Friends, friends, friends – After a brutal winter with lots of cancellations, I am spending time with friends I haven’t seen in a while. It’s nice to reconnect and catch up. For me it’s always amazing how much time has gone by since I met them. Children are grown. Grandkids pop up. Parents pass. Time flies. Of course I remain the same!
Last year the deer enjoyed the pond flowers! This was taken with a night security camera.
Beware of what you print – I have new readers! In last week’s random 5 I talked about the one volunteer red day lily that the deer have not found and eaten. The deer read my blog. That lily along with several of the surrounding yellow ones which they don’t normally eat, were gone that night. From now on I’ll be editing this blog to be sure there is nothing that I don’t want the deer to know.
Lagging energy – We have been in this house 13 years. There are a few rooms that should be repainted. In the past, that was always exciting. It’s a chance to update colors and try new ideas. Nowadays it’s more like, how can I clean this to get another year out of it. Perhaps if I start small, maybe with the back hallway, I will get the spirit.
Source: smartgroupbuilder.com
On the other hand – I wish I could blow out my kitchen to create a more open area. Of course I could, but I’d like to do it with minimal dirt and money. I already know that never works. The smallest projects are annoying and expensive, let alone knocking out walls or whatever it would take. Some dreams do better on the back burner at least until we win the lottery.
Beauty – This is a wonderful time of the year. Many perennial flowers start their bloom in June. Rain has been ample. Deer have not yet trampled everything. Grass is green. It’s a great time to enjoy the great outdoors.
So how was your week?
Views and Mews by Coffee Kat 
I am so with you on wanting new additions to the home, but without inconvenience or dirt. My hubby is planning some sort of project. He knows how much I hate it while it’s happening so he’ll wait for me to go to the store and I’ll come home to a missing wall. This has happened more than once!
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Reminds me of my ex-husband. We lived in a very 50s home that we put a big addition on. After that was done, the other two bedrooms were in dire need of redoing. He didn’t want to do it at the time so I pulled off the wallpaper and repainted while he was out of town on a business trip. He was grateful that I did it like that because he wasn’t involved in any way and that’s what he really wanted. Current husband (or I) can’t do that because we are both around all the time so we have to agree. Usually it’s me prodding the process.
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I came home from work yesterday and he was sitting at the dining room table with a giant sketch pad, rulers, pencils & erasers …. I’m doomed.
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Those sneaky deer! They did that just out of spite, I’m sure! We would really like to do a “total” re-do of our kitchen, as well. We’ve come close a few times, but I’m afriad it’s going to be like opening Padora’s Box. Our older home is almost always in need of something. I do get tired of the constant upkeep! It’s nice to hear that you’re spending time with friends. I’d rather do that any day! 🙂
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I know about Pandora’s Box! I put a big addition on a home built in the late 40s-early 50s. Yikes! Rotted beams, termite homes, stuff out of code, all kinds of surprises. In the end it was wonderful but the process was 6 months of sheer terror that the contractor would find something else expensive to fix.
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I’m sorry Kate. I should have never said anything to the local deer about how they would have known where to find Red Day Lillie’s if they would only read your blog. I had no idea they knew how to network. Save your energy, love the kitchen and dining room as is! Besides, now that its summer, eating outside will make up for such a terrible winter. :o)
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Since it’s unlikely I’ll be doing that major remodeling, I will follow your advice and eat outside. Stop pestering my deer with diner notices!
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Message received, over and out. :O)
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That is a wonderful kitchen and I thought it was yours. I was sooooo envious.
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I wish it were mine!
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I’m getting really happy with good enough….husband not so. (I swear I will sell every tool he has…fortunately his job is busy and he hasn’t had time to tear anything else up…and it is getting more difficult to do projects now…knees and getting up and down used not to be so much a problem)
Pretty flowers and garden – go outside instead of being lured by kitchen magazine pictures…save yourself! (giggles)
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Very sage advice!
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Love the kitchen. We had ours completely remodeled, down to the studs, a few years ago. It was messy, but so worth it. Love the perennials. Ours are being eaten this year by, of all things, rabbits. Apparently the deer have handed over demolition duty to the bunnies.
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I just commented to my husband this weekend that there don’t seem to be a lot of bunnies around this year. Our cat Jake used to keep them out of yard but those days are long gone. Now one will run over him while he’s sleeping and he barely opens an eye. We do have fox and hawks so someone’s dining. Our kitchen is only 13 years old. I can’t justify redoing (or can I?). The cabinets and appliances are fine, I’d just like to bang out the back wall and add 4 foot. Our kitchen is big but our big mistake was having 5 doorways. Cuts up the room. I didn’t get it on the blueprints. Sigh.
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Our kitchen was 8 years old! Like you we hesitated to redo it, but having learned what did not work for us we went for it. The new kitchen is user friendly and company compatible. Not to mention it has resale advantages.
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So you are saying I am not as crazy as I think? Hmmmm…….
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That kitchen really does it for me. I can’t live through one more renovation, even if it is small. Just barely survived the tile project for The Porch. For us I think it will be a whole new house sized down and I will try to get it right whether it is a new to us house or a house we build. We have known for quite awhile that 10 acres is more than we want to mess with now. But I so love The Tiny Ten. I looked at Clarks and found the cutest navy sandals Saturday, just in time for The Mama’s birthday party yesterday. Thanks for the suggestion, they are so comfortable! Your header is lovely!
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Glad you found shoes. I love Clarks. Took my husband shoe shopping today. Obviously that will be a blog post. We bounce back and forth about our next home. We so love our yard and pond. Our trees are big and actually give shade. I hate to trade that in. I wouldn’t mind building again (except for the tree thing) but we haven’t found a lot we like. We have a 4 br 2-story. I’d like a 3 br 1-story. Obviously I can’t lower the roof. My husband suggested buying a teardown in a nice neighborhood. Fortunately, besides complaining about all the work, we are healthy enough to do it.
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Hi Kate: We’re new to your blog by way of fellow blogging bud Brick House Chick. Loved the post and I must say the night time pic of the deer and pond was perfectly magical. Although I’d have to agree with you. They’re probably scanning to find the directions to their next meal. lol 😉 While reading this all I could see was Elliot from Open Season. Looking forward to stopping by & reading more. Sharing this now. 😉
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Thanks so much for stopping by!
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I think you’re right: Win the lottery first. Then you’d have enough money that you could not only renovate, but you could go on vacation while somebody else oversees the work.
That hydrangea is so pretty, such a clear pink.
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That is the right idea! We buy a ticket a week. So far…well, you know I’m still here in the old house….
I have a lot of hydrangeas. That is a new one from last year called City Line Paris. I love my Nikko blues but in a bad winter I lose all the buds. I planted an Endless Summer and it has tons of buds (that don’t freeze off) and is a gorgeous shade of pink. I lost my Incredible Spirit (a pink one) over the winter but my Annabelle and peegees are all doing well.
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My mom used to change the shade of her hydrangeas when she wanted something new by changing the ph of the soil. She enjoyed the result when the flowers were mixed shades. She also used to dry them.
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I dry the peegees. They are sturdy and last forever. I keep my Nikkos very blue with aluminum sulfate. I’m enjoying the pink ones. The City Line doesn’t change color. You buy the color you want. They are all different. I like that hydrangeas last all summer either as a bud, bloom or fading to that burgundy shade.
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That kitchen is fabulous! I think I’d rather move into a house that already looks like that than suffer through renovations. Finally some cooler temperatures here…88 today! Yay!
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That’s what we did wrong! We should have built it like that first! Oh…wait…there was that money thing….The older I get the less patience with renovations. It’s cooler than that here. I have a hoodie on.
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Oh deer…
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Oh deer is right!
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I like your deer shot and that kitchen!
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I would love that kitchen! As for the deer, I would prefer they dine elsewhere.
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A deer but not the cats???? 😉
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🙂
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I always see more of my friend over the summer, especially the ones that live along the water! Seriously, it’s so nice to connect with them. Everything is blooming and green here, too. And, I’ve started looking around my house wondering what I do/paint/replace first. It’s ongoing, isn’t it? Have a great Sunday!
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I need a friend with a beach house!
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Smart Deer indeed but it’s a shame they like the flowers so much they are so pretty …I have smart ants in their thousands with a few spiders thrown in the mix and lots of gekos but at least they eat the mosi’s. 🙂
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I do love the deer. Just wish they would eat elsewhere. We have ants and spiders but no gekos! Here the frogs eat the mosi’s.
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I have a big painting project in my future too and I’m not looking forward to it! I always think I’ll hire someone… until I get the estimate. But, the end result is (almost) enough to make the neck and shoulder pain go away.
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I know that feeling well.
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When it comes to home renovation, sometimes “good enough” is good enough. Glad you’re “catching up with friends” . . . and keeping the deer well fed and read!
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Nothing wrong with good enough. The older I get the “gooder” it gets.
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Oh, bummer! Now it is truly Requiem for a Water Lily. That post cost you deerly. (Sorry, I can resist neither low-hanging fruit nor high-floating flower.)
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That’s why I like you!
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I’ve said it before, but please know how much I enjoy your Sunday recap. Time flies alright, and age really alerts one to that. The upside is how much you appreciate all that is. Love the last photo of your garden. So beautiful…and the image of the deer reading your Random 5 made me laugh. I immediately saw Bambi on a laptop yelling to Thumper…”Hey, get a load a this.”
You have such a beautiful home , inside and out 🙂
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Thanks! I have to get that laptop from Bambi!
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LOL
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In MI we’ve had record rainfall so everything here (weeds included) is green and lush. Spent 3 1/2 hours weeding yesterday, can hardly move today.
Those are some smart deer to be reading your blog – I wonder if the squirrels and chippies subscribe, too? There’s a stray cat hanging around, now that Frank’s gone, he knows he’s safe. Maybe he can clean up the chippies? 🙂
That kitchen is drool-worthy … and I’m like you, the older I get, the less I want to deal with the dirt & disruption of home renovation projects!!
Happy Sunday! MJ
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Yes, I did indeed drool when I saw it…on the internet. I could live there but not during construction! Our chippie population has exploded since Jake (our old cat) got….well, old and toothless. It’s hard to catch them let along gum them to death. Sounds like you have a new pet!
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