Life Is Crazy

To say that life has been a little crazy around here is a dire understatement.
Tonya and the Babies have been staying with us for a short while, their new home is almost done.

If you stop by for a visit, there's a fairly good chance that you'll have to maneuver your way around Jumpers, Swings, a Pack-n-Play, Booster Seats, and toys covering most of the living room floor. Just for an added bonus you'll most likely find a few Gold Fish crackers here and there, that have escaped small hands. Not too mention a bowl of Buttons and Beans just for fun.

Amongst the chaos of all of this I remind myself, and Tonya does too, that this is only a temporary living arrangement, and in just a very short time she'll be packing up the girls and head to her beautiful new home.

For now, I'm savoring the moments of early morning horse feeding with Laci, still in her Jammies with her wild hair.

and PINK BOOTS....

Horses are very dear to Laci's heart. ♥

Of course there were some birds needing to be fed. 

These two are inseparable!!

Done with chores headin' back inside where there's a warm fire.

Mia is the sweetest baby, especially in the mornings...

Who wouldn't want to wake up to this?

Remember in the movie Nemo when Dori found a small jelly fish and wanted to have it for a pet? 
"I shall call him 'Squishy,' and he shall be mine, and he shall be my Squishy."
I can't help but think of this every time I love on Mia. She's lovely and soft and happy and "squishy". 

♥♥♥♥♥
The Girasole Lady
 

Ordinary

Most of the time my life is just ordinary.
Most everyday starts out the same. I am up between 5-6. I fix some tea or coffee, check my email and my Google Reader. I let Maverick out of his crate, and Dolly Kitty outside. I shower, brush my teeth, lotion my face (I only wear make-up when I have to go into town), half hearted dry my hair, and then I am ready for the day. Maverick and I head out to the barn to feed the horses. After feeding and watering the horses, depending on the weather, I like to walk around outside and look around. One thing for sure, I never tire of living in the country. Then I venture in and tidy the house real quick, and decide what to get done for the day. It's always different..cleaning, projecting, gardening, sewing, run to town (that only happens about once a week).  About three o'clock I have some hot tea, take a break, then start working on dinner. I like to have dinner ready around 4:30ish.

Recently I linked up, for the first time ever, at You Capture.  It's a weekly photo challenge. I am NOT a photographer by any means, but I enjoy taking pictures and learning new things. One thing I never realized was that someone else may actually look at my photo I had taken, like this lovely gal who mentioned my photo in a recent post on her blog. I also visited her blog to find out more about her. I looked around her blog, read the "about me" info she wrote to describe herself and her life. I too, at times, find myself blog hopping around until I find myself in places I would have never imagined, kinda like getting lost on a trip across country. Well I'm  guessing it may be like that,  except I really have never traveled across country in the first place.

I'm fascinated with people who live is different parts of America and the rest of the world, with lifestyles that are so different than mine, and at the same time realizing that maybe my lifestyle isn't so different from anyone else's.

This is my dog Maverick

Maverick is a Mini Aussie. He will be a year old in March.

He is my faithful companion...

and laci's...

These two carry on like siblings!

and Mia's too...

I couldn't ask for a better companion dog.

The Girasole Lady

You Capture/ still life

This week on You Capture at I Should Be Folding Laundry---

Still Life

Both of these photos were taken here at Girasole Farm.

The rose is kinda a "loner" rose, still hanging on to the Rose Tree out in the front of the house.

The barbed wire is wrapped around a fence post down in the front field, it's been there for a long time.

The Girasole Lady

Beth/ New York/ Polish Pottery/ Inspiration

BETH
A week ago I took Beth to the Airport and she left for her adventure to Dallas and then to New York.
For several years now, in January she leaves on this adventure for the company she works for Mary Lake Thompson.   For the first time ever,  I drove away from the Airport with a lump in my throat and a sting in my eyes. She will be gone until the 3rd of February and I miss her, a lot.

NEW YORK
Last January Beth was in New York during the terrible snow storm that had NYC at a standstill. Beth's version of the story IS HERE    Really, you should read it-it's hilarious

POLISH POTTERY
Each year while in NY, Beth brings me home a piece of Polish Pottery from the market show.  I love my collection I have accumulated over the years. It's always a surprise to see what piece Beth will bring home to me.

INSPIRATION
 I needed something to get me inspired to take more pictures and write here more often. My daughter, Tonya, has inspired me to link up with You Capture at  I Should Be Folding Laundry.

This weeks theme is Colorful.

If nothing else Polish Pottery is Colorful:

The Girasole Lady

Attic Toys & Grandbabies

As my girls grew up and no longer played with toys I packed up the favorites in boxes and put them up in the attic. I thought of a time, way off in the future, when I would retrieve them down from the attic for my future grandchildren to play with. When I found out that I was going to be a "Grammy" I was so excited to finally, after many years, get them out of the attic.

Real Little People from 1980's. Some are wooden and some are plastic.

There they go, off to school...

They even have a SWIMMING POOL...

Of course all the Little People live on a FARM!!

The best of all.. these Little People really do fit on your fingers...

TA-DA!!!!!!  True "FINGER" Little People.

Laci loves playing with the Little People.

What girls childhood in the 80's wouldn't be complete without Strawberry Shortcake...

and her friends.....

or the BERRY TROLLEY...

I have the Berry Kitchen too, but apparently forgot to take its' picture.

There is a whole tote filled with almost all the Strawberry dolls from the 80's collection.

Each doll was  put away in a ziploc bag with her outfit on, shoes in tact, and her animal, before being sent to the attic years ago.

There are more items in the attic, but need to wait until the babies are a little older.

I wish I would have kept more of the toys from the past, but o-well such is life.

No post about the grand babies would be complete without Mia's beautiful smile.

(5 -1/2 months)

mmmmm... I DO believe in miracles too.

The Girasole Lady