A Cozy Mug Of Hot Cocoa On A Rainy Afternoon

This past Saturday, one of the neighborhood churches was having a rummage sale. This happens twice a year, usually in April and October. This year they ran their Spring rummage sale a month later than normal. I have been going to this event every year since I was in high school. Back when I was a teenager, my dear friend and I would go in the Spring to find clothes to re-fashion into grunge gear. It was the late 1990's and that was the style. My mother was never bothered with me hacking away at second hand clothing. We had a lot of fun with the shopping, too. Sometimes, we would find some really wacky numbers and a vintage find was always a treat. We'd also go to the rummage sale in October, but our mission then was to find the perfect Halloween costume, or at least the perfect pieces to make into a costume. One year, I found an adorable 1960's (early 60's) party gown. It was lavender chiffon with layers of tulle. It might have been a bridesmaid dress or a prom gown. I used it for a corpse/ zombie beauty queen costume, pouring fake blood all over it. I felt a it guilty for destroying someones gown. However, I still have that gown in my costume chest. It did not go to waste.

This year, I went in the hope of finding materials to use for crafts. Unfortunately, I didn't have much luck. The way the clothes were set out was slightly different from other years. I felt rather cramped in there. There were a lot of people there, which is wonderful for the church, but for me that can be bothersome. So, once I got what I wanted, I didn't spend too much time digging for treasures. I did find a nice wool J. Crew sweater. The sweater will be a cozy treat in the Fall. I also found a t-shirt that I can wear with the yellow skirt that I made last month. I found a copy of "A Color Of His Own" by Leo Lionni; I like to keep children's books on hand for when my nephews visit. I read the story to Fred and we both agreed that it is a very sweet story, with a good message. I got a pocket size book about insects; which will be great for nature journaling. The illustrations inside are bright, colorful and detailed. Lastly, I find the best bit of all... a copy of "Watership Down" by Richard Adams. I was looking through the pile of books, searching for a copy of "Miss Rumphius" by Barbara Cooney. It is one of my favorite childhood picture books.Whenever I go to a thrift store, rummage sale or yard sale I always look for copies. I could buy a new copy, but it's not the same. When I glanced over the pile and spotted the bunny on the cover, I knew immediately what I saw and grabbed it. A few weeks ago, I searched for copies of this book online. I paid 25 cents for this copy.  This will be a fun summer read. My total for all purchases was $1.75.

The maple tree is starting to grow leaves!

The rest of the weekend was sunny and warm. It was lovely, especially yesterday. I don't think we could have asked for better weather for Mother's Day. My sisters and my nephews came and we celebrated mothers day with my parents. We had a barbecue, I baked oatmeal cream pies and an amazing North Carolina Lemon pie. That pie was delicious and it was so easy to make. You can find many recipes for the pie on Pinterest. If you find my board, Patisserie, under Ladytoesocks, you can find the recipe there, too.

Today it is cold and raining. I don't mind the rain. though. We really needed to get some rain for the garden. So many lupines are growing, my peony has gotten bigger this year,  The baby rhododendron has so many beautiful flowers already. I can't wait to see how it will look in a few years time. The rain appears to have helped the herb garden, too. I can see some of the oregano sprouting little leaves. I have yet to see growth from the rosemary and the thyme, but those take longer anyway. Last week, I spread all kind of wildflowers seeds in the garden. With any luck, this summer's garden will be lush with flowers. This will be good for the bees and a great source of material for my nature journal.

 Now, I am tucked snugly inside, away from the rain and the cold. I am cozying up with a large mug of hot cocoa, topped with homemade whipped cream and delicious butterscotch caramel fudge sauce. The raindrops outside my window sound soothing. Even though it is nasty outside, it is fabulous at my desk; it's a great afternoon.
Finally, I found the quilt project that I began working on last summer. I forgot all about that. I intend to finish it this week, since the weather won't be good for much else. When I finish the project up I'll post the final details of that. Until next time~ Toodahloo!