George ..Up Close and Personal

George's first selfie 

I so could be the " crazy cat lady" of Lawrence County but my common sense stops me.  The most cats we have had are three and that wasn't on purpose.  My mind didn't win over my heart when Marmalade showed up in our yard in Florida and needed a lot of tender loving and care.  The same thing happened the summer  George showed up on the land when we were building the house. It must be something about " yellow tabbies that takes over my heart.  Here's to hoping another one doesn't show up at one of our doors.  My mind would have another fight with my heart.

Studio 22 gets a new door.

Studio 22 new screen door!

With the weather being so pretty, I was leaving the french door open to the studio while I worked in there.  Well, the bugs and bees also decided to come in to work with me.  I had asked Chuck last Spring if there was a way to put a screen door on the studio and he said it was possible.  So, this week we headed to Lowe's to buy the same pretty screen door that Melanie has on her back porch.  Already white....no need to paint it.  After Chuck cut it down a slight bit and the screwing on the hinges, I had an instant pretty screen door.  Next, maybe a pretty light blue ceiling?

The Coming of Fall.

Fall at Studio 22

The Great White Pumpkin!

Back Porch Fall

I've had fun decorating here and there for Fall.  I tell myself every Fall that I'm not going to buy a " real pumpkin" because come Winter, I never know what to do with them.  It's a lot of work to cut them up and cook them down to use for pies, etc.  To be honest with ya, I never feel like doing that.  Well, every year, there is this perfect or different pumpkin that I just HAVE to have.  This year's pumpkin was a white heirloom type.  It just might get cut up and cooked down to use in a pie or something.  I'm just curious to know what the insides of a white pumpkin looks and tastes like.  I'll let ya know if it really happens or if a Santa hat gets put on the Great White Pumpkin.

Fall Gardenias

Gardenia bush at the corner of the house

Kitchen bouquet

I know, I have shared this before about me taking a cutting from Gene/George's gardenia bush, about six years ago.  Well, it rooted and has grown to be a huge bush over the years.  It's my favorite thing growing in the yard.  My most favorite smell comes from a gardenia.  No one can match it.  Well, I don't know what type this gardenia is but it blooms twice a year.  In the Spring and in the Fall. I have been picking a hand full of gardenia's almost every day.  One vase full on the kitchen table and I keep one on my bedside table so I go to sleep smelling my favorite smell and waking up to it also.  A good way to begin and end the day.

Lavender Bike!

It's a prettier lavender color in person .

I saw a bicycle painted all one color on Pinterest one day.  I instantly wanted one to be parked outside of the studio.  Of course it had to be lavender!  The whole thing!...tires, handle bars, seat and all....LAVENDER!  So, I kept my eye out for a cheap bike at the thrift store.  Found one!  Only $12! and two cans of my favorite color of spray paint.  Chuck painted it for me as I kept saying...." the whole thing needs to be painted lavender".  He got it perfect! Now, I'm on the look out for a front bicycle basket to be painted lavender also, to put flowers in.    So  I have a lavender bike parked right outside of the studio, like someone just rode it up the path.

A Little Bit of Fall

Fall wreath that greats you as you come on our back porch 

Dining room Fall

Mom's Angel Wing Begonia
in the Vine Basket I got years ago.

Fall Porch Table

Big basket full of purple mums...
soon to be all blooming

Deck Fall mums

Bedroom window box mums...
purple of course!

A little bit of Fall has been showing up around Brambly Pines.  I LOVE this time of the year!  After all those years of living in Florida where the only way to tell it's Fall, is when all the licence plates change colors ( read that on Face book..ha)  I finally live where Fall means...beautiful leaves and everyone decorates like it's a Holiday.  Beautiful mums every where.  Corn stocks tied to porches and pumpkins on hay stacks.  I have my window boxes filled with mums.  I picked the ones with lots of buds and not blooming too much so they will last until our first frost.  It's almost time to change out my closet.  Our first really cooler weather is coming this weekend.  The high is suppose to be 75 degrees and the low 48.  I know!!  Sleeping with the windows open, weather.  Still so happy to live " up north".!

Going Home

Vivi wanted to hold our tickets.....
she's such a big girl now.  

The best way to fly is with a baby.  I mean it...ha.  Well, that is if the baby is a good baby like Vivienne is. Yes, I'm a bragging Grandmother.   First of all if you fly Southwest Airlines, you can check any " child luggage" for free.  We took the "pack n play" the car seat and the stroller.  ...all for free.  We could take the stroller right up to the door of the plane.  They send it down a slide to be put with the luggage and as we walked off the plane, the stroller was sitting there at the door for us.  They let all passengers with babies  board the plane after all the " A" number passengers, before the " B's".  Babies are special with Southwest!....the only way to fly.

Florida Visiting.....

Michelle, Vivienne and Great Papa

Vivi and cousin Lily Ryann

Aunt Heather ...Vivi 

Cousin Genavive and Vivi

This trip to Florida, was only meant for family.  Oma came first and then our evenings, we spent with Ryan's family and Fred and Elaine.( where we spent each night )  Fred and Elaine were so gracious for letting us use one of their cars while we were there.  Our first stop from the airport was the nursing home to see Great Papa.  We had dinner two nights with Ryan, Heather, Genavive, Lily Ryann and Ian.  One night we did meet up with some close friends over in Tampa.  I wish we could have stayed longer but we both decided that we were really glad we went.  Until next time, there is always the phone, emails and Face Book.  Oh the modern world!

A few moments of joy. ...

Napping on Grandma

Getting some Oma loving

Crawling......

Enjoying Oma's pool.....

It was a sad trip to Florida but little Miss Vivi cheered us up from time to time.  She's a happy baby and is learning so many things so fast.  All she has to do is look at you with her big blue eyes and giggle and she will have you laughing too.

Family

Michelle/Vivi, Ryan, Genavive and Heather

Vivi getting to know Uncle Ryan 

As sad as a funeral is, it brings everyone together.  I was lucky to have my family there for the sad day.  I was never so proud of Michelle when she got up to talk about " Opa" through her tears.  The Blomberg's were a big influence on how I raised my children and Michelle realizes it so it will be passed on with her children.  Oma and Opa have been a part of Genavive's life also.  I may be missing my Mother, Father and Brother in my life now but I have the family I have made with Chuck and I still have Christina. I know she loves me like a daughter and that we need each other.

Heading to Florida Again.

Opa.....George Blomberg

Our pretty blue/red  plane....heading to Florida

Vivi sleeps the whole way.  

We got the phone call that no one ever wants to get.  Opa/George Blomberg who was like a father to me and a grandfather to my children, had died.  George lived an amazing life of 91 years.  I grew up hearing the many stories of Christina and George's life over in Germany and in the States.  I met their daughter, Marina in fourth grade and we were like sisters ever since.  I grew up spending half my time at the Blomberg's and became a part of their family.  How lucky I was!  I dreamed of going to Germany one day and seeing where Marina was born and seeing all the places they talked about.  When I was 38 years old, it happened!  George went back to Germany to work for Honeywell for two years so we were able to fly over and stay with Christina and George for 17 days.  What a wonderful experience that was!!!  The year before we moved to Alabama, Marina passed away.  It has been a big void in my life.  I miss her so much and now George is gone too.  Michelle/Vivienne and I hopped on a plane and headed to Florida to be with Christina for a few days and to be there  for the funeral.  This was Vivi's second plane trip and she did great!  No one even knew there was a baby on the plane.  Having Vivi with us on this trip helped us keep our minds off of the sadness of the trip for a few minutes here and there.  She is a funny little girl.  She learned to crawl, talk ( well, she thinks she is talking) sit in a high chair and shopping cart, grab mommy's phone out of her purse when mommy isn't looking, give slobbery kisses on your cheek and belly laugh because she thinks Grandma looks funny.  We were so glad that Opa got to meet Vivienne when we were down there in May.  George will be missed by everyone in my family.....Chuck as a good friend and a grand father to Ryan and Michelle.  What an honor to have had George in our lives.