Goodbye Country Home...a Bittersweet Farewell

Relocation Sale 75% off Vintage items with coupon code BUTTERFLYS75OFF
50% everything else with BUTTERFLYS50OFF
http://www.etsy.com/shop/ButterflyInTheAttic?ref=pr_shop

Photo by Colleen Roush Mount Shasta copyright 2011

Have you ever heard the saying "you can take the girl out of the country but you can't take the country out of the girl?"  Well guess what?  Whoever said that wanted their daughter to stay close to home or something.  I grew up country, I love visiting the country, and I am very in tune with the natural world but...I mean a big But!  I am not a country girl.  I find this very interesting since I have always considered myself one.  Growing up we either had a real farm or a hobby farm way out in the country.  But I guess that this last adventure in country life has taught me one thing about myself...I cannot, will not live without a Macy's. 
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This photograph was found in ETSY shop Ryder at
http://www.etsy.com/shop/ryder?ref=pr_shop_more

OK I know that sounds terribly superficial but I have to come to terms with this in myself.  I love the city life; I don't mind LA or Chicago traffic. Yes, I do get annoyed at times with some of the people but where ever there are city folk there is a mall nearby.  Also, there is something to be said about blending in with the crowd.  So I am very happy to be relocating back to Fresno, CA.  I miss my rock-hounding friends and my Gem and Mineral Club, the Grizzlies Baseball games on the hot summer nights, and the beautiful palm trees with the Sierra Mountains in the background.
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Parker in a show-down

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Parker seems to have taken a liking to my huband

Although I am so grateful to be heading back (a true blessing from God,) I will miss the  beauty that is out here in the true country.  I can honestly say that I lived in the last of the Western Frontier and I have learned a lot about the Northern California history.  I have met many very kind and wonderful people here and will miss them too.   
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This beautiful photograph was found in ETSY shop Steven Davis Photography at
http://www.etsy.com/shop/StevenDavisPhoto?ref=seller_info
He has a vast array of beautiful scenic art from all over CA, you should check his shop.

But I feel like Eva Gabor on Green Acres; luckily for me my husband doesn’t till the land in a three piece suit and he is as ready to move back as I am.
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This comical magnet is from ETSY shop Quirky Creatures at
http://www.etsy.com/shop/quirkycreatures?ref=seller_info

Now we will be hiking throughout the California wilderness and deserts but going home to the city; for me balance has been restored.
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Hiking Yosemite in the winter

With that all being said there is a sweet gentleness in the country that cannot be found anywhere else.   I have so many cherished memories of my childhood chasing fireflies and watching tad poles; wading in the cold creek and hiking the bluff; and now with this move I can preserve those wonderful little memories and let them stay nostalgic and a whimsical part of my past.

North to Southwest



Country Living



Artists Capturing Moments In Time...

Take A Walk With Me - Tuesday's Treasuries

Take a walk with me through soft meadows and wild forest where we can be the owner of our world.  I felt a strong pull to get in touch with nature this morning.  I feel very connected to mother earth and It has been such a long time since I have taken a walk through her soft grasses and could feel the summery wind brush against my face.  I long for summer's warm embrace and the rebirth of all things that I love.

Monday, Monday...

I am having one of those Monday mornings; I can't even explain why but it is what  it is.

 I decided to fix it by finding and listening to the Mamas and Papas song Monday, Monday:

Alas it will be Monday for another 24 hours so I must make the best of it.  Thank you to my wonderful friends at ETSY for brightening it up a little and featuring me in a very soft and beautiful treasury.

The softness and pastels heals my heart. I love this postcard I think that is one of my prettiest in the collection.



So with Sincere Good Wishes I hope your Monday is soft and pretty.  Because... Monday, Monday, you can't trust that day...won't go away...

I think I am going to go purchase a Mama's and Papa's album now. 

 

A Super Way to Celebrate the First Day of Spring - Product Review

During this week I received in the mail three very uplifting items in the mail and since Spring has not made it to me yet it was very much needed.  Nothing heals the soul wounded by the winter blahs like awesome lip-gloss and homemade Neapolitan marshmallows.  These were just what the doctor (or maybe psychologist) ordered.  My first kudos goes to Anderson Soap Company where I purchased my wonderful lip-gloss.  I received Butter Rum for myself and Wintergreen for my husband who has reported that he is equally impressed.

These were creamy yet long lasting with a wonderful scent.  They can be purchased by going to their ETSY shop:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/dennisanderson?ref=seller_info

The other uplifting treat I received this week was a very tasty and sweetly packaged marshmallow from The Realist Mermaid Natural Confections.  I had purchased her sample called "Ugly Feedback Almost Free Mallows."  Based on that description I was expecting just a simple sample but received a wonderfully packaged large Neapolitan delight.  I was so pleasantly surprised I took a picture of it to share with you.

The Mermaid's site can be found on ETSY at http://www.etsy.com/shop/realistmermaid?ref=seller_info

I suggest placing your orders early for Easter.   Just imagine the response you will receive from kids and adults alike when they see these smartly packaged treats in their Easter baskets. 


http://www.etsy.com/listing/62722455/best-value-classics-mega-pack

While my kids were growing up I would purchase their Easter candies from local specialty candy shops so that they wouldn't wonder why the Easter Bunny was so cheap or how come they never noticed him shopping at Wal-Mart to get M&Ms.  I love that with technology we can easily create the fantasy and keep those traditions alive.

Hoppy shopping.

A German Mill in Baden Baden

One of my first cards that I received from my Grandparents was a novelty card.  It was a beautiful card from Baden-Baden, Germany with an old mill and water wheel on the front of it.  The scene was so pretty and peaceful but the words where all in German.  My Grandfather was born and raised in Baden-Baden until he was 8 years old.  Both he and my grandmother were fluent in German and at one time I had knowledge of what was written on the card.  I have since used Google Translate but since it is an old version of the language something was literally lost in translation.  But alas it is about a mill and how much the author loved that mill.  

What made this card so special, aside from my Grandparents giving it to me, was that when you opened the little flap a row of pictures unfolded.  These tiny little pictures were real photographs taken in Baden-Baden.  I can remember them telling me the stories about Germany and pointing out different sites on the card.  I am not sure how many times I brought them that card so they could repeat those stories.  Still to this day I want to visit there and walk the same streets my grandfather did when he was a child.

The card is a very delicate and the pictures can easily tear but somehow it has survived all these years in near mint condition.  More than likely its condition can be contributed to my grandparents taking the time to teach me on how to care for it and my love for them.  Sadly my beautiful Grandmother has passed away years ago and my Grandfather doesn't remember things as well as he used to.  And so this card will remain in my private collection to be passed down to my grandchildren.  I will tell them those same stories that their Great Great Grandparents told me and how my Grandpa lived in Baden-Baden Germany as a boy.

Take me to Sesame Street

OK, so once again I woke up feeling nostalgic; for my own childhood and for the beautiful time I had with my children growing up. It is funny how certain characters or shows can have such a deep lasting impact on our lives. One of those for me is Sesame Street. As a child that was my favorite show and as my children were growing up it gave me a great excuse to watch it again. They followed the Muppets through all of their grand adventures, sang their songs, and had their favorite Ernie, Kermit and Cookie Monster toys. I would love to go back and visit Sesame Street...but maybe friends and family might think I finally cracked if they catch me watching it by myself with a box of Kleenex. So alas it will be off to work, but I did find an outlet once again through creating a Treasury of my friends and fellow store owners on ESTY. I hope you enjoy.

Friday ETSY Treasury - Spring Zephyr

I am feeling a bit nostalgic as I listen to the sounds of the morning.  Spring is right around the corner and I am waiting for those spring zephyrs to carry away the last remains of winter. 

My daughter was a Winnie the Pooh fan growing up, as are many little girls, and whenever I hear the winds blow it reminds me of his Blustery Day.  Roo says, "Look, Mama, Look! It's a kite!" Kanga says, "Oh my goodness! It's Piglet!"  I envision Piglet soaring high in the air with Pooh Bear hanging on tight. 

Vintage Book from ETSY shop Past Generation Books at
http://www.etsy.com/shop/PastGenerationBooks?ref=pr_shop



What sweet memories and with those thoughts of blustery spring days I decided to create a treasury on ETSY featuring many beautiful items from a variety of stores that fit my Spring Zephyr.  Please check it out; it is wonderful fun.

Aromatherapy Thursday

While working on my natural product line and realized how fitting the subject of aromatherapy is for my blog.  While you don't necessary collect aromatherapy it is a very important aspect of our homes.  I have been in homes beautifully decorated and very neatly organized but filled with stale air or unpleasant odors.  Not that it can always be avoided but what we smell can affects our moods dramatically.  Currently to my knowledge there is only one scent that has been studied using blind tests in a lab and that would be Lavender. 

http://www.etsy.com/listing/67025618/handmade-relaxing-lavender-sachet-mix

Lavender is one of my favorite fragrances.  It is not only proven to help people relax and sleep but it smells pleasant.  It is a gentle oil that can be used in a variety of ways:  lotions, massage oils, room fragrances, perfumes, soaps and much more.  It also has aseptic properties meaning that it cleanses the air around it.  

Dried Fragrant Lavender

To benefit from these special properties you must use items made with essential oils or that contain the natural herb itself.   Fragrant oils are synthetic, they will smell similar, but will not have all of the properties that an essential oil or herb has.  Essential oils are usually made through a process of distillation that will capture the oils from the actual plant.  These can be costly but are well worth it. 

Most of my products will contain only or primarily essential oils.  I prefer to use the best quality available whenever possible. 

http://www.etsy.com/listing/67615179/handmade-sachet-with-vintage-ceramic

So when you are feeling stressed or have a stressful period in life, remember the benefits of having the aroma of lavender in your space.  It can be as simple as having a cotton ball with a little oil on it or as luxurious as soaking in handmade sea salts.

Honeysuckle Vines

I woke up this morning with a sweet song by Dolly Parton in my head.  "...Honeysuckle vines cling to the fence along the way, its fragrance makes the summer wind so sweet..."  After 35 years I still remember all but one word in the lyrics to My Tennessee Mountain Home.  I am not a big country music fan but I grew up with Dolly and this song is still one of my favorites.  The beautiful picture she paints; the simple summer of years gone by.  I am not sure why I woke up this morning with that verse running through my mind, maybe because like many I long for a simpler time and I long for the sweet summer winds.  Beauty can be found anywhere if we look for it, even in the dark days of winter.  We may have to hum a little tune from a long time ago but it is there.  I hope that all of you that know this song leave for work, school, or where ever are humming this tune and you have a beautiful day.  If you don't know this song here it is:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Va6-P-w69zE