The Star in my Garden

For the most part, I have spared you from this gardening season.

However, I must tell you about this yellow star of my garden.

It was a dismal failure! 

It grew!

It grew about five feet high and wide and had exactly one bazillion beautiful, yellow, star shaped blooms on it at all times.

And it still does.

The problem, the stars never turned into fruit.

Actually, I don't know what I would do with one bazillion beautifully cloaked little green yellow orbs like this.

I knew early on when all I was getting was yellow stars that I had a big problem. 

Nevertheless, I was thrilled with the sweet little yellow stars in my garden and this was after all the first time I had tried to grow tomatillos.

Heck, I don't even have that much experience eating them.  

Yesterday with a little googling, I confirmed my suspicions about the yellow stars in my garden.

Sure enough, they do not self pollinate and I made the mistake of only planting one.

For an unknown reason to me, Mother Nature has required this beautiful plant be grown with a mate. 

The fact that out of exactly one bazillion yellow stars, I actually harvested exactly 14 cloaked orbs is therefore another mystery.

I can tell you they are very sweet and taste a lot like a tomato and were delishious on yesterdays salad. 

Next year, with two plants I will go into the tomatillo business.

Can you just imagine what I can do with exactly two bazillion stars and orbs from my garden.

Another Chandy Makeover

Another discarded and reclaimed chandelier that Dear Son found for me years ago. 

As you can see, I was working on it way back in early spring along with another project.

I finally managed to hang it and check one more project finished. 

And you say, "what is the hole in the ceiling?"

I'll save that for another story.

This picture is about the magic of light that is creeping through the cracks.

Grand! 

I Made this pretty

Although this side of this door opening which separates the parlor from the middle room was never faced out, I do think there might have been a door on hinges before I rescued this little palace from being used for hay storage.

Last October, I added these old porch post and a shelf across the top for a more finished look. 

Last week when we got a few days reprieve from the Texas heat of August, I was excited to go over and work on a project. 

After first painting the post white, I tried this yellow.

It was just wrong.

 I could not live with it. 

The next day I went over and gave them another coat of white. 

You can't see so much in this picture but I realized the white and gray diamond pattern on the floor cloth is what pulled it all together.

Little by little I am getting there. 

I have another finished project to share later this week.

We had a Happening

Actually, we had a week of happenings. 

Happenings included balloons, presents, surprises, excursions, treats, candles, money, pizza, parties, plants, cakes, books, dinners and cards. 

Lots of little cards like the above with a message and check-off list on the inside.

The first day surprise delivered to her job was a "Where's The Party" balloon...

...anchored with two candles and the first card.

The check-off list was her first clue about what was happening.

The second day surprise delivered to her job was a Happy Birthday cake.

That same day at the appointed time, we picked up Melissa, the birthday girl, Ashley and Tim and went on the excursion. 

I'm telling you this was so much fun because they had no idea where we were going.

They only knew it was an excursion. 

I had a road trip cooler of drinks and treats with cards attached.

The little check-off card on the inside gave them hints but it was so fun to hear them talking about their anticipation thoughts about what in the world Nana could be up to now . Some mystery excursion thoughts were hilarious. Like being kidnapped and never seeing their friends again.

We headed down the road about an hour away where we met up with Kevin and his family. 

Such a fun way to have a family birthday happening. 

I was so in the moment of enjoying my big family together that I didn't even take photos. 

There were presents, another cake and a great pizza party.

The birthday week happening ended with this Magic Moments altered blank book.

I only knew the name after I finished altering the blank pages.

I used my castle tower art to add dividers and pockets to the sections.

The last thing I did after adding at least one found word on each page was write a message on the backside of a castle tower cut out for the first page pocket above. 

The words, "Magic Moments", at the top jumped out and that is when I knew the title of this little blank book.

Some words I glued at the top of the page as if it were the beginning of a sentence.

And some I glued at the top middle as if it were a title.

And some I glued in random spots or at the end of the page.

I was thinking the words would be jump-off places to start a written conversation.

While I glued one word somewhere on each page, I found this and had to glue it down.

Because I knew

something

absolutely

pretty and lovely and exciting

only looked

better

And that is what a Birthday Week Happening is.

Do you see the pineapple

April 2014 just as I was about to head home after a great visit, my friend Susie said, "don't you want this pineapple plant?"

OK

As you can see on my patio by September 2014, it was quiet large.

When our temperature consistently got into the 50 degree range at night, she had to come in the house. 

I only had one spot to accommodate her spiky arms. The light wasn't as good as it should have been and even though I passed her everyday, I confess I neglected her. 

Sometime after Christmas I looked for new growth and lo and behold I thought I could see what might be the birth of a new baby pineapple. 

This is what it looked like in February 2015 still inside.

And here it is in April 2015 after moving outside.

Today I harvested the baby.

It didn't get very big. 

Probably because of my neglect.

Notice the juice.

I served myself homegrown pineapple and homemade yogurt for breakfast. 

And.

I ate the whole thing.

It was the juciest and sweetest pineapple I have ever eaten. 

Sorry Susie, I couldn't wait for you. 

Let there be light

The Garden Palace is electrified with candle power.

I fretted about how to use the candles in this chandelier ever since my dear son picked it up for me at a resale shop in Austin. 

I've had it so long that I daydreamed up all sorts of ways to power it with candles. 

Not so long ago just after falling down the Pinterest rabbit hole, I became intrigued and inspired by crafting with wire.

I saw and pinned several versions of this wire candle holder. 

I knew immediately. 

This was it. 

I tossed the tuna cans and all other daydreams.

The result thrills me. 

I didn't do anything to the chandelier.

This is the original finish and perfect for the Parlor Rose Garden.

Have a great week.