Moving to New Blog Address

While clicking and clicking this morning, I managed to get this page back.  Still no custom domain.com. That is gone forever, I am afraid.  I’m now posting on blogspot.com, for the purpose of relaying the address for Back Porch Musings’ new home.

I hope you all will visit me at:

http://backporchmusings.typepad.com

Thanks so much!

Pat

Tidbits

Bradford Pear Blossom

Monday morning, we made a quick trip to Wentzville MO, were J was having a blood draw at Quest Diagnostics.  Nothing to worry about, we are making progress with the pesky Pro Time.

As I waited in the car, listening to the radio and reading, I glanced out the window and thought I was seeing things.

The parking lot, at Quest, is lined with Bradford Pear trees. 

Normally, in our neck of the woods, Bradford Pear blooms in early Spring.  This one appears to be confused.

 

I attracted attention, as I was getting a closer look and capturing a photo or two.  The expressions on various faces didn’t deter me from my mission.

I wonder if folks were focused on the quirky little old white haired lady, with the camera, and missed the phenomena of a September blooming Bradford Pear; I hope not.

This fellow, not believing his eyes, moved in for a closer look at the tree and the photographer.

My camera is with me at all times.  Not for possible blog opportunities, but rather the passion I have for photography.  I had an interest in photography long before I began Back Porch Musings, in 2007.  Because of Back Porch Musings, my interest grew.  I hope the passion continues, when Back Porch Musings is a distant memory.

A carousel ride…

A few days ago I visited my cousin’s Facebook page and was absolutely delighted with a photo, I saw.

Sad to say, many times senior citizens are dismissed as confused and a tad quirky, if not downright loopy.  I’m sure similar thoughts were going through the mind of at least one of the people watching me “dance” around the “confused” pear tree, clicking away with my trusty Canon.

My cousin’s 70th birthday is in December.  I smiled when I saw the Facebook photo, taken while she rode a carousel.  The photo’s title, 7 or 70. 

I’m not sure, with my short chubby legs, I could climb upon a carousel horse.  I might give it a try, for my 70th birthday in three years….or maybe sooner.  Until then, I’ll enjoy the Camaro…another kind of carousel ride.

 

Blog Confusion….perhaps….

I continue to enjoy blogging and am amazed at the number on the Follow list.  It was two years ago next month, when that list began to grow, not long after I added the Follow widget.  I’ve never asked anyone to follow, the list just grew. 

I think, at times, we are taken in by numbers and confused by the competitive nature that sometimes happens in the land of blog. 

The advice of this little old white haired lady is to blog because you love it.

I completely understand having an interest in numbers if your business is connected with your blog.  But if you are blogging as a hobby, forget about the numbers and competition.  Someone somewhere is reading your blog and benefitting from your efforts, whether they stop by and tell you or not.  You touch the lives of others, without being aware of doing so.

Relax, enjoy the process.  I’ve always said, when the Back Porch becomes work, I’ll stop blogging.  I’ve slowed down a time or two, when it began to feel like a job rather than a hobby.  I’ve begun to do a few more posts, lately.  It just happens.  I don’t plan it.  If a project, day trip or meal looks like it will work for the Back Porch, I’ll take some photos and put together a draft. 

I believe a laid back approach to blogging works for me.  Otherwise, blogging just might take over my life and I would miss out on confused pear trees and carousel rides.

Thanks to all who read Back Porch Musings.  I truly appreciate your visits.

Thank you, also, for indulging this senior with her rambling little story of the confused tree and other things.

Moving to New Blog Address

While clicking and clicking this morning, I managed to get this page back.  Still no custom domain.com. That is gone forever, I am afraid.  I’m now posting on blogspot.com, for the purpose of relaying the address for Back Porch Musings’ new home.

I hope you all will visit me at:

http://backporchmusings.typepad.com

Thanks so much!

Pat

Tidbits

Bradford Pear Blossom

Monday morning, we made a quick trip to Wentzville MO, were J was having a blood draw at Quest Diagnostics.  Nothing to worry about, we are making progress with the pesky Pro Time.

As I waited in the car, listening to the radio and reading, I glanced out the window and thought I was seeing things.

The parking lot, at Quest, is lined with Bradford Pear trees. 

Normally, in our neck of the woods, Bradford Pear blooms in early Spring.  This one appears to be confused.

 

I attracted attention, as I was getting a closer look and capturing a photo or two.  The expressions on various faces didn’t deter me from my mission.

I wonder if folks were focused on the quirky little old white haired lady, with the camera, and missed the phenomena of a September blooming Bradford Pear; I hope not.

This fellow, not believing his eyes, moved in for a closer look at the tree and the photographer.

My camera is with me at all times.  Not for possible blog opportunities, but rather the passion I have for photography.  I had an interest in photography long before I began Back Porch Musings, in 2007.  Because of Back Porch Musings, my interest grew.  I hope the passion continues, when Back Porch Musings is a distant memory.

A carousel ride…

A few days ago I visited my cousin’s Facebook page and was absolutely delighted with a photo, I saw.

Sad to say, many times senior citizens are dismissed as confused and a tad quirky, if not downright loopy.  I’m sure similar thoughts were going through the mind of at least one of the people watching me “dance” around the “confused” pear tree, clicking away with my trusty Canon.

My cousin’s 70th birthday is in December.  I smiled when I saw the Facebook photo, taken while she rode a carousel.  The photo’s title, 7 or 70. 

I’m not sure, with my short chubby legs, I could climb upon a carousel horse.  I might give it a try, for my 70th birthday in three years….or maybe sooner.  Until then, I’ll enjoy the Camaro…another kind of carousel ride.

 

Blog Confusion….perhaps….

I continue to enjoy blogging and am amazed at the number on the Follow list.  It was two years ago next month, when that list began to grow, not long after I added the Follow widget.  I’ve never asked anyone to follow, the list just grew. 

I think, at times, we are taken in by numbers and confused by the competitive nature that sometimes happens in the land of blog. 

The advice of this little old white haired lady is to blog because you love it.

I completely understand having an interest in numbers if your business is connected with your blog.  But if you are blogging as a hobby, forget about the numbers and competition.  Someone somewhere is reading your blog and benefitting from your efforts, whether they stop by and tell you or not.  You touch the lives of others, without being aware of doing so.

Relax, enjoy the process.  I’ve always said, when the Back Porch becomes work, I’ll stop blogging.  I’ve slowed down a time or two, when it began to feel like a job rather than a hobby.  I’ve begun to do a few more posts, lately.  It just happens.  I don’t plan it.  If a project, day trip or meal looks like it will work for the Back Porch, I’ll take some photos and put together a draft. 

I believe a laid back approach to blogging works for me.  Otherwise, blogging just might take over my life and I would miss out on confused pear trees and carousel rides.

Thanks to all who read Back Porch Musings.  I truly appreciate your visits.

Thank you, also, for indulging this senior with her rambling little story of the confused tree and other things.

~Harvest Time~

For man, autumn is a time of harvest, of gathering together.
For nature, it is a time of sowing, of scattering abroad.

~Edwin Teale

On many Easter Sundays, when I was a youngster, I was given a small Carnation corsage to wear to church.  Afterward, I pressed the corsage between the pages of my Bible. 

The Carnations are gone.  I still have my childhood Bible.  Written inside is the date it was given to me; December 25, 1955.

I have only tried a few times pressing or drying flowers, since those long ago days.

Rhoda, at Southern Hospitality, pressed a few fern fronds between magazine pages, last month, and wrote about it HERE.

I was inspired to try pressing fern fronds from our patio garden. 

Several fronds were cut from Boston Ferns, in hanging baskets and a few from perennial ferns growing beside the patio.

Even with Summer at it’s end, the color is still good.  If these do well, I may try pressing ferns harvested during early Summer, next year.

 

I am sure there is a more efficient process for pressing flowers. 

As usual, with my projects, I am flying by the seat of the pants.

I placed dry fronds between sheets of waxed paper and weighted them with several magazines.

These are fern fronds after a couple of days pressing.  I will leave the fronds between the magazines a few more weeks.

I have no idea what I will do with the ferns, if I’m successful; I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.

I found this link with flower and leaf pressing information:

http://www.preservedgardens.com/how-to-press.htm

I may cut more fronds and try conditioning them, as the article suggests, before pressing.

The link below has information about gluing the pressed flowers or leaves for framing.

A spray preservative, found at Michael’s and/or other floral craft sources, is mentioned in the article.

http://www.preservedgardens.com/glue.htm

I’ll post again, in a few weeks, with the results. 

In the meantime, if you have ferns or other foliage you would like to preserve for framing, I invite you to give leaf pressing a try.

 

ANSWERS

I was asked about the secretary in the foyer.  It is not an antique; it is by Hooker Furniture.  The link shows the secretaries available. I didn’t see ours on the website.  We purchased ours about three years ago.

The bespectacled reading bunny got a lot of attention in the Fall Foyer post. I found the bunny at The Missouri Botanical Garden (St Louis), during the Orchid Show, last winter.

My friend JoAnn passed along the 417 magazines, I used to press the ferns.  This is a publication about happenings in southwest Missouri.

A few days ago I walked along the edge of the lake and was treated to the crunch and rustle of leaves with each step I made. The acoustics of this season are different and all sounds, no matter how hushed, are as crisp as autumn air.

~Eric Sloane

Linking to The Tablescaper’s Seasonal Sundays.

Because the process of floral/leaf pressing is a metamorphosis, of sorts, I am adding this to Susan’s Metamorphosis Monday.

I love this!

I love the kids too! This photo of two of our younger grandchildren was taken by our eldest granddaughter, who is trying to grow a photography business.  She has photographed her cousins and baby brother since they were newborns. 

Of course, I think she is a wonderful photographer and the kiddo’s are all great models.

~Fall Foyer~

Fall vignette in the foyer.

This space is difficult to photograph.

I am never quite happy with the results.  It was more of a challenge today, with the overcast skies, as we await rain from the south.

As we were leaving the lake, Tuesday morning, we noticed Dogwood leaves beginning to change.  Maple trees are showing a bit of color, also.

 

The feature post, this week, comes from Southern Lagniappe.

Janie has decorated her beautiful home for Autumn. 

Click on the Back Porch Feature Post button, on the sidebar, to visit her gorgeous southern home.

Linking to Artie’s Vignette Fridays

~Delicious Autumn~

"Delicious autumn!  My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth
seeking the successive autumns."
-   George Eliot

We are home from the lake for a week or two. 

I’m working on getting the back porch ready for Fall. 

Most of the things I used, for this table, you’ve seen before. 

I am getting lots of good use from the woven Wal-mart placemats.

The green cloche/birdcage is from Schaefer House, Jefferson City MO, last Spring.  I found the little “milking stool” and birds at Michael’s, last month.  Other accessories and dishes, used in this setting, were found around the house.

Home Goods has lots of wonderful Fall accessories. 

I found the pumpkin plates at Marshall’s, Osage Beach MO.  If you have a base set of white dinnerware, it is easy to have a variety of table settings by adding colorful salad plates or other small dishes.

We continue having delicious Autumn weather.

 

 

 

 

Linking to Susan’s Tablescape Thursday.

ANSWERS

Someone asked about the font, I use most of the time, in my posts.  It is Bradley Hand ITC.  I use Windows Live Writer for composing my posts.  This is one of many fonts available in the program.