It Isn't All Cacti

Hey everyone, and happy Monday!  I thought it was about time I strolled around the yard and shared with you what  grows here in the Arizona desert.....and, no, it isn't all cacti!  As a matter-of-fact, you won't find any cacti in our yard at all.  It isn't that we don't find cacti pretty, it's just that we prefer its beauty out in the natural desert where it belongs.  That's our opinion....just sayin'.  Do you ever stop and think about the many transitions your home and landscape go through?  I think about the changes we've made inside and the changes we still want to tackle.  But the outside.....not so much.  Sometimes you just need to look back at what you've done before you can see how far you've come.

This is the only picture I could find of the front of our house just before moving in.  There were too many bushy-spikey things going on out here.  It was very unkempt.

Absolutely nothing about this was inviting.....I seriously doubt even a robber would have found it interesting enough to break in!

We immediately began to "friendly" things up!

Someone had her "snoop" on and was chatting with me as I took some pics!

Since The Man does most of the yard work, he has spent a lot of time getting rid of things he does not like.....trying to make it more maintenance-free.

You can see he has gotten rid of several shrubs and replaced them with a nice planter for......

Queen Palms and some splashes of color.

Bottle Brush Bush....trying saying that 3 times in a row!

This is probably my favorite planter, because I love how the alyssum cascades over the side.  The alyssum and chrysanthemums have been in this planter for 2+ years.....can you see the buds on the mums?

Another planter of mums getting ready to bloom.  These are from Fall 2013, I believe.  They usually bloom again in the Fall.

Bougainvillea! 

Mums in the backyard, too.

Desert Flowering Willow

Beautiful flowers!

My herb planter just off the back patio.

This fence line was completely barren until The Man started his Citrus Grove.

Farmer-Man surveying what 4 years has produced. 

This Corkscrew Acacia was nothing more than a stick when The Man planted it 3 years ago.

A new raised garden bed.....again, The Man's handiwork.

Several zucchinis will be ready soon.

Yellow Crookneck....this is on the cutting board right now!

Cannot wait for some of these!

Baby peppers....yum!

The previous owner thought it would be a good idea to have this pad poured.  Well, The Man took one look at this and visualized this......

Now this is a "garden shed," otherwise known as the Garden Casita!

Perfect location for this Lady Banks Rose....just wish the blooms lasted a bit longer.

The shiny silver tape on this peach tree is to keep the birds away from......

These little beauties!

These last two photos were taken a couple of years ago and the canopy of the neighbor's trees provides some wonderful shade on our patio now.

Our patio is quite large and is well shaded from about 4 o'clock on.....such a great place to relax for awhile before dinner with a glass of somethin'-somethin'!

Thanks for taking this tour with me.  It is fun to occasionally look back at what you've done so you can see how far you've come.

 

I often party with these lovely bloggers:

Monday
Dee at Meatloaf and Melodrama for Merry Monday

Cindy at Dwellings--The Heart of Your Home for Amaze Me Monday
Maria Elena at Our Home Away from Home for Tuesdays at Our Home

Tuesday

Marty at A Stroll Thru Life  for Inspire Me Tuesday

Wednesday

Suzy at Worthing Court for The Scoop

Thursday
Jemma at  At Home With Jemma for Thoughts of Home on Thursday

Pamela at From My Front Porch to Yours for Treasure Hunt Thursday

Richella at Imparting Grace for Grace at Home

Fluffing the Nest

The call of Spring seems to be on everyone's mind these days.....many wondering if it will ever arrive and others hoping it won't slip too quickly away.  What is it about Spring that makes us want to organize and fluff our nests?  Are we following the examples of our fine feathered friends?  Well, maybe, but without the egg-laying part!  It just seems to be the time when our needs turn to lightening the load, letting fresh air in our homes and adding lots of florals....real and faux.

"Welcome, please come in, stay awhile and relax.

Soft lamp-light.....hmmm.

Many of us seek solace in adding pastoral charm and simplicity. 

Soft grays, whites and creams are the order of the day.

Pops of color bring smiles.

Candles, real or faux, add the perfect ambience.

Bird nests abound inside as our busy feathered friends fluff and create the perfect protection for their 

eggs and then their young ones outside.

Our nests need to provide calm and quiet for an afternoon cup of tea, or a place to visit and laugh with friends and family over glasses of wine or cocktails.

Good smells waft through the air from dinner cooking or from a bowl of potpourri.

Our nests need to provide comfort with squishy, feather-filled pillows (my choice) that mold and 

nestle to our body's needs.

If they provide a pop of color and whimsy, all the better.

Little bits of light in unexpected places.

A little corner fluffed with sweet collections and illuminated by a tiny lamp, handmade by a young boy for his mother some fifty-five years ago. 

Spring, a time of change.  We put away heavy sweaters, fleece-lined boots, and woolen scarves.  We lighten-up both inside and out, dusting off the barbecue, and searching Pinterest for salads and lighter meals as we expose more of our lily-white bodies in capris and shorts.  We turn to gardening and sunscreens.  We grocery shop, seeking the fresh-cut flowers first to soothe and feed our soul before turning our attention to fuel for our bodies.  Spring, a time for fluffing the nest.

I hope Spring has arrived for all of you, and you are finding peace and joy as you fluff your nests.  Thank you for your visit, and I hope you always feel welcome here.

I often party with these lovely bloggers:

Monday
Dee at Meatloaf and Melodrama for Merry Monday

Cindy at Dwellings--The Heart of Your Home for Amaze Me Monday
Maria Elena at Our Home Away from Home for Tuesdays at Our Home

Tuesday

Marty at A Stroll Thru Life  for Inspire Me Tuesday

Wednesday

Suzy at Worthing Court for The Scoop

Thursday
Jemma at  At Home With Jemma for Thoughts of Home on Thursday

Pamela at From My Front Porch to Yours for Treasure Hunt Thursday

Richella at Imparting Grace for Grace at Home

Do You ULTA?

Hey everyone!  Kind of a strange title to this post, but sometimes the brain cells just cannot come up with something clever, and this was one of those times.  I am new to ULTA....I know, probably the last woman on the planet who hadn't shopped there, but now I'm hooked!  After many months of not using much makeup (chemo made my skin very sensitive), I decided I was ready to toss a bunch of stuff and start fresh; and ULTA was my first stop.  I am now a proud "card-carrying" ULTA consumer!  This is a rarity for me, but I thought a "Make-Up Haul" would be fun.

I also found several things at Tar-jay!  I had read quite a bit about some of the elf products & tools, and Target carries a good selection.

 

I've never used a face primer before and thought it was probably an extra step I didn't really need, but this elf Mineral Infused Face Primer feels like silk on your face.  I wear it even when I'm not using foundation.  A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!

I've also been reading about the BB & CC creams and decided to try this Maybelline BB Cream.  It's basically a tinted moisturizer with SPF 30....wow!  It's very sheer, so if you are looking for more coverage, you might like the CC Cream -- I understand it has more coverage.  I would love to know if any of you have tried these products and what you think. 

This elf Concealer in Light is too dark for me, so I ended up getting NYX Concealer in Fair.  I missed taking a photo, but I like the NYX product much better.

I've been using the Neutrogena Mineral Sheers Powder Foundation for a while now and really like it. Now that I'm using the BB Cream, I use this more as a setting powder and just lightly brush it on.

I'm really liking this elf Blush Palette, especially the two colors on the left.  The one on the upper right seems to be good for contouring.....I don't bother with that step very often.

I've had this eye shadow palette for quite awhile, and especially like it for Fall/Winter.

This is a more recent purchase which I thought would be good for Spring/Summer.

I'm kind of struggling with eyebrows right now, and neither the Sonia Kashuk or the Milani Pencils seem to be the right color.  My eyebrows are slowly coming in, but they are much darker than they ever were before.  That's also true of my hair.  My natural color hair (as well as I can remember....lol) was medium brown, but what's coming in now is black-brown with lots of silver platinum.  I would really like to eliminate the "coloring" process in the future with my new "virgin" hair but.... seriously, the color is freaking me out every time I pass a mirror!

Whew, enough about hair and eyebrows! Let's talk lips!  My lips are extremely dry, even though I am constantly using chapstick or EOS, so I have to use a lipliner.  One is Rimmel EXAGGERATE Full Colour in Ravish....oh, yeah, that is so me!  The other is Loreal Colour Riche in Chocolate.  I like both of these really well.

 I love lipstick and wear it every day.  The Neutrogena Moisture Smooth Color Stick in Bright Berry and Maybelline Tinted Taupe are two of my faves!

I had had a bunch of brushes for a good 15 years.....I washed them frequently and took good care of them, but they were old and needed to be replaced.  I ended up with quite a few elf and Real Techniques brushes(carried by ULTA). 

1) Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge Set...these are very nice and feel so soft on your face 2) elf concealer brush 3&4) Real Techniques basic brushes set in this nice little travel case 5) several elf eye brushes 6) elf powder brush 7) elf angled blush brush 8) pencil sharpeners

I'm not quite sure what's giving me the "guts" to share this "Before" photo, but here goes.....remember to be kind to this 67 year old face! I just thought you should see what a bit of makeup can do!

           

F.R.E.A.K.Y.   Before  and.........................................After -- YAY for cosmetics and wigs!                                                    

If you are still with me, I truly appreciate it and hope you'll have enough nerve to come again!

Have a happy week!

I often party with these lovely bloggers:

Monday
Dee at Meatloaf and Melodrama for Merry Monday

Cindy at Dwellings--The Heart of Your Home for Amaze Me Monday
Maria Elena at Our Home Away from Home for Tuesdays at Our Home

Tuesday

Marty at A Stroll Thru Life  for Inspire Me Tuesday

Wednesday

Suzy at Worthing Court for The Scoop

Thursday
Jemma at  At Home With Jemma for Thoughts of Home on Thursday

Pamela at From My Front Porch to Yours for Treasure Hunt Thursday

Richella at Imparting Grace for Grace at Home