Some very important news for Bloggers you'd better read here now!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

A few announcements here for those of you who aren't aware:

You'll want to go visit my Pinterest page as I now have over 8,300 photos on there that aren't on here yet. You'll not be soooorrrrry, I promise. ;-)

Then the biggest announcement is from Google: Google Reader will no longer be available starting July 1, 2013. I suppose you won't see it on any sidebar after that. That's a huge announcement for us bloggers who have followings. You'll no longer be able to find us on Google Reader or follow on Google Reader. It's going to be gone. We, in the blogging community, have been searching for other places to find and "store" the names of our favorite blogs. I've selected Bloglovin' and it looks pretty good, nothing like GR but it will do for me as I don't follow hundreds of blogs like some people do. I simply don't have time. You could just "bookmark" them on your browser but that won't tell you if there's an update on a blog; you'd just have to click to each one daily. That's a hassle I know but there's nothing to be done about it. It's very disappointing to us who have blogs as we won't be able to see who follows us but it's also disappointing to those of you who love to read updates on blogs. But with Bloglovin' I think that it will be able to do all Google Reader does: updates each new post, you can see followers if you're a blogger. AND I'd advise you to get busy on it immediately because if you have many blogs to follow, it just might take you a while to transfer them all over to the new application, especially if you're not computer savvy.

But Bloglovin' updates every single time you post and you'll recognize it on your browser, where an "add-on"(a little white cross on a blue background) is put up in the corner. So to join and follow or be followed just click on the button up on the right just above my About Me and it'll take you to Bloglovin' to follow me or to start using it for your own followers. Really quite simple. Here is a screenshot of my browser navigation bar but it's really very tiny. You can see it on the far right hand side with the red line I put on there to mark it for you to see. Very easy. That little cross will have a number in it for each that are updated that day.

I hope this helps you. I've tested many before deciding on this one. Some are, to me, a bit complicated. This one is easy.
*

The other day hubs was home and answered the phone. I was in the potty and he brought it in to me sitting there. I told him I didn't talk on the phone while sitting on the toilet! There are some things I'd rather do in peace and quiet and not be bothered. I'm sure some of the teenagers and younger moms and dads do it as it's socially acceptable. It isn't to this woman! I want my privacy some places and the bath is one of them.
*

Blog hopping the other day from my granddaughter's facebook page. She has designers and things that she would like for her house on her facebook page. I clicked on a few things but when I went to this one blogger who is a decorator for homes I noticed she had 87,000,000 hits on her page!!! 87 million. Biggest hits on a page I've ever seen. WOW.

Then I found some really popular blogs. Here are the numbers of the most popular blogs' followers. I'd hate to see how many "hits" their pages get.
117,043
147,321
155,818
165,288
172,502
256,793
*

I love the color in this stair landing.

And in this living room.

I'd wish for an island like this one but hubs would then insist I cook more. Ain't happening, chicks!

A flower vignette with gorgeous blue bottles and containers.

Red is very "in" in this room. Love it.

Pretty entrance.

A gorgeous English garden and old stone home.

This is another gorgeous living room.

Pretty stone steps with violets.

More roses for ya!

I think this is a stunning photograph of zinnias.

Another gorgeous dining area in a lovely cottage.

And this one also!

A cute idea. Paint some old suitcases found at garage sales and stack them for a bedside table or a living room side table. I have done this before and loved it. Suitcases costs me from 50¢ up to $2.00 at garage sales. Very cheap.

My kind of porch or patio.

*

Tidbit:
The Tennessee capitol building's architect is entombed within its northeast wall.

Tidbit:
Our state is #1!
 
K, L and M states

Kansas:
Helium manufacturing
Obsolete bridges still in use

Kentucky:
Horse breeding
Deaths from smoking

Louisiana:
Affordable hospitals
Gonorrhea and syphilis

Maine:
Youngest median age
Per capita rate of asthma

Maryland:
HIgh school students who take college-level courses
Movie bootlegging

Massachusetts:
Adults with college degrees
Government health care spending

Michigan:
Navy bean production
Unemployment

Minnesota:
Per capita rate of preventive colonoscopies
Tornadoes

Mississippi:
Wetland restoration and preservation projects
Obesity

Missouri:
Sport hunting
Meth labs

Montana:
Number of restaurants per capita
Drunk driving
 ~*~

Linking up with NMH Open House Party.

Read more »

Rambling Again Today

I didn't have much to talk about today so I'll just ramble with some things that I've noted recently.

At Sundance this year some talent agency executives were "treated" to bawdy shows. Most of them were stymied and disgusted with what had been planned for their "entertainment." The acts were so lewd I can't print them here as I don't use those types of words in my daily activities, but let me just say they were lewd and disgusting. Probably some of those men and women brought their kids there for fun, vacation and skiing. Now, these acts were there for all to see. Again, I have to ask: what is our world coming to? That's despicable and low-life in my opinion. Is that the way the world has drifted—so far from morality to degeneracy? I fear for the young people being born and brought up today. Our church leaders have told us civilization is now worse than in the biblical day of old. I hesitate to mention the times because that might draw the p*rv*ts here and I won't do that. Don't tell me the times are changing; good morals don't change. Sickening in my opinion!
*

Then I read in the news where the Japanese Minister said to just let old people die as they're taking up room and food from other people. I simply find some statements hard to believe; this is one of them. Hubs said we should just let him, the Japanese Minister, die in a few years then. Disgusting. People are put on this earth for a purpose. Let's let God decide when their time is up, not the government.
*

Then there is a comic book character that some are saying might be gay. It's a comic book character!!!! What in the world are they talking about? Just stymies me. I am not homophobic; I'm a logical down-to-earth woman. It's a comic book character, people!
*

 I had a blogger tell me that Europeans know more than one language. Well, some Americans do, too. I'm familiar with several languages as I took them in high school and college; but I don't speak them well enough to converse a great deal. But if you know one foreign language you can read some books and understand them. Some words are easily recognized in other languages. My heritage is Dutch, German, Mexican, French but I am an American through and through. English is from Germanic languages and not the Latin or Romantic languages. But all languages are similar in writing except the Greek or Cyrillic alphabets.
*

Something extraordinary is happening to me. I've light ash-brown hair all of my adult life. Oh, I've bleached it a couple of times, mainly in my twenties but I stopped after a few years. I loved the look of gray hair or a champagne beige, still do. I started getting a few gray hairs just above my forehead in my middle sixties on my right side. (If you look at my sidebar you'll see me in various hair shades through the years. The one of me in 1984 with the apple on my cheek (done by one of the men in my tech forums) looks dark but that's because it's a passport photo. It wasn't really that dark but still a light ash-brown.

Well, lately, my gray hair is coming in at its natural color! I absolutely love gray hair and wanted it all to go gray but it never has, just that small section on my right side. Even hubs thinks the gray is going. My friend has the most gorgeous gray hair and she's 15 years younger than me. I've always admired her hair. But has anyone heard of gray hair reversing itself? It has stymied me.
*

If hubs had this, I might enjoy camping. But then again, nah, I'd still have to go to the woods.

Or even this! Love the ruffles and decor.

A round table in a camper? I've never seen that before.

This looks like a party place. How sweet.

All dressed up in pink.

Red and bright pink with polka dots.

Now this is elegance with a footstool and 2 "couches" to relax on.

This one looks pretty dang big!

I dearly love red and white checks mixed with a toile like this room. Any kid or teenager would love it.

Pretty little vintage tins and pot.

Another homeowner with an overhead pot holder. I like what she's done with it though better than mine. I may have to redecorate it soon.

Just real eye candy for ya.

Yum!

This looks so Christmas-y I had to show you its cuteness.

Our Albertsons pharmacy looks nothing like this cute one in France.

*

Tidbit:
Switzerland's sick are hospitalized longer than any other country's: 9+ days on average.
~*~

Read more »

A Few Thoughts On My Photos

Several people have asked me where I find my photos. Well, I've answered that on a post here. Check it out. But I will elaborate on a few things. One question is how or why I select the pictures.

That's a bit tough to explain but I'll try. First of all, pink is a qualifier. Second, roses and/or flowers are another qualifier. Then it goes on from there.

I do not like orange in the least bit. I have a Liz Claiborne blouse that has orange in it but it has other colors overpowering it. I love that blouse, but actually, it's too small at the moment but I hope to someday be able to wear it again. (Don't we all say that?) Anyway, it's absolutely stunning and when I unpack it from the garage attic—someday in the future—I'll photograph it and show you. So not liking orange determines that I'll rarely show much of that color. It brings a truly negative feeling to me. I don't really know why but I have a suspicion, and no, I'm not revealing it. Nothing traumatic or tragic.

Then, there's what I am doing at the moment as another qualifier. If I'm trying to buy a new sofa, then I'll look all over the internet at sofas or rooms.

There's also the feeling that one photo might bring to me. Perhaps just something in it will haunt me until I put it in my folder for photos, which I call "Unfinished". Then when I've Photoshopped it a bit, it goes into the folder on my desktop called "Pinks". It is then uploaded to Photobucket. Perhaps a froufrou lamp or an ottoman or just the photographer's skill in doing a great photo shoot. Laundry on a line is another thing I love, along with lace and terrific views out a window and windows. Sometimes it's as simple as seeing a Mac computer. When I see a Mac than I know that person is intelligent. :-) As only intelligent people buy Macs. :-) As they say: I have to kiss a lot of frogs to get my prince—meaning photos.

I also don't show the upper- or high-end homes much. While we all love to see exquisite homes, there aren't many of us that will ever have those. I'm one of those and that doesn't bother me one bit. They're still fantastic to view. But I prefer "normal" everyday homes. It seems more real to most of us. I think we all prefer reality to fantasy. I do! I don't dream big.

I'm really a simple girl; although, a lot of people would disagree with me. They truly don't understand my heart or what makes me tick. I have very few "best friends" as I'm very picky. I have a lot of acquaintances. That's a huge difference in my book. Hubs is my bestest friend and I can tell him just about anything and know it's safe.

As a simple girl, I love simple things like decorated bottles, beautiful rooms—this does not mean elaborate or expensive. Just beautiful. Most rooms I see on a regular basis are what I call "couch potato" rooms. The television is directly across from the sofa and all the chairs in the room face the television also. That would never happen in this house. All the chairs are grouped for conversation. I talk to people. (That doesn't lend itself to me being able to pronounce the name of the latest middle east despot but I don't care one whit as their names are unpronounceable anyway.) I don't have them over to watch anything, especially since we have no television. We read a lot! I'm an avid reader of fiction books.

Another darling home in the French countryside.

This caught my eye very quickly.

More froufrou for you to see.

I don't know why but these walls look pink to me so here they are. Like this room a great deal but I'd do something more with those lamps.

What's not to like about this bed? Lovely!

How do the people in this country drive on the streets? They are so narrow and the buildings and flora are right on the street.

You knew I wouldn't resist this pink door, right?

A darling European kitchen. See, we chicks are so different even when we're from different countries. However, is that knife holder making a statement from the woman of the house? ;-)

Lovely vintage, rustic birdhouse.

Pretty wallpaper border.

Yep, yet another getaway for ya. Hubs has been wanting to buy one of those large umbrellas. I just may let him next year. Then I'll throw some netting over it and sit outside under it. I don't do sun! My granddaughter and I are exactly alike with the same pale coloring. My only coloring? Age spots!

I wish I had found this old cupboard. Adorable.

Cute eye candy.

You know this isn't anywhere in the U.S., right?

I could vacation here...if I didn't have to fly to get there.

~*~

Read more »

A Story About Cotton Sheets

First of all, yeah, yeah, I know, another "first of all" but I think you'll like this one.

I have had so many bloggers email me and ask about my photos. Now, I am NOT going to give my sources; you'll have to figure out your own sources. But I will tell you that I'm in the process of loading a lot of them to a website for you to view. I have well over 14,000 of them so far. I only post about 15 on each blog post. I truly want to share with you and you can grab any you want. I don't care one bit. I am truly, truly excited to share with you but it will take me a long time. So I'm dedicating the time in putting them somewhere that you can view them without all my talking; although, many of you like the stories as much as the photos. I'll let you know when I have a good amount uploaded to the site. I can do that a lot faster than a blog post. But trust me, it's going to take a while to do them. Just keep reading and I'll tell you when.


Oh, and another thing. I just had surgery on my left hand last week and am having to curtail my keyboarding for a bit till it heals, but I'm scheduled out for several weeks so not to worry.
*

I love cotton sheets. My daughter even bought some 600-count cotton sheets for one of her guest rooms for when we visit her. They are worth the money. I will only buy cotton for my bed. My feet especially can tell the difference. They are the best and, therein, lies a story.

I told this to a "thrifty" friend of mine about 12 years ago. Thrifty meaning cheap. ;-) Loved that woman but she was cheap. She would always, and I mean always, buy the cheapest brand, something I wasn't used to. I mean it's not my deciding factor with a lot of things, especially sheets. She had purchased 50%  cotton/50% polyester sheets all her life.

Anyway, she heeded my advice and finally got some 100% cotton sheets. She put them on her bed and when it came time to wash them, she did. She called me and said, "How do I get the wrinkles out?" Well, for me, wrinkles weren't a problem. I said she could iron them or just put them on the bed. I could tell over the telephone she was disgusted, having never thought of wrinkling. I just take mine out of the dryer, fold them as carefully as possible and put them in the linen closet. (And, yes, I used to iron them, but gave that up about 10 years ago.) I think she threw them in the garbage! I would have bought them from her. What a waste. But I love the cottony feel of them on my body and, yes, I can tell the difference in the 100% and the 50/50. To me, it's a no brainer! She moved away right after we moved to this town. I doubt she's ever forgiven me.
*

This was one of my favorite rooms during the 90s. I don't know why as I'm not a person partial to brown or beige but the yellow walls just entranced me. Plus the black of the coffee table was beautiful. Just a very elegant room.

I've stated before how I love this kind of shower, one that doesn't need a door or a curtain. I love the whole design of this bathroom.

This is a house owned by Sister Parrish, one of the foremost designers of the last century. (For those of you younger people, that's the 1900s, not the 2000s!) I loved her casualness of an elegant room. Absolutely divine! She gave me so many ideas my head just swam.

Even back in the 1970s, 80s and 90s people wanted an elegant/rustic getaway.

When I saw this photo in a magazine I wanted immediately to have a spot in a room like this.

Plus, even back then, women wanted an elegant outdoor room to entertain.

It was even back then I recognized the beauty of leather pieces in a room.

Pink was "in" by several innovative women. I could see the future of that color back then.

This was one my one all-time favorite rooms also. I loved the pink, red and yellow together. It would be years before I caught the "vision" though. ;-)

Here again, the vivid reds and yellows brought into a room by the innovative use of a collection of magazines. All in all, a lovely, festive and cutesy room.

Coming upon the Christmas season, I thought I'd show you just a few photos from a Christmas room in the 90s.

How about that lighthouse? Is that cute or what?!

Lucky is the person who can have a room dedicated to the colors of the holiday season all year round. Same room as above.

I've always adored this tiny cottage kitchen area.

With this photo I caught the "animal skin" craze. I started making pillows with leopard print fabrics. Remember that? Sigh...

 *

Keep calm and glitter, glow or sparkle! ;-)

Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact.
~*~
Linking up with WOW. 

Read more »