Painting in my future

Ray S. helped me to pick up the doors for the storage shed (bless his heart for his kindness) and is going to help me hang them when I get them painted. I am going later this morning to get the paint for the doors and also for the hall. I am in a painting mood as I want to get things a bit more spruced up around here. I also want to tackle the window cleaning this week. I just hope that my enthusiasm lasts until the chores are done!!!!

Not much news other than that. We are supposed to have a pretty nice week. I sure hope that they are correct about that and that you will also have some good outdoor days this week.

Shopping Spree

I'm finally running out of some of the makeup that I got in my original Escentuals kit. I consider that a pretty good deal given it lasted six months. As we talked, I adore this mineral makeup and would like to get many more options to play with but it doesn't take long for those dollars to add up. I decided I would do some research and explore some alternatives. My goal was to absolutely not sacrifice the quality that I like in the Bare Escentuals while allowing me to explore some alternatives. I'll document my findings here and then let you know how I like them in case you want to try them as you run out.

Overall, in my readings, Bare Escentuals is rated the single best brand out there especially their Mineral Veil loose powder. That said:

1. Foundation: Erth's offers an alternative and claims their colors to be inline with BE. They're found at Lushbrush.com . Reviews say their foundation is as good as BEs at half the cost. I'm trying the foundation and also ordered an angled eyeliner brush and a foundation brush since I haven't been happy with how the foundation brush that came with the kit has held up.

2. Some good mascara -- Research continues!

3. Some additional mineral makeup eyeshadows -- Research continues. You said you didn't care for the eyeshadows but I love them. I'd like some additional colors though.

4. New lipstick brand. I'm just tired of the drugstore brands. -- Research continues!

Good deal

I put you on the calendar and am sure looking forward to seeing your pretty face. I am sure that you will give me a time to be at the airport.

We got over 5 1/2 inches of rain before last night and it rained for several hours during the night. This moring all is sunny and I am off to join the quilt group.

I hope you have less work, work, work in the days ahead. Stop and "plant" some flowers so there will be some to smell later on!!!!

Done Deal

I booked tickets for the weekend of 19th. I fly in late afternoon on the 17th and will be returning on the afternoon of the 20th. Yay!

How was your class this weekend? Nothing but rain and work here.

Whoo Whoo

I am substituting in the 5th grade Sunday school class on April 6 and 13, which is a one-hour deal that you could participate in and might even enjoy a lot.Othen than that I have made no commitments, so pick a good time for you, book it and let me know.

I just got in from an 10 to 5:30 stint at the quilt show and my feet are saying "put me up". I will write later with more information about the class tomorrow.

Thrilled at the prospect of seeing my favorite daughter.

April showers....

bring daughters? Southwest is running a good ticket sale if I travel in the month of April. How would that be for a long weekend visit? Any dates I should avoid or preferences as to weekend? Probably be a fly in later Thursday and return on Sunday evening.

You're taking a hypertufa class! I posted a few back about the stones I wanted to make and that took me to some articles on doing hypertufa. I was curious if you'd ever done it and thought I'd ask but decided against it thinking it'd be something you'd be totally uninterested in. Apparently I was totally wrong about that! I absolutely want to hear about the class and what you think. And had some questions that maybe you'll be able to answer after the class. What are you going to make? I love the way that stuff looks.

I haven't ordered from High Country. I got their catalog after you told me about them and agree that their stuff is gorgeous. I'm pleased to hear they seem to have good quality goods. I'm still being pretty resolute about keeping my plant buying hands in my pockets for now and really focusing on reworking that patio/deck/slope area with hardscape before I do any more plant landscaping.

Mail order plants

I just got my order from High Country Gardens. I unpacked them and set them outside to acclimate before I plant them. I was very impressed with the quality and now I am headed to read the planting guide. Have you ordered from them before? Do you have their catalog? If now you might want to order one just to drool.


The yard guys came and did the spring clean up today and I had them trim the hedges between my yard and Vans. It looks so much better. I also had them trim up the hedge at the corner of the house. That also is much improved.

Saturday Sassiness

I am sitting here wishing that my fairy godmother would drop a truck load of high grade composted dirt and a couple of pallets of stone in my yard. The work is good to do, it is the gathering of materials that is the pain. Your goals for this year sound do-able if somewhat ambitious. I hope you will keep me posted on your progress.

To look out the window one would think that it was an ideal day to be outside in the yard with all the sunshine, but it is pretty cool (some might even say cold) out there. I therefore I heading to my sewing machine for an alternate plan. A quick trip around the yard did reveal that I have lots of little weeds that need the hoe's attention before they get a firm hold. I have done this twice, but more have popped up.

This coming week is going to be busy for me. Kay and Lois want to go to the movie Thursday. I have begged off the last two times, so feel like I need to go. I enjoy their company, but it is always a movie! Friday is the Dallas quilt show (yea) and Saturday I take the hypertufa concrete container class (double Yea). I envision making several for the yard.

As you see I have no real news, so guess that I had better get busy on today's chores.

Insert Clever Title Here

Hope you're huddled in a nice warm house with good doggie companionship! I just have nothing to share here. I haven't been able to work outside at all and probably won't be able to this weekend. We have rain and cold forecast for the weekend. If you're getting snow in zone 7, us ol' zone 5 folks don't have much of a chance!

Traditionally though, this is about the last week we tend to have this kind of weather. Mid-March is when things start warming up a bit. Even more importantly, March 15 is when the weekly brush pickup service starts again. Whoo! This means I can start cleaning beds out. I'm trying very hard to keep my hands in my pockets on plants this year. I know I want to add some shrubs and at least 3 trees but outside of that, I'm going to try very very hard to plant perennials according to some plan and the plan this year is to get the front half of the backyard in place.

I'm taking your advice and picking the area that drives me crazy the most and tackling it. That's the "front" quarter of my backyard around the tiny patio and deck. I know what I want to do with the hardscaping and I think I know what I want to do with that 20% slice of the yard. I think I want to visually or physically break it off to create a garden room effect to sit outside and enjoy. My challenge is these sections are the worst areas we have for slopes--both front to back and side to side.

However, I need to get the hardscaping in place first. So that means few perennial plantings this spring. I'll add some annuals and seeds just for color but I'm focusing bones. It also means I'm having to ignore my garden catalogs because they are too enticing!

I'm sure eager to get started on all this. I think I can handle it as I'm pretty sure I can manage to lay dry stone. Just going to be a lot of good old sweat equity but I can handle that.

Snow and ice

We received our annual snow/ice fall of about 3/4 inches in the Garland area, but much more out toward DFW and McKinney, Denton, etc. Of course the TV went into its normal round-the-clock reporting of weather related news and accidents started popping up everywhere. It is pretty predictable stuff, but it is nice to be able to snuggle inside and not have to deal with any of it.

I did put some suet out for the poor birds that were basking just the day before on fat juicy worms and bugs in weather that was close to 80 degrees. We had about 12 hours of cold rain that preceded the ice/snow, so I know that they must have been miserable. With the coming of the sun this morning the air is filled with birdsong and I bet that they are thrilled to be able to at least get dry.

I am so tempted to rush to plant every year, but make myself be more patient and this last storm with its 20 degree weather reinforces that it is a good idea to wait until the end of March to plant. I am percolating some ideas for the side yard on the north side. Something has to be done as it is so low and also unsightly. In fact the entire left side of the yard needs lots of improvement. Wish you were here to lend designing ideas.

I hope the week end will allow you to play in the yard some and if not will offer some fun and relaxing opportunities.