Fall arrived last week but it's still warmish here, low 70s in the day and 50s in the night. However, 50 degree nights are too cold to enjoy an unheated, above ground swimming pool. Dave closed up ours. This is the third fall we've lived here. The first year we moved in October … [Read more...]
Before and After – Cleaning the Glass Cupboard Doors in the Kitchen
We moved to our home almost two years ago. Our new kitchen has beautiful custom made cupboards including some with glass panes in the doors. Those glass doors are so pretty! Glass doors are see through - yes, that's part of the charm - but that limits what exactly you want to place behind … [Read more...]
Fall Is In the Air – Early August 2013 – Summer So Fleeting
We've had a beautiful summer this year. I hope yours was too. It was hot only about a week, with a few days that bounced into the high 80s for a few hours. Evenings were cool, great for sleeping. We noticed many individual branches that had turned red or gold when we drove up north before the … [Read more...]
A Weekend for a Wedding – Families and Joy
My nephew married his long-time sweetheart this weekend. Zach met Anna at a church-sponsored building trip in Appalachia when they were in high school. Anna graduated this spring and they married. It was a happy wedding, full of joyful people. The bride and groom smiled all through the Mass, all … [Read more...]
Hillside Around the Corner on My Lunch Time Walk – Magical Hills
I love hills. Midland, where we grew up, is flat, flat, and yes, really pancake flat. Dave and I moved a little ways out of town where our backyard sloped down to a creek. Heaven. We loved having the little hill. When our son was younger he would take his sled to the top of the steps, slide … [Read more...]
Air Conditioning Vs. Lovely Summer Breezes
This is our first house that has air conditioning. Before we moved here Dave used to say that in Michigan we really need air about two weeks a year and that's generally true. We don't normally get weeks on end of hot weather, and even when it is warm out, the evenings usually cool off and the … [Read more...]
Good Posture: Doing Pilates One Teaser at a Time
I hate gym. But I'm out of shape, have bad posture and weigh too much with all the extra in my tummy, rear and thighs. So... after Christmas Dave and I agreed to take a Pilates class together at the Borgess Health Center here in Kalamazoo. Our classes ran for 6 weeks. Dave bought me a Pilates … [Read more...]
Water Jugs for Just In Case – Country Living and Planning Ahead
We live in the country. Oh, not a wild, remote, thickly forested wilderness, more a rural road with a few houses on it, one farmer, a golf course and some woods. We do have a well for water and a septic tank. The one problem with wells is that pumps do not run without electricity. A power outage … [Read more...]