Howling Wind.

After a lovely warm and sunny weekend, we were struck down with a nasty storm that started last night with Tornado warnings, once again. The rain was off and on, the lightening bright and the thunder loud. And the wind howled for hours on end. Late at night, it tapered off a bit. We woke up this morning to a bit of sun. I had the day off, so my dh tucked me back in and off to work he went. I checked the sky (nice and blue) and closed my eyes to get a few more hours of sleep.

Just two hours later, I was woken up with another bout of howling wind. It's hard to see in the photo but the wind was once again wicked. And the rain poured and poured. I was going to work in the garden today but quickly changed my plans to tackle the tasks around the house that needed attention. Shower done, I made the bed, then put the first of four loads of laundry in. Re-organized the pantry, cleaned out the fridge, purged the laundry room, moved the pots of flowers and veggies on the veranda to the steps so they could enjoy the rain, gathered up the recycling, folded and put away laundry, re-organized our closet, the office including tons of paper work that needed to be sorted and filed, the linen closet, the guest room, the  mudroom and was about to work on the art studio when I looked out the window and saw that we had a tree down! I'll write another post tomorrow about our "tree drama" as it was quite the experience.

I was quite happy to be home today with the howling wind making the temperature so cool it felt like Fall. Happy to get caught up, happy to be safe and sound, and happy to have a day to myself. The storm finally ended late tonight and we even had about half an hour of sun before it set. It's calm outside, just the occasional drip from a tree branch. We're now tucked in to bed, windows opened just a few inches and the silence outside in incredible. Tonight, we're very grateful for the quiet.

Any storms in your region?

Was your day sunny or rainy?

It's Ed ....

.... while we're on the subject of Sunday

evenings and Game of Thrones, guess

who popped up on our screen last week

during the season opener for GoT?

Yup, that is Ed Sheeran and he did very 

well, in my honest opinion. I know there 

has been some controversy over his short

appearance on the show and I'm not really

understanding all the fuss. Many other

musical artists and groups have appeared

in episodes, some more than once. I truly

think everyone should just chill and enjoy.

We're off to see Ed perform in the Big City

on Tuesday night. Can't wait to hear my

favorites .... Castle on the Hill, Shape of

You, Galway Girl and Small Bump. It's going

 to be a great night and I'm really looking

forward to the fun we'll all have together.

Tornado Season.

It's 7:44 on Sunday evening and we are once

again under a Tornado Warning. Every July

we watch the skies and hope that the watches

and warnings never turn in to anything big.

Lots of close calls though like this picture

showing a touch down in the Big City next

to us. No damage as it just came down and

went right back up again. Still very scary.

The storm tonight interrupted our Game of

Thrones time, so we had to shut everything 

down and come up to read while it pours rain 

and thunders outside. The moisture is always 

welcome but the noise and the extravagant light 

shows can just go away. I'm really not a fan of this.

Do you get Tornadoes in your region?

How do you cope during the season?

Rainy Days.

After a couple of weeks of hot, dry weather and just a sprinkle of rain or two, it's been lovely to have some actual rainy days. The precipitation has cooled down the air and the moisture is, I'm sure a welcome gift to the wildlife and vegetation in our region. The province beside us is on fire and it's a scary time when it gets this hot. Structures are being burned to the ground and forests obliterated in moments. I hope that our rain will move to the West and douse the fires naturally. Send blessings.

I took a few pics the other night while closing up things for the night. The rain pitter pattered outside but inside was cozy and warm, inviting and calm. Our living room above. I'd like to find a nice soft rug to go in the middle. Not cover the whole floor, just a bit to offer a soft landing for tired feet at the end of the day. And we still need to figure out window coverings beyond the lace panels we have now. A work in progress. I know it will evolve in time.

The side table, comfy arm chair and my gramma's tea cart that sit in the bay window. I was gifted the tea cart not long after we moved out to the country. My mom had it in her little apartment but one day asked if we'd like to have it now. A sweet gift in the perfect spot in our home.

Looking from the living room in to the dining room, the light from the butler's pantry shines through. I'd love a rug here too, likely one that would match whatever we find for the living room. And of course, the same window coverings to keep things consistent. The bit of OCD in my little body would truthfully appreciate that. 

The "new to us but old to someone else vintage thrifted lamp" we bought last week for the also "new to us but old to someone else vintage side table" we bought the week before at the Antique Mall. 

Another thrifted find .... the heart shaped vintage chair we scored last year at the AM. I love this piece and it was so worth the price the vendor negotiated with us. 

The lamp sitting on top of the old victrola was the very first item we ever bought at the AM. It was upstairs, back in the corner of a very small and not really put together booth. Sitting on the floor with it's matching mate, we loved them right away. And at just $20 for both, we also knew that we were getting an amazing deal. The picture beside it was a $2 find from the thrift store ~ love the gilded frame. The little rabbit on the chair ~ another AM find for $8. And finally, the victrola we found online from a family that was moving from a community next to our County. We were the first to respond and made it out that night to pick it up. After we negotiated and made a deal, the family received quite a few inquiries and likely they could have received full price or even higher. One of our deals where it just all fell in to place. 

That's my rainy day tour to show you how soft the light comes through the lacy windows when it rains outside. I'm grateful for the cooling mist, a warm place to call home, a cozy neighborhood and a free country. I hope you feel this in your heart too, wherever you live. 

Summer Wreath.

I love having a wreath on the front door. It either tells the season we are in or a special day. Recently I visited our local charity shop to search for a small wreath for the little door on our potting shed. This one caught my eye and for $5, I was happy to give it a new home. But when I got it out to the shed, it was just a bit too big for the small door. I'm still searching for a smaller wreath but the new one didn't go to waste. I love that if fit the front door just fine and brings together our colors of lavender, sage and ivory. It wasn't meant to be for the shed but it was definitely meant to be for the cottage. A great find.

Bedtime Snack.

When I was a kid growing up, we were allowed to have a small "bedtime snack" before going to sleep. Fruit or a veggie, sometimes a cookie. Small but enough to help us get to sleep faster. As an adult, I still do this. I know it's always suggested to not eat after 7 p.m. but I have to eat something every few hours or I get very shaky. So a bedtime snack helps me sleep and I'm less hungry in the morning. Here's my latest favorite snack to munch on: small organic cheezies and fresh green grapes.

Do you enjoy a bedtime snack?

If so, what is your favorite?

Our Little Garden.

The view from our front door.

On the back deck.

A close up of the big pot.

And the smaller one.

Welcome July.

The year is half gone already.

Enjoying our sunny, warm days.