Mimi Sue's Cottage

A home is much more than a house built of lumber, brick, or stone. A home is made of love, sacrifice, and respect. We are responsible for the homes we build. We must build wisely, for eternity is not a short voyage. There will be calm and wind, sunlight and shadows, joy and sorrow. But if we really try, our home can be a bit of heaven here on earth. Thomas S Monson







Sunday, May 31, 2009

Porch Party

Welcome to my porch! Rhondi's having another big porch party this year so don't miss out. Go on over and check out all the festivities. She even made you some refreshments. Our little porch at Mimi's Cottage is all ready for summer.



We can't plant any annuals here in northern Utah until May 15th. We can still get a hard frost and there goes all your hard work, so these little plants were just planted. Don't worry, they'll grow and fill the pot in another month.


Have a seat in one of the rocking chairs...



or on the new porch swing the mister installed last week. Love my funeral basket. That red vintage cooler was used for milk that was delivered to your door. I found it at a thrift store.




My little goat wagon was a birthday gift from the mister a few years ago.


I usually hang a boston fern on this old birdcage stand. This year I'm trying an ivy plant instead.



A "bouquet" of flags in a sap bucket.

Thanks for stopping by. There are still a lot of porches to visit, so have fun and come back soon.

Sunday Sayings

"If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right."
Henry Ford

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Window Boxes

While the mister and I were on our fun cruise look what the Fed Ex man brought! The window boxes I ordered from Vermont. Tina, at Cherry Hill Cottage, did a post on her new window boxes so I went on over to have a look. Made of cedar, painted any color, any size, reasonable prices, free shipping. Could we have built these ourselves? Yes, but we have so many other things on our list that we decided we'd just go for it.

They had several different styles...


Love them and from the time I ordered them online until they were delivered only took about a week. Thank you Cilibertos!

I've been assigned to make the punch for a baby shower on Saturday. I'm making homemade strawberry lemonade with lemonade-heart shaped-ice cubes.

While I'm making dozens of lemonade cubes (got the mold at IKEA), the mister hung the porch swing. Don't you just love a man on a ladder? Tomorrow I'm foofing up the porch because I'm going to Rhondi's Porch Party next week. I'm on my way to the craft room to start making some pillows for the swing.


Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Oh, Canada

The first stop we made on our wonderful cruise was Victoria, BC. We got off the ship and went directly to Butchart Gardens. GORGEOUS!


We were lucky enough to be their when the tulips were blooming. In June the roses will be at their peak.








Camelias...



It was just a little rainy, really a light mist.










They employ 650 gardeners in the summer. They planted the tops of the trash cans...


The next day, Vancouver...


An angel taking a railroad worker to heaven...

Cute shops in the Gastown district...



A steam operated clock. This fascinated the mister...


The canadians are very kind to their four legged friends...


We had a wonderful time with our friends. Now back to working on the house.

Monday, May 25, 2009

Memorial Day

Today is a day to remember those who sacrificed so much for our freedom. I hope that we never take that freedom for granted. Happy Memorial Day to all of you. Mimi

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Sunday Sayings

"The patriot's blood is the seed of freedom's tree."
Thomas Campbell

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Thank You H1N1

I don't know if you've noticed but I haven't been commenting much lately. The reason is the Mister and I have been on another cruise. Very last minute, but very fun. A friend of ours gave us a call and told us about the Carnival Splendor that was scheduled to go to the Mexican Riviera. The ports had been closed because of the flu so they were rerouting to Canada. Many of their passengers didn't want to go to Canada and canceled. If we could get our ducks in a row, we could cruise for seven nights to Victoria and Vancouver for $199.00! AND since the mister is a veteran for $4.00 more we could have a balcony room. Woohoo!! The daughter #1 and her little family came over to dog sit and water our newly planted lawn. We threw some clothes in a bag, got some great deals on some Jet Blue flights and off we went.

Carnival's largest ship...



The length of three football fields...

The view from our balcony...(that's a towel monkey hanging from the curtain)



Water slide...

They had three big pools, and an outdoor (under a dome) movie theater...

Every evening we came back to our room and found one of these.
I asked the mister if he wouldn't mind learning how to make these towel animals. I wanted one by my sink every day, not just on cruises. He said he'd put it on his list of things to do. He said it's number 4,987.
We had wonderful food, of course, and a singing Maitre D. He sounded a lot like Frank Sinatra, only Irish.

The bonus was while we were in Southern California we got to go see the sweetpeas.




This work of art is entitled "Thumbelina's Garden". Brilliant use of color. And Q tips.

As much as I like to get away, I really love being home. And this is what we came home to.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Mimi Sue Blocks

I've been meaning to show you what my dear blogging friend Janis made for me for Mother's Day. Mimi Sue blocks! All the precious grandchildren
Pictures printed, and modpodged, and antiqued, and ribboned. So cute. Thank you so much Janis!