From My Week - Saturday Sightings...

I had the pleasure of spending time in a very scenic mountain

 region this week.  The morning was foggy...

But when the sun came out - what a view! 

This young lady happened to walk into my photo shoot - love it!

There was even a small covered bridge... 

Tis the season for visiting pumpkin farms...

And last - I was near a friend's house one morning so drove past 

& snapped a picture of her recently built backyard barn.  

Is it not just perfect?

Enjoy your surroundings today friends - whatever they may be!

  ~Joyce

The Perfect Farm Mailbox... and More...

Took a little country walk on a road we never walked on before...

 although just a short hop away.  Come along...

It is farmland here and this mailbox is so fitting I think...

But right next door is this wonderful property...

Discovered these old markers or county boundary lines.  

When whizzing by in a car - these kinds of things go unnoticed...

The sky is always fun to observe - it is truly God's handiwork.

And we returned via our rail trail.

I truly love our region in southcentral PA.

 Come visit!  ~Joyce

Roadside Stands - Thrifty Thursday...

If there is one thing that stands out as a warm weather 'perk' - 

it is roadside markets.  I love these little outdoor 'shops' that grace

 front yards and the end of farm lanes.  

Often they are a bargain hunter's paradise for produce and plants.

Several years ago - this little stand popped up a few miles down our road.  

I never got around to stopping till this week of this year.

  This sign caught my eye.  

A 4-pack of begonias for just $1?  Yes please!

 Cute huh?

At home I happily filled in some barren areas...

...along my front walk.

And I filled an old bucket which leaks.   

The iron hangers were a freebie from a neighbor years ago.

So several thrifty tips today...

1.  Visit roadside markets - there may be a bargain (or 2 or 3...)

2.  Leaky buckets (and pans and canners, etc) make great planters

3.  Welcome cast offs from others - and find a use for them.

How I love Thrifty Thursdays.

And I'm loving that the sun is out again.  It does a spirit good!

  ~Joyce

Unusual Landscaping - a Saturday Sighting...

 Perusing a very typical middle class American development 

this AM for garage sales (yes - another rainy Saturday)...

 ...brought a bit of a surprise!  

Turns out we all see landscaping a bit differently :)

 There you go you car buffs.  No need to let that old car die rejected

 and alone.  Give it some end-of-life dignity in your flower beds.

Happy Saturday everyone!  ~Joyce

Landscaping Find & Garden Things for Thrifty Thursday...

There was just one yard sale today & I found just one thing.  

But then - 

I noticed a sign:  'Free Flagstone some broken and some not'.   

That caused a little excitement - that stuff is expensive!   

I quickly said I'll come back for it and went home for the truck.  

On the way I called Honey.  Turns out he was less enamored with the idea... 

'It'll be more stuff to store in the garage' he said.   

 But there's a path through my garden that needs some help.  

Do you see it?   I pleaded by case...

He was fine with enough for the path.   I can live with that!

 And two kind men loaded what I wanted in my truck.  

(Not sure how I thought I was gonna load it - so was quite thankful!!!)  

I'm aware that 'stored projects in waiting' are not Honey's 

favorite thing - so must make haste on this project.

But I'm gonna need his help...poor guy.  The things he does for me!

On another thrifty garden note... I'm noticing I already have some food growing.  

Parsley - (did you know it comes back every year?)... So fun to have.

And rhubarb!  

We bought a plant at a yard sale and this year have enough to use.

Made my first batch of rhubarb strawberry jello.  Yum!

And after many rainy days and weekends - the sun came out today. 

 What a lift to the spirit!

Thanks for stopping by today friends!  ~Joyce

Backyard Pond...errr Stream...

This is not my back yard.  But if I ever do a water feature 

in my back yard - I want it to be like this...

 There's no pool of water to get all cloudy and full of leaves.  

And there are no fish to worry about.  

(I have heard the horror stories of people's expensive fish being taken out 

by heron and the like.)

 

Calming water in your backyard?  With less maintenance?  

I'm thinking this should do it! 

I found this handmade stream bed on the grounds of a local 

retirement home.  But it seems very doable for a backyard to me.

~~~~~~

And today's Ebay listing - how about some lovely butter knives?  

In silverplate  - with an 'F' monogram?

Have an awesome day!  ~Joyce

An Amish Garden...

During a girlfriend road trip over the weekend - we stopped at an Amish store.  

Someone happened to glance out a window at the 

back of the store and look what we discovered...

Were you expecting a vegetable garden?   Nope - it was this 

meandering flower garden tucked in the back yard.

   All that beauty and it was not a bit visible from the road.  

No, I don't think they hid it on purpose.  It's probably just where they had room to put it.  

I helped myself and walked around the back of the store to take some pictures. 

 

They had some amazing hostas too.

And across the road was this lovely old school or church building.

Oh I love road trips!

Spring Trees - An Evening Walk...

I took my camera along on my walk around the neighborhood 

this evening.  The trees were beautiful!  

I'm thinking God likes pink...

...and white...

...and whatever color this is - but it sure is creative!

Most everyone had manicured lawns which made for lovely backgrounds...

There's even a church on my walk...

Neat huh?...

More pink (actually a red bud tree)...

And this little pretty was almost touching the ground!

What's not to love about Spring?

Thank you Jesus for eyes to see Your handiwork!

Fall At the Antique Mall...

The mall where I sell is also home to a wedding, etc. events venue.  

As such - the grounds are getting tweaked into shape for 

group photos and more.  I'm enjoying the current Fall look...

To enter the grounds (an old farm) - you walk through this original corn crib...

This guy greets the public as they walk through the space...

Love, love corn stalk bouquets.  You can't get much easier than this!

In the center of the courtyard - this grouping delights...

  

But check this out - a mums planter with a garland of

 burlap or landscape fabric.  Love this!

And just a few scenes from my booth...

My recently finished bench - see yesterday's post.

 And an old tool chest...

This bottle carrier has since sold...

And back to the mall in a barn - gotta love old foundations...

I think I'm starting to like fall decor more than Christmas.... 

It's simpler with much less pressure!