Just Chillin' At the Lake!

Hi from Georgia! Here I'm sipping some Columbian on our villa screenporch. (As a coffee snob, I have learned to take my own coffee and coffee maker as well as a water filter pitcher wherever we go for drinking...) It's been a gorgeous 2 days here. While my sweetie attends vending and ongoing education classes, I get to take a break from the usual routine : ) 

Yesterday I took a spin around the park on one of the bikes available for guests...(I missed my youngest daughter though, who accompanied me last time). 

I think I may have heard an alligator skeedaddle into the lake, and saw many little turtles plop off into the water from under the boardwalk and docks. There was some kind of plant growing up out of the water with tiny lavender blossoms blooming that I've never seen before.

We return home today though, and preparation for my granddaughter's birthday party and out-of-town company resumes! I'm still working on my back screenporch, and will post more pictures soon about that project. It's not fancy, but it will be a whole lot cleaner and usable for people, lol. Currently, it's cleaned and mostly primed in preparation for painting the walls. I've bought the paint- a cool, soft, beachy green. I plan to paint the trim and furniture white. The chair cushions need re-upholstering too...My mother made some deco items using seashells which she collected on various trips to the beach over the years, and I'm SO glad to have them to add to my room : )

A mushroom and some of the other botanicals growing on our place now...These lilies are some of my favorite!

I'm really liking my new COLORLESS lip liner from AVON! Now that I have kissing and sipping wrinkles above my lip, colors have tended to "bleed" up into them...So far, so good!!

Two of my favorite ladies right here! Time for the year-end dance recital for my baby girl. Big sister's presence for support is invaluable...

 Trying to keep the privet trimmed and fed to the goats.

Piggy says, "Hello and Goodbye!" (...and "How do you like my little pond?")

That's the peek into my little country girl life for now. Hope you have a wonderful day and remember to....Look for the beauty that surrounds us every day, and SHARE IT with others!

Peace.
Lisa

March Remembered

A Partial Album of March

Hello again from Uphill Farm-Where I search for beauty in everyday living, and share glimpses here and there! Here are a few miscellaneous pictures from the past weeks:

I noticed that the hallway air intake was terribly dirty, and thought it was a great opportunity to use my new Cadillac of a vacuum, a Shark Powered Lift Away, to do some deep cleaning...First I used the attachment to vacuum in, behind, and around the intake. Then I used ammonia Windex cleaner to soak the grimy grill. I then used a butter knife and hand towel to individually clean each rung! Finally, I put a brand new air filter in. Voila! Cleaner air and nicer looking too!
The pollen count here in the Southeastern US is horrible at the moment, so anything we can do to improve our INDOOR air quality seems to help!

So THIS was going on in Atlanta this past week...YIKES! Apparently, some PVC pipes in storage under a bridge caught fire and burned super hot until it finally collapsed the bridge!! (Who knew they stored stuff under bridges?)

Time to use my "super-effective against ticks" cedarwood essential oil spray when  I head outside to work on the property...Sure don't want to contract Lyme's disease or the nasty intolerance of mammal meat that my daughter got from a tick bite! Check out the essential oils here for endless possibilities of amazing wonderful smellingness and happy good feelings " )

Homemade fudge anyone? YUMMERS!!

Our oldest granddaughter enjoyed her girl-made creek while "Grandie" (That's me!) washed the car ....AHHHHHH, country life!

All ready for our annual Ladies' First Day of Spring Tea....that DIDN'T happen due to my still-contagious cold!(Going to save all of the decos for a future event!)

My new vacuum....LONG time coming, and needed very badly!! Has all of the "bells and whistles"--I'd HIGHLY recommend it!
(Got a great deal at SAM'S " )

My new LIMITED EDITION hairclip from Lila Rose! Perfect for the coffee or tea lover! My Stylist is the wonderful Mrs. Dorcas Yoder (stylist #850859)

Local coffee shop's (Between Friends) version of the "Gray Stuff" from Beauty and the Beast, lol! Several homeschooling highschoolers meet twice a month to play games, sip coffees/teas, and chillax!

Well, it's time to assist Hubby in replacing the brakes on my car! The fun just never ends around here " )

Hope you see the beauty around you in your everyday living this week! Please share this post and comment if you'd like to add your $0.02 worth!

~~Until Next Time~~
Lisa

Spring Freezes/Porch Dreams

Spring Encouragement!

Hi there!...We are experiencing a late Spring freeze here this morning like I suspected that we would. BUT I'm trying to see the glass half full and remember that we've also been able to enjoy one of the most abundant camilla blooms ever this year also due to the unseasonably warm winter!

Unfortunately, my wisteria bush is loaded with buds which may get frozen, and the blueberries, pears, plums and peaches are blooming. We don't have to make a living on these crops- just growing them for our own use and to share- but we are surrounded by commercial peach orchards that will be in danger of losing their crop again this year! They've had a hard time of it in these past 10yrs that we have lived out here among them...several years of drought, and many late freezes. I suppose the freezes may be due to the fact that we are just on the line between two growing regions, 8a & 8b:

Our property in particular has the added challenge of being on the "sunset side" of a large hill, where the temperatures are usually lower  and lower longer than the immediately surrounding area. I usually have to take 5-10 degrees off of the temperature prediction for local weather!

 The mistress of this property before me planted a large variety of botanicals here- some of which require borderline tropical weather thus causing them not to thrive. Here are some of my plant "friends" enjoying the Winter indoors...

If you are pining for generally warmer days, don't despair, they are just around the corner! (At least for those of us in the northern hemisphere!) 

Here's to those sweet summer nights out on the porch with friends and family just ahead!

Our humble porch...not seeing much action in winter.

Until next time...Be a proponent of beauty wherever you are! Now if you'll excuse me, I must go make preparations for my annual St. Patrick's Day dinner--a Winter's end tradition around here! Another way that I like to add a little cheer to the mix " )

*******

HAPPY ST PATRICK'S DAY!

Fitness Kindergarten with Lisa

I'm Still Taking "Baby Steps"!

     It's a new year and the time is ripe for reflecting on what goals (hopes ") we had for 2016 as far as personal fitness and condition are concerned.

Today's lunch of turkey chef salad and lemon water...

     As you know, my daughter and I were able to go to Walt Disney World together with friends toward the end of the year, so earlier on (August) I determined to begin conditioning my knees and back to increase my endurance! This trip was really just the catalyst that I needed to begin a much more comprehensive fitness plan.

     [The last time that I had been to Disney was when I was 13yrs old, so I didn't remember many details--mainly that Space Mountain was brand new and my parents and I had NO IDEA what it was! 

We waited in a long line which seemed to be generally winding up and up. There were exits labelled  with warning signs for people with health issues to reconsider riding...(or so I remember...) Mom got put up front in the car. Have you ever seen a cat fall into water? Yea, that's my mom on a rollercoaster. She was so mad after that ride that she didn't speak for a bit :O ]   

     Anyway,  back to the present...I knew it was big and there was a lot to do and see and we were not staying in a Monorail Resort, so we were planning to go all "kamakazi" and do 1 park per day from sun up to midnight 4 days in a row so as not to waste any precious time travelling back and forth! 

Turns out, the buses were a very convenient way to go! We ended up going back to the resort on several days just to rest " ) 

     

I'll admit I was fairly apprehensive. My back bothers me if I stand, sit, or walk, or...anything for very long, and my knees have been low on lubricant as well as strength for several years now. Even though I had been very physically active growing up, I had not kept up my fitness during these past years of childbearing and rearing. My diet has defaulted to what is easy and tempting rather than GOOD for me. And hydration?!?....Well, let's just say that I sip coffee.

     Wow! I'm really telling on myself! It's not that I don't recognize the need to improve my fitness. Life just presents a million distractions and reasons why "TODAY just isn't a good day to start (or continue) because....."

     I have managed to start most days with a simple stretch routine, (credit: The Tapp Brothers!). This helps me to avoid injury at least, and feel more comfortable as I go about my daily chores, etc.

Connect with them HERE, and search out their great ideas for getting and staying fit! Thanks guys!

     Then, I try to add some excercises that specifically target my weakest areas-my knees and my lower back. I've worked up to doing 4 sets of 10 reps with most of them, and am now doing 4 sets of 25 jumping jacks! (This is HUGE for me!)

     ...and am trying to drink my water. Adding a drop of doTERRA lemon oil to each bottleful helps. Sometimes I add thin slices of cucumber or a small handful of various fruits. Whatever you have on hand that you like-

HERE is where you can purchase this amazing oil for yourself!

 Another way that I am trying to improve my lifestyle for health is to plan to eat a salad for lunch every day possible. I make all kinds of salads. Some are meatless with lots of veggies, nuts, and seeds, and some have turkey, chicken or tuna. Whatever I have on hand.  I LOVE fresh herbs in my salads, and grow several here on my property-rosemary, thyme, spearmint, garlic, oregano.   

     My next "plan of attack" is to treat myself to a membership at a gym in town for my big "55"! I'm excited about joining in the line dancing class, lol!

This is how far I've gotten so far! I'd love to hear your ideas for baby steps to fitness. This morning I decided to make it my goal to be in better condition (and SHAPE!) when I'm 60yrs old than I was at 50!

Feel free to comment below and share your health and fitness goals!

Until Next Time,
Heads Up for Beauty!
Lisa

It's the BLOOMIN' Middle of Winter!

Hello from this crazy "Spring-in-the-middle-of-Winter"!

So here are a few pics that I took around our place while out doing chores the other morning...I have to say, this is one thing that I like about the South--You can experience warm, sunny days in February! 

Apple blossoms

"Piggy" at breakfast " )

 "Jett"-a Moon Spotted, registered Nubian
sired our 2 doe kids this year

Baby's breath?

I forget the name of this one...I pruned it into a tree!

Camilla

Camillia

Peeping over pool fence...

In the Secret Garden

Honey bees keeping busy! This warm weather has allowed our flowers to bloom without freezing. In nearly 10yrs here, I think this is the first time they have bloomed fully like this!

Forsythia

Ruffled daffodils budding

I'm so happy for the vehicle of sharing the beauty that I see around me every day...I'm no photographer, but I do enjoy trying! Which season are you in where you live? Are you having a typical season, or are you also having unusual weather in some way? Is it better or worse in your opinion?

This warm winter is allowing the flowering varieties that are really more "tropical" ones to flourish and bloom in all of their splendor!...Hopefully we will not get a hard freeze that will put an ugly end to it all. I do know that the peach orchards nearby do require a certain amount of freezing hours to properly produce, so I do sympathize with them. Maybe we will get just enough for everyone to be happy " )

Well, until next time....I hope that you can find some beauty in your surroundings. Will you share it? Please do comment and let me know how you are doing! 

Very Sincerely,

Lisa