Checkmate!

 

Do you iron shirts?  After unpacking from the New England trip I had the usual pile of laundry to deal with including Bob's shirts.  He always says "don't bother to iron all those" and I always reply "I'm not allowing you to go out in wrinkled shirts."  

I quite enjoy ironing, it gives me time to think about other things. I park the ironing board - a sturdy metal one I've probably used for at least 40 years - in the kitchen facing toward the large window looking out into the back garden. Currently it's not a pretty sight after one of the hottest summers ever here. The grass is brown, the trees are already dropping yellowed leaves, the bird feeders are empty and the birdbaths dry to keep away the mosquitoes. There has been very little rain and swarms of ants are massing everywhere searching for moisture. We need a break from high temperatures, we need a good heavy rain to wash everything down and to refresh the shrubs. I also notice we need to attend to a lot of work out there in the coming year or so, it's never ending and hard keeping up.

Early morning at Midtown

Thursday was a busy day. I had an early morning appointment to renew my driver license and some shopping to do. We also had to use a complimentary hotel night this week. It would have expired on Friday so we took off on a 'staycation' late Thursday afternoon. Despite just returning from the ten day trip, we packed a small bag and hustled over to the now huge 'Midtown Raleigh' area just minutes from the house and checked in to a hotel there. Sounds somewhat stupid but we had no need to go far. We settled in, watched young people hanging out at the pool below our windows, then decided to go to our favorite Thai restaurant for supper. A lengthy walk followed around the development which continues to grow with massive hi-rise buildings, including the tall 36 floor apartment building in above photo, shops, restaurants, open park/music venue etc. When we moved here in 1977 this area was still partially undeveloped farmland..........how time has changed the landscape.

I noticed that Bob's checked summer shirts mimic the skyscrapers

 appearing all across downtown Raleigh, and now here in our quiet, 

once low profile neighborhood, renamed Midtown Raleigh.

It's called progress. Bob's all for it, I'm upset by it.  

Theatre date tonight. A lively sounding production titled 'CURTAINS' - advertised

 as "a witty, hilarious, musical whodunit".  I'm ready for a laugh and looking

 forward to it.

'Rusty' knits - and dogs!

This winter I changed up my wardrobe a bit to include shades of RUST.

Still wear a lot of grey and of course black, however thought the golden browns

 fit in well and brought color and warmth - although still neutral/natural - to what 

was becoming my somewhat dreary 'twenty shades of grey' closet. 

I'd also bought the lovely taupe wrap coat whilst in ZARA in London, and the

 camel coat at H&M, so adding warmer colored sweaters seemed the way to go

This rust color, more dressy cowl neck, I wore to dinner on board the ship as we

 headed to the Western Sahara desert in October - it was a bit more dressy and

 worked well for evenings with a black trouser or silky printed skirt. I pinned on a

 favorite brooch rather than dangling necklaces. . . . . . 

The neutrals - classic naturals.

. . . . . . . and then there's this gorgeous chunky sweater - found this week in the

 clearance sale at Target for just $17!  Of course I didn't go there looking for 

clothes but this was on a mannequin with black pants and caught my eye!  

It ticked all the boxes - rusty gold, loose crew neck and longer length, with

 very long sleeves to roll up or cover the wrists on cold days, and with just a little

 shaping knitted in to make it non-baggy looking. It's extremely light and feels

 awesome on - don't think it will itch - and goes with my reddish hair!  

Anyway it was tossed into the cart along with the items I was really there to buy!

Have you read this book?  If you enjoy classical music as I do, you will find

 this is a wonderful true story written by Korean violinist Min Kym. 

I grabbed this at the Dollar Tree store and must say it's been a great read.

While talking about the color rust I have to share my hairstylist Suzi's

'babies' (she's given me permission to post their picture). 

Roxy the miniature Schnauzer and Lucy the Goldendoodle were at the

 salon on my recent visit - so well behaved and of course adorable.

They posed for me. . . . . . and made me wish I had a doggie of my own!

Hope your weekend is fun, as ours has been so far.

Dogs were also in the spotlight for us last evening when we

 spent a couple of hours at our local theatre watching the 

English play, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

It also included a handsome 'rusty' Golden Retriever named 

Sandy - much admired for his acting skills during his brief appearance.  

BTW - I'm actually a cat person, my favorite being rusty colored

'marmalade' kitties, although I've never had one that color of my own!

Wet Sunday in the garden. . . . . . . . . .

There are no trumpets welcoming the imminent arrival of a new

season, just a quiet pushing through the ground of bright green tips, the

 silent opening of buds, then pops of unexpected color as one looks out

 at the early morning.

Doesn't seem possible that well over a week of February has already

 disappeared into history! 

The days fleet fast for me at this time of life, how about you? 

Some people complain of days such as this one when the weather

is not to their liking. . . . . . whereas I gather each day around me thankful

it came and that I'm here to enjoy it.

February can be dreary, but this morning in my garden, I spy little things

 Nature is sharing to brighten my spirit, to be thankful for, to smile at, and

to know there is another Spring on the way.

 ~ Raindrops on daffodil leaves ~

~ Tufts of bluebell leaves pushing through garden mulch ~

~ First daffodil bloom of the year ~

~ Buds are opening ~

Today was already 60F at dawn, rain fell in the night, pansies are happy. . . . . . 

. . . . . . and the robins are back searching for worms - here's just a few of perhaps

 thirty who gathered on the front lawn!

Later today it will reach the mid-70's with perhaps some thunder.

The rain is light and intermittent - typical of February here in the 

southeast.

My thoughts this morning:

A Sunday in the cottage makes sense - there is much to do with our 
leaving home drawing closer.

I should bake something - or perhaps make a trifle! 

I need to clean the front porch as the beastly cute squirrels pulled the 
birdseed bell down, gobbled it up and left a mess!

Speaking of plants - we so enjoyed Raleigh Little Theatre's rendition of 
Little Shop of Horrors last evening!

Great cast as always, and special guests seated at the end of our row were 

North Carolina's Governor and First Lady, laughing along with the 

rest of us. I was happy to see them supporting this always fabulous local 

amateur theatre group.