Porch bench redo and a few garage sale finds

I'm back in Minnesota and recuperated from my 1700 mile trip safe and sound.

I'm slowly catching up with everything here. Mr. Wild built a raised bed for my garden and I planted the veggie garden yesterday just before the heavy rain. We had 6.7 inches of rain between midnight and 8 am this morning. We went for a walk in our woods this morning and discovered portions of our long driveway are partially washed out. We can still get in and out but it's a mess, just one more thing to add to the long To Do list!

One day last week I decided to see if I could make this old chippy white bench look better.

I found the bench about 20 years ago at a barn sale in South Dakota. It's been moved around a lot in those years but once we added on the screen porch it finally made a permanent home in there.

And with succulents everywhere, I couldn't resit a few more.

I purchased the larger plants at a nursery and Mr. Wild brought the small cuttings home from work.

The cement urns were a steal last year at the Arizona flea market...$15 for the pair!

Had a little fun with this broken old truck spring found in an abandoned dump in Wyoming.

Our ferns are so pretty...well they were until the deluge of water.

And Thursday I stopped at 3 garage sales.

The picnic basket was only 3 bucks and in great shape. I've wanted one for my vintage camping trailer but I was too cheap to pay antique shop prices. I guess if you wait long enough it eventually shows up!

I collect the little green enamelware teapots and also the chipped edge shaving mirrors...love this one! Everything was .50 cents to $4.

And for some reason I just liked this little gardening pin.

Just for the fun of it...parts of our driveway from the heavy rain....

(several more inches of rain is in the forecast)

Looks like we live in a jungle, feels like it today!!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Linking to:

Cozy Little House for Tweak It Tuesday

Knick of Time for Knick of Time Tuesday

Coastal Charm for Show and Share

Green Willow Pond for What We Accomplished Wednesday

French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday

Time to pack it up this year and continue next winter!

I tried but I just couldn't finish all of what I wanted to do this season.

I made the quilt last winter and had it quilted in MN over the summer.

I forgot the fabric for the binding and planned to sew it on this last winter but I just couldn't find the time.

The master bedroom is not finished like I hoped.

Last winter I picked up the 4 shutters and painted them a nice aqua.

I wiped light cream paint over all of it to give it a little depth.

There are 2 night tables I was going to finish, add a little more to the shutter headboard and make some fancy lampshades but that will have to wait until next winter along with the kitchen. I need to paint the kitchen and most of the rooms, ceiling and walls. I will be painting non stop next winter!

I sewed one valance and hung it up but couldn't get to the second valance so one window has a valance and one does not. I'm out of time!!!

I put together a succulent coffee cup several weeks ago.

I bought 7 plants at Home Depot and then stopped at JoAnn's, pots have become so expensive so I thought I'd use my coupon. I saw the over sized white coffee cup and knew that would be perfect.

I enjoyed the succulents so much that a couple of weeks later I went back to Home Depot and picked up 3 more plants, not knowing what I would plant them in but again, I stopped at JoAnn's and spotted a set of 3 small pots....perfect!

It actually looks really good outside on the glass patio table but the floor is not the best background so I brought them inside.

They will be packed up along with the annuals and travel back to MN.

And I couldn't help but take a ton of pictures of these lovely roses!

No, Mr. Wild did not send them to me...are you kidding! I would fall over if he ever did that!

I stopped at the grocery store yesterday early afternoon, they had bundles of roses on sale for $3.50 a dozen...how could I resist!

I brought home 5 dozen!!!

I have never had that many roses and it really was a fun treat!

They are a bit old and are some are starting to wilt a little today but that's okay because I bought them to hang and dry.

And I couldn't resist adding a saguaro, they are blooming!

This will probably be my last post until I get back to MN.

I went to the flea market Sunday and found some treasures. I'll take pics before I leave and then post them when I get back to MN.

Tomorrow Mr. Wild is going to talk me through adding air conditioning stuff (no clue what I'm doing) to the truck because my air conditioning isn't putting out any cool air...over the phone! That ought to be a fun! I went to the store yesterday and just about roasted in the truck, it was 92 degrees so today I picked up the supplies to do this. Can you imagine driving 1600 miles with no air and the windows open with the noisy semi trucks and wind 10 to 12 hours a day!!! Especially as I get further north and run into the humidity that I'm not used to!

I know if I accomplish that then for sure it will be cool all the way and I'll need heat...not air!

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May 7...Update...I did it! I did my own air conditioning! It was easy and now I know how to fix it myself! The air in the truck is nice and COLD!

It really worked!!!! Awesome!

I apologize to my blogging friends, I'll get caught up with you all when I get back to MN.

Thanks for stopping!

Linking to:

Green Willow Pond for What We Accomplished Wednesday

Common Ground for Be Inspired

The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home

Simple little shelf redo and a few thrift store finds

From this...

To this

It was painted a very pretty soft yellow but grungy and the color wouldn't fit with my decor so  I painted it Table Linen by Behr. I didn't want to shabby it this time.

I cut pieces of burlap to fit inside the back wall and used double sided tape to adhere the burlap, so far it's staying put!

I found this sweet little pitcher for $2 at Goodwill the other day, it's just the sweetest little thing and it was worth the trip just for that alone!

I also found this chair for a steal at a yard sale a few weeks ago, it's sits just below the shelf.

I love the curved top and the spindles.

And two more Goodwill finds,

a vintage bowl that looks like it's Texasware but says Made in USA on the bottom,

it's that thick plastic like Melmac with the swirls in it, in great condition for $3

And 2 little cups that remind me of McCoy. The have the similar markings and a number which I haven't looked up yet. I imagine they came with saucers at one time. $2 each.

Thanks for stopping!

Linking to;

Green Willow Pond for What We Accomplished Wednesday

The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home

Common Ground for Be Inspired

French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday

Fresh veggies and visiting reptiles

This may not be an interesting post to most people but I just have to say how much fun I'm having picking veggies from my little garden every evening.

I used to have a huge garden and canned and froze everything. That was when my husband still had the old farm house. Then we moved into the woods in 1989. We designed and had a house built and were so proud that we only took down 2 oak trees. Now I wish we had taken down a lot more.

It's way too dark and shady for a garden and I miss it terribly.

So please bare with me as I brag talk about my tiny veggie garden!

Then onto the native plants and "things"

I love prickly pear flowers and they're in full bloom now.

I can never take enough pictures, that delicate flower against those spiky thorns

And a warning here...If you hate reptiles do not go any further, I don't want to offend anyone but this is life in the desert especially when you are out in the country, seriously IN the desert.

This big fat lizard was eating my petunia flowers!!!

He's at least 12" long and almost scary he's so big, my cat will chase the small lizards but she stays away from this guy.

I hope he doesn't find a way into my veggie garden, I think he'd eat all the lettuce!

And a King snake came to visit this morning, he's outside the snake proof fence and he's a good snake. He eats other snakes including rattlers and is immune to their venom.

I WANT these here!

I have yet to see a rattler so maybe this is why!

(his head is to the right of that rock and hard to see)

I saw a beautiful Hooded Oriole this morning off the front porch but I didn't have my camera with me!

Anyway, that's' life in the desert!

Thanks for visiting!

What IS this and some flowers.

It stands 17" tall and I know it's blue swirl graniteware but what was it's original purpose?

A milk can?

I looked online and I see small milk cans but they look different.

It probably had a lid at one time.

And of course I just had to buy it. It might be cute as a plant stand at the bunkhouse, it's has several chips and dings but that's how I like my stuff, a bit chipped and dingy.

And then there was this, for a couple of dollars why not.

It measures 4 1/2" x 5" and 1" high. It looks like slots for coins but a 25 cent piece is too small.

It's tin and it's heavy for it's size.

I can always use it for paper clips and pushpins...I can't believe I don't have any here!

And seeing as I'll be leaving in 2 or 3 weeks, here's my garden.

I've been able to pick spinach and lettuce for a dinner salad every evening. 

The taller plant is cilantro which grew like a weed and I've been using it in chicken burritos.

And finally the cherry tomatoes look like they can be picked soon. 

It's in a pot so I can take it back to Minnesota.

A little wild flower popped out the gravel other day. This was one of my dad's favorite flowers when we would go for a ride in the desert.

And one of my favorite cactus flowers called Beavertail Cactus

Mexican Bird of Paradise, another one of my favorites and so nice that the woman who lived here before planted a lot of these around the yard.

In the background are the Rincon Mountains and Rincon Creek is between me and the mountains.

The mountain to the left is the south end of Saguaro National Park which, by the way, all National Parks are free admission today and tomorrow.

I'm not anxious to leave but I'm starting to pack and finish whatever needs finishing here.

I'll be back with a couple more posts of projects and then it will be time to head north!

Thanks for stopping!