list is the best part of shopping on the internet. You can browse through

beautiful linens and soaps, books and shoes, and then

just add whatever you like to the wishlist.

Ideally , your fairy godmother will check your list from time to time and put all those goodies your heart desires

under your pillow about once a month.

Happy Pink Saturday!!!!!

back to Beverly

Hope For Baseball Fans

Purgatory for baseball fans is that no-man's land between the Superbowl and March 1. If you're anywhere above the 33 parallel it's probably grey and wet and cold just so you won't forget how much you miss baseball. The only thing on TV is figure skating and bowling.......which are fine sports......they're just not played on a grassy field with the sun shining and shouts of "Cold beer!" ringing in your ears.



So when March finally rolls around, Spring Training warms the hearts of baseball fans everywhere. In places like Tampa, Fort Myers, and Clearwater hope springs eternal.




Fans can watch their favorite teams in stadiums that hold 6,000 instead of 50,000. In the breezy atmosphere, people from New York, Texas, and Colorado form an instant bond in the stands as they talk about who got traded to which team and other fine points of the game.




The Boys of Summer are more playful and relaxed in the spring. They holler and gesture across the diamond to their friends in the other dugout about going to the beach or dinner that night. Jokes and big smiles are shared with teammates and officials as they catch up on news from the off season. There are hardened veterans and fresh-faced rookies pitching the ball around, stretching, and running sprints before the game and giving each other pointers during the it. Some are on their way out while new ones are anxious to move up to the rarefied air of the majors.


It all comes together in a perfect afternoon when the baseball fan can breathe easy knowing that the season is almost here.

Who Needs Coloring Books

Why you should never leave your child alone with a dog.

Shop With A Purpose

Last year, a friend of my sister's endured a nightmare you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy. Her husband and the father of their six children (youngest was a newborn) was tried, convicted, and sentenced to 30 years in jail. She was completely unaware of the secret life he was living until the FBI showed her some of their evidence. She lost their beautiful family home, cars, and everything of value she had but was able to get by at first on donations from my sister's church, her church, family, and friends. She has been relying on the compassion of friends and walking in faith knowing that Christ has been with her every step of the way. Recently, an opportunity opened up for her to start an Ebay store and she has had early success with it. She's not making enough money to completely support her family, but it's a real boost for a stay at home mom who didn't have a career. Please go to Asher's Bunch Boutique add it to your "favorites" and pick up a little something with the assurance that you're helping a family get back on it's feet. Asher and his brothers and sisters thank you.