All guncle-ed up

 

 

 

My trip to see Randy and  Kevin was just delightful.  Kevin promised they would "guncle me up."  And they sure did. I was spoiled all day.  

 Randy and I had a whole day of hanging in the craft room.  

 

Between eating piles of seafood, that is.

And after I slept in to an unbelievable hour. Due to a late start, and pure stupidity in taking a drastic wrong turn, I got in after 1am the night before, not dinner time like I had planned.

 At home that is no big deal, I'm a night owl. But I guess the stress of the drive and being lost, exhausted me. I slept till, well, LATE. I never do that. Not in years.  I hated to waste a vacation day snoozing till, well, way, way LATE.  But it did feel really good. Although it was embarrassing too.

 

Back in the craft room, we watched their wedding video while we created. And Randy had a bunch of surprises for me, that Kevin had found while out junking the week before. We pretended that there were prize drawings like we have at Birdsong, but the name that was called over and over was mine.  

There was a lot of squealing every time I won a prize. And I got lots of prizes, old lace, die cuts, Victorian scrap books, and more.  

We took a break to go outside and pick some fruit. Even though it was cold out, they hadn't had a freeze yet this year and the sight of all that lushness was eye candy to me!

Randy thought his yard looked too messy for photos, but I loved every inch of it.  Fresh fruit? Tall bushes of rosemary? FLOWERS??? Oh my.

Blooms in January left me feeling a bit giddy. There were dozens of angel trumpet vine blossoms hanging over head. They were so large and fragrant, I couldn't resist them.  I was thrilled to bundle up in a borrowed sweatshirt and coat to check out the gardens.  At home, January is grey.

Just grey.

As far as the eye can see.

Especially this year, no pretty snow to liven it up. 

Just grey.

But things are lively in the Guncles' garden!  This is a double camellia.

The angel trumpet doesn't make a good cut flower to put in a vase, it soon wilted.

But it sure smells sweet and is worth picking to wear on your head like a fairy's hat.  

A while back, I painted the floor of the craft room. These mermen were at my feet all day while I worked back there.

Randy and I had done the walls together over the last 18 years or so. I'd visit and we'd add a few more sprites with every trip I made to Florida.

The company is pretty good there too.  Doggies every where under foot or on laps.

This little guy, especially is full of sweetness.  That could actually be a halo above his tiny head.

No, must not be. From this angle, it is over Randy's head.

And he ain't no angel.

Although it was pretty sweet of him to redo his dining room so I'd get the full Christmas decor effect. Much of it was still up, but some of it had been taken down and he actually re-decked it out for me and set this table back up like he'd had it for Christmas.

Including this cake stand filled with a winter wonderland.  Martha Stewart had a similar idea on her magazine cover, but Randy had beat her to it, he arranged his before he saw hers. 

It was pretty festive there.

And I was happy to see that the wedding centerpieces we'd made were part of the holiday scheme.  They say they will use them year round.

  For now, the top box is filled with a winter arrangement of branches.

And the little fairy I made is holding court in the greenhouse box. Or whatever you call that thing. It's from Pottery Barn and I want one. But I'm cheap...

I'll leave you with some pictures around the house. And I wanted to let you know that Birdsong is now open for registration. Please contact me at:

karlanathan@sbcglobal.net

if you are interested in attending.  

 

Comments

[Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions]

Wow, I love the house and the garden, Karla! It sounds like you had a great vacation and were treated like a Princess. : ) It is good you slept in; that's what vacations are for! Plus, I don't know about you, but in the past few years (especially since I hit 50), I am lucky if I sleep until 7 a.m.

[Jeannie McGehee]

Gorgeous...just love their house...what a neat trip and fun day!

[Karla Nathan]

Their home is so warm, and their collections are fascinating!

[Karla Nathan]

Oh, Im a world class sleeper, so this was ridiculous! Plus the hour time change from Kansas made it look even worse. But, yes, it sure felt good.

[Laurie Jackson]

What a warm wonderful time. Lucky all of you!

[Dawn Gahan]

Karla, the little lambs in the Pottery Barn greenhouse box (the two alike, one with a white face and the other with a black face) — where are they from??? They're precious.

[Karla Nathan]

Arent they cute, Dawn? Sorry, they belong to my brother, I dont know where he got them. He is avid junker, so probably found them at a flea market.