I've Been Blogging For How Many Years?!

 

Here is what Creekside Cottage looked like when I first started to blog! The picket fence was new and the posts didn't have their tops yet! Kyle was not quite two years old yet, and all of our kids still were at home! My first post was in March of 2007!

I started my blog partly because we had family in Florida, California, Missouri, and West Africa. It was a way for them to stay connected to us.

I blogged weddings, birthdays, tea parties, horse shows, English Country Dances, my garden, field trips, and holidays. So many memories are on this blog and in these posts.

Our family has grown! What a blessing!

Today we have one of our kids living at home, my parents living here, too. We also have these cuties living on our property.

They belong to our Amish neighbor. This lamb was born a few weeks ago to one of the ewes. We don't know if the other one is going to have a lamb or not.

I've changed a lot over the years, and I think for the better. The Holy Spirit has helped me grow and I'm so thankful.

One thing that will never change is the focus on hospitality, friendship, and encouragement. That's what this blog, and our lives have focused on for the last 18 years! To God be the glory!

Information Friday

 Hey Friends! I had some technical difficulties yesterday, so this post is late.

First thing I want to do is share some photos of my Hellebores! 

This week I am sharing a few videos that give insight into who the people are in DOGE and what they are finding. Bret Baier did a very interesting interview! It's worth watching.

Here is a short clip...

https://youtube.com/shorts/bfvJdnrhUyU?si=_tYPYQoGbB5hOqqp

This is the whole interview if you are interested.

Last night Tim and I went to a surprise party for a friend who has been instrumental in Tim becoming self employed. He turned 50 today, and his wife and kids surprised him with a dinner party gathering last night. It was a wonderful time and we love and appreciate them. We went to church together when their big kids, were little and they say we were a big influence on them! They are dear to us.

Today, I went with my parents to see a local theater group do Little Women the Musical. The cast was very talented, I especially loved Marmee and Beth. Overall I think who ever wrote this musical wrote Jo as very aggressive. She even uses a mild expletive twice, once with Aunt March! Oh my! Jo struggled to find her place in the world but she was well brought up by Father and Marmee, and I don't believe this language would have been used. 

We have very warm weather until Tuesday when it will be more seasonal. Spring is truly here - the weeping willows are green, the forsythia is in bloom as are the daffodils!

I hope your weekend is wonderful, and full of good things. 

Home Keeping

 After a bit of a break, I am back on the hunt for items for my home. I need a rug for my bedroom, lamps for my bedroom, bedding for a queen sized bed in my guest room.

I tend to do the big things, and then put off the finishing touches like rugs, lamps, artwork.

This weekend I was looking on Marketplace for a quilt or comforter for the guest room, when I came across a Ralph Lauren King sized quilt and matching shams for a very good price. 

I've been needing summer weight bedding for our bed, and with it being spring and warmer weather starting, I was wanting to take the duvet and comforter off of our bed.

I just love the red floral and the red check on the reverse! It's perfect for my cottage and my colors!

This is the current bedding which I also love. Waverly w/Target from years ago. I had this set in a full size and used it forever then I found this king set on ebay a few years ago!

You can see the small bedside lamp, I have one on my side of the bed too, but they are small and both are broken. I don't care if they don't match, but I definitely need to find new ones. 

I also wanted to show you how one small change can make a huge difference. The side table by my chair has had a stack of books on it as this is my command central, where I read etc. The stack drove me crazy because it seems like the book I wanted at the time was always buried under the stack!

An idea came to me Sunday morning while waiting to leave for church and in less than a minute I solved that problem, it looks better and it makes me happy every time I see it.

Simple, right? Ah, it's a good change!

We had a good weekend. On Saturday Sarah moved out and is sharing a house with three other young women. She's been talking about it for over a year. She'll be 23 this summer and after living away at school for three years she was ready. 

Yesterday we had a couple from our church over for lunch. I made a West African chicken dish that is delicious, and we enjoyed spending time getting to know them better. 

Information Friday

 

I'm looking forward to peonies and roses! I love cutting flowers from my garden and using them in my cottage!

Well this week, has been the Judicial Coup! It's incredible to see. Biden filled a lot of judge seats and many of them are over stepping their boundaries and trying to stop the Executive Branch from running the government.

There will be another batch of files loaded today, per President Trump.

Have you ever seen an autopen machine?

I'm sure this will upset the Democrats, but shouldn't we be glad that there is a level of trust between them? You get peace this way. I remember the Taliban leader saying they trusted Trump because he kept his word. You don't have to be besties with people to be trusted by them.

Democrats new phrase has been unleashed.

Very cool drone light show in Florida.

We are going to our co-op concert this evening - the grands will be singing, and one will be doing sign language to a song with her class.

Keep praying! I woke up this morning with Chris Tomlin's song Holy Forever in my head, so I played it on YT! Here it is for your listen pleasure and encouragement!

Home Keeping

 

These photos are real life. The drill from hanging the curtain rod up is still on the hutch, you can see the bag we put the aluminum cans in, a pencil sharpener. The chairs from the dining table are not at the table, and the Ficus tree is just waiting to go outside when the weather starts to stay warm over night.

I came across these curtains on Amazon, and thought they would look nice at this window, and they do!

From farther away, the floral fabric looks like a match for the love seat but here is a close up of the fabric on the curtains.

The photo with the loveseat reads more yellow on the loveseat than it is in real life. The time of day of taking the photo, the yellow walls all play a part.

Today is a quiet day here at home. Sarah and Dave had gone to Tennessee to visit Emma and Vinnie over the weekend, and they got back last night. Kyle and Tim are working.

I'm going to fix me some food, and enjoy a bit of reading, then I will likely dust all the things. 

I'm grateful for my home. We bought it in 2001 and have spent many years now, painting and repainting, making garden beds, putting in picket fencing, mowing, residing the house, putting in new windows. 

My home has sheltered my family, many friends, many meals have been shared here around our tables. Tears of joy and sadness have been shed in my home, by us and others. It is a place of haven and peace most of the time. 

Our goal is not to shut the world out but to welcome in those in need of peace and a haven. To provide friendship and encouragement. 

Hanging curtains is just a small part of that and yet it helps make our home cozy and welcoming.

I hope you all have a wonderful day.