One Down

 First piece of furniture to go!

My goal to minimize, has lead to the first piece of furniture to leave the house.

This was full of paper stuff.  If it was paper, I saved it

I ran copies of 'stuff' and saved those. When the cabinet was full, I filled up notebooks.  I went to Goodwill and bought more notebooks, so I could save my paper!

I don't know why, as I hardly ever looked at any of the papers. So I have been buried in paper, but this time getting rid of it.

I do know there are things that need to be saved.  So, those are tucked away in a safe spot.

There are things that do not need to be saved!

Empty!!

I have gained space in my room!

I have my eye on a dresser, that just might be the next to go!

The problem I am having is-- this feels so good I want to just go for it and dump everything.

OUR VALLEY

FALL!

 

I wanted to share with you a bit of our valley. Of coarse, the walking trail is one of my very favorite spots.  Along with anything that has to do with the river.  

The walking trail will take you along the river, across the river and along the other side.

My grandson Cole. was visiting and we told him about the trail. well not being from here, he had no idea just how long that tail is.

Poor guy, it was hot and he didn't have any water with him. He made it!

If you are wondering, this is the might Columbia river.

Pictures are from Mike Bonnicksen

SIDE BY SIDE

Pink and Blue

 

Pink and blue blooming side by side 

On my endless Summer Hydrangea, Bloom Struck.

Some blooms are turning brown already and some are just in bud.

I don't know if it is the correct thing to do but I leave 

My brown flowers on, right through the winter.  They look pretty to me

and stay through the winter.

Before you say ugh!

This is a before.

I wished I had a spot to plant flowers

and maybe over winter some hardy ones but!!

There was just not anyplace to make that happen

until

I started to get rid of 'stuff'.  Stuff I had no use 

for but I was hanging on to it. 

This spot opened up, in my shed!!  All of the sudden 

I saw my potting bench, I realize that winter hardy

plants will probably be able to over winter.  I have electricity (although that needs some looking into)  make a note to call son in law.

I can get grow lights, there is room to store all sorts of soil and planting material.  This is the before, just wait until you see the after shot!

 

THE WINNER IS___

Winner of our first blog give away is

Karen Va

Congratulation!  I am excited to see which font

you chose.

HAVING A GIVE AWAY!!

Win this welcome sign

Rivalry Designs is offering 

https://www.facebook.com/rivalrydesignsisters

A custom made welcome sign

You chose the font

Since this is my first

give away

Lets keep it very simple

Just leave a post, saying you would love the sign

for one entry

let me know, you follow and that will be another entry.

I will draw on August 22

My sign from Rivalry

Good luck to all! 

A still small voice

A still small voice, made me enter the drawing

on

EVERYDAYLIVING

I never win at those things and why would this be any different.

I knew the book would be such a help to me.

Downsizing, as it is sometimes called, which I have come to believe was made up by a person needing to rid themselves of their hoard.

Such a gentle way to say "throw it out!"

"No, I am not getting rid of all my clutter, I am downsizing!"

As many of you know, "downsizing" has been a real

hardship for me.

I felt I needed to apologize for moving to a senior

mobile home park.

why is it so hard to live a minimal life?

I love this book.  It has made such a huge difference

already.

One of the things I was struggling with 

the most was sewing magazines.

Not just any sewing magazines, but special ones.

Australian arts and smocking!

Now for those that sew and smock, you would never

NEVER part with those.  Sell maybe but to give away!

NEVER!!

I was only a few pages into the book, when that 

still small voice said Mary Jane

would like those magazines. You know the ones in storage,

You know the ones that will do her more good then

just sitting in storage.

A call to Mary Jane, the magazines boxed and on the porch

and a very happy friend and it made me feel

good, not sad, to part with those magazines.

It is a journey, thank you to 

Pam, for holding the drawing.

Thank you to Cheryl E. Smith

for sharing her journey, so we can

follow, with a map.

My journey has just begun. 

My first load has just gone out. I am still only in this

ankle deep.

As Cheryl describes in her book. you have many 

layers to go though.