Dearest Readers,
Our house has been a jumble, tumble of rearranging rooms and moving things about....all sixes and sevens as the British like to say. It is finally about finished and I must say that I like the calm and organized far better!
I have moved my craft room to the basement where the former "NORAD Space Station" was located. What a lot of room I will now have for sewing, scrapbooking and general crafting. Dearest was kind enough to put a large bright light fixture right over my cutting table and bring the second desk out of storage. Now I have a desk for sewing and another one for scrapbooking. Oh, and a smaller third desk holds all my stickers, etc. with a paper cutting station on top and my paper organizing shelves sitting right next to it. I am delighted...yes, indeed!
The former craft room became an additional bedroom, so that I have room for all my "babies" when they come home to stay in our nest for awhile. It was in need of a thorough cleaning, not to mention painting and carpet shampooing. While that was in progress the bed that belongs in the room had to wait patiently propped up in the back parlour. I did not care for that, let me tell you.
Of course, yours truly does not like to paint anything in simple colors, so the ceiling was painted the same burgundy as the front parlour and the walls where painted a lovely shade of blue called "Skipper". Oh yes, the walls were formerly cream and it only took 3 coats of paint to cover it...it is a good thing I actually like to paint. The old border paper that runs halfway up the wall was painted over with the same said burgundy and will soon be stenciled in a beautiful gold Victorian pattern. (I had read about painting over border paper in a magazine and must confess I thought it sounded rather distasteful...but I have done it several times now and it looks very lovely after it is stenciled...it looks just like the expensive border paper from the Victorian reproduction companies.)
Meanwhile, canning, dehydrating and freezing the ever abundant harvest continues, not to mention the everyday household duties! I am glad to have the jumble tumble behind me and can, once again, get back to a simple, gentle everyday pace....what a blessed life.
Yours kindredly,
Shan
P.S. I will post pictures of the rooms as soon as I put on all of the finishing touches.
Dearest Readers,
The clouds have rolled in and it is quite dark here in the parlour requiring me to turn on a light or two. The high is supposed to be only 79 as a cool front has moved in, so it was a perfect day for puttering in the garden and taking inventory of my canning jars and canning supplies. I will definitely need to purchase more pint jars!
Dearest will be home around 2:00 this afternoon and then we will head out for a Birthday party for my "little" brother who will be turning 40! 
Just next to the pump organ...
Here she is....rocking her littlest little, Clementine. She and Mr. Hottentot are the proud parents of 18 littles so she is quite a busy lady. We have lovely exchanges about laundry (she is an expert!) and cooking for a crowd, not to mention homekeeping tips. 
Dearest Readers,
A simple cotton top that has a lovely old-fashioned print of navy, turquoise and pink, a long navy skirt and my stand-by pink clogs. Nothing fancy, (all the garments are a few years old) but it is neat and pressed and will keep me cool as today the temperature is going to reach 95 degrees.
I have added a lovely navy bow to compliment my skirt.