Thursday, June 13, 2019

What's Going On Around Here?

I thought I'd give you an update on what's been going on around here. Nothing in itself is worthy of a whole blog post but I thought you might like to see. 


I really thought I might be getting a bicycle for my 60th birthday. Actually, I thought I'd get one for the last three birthdays and Christmases. I mentioned it to Bill. He was astounded that I wanted a bike. He's wanted me to ride with him for a long time. 
 Dixie and I have started walking again but I really wanted to get over my fear of bicycling. 



We picked out a darling blue Townie. It's the same color as the Schwinn that I got when I was nine or ten. It has to do more than look cute, however. 
Bill says that it is going better than he expected. I do okay on a wide street but I get a little nervous with boundaries like sidewalks or people passing me. 
I also think I need some practice stopping. I have a tendency to turn the handlebars slightly in the direction of which brake I'm using. Bill has a fix for that. I don't ride when he's not home so I'll try out his fix this weekend. 
So far it's going well. I feel muscles I haven't used in a while. 

I made a quilt. I haven't quilted in years. 


It's all machine stitched and tied but it was so much fun and I love the fun color on our bed. 
I have been collecting reds for my next quilt. 
Each fabric will be in a block with white. There will be white borders in between and all around the squares. I think I have enough fabric. I just need to pick out the pattern. 


Lots of pops of red have been added to our space. 


Over the years we have purged quite a bit. Favorite or family pieces were kept for the day that red came back around in the rotation. 
Gold accents have made a comeback too. The wonderful old, red books had been in the bookcase in the office. 


There is not a ton blooming in the yard but it was fun picking a few things for an arrangement. 
I'm loving the red dishes in the kitchen. A few little daisy sprigs are dotted here and there. 


Something was eating my cone flowers. We had one of the topiaries. I made the other out of a tomato cage and some chicken wire. We got the chicken wire at a church rummage sale for $2.00.  


The daylilies have been abysmal the last few years. Finally, we had a two nice blooms yesterday. I long for a large bed of them that bloom abundantly. We used to have that. Our original bulbs came from my aunt about 30 years ago. 
Cone flower seeds are in the refrigerator pretending it's winter. 


I hope this works. I figure if it does, they will have plenty of growth time before fall. 
Texas has a long growing season -like loooong. Not to brag though. 
I've added some other perennials to my beds. I hope they take. 

I picked up a couple of goodies at the thrift store recently. 
This red and navy enamel pot was fun. Momma goose and babies - not so much. 
They scraped off after a soak in hot water. I send my sincerest apologies to the 80's artist that painted these. 


I also found these amazing Le Creuset soup bowls with lids. They were $6.00. The color matches my enamel stock pot. 


Our bathroom has had its sixth birthday. I freshened it up with a good cleaning and the valances that were in the kitchen. I'm still pleased with the choices we made. It's very classic and I think we choose well with the help of my good friend, Kim.
 I adore my bathtub and use it daily. 


The downstairs shower got a new shower head and tub spout. There was something wrong with the old. The shower head dripped when the tub was on. We got one with a hand nozzle so that I can wash my feet (which happens numerous times a day in the summer) and wash the dog. This is by Water Pik and it's plastic but it was affordable.
Dixie is super excited about her next bath, which she needed a month ago. 


I straighten up the laundry room and shared an Instagram story. 
Instagram is down for the time being but search for Let's Add Sprinkles and you should find my page. I'm not sure why gaining followers is so difficult on that platform. I'd love for you to follow me there for more up to date activities. 



My tiered tray is really cute right now with pops of red. The mini jam jar was from our trip to the U.K. I washed it out in the hotel bathroom. 


That's about it for now. 
Just some housekeeping. I'm having trouble getting your comments to my email. Please know that I'd love to reply to each one. A lot of blogs are saying "no reply".  I'd reply on the actual comment on each blog post but that requires a trip back to the post for the reader and I doubt anyone does that. 

I'm really sad about the state of Link Parties. It looks like French Country Cottage has called it quits on hers too. I wonder if their pageviews are down since they quit hosting. Mine are since they all bailed. I'm trying to get on a good schedule of linking my posts to new parties but I get busy and forget all of the times they start. I've been setting a daily alarm for different blogs. 

I'm getting almost no traffic from Pinterest and it used to be a pretty good source for me particularly in the summer.  
These huge sites with their "25 this and 75 that" posts always take top billing. My stock tank photo was stolen by a couple of sites but those posts have since been taken down. I didn't report them. I should have but someone else must have. It's easy sitting at a computer stealing everyone's intellectual property. 

Anyway - all that to say. This blogging world is a little uncertain right now. These are all snaps from my iPhone because getting out the big camera seems like a pain. 
I still love chatting with you and visiting you all when I can. 
I appreciate it every time you stop by even when I'm grouchy. 
Haha. 
Have a fabulous day and I know you will make it beautiful. 
Katie


Monday:  Our Home Away From Home  (Mondays @ 8) Stone Cottage Adventures Monday @ 5:00




11 comments :

  1. We all get grouchy and burn out on occassion. I'm just back into the blogging world myself. And my camera battery is charging for the first time in months. We all go through it. You'll come through. And your phone pics are beautiful :)

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  2. I love this post Katie! Everything you are doing is interesting and I love your blog. Love the bike and happy you are riding. Love the red, I also just read your red decor post, so many cute finds and displays.

    I love hosting TFT and cannot understand why all the big parties are stopping, but it has definitely hurt my traffic, and I seeing the same problems with IG and Pinterest. I love blogging so I am trying not to let it get me down.

    Thanks for sharing this post at TFT!

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  3. Loved your posts and this one brings back memories of my bike. I would love to do that again. Your quilt is so cute and love the red in it.

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  4. hi katie, i love that scale and I appreciate your comments. I hope the little blogs keep fighting because after awhile I just unfollow the glossy, magazine worthy blogs because they are not real life! I want the mess. xo laura

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  5. Loving the bike so cute and great color. Take your time learning. Once over the fear you never forget how to ride one.

    Your red touches are pretty.

    Pinky parties are fading. I have blogged for 7 years. Was out 3 years due to health.

    I'm learning many things now that I'm back regularly. I have found new blogs from Instagram that are very welcoming.

    I'm not a social media hound at all Parties are out there. Maybe in a few weeks I will touch vase on parties.

    It became all about money for some of the bigger party blogs. I noticed their followers have dropped. Blogging isn't about perfect pictures. It's more than that.

    Being back I'm determined to get blogging back f ouu r us who love the community. Things change but don't have to disappear.

    Keep posting you are one that I found and follow constantly..

    Hang in with me

    Cindy

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  6. So sorry you get frustrated with your blogging experience. I love seeing yours and the other smaller, less magazine-y types. Give me real life anytime. I don't follow Instagram because if I did, I would be sitting at this computer all day. I have my blog favorites that come to my email and while I spend too much time on them, I just can't justify the time that IG requires to keep up. Please continue to send your blog by email. I would miss it terribly.

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  7. Katie,
    I too am riding a bike but a stationary one that is. I am now up to 20 minutes on the bike after my knee surgery and I am walking for about 15 minutes which is more walking than I was able to do in years because of my knee .I LOVE all the pops of red that you have added....I have noticed ore parties ending but I have also found some new parties to replace them.My traffic remains the same but I am not concerned with it because I do not advertise on my blog. I don't post a lot of pinterest except for my own use to remember things that I like or want to do.I don't do instagram. I blog for me and as a creative outlet for me.....
    Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by!!Good luck with your bike riding. I spent many hours on a bike riding all over with I was in Jr. High and High school...
    Hugs,
    Deb

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  8. Katie, you have been doing things lately. Your bike is really pretty. I haven't ridden a bike in years. I don't have one anymore. When I did ride I always had trouble going between things or close to things. I would start to lose my balance. I try to walk as much as I can, but the old girl is slowing down, as much as I hate to admit it. Everyone that comments on my blog posts now are all no-reply. I have no idea why as they never used to be. Do I come to you as a no-reply? I didn't change a darn thing. Since I always go to a person's blog that comments to me anyway, I have just been thanking them at that time. If I have commented on their post already, I just go back again and add another message. It can seem like an overload when they only post once in awhile but always visit me. I'm not even going to try to figure anything out. Doesn't matter if you do because it just changes again as if by magic!! I only attend your party and one other. I don't know if the parties help or not. I have been getting a few more followers and a lot of views but the comments stay pretty much the same. You know I am always late arriving to your party, because of the time I write mine and the time you come up. I will just keep plugging along because I really do enjoy it..Happy Weekend..Judy

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  9. Hi Katie,
    I love your bike and I am thinking of getting one when we get moved into the new house. I have wanted one for awhile too. Have a great weekend.
    Kris

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  10. I love your bike, Katie! It looks so pretty with the flower-filled basket. Your newly made quilt is so nice on your bed, and I like the red fabrics you picked for the one that you want to make. All your red touches around your home look perfect. I am loving your pretty bathtub, too, as I'm a bathtub kinda girl!

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  11. Back again to let you know I added your link under your feature at today's TFT party, so sorry I forgot! I actually was going back and forth between featuring your post about red and this one, and your patriotic banner and I guess I just got sidetracked and forgot to add it, so sorry! I love all your posts!

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