Snowballs and I go way back.  Not the kind you form from freshly fallen snow, but the kind that grows on branches.  

For as long as I can remember, my momma had a snowball bush growing just outside her kitchen window.  A bright and sunny window that welcomed the afternoon sunlight ... a cheerful spot that could turn a most ordinary day into a breath of fresh air.  I loved doing dishes in momma's kitchen, that says a lot right there.  I have so many memories of momma's snowball bush full of blooms in springtime, and the sun filled window making a rainbow of colors that danced in the soapy dishwater.  Mostly, it was momma making this time special...and I still enjoy washing dishes in her sink beneath the sunny kitchen window...even though the snowball bush is long gone.

So, I made sure to plant two in my garden and the memories flood back every spring as they bloom in my garden and I bring them indoors to enjoy, like these in the dining room.

Valentine's Day in the Kitchen

Valentine's Day will be here before we know it, and though I LOVE celebrating, I don't usually do too much so far as decor.  So, I've sprinkled the kitchen island with a little love for this special day.

What a Year 2019 Has Been

We're friends, right..

So, can I be honest with you?

It's hard to describe, but 2019 has been an off year for me.  It was way too busy and with too many projects that required too much time on the road, loss of a most treasured loved one, and now it's gone.  As I reached the end of it and began looking back, I came to find much of it is a blur.  

  

It's been a thrilling year having our new grandson with us, he is so precious, and I couldn't love him more!  The interior cabin renovation is finally done, yay!  But it's been an exceptionally busy year and I found myself absolutely exhausted at the end of it.  Then there was Thanksgiving which was late, and Christmas which was early and three birthdays to celebrate, and New Year's Day...and I was hosting it all.  My mind and body were too full of tired and exhaustion to be motivated or creative or to enjoy the process of getting all these things pulled together...I was stuck.

Are you ever like that?

The Cabin Before and After

This weekend I was thinking about how far we've come with the cabin renovation and began looking at some pictures that were taken the first time we saw it.  That was back in 2015 and we closed on the property in December 2016.  We have come so far, and it feels good to have so much behind us.  We still have some repair work and painting to do on the exterior, but the inside is finished, and we are so happy with how things are coming along.  I haven't shared many of the before and after pictures with you so I thought I would.  I must admit I cringed a time or two as I was looking back...it was so bad!

Special Moments and Furnishings at the Cabin

The cabin is a special place.  On the drive up, it is truly amazing, how we feel the weight of the world lifting and peace settling in.  Once there, with the beauty that surrounds and the sound of the rushing creeks, it is always such a calm and relaxing place to be.

Inside the cabin, there is a small window of time when the sunlight streams in.  A little in the morning and a bit in late afternoon.  I love those times as the sun dances through the lace covered windows, it is brighter and the extra warmth...especially in the winter.  But mostly it's a bit dark inside, so on comes the lamp light, oil lamps and the flicker of candles.  This was taken in the morning, just as the sun was coming in the front windows.