Thrifty Tuesday

I had a leisurely time browsing at the thrift store this morning. I found a few treasures but when I got home and changed my clothes ( I was wearing slacks and wanted something cooler) I found I had two large smudges on my bum, as if I'd sat on something dirty. I don't know at what point it happened but I sure hope I wasn't walking around the store like that!!!

The first 'treasure' is a pretty creamer about four inches high,  with a lightly patterned brown bottom, a gold band separating it from the creamy top that  has flowers painted on it. There are some numbers on the bottom, nothing else.

This pretty tea cup had no saucer so was marked at 1.99 and Tuesday is Senior's discount day so I got an additional 30% off. Couldn't leave it there.   Roses encircle the top. There is also a gold band at the very top and around the pedestal base, and the handle.  Sorry the picture is a bit fuzzy.
 

This next piece is not a plate because it's perfectly flat and thicker than a plate would be. I'm thinking it's a trivet. In any case it is hand painted in Spain and I love the intense colours.

Fall is coming and although now the days are too warm for comfort soon I'll be wanting to wrap a cozy blanket around my shoulders. Never mind that I already own more than a few, this snowflake fleece blanket is so incredibly soft I gave in and bought it.
 

Those are my finds of the day. I'm especially happy to have found them because garage sales have been somewhat disappointing this summer.  Thankfully thrift stores exist. There are at least 5 in our town and I try to visit them all from time to time.  Today's is the one I like the most and where I usually have some luck.   Happy Tuesday!      Granny Marigold

Summery Monday

Yes, it sure is summer weather. I think we're breaking the record for high temps today.  Just to step out the door is to hit a wall of heat!  In spite of this I had the bright idea of using the oven. We had bought cherries yesterday at super low price and they were very ripe. I made a lovely cherry and custard pie ( except that I made it in an 8 X 8 square pan instead of a pie plate like the recipe specified).  Also made four lovely jars of cherry jam which will taste so good .
   Here are just some of the cherries we got.

    

The tea towel hides the corner where I cut a piece out before I remembered that I wanted to take a picture. That's what heat will do to your brain.
 

                    It's so hot that rose petals crisp up and become pot pourri overnight .

Tomatoes love this weather and we are enjoying their wonderful flavour. These are "Early Girl" which tends to have small fruit but is an early producer.

Time to have some more ice tea and maybe start another library book.  Is it hot where you live?

                Granny Marigold

Paper "shops"

I really don't know what to call this "card" I bought for fifty cents. It opens up to a row of cute shops. When closed it can be tied with the ribbons attached to each end. I have it sitting in the sunroom and it amuses me so it is worth the small amount I paid. When I get tired of it I can take it to the thrift store and someone else can have fun with it.  Most probably a child because not many women would appreciate its cuteness. What do you think?

The little girl in me loves the detail. I think this will stay up for a good long while. I do have to use a bit of tape to keep it from flying off because the overhead fan blows right above it and as long as this heatwave continues it stays on.   Hope you're having a great weekend and keeping cool.
            GRANNY M.

This and That

Happy end of the week; I hope it was a good one. Here things have been quiet ( in more ways than one)  but that quiet has come to an end because today is the first day of the big Annual Airshow. And that means a lot of noise!!  I remember years ago when I was doing daycare. How the noise would disturb naptime and frighten the little ones as jets went screaming overhead. The dog would run and hide.  Speaking of dogs, I thought today's picture would amuse some. Our black Lab is almost six  years old now but thinks he's still a puppy. He adores the little man and here he's licking his ear and making the little man giggle.

                                          GRANNY MARIGOLD

Wordless Wednesday

Happy middle of the week.  Please leave a comment to show you were here .

            Granny Marigold

Sunny Saturday

It continues to be hot and sunny.  We went to a few garage sales this morning but didn't find much. DH was off to the local Agri-fair at lunchtime so I had a relaxing afternoon. When he did get home I suggested we go to the nursery since at one of the gs the woman there said that everything was marked down. She had bought all sorts of plants and really inspired me to do the same. ( Not that it takes much. smile.)  Here you see what I did get. 

I have often wondered if I could successfully grow Canna Lilies. They seem so tropical that they must be difficult. But at the price that they were I decided to take a chance and got a red one and a yellow.  I love how dark the leaves of the red one are.  I did google Canna Lilies and found that they do need some extra care but probably no more than my Dahlias do. I hope I will have good luck.

The pot in the front with the fountain grass , Coleus, pink Petunia, and more was only 3.98 !!
I think it's so lovely.
 The three healthy looking plants on the steps are Victoria Blue Salvia  ( .59 cents each).  They have nice buds and some of our sunshine should make them bloom in no time.

The Gerbera Daisies are destined to be houseplants. I never realized they could be kept inside but the tag stuck in them gives this info so I'll try it.  
   That was my fun for today.  What did you do on this summery Saturday?

                      GRANNY MARIGOLD

Tea cups

Is it time to post some pics of tea cups again?  The first one is one that was given to me recently by  my DIL's step-mother whose mom passed away and left a number of tea cups. So this cup will always have lovely remembrances associated with it. The pattern is "Torquay" by Royal Albert.
(The berries are Mountain Ash  berries that I brought back from my walk this morning. )

The next tea cup is one I have shown before but I thought it looked so pretty with the variegated Laurel leaves ( that I plucked from a bush in front of the Drug Store, put into my purse, and forgot about  for a week. Rediscovered them today and I am amazed that they are still in fine condition.)
The tea cup pattern is Laurentian Snowdrop.

Happy First Day of August. Did you know that today is what is known as a cross-quarter day?  It marks the half-way point between the summer solstice and the fall equinox. ( I hope I have that right. If not, correct me). ( Have you noticed I seem to use brackets a lot?)
        Granny M.