Chatty Cathy will be filling in for Debra today.

Tom and I drove to the big city yesterday, otherwise known as Amherst, NY, and so, like, when did Barnes and Noble go from playing contemplative classical music to hair-ripping acid rock?? &*^%$. I bought a magazine, then got the heck out of there. Walked down to Target where it was blessedly quiet--no music! I bought a yogurt parfait, found a secluded, hall-like corner of their cafe and read in bliss.


Barnes and Noble--just so you know--Debra is upset with you.


After three hours, Tom picked me up and took me over to Pier One where I finally--finally!-- used my Christmas gift card from Naomi. What I bought is at the top of this post.

That glass-topped table is amazing. You can make it a plant stand, an end table, even a coffee table for the right sofa. Looks perfect in our house and I'd like three more, all different sizes. Did you spy the tiny bird? I may add more.

Anyway, the magazine I bought (splurged on... wasn't cheap) was Artful Blogging, something I bought for blogging inspiration. Wow, it provided that and I recommend it if you're considering quitting blogging, questioning why you ever began, or if you enjoy art and photography or are looking for cool blog ideas and new blogs to peruse. It's all in there and perhaps it will keep you from bailing out of Blogland.

Oh, and (total switch of gears) I forgot to tell you... Where my garden is currently, next year I hope to build (or have built) a picket fence like this around it:



... and then plant gobs and gobs of flowers inside. Huge, tall flowers which grow high above the pickets. Then our neighbor can spray his chemicals all he wants since Tom and I do not eat flowers. Well, maybe not spray all he wants... sigh...

I am greatly anticipating making my own Secret Vegetable Garden out in the meadow next year. People say it will be hard--I disagree. Tom and I can make a couple simple frames, then we'll have a truck deliver some soil--back right up to the trees. I'll fill the boxes, I'll start small--did that before in our last yard and made four frames myself 22 years ago at the first house we bought.

I will prefer gardening back there because I will be hidden. Probably no one peeks out their windows at me now, but it feels like they do. I had 15 years of that in our last house (with its fenceless yard two feet away from the neighbors') and what I've longed for all along is privacy in my own back yard, where I can sit still for hours and stare at a green plant if I wish.

Finally I will have privacy. Just God, Grace and me back there in the meadow. I can't wait!


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Have some extra time? Here are a couple blogs from the aforementioned Artful Blogging:

Soule Mama --especially nice for those in the middle of their Mothering Years.
Raised In Cotton --amazing photography and crafts (may take a minute to load)