Weekending
I had an unexpected last-minute Airbnb booking late Thursday afternoon for the weekend, so had to abandon my Duolingo practice and spring into action to get ready for a Friday arrival! I might have finally learned that I need to be prepared for anything!
That done, I crossed a bunch of other stuff off my list over the weekend, and it feels so good! There are still a couple of stragglers, but I'll get to them soon... after I ready the Airbnb for the guests arriving on Wednesday! (There's no rest for the wicked, as my mother would say.)
One of the things I accomplished over the weekend was buying and planting plants in our decorative planters.
You may have seen my post about that on IG over the weekend. I've had this wicker fern stand forever, and it's always been on the back porch, but it's never held a plant of any kind. The cats loved it and would jump up and nap inside... especially after Rusty made it cozy with old porch pillows and a rug. We'd even spot cats in there that weren't even ours!
Not our cat!! We nicknamed this one Ferdinand!
It's been a while since it's been used as a cat bed, though, so I decided to buy some plants.
You can hardly see it now in its spot under the Marriage Window...
...but once these incredibly bright coleus grow a bit, it'll be easier to spot!
I was pleasantly surprised to find that I can enjoy that planter from a couple of other vantage points.
This is from the other side of the Marriage Window... as things grow, I may have to move it a bit!
And this is from one of the kitchen windows... it's visible from three of four!
I have the need to mention -- just in case you've missed it -- that Maddy & Viv will be showing their faces here THREE WEEKS FROM TODAY!! I cannot wait to hug m'girls!! And I'll be driving down to Chicago, FOUR WEEKS FROM TODAY (yes, on the 4th of July), to pick up Kate!!
❤️❤️❤️
Oh, quick favor... I'm looking for recommendations for a YA read. It can be any genre, even part of a series, preferably not terribly long. Thank you in advance!
Plants beneath the marriage window look just lovely, and then there is the three and four week wondrous excitement!
YA reads - almost anything by Gary Paulsen, especially the Hatchet series (action/nature/survival and not too long), Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli, The Blue Sword and The Hero and the Crown (fantasy) by Robin McKinley. and the Frontier Magic series by Patricia C. Wrede. Frontier Magic is a series of three books, Thirteenth Child, Across the Great Barrier, and The Far West that are still some of Ryan's favorites.
Posted by: Bonny | 06 June 2022 at 01:50 PM
I love when plants are visible from multiple vantage points and yours looks great! I planted some marigolds in a new location yesterday and I'm surprised at how happy it makes me to see them from my kitchen windows. As for YA, I really liked The Fault in Our Stars.
Posted by: Carole | 06 June 2022 at 01:58 PM
I’m guessing YA stands for young adult? I don’t really have any kids in my life so I’m not 100%. If so, I’m not so sure how young adult this book is but I just finished The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune. It was a very sweet and funny story.
Posted by: Aimee | 06 June 2022 at 02:35 PM
Love that wicker planter basket and it looks so fab under the Marriage Window. I second Bonny's recommendation of the Gary Paulsen books - Hatchet especially. Colin loved those. Also, Jack London - Call of the Wild (I think that's the name). Currently I'm reading Island of the Blue Dolphins which I would also recommend. Then, of course, Charlotte's Web. Stuart Little, A Wrinkle in Time. So many wonderful books out there!!
Posted by: Vera | 06 June 2022 at 02:44 PM
Your yard looks so ... Wisconsin summer! (I know Sara doesn't miss Madison one bit, but I do - especially my annual June/July visits). A middle school teacher recommended The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise to me; I read it a few months back and LOVED it.
Posted by: Mary | 06 June 2022 at 04:35 PM
As cute as a cozy cat must've been, I am really liking the plants in the plant stand. All that green is so cheerful!
I don't have any specific YA titles to recommend that haven't been mentioned already. I did just read Firekeeper's Daughter and loved it, but even though I think it's classified as YA, it deals with some pretty heavy subjects (drug addiction, murder, sexual assault). The good news is that there is a ton to choose from in the YA genre these days.
Posted by: Sarah | 07 June 2022 at 06:54 AM
I love that wicker planter, Vicki! (as a cat bed or as a planter! hahaha)
I am so excited for your girls to all be home for a bit! That is amazing for you! XO
I am not the best at the YA genre, but I second Island of the Blue Dolphins... and my kids loved The Series of Unfortunate Events series. Lots! :)
Posted by: kat | 07 June 2022 at 07:03 AM
What a PERFECT spot for a lovely planter, Vicki! It's going to brighten that spot right up . . . from every view! And you must be giddy about ALL your girls. I'm so excited for you. XO
(As far as the YA . . . are you looking for a title for a specific kid????)
Posted by: Kym | 07 June 2022 at 07:43 AM
We are fond of the Septimus Heap series, by Angie Sage. That's on the younger end of YA. Eon and Eona are two good ones from Alison Goodman. The Graceling series by Kristin Cashore is wonderful. The Grey Wolf Throne series by Cinda Williams Chima is also great, and has a second series with the children of the original characters. The Alchemist series by Michael Scott is great also. Percy Jackson - so many wonderful series by Rick Riordan! Spin the Dawn is the start of a recent series that we liked too. I could go on and on! Oh! The Amulet of Samarkand is great (Jonathon Stroud), a little denser than the others. Harry Potter is also good, even if we're not liking JKR these days. Shout if you want more!
Posted by: Margie D. | 07 June 2022 at 12:11 PM
The planter is perfectly placed under the marriage window. It's almost like a glimpse back in time. The Golden Compass and Girl Who Drank the Moon are two of my favorites.
Posted by: Margene | 08 June 2022 at 10:30 AM