Country church

Green Garden, Illinois is a little town with an agricultural history that is slowly being surrounded by urban sprawl. Their neat little Methodist church kept its small country church appeal-- except for the electronic welcome sign with the scrolling messages that is just out of frame to the right.

I guess their sign is a sign of how the sprawl is even creeping in to the Methodist church.

Where the heck am I?

Actually, this sculpture is in front of a Chamber of Commerce/tourism office just off I-57 in Mount Vernon, Illinois.

"French Mustard"

Glidden's "French Mustard" will adorn the walls in the upstairs hallway and the former family room as well as the south wall of the new great room.

"Kiln"

This is the color three of the four walls of our nearly-completed great room are being painted today. The name given to it by Martha Stewart is "Kiln".

The remaining wall and the upstairs hallway and former family room will be painted "French Mustard" tomorrow.

Our "Laundry Kitchen"

This is where we cook (microwave), have our refrigerator, store our dry goods, wash dishes and clothes, etc.

One more week and we'll dismantle it all (except the fridge stays) and move into the NEW great room upstairs.

New bowl

Yes, it is big. We had it made special and that's why I waited until mid-March for my Christmas gift.

From the "Things that make me go, 'Hmmm' file"

An Amish bar stool. For Amish bars?

Alexander & Saralyn

This picture of Alex and Sara was taken almost 5 1/2 years ago. I still LOVE LOVE LOVE it.

(Sara is my youngest daughter. Alex is older daughter Misha's son-- my grandson.)

Dinosaur

An ashtray. Add this to the list of "things-that-used-to-be-everywhere-but-now-you-hardly-ever-see-them"-- along with phone booths, cassette tapes and full-service gas stations.

Spring has sprung!

Daffodils pushing up through the mulch are a sure sign that longer, warmer-- and more colorful-- days are on their way.