A Sentiment

God knew what He was doing when He sent a gentle breeze and brought a lovely butterfly to set my heart at ease. The happiness of your friendship and the gentleness of your words have touched my life in special ways and now I feel assured. Thank you for your loyalty and for reading everyday. I only hope you find things to make a happy day.

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Where's Balisha?...and a Peek at Christmas


 This is what my window side of the work room will look like soon. I bring the houseplants in from outdoors. I keep plants that bloom occasionally, here until they decide to bloom again. Then they move back upstairs. 
 This year, I have red geraniums in my stack and grow garden on the deck. I'm thinking that I might just disassemble the planter, and bring them all downstairs to keep until next year. This table changes all the time. I'm sort of ruthless with my plants...if they don't bloom or start to die out...I toss them. If I like the plant, I might take a cutting and start a new one, if they start to look shabby. I plan to bring my dipladenias inside for the winter and also my rosemary. I left the rosemary out last winter and then lost it due to freezing temps.
Lately, I've been painting in the dining room. It has worked out so well, but I need to set these things up downstairs again. Joe loses me in the house. He says he never knows where I am. 

I don't have any pictures of the other half of my workroom downstairs, but here's one of the table that I paint on...all set up to do a window. 
Well you get the gist of it. I have a nice setup and the thing about working in the basement...I can be as messy as the job calls for and just leave it and go upstairs at the end of the day.

While I was downstairs yesterday, vacuuming, I looked over at my bins against the wall. I could see the red and green colors of Christmas through the clear plastic. Guess what I did? I pulled out all the things that I want to decorate with this year and got everything organized in bins (lightweight), to be brought up when we want to decorate. There are five medium sized bins this year. Just enough Christmas for our house. I've been thinking about this for a couple of weeks. I've been reading about vintage Christmas at Still Woods Farmhouse http://stillwoodsfarmhouse.blogspot.com... and Judy http://judeself.blogspot.com/ has been making her Christmas cards already, so I guess that I can start getting things handy ....you know Christmas in July?
I'm not trying to rush the season, but at  my age...I need a little more time to prepare.

It's a dreary day again today. I do love days like this....because I can take a little needed break from gardening. I just looked over to my garden window here in the computer room. I have a vine that is telling me that it has no place to grow. It needs a trellis. I bought some things from a nursery and they sent a free passion flower vine along with my order. I planted it outside...where it had a trellis...but it wasn't happy there and didn't grow a leaf. So, after going to google, I found that I can use it as a house plant. Put it in a pot and it took off. It must like being inside. So now...I need to fashion some kind of trellis. Any suggestions? Has anyone grown this in the house?

Guess I'll get going and start my day. Will I be up or down? No matter where I go....I'll have to leave a note for Joe...so he can find me :)
Balisha

11 comments:

One Woman's Journey - a journal being written from Woodhaven - her cottage in the woods. said...

Balisha, how I wish I had an area like you have. Did in the past but now with a smaller home just not the space to do some things I would like to do. All you share makes me smile...

FlowerLady Lorraine said...

I love your basement area and I bet it is really peaceful and quiet down there. No basements here this far south, as we're only about 3' above sea level. :-)

Hugs ~ FlowerLady

Gardener on Sherlock Street said...

My husband loses me in the house too. Funny.
Can't believe you're ready for Christmas decorating. That'll get you all decked out quick. We're hoping to remodel another bedroom before Christmas. That may impact how much decorating I do. Hard to make piles of boxes and furniture look festive.

prince snow farm said...

Thanks so much for the kind words you shared on my blog! I love that you have your Christmas things all ready to go! I have been cleaning out closets. I mean really DEEP cleaning. Going through every little toy and item. My house has piles everywhere in the hopes of a possible yard sale and donations. May I ask, Balisha, if you sell your art or have an Etsy shop? Just a sneak peek has led me to fall in love. I connect with you in many ways. You are a strong Catholic like my parents...St. Marys church too!

Blondie's Journal said...

I didn't realize you have so many houseplants...I'm terribly negligent with mine and some just hang on and on despite this and I can't toss them! I need to do some repotting while we still have good weather.

I admire your organizing your Christmas things. December flies by as it is and now you have simplified a very big part of it. I have been downsizing my Christmas decorations so that I don't have all the clutter I've had in the past and this will be the first year that Emily (my little elf helper) won't be here to help. She has her own home, but tons of energy, maybe she'll pop in anyway...I just miss her all the time.

XO,
Jane

Blondie's Journal said...

Oh, I meant to say, your painting is just wonderful, so pretty. Keep it up, I know it brings you much pleasure!

XO,
Jane

Judy said...

OHMYGOSH--your paintings are simply Heavenly!!! I also liked my "play area" in the basement, but alas and alack--no basement here, so this computer/library/craft/bill paying/cat bathroom/storage room is where I do everything. No wonder it is messy all the time!!! Personally, I don't think July is too early to think about and plan Christmas--I have to do it when the idea hits me or by November--I will have forgotten, LOL!!

Pondside said...

Just the sort of blog post I enjoy! Your work space is great - so nice to have a place where one can make a mess....or plan for Christmas, undisturbed!

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Balisha .. I love your "rooms" and I agree totally with being ruthless about plants (I have none indoors because I seemed to be a terrible indoor gardener and usually kill them with kindness ? LOL) .. I love red geraniums .. I now they are passe` and old fashioned but both husband and I do enjoy them, .. even their scent !
Your indoor babies look so healthy and vibrant: )
Your painting is beautiful .. water colour is such a delicate art form and so beautiful.
Christmas organization !! you are amazing girl ! This will be our first Christmas on our own since son finally moved to South Carolina .. his will be busy and noisy and crazy with all of his wife's family .. he will love it : )
Love seeing your rooms and Joe could always put a bell on you to find you! LOL
Joy : )

Balisha said...

We decorate for Christmas on the weekend after Thanksgiving.....if I can keep Joe from doing it earlier.We have the house decorated until after Epiphany. We both love the house decorated I think because we spend so much time at home.

thanks for taking the time to read and also thanks for the lovely comments.
Balisha

Balisha said...

Hi Nantucket...are you Maggie?
I paint just for my own pleasure and a few things for friends now. I don't have an etsy shop. Etsy is sometning I would have really liked when I was painting. What a great way to show and sell your items. I can look at those shops for hours if I'm not careful. Thanks for your lovely comments...Balisha