Shocking, isn't it??

Dear Blogging Friends,

I know you must be in total shock to see a post from me!  I have thought about all of you often. I hope you are all doing well!   It took me this long to just sit down and make a post!

As you know, my life has turned upside down lately, but I am progressing and getting used to my new way of living.  I wish, so much, that things were different, but they aren't, so I am determined to forge ahead and try to enjoy life!  I'm pretty much finished with all the paperwork and financial things I had to do, so at least that is behind me now!

During the past year or so, we let our yard take a back seat to everything else, which wasn't a good thing!  After this Spring, the grass was almost non-existent in places!  We had dead limbs hanging in our trees, and a some trees that looked like they were on the way out!  After reviewing everything, I had four trees taken out and dead limbs cut from every tree!  I also had St. Augustine sod put down in the entire yard.  Some overgrown bushes were removed and replaced with new ones, but not all.  I had to stop somewhere! I am pleased with the end result, and now I'm in the process of watering until I could scream!!!  But I have to do that for the sod to live!  I did not put in a sprinkler system because I spent a small fortune on all the trees, landscaping and sod.  Maybe in the future!

It looked so sad with all the grass scraped off & utilities marked....

Then, tons of sod magically appeared at 6:30 AM and change began!

Now I have a yard full of sod and some new stepping stones, so I don't step in gooey dirt while watering all day long!!!

Sometimes, I think I must really be a genius!  Since I have been watering all day long, I decided to take advantage of the water that goes on the driveway, and parked my car there to get the dust rinsed off!!!  And yes, I did turn it around and get the other side, too!  

I have put up my Halloween Tree, and I'm really pleased with it!  I love all the fun colors and I have located such cute little bought ornaments to fill in with!  

I finally have a finish to show!!  I know some of you might need to sit down with that news! 

This is a little Prairie Schooler freebie card that I had stitched up quite a while back.  It's on hand dyed linen and I think it's really cute!  I even had some BOO! ribbon to use on it! This is one in a stack of things that must be finished, so maybe I'll have more to show very soon!

Just a little lesson I learned...never think anything is ever completed and over!  I walked out on my patio and noticed this in my yard.  I thought it was a big limb and couldn't believe it!  I live next to a creek, and there is a small strip of common area between my house and the creek.  I do not own that land.  My tree people were so kind, that they went on and trimmed up the 2 trees on that common land so they would look nice by my yard.  And then they left.  And the the yard was done.  And then...this very tiny but tall tree that grew beside the larger tree got tired and just fell over.  It didn't crack.  It just drooped. Right on top of my new camellias and gardenia bushes.......I was able to slide it off my bushes and on to my new sod!  hahaha  But, I called the homeowner association and they came and cut it and took it away!  I guess I just live for drama!

Thank you for reading my blog.  You know that the past few months have not been the greatest, and I appreciate any of you who are reading this post!  I am back in the swing of things and I will be posting some additional finishes very soon!

Frances