Water for everyone

When it’s this hot and dry, the birds need fresh water too. Filling the bird baths is a daily activity that Archie loves. Yum! Bird-flavored water!

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Your flowers are counting on you

It is watering season. And it’s been SO dry which makes it all the more important to fill your cans and get out there. If you haven’t yet, you should sign up for the TGP newsletter. They share watering tips in the latest edition plus other great info. Use the link in the sidebar on the right to reach their site.

Meanwhile, check out a closer look at the watering cans I have at the Naperville location so you can pick one up and water in color!

93 degrees was pretty darn hot!

Thank you for coming out to the Naperville Growing Place last Saturday for the Art in the Garden festival. As usual, it was a wonderful (although H O T!) day. It was very nice to visit with those of you who already own a “jen” and came back for another or just to say hello… and to those of you who purchased an item for the first time this year, I look forward to seeing you again!

Remember to contact me if you have an item of your own you’d like freshened up or to check on my inventory to paint you something I have.

Enjoy the upcoming holiday weekend. Happy Fourth!

jen by jennifer

You know it’s a good day when…

I can set up in the backyard to paint! What a beautiful weekend. I finished a couple of items and have many more (lots of watering cans!) in process. Looking forward to the Growing Place Gardener’s Art Festival on Saturday, June 25 at 9 a.m. at the Naperville location.

Sun and flowers…a good day indeed.

Rustic Christmas front porch 2014

I didn’t really feel like decorating that day but the next day was going to be December 1 already!  I had to do it AND it was nearly 50 degrees outside.  It would really have been the wrong move to put it off…so this is what I came up with that afternoon.  I went rustic Christmas with items I bought (very few), collected or was given.  (My basement is FULL of stuff!)  Knowing I wanted to go this style, I had already purchased the ribbon so I was in pretty good shape.

Thanks to my mom for bringing home the fresh greens from her house in Missouri.  I always use fresh greens to fill my flower boxes each winter.  It’s good to have a source that barters in wine and conversation!

Merry Christmas!

October 1

My favorite season is here AND my favorite month. I’m going to make every effort to value and enjoy each day (even though I can’t believe it is here ALREADY!).

Happy Birthday to my brother Bill today.

If you haven’t already and particularly if you are in your 40’s, I recommend listening to “Bossy Pants” by Tina Fey. I just started it on my commute this morning. VERY enjoyable and I’m amazed at how much of it I can relate to. I might even go so far as to say it’s inspiring me (MIGHT – don’t want to set expectations that I’m going to DO anything with the inspiration).

Happy day all!

jen

Looking forward to a long weekend here…

Looking forward to the weekend

Last weekend we had a great time visiting in Missouri.  My nephew Ely graduated from Plattsburg High School.  It was a really nice ceremony and it was so good to see him SO happy!

Visiting after the graduation with Ely and his brother Sammy, and seeing people I haven’t seen in a long time was just as good as I expected.  An important note:  John got to meet Sam’s mom which is something Sam was very excited to have happen.  I just love that the two of them have become such good friends.

Here’s a picture from the day before when John and I were out roaming the countryside.

Having fun in the country!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking forward to the long weekend at home to paint for the show at the Growing Place on June 21, and to work in the yard!

Hope the weather is as beautiful by you as it is here.  Happy Memorial Day weekend all!

Cheers!

jen (by jennifer)

My first spring flowers 2014

These are under the tree by the porch that we use as our main access to the house.  Makes me happy every time I walk by them.  Finally!  I think spring is here…

Cheers!  Have a fabulous weekend!

 

Growing Place Art in the Garden Festival 2014

I received the information in the mail yesterday for the Growing Place Art in the Garden Festival 2014 on June 21 in Naperville!  Mark your calendar.  I already requested my usual couple of days before the event off from work this morning so I can be ready, ready – ready!  And I will start sourcing watering cans right away.  I sold all the cans I had painted last season.

Let me know if you have requests!

Spring will come!!  Hang in there.

jen by jennifer

MeOW!

PLEEEEEEEEEEEZ Can I go outside today?  It’s above freezing.  Not that that matters to me…you know I wanted out when it was -20 degree something with wind chill…  PLEEEEEEEEEZ?!

Four Degrees – Not so BAD

I watched my temperature gauge on Thelma (my car) climb from zero degrees to four degrees this morning on my way to the office.  When I got out of the car in the parking garage I have to say it didn’t feel too bad!  How scary is that?  Considering the past two days have been negative digits (double negative on Monday) with even more severe temperatures with windchill, I will take this balmy four degrees.  AND it’s warm in the office. 🙂

Have a great day!

Just in time

SO glad to have my new UGGs and my new Sorels to help me battle this weather!  The high today is -11.  That’s just incredible.  Thanks again mom and dad for the always more than generous Christmas cash to shop with for “necessities”!!

Thought for the Day

In the winter, the trees do not search for a warmer place to be. 

They continue to experience life right where they are.

Happy Friday all!

Make it a great weekend…

jen (by jennifer)

There’s always more to do …

Well – I didn’t do too badly yesterday on the productivity front and considering I was up at 3:45 a.m. and stayed up until around midnight, I was able to relax and spend some quality time with my honey too.  I did the yard work I wanted for the most part although I have a few other things I want to do this morning before we head out with friends who are meeting here around 2 p.m.  I did the dishes, organized the kitchen a little, picked up all the clothes in my dressing room, the laundry is finished … still more to do so I’ve got to run.

It’s a BEAUtiful day!!  More tomorrow.

Cheers!

Friday! Again …

Where does the time go?  I can’t believe it’s Friday again.  I’m currently “not going to the office” – Um, yes, I’m unemployed.

Maybe I’m the only one who imagines this, but I don’t think so – you think you will do every project you’ve daydreamed about while at work, your house will be immaculate, the yard and flowers will look better than ever, you’ll exercise every day in a way you’ve never done before, there will be lunches with friends and in my case, you’ll blog, paint and create, and post something new to Etsy daily.  Well … I can’t say I haven’t done SOME things, but if that list is the norm I’m failing horribly.

SO … today I’ve been up since 4.  Job search is first (my Wii check in was actually first) then I WILL scour the bathroom, finish the laundry, wash the dishes, organize the kitchen, paint the outdoor benches, mow the lawn and do at the least one creative project.

I’ll check in tomorrow to let you know how I did. 😉

How do you get and stay motivated?  What do you have going on for the weekend?

Oh … and I stripped the bed already, too.

Cheers!