Unplugged

While some may call me paranoid (I prefer practical), I didn’t mention I’d be dropping out and unplugging.  Sites like Please Rob Me make the nasty side of social media a bit more obvious, so I heed their warnings…sue me.

We had a really great week of family QT during the Minors’ spring break….we got both Things AND the Crafty Counterpart all up on skis for the first time!

I hadn’t skied in ages, so I was cautious, although you wouldn’t know it from the state of my knees.  Just as well I don’t practice any spirituality that requires kneeling….I’d be a goner in the afterlife. After day 3 of skiing, I went to kneel down to help Thing One lace an ice skate and I couldn’t do it.  I couldn’t squat, and I certainly couldn’t kneel..EMBARRASSING!  My knees had swollen and made me look like a big Kewpie doll from the waist down.

Anyway, it was all worth it.  I realized how much I missed the active lifestyle of living in the Colorado Rockies, and it was good to be back…I felt both old and young again all at once.

I’ve got some fun stuff to tell you about the trip, and this week will be our last pottery class so I’ll be updating you on that too.  Oh, and spring came while we were gone!  SO much to do!

On a random side note, we were forced to change our travel plans last minute due to an impending snow storm on both the front range and Denver, so we came down a day early to avoid missing our flight and booked in at the W Aloft by the airport.  I’d never stayed at one, but for $89, I’ll definitely be back. It was so refreshing AND affordable…again…good design doesn’t have to cost a lot, and THANK GOD someone realizes that a simple cotton duvet is all anyone ever needs.  Later polyester quilted naff-ness!  Color me impressed…it IS worth the hype.

Hope everyone had a great week and I’ll catch up with you later…

Estate Sale

I picked up a few things at an estate sale this past weekend….and my favorite score is this pair of dioramas….I don’t think the photos do them justice.  They make my collection of Japanese tatebanko pale in comparison….

Lovingly carved of bone and shells, (I think) I haven’t been able to find much info on these.  Shout if you know asian crafts.

If you look closely, one of the little shell flowers has come off the tree…but no worries…these cleverly designed beauties have a slot at the top so I can slide the glass off and do my repairs without hassle.  They’ll need their frames spiffied up a bit, but isn’t that ALWAYS the way?

Lawn & Garden Show

I really didn’t know what to expect at the Nashville Lawn and Garden Show.   Didn’t go last year, and now I needed to scout out some purveyors of cool and interesting plants.  I shouldn’t have been surprised that every garden vignette on display was tragically predictable and traditional.  A few nice plants, but all in all, MAJOR disappointment.  I have a lot more bad to show you than good.

What did surprise me was that I was the only person in my line buying tickets that was under the age of 65.  I’m sure there was another one behind me somewhere, but I hadn’t felt that youthful in quite awhile.   I’m going out on a limb and saying that Friday’s clientele had an AVERAGE age of 70…..and the smell of Ben-Gay in the air was palpable.

Here are a few lowlights of the floral gallery:

This is supposed to be the best Nashville has to offer?  Some willow branches and wire?!

I honestly don’t get this.  Is it supposed to be a scarecrow or what? Blech.

Seriously?  It’s a branch in a bucket of tulips picked up at the grocery store.  Scale?

On a positive note…there was a beautiful display of orchids….an especially nice selection of lady’s slippers…

and some gorgeous, yet pricey bonsai…

But what I really came for was the bamboo……

Met the owner of this bamboo farm north of here who has everything I will need for my new planting beds.  Super nice guy, very knowledgeable…just who I was hoping to find at this show.  When it gets a bit warmer, I’ll drive up to his farm and pick a few specimens for the house….he even grows the splendiforous Phyllostachys Nigra, or black bamboo.  Bright green leaves with a dark blackish/purplish stalk.  YES.

Where Do I Start?

Big weekend for ModFruGal.  I attended the Nashville Lawn and Garden Show, scored at the first decent estate sale in months, AND had nice weather, so the outdoor furniture painting extravaganza has begun.

First up was this pair of chairs I picked up for the booth.  They needed the lipstick.. some light peeling paint, but no rust and no sandblasting required…YAY. Recovered the seats with a staple gun and this project was done in a couple of hours.

I needed an injection of spring into the booth and I think these will do the trick.

Question

After a discussion with a family member today….I ask this:  For those readers who have their own blogs…..do your parents/family members read it….or even know about it?  If so, what’s the reaction?