https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog daily 0.75 2026-03-29 https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/crash monthly 0.5 2026-03-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/eabfae94-68a8-40d9-a402-051f2d3977d9/tempImage8PJ0AD.jpg Blog - Crash… - Make it stand out I’ve chosen to share this picture as I’m almost halfway through my living room work. It is turning into a room for calm and every time I walk in, I smile. That’s how I know I’ve made the right choices for me. There’s still work to do but I’m really pleased thus far. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/transformation monthly 0.5 2026-03-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/8e65f329-35d5-4f0f-8493-df6c46cfaf5c/collage_export_4380F3B7-D89A-4CAF-BDD4-6F4DF4E619BA.JPG Blog - Transformation… - Make it stand out The transformation of my hibiscus bloom (top left and counterclockwise). This took place over twenty-four hours! I bring my hibiscus plants in each winter and I’m delighted when they bloom indoors. Such beauty lifts a spirit worn by winter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/dc6e7b77-25ad-4ee8-8459-de26d3fe6cbd/collage_export_2219BF8F-8C4B-4F16-B4D7-ACB259CD30F7.JPG Blog - Transformation… - Make it stand out I shared with you that I am currently transforming my living room. These pictures are from when I first moved in five years ago. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/7b802f28-931c-435e-9c8f-a76e45b45855/collage_export_DA5164F3-A960-4B74-8E33-9AF71A33C347.JPG Blog - Transformation… - Make it stand out These pictures are the beginning of making the living room mine! The top is the fireplace which I have covered in wallpaper. Bottom left is the wall and stairs that lead to the loft. My plan was one accent wall in the dark green (called “Secluded Woods”). However when I swiped my second wall colour on the wall under the stairs it completely changed in the light from the South facing windows. It looks mint and was not going to work. After discussing with a friend I decided to make two walls the deep green colour and I have fallen in love with the transformation. The bottom right picture is my solution to the outlet plates. On the dark walls, instead of replacing them for new white plates, I’m covering them with wallpaper. The outlets are hidden by furniture but I like knowing there’s a little something special there. More living room transformation to come. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/value monthly 0.5 2026-03-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/6855983c-081b-41d9-99f8-8c94416b71f0/tempImageiiMJsO.jpg Blog - Value… - Make it stand out It might seem silly but I really value the wildlife (bunny and birds) that frequent my yard. They always put a smile on my face! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/bd990300-a9dc-42c1-a42c-b99c78597493/tempImage3h9O6t.jpg Blog - Value… - Make it stand out Step one of my living room transformation is complete. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/0806f1d5-1237-481d-9cee-e94bae1781db/tempImagegYlcDL.jpg Blog - Value… - Make it stand out Prep work for step two is underway! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/sad monthly 0.5 2026-02-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/d964a8ca-ce7c-46dd-a6ed-25f2d859eac8/collage_export_02869125-044B-44BD-9440-27864682C0EA.JPG Blog - SAD… - Make it stand out Some of the amazing sculptures at Ottawa’s Winterlude Festival. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/d6268d98-00c4-4727-a725-e3f23f35641e/tempImage79jLub.jpg Blog - SAD… - Make it stand out A cold niece on a world famous skating rink! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/3992e081-1088-4256-b5e8-d60f8a955f22/collage_export_8900347E-C3AB-430B-8265-BD5C5A0C4426.JPG Blog - SAD… - Make it stand out First steps in a new look for my living room! More to come… https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/feelings monthly 0.5 2026-01-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/d9154396-a31c-40f1-ba2f-66e41c19a484/tempImage2q6UhV.jpg Blog - Feelings… - Make it stand out Living room decor. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/6b4b7788-ff8d-4759-883f-06a908372beb/tempImageOsRPqR.jpg Blog - Feelings… - Make it stand out Kitchen decor. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/84d7fd82-44a8-43df-8858-511964741e2c/tempImage4C6sJ6.jpg Blog - Feelings… - Make it stand out Joker and my niece. Pure joy. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/retirement-questions monthly 0.5 2026-01-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/59b6ebcf-1a31-4962-b973-f3ca76a3524b/IMG_9789.JPG Blog - Retirement Questions - Make it stand out The switch from Christmas to winter decor. I love the cozy feel. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/f2c547e1-ee11-4ef6-8a27-83294f5be03d/IMG_9788.JPG Blog - Retirement Questions - Make it stand out Front closet improvements. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/92baa8c3-e24f-4726-9218-a6abd02db283/tempImage9Vr8NE.jpg Blog - Retirement Questions - Make it stand out The winter sun brings out beautiful flowers. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/e4314e63-2dbd-4cc0-b363-09b516bd8aee/tempImagelLf8a3.jpg Blog - Retirement Questions - Make it stand out Snow angel! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/musical-memories monthly 0.5 2026-01-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/6b7bb072-b8ab-4b55-ad3b-01899920851d/tempImagedm3Uqs.jpg Blog - Musical memories… - Make it stand out An early morning visitor. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/taking-and-leaving monthly 0.5 2025-12-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/45e7092b-7394-4e20-a68c-4c996843dded/tempImageunFhnz.jpg Blog - Taking and leaving… - Make it stand out This cushion will be my mantra for 2026. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/e16ddb42-9a5d-4b4c-94c2-9b1f7a8cf6d5/tempImageHdbvvM.jpg Blog - Taking and leaving… - Make it stand out A gift from my mom this Christmas. It is so beautiful I had to share. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/18-december-2025 monthly 0.5 2025-12-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1795384a-d0a9-4c69-a1f7-75b12f6ab9a9/tempImagedQ8pys.jpg Blog - 18 December 2025… - Make it stand out I’ve shared this picture before but I hope you won’t mind seeing it again. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/still-exhausted monthly 0.5 2025-12-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/a896fb18-0d1f-4680-9400-514d8893b9a8/IMG_9673.JPG Blog - Still exhausted… - Make it stand out A few of my house decorations. They bring me joy and peace in the midst of this busy season. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/goodbyes monthly 0.5 2025-11-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/9c03ed4e-616c-4b4d-83ba-12fdfbd4b370/tempImageMEmrb4.jpg Blog - Goodbyes… - Make it stand out I enjoyed an opportunity to make spaghetti sauce from scratch… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/412ea5f2-061b-4c94-b4a2-c4ca051fc844/tempImage7Z8N9R.jpg Blog - Goodbyes… - Make it stand out …and Guinness beef stew, also from scratch. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/a525d031-c25b-4d33-87bf-8bb478c37c7c/tempImagerXNoi7.jpg Blog - Goodbyes… - Make it stand out Setting up storage for paint cans in the cellar. As I’ve written in the past, my cellar can get wet in the spring - this is at the highest point and the bottom shelf will not be used. Fingers crossed this works out! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/b7e9c8c2-882d-4018-9ee9-529a046262c5/tempImageyl7NWb.jpg Blog - Goodbyes… - Make it stand out There is storage space in the cellar that has gone unused. These bins are raised well off the gravel floor. I’m hopeful this will prove to be a good use of space. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/a9711fb1-8df2-4ccd-a393-37aef9e084c2/tempImagetxIUxi.jpg Blog - Goodbyes… - Make it stand out A gift from my sister and much appreciated during a mid-week evening break after a lot of cellar cleaning time! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/a-grateful-nation monthly 0.5 2025-11-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/d45ed85f-9c27-43d9-86c3-447fc2018826/IMG_9534.jpg Blog - A grateful nation… - Make it stand out I took this image from social media and couldn’t find someone to credit. It says it all! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/10adda0d-1e67-439a-aa87-e3a8aa648de0/IMG_9533.jpg Blog - A grateful nation… - Make it stand out I got this from the Facebook page, “Nature is Amazing”. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/parenting monthly 0.5 2025-10-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1e0975dd-e218-479d-a36a-963961eeceaa/tempImagePrtJwq.jpg Blog - Parenting… - Make it stand out A fall welcome. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/5eb802ce-d12a-4d94-8513-8c2b49e6f3d5/tempImageMXg3pJ.jpg Blog - Parenting… - Make it stand out My fall dining table - you can’t see it but the tray has fall leaves covering the base. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/7215aa80-fc89-476b-8e14-b4365d24cfd2/tempImageFsT14t.jpg Blog - Parenting… - Make it stand out My fall kitchen. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/terrifying monthly 0.5 2025-09-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/9fabf60b-6898-4caa-93fe-94d0c62dd1d5/tempImagee1J13m.jpg Blog - Terrifying… - Make it stand out I have been looking for the “perfect” clock for my dining room for a couple of years. I found it! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/b1803bed-db91-442b-9672-943eef1ff9c3/tempImageBfxJnm.jpg Blog - Terrifying… - Make it stand out I love going to craft markets with my mom. At a recent one there was a thrifting table and I got this excellent print for my sitting room/library! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/best-experience monthly 0.5 2025-09-07 https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/place monthly 0.5 2025-08-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/70a02915-c3b2-4146-aa29-0372681be38e/tempImageSXKQHe.jpg Blog - Place… - Make it stand out The blooms that started me down this path of contemplation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/a480b8d8-d5de-42e7-89f3-25cbb65be160/tempImageMPHBvW.jpg Blog - Place… - Make it stand out A full house on the west coast. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/0e24b100-bb29-4d9a-9478-970e5301d659/tempImageaBwXxT.jpg Blog - Place… - Make it stand out A favourite pup. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/28ce247d-d407-41a1-b059-d7c4922ec7f0/tempImageFxSNHq.jpg Blog - Place… - Make it stand out An injured seal who found her happy place at the aquarium. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/august monthly 0.5 2025-08-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1553a628-693f-4f7f-a8f2-4280dd0686c0/tempImageZbe1sy.jpg Blog - August… - Make it stand out I went to the office one day last week and enjoyed a lunchtime walk. I can honestly say this is one of the things I miss about working from home - we have a beautiful capital city. This is at the Rideau Canal lock where it meets the Ottawa River. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/3d306f73-2627-42e5-8109-5bf68ed0d0b8/tempImageiAUCI9.jpg Blog - August… - Make it stand out My mom had the coolest experience this summer. A mourning dove made herself at home in one of my mom’s hanging planters and hatched two babies. This is from two days before they finally flew off! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/06a90bda-f7d1-4e77-941b-bde9293edb4d/tempImagelfLpLO.jpg Blog - August… - Make it stand out I moved my African violet a few months ago to a new window and am thrilled to showcase its blooms! It is finally living in the perfect spot. When I took this picture there were ten more buds waiting to open! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/tough-decisions monthly 0.5 2025-07-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/39e12b78-c939-41e2-8050-5df59721c3c8/IMG_9013.jpeg Blog - Tough Decisions… - Make it stand out As mentioned, I’ve had a difficult time with my pool this season. It’s such a relief to go from the green on the top to the clear on the bottom in just one week! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/73f3afca-680f-4c6e-8722-a4dd2305112d/IMG_9016.JPG Blog - Tough Decisions… - Make it stand out One of the things I love most about summer is the progression of growth. I shared the picture on the top in an earlier blog - the planting of my wave petunias in early June. On the bottom is how brilliant they look today. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/9997ac6d-62a7-4ca5-bd3d-79acb02049d9/tempImagefX7OLQ.jpg Blog - Tough Decisions… - Make it stand out This year I chose mini roses for my driveway entry. It’s turned out beautifully! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/yearning monthly 0.5 2025-07-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/46501da4-fac8-4655-9e03-55547ee50a27/tempImage3Z9RTL.jpg Blog - Yearning… - Make it stand out A new regular visitor to my yard who is a little too comfortable with people. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/0768868f-7f04-40c8-8141-d4f5c5f27e81/tempImagehUe9Yj.jpg Blog - Yearning… - Make it stand out A splash of excitement from a Canada Day celebration. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/01dcca77-7053-461d-9aa7-9980403863c8/tempImageexWIAt.jpg Blog - Yearning… - Make it stand out A delightful surprise from my African violet. It hasn’t been happy of late and I’m thrilled that its new home is a good choice. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/final monthly 0.5 2025-06-30 https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/untruths monthly 0.5 2025-06-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/ff9f0702-ce19-4780-bd54-3276046c69db/IMG_8816.jpg Blog - Untruths… - Make it stand out A new plant and planter for inside! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/e9227576-2cd0-4264-8425-5be3d25c55e6/tempImageq6D5AE.jpg Blog - Untruths… - Make it stand out Planning out a new project… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/666b173a-ae28-452a-9b28-f4ad10015411/IMG_8831.JPG Blog - Untruths… - Make it stand out Enjoying new and old blooms! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/31fd81bb-3079-4230-aea0-42a44d415976/IMG_8830.JPG Blog - Untruths… - Make it stand out And more blooms! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/pre-retirement monthly 0.5 2025-05-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1babf498-93e4-434e-83ff-2a2998cdc1ce/tempImageqXY37B.jpg Blog - Pre-retirement… - Make it stand out A visitor watching as I write this blog on my porch. I chose binoculars as my journey award from the company and can’t wait to see my bird friends up close! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/c28302ee-ed2b-4e90-baed-2e3bf0048994/tempImageztjpoY.jpg Blog - Pre-retirement… - Make it stand out The vase is a lovely gift from my sister (it’s chalkboard paint so you can write sayings or draw on it, although it’s blank at the moment). I think it’s a perfect fit for my dining table and really shows off my lilacs! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/signposts monthly 0.5 2025-05-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/f935eb99-01e1-4d6d-b710-9e35272d2475/tempImage2iY9Pe.jpg Blog - Signposts… - Make it stand out Rainy, chilly weather is perfect puzzle-time! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/ad97daed-94ec-4891-842c-a31aa3e5077f/tempImageNwFtMk.jpg Blog - Signposts… - Make it stand out There is nothing like the scent and beauty of lilacs in bloom to push away the grey weather! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/april monthly 0.5 2025-05-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/b4cc581f-2a6a-494e-8bea-746377289e00/tempImageISrmAX.jpg Blog - April… - Make it stand out Not my idea of spring! April snowstorm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/46a0358c-0286-49da-a2ca-356b92f3dbf7/IMG_8670.jpg Blog - April… - Make it stand out My grand puppy being measured in caramel bags at the village shop. By the way, best caramels ever! Look them up at Pickle and Myrrh - they deliver! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/c1368a2e-d75d-4369-83d7-18e064eeb4d9/tempImagej27SWr.jpg Blog - April… - Make it stand out Newest addition to one of my trees - we’ll see if anyone likes it! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/b3377271-8c47-456f-bfc5-3a25a67b8b95/IMG_8725.JPG Blog - April… - Make it stand out A return of some colourful birds - cardinal, blue jay and my first downy woodpecker! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/bright-spots monthly 0.5 2025-04-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/06c17113-6002-4f25-9f68-8dd278effb31/IMG_8619+2.jpg Blog - Bright Spots… - Make it stand out Sat outside with my tea this morning and these are the birds identified by the app. Really enjoyed the few minutes I took to relax. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/3367a910-0064-4a66-86c3-1e6d4357f9c5/tempImagetkHFTT.jpg Blog - Bright Spots… - Make it stand out My cardinals have returned. The female is a little camera shy but her partner seems to love posing! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/f956f01d-f66f-44c0-a14d-26567e236988/tempImagefkIYq6.jpg Blog - Bright Spots… - Make it stand out Some interior transplanting has taken place after a great indoor growing season this winter. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/homes monthly 0.5 2025-03-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/9e808ca7-156b-4ae5-8636-e0346417413d/tempImage2waFbA.jpg Blog - Homes… - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/fe265004-ba43-41af-b89b-657cf0909512/tempImageTdnYUT.jpg Blog - Homes… - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/c339a294-3c21-4baa-b1d3-736567d9d4d7/tempImagejxUnIL.jpg Blog - Homes… - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/too monthly 0.5 2025-03-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/d66e34fb-98b7-4cb6-bfc5-6c580cdd42ba/tempImageuql3Ne.jpg Blog - Too… - Make it stand out A bit of green to celebrate March and St. Patrick’s Day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/aa8f8766-75b0-45e5-a73f-44c7150d8657/tempImage3RyLFv.jpg Blog - Too… - Make it stand out I love lots of decor but sometimes a “crisp” presentation helps soothe my mind. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/best-gifts monthly 0.5 2025-02-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/9a24271c-ba07-4b61-b0df-0bc0512da0b3/IMG_8497.JPG Blog - Best Gifts… - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/bcc8dddf-65f0-4318-8865-f243ce7a7488/IMG_8498.JPG Blog - Best Gifts… - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/grief monthly 0.5 2025-02-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/b6cb6626-b883-46a5-a1ea-c20e45b84f85/tempImageWkp6Hx.jpg Blog - Grief… - Make it stand out A lovely gift from a friend and a perfect fit in my home! (And there’s a beautiful bottle of wine inside!) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/b987300f-d3bf-4559-aa1e-64764e82c56a/tempImagevG8U0O.jpg Blog - Grief… - Make it stand out An adorable addition to my winter decor. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/32b4332f-d17e-4605-89cb-7c409ffc1ab1/tempImagezNrZ0R.jpg Blog - Grief… - Make it stand out My wild bunny was by for a visit - he’s looking very plump! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/718b1b8b-3189-408a-9b6d-f356db320757/tempImageqXv9te.jpg Blog - Grief… - Make it stand out On a snowy, dark, cold winter night there is tremendous beauty. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/2c4c516f-786a-463d-bde1-5f6088f99439/tempImagekS5Q5w.jpg Blog - Grief… - Make it stand out My home is a warm and welcoming haven from the chaos of the world. It’s the perfect place for me to work through my grief. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/greatest-love monthly 0.5 2025-01-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/a0808909-8352-4606-bde6-cf1ba77be1b0/tempImagecYEeUO.jpg Blog - Greatest Love… - Make it stand out I love a seasonal dining table. I think the snowmen salt and pepper shakers add a little whimsy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/c824a1c3-cc9f-474f-9f47-d4c0a813fc36/tempImagezxtcj7.jpg Blog - Greatest Love… - Make it stand out A new addition to my winter decor. I found it at a local shop, Silly Goats Home Decor. Check them out! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/02ec0175-0e1a-4c54-93e3-ac81351d00e7/tempImageASZS0O.jpg Blog - Greatest Love… - Make it stand out A special treat from a friend. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/b1a473e2-aa25-47ad-81e3-8407ac5d30bf/IMG_8350.jpg Blog - Greatest Love… - Make it stand out A few comments about these pictures. The one on the left is from years ago. I came across it by accident this week and was stunned by how lovely I think I look. I love my hair, my smile and that dress looks great on me. Here’s the reality - I didn’t like this picture when it was taken. I only saw extra weight in my midsection, my lips looked uneven and I’m not partial to my hands. All these years later, I would love to look this good! On the right is a picture from last fall while I was in Ireland. It is not a traditionally beautiful picture. I share it because, even with my hair blown back and the wrinkles on my face, I think I look good. That’s because I know the whole story of this picture. I was part way up Croagh Patrick. I didn’t think I could do it and yet I kept pushing myself. (Ultimately, I made it to the equivalent of “base camp”.) I did it on my own. I didn’t give up. I felt healthy and happy. That’s why I think this is a picture of beauty. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/looking-forward monthly 0.5 2025-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/868fc6d2-1af9-45fb-8f5f-7f4e5e58cd72/tempImage7r9vDF.jpg Blog - Looking forward… - Make it stand out It’s transition time in the house! Christmas has been put away and I’m bringing out the whites, blues and silvers that I use over wintertime to bring light to my home! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/looking-back monthly 0.5 2024-12-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/7c30bcd3-e63d-41aa-91e4-c9ac1fd94065/tempImageb4DObU.jpg Blog - Looking back… - Make it stand out Because I mentioned both Fr. Kevin’s passing and the church community that I’ve become part of, I thought I would share this reflection. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/6ac55df5-56ad-4106-856d-1bbdcf0eaa44/tempImagerGa6jh.jpg Blog - Looking back… - Make it stand out I never went hungry this year. This was our Christmas dinner, made with love and gratitude. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/94c2f636-260a-4405-8537-fd1bf8cbaea2/tempImageay2Gld.jpg Blog - Looking back… - Make it stand out So many gifts given and received. I am truly blessed. P.S. check out “The Backyard Bird Chronicles” by Amy Tan - incredible book! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/magic monthly 0.5 2024-12-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/e8a9dc92-05c9-48a7-8b8a-6ff9f031593c/IMG_8280.JPG Blog - Magic… - Make it stand out Christmas baking! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/61dce8bc-438d-4926-a73d-87a7f02b3aad/IMG_8281.JPG Blog - Magic… - Make it stand out The magic of freshly fallen snow. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/tis-the-season monthly 0.5 2024-12-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/6a143a2c-367b-47c9-95d9-c15ab59b661a/IMG_8242.JPG Blog - Tis The Season… - Make it stand out Some of this year’s decor. I think the age and charm of the house highlight the warmth and beauty of my Christmas decorations. The centre picture is of my Advent wreath. For me this is the foundation of Christmas and by placing it in the centre of my table I am brought back to the true meaning of Christmas daily. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/7c718b0d-1484-4fe1-8402-47dafd59bbcc/IMG_8241.JPG Blog - Tis The Season… - Make it stand out Unlike the Advent wreath in the picture above which I feel is about preparing to celebrate the birth of Jesus, Advent calendars are the countdown to Christmas. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/a6a5e68f-7846-4b56-b606-d9390ba3b394/IMG_8240.JPG Blog - Tis The Season… - Make it stand out My Nativity scenes are an essential part of my Christmas decor. Here are four of my favourites. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1a781f76-18ed-43d7-b47c-4e36e4a5b221/IMG_8243.JPG Blog - Tis The Season… - Make it stand out The picture on the left was the rising sun one morning this past week before the snow arrived in force. I stood on my kitchen porch and breathed deeply, giving thanks for the day to come. On the bottom right is my new fire pit (a birthday gift from my son and mom). My neighbour and I sat our last weekend and roasted marshmallows while discussing our week. Although different times of day, both pictures represent peace to me. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/good-and-tired monthly 0.5 2024-11-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/87f6e7c6-8c7d-42c2-abb9-a243b9ccf4d4/IMG_8115.JPG Blog - Good and Tired… - Make it stand out Getting the trees ready. On the left is a new outdoor tree - the evergreen in my yard has grown so tall it’s outside of my abilities to string lights. In the middle is my larger tree, in my sitting room, and which can be seen from the street - I think seeing Christmas trees in windows is lovely! On the right is my living room tree - on the evenings when I want to watch a show I’ll still be able to enjoy the beauty of the lights. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/9ed7ad6b-801f-4c56-88b5-bcab2c6345bb/tempImagez3gsqV.jpg Blog - Good and Tired… - Make it stand out These two bring a smile when the days cool off and winter is around the corner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/0e75ec14-c5f8-465e-870d-911c5d8dce9b/IMG_8116.JPG Blog - Good and Tired… - Make it stand out Starting to get the Christmas bins out - I love how my decor slowly comes together. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/life-goes-on monthly 0.5 2024-11-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/9422bacd-9815-4925-bc98-97e04b2e6599/IMG_8058.JPG Blog - Life goes on… - Make it stand out Friday’s sunrise and sunset - this life gives us so much beauty, if only we remember to look. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/f890b29b-28a5-4c79-bbc1-f75239ae7a48/IMG_8059.JPG Blog - Life goes on… - Make it stand out Setting the porch up for pre-winter relaxing. My porch seems to pull the morning sunshine in and it’s lovely and warm enough for a cup of tea outside! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/16db3ae6-14c8-4e29-a255-2f2234255a25/tempImagesAxDTS.jpg Blog - Life goes on… - Make it stand out Organizing the new shed. Although a lot of work, I get a great sense of accomplishment from “putting away” a season and preparing for the next. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/3f80dfc7-afd6-4e26-a60d-a554d3b2ea24/tempImager9l9UR.jpg Blog - Life goes on… - Make it stand out A snapshot from an incredible concert experience. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/461ddb1f-230f-403a-ab5e-e75eed880ef3/tempImage6TVAIM.jpg Blog - Life goes on… - Make it stand out A new area to enjoy! A gift from my son and mom - the propane fire pit - means I have a special spot to sit out under the skies and relax, especially in autumn. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/remembrance monthly 0.5 2024-11-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1f2fb40c-2e40-47cd-bbf7-ef50f515487f/IMG_8031.JPG Blog - Remembrance… - Make it stand out I sat on my porch this morning, drinking my tea and feeling grateful for all my blessings. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/reflections monthly 0.5 2024-11-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/fb523f18-75e7-487e-b3bb-72920f6b2383/IMG_7964+2.JPG Blog - Reflections… - Make it stand out Hallowe’en in this village is incredible. This was my display for 2024. I had a total of 278 trick or treaters! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/4cb71831-02ac-45b7-96eb-003b472e4d36/IMG_7962+2.JPG Blog - Reflections… - Make it stand out Demolition time! The two sheds that came with the property were great as holding facilities until I got settled. Unfortunately, the small one had a roof that would not have survived another winter and the large one was “the” party place for mice. Eek! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/bba7377e-2127-4638-bde5-d2b395cee3d6/IMG_7963+2.JPG Blog - Reflections… - Make it stand out The new, fully enclosed shed! The yard looks significantly different now. More to come next week! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/the-return monthly 0.5 2024-10-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/b6dba9ce-e7f4-4242-b76b-263ece31c7d3/IMG_7865.JPG Blog - The Trip… - Make it stand out At the Cliffs of Moher. Some of the trail was closed but I was able to walk and explore for a couple of hours. In my trips to Ireland I had never been there and I'm glad I finally went. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/71ec4881-b4f4-4e0a-b60b-a67817d1d588/IMG_7869.JPG Blog - The Trip… - Make it stand out Cong Woods is close to "my" cottage. I spent an afternoon exploring all the different trails available. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/2563f915-b2b8-42f6-b09e-56b23ebb2949/IMG_7867.JPG Blog - The Trip… - Make it stand out Croagh Patrick. I was and still am extremely proud of what I accomplished. I'm looking forward to returning and completing the climb. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/5fdf900e-b424-4bbe-aefe-9ef8082eb2e3/IMG_7868.JPG Blog - The Trip… - Make it stand out Yesterday's river walk in New York State. While saddened it wasn't the hike I hoped for, I'm glad I went and had the perfect weather to enjoy the brilliance of Fall colours. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/giving-thanks monthly 0.5 2024-10-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/bb81b3a8-1a96-4f2f-8735-643427053a1f/IMG_7837.JPG Blog - Giving Thanks… - Make it stand out My neighbours, the "ladies". https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/a92178a7-e382-486b-9593-28df376a9bef/IMG_7838.JPG Blog - Giving Thanks… - Make it stand out Grateful for the number of opportunities I had while in Ireland to quietly reflect and pray. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/55885019-7ab7-4765-bc97-8732d1e7675f/IMG_7839.JPG Blog - Giving Thanks… - Make it stand out Thankful for beautiful and thought-provoking scenes while in Ireland. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/dd09e9c6-f8d7-439f-ac88-0a5bc85be42c/tempImageaEwxyM.jpg Blog - Giving Thanks… - Make it stand out A beautiful sight on a perfect Thanksgiving weekend. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/adventure monthly 0.5 2024-09-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/926f1f69-5fa4-46ae-a25c-fc8076ebd7c5/tempImageh6cfEW.jpg Blog - Adventure… - Make it stand out Just a couple of pictures from my early morning walks this past week with the low-lying fog and the rising sun. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/d6412d04-711b-489c-bc36-7ac5943d6b7b/tempImages2KnFI.jpg Blog - Adventure… - Make it stand out Celebrate all the wonders of our world. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/ordinary-people monthly 0.5 2024-09-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/0cf86f66-110d-4ff8-8a57-c0bf782ca0e3/tempImageoGPTCw.jpg Blog - Ordinary People… - Make it stand out This is the time of year for clean-up. I had an overgrown mess in this corner of the garden. Clean-up starts with removing the messes! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/e176bc99-121c-45f2-b731-47916bcdd8bb/IMG_7432.JPG Blog - Ordinary People… - Make it stand out The evolution of change! I had pretty flowers gracing the shed for the summer but now... Something new is coming! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/14ce9a74-1400-4bdc-b70b-b80b4250a82e/tempImagewE8ciH.jpg Blog - Ordinary People… - Make it stand out Making way for change! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/50fb1f2d-30c1-481e-ae9c-80ba20a4b255/tempImagerk4O6m.jpg Blog - Ordinary People… - Make it stand out A perfect autumn morning! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/simple-pleasures monthly 0.5 2024-09-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/fa4136d0-a346-46f0-a7ed-db955ddb9eb2/tempImageQAqDNN.jpg Blog - Simple Pleasures… - Make it stand out My new hibiscus continues to bloom steadily. It's so beautiful and always brings a smile to my face. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/70e55c7c-ff53-481c-bd72-9d72ae71079e/tempImagecCc6wz.jpg Blog - Simple Pleasures… - Make it stand out The newest addition to my bread board! A gift from a friend, this butter crock is so perfect for my kitchen! (See Mrs. McGarrigle's shop for other options. The bread is the best sourdough I've ever had. You can find it at Violets on Main when you come visit our little village. All bread board items, including the board were purchased at various craft fairs in the area. Remember to check them out this fall as small entrepreneurs can use your support and they create beautiful items!) https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/old-dog monthly 0.5 2024-09-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/c924fbea-9386-4236-ab8f-580cf62efdea/IMG_7394.JPG Blog - Old dog… - Make it stand out A few shots from around my yard this summer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/bfffb12e-728a-4711-9136-e43c43f78d81/tempImageJ5wAa5.jpg Blog - Old dog… - Make it stand out With all the changes to the front of my house, I think it's time to update my cover picture! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/parts monthly 0.5 2024-08-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/edb802fd-59d0-4847-baa1-ad3a1e10f10b/tempImageBfrANA.jpg Blog - Parts… - Make it stand out My new patio is now in use! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/2247b8ba-53ad-409f-8dd6-14ef5041236b/tempImageI6vhTO.jpg Blog - Parts… - Make it stand out It was my niece's 11th birthday this weekend and family celebrated by attending the RCMP Musical Ride. If you ever get the opportunity, please go. It's an incredible experience. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/memory-lane monthly 0.5 2024-08-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/0a320ec2-649b-4f60-aed1-ef8b83d34539/tempImagemjVcEO.jpg Blog - Memory Lane… - Make it stand out To swim or not to swim? Luckily this particular storm only resulted in rain. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/0e90af93-356c-4579-b5e2-20d81bce21ee/IMG_7333.JPG Blog - Memory Lane… - Make it stand out Some images from Santa's Workshop in New York. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/2e1f9a48-d66a-476a-a270-5e6d424b406c/IMG_7334.JPG Blog - Memory Lane… - Make it stand out Evolution of a rustic patio. My week off wasn't all fun and games. On Saturday I put in eight hours to get this finished. Very proud of what I've accomplished and excited to share with friends and family. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/strong-and-fragile monthly 0.5 2024-08-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/6328228b-df19-4ea3-bc81-f624557564c7/tempImageHaX9lc.jpg Blog - Strong and Fragile… - Make it stand out Entrance of the duty band for the official opening ceremonies. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/e1251c78-cdc0-4c08-be41-f3e556f975c2/tempImagegNVWdF.jpg Blog - Strong and Fragile… - Make it stand out A beautiful addition to my summer door, courtesy of my mom. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/6eba0003-6ed8-4e57-9fad-1ddd4d7fd800/tempImage5d4bzH.jpg Blog - Strong and Fragile… - Make it stand out A perfect example of strong and fragile in my yard. The beauty of that brilliant yellow and if you look closely, the fragility of the petals that had been attacked by a pest. Still gorgeous in spite of the struggle. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/the-weeks-lessons monthly 0.5 2024-07-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/ada4ad66-29c4-4801-9d1c-4c71c05b50ab/IMG_7225.JPG Blog - The Week’s Lessons… - Make it stand out I have two chipmunks in my yard and they are highly entertaining! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/f807dd08-b955-4bf4-a71a-df5e8e465ce5/tempImagelqIuwE.jpg Blog - The Week’s Lessons… - Make it stand out I managed to get a little more digging done this afternoon. I’m ready to order the crushed gravel! This is an exciting summer of outdoor work. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/grateful-again monthly 0.5 2024-07-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/dfe0ea42-153f-428b-bfdc-11bc6bad3367/IMG_7125.JPG Blog - Grateful, again… - Make it stand out I love this hibiscus! I’m fascinated by the different colours of blooms on one plant! As the pink dies off, the yellow will be opening - so beautiful. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/402939f6-7587-4fd7-8f47-0ce8a4b15d4b/tempImagefeNsfU.jpg Blog - Grateful, again… - Make it stand out My new pool steps! It will make pool life so much easier! Huge thanks to my incredible neighbour! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/17961a21-5de9-4a77-bba0-e52140fa77e1/IMG_7126.JPG Blog - Grateful, again… - Make it stand out A new addition to my porch. I absolutely love it. This is a wonderful place to relax when not in the pool. It’s peaceful, comfortable and it allows me to be me. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/grumpy-bear monthly 0.5 2024-07-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/a185d6ea-f070-4aea-a038-0b515b405d9a/tempImage80pqmo.jpg Blog - Grumpy Bear - Make it stand out Parish picnic treats! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/8bf3b69d-b255-4936-8965-cc573a5b7bb4/tempImageivwXPG.jpg Blog - Grumpy Bear - Make it stand out My little mermaid in relaxation mode. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/4c4abfd6-1dd9-4a29-93ba-d1ea567c4b2a/IMG_7083.JPG Blog - Grumpy Bear - Make it stand out The progression of a pool deck! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/ec8cf75a-56e4-4c91-a1a5-7f2ed5765be8/IMG_7084.JPG Blog - Grumpy Bear - Make it stand out After two days of working in the rain (I couldn’t believe he kept at it!), the deck is done! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/f0c62214-40e1-4a5d-afcc-51a3ea43c0da/tempImageYzJBbS.jpg Blog - Grumpy Bear - Make it stand out Still to come: pool steps and some decor items. I’m in love! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/week-off monthly 0.5 2024-07-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/f3e14c8e-841d-4e6d-b7a0-8fac6972b4fc/IMG_7055.JPG Blog - Week off… - Make it stand out Some pictures from the work this week! At top is the current pile of tree limbs and brush that I’ve taken down - now, to load it up and drop it at the dump! In the middle on the left is the deck, in development. On the right is a before picture of a new project - going to be a little while but I believe it’s going to be amazing! On the bottom is an in-progress picture: I’m going to build a patio of sorts for my dining area. Lots of digging! On the right is the start of cleaning up the chicken coop for repurposing. Oh, and I’ve never had and never will have, chickens! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1d1f1af1-f7c3-4b51-8560-efab44a81e67/IMG_7056.JPG Blog - Week off… - Make it stand out A few yard images. On top is when the sun broke through after a heavy downpour. Everything was so brilliant and green. On the bottom left is my fairy house and on the right, the entrance to outside dining. I cannot wait to share the finished product! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/i-love-you monthly 0.5 2024-07-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/8ace959a-a1e2-4646-80be-86aec62a4588/IMG_7016.JPG Blog - I Love You! - Make it stand out As I mentioned, I was away last week on a road trip with my mom. I came back to an explosion of colours and blooms in my gardens. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/56774e8c-31b7-42c9-b056-5478701a1ebf/tempImageCoWAgQ.jpg Blog - I Love You! - Make it stand out I received this beautiful bouquet - delivered to my home! I love you, JR. You have no idea of the joy you sent! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/wrong monthly 0.5 2024-06-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/fbdecdf6-36b3-4c3d-bf58-430327717155/tempImagetz6bk5.jpg Blog - Wrong… - Make it stand out Some of the cleanup I was doing this weekend. We had an easy winter and the weather so far has been great for growing. Lots of tree branches were expanding over the dining table. It’s much better now and more comfortable for sitting out. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/fd1d38e9-14bd-4483-bfd4-f0a202eaa5f5/tempImagel41wws.jpg Blog - Wrong… - Make it stand out Another area of cleanup. Since last summer a number of my bushes along one side of my fence have been dying off - I got rid of lots of dead limbs and we’ll see what happens now! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/339a1149-f6f0-4ac5-b87d-8e3856b28c01/tempImageKJFTZN.jpg Blog - Wrong… - Make it stand out Something new is coming soon! Unfortunately, I ran out of steam this weekend but hopefully will be able to finish after work this week. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/7e49eec8-02b6-45e7-b7e0-109795c91102/tempImage3ivK40.jpg Blog - Wrong… - Make it stand out When I transplanted this bush I really wasn’t sure how it would fare. Well, it’s thriving! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/yc1zrlzqnzfdgkutwhqpi0x3kc3lip monthly 0.5 2024-06-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/c886e562-51d4-47c0-bfe2-9393f358baee/tempImagexeqlEQ.jpg Blog - Enough… - Make it stand out I’m sharing this picture as an example of acceptance. I have enough on my plate right now and I have not been able to clean out this garden. Hopefully I’ll be able to tackle it this summer, but if not I’m going to enjoy the beauty in the chaos. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/fa33a78b-8242-44bd-998d-38bd11efd4db/tempImageWEXtXx.jpg Blog - Enough… - Make it stand out We have lots of mosquitos at the moment. Although I have a small deterrent “machine”, I know I’ll need something for a different area as well. These cute turtle holds mosquito coils and will be gracing an addition to my yard, soon! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/b0db4f7e-e1b4-4feb-a1eb-ba9b1f7ec1e7/IMG_6922.JPG Blog - Enough… - Make it stand out Flowers bloom and grow even when I don’t have enough time to weed! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/83a1c90c-03bd-471b-aa32-65321f7581c3/IMG_6920.JPG Blog - Enough… - Make it stand out I thought I would share pictures of the special treats I provided to our church fundraiser. These are bagged up, obviously. At the top of the left picture are the “backups” as not everything went perfectly! There were enough for all of our guests to enjoy and some for volunteers to take home. In case you’re wondering, they are both bags of meringues! On the left are peppermint and the right holds lemon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/d462a819-3ad4-4f86-b3d1-b8de72c7393b/IMG_6921.JPG Blog - Enough… - Make it stand out Pictures from our High Tea fundraiser as we were setting up. On the top are two of our dessert trays. Aren’t they lovely? https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/difficult-decision monthly 0.5 2024-06-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/e48780c6-10b8-4926-a0b6-500ffc6263a6/tempImageTTkQ09.jpg Blog - Difficult Decision… - Make it stand out Even when I haven’t had a lot of time to invest in my garden, it gives me joy with its beautiful blooms. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/4468b262-859f-429b-94b7-c1f45a2d5383/tempImagekhUfej.jpg Blog - Difficult Decision… - Make it stand out I spent the last couple of years “forcing” my clematis up my ladder. I was thrilled to discover that this year, it’s going on its own! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/executor monthly 0.5 2024-06-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/4dfdbe02-b97d-4b13-a466-5882bb1dac35/IMG_6879.JPG Blog - Executor… - Make it stand out This past week has been focussed on the Celebration of Life and I don’t have pictures from home to share. Instead, here are a couple of pictures from the course that my uncle and I enjoyed together. It’s in Lanark, ON and called Timber Run. My son and I had a round of golf in his honour. (Oh, and no balls were sacrificed to the river!) https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/may-long monthly 0.5 2024-05-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/25b2fac8-cf3d-498d-a5b7-5b2719e099da/tempImageYLywEJ.jpg Blog - May Long… - Make it stand out There are a number of bushes that have been slowing dying along one side of my fence. Since there is something new coming to that area, it’s time to start getting rid of the dead branches. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/bdeec88b-6dc1-44ca-944d-8e7fd4d99f1a/IMG_6793.JPG Blog - May Long… - Make it stand out Some of this weekend’s planting plus one of my “combined” trees in bloom. They are so lovely! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/3c889013-1a4d-4846-b92c-ad97f4239311/IMG_6803.JPG Blog - May Long… - Make it stand out The two planters by the driveway and the lilac hedge I started putting in two years ago. It’s grown so much! I’ve included a couple of pictures of the newest addition to my yard - the chipmunk (and he has a friend, now) love to climb to the bird feeder. I thought they might like their own picnic table. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/831cba1a-3228-4848-8cc0-dfe9aa064965/IMG_6792.JPG Blog - May Long… - Make it stand out A few more of the “wildlife” around the property. I am not quick enough to get a picture of the hummingbirds but I’ll keep trying! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/8ae232e8-50cf-4c6d-a23d-234fd1d01433/IMG_6804.JPG Blog - May Long… - Make it stand out I like to find different spots each summer for my garden creatures. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/9e7578f4-6b51-49cb-8626-ce6c573bcad3/IMG_6791.JPG Blog - May Long… - Make it stand out Shots from last evening - it really feels like summer is here! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/survivor monthly 0.5 2024-05-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/f783ff8f-4070-4075-9bde-464f6ae05174/tempImagejqcLEk.jpg Blog - Survivor… - Make it stand out A Mother’s Day gift from my adorable niece. She’s a perfect addition to my kitchen! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/996940de-8d98-4522-b599-28b5e40d2b2b/tempImageKrzxp8.jpg Blog - Survivor… - Make it stand out I have a number of these rugs around my house. I think they suit the style and charm of the house. This is my newest which is perfect for my kitchen. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/8c3b2547-0b62-4a45-ab2a-0d3e282c9f05/tempImageCrcsGE.jpg Blog - Survivor… - Make it stand out A gift to myself for the yard - a gorgeous birdbath. I think it’s a great colour and I’m trying it out in a location that will let me see the birds enjoying it. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/kindness monthly 0.5 2024-05-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/4867e487-88bb-4ad0-a024-6be4408d616d/tempImagefvO1w1.jpg Blog - Kindness… - Make it stand out Because I’ve been missing him lately and because he enjoyed this time of year, I’m sharing a picture of my pup from our first spring in the house. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/914bef78-8211-482e-bc3a-8c30b270ffb4/tempImageb3WCZd.jpg Blog - Kindness… - Make it stand out I’ve never been much of a critter or bird watcher but this property seems to have a lot of “neighbours”. Spring means they’re all showing up! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/d8138eeb-6e9c-47d5-8e7a-7fc056a57bdb/tempImageiZrZOf.jpg Blog - Kindness… - Make it stand out I got a lot of yard work done yesterday. With the rain we’re receiving today everything has become a brilliant green! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/913c2c92-b4f4-4a76-91c6-6d29ed545223/IMG_6717.JPG Blog - Kindness… - Make it stand out Things can change! The picture on the left shows the tree I had to take down for the pool (far left) and the two trees that were bent because of that tree. On the right you can see that the two trees that were bent are now straighter. I didn’t do anything other than remove the big tree. Without its presence, they are now able to reach for the sun, straight up! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/guest monthly 0.5 2024-04-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/6330d129-a2a0-4308-aa25-3844c80c0639/IMG_6683.JPG Blog - Guest! - Make it stand out Only one picture this week. For months I have been looking for something different that I can use for my dish soap. My only rule was something that would go with the other “sink items”. While I was wandering with my friend through our shops I came across this little watering can. It comes from a store owned by three sisters, one of whom “names” all the items. This one is the “50 Shades of Green Watering Can”. It’s adorable. I love how it looks on my sink counter and I hope it will be one of those additions that makes any guest smile. I found it at “Nellie’s Room” and you can shop online with them at www.nelliesroom.ca. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/one-day monthly 0.5 2024-04-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/b4edbff8-bded-4bd0-a27f-2b3786dc1b22/tempImagegEwMjs.jpg Blog - One Day… - Make it stand out Obviously, I haven’t succeeded in fixing the window frame…yet. It’s on my list! This picture shows how I’m organizing my office these days. I’ve got my bulletin-type boards and hangers for my bags. It’s amazing how much a little bit of sorting helps! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/8970a8f3-0b80-4c0d-962a-9921cb3bb05c/IMG_6669.JPG Blog - One Day… - Make it stand out We had some beautiful, warm weather to start our work week. Since the pool is always a priority for me, I got started on getting it ready. The top picture is pumping the water off the cover and the bottom picture shows where that water was sent! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/89105f87-406b-4a06-a754-0a7cf0cf2207/tempImageecnF2V.jpg Blog - One Day… - Make it stand out I was thrilled to discover I lost almost no water over the winter and that the work I put into the pool before closing really paid off. Look at that water - it’s so clear! Exciting changes coming soon to this area. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/c96893b7-e47a-48d3-8844-c24e0fe3250a/tempImage2RDR5J.jpg Blog - One Day… - Make it stand out Since we had such lovely weather, I thought it was time to unstrap my table and chairs. I’m ready for the heat! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/forgotten-graces monthly 0.5 2024-04-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/3c249f9f-09df-4202-9c82-7eb74c89eca9/IMG_6620.JPG Blog - Forgotten Graces… - Make it stand out We had quite a spring snowstorm this past week. I loved the irony of my poinsettia going red and thought I would share it, along with some snowy images. Even though it’s spring and I’ve had enough of winter, I have to admit that it sure was pretty! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/513a12b6-ed94-4913-a000-883a61505e31/IMG_6621.JPG Blog - Forgotten Graces… - Make it stand out Although not readily seen in my house, these two storage areas needed a serious overhaul. I’m so pleased with how they turned out. At the top is my “scary” stairway to the cellar. One of the things that’s important to me is to make as much of the space in the house useful. I’m very happy with being able to clean up the stairway enough to hold brooms and mops, along with garbage bags. Eventually I plan to get this painted white - it should brighten the space up as I do go up and down the stairs regularly. The bottom pictures are the drawer under my sink. It started out relatively tidy but became a bit of a junk drawer. Now everything is stored in a tidy manner and is easier to access. At no time did I buy matching bins - I try to use what I have already. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/5787f71d-e04f-4cb2-8484-e2d18efec30c/IMG_6619.JPG Blog - Forgotten Graces… - Make it stand out I can have a hard time really slowing down. I thought puzzles might be an opportunity to turn on some music and rest a bit - in the last couple of months I managed to put together these two. What I’ve learned is that puzzles are a great way to keep the brain active as I get older. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/second-chances monthly 0.5 2024-03-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/cdcfdb56-0216-4439-9bc2-15e8fe0bcbef/tempImagesA09ax.jpg Blog - Second Chances… - Make it stand out I like to focus on outcomes and thought I would share this picture of the middle of a mess. I decided to try out a product that is supposed to rejuvenate old wooden floors. This is what I had to climb over for a couple of days while I did the work! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/8cc39982-ff56-401a-b171-569e20792e00/IMG_6569.JPG Blog - Second Chances… - Make it stand out I’m not sure if my phone camera did it justice. The top picture is before I used the product and the bottom picture is how great it turned out! Even old wooden floors deserve a second chance to shine! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/no-blog monthly 0.5 2024-03-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/0553295d-5d66-4a4b-86d6-79fb45a5b13f/IMG_6561.JPG Blog - No Blog… - Make it stand out A few wintery pictures of the falls in my hometown. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/4a8d3a87-2883-450e-8fa3-827da3fe82b4/IMG_6560.JPG Blog - No Blog… - Make it stand out I had to include these conflicting images. After spring arrived, so did another bout of winter! I found it ironic that I had just switched to a new mug! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/fair monthly 0.5 2024-03-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/06318a2a-3d68-4178-82e9-048aa9f70280/IMG_6548.JPG Blog - Fair… - Make it stand out Not many pictures today as I haven’t been doing any work on the house recently. Top left is the wreath on my front door, on the top right is my front closet door. On the bottom left are pictures of my son and I kissing the Blarney Stone - these are permanent fixtures on my kitchen wall. On the bottom right is an adorable addition given to me by my mom. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/78669155-c581-4572-bab1-c0a21a791f41/tempImageCe8Dop.jpg Blog - Fair… - Make it stand out This is my tea area and yes, I was making my favourite Irish tea! I really love it but am wondering if it would suit me better in a different area of the kitchen - the musing continues. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/inspiration monthly 0.5 2024-03-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/05798da0-e8e5-47f6-8be7-741de5f73f2b/IMG_6520.JPG Blog - Inspiration… - Make it stand out The look of my yard - so strange to have absolutely no snow at the beginning of March. It really makes me want to start cleaning up but it’s far too early. I did go out and put away all Christmas-based decor and picked up fallen branches. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/6e9f7e3f-0984-4ce8-8c45-c21e1a881887/tempImagebxRLuF.jpg Blog - Inspiration… - Make it stand out I shared my “bare” shelves and this week got some spring and Easter items added in. I like the clean look and the mix of colours. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/7ab398e8-4757-49f2-8735-4568705078a7/tempImageMKfasp.jpg Blog - Inspiration… - Make it stand out I’m really thrilled with the look of my kitchen and love sitting at the island with my cup of tea on Sunday mornings. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/freedom monthly 0.5 2024-03-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/aaaa3838-2484-4e9d-9882-df9803873410/tempImagevVdxHu.jpg Blog - Freedom… - Make it stand out Still working on my dining room set up and I love the new table. I’ve made it cute with a St. Patrick’s inspired tablecloth. Not expensive or elegant but something just for fun. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/741558fb-6018-462b-9fe0-17764cb90b05/tempImageBcg2OC.jpg Blog - Freedom… - Make it stand out A fresh look in the living room as we enter March. I believe it’s important to celebrate our past, along with the present. The picture frame above my love seat holds pictures of my grandpa on the farm and my grandma and grandpa after retirement at their home in town. On the back of my couch is a handmade quilt from my grandma. It’s the old fashioned kind made of old clothing pieces. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/eb6db5e0-eb6c-45fe-8a71-9cfaa1e6a148/tempImagemucAO7.jpg Blog - Freedom… - Make it stand out A few bare spots at the moment. With both St. Patrick’s Day and Easter landing in March this year, I’ll be adding some Easter decor over the course of this week. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/excitement monthly 0.5 2024-02-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/269abc73-d48f-4d82-bf8d-44bb8ec81d10/tempImage6CfsyO.jpg Blog - Excitement… - Make it stand out I decided to start doing my switch from winter and Valentine’s a few days early this year. I think I’m in need of green, St. Patrick’s and the start of spring. You. might be interested in seeing part of my process - looks like a disaster but it’s how I make sure everything is put away in the appropriate bins, sorted, and wrapped up. I’ll share the new look next week! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/rejection monthly 0.5 2024-02-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/bf779cec-09d0-4f00-8cc3-c6a49a2351b0/tempImage6VDgB7.jpg Blog - Rejection… - Make it stand out Extending my antique desk to hold my new puzzle. The past month has been concentrated on other tasks so I’m thrilled to get back to it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/2dba4b1f-e831-40dd-8174-bf13e1e192db/tempImaget17jYJ.jpg Blog - Rejection… - Make it stand out I haven’t shared many decorating pictures recently. Here’s my kitchen island with a combined Valentine’s and winter flare. I love how the sun is returning and poking its way in! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/9284021b-b74e-44f3-b970-16e885452a1c/tempImagea6j9vz.jpg Blog - Rejection… - Make it stand out I’ve brought my uncle’s dining table (I can put the leaf in when having people over) home and given away my lovely formal table. This set up suits the house much better and as much as I loved the other table, I believe the man I gave it to will appreciate having room for his family when they visit. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/53717e9d-cc80-40ac-8824-3e7b715c9299/tempImagePJfORY.jpg Blog - Rejection… - Make it stand out It always feels so special when the sun returns in February. I love the look of my house hiding behind the winter branches. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/gratitude monthly 0.5 2024-01-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/7e4d15ce-e443-4439-a693-f5a0744be9fd/tempImageCNDQQM.jpg Blog - Gratitude… - Make it stand out I haven’t really been sharing my winter decor pictures. To be honest, I haven’t really been taking any. I love this tiered tray and it makes me feel good when I sit at my kitchen island. My broken angel is the perfect vision of imperfect. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/superheroes monthly 0.5 2024-01-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/fe3f250c-4cc7-47a1-9899-f145b5496a0a/tempImageFx2suq.jpg Blog - Superheroes - Make it stand out On a morning filled with tears, I looked outside to see this fresh blanket of snow. There’s something special to how clean it makes everything. For me this is one of God’s “super powers” - giving us such beauty in our world, even in the midst of great sadness. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/annoyances monthly 0.5 2024-01-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/ec281b73-0948-42b4-82a0-899a0419b9fb/IMG_6401.JPG Blog - Annoyances… - Make it stand out Six of the areas in my house that look incredibly bare after removing Christmas decorations. It gives me a chance to do some cleaning but it also looks kind of sad. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/a463a4eb-9d20-4008-8d32-b635df6cc52b/tempImage4z0ngo.jpg Blog - Annoyances… - Make it stand out The most adorable ottoman - a Boxing Day special! I think it will be a great addition to the living room. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/82a4c8b5-c67f-42c4-a93f-c213ebbe5484/tempImagefaCq98.jpg Blog - Annoyances… - Make it stand out While not sharing my winter decor today, I thought I would show you this year’s winter vase edition! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/love-letters monthly 0.5 2023-12-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/9f16d7d2-1239-404a-b833-d374ea32303f/IMG_6372.JPG Blog - Love Letters… - Make it stand out I took time off between Christmas and New Year’s and finally finished painting the last wall in my dining room! On the far right is the first coat. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/a7c8bca1-55ae-4fa7-b4f1-d59b3ff76aa9/tempImagepinHIw.jpg Blog - Love Letters… - Make it stand out The final product! There are still little jobs to do - paint the trim and wainscotting in the room, refinish the telephone table seen here, change the outlet to a new white one, and determine the wall art. BUT, I am thrilled to be entering 2024 with all the walls painted! It doesn’t jump out at me when I come into the room and I know that’s because it finally looks right! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/d47c6d5d-87b9-45a1-9958-c53b07fc2472/tempImagePXxoxv.jpg Blog - Love Letters… - Make it stand out A special gift from my mom for Christmas and my last promise to myself. Whenever an opportunity or possibility arises, I will ask myself: “What’s the best that could happen?” https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/traditions monthly 0.5 2023-12-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/86149429-3425-4bec-9b63-9be5eb70d35d/IMG_6344.JPG Blog - Traditions… - Make it stand out My Advent countdowns. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/48617438-d18a-45f0-b5c1-f2f8d462a6d9/IMG_6339.JPG Blog - Traditions… - Make it stand out A few of the lights I have around the house. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/6e5e0551-b17c-47d2-b72b-134c1c4a7db8/IMG_6346.JPG Blog - Traditions… - Make it stand out Some of my nativity scenes. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/d2854030-1abe-4dd4-a725-ae7c1a924c72/tempImageSSSo0e.jpg Blog - Traditions… - Make it stand out My beautiful candle centrepiece. Not only a gift from my mom but made by her. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/compassion monthly 0.5 2023-12-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/ff457027-edd5-4465-bddf-fcb6670e74b0/tempImageRZySMl.jpg Blog - Compassion… - Make it stand out Too much giggling and wriggling to get a good shot - way better than a “manufactured” picture, in my opinion! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/b3d301dc-92de-4333-9bea-fed93e854d36/IMG_6320.JPG Blog - Compassion… - Make it stand out The Christmas treat tin I just had to drop off before leaving for my mom’s. It didn’t cost much and it’s filled with yummy treats! Some of that goodness came from my mom who was kind enough to help me out this year. I just couldn’t get everything done. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/8fdbb98d-9f6c-456f-9c2e-8a4230f1c75b/tempImagesw7F1V.jpg Blog - Compassion… - Make it stand out I am so happy I found the time to get the lights up! Now, if we could only get some pretty snow to make them sparkle! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/appreciation monthly 0.5 2023-12-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/c1d5bd2e-e29c-49fe-8e17-afb9ebad5064/tempImageoWUgYD.jpg Blog - Appreciation… - Make it stand out A picture of my side yard with the freshly fallen snow. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/5282f0dc-8cb9-484b-8dbb-0c5561cf45bf/tempImageRRwWWg.jpg Blog - Appreciation… - Make it stand out How pretty is this! My mom and niece installed garland on the railings which adds so much beauty to the front of the house! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/8248bfe4-6153-44bc-81d0-8eb5a3f68a77/IMG_6283.JPG Blog - Appreciation… - Make it stand out Changed up the decor in my kitchen this year and I love it! One of my new additions, is the painted mitt, courtesy of my mom. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/f1e34b0b-0965-4a07-bfcc-f0b7339b25a2/tempImagebQUat8.jpg Blog - Appreciation… - Make it stand out The kitchen shelves make me smile every time I walk into the room. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/4bc28500-56bc-4f17-a56d-4057d5caeef8/tempImageXp6zem.jpg Blog - Appreciation… - Make it stand out Another change I made this year is putting the tree in the sitting room. I love to sit in this room and read or write or just take in the beauty of the season. [You may notice there’s no snow outside - we lost it all this weekend when it rained. Hopefully, we will have a white Christmas.] https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/giving monthly 0.5 2023-12-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/82b3c5cd-923b-4315-873a-31b4ade02969/IMG_6242.JPG Blog - Giving… - Make it stand out Some of the baking in various stages from last week. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/0969fa76-ab51-4b24-9caa-6ea110c4f16a/tempImagehePIy0.jpg Blog - Giving… - Make it stand out A Christmas arrangement I put together for my pink and mint green bathroom. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/f7a88688-5f68-44cc-a248-423cfba40a8b/tempImage64gj8F.jpg Blog - Giving… - Make it stand out The Grinch at our parade - definitely one of my favourites! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/aba46b2b-cacb-448f-afc1-5d20d84fc15c/tempImageeUtWne.jpg Blog - Giving… - Make it stand out The candies being given out by the Grinch in the parade - too perfect, I just had to share! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/de65b2d1-4642-45d5-b046-dc4b1a2cfa2d/tempImageaycZKk.jpg Blog - Giving… - Make it stand out Yours truly enjoying a hotdog freshly cooked over fire! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/7afc5bdb-e131-44ad-817c-883031c08c37/IMG_6243.JPG Blog - Giving… - Make it stand out The before and after shots of our village tree. A beautiful ending to a perfect day! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/support monthly 0.5 2023-11-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1808c430-d832-4482-ba46-c54a1921f830/tempImageCk1hVM.jpg Blog - Support… - Make it stand out Our company believes that we all need to be recognized for our years of work. This “growing” series of plaques arrived in my mail this week. This is a new way that the company has decided to say thank you and I think it’s great! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/0752dfa4-0c2e-4c82-979b-81be3c201be5/tempImageRjdKog.jpg Blog - Support… - Make it stand out As I shared a few weeks ago, my neighbour helped me and we got my new lamppost installed. We had a bit of snow recently and I thought the picture was too pretty to not share! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1453b245-d487-470e-8cee-f4fc15fc596e/IMG_6121.JPG Blog - Support… - Make it stand out Not a need, definitely a want! I love big mugs for my tea in the morning and I couldn’t resist this one. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/db8c7e16-e35f-4263-b207-ec76e23a0cbc/IMG_6111.JPG Blog - Support… - Make it stand out The first of my decorations! The gnome on the left is a new addition - a gift from my mom. On the right is the first of the lit decorations that I have. It adds so much warmth in this season of early night. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/things monthly 0.5 2023-11-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/93687747-b0e9-4fea-8ef8-89348e727269/tempImageBaxkqv.jpg Blog - Things… - Make it stand out From a rainy night spent reading and before I started “putting away autumn”. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/4cfa99ff-3a6f-41a5-ac0f-8bb5b193af91/IMG_6094.JPG Blog - Things… - Make it stand out Rather than remove the hooks, I’ve taken the hangings off and they sit awaiting Christmas decor. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/709ad09a-39c9-4843-ac64-2dc0fe96ae2e/IMG_6096.JPG Blog - Things… - Make it stand out This year, in an effort to make life a little easier on myself, I am removing all of autumn one weekend and planning to decorate for Christmas over the next two weeks. In the meantime, the house is really looking bare! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/d89bd12b-609b-4a92-aee8-4ae8f75542d1/tempImageypeiYr.jpg Blog - Things… - Make it stand out The newest editions to Christmas decorating this year. Some gifts along with a couple of purchased items. They’re sitting on the kitchen counter as I make my decorating plan! My mom changes things up each year and I guess it’s rubbed off on me! Looking forward to sharing the transformation over the next couple of blogs. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/mirrors monthly 0.5 2023-11-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/d26258f3-7e03-4632-9582-b77212383e88/tempImagebcL1DM.jpg Blog - Mirrors… - Make it stand out From my recent trip to Montreal. Beautiful art installation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/3586bad3-3575-44a8-a6dd-1bf0fbe647de/tempImageDvSeCn.jpg Blog - Mirrors… - Make it stand out I spent a couple of hours Christmas shopping and was thrilled when I realized I had “stumbled” upon McGill University. I have such a love of education that I am always excited to visit a city and find a school! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/22e3450e-3a34-4f43-bb7d-6eb5c628254b/tempImageR7zXDk.jpg Blog - Mirrors… - Make it stand out From the Assembly Hall at ICAO - it was inspiring to see! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/birthday monthly 0.5 2023-11-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/27e74c07-08bd-495b-9488-761e0825ced0/tempImageXp5Kn2.jpg Blog - Birthday… - Make it stand out This is the saltwater floatation pool at the spa. If you ever get the opportunity to try this out, do!! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1abe29a2-77a0-4915-883f-1e473087c595/tempImageyqUJvl.jpg Blog - Birthday… - Make it stand out The new solar lamp is working beautifully! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/ed5f6128-c4ed-479a-a356-d95218da8b2c/tempImagen8Vx8W.jpg Blog - Birthday… - Make it stand out The new lamp worked out perfectly for a Hallowe’en scene! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/db59df4b-c8e4-4460-8328-297cfa766465/tempImageAQv2po.jpg Blog - Birthday… - Make it stand out Another picture from the spa. This is one of the rest areas. Perfect place to relax with a good book! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/b7178512-294e-4927-b02a-b48655735859/IMG_6040.JPG Blog - Birthday… - Make it stand out The evolution of creamy Irish vegetable soup. Made it for the first time and served it at. my birthday lunch. Delicious! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/fbd68de6-b31a-400a-8115-ef7fb424e58e/tempImagepnwPvv.jpg Blog - Birthday… - Make it stand out Every birthday deserves a delicious cake and my favourite bakery outdid themselves with mine! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/a15384c9-c40e-441e-9afb-d6b018714cc5/IMG_6039.JPG Blog - Birthday… - Make it stand out The shopping day with my girlfriends was so much fun! I found this knit basket at the craft market - perfect in my bathroom and exactly what I’ve been looking for to hold all my bubble baths! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/confusion monthly 0.5 2023-10-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/0443b042-679d-404c-b3b0-f025cacf122e/tempImageepM3UO.jpg Blog - Confusion… - Make it stand out Here it is! The front has been redone - roof over the step and railings on each side. I think it looks perfect! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/89ac4ba4-20dc-40e0-a53a-12449553bd00/IMG_5994.JPG Blog - Confusion… - Make it stand out Some of my perfect day work from yesterday - transplanting the hibiscus before bringing them in for the winter! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/14717be8-9c9a-4997-8e6f-b8e8e92ebbca/IMG_5993.JPG Blog - Confusion… - Make it stand out The start of something new! On the right are the steps taken to put the post in the ground. Many thanks to my wonderful neighbour for his help in getting this job done. It was my first time with cement and I don’t think I could have done it alone! On the left is the “curing” post. Next week, I’ll be able to show you the finished product! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/fun monthly 0.5 2023-10-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/10122418-0473-4160-b194-44a07bb6662f/Blog+fall+geraniums.jpeg Blog - Fun… - Make it stand out I feel like I must share the colours of my geraniums. They are still blooming and even the leaves have changed with the arrival of autumn. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/31433678-3718-472b-bcac-f80307227ab6/Blog+cleaning+the+shed.jpeg Blog - Fun… - Make it stand out While not a lot of fun to do, the outcome of shed cleaning brings a smile to my face. Fall is the perfect time of year for getting things tidied and “put to sleep” for the winter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/357bd13b-4c5e-4a19-ae7a-3d242864f6ce/Blog+fall+runner.jpeg Blog - Fun… - Make it stand out While visiting this past weekend, I noticed my mom had used a runner on her fireplace mantel. I liked the idea so much that I tried it in my living room. I think it looks great. [The candle is on a timer and lights up at night.] https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/7499ccf2-a036-43db-b1e0-705c4112c1da/Blog+front+changes.jpeg Blog - Fun… - Make it stand out I mentioned that changes were coming to the front of my house. Well, consider this part one. Next blog should have the complete new look! Loving it so far! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/be-yourself monthly 0.5 2023-10-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/5d636f52-db0c-433b-acbe-0f3329ff4f66/Blog+pumpkin+lights.jpeg Blog - Be Yourself… - Make it stand out I love to decorate, especially for autumn. I recently added this vase to my decor. I think it’s perfect with the pumpkins and lights. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/5c4810a2-0af0-4fba-a673-6205f3be5255/Blog+tea+trolley.jpeg Blog - Be Yourself… - Make it stand out I moved the tea trolley, with its freshly polished silver to the dining room. I think it’s a perfect placement! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/thanksgiving-2023 monthly 0.5 2023-10-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/9129462f-f938-4dbb-b046-19e27a506143/Blog+Thanksgiving+baking.jpeg Blog - Thanksgiving 2023 - Make it stand out My church has an annual Thanksgiving Bake Sale and these are my contributions. I love baking and am very thankful to have the opportunity to volunteer in this way. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/5dd21555-fac3-4b6a-b8e6-2158e03f4b8b/Blog+grill+patio+area.jpeg Blog - Thanksgiving 2023 - Make it stand out I’ve shared this picture before. Think of it as a reminder of what my tables and stools looked like. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/2cb44547-0507-4dc7-8f0b-0c43a1556781/Blog+yellow+table+and+stools.jpeg Blog - Thanksgiving 2023 - Make it stand out My “recharged” table and stools! I am so grateful to my niece for all of her hard work to bring them back to life. I can’t wait to see how they will look in the patio area! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/respect monthly 0.5 2023-10-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/d59619a9-9f9d-4daa-a8e0-be9ab72f0ec7/Blog+one+more+before+front+door.jpeg Blog - Respect… - Make it stand out I love the way the house looks at night. The candles in the windows give so much warmth. Anyway, consider this one more “before” picture. New look coming soon! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/b290897b-5273-42eb-86ac-c4e08e4eb8c7/Blog+Fall+golfing.jpeg Blog - Respect… - Make it stand out As I’m sure I’ve shared many times, Fall is my favourite season. This is from our last golf game of the season. What an incredible sight! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/d140d115-4514-49c2-86bf-7d0c7865f71c/Blog+new+fall+decor.jpeg Blog - Respect… - Make it stand out My new Fall decor - a gift from my mom. I want you to see how wonderful they are as the day turns to night. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/2f541064-9356-4289-8eb7-c08433b6b515/Blog+cauldron+mishap.jpeg Blog - Respect… - Make it stand out In my last blog I shared my bad transplanting of my mums. I said I would show you how it looks at night, with the lights set up. Well, what a surprise I had - I thought the lights were white and they are Christmas-like instead! And you know what? I respect my mistakes as well as my wins! Life isn’t perfect so I’m enjoying them, just as they are! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/e9c560f8-91c6-408d-a9d8-e15faa9a5140/Blog+mums.jpeg Blog - Respect… - Make it stand out I’ve switched my final planters over to mums. They make a great entrance to my outside dining area! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/fundamentals monthly 0.5 2023-09-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/d1f56d21-ac47-40a4-b176-3b1ec49ba7d8/Blog+Front+Entrance+Before.jpeg Blog - Fundamentals… - Make it stand out Consider this the “before” look for my front entrance. Exciting change is coming! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/0e5ca861-e9da-4316-8f7a-06c8d98c4f52/Blog+BBQ+Area+Before.jpeg Blog - Fundamentals… - Make it stand out Another “before” image. With thanks to my son for his work on creating a new framework, a change to this area is coming soon! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/4bc10289-a0f1-4aa1-bc7b-7e920460c987/Blog+Cauldron+Mums.jpeg Blog - Fundamentals… - Make it stand out The top image is how I hoped all of the cauldron would look. The bottom image is the reality of a poor transplanting job. I’ve added some branches around the bottom - next week I’ll share what it looks like at night! It’s a good reminder that sometimes we don’t get it right and we have to find a “I can live with it” solution. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/01ceb42a-b2f8-4165-aca9-30283f36e236/Blog+fresh+from+the+farm+dinner.jpeg Blog - Fundamentals… - Make it stand out My dinner - almost all fresh from a farm 2kms away. It is full of flavour and pretty healthy! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/a-weekend-with-mom monthly 0.5 2023-09-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/ef716321-c843-4f34-be9c-e885fd42b639/Blog+end+of+summer+lilacs.jpeg Blog - A Weekend with Mom - Make it stand out Up front in this picture is one of the lilacs I planted at the end of last season. It’s grown so well this summer. The other lilacs were planted early this summer and are progressing well. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/c4f4e853-8420-4b11-b5dd-147b51a46df0/Blog+end+of+summer+gerberas.jpeg Blog - A Weekend with Mom - Make it stand out At the end of the summer, the daisies are still looking gorgeous. That yellow colour will definitely be brilliant into the fall. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/b045874d-6787-4ee1-b44d-5075ffd98abf/Blog+end+of+summer+geraniums.jpeg Blog - A Weekend with Mom - Make it stand out I’m thrilled with how wonderful my geraniums are doing. They will look great into fall, as well. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/8dd78f7d-8b17-4fff-b063-cea026684b47/Blog+end+of+summer+overgrowth.jpeg Blog - A Weekend with Mom - Make it stand out It’s been a great growing season. Think of this as a “before” picture. Once the weather cools a bit, I’ll get this trimmed and it will be a neat and tidy entrance to the driveway. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/high-school-days monthly 0.5 2023-08-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/f4edd14b-162b-4273-958c-eeade1686c34/Blog+bathroom+mirror.jpeg Blog - High School Days… - Make it stand out While my son was here, he hung my upstairs bathroom mirror. This antique mirror was a gift from my mom’s friend. We cleaned it up and painted it to match the tub. Unfortunately, it was originally hung vertically. My son changed the hanging and got it on the wall. LOVE having it on the wall! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/170f23c8-53b9-4a79-be24-c668b0c7ee77/Blog+updating+outside+stool.jpeg Blog - High School Days… - Make it stand out The worn down stool on the left is being upgraded. In the middle is with the first coat of paint. On the right is with two coats of paint. Still to come - the other stool and table. Can’t wait to share the finished product! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/3585835e-141d-4984-99d4-2b2aefc1150a/Blog+summer+night.jpeg Blog - High School Days… - Make it stand out I’ve shared pictures of my outside dining area from the porch. This picture is from within the area. I was sitting out, enjoying the night, the warmth of summer, the flashing of fireflies with a cup of tea. Late nights are a wonderful part of holidays! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/7caf5963-dfda-4b1c-bddf-bfad808ded3c/Blog+arch+lights.jpeg Blog - High School Days… - Make it stand out Last summer I cut out an archway from the barbecue to the dining area. This week I added solar lights to highlight it. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/untitled monthly 0.5 2023-08-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/3a5b7f62-daab-442b-a801-ef0bfc0b0723/Blog+candle+light.jpeg Blog - Untitled… - Make it stand out At this time of year, darkness starts arriving again before bedtime. I love the light given off by these candles in my windows. I use a different set of candles during the winter but for summer I love these colours. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/bd93f3d1-a729-4f77-bd7d-2f89f963c6fc/Blog+bird+feeder+companions.jpeg Blog - Untitled… - Make it stand out The view from my kitchen porch often includes these visitors to my bird feeder. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/2d4be2f8-7e73-41bc-8b0a-6fd0dc10e46b/Blog+a+precious+gift.jpeg Blog - Untitled… - Make it stand out A precious gift from a special cousin brought me hope. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/little-things monthly 0.5 2023-07-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1a2c819c-5bb6-4028-80e6-8590e1173607/Blog+little+upgrades.jpeg Blog - Little things… - Make it stand out Some of the “small jobs” done by my son. In a house that’s more than 160 years old, nothing is truly a “small job”. Left pictures are knobs for doors that either have never had any or haven’t for decades. They’re a real treat for me! On the right are some wall hangings that add so much to my sitting room. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/d9fe5472-b3df-4532-aac9-028ae52208c4/Blog+front+door+rack.jpeg Blog - Little things… - Make it stand out I’ve shared this piece before. My niece did a great job painting it to match my accent wall and now my son has installed it beside the front door. It’s such a beautiful and unique piece. I’m in love with how great it looks and it’s functional! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/12069dfb-487e-4568-9454-a9e0516e5a93/Blog+making+old+new.jpeg Blog - Little things… - Make it stand out I was gifted a couple of old outdoor wall lights. In keeping with my desire to honour the old as I make this house my home, I decided to use one of the lights as my new driveway-side entrance light. It was a ton of work and perhaps in strict monetary terms, not worth it but I think it’s great to be able to reuse and upcycle items. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/991134e1-f94b-4ad0-90b3-1e695e9b7042/Blog+new+driveway+light.jpeg Blog - Little things… - Make it stand out I was sure I had a picture of the door with the light so I didn’t take a “before” picture. The left side shows the old light, after it was taken down. On the right is the repurposed light - doesn’t it look amazing?! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/deddcc62-10b8-4a4d-8e68-7675e77b0ad0/Blog+moving+the+fireplace.jpeg Blog - Little things… - Make it stand out I’ve decided to make some major changes to the dining room furniture. I had this fireplace in my bedroom. I think it makes a lovely sideboard! More changes will be shared as I sell and buy furniture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/9033ba78-7e17-4885-8c94-ae9cbfb6961e/Blog+bedroom+change.jpeg Blog - Little things… - Make it stand out Because I moved the fireplace downstairs, I recognized an opportunity to change things up in my bedroom. With many thanks to my son, this is my new set-up. It wasn’t easy and I couldn’t have done it on my own. I think the results are beautiful! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/4e39eba1-2652-4797-a5b2-e695f7cbd8b4/Blog+outside+dining.jpeg Blog - Little things… - Make it stand out This area of my yard was hard hit with the spring storms. Each element of work was small but it all added up to create this perfect fairy-like area. Tree limbs had to be removed, lots of clearing of the outstanding “rubble”, and then the lights had to be rehung. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/self-care monthly 0.5 2023-07-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/d892f5ae-1c72-4eee-95bd-3e708b6a270a/Blog+cauldron+growth.jpeg Blog - Self-care… - Make it stand out Look what a month with sun and water can do! I think of self-care like this - put in the effort and look at the growth that can occur. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/68a1e54e-3bbf-4afc-a08d-9d6babf5e5e0/Blog+self-care.jpg Blog - Self-care… - Make it stand out While my mom and sister were resting, I took some time by the lake to marvel at the beauty of nature. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/speeding monthly 0.5 2023-06-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/485b87e6-97ac-4d18-93be-7bbb4a6926db/Blog+tier+tray+little+change.jpeg Blog - Speeding… - Make it stand out A little change to my tray with a newly acquired mug on the right. It seemed perfect for today’s topic. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/cb14210b-1242-42b4-8763-72312fb6c371/Blog+patience.jpeg Blog - Speeding… - Make it stand out My bouquet from last weekend is on the left. I was going to throw it out this weekend since the flowers were falling apart. On the right is what a little patience provides - the buds have now started to open. I’ve made a fresh bouquet! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/6244593c-711f-477f-a96f-154ffd8b77d9/Blog+our+piper.jpeg Blog - Speeding… - Make it stand out Our piper, my cousin’s husband. He gave us a precious gift. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/confidence monthly 0.5 2023-06-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/3753b8ef-a1c7-4299-8150-5cf2dd8921c9/Blog+new+herb+pots.jpeg Blog - Confidence… - Make it stand out On top are my old planters. On the bottom are my new herb pots - perfect for this window in the kitchen. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/031786db-cd87-4f92-89d1-61254b0fd470/Blog+messy+kitchen.jpeg Blog - Confidence… - Make it stand out Sometimes life is messy. I have plans for this area that will clean up the mess and make it a more useable, enjoyable space. Standby… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/f7e4ef07-2411-4503-a23b-b87fe55d7868/Blog+shiny+sink.jpeg Blog - Confidence… - Make it stand out My copper sink all polished and looking shiny. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/ab75dd70-553e-4421-a101-8ea9ea4d0bf5/Blog+messy+garden.jpeg Blog - Confidence… - Make it stand out This is the back garden. I’ve cleaned it out two years in a row and it’s still crazy with overgrowth. Will be working on this to find a happy selection so that these beautiful roses have an opportunity to shine! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/c3d5ed99-2cbc-4fbe-a3c8-c4625ff9e1f1/Blog+2023+kitchen+tiered+tray.jpeg Blog - Confidence… - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/13865618-4163-49af-ac29-06f771f20077/Blog+2023+kitchen+shelves.jpeg Blog - Confidence… - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/the-older-i-get monthly 0.5 2023-06-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/6670ddd0-cccb-434c-a049-9e239e4b49f2/Blog+2023+plants.jpeg Blog - The Older I Get… - Make it stand out Some of this year’s plants, picked out by my mom. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/51c7df83-a8ab-4851-8966-8b40afb56fbd/Blog+2023+cauldron.jpeg Blog - The Older I Get… - Make it stand out This year’s cauldron. In a couple of weeks, I expect the wave petunias will be flowing over the sides! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/30d1bc23-bf79-41ab-8c47-a907e84bd664/Blog+shed+window+planter.jpeg Blog - The Older I Get… - Make it stand out I love this window planter at the back of my driveway on a shed. I can’t wait to see it as the geraniums spread out! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/7b108105-8124-4989-b0e9-c05452844dba/Blog+2023+outdoor+dining.jpeg Blog - The Older I Get… - Make it stand out Last year I had lavender planted in these barrels. This year we’re trying begonias. I’m loving the look! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/what-happens-next monthly 0.5 2023-05-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/de508809-35bf-4219-b2cd-11d612a0a27b/Blog+clematis+2023.jpeg Blog - What Happens Next… - Make it stand out This year’s clematis is growing taller and stronger than ever! Can’t wait to see it in bloom. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/6a447b9b-493c-4a53-9407-603db804951f/Blog+outside+sitting+area.jpeg Blog - What Happens Next… - Make it stand out Still sorting out my hanging baskets, a gift from my mom. Finally believe the weather is warm enough, even at night to bring out my hibiscus. Getting ready for relaxing outside this summer! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/3f13b81c-4e2a-4354-bd2f-cfee77595480/Blog+new+bunny.jpeg Blog - What Happens Next… - Make it stand out A young bunny has decided to move in! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/f16d73d2-35ae-4d0f-9c18-90ea1b61d0df/Blog+lilac+tree+2023.jpeg Blog - What Happens Next… - Make it stand out My all-time favourite outdoor scent is lilac. It’s been my favourite since I was a child and I would break off a piece on my walk home from school. This year’s blooms are wonderful and so fragrant. Lilacs are short-lived and are a great reminder that nothing lasts forever but the good can be remembered always. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/76659502-fdde-4f7c-8a61-b3ab7d4d3cdc/Blog+yoga+frog+2023.jpeg Blog - What Happens Next… - Make it stand out This year’s yoga frog location. Breath in the good and exhale the bad. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/22e5a8c4-2d83-4404-8fdc-c9297feab05b/Blog+my+happy+place.jpeg Blog - What Happens Next… - Make it stand out As I said in the blog, having fun is important. This is one of my happy places and being there helps put everything into perspective. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/bad-week monthly 0.5 2023-05-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/db12074b-ad6e-4557-8ad7-4be4732e0186/Blog+pool+work.jpeg Blog - Bad Week… - Make it stand out Each year I have to pump off the excess water from the winter tarp. The more I can get off, the easier it is to remove the tarp. This year my neighbour did a bunch of the work while I was away. How lucky am I!! Top picture is the current state after another hour of pumping water. Bottom picture is some of the wet leaves I’m pulling off with rake and shovel. Hopefully, I’ll be able to get the tarp off in the next day or so and start the opening process! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/3de2fd81-9bf6-447f-b0eb-a90eee421ed3/Blog+lilac+hedge.jpeg Blog - Bad Week… - Make it stand out Views of my lilac hedge. The middle picture are the three lilacs I planted at the end of last season. They are already blooming and smell amazing! I added three more this weekend and think the hedge is going to be lovely! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/alone monthly 0.5 2023-05-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/bc6cfa8f-637e-4f09-8ea8-6547a37cd5c2/Blog+Spring+clean+up+2023.jpeg Blog - Alone… - Make it stand out The left side are before pictures with after pictures on the right. I feel late this year getting to the Spring clean up. This is the first pass and thankfully, with a long weekend coming up, I’ll be able to put more time in getting it the way I like. Not much for pictures this time. More to come! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/imprint monthly 0.5 2023-04-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/eebcdfb4-cd4b-4759-b506-9a2e83e7ffe7/Blog+sitting+room+addition.jpeg Blog - Imprint… - Make it stand out This is a beautiful gift from my mom that my niece painted to prepare it for my library/sitting room. Looking forward to getting it installed and sharing its look! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/c3aa7b84-91e4-48b3-a2a7-34a4d95c9d8d/Blog+sitting+room+furniture.jpeg Blog - Imprint… - Make it stand out I shared the plan for the new furniture placement awhile ago. The furniture has arrived and it’s ready for a good book on a quiet night. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/c360707e-148f-4645-b12d-40c64abd62e9/Blog+switching+over.jpeg Blog - Imprint… - Make it stand out At this time of year, I do a lot of “switching” over. I replace Easter decor with colours ready for Springtime and I switch out my Fall/Winter linens for lighter, brighter Spring/Summer linens. It always takes me a couple of weekends to get it all complete. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/adulting monthly 0.5 2023-04-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/80a14f9c-14e0-455e-8fec-a95e66548051/Blog+ice+storm+aftermatch.jpeg Blog - Adulting… - Make it stand out Some of the aftermath of the ice storm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/cdcd9b89-ad5f-44ab-8324-9dc0d0cfd051/Blog+rising+waters.jpeg Blog - Adulting… - Make it stand out These pictures are less than an hour apart - that’s how fast the water was rising! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/d44fef06-d485-4476-ae78-fba622366a1e/Blog+pictures+from+the+ice+storm.jpeg Blog - Adulting… - Make it stand out More of the aftermath. The top left is the fire department’s hose snaking its way out my front door full of water. The bottom left are their vehicles. Huge gratitude to the volunteers in our fire department!' The top right is the side of my house as the freezing rain was switching to rain. The bottom left is the cellar water almost at the top of my high-top rainboots. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1e044bc8-5645-473a-92b5-7b45cdb9998b/Blog+some+of+the+good+things.jpeg Blog - Adulting… - Make it stand out As I said in the blog, it’s important to let the good times in. The top right is one of my favourite summertime drinks - a bellini, which I enjoyed at the end of a long week! The other pictures are from the Men’s World Curling Championships. It’s one of my favourite sports and I was blessed to enjoy the championship weekend, immediately after the ice storm, with my mom. The middle picture is part of “The Patch” where fans flock between and after games. The bottom right are the skips from Team Canada and Team Sweden - both are crowd favourites! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/great-expectations monthly 0.5 2023-04-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/5c64e884-a5bb-405c-bf95-c428b4774e92/Blog+antique+piano+stool.jpeg Blog - Great Expectations… - Make it stand out I was given an antique piano stool and on the left is how it arrived. On the right is what it looks like put back together. Still to come is how I set it up for use! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/953bb4a4-bfa9-43b9-a2b2-042f1920925f/Blog+sitting+room+curtains.jpeg Blog - Great Expectations… - Make it stand out The new rods and curtains are all set up! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/2cf4a611-7a90-435c-94eb-2f5ca37e5f7f/Blog+reading+chair.jpeg Blog - Great Expectations… - Make it stand out Only one of the new chairs has arrived but doesn’t it look great? I’m still awaiting one chair and the ottoman. In the meantime, I think what I’ve got is working just fine. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/anger monthly 0.5 2023-03-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/3f27277b-5c93-4ee6-9cf5-21c9bd7ad994/Blog+kitchen+Easter.jpeg Blog - Anger… - Make it stand out Island tiered tray for Easter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/bd0f2832-0296-44b0-a3f4-3cbe30c4197f/Blog+Easter+bunny+plate.jpeg Blog - Anger… - Make it stand out It doesn’t have to be expensive to add a little seasonal flavour to your decor. I bought the plate at a dollar store and added foil-wrapped chocolates! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/37cc4c93-80b8-4d8c-814c-f5eb488aa6ec/Blog+Easter+dining+table.jpeg Blog - Anger… - Make it stand out I like changing things up. Last year I used this tablecloth on the kitchen island. It’s small but works great on the larger table! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/236374fb-ccd3-418a-bcc7-b2bbd8f31948/Blog+sitting+room+furniture+plan.jpeg Blog - Anger… - Make it stand out I was hoping to share pictures of the new furniture but it didn’t work out. However, I thought I would show how I plan out what I’m considering when it comes to furniture. Although you can’t easily move the tape (painter’s tape) around, this does give you an idea of how much room will be taken up and how much room is available. It gives you something to consider for walking pathways, too. I find it very helpful when I’m considering a piece of furniture to tape it out first and make sure it fits before spending the money! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/safety monthly 0.5 2023-03-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/a36d9811-3552-4c41-8bd1-c824d4b863b2/Blog+sitting+room+stove.jpeg Blog - Safety… - Make it stand out Not much has happened in the house in the last week. I’m still shopping for chairs for this room. In the meantime, I thought I would share a picture of how welcoming and comfortable this will be once there is furniture! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/3819d562-212b-401c-8a60-12039bb77d74/Blog+riding+and+safety.jpeg Blog - Safety… - Make it stand out I think I’ve mentioned before that I started horseback riding lessons after decades of not being near, never mind on a horse. I’m thrilled to report that as we near the end of our session, I feel completely safe in the arena. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/bed0279e-69fb-49b9-978f-bc2c0dbe8757/Blog+porch+hooks.jpeg Blog - Safety… - Make it stand out With thanks to my niece for a great paint job, I now have a place to hang my barn coat to air out after riding! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/sex-romance-love monthly 0.5 2023-03-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/dfc5b315-7020-4008-b571-557388b85f2c/Blog+sitting+room+painted.jpeg Blog - Sex, Romance, Love… - Make it stand out Took awhile because I got sick but the walls are done in the sitting room/library. A new curtain and rod are on the front window and the side window still needs to have one installed. I’ve moved some furniture around and brought in a slightly larger bookshelf. (I think I’ll probably stain it.) I’m actively searching for comfortable reading chairs. The room isn’t complete but I’m so excited by how wonderful it is looking. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/ffc4871e-8b86-4ec7-b64a-c8f3e7e6b99d/Blog+some+St.+Patrick%27s+Day+decor.jpeg Blog - Sex, Romance, Love… - Make it stand out Some of my St. Patrick’s Day decor! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/30444ea3-4f58-4704-8363-264fa90f0e31/Blog+shades+of+green.jpeg Blog - Sex, Romance, Love… - Make it stand out Shades of green. In the kitchen, above and the dining room, below. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/2cc4cb96-81e8-4a03-a157-9e117288692e/Blog+change+in+living+room+bookshelf.jpeg Blog - Sex, Romance, Love… - Make it stand out This is the small bookshelf that I swapped out from the sitting room/library. In this case, the change means the right sizes are in the right spots. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/lessons-learned monthly 0.5 2023-02-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/786946d5-6345-444a-b6b1-259247b4a12a/Blog+lessons+learned.jpeg Blog - Lessons Learned… - Make it stand out There’s been no work on the house this week. Yesterday I managed my first walk outside and took this picture to share. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/reality-check monthly 0.5 2023-02-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/bd81be3d-6349-4e29-aa2f-901b55c79970/Blog+front+room+first+coat+of+paint+1.jpeg Blog - Reality Check… - Make it stand out One coat on and ran out of paint! Great to have a sunny and relatively warm February day for painting! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/505d97d3-7003-443b-9c67-4408f2d6086e/Blog+front+room+first+coat+of+paint+2.jpeg Blog - Reality Check… - Make it stand out Excited to get more paint tomorrow and get this finished! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/children-and-parents monthly 0.5 2023-02-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/eb5d1347-2f7c-4817-81cb-65066cbd44d0/Blog+sitting+room+coming+together.jpeg Blog - Children and Parents… - Make it stand out The top, right and left hand pictures are the prep work I did for the walls and ceiling. The bottom picture is after painting the ceiling. In the middle is the start of the wall painting. This is one of the ways I’m preparing for retirement - getting all the work done to make the house my home. I don’t want that hanging over my head. My hope is that, wherever I’m living at the end of my life, the majority of work will be done so that my son doesn’t have a ton of work to do in order to sell the house. There’s so much else you have to deal with when your loved one passes away and I want to clean up as much as I can. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/comrades monthly 0.5 2023-01-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/7922666d-f01d-4b67-82ce-cd86a2b82c08/Blog+winter+morning+walk.jpeg Blog - Comrades… - Make it stand out Part of my new routine is to go for a walk as soon as I’m up in the morning. I think this view of the house is so pretty in the fresh snow. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/ba46b9b7-5f9c-4bf1-bfa3-a981ccc53569/Blog+St.+Valentine%27s+Day+table.jpeg Blog - Comrades… - Make it stand out My dining table, in honour of St. Valentine’s Day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/ccfc620d-5a9d-4a43-bd9b-9c673052ce6a/Blog+pops+of+red+and+pink.jpeg Blog - Comrades… - Make it stand out A few pops of pink and red can change the look for St. Valentine’s Day! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/c9415bcf-f879-47a4-8456-8e39f89d512f/Blog+prepping+sitting+room.jpeg Blog - Comrades… - Make it stand out Getting ready to paint! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/b49d8735-b4ed-41da-b7c6-5b600086e9e6/Blog+prepping+for+paint.jpeg Blog - Comrades… - Make it stand out Filling cracks in anticipation of painting! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/fear monthly 0.5 2023-01-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/3ca60ea6-d954-4201-97c8-4727444aae53/Blog+Winter+decorations+2023.jpeg Blog - Fear… - Make it stand out Each year I pull out bins with decorations associated with seasons or events. They rarely will end up in exactly the same place or same set up. This is winter 2023. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/b00b4dd3-74ed-4353-b347-45ce45bcc4a5/Blog+winter+birds.jpeg Blog - Fear… - Make it stand out New additions to my winter collection, given to me by my mom. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/256ac70d-bc3d-41df-9e27-1c135e5632ca/Blog+pre-sitting+room.jpeg Blog - Fear… - Make it stand out The “before” picture of the sitting room/library. Hopefully in a couple of weeks, I’ll be sharing the “after” picture. I guess I’ll have to get serious about furniture shopping! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/messy monthly 0.5 2023-01-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/c609beb1-ee7d-4675-be60-6bcc698b4847/Blog+winter+blue.jpeg Blog - Messy… - Make it stand out Before dawn of a difficult day and still there is beauty to behold. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/789d2bc9-279c-426a-8bf0-863fa69b353e/Blog+morning+after+winter+beauty.jpeg Blog - Messy… - Make it stand out On the morning after a difficult day, fresh snow makes the world so pretty. Final puppy dog prints from his last trip to the tree brings sadness along with love. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/2ba14497-0a04-41a3-9265-1a993a346633/Blog+doing+for+me.jpeg Blog - Messy… - Make it stand out This year I’m doing a few things for me. This winter I’m taking a ladies night riding course. Talk about leaping out of my comfort zone with both feet! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/empty monthly 0.5 2023-01-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/4ca8caf9-ba2e-4a46-9994-61ceb41bca71/Blog+stuffies+on+stairs.jpeg Blog - Empty… - Make it stand out I like to add a little cuteness to my home and these stairs seem perfect for stuffed animals. One was a gift but the others were collected over the years and I’m not ready to part with them. Also, I got thinking about the colours for this room and may end up working on it sooner than initially planned. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/6ab59cc4-4db5-4ad9-a7ca-f0a8abf6bc2e/Blog+winter+touches.jpeg Blog - Empty… - Make it stand out A couple of sweet touches can brighten up winter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/3b6c71cd-615f-4ae2-923b-572b7089277e/Blog+gnomes+and+lights.jpeg Blog - Empty… - Make it stand out Gifts from Christmas, the gnomes and the lights, provide a wonderful addition to a kitchen shelf! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/56785261-e81d-4308-84bd-eeaed1add450/Blog+winter+fireplace.jpeg Blog - Empty… - Make it stand out The warmth of a winter fireplace. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/c4eff2f5-3e70-4aae-b0c8-57c15e6fe479/Blog+winter+display.jpeg Blog - Empty… - Make it stand out I love how the whites, blues, and silvers work together. I also love combining cuteness and elegance in the same room. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/a-year-in-review monthly 0.5 2023-01-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/ab80f914-d8c7-49e3-9fae-4ff07fc2e033/Blog+time+with+Santa.jpeg Blog - A Year In Review… - Make it stand out Dropped by one of our village shops and said hi to Santa! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/4bba13f3-ed4a-4e57-b351-c6ef1f336a42/Blog+Christmas+decorating.jpeg Blog - A Year In Review… - Make it stand out Centre: a nativity scene handed down by my mom. Top left: a basket of cones and lights made years ago by a favoured aunt - so glad to still be able to enjoy it’s beauty. Top right: my dining table dressed for Christmas. Bottom left: Boxing Day sale items from last year being enjoyed for the first time. Bottom right: a new spot for a beloved decoration. It works perfectly in the kitchen! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/4ce0e7c0-bb0b-4938-82d9-d63af65f0534/Blog+Christmas+goodies.jpeg Blog - A Year In Review… - Make it stand out Some of this year’s Christmas goodies! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/5349b8cb-4d1f-485a-8c3d-d28bf432acbe/Blog+yard+lake.jpeg Blog - A Year In Review… - Make it stand out Just before Christmas we had a big snowstorm which impacted a lot of people’s travel plans. Shortly after Christmas we got another dump of the white stuff. Then the warm-up came and with it, lots of rain. So, I’m starting 2023 with a lake in my yard and water in my cellar. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/christmas-stress monthly 0.5 2022-12-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/ff2938a6-a986-41e7-8c40-2d1031e16390/Blog+half-lit+Christmas+tree.jpeg Blog - Christmas stress… - Make it stand out Last night’s laugh: my half-lit tree! Honestly, I tested the lights before putting them on! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1bd0ec45-322e-4a0d-b34f-1e4325b235a4/Blog+new+Christmas+signs.jpeg Blog - Christmas stress… - Make it stand out Last year’s Boxing Day sale - new Christmas signs and a preview of upcoming sitting room changes! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/ecdd6b01-986c-49a7-bf94-e296b46a0836/Blog+Aunt+Jeanie%27s+drawing.jpeg Blog - Christmas stress… - Make it stand out “In progress” - when you find a perfect spot for a special item. This drawing was done by one of my favourite aunts and I’m thrilled to be able to display it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/7562750f-d734-49ca-988e-3bd018253bf4/Blog+new+dining+room.jpeg Blog - Christmas stress… - Make it stand out Sharing my new dining room - although not absolutely complete, it’s such an improvement that I am thrilled! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/gift-requests monthly 0.5 2022-11-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/757fcb1d-949b-4870-8e81-bc817cc0d2b2/Blog+Christmas+is+coming.jpeg Blog - Gift Requests… - Make it stand out Well, our snow has left but I’m still getting ready for Christmastime! Hopefully we’ll have a white Christmas! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/contradictions monthly 0.5 2022-11-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/4ac8b871-a668-42be-b71f-ab12d8d5d05b/Blog+ceiling+change.jpeg Blog - Contradictions… - Make it stand out I thought my ceiling was an off-white until I started painting it “actual” white. This is only the first coat and it’s a significant change! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/46a65a28-3aea-4585-bec9-57d685b18099/Blog+dining+room+wall.jpeg Blog - Contradictions… - Make it stand out Getting ready. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/63cc0ce4-9419-46f3-9ff3-3a62865dd9f7/Blog+dining+room+painting+progression.jpeg Blog - Contradictions… - Make it stand out You’ll notice I didn’t worry about making a mess along the edge of the ceiling. After all, I’m going to take care of that! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/f8d5b5de-29fc-4ab4-a42a-25a1a5013fd1/Blog+dining+room+switch+plate.jpeg Blog - Contradictions… - Make it stand out I want to point out the difference a new switch plate can make! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/a579527b-d745-409f-9794-91853ba7d440/Blog+dining+room+corner+one.jpeg Blog - Contradictions… - Make it stand out First corner done! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/fa3bcd81-b36c-4737-b0cd-8af74f7d375d/Blog+prepping+dining+room+corner+two.jpeg Blog - Contradictions… - Make it stand out Prepping the second corner! A weekend doesn’t always give you enough time to do everything! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/2b2f5dd0-30a6-4562-b8bf-61efb8f1a2db/Blog+dining+room+wall+done.jpeg Blog - Contradictions… - Make it stand out First full wall is complete! I know I made the right choice for me because every time I look this direction, I smile! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/energy monthly 0.5 2022-11-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/d699d16e-d73c-4c7b-bfd4-fbce2de2f06a/Blog+new+pillow.jpeg Blog - Energy… - Make it stand out I received a special gift from my neighbours and had to share. Pooh and friends are so much fun! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/4487b942-49e0-4329-ac7f-9700b1862d7b/Blog+sweet+peas+in+November.jpeg Blog - Energy… - Make it stand out How joyful are sweet peas blooming in November?! Where I live this is quite a special treat! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/266b3e77-04e8-490d-9492-13975efb27f8/Blog+old+front+door.jpeg Blog - Energy… - Make it stand out A reminder of what my front door used to look like! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/c6cf6f62-69e7-49c8-9c00-0cd92d1c25d9/Blog+new+front+door.jpeg Blog - Energy… - Make it stand out The new front door! The plan to put a screen door on front had to be changed and instead this beautiful storm door was installed. The wonderful thing is there is also a screen - the top half of the door can be window or screen to allow light and air into the front of the house. It also means the front door is now accessible and the door’s original doorbell (the dark in the centre) is available for use. You should hear it! I will be able to hear it everywhere in the house. The clean up of the doorbell is an upcoming project as I will get it shining once again! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/7fa04fca-ce6f-41d0-8a97-47ce53ac5cf0/Blog+new+door+on+Hallowe%27en.jpeg Blog - Energy… - Make it stand out Hallowe’en night and I was able to greet my trick-or-treaters at the front entrance and the dog was able to watch from safely inside, all of the activity! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/lighten-up monthly 0.5 2022-10-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/9004a3c6-aec4-4369-aee9-5e7774586c0f/Blog+pup.jpeg Blog - Lighten Up… - Make it stand out This is my pup and constant companion. I’ve shared pictures of him before. A year ago I was given three choices - amputate his paw (he has a tumour), put him down, or put him through chemo. I was very upset and spoke to a friend who has owned dogs for years. She said I would know when it was time, as did his groomer. So here we are a year later and he’s still around. Yesterday we were out for a walk and a lady stopped and pet him. You could tell she lit up over his presence. While I’m feeling the weight of his condition, he brought such lightness to a stranger! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/ac3d7277-ff38-4b9b-ba0c-0d53638edd4f/Blog+giggles.jpeg Blog - Lighten Up… - Make it stand out Saw this in a store recently and sent a picture to my mom. I giggled like a little girl and for a moment, I was caught in the lightness of humour. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/052f5f73-7f8c-4b24-9f99-30ffc696fd93/Blog+plant+be+gone.jpeg Blog - Lighten Up… - Make it stand out Removed a big bush and moved it to make room for future plans. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/a6c9c8a8-6a51-4eae-ae84-c34c12906f0c/Blog+plant+movement.jpeg Blog - Lighten Up… - Make it stand out And this is where the plant now lives! Working to build a welcoming side entrance to the yard. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/b3823cff-2f3a-42c3-aea0-42b46edfe92a/Blog+front+closet.jpeg Blog - Lighten Up… - Make it stand out Work is starting on the front entrance. The closet is ready! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/fit monthly 0.5 2022-10-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/837ff38a-5e70-4043-972b-5c1900db73ed/Blog+sitting+room.jpeg Blog - Fit… - Make it stand out The sitting room is starting to take shape and I am looking forward to sharing its story of transformation! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/d3bb02aa-dd50-4d76-9faf-960459caf5db/Blog+yellow+pumpkin.jpeg Blog - Fit… - Make it stand out I was very excited when I found a yellow pumpkin this past weekend. I think it looks amazing! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/4542fad3-8069-4777-b830-fe764129e44a/Blog+fall+kitchen+shelves.jpeg Blog - Fit… - Make it stand out I’ve finally finished my kitchen shelves for fall. Isn’t it cool how the picture turned out?? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/356b3e40-1355-45c9-b94d-da02ade503a2/Blog+fall+colours.jpeg Blog - Fit… - Make it stand out I love fall colours! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/grateful monthly 0.5 2022-09-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/f6435228-a9a4-450b-96e9-fc78fa149f78/Blog+ancient+stairs.jpeg Blog - Grateful… - Make it stand out These ancient stairs need so much work and I’m grateful for the character they bring to my home. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/a2f43c3e-828a-42e7-a858-659fad6bdbf4/Blog+Fall+football.jpeg Blog - Grateful… - Make it stand out When you are a football fan, there is so much to be grateful for when you get to spend a few hours in the stands with great seat neighbours! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/346eff00-5bab-45a7-bb1f-109f955d6c0a/Blog+snuggly+pup.jpeg Blog - Grateful… - Make it stand out I am very grateful for the unconditional love of my pup. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/86f468ab-2856-4e44-913d-1f05c198157c/Blog+Fall+light.jpeg Blog - Grateful… - Make it stand out I was just starting dinner and saw this out my kitchen door. I have so much gratitude for my peaceful sanctuary. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/02860683-2b89-44c2-aaec-0aebde8ffeea/Blog+Fall+baking.jpeg Blog - Grateful… - Make it stand out How easy it is to be grateful for the smell of baking! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/e436f1d7-3540-4ea1-8da8-3dfb4bdccebc/Blog+Fall+kitchen.jpeg Blog - Grateful… - Make it stand out I am so grateful to be able to share my love of fall through decorations. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/belief monthly 0.5 2022-09-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/5c3737cc-2f5b-43d7-bdfa-c52d3fb436a7/Blog+back+garden+cleanup.jpeg Blog - Belief… - Make it stand out Fall is a great time of year to clean out garden beds and move around plants in preparation for next spring. On the left is lots of overgrowth and on the right is after a lot has been removed. There will be much more room for the roses that I have to find the sun! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/b0063758-92fb-48ae-a30d-659ad8e85067/Blog+summer+to+fall.jpeg Blog - Belief… - Make it stand out On the left is my pump in mid-summer, full of bright blooms and on the right is the switch I made this past weekend to fall mums. Hopefully the weather will be good this coming weekend to continue working outside. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/7bd75d7d-a63b-437d-8d08-d70dc160337e/Blog+driveway+entrance.jpeg Blog - Belief… - Make it stand out This is my driveway entrance. As you can see, I’m still cleaning up the area. What you can’t see is a small project on the left. My plan is to complete it this weekend and then share the results next week. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/60e1c09d-9d8d-43b8-9d81-fec5f900d62e/Blog+fall+front+door.jpeg Blog - Belief… - Make it stand out I like adjusting the look of my house, outside and in, according to the seasons. My fingers are crossed the new handyman will be by soon to help change this front door! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/monarch monthly 0.5 2022-09-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/329344e0-39e2-4506-9deb-8166ba83b7d7/Blog+pool+rocks+complete.jpeg Blog - Monarch… - Make it stand out I finally finished laying rocks around the pool. I think it cleans up the area nicely. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/07ba90a5-f1ef-4834-94ef-02cbc779a002/Blog+grillzebo.jpeg Blog - Monarch… - Make it stand out Although you can’t see it due to the cover, I have a new barbecue! With thanks to my son for helping me find a good quality product and my neighbour’s son, Zack, for putting it together! And look at what I’ve started. This will be a grilling patio area next spring! My thanks to Geoff for putting the grillzebo together for me. I’m looking forward to planning and building the patio. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/ba25bd3e-441f-4df1-9749-1129a8176a4a/Blog+grill+patio+area.jpeg Blog - Monarch… - Make it stand out A picture to share how I go about planning an area. I’ve been figuring out what I want the area to hold, how big the patio will need to be, what the flow of movement will be, etc. Previously I shared a couple of pictures of the tree pruning and cutting that I did to make room for the structure and to allow access from the dining area. Next spring when the ground has melted, I’ll be able to start staking out the actual ground size. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/106e6a18-f209-49b2-81fb-8d9890027a38/Blog+tidying+outside.jpeg Blog - Monarch… - Make it stand out I’ve been looking for ways to clean up some of the outside areas. I found some leftover rocks, bigger than the gravel on my driveway and smaller than what I’ve been using to shape garden beds. I think this is much better than weeds. There’s more cleanup to do in this area and it’s planned for the upcoming weekend. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/old-fashioned monthly 0.5 2022-09-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/98632c43-97cf-4e8e-9f3c-25cc10dadfae/Blog+antique+tea+wagon.jpeg Blog - Old Fashioned… - Make it stand out This tea wagon was gifted to me by my mom and I absolutely adore it. It’s a perfect fit in my house. The tea and coffee service need a little TLC. No wonder they had servants to take care of everything in the old days! If everything needs to be polished, you’d never have time for anything else! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1d4ad00d-c956-4516-b982-4bb00d75c9f0/Blog+grandma%27s+quilt.jpeg Blog - Old Fashioned… - Make it stand out When I was growing up, it was quite normal to have afghans, like the one on the left. I don’t see them as much anymore. They were wonderfully cozy to snuggle under while on the couch. On the right is a handmade quilt. Both of these beautiful examples of old fashioned, handmade blankets were made by my grandma. The quilt is made of odd bits of leftover fabric and clothes that had been outgrown. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/5f000ebc-7251-405e-8536-10531fe4b4f3/Blog+antique+project.jpeg Blog - Old Fashioned… - Make it stand out On one of my mom’s visits, she arrived with this antique piano stool. It’s one of my next projects and I can’t wait to share it put together and in place! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/428761ba-3f05-41ba-819b-658137000889/Blog+peaceful+evening.jpeg Blog - Old Fashioned… - Make it stand out A beautiful, peaceful sky over my old fashioned house. My thanks to a friend who suggested antiques and quilts for my pictures. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/loneliness monthly 0.5 2022-08-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/53b62dad-fdc3-4eab-9145-4931746850fb/Blog+outdoor+grill+area.jpeg Blog - Loneliness… - Make it stand out On the left is the before picture. Before I took out some large branches and small trees. Before I cleaned out the leftover wood from previous owners. On the right is how it looks now. It’s approximately 10 feet wide and I’m going to turn it into a grill area. Standby for the building (laying?) of a patio! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1bade347-593a-4baa-9802-346b87bb9116/Blog+outdoor+dining+pathway.jpeg Blog - Loneliness… - Make it stand out Creating a pathway between the new grill area and the outdoor dining area. Maybe an archway next year? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/2589fb5e-022d-4344-a4f0-6a0e02dc7f52/Blog+party+dining.jpeg Blog - Loneliness… - Make it stand out A full outdoor dining area - the entrance was cleaned up by the removal of some large branches. As much as I hate taking down trees or removing branches and cover, it can be good for the plants! The new umbrella really looks good with the yellow house! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/5575af49-ccbc-4058-8688-8e864bcc15b8/Blog+messy+porch.jpeg Blog - Loneliness… - Make it stand out The remnants of gift opening - nothing lonely looking about this porch! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/61acac74-f87e-4d28-95f0-8319b0f7af2d/Blog+pup+companion.jpg Blog - Loneliness… - Make it stand out My pup companion - exhausted from all the company! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/attachments monthly 0.5 2022-08-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/5cf5cd3a-e552-43e4-85cf-c4ac40af39ce/Blog+buffet.jpeg Blog - Attachments… - Make it stand out My beloved buffet, up close. It holds lots of things I’ve collected and gathered over the years. Where would I put all that I want to keep if I didn’t have it? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1dcbf700-1c80-4ea6-bae3-bdde3218f0c7/Blog+dining+table+and+chairs.jpeg Blog - Attachments… - Make it stand out My beautiful, and big, dining table and chairs. Perhaps a smaller set would be better in this space. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/bd8d3a28-7030-4428-bed1-c41ef5a460a6/Blog+painting.jpeg Blog - Attachments… - Make it stand out Unfortunately, the picture on the left isn’t great quality and I don’t have a picture of the burgundy wall on which my painting also hung. What I love about this painting is how it looks a little different depending on the location, the lighting, and the wall colour. I’m very attached to it, especially since it always fits in whatever house I own. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/speed-bumps monthly 0.5 2022-08-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/04a2f5e8-6cfe-4665-8310-7ad05a139e8b/Blog+Monet.jpeg Blog - Speed bumps… - Make it stand out At the Monet immersive exhibit, photos were allowed. I am sharing this one, well aware that I cannot reflect its true majesty with a cell phone camera. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/2f620eb9-c31a-4168-8887-53df4ef9584c/Blog+pool.jpeg Blog - Speed bumps… - Make it stand out A regular summertime speed bump - my pool. I often slow down and with book in hand, relax in a floating lounge chair. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/4eb816ee-afa3-415f-8e47-90fc940ee764/Blog+pool+vacuum.jpg Blog - Speed bumps… - Make it stand out My new robot pool vacuum climbing up the side - a great example of technology giving my life a speed bump opportunity to slow down! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/0bd43966-d175-4af6-b0b5-2010a7611ca1/Blog+porch+seating.jpeg Blog - Speed bumps… - Make it stand out Relaxing porch seating - worthy of a speed bump moment or two! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/6916fb04-dc73-452b-961c-2b5c8e195a20/Blog+next+yard+area+project.jpeg Blog - Speed bumps… - Make it stand out Before pictures of the area to be worked on next. This is going to be a great speed bump - must slow down - area! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/obligation monthly 0.5 2022-08-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/5fc87c39-2022-43f7-b468-e5be4820197c/Blog+obligation+muffins.jpeg Blog - Obligation… - Make it stand out This past weekend I baked six dozen muffins to contribute to our fair café. We were under a heat wave and I can honestly say having an oven going in that heat was not fun. I was obliged to follow through on a commitment I made. I gave of my time as well and volunteered for breakfast and the start of lunch. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/waiting monthly 0.5 2022-08-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/be7afefc-94a1-451b-8948-eedcfebf42e3/Blog+night+lights.jpg Blog - Waiting… - Make it stand out I’m an early riser and sometimes miss the pretty after-dark sights of my yard. I had to wait for a long weekend to stay up late and share my night lights with you. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/7c650cd7-2376-4098-a21e-35b3296c1ed9/Blog+pool+rocks.jpg Blog - Waiting… - Make it stand out It took me a year to figure out what I wanted around my pool. The top picture is after getting the area all weeded and the pictures below show the decorative rocks I’m using to surround the pool base. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/81074f10-f670-4494-b2fe-3d615b253b66/Blog+yellow+paint.jpg Blog - Waiting… - Make it stand out It’s really hard to tell but these two pictures are the same colour of yellow. I’m waiting for the cooler weather to get this painting job all done! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/2e4ff4eb-6f12-45d5-ba9e-0fe3abbadeb1/Blog+screen+door+project.jpg Blog - Waiting… - Make it stand out This is my next project and I can’t wait to share the results! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/45c33f02-204f-48ca-ad13-7ad3bde697d8/Blog+sweet+pea.jpg Blog - Waiting… - Make it stand out Back in April, I started these sweet pea seeds inside. I’ve waited a long time but they are now producing the prettiest flowers! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/community monthly 0.5 2022-07-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/25af14e3-63fe-4d1f-95b4-df27202daeff/Blog+porch+update.jpg Blog - Community… - Make it stand out Great work done by my niece to update my porch! What a difference the poppy seed colour makes! More work is being done to complete the look. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/7dc8bceb-8944-4c38-a536-f3ed95f9e715/Blog+pump+update.jpg Blog - Community… - Make it stand out My mom is amazing! Look at the transformation she brought about! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/ef83455c-012f-443b-868d-1518b8019a4d/Blog+citizenship+ceremony.jpg Blog - Community… - Make it stand out I belong to a community of football fans as a season ticket holder with my favourite team. The team’s ownership hosted a citizenship ceremony at our last home game. There is nothing like becoming a citizen of your new country! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/abdcd8ff-5395-4d05-82cb-d45f0006f0fa/Blog+ecobrushes.jpg Blog - Community… - Make it stand out Perfect new vessel for my kitchen and my eco-friendly brushes. I belong to the global community and believe in doing my part to take care of the planet that we all call home. If you’re interested in checking these out, you can find -ion at Ization Studio here: https://izationstudio.com/-ion https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/7734967f-3279-470e-95ab-bf75bfc649e5/Blog+racing.jpg Blog - Community… - Make it stand out Racing community. On the right is my friend’s son, an incredible racer. Check him out at Bronsonracing.com. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/weight monthly 0.5 2022-07-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/e754c824-2366-4042-8ee9-6f3049975545/Blog+washstand.jpg Blog - Weight… - Make it stand out Top: this is the washstand, as I found it at an outdoor flea market. Middle: the washstand in it’s temporary place in my previous house. Bottom: it’s permanent home in this house. I think it’s a perfect fit. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/9c0aafce-a728-4be8-a868-22b27d431b9d/Blog+old+water+pump+before.jpg Blog - Weight… - Make it stand out This is the old water pump for the house. Last year my mom suggested moving the “cauldron”, also inherited with the house, to beneath the pump. It’s a mass of flowers this summer and next week hopefully I can share the new look! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/0b4d5dd5-7ccb-425c-9a58-706194c4cd29/Blog+kitchen+door+before.jpg Blog - Weight… - Make it stand out The view of my kitchen screen door from inside. I’ve had difficulties finding a replacement so today I am accepting the door and working to improve it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/8c400711-1dc1-44e3-9ea1-a3c0b4e7b61f/Blog+porch+before.jpg Blog - Weight… - Make it stand out The porch is getting a facelift! Can’t wait to share the new look next week! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/6ae1b5c0-8fb1-407d-8afd-a8333f0f3e34/Blog+just+because.jpg Blog - Weight… - Make it stand out I’m adding this in because I love my hibiscus and want to share its beauty! This plant came with me from my previous house and blooms in multi-colour. If you look closely you’ll see a red bud getting ready to bloom! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/history-again monthly 0.5 2022-07-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/4233d2a4-5c19-486a-bf17-f7467756f886/Blog+blooming.jpg Blog - History, again… - Make it stand out I’m sharing these pictures for a couple of reasons. The orchid on the left looked like it was dying and now look at it! It’s got such beautiful blooms! The hydrangea in the middle has been an ongoing project since before I moved into this house. I couldn’t believe it when I returned from holidays and it had burst into bloom! The orchid on the right has been a consistent producer of gorgeous flowers so I‘ve included it as a success story. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/d2f2787a-434d-4095-883a-74fa0cc34078/Blog+driveway+changes.jpg Blog - History, again… - Make it stand out This series of pictures is an example of some of the changes I continue to make. Some people might question the removal of trees and I admit that I don’t like taking them down without a very good reason. These particular trees were at risk of damaging mine or my neighbours’ property in the event of a severe storm and had grown to a state where they were impacting my ability to park in my driveway. The middle picture shows the state of the area after tree removal and the bottom picture shows a cleaned up space with freshly planted lilacs. I’ll need to plant two more to really fill it in. I’m excited to see the new growth with fragrant lilacs in the spring. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/421f9b20-d2f2-4fc2-a561-3fe0c1bdcaac/Blog+new+writing+area.jpg Blog - History, again… - Make it stand out I’ve shared this picture before and am sharing it today because I used it for the first time in the publishing of this blog. The desk, chair (really comfortable, by the way!), and bookshelf are all antiques and I think are perfect in this room. Hopefully the room will be painted and set up in the next few weeks! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/8e39a8e6-8bd8-43d1-8fa5-5bab4bc3ee33/Blog+holiday+pictures.jpg Blog - History, again… - Make it stand out Some pictures from one of my best holidays! Hope you are able to take time to re-energize and celebrate our world this summer. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/healing-with-gratitude monthly 0.5 2022-06-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/011738a3-813a-4833-b265-2fe7a92da4cd/Blog+old+office.jpg Blog - Healing With Gratitude - Make it stand out The “old” office transition. Top is the chaos that seemed to be permanent on my desk. Middle is the sorting work that is ongoing. Bottom is my new, dedicated writing area, using my antique desk and a beautiful antique chair given to me by my sister. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/a50b8b36-2eaa-40bb-8ad6-ef5e3dacc12a/Blog+crazy+loft+stairs.jpg Blog - Healing With Gratitude - Make it stand out I’ve shared these stairs before and I think they are worthy of another share. My crazy stairs to get to my new loft office. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/c04bccdc-1860-4d36-aa9e-22d2c19db279/Blog+loft+office.jpg Blog - Healing With Gratitude - Make it stand out On the left is my new desk and office space. The printer is on a repurposed shelf that has been painted in leftover burgundy. Note the window - ongoing work to fix and make a bright white. On the right, top: the shelf that my mom painted for me (in that same leftover burgundy) and the dog’s chair. He has to have his place, too! In the middle is the painted door into the attic. It was the same dark teal as seen around the window. On the bottom is an in-progress picture to share the former and new wall colours. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/0bf71d1f-5be3-4d6c-aa2b-52751b7173c7/Blog+celebrating+with+food.jpg Blog - Healing With Gratitude - Make it stand out It seems we often celebrate with food and I thought I would share some of my recent examples. The top left is a charcuterie board I put together for a picnic party with my mom and sister. On the top right is a selection of cupcakes from a wedding I recently attended. It was a pleasure to be invited to witness their profession of love. The bottom is from my niece’s celebration of First Communion. It was a beautiful day and I am so grateful that I was able to attend. The cake was sublime! The dragonfly cookies symbolized good luck. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/0f6e1ef8-8bbe-4308-8eb6-223e9454f9cb/Blog+garden+improvements.jpg Blog - Healing With Gratitude - Make it stand out Last year I started transitioning from the red mulch I “inherited” to black mulch which I prefer against the yellow of the house. This is one of the two remaining garden beds to be changed. The middle picture is from a month ago when I dug out the red mulch and replaced it. The bottom picture is now, with peonies about to burst into bloom. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/e85757f8-6884-4d59-924c-cbb932e27b63/Blog+happy+things.jpg Blog - Healing With Gratitude - Make it stand out I like being surrounded by things that make me happy. I do not like hiding away precious items. The top right is a new addition to my kitchen island for summertime. It’s a lazy Susan that I picked up at a local market. I think the artist did a beautiful job! The middle or top left is also a new addition to the kitchen. In this case, he holds open my kitchen door. I found him at a local garden centre. I just love him! The bottom picture is of an old cake stand that was gifted to me and spent too much time hidden away in a cabinet. By turning it on it’s side, I’m able to display it on a kitchen shelf. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/help monthly 0.5 2022-05-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/743a16f4-ae41-4ff4-8952-f1986dd4b857/Blog+outdoor+dining.jpg Blog - Help… - Make it stand out On the left is the “after winter” look of the outdoor dining area and on the right is the result of the clean up. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/77f7d162-dc24-472c-b494-32482fe14fe4/Blog+replacing+red+mulch.jpg Blog - Help… - Make it stand out Left: last year’s early spring bed with the old red mulch. Right: fresh shoots peeking through the newly laid black mulch. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/a302fd80-5756-48b0-a6e1-1fd604ef4b43/Blog+two+trees+showcased.jpg Blog - Help… - Make it stand out On the left is what this area looked like during the spring thaw and subsequent flooding. I tarped an area near the tree that had a gaping hole. On the right is the same area showcased with fresh topsoil, covered in black mulch, and outlined with some of the massive rocks I inherited with the property. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/9f220f4d-6c1f-4998-bcde-964b3476cdc8/Blog+furball.jpg Blog - Help… - Make it stand out Sometimes pets are a huge help - they give unconditional love and, in the case of my pup, lots of snuggles. On the left is what he looked like 14 years ago when we brought him home. On the right is what he does while I’m doing a yoga class. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/judgement monthly 0.5 2022-04-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/96b8ae9e-c6ab-4bb7-abeb-10da74f59040/Blog+journal.jpg Blog - Judgement… - Make it stand out My mom gave me this journal for Christmas and I have been slowly using it. I share it with you as a friend pointed out how much her own journaling has helped. This one is targeted to my time and I know there are many others available. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/b81e876b-999a-41a1-9f73-c29be0a7ca06/Blog+painting+chaos.jpg Blog - Judgement… - Make it stand out Top and bottom left are two areas of chaos that I’m going to tackle. I am a tidy person and when chaos takes over, I have a difficult time. I understand that in my current “place”, I’ve had a tough time finding the energy to cope with this, but I have now created an opportunity to face it. The bottom right picture is the progress I’ve made in “sorting” possessions. While not all, it does represent some of what I will give away in order to give myself breathing room. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/c4da8a64-a9d3-4d7c-9529-37af5db55c18/Blog+yard+chaos.jpg Blog - Judgement… - Make it stand out Two areas in my yard that are in need of cleanup. Why would I share my chaos with you? I’m confronting it and I’m showing you that we all have “stuff” to accomplish. It will never end. There will always be something else to do and that’s okay. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/7d6dcef6-85a8-48a0-8db9-398492c60858/Blog+spring+hope.jpg Blog - Judgement… - Make it stand out Signs of hope - new growth getting ready to plant outside. They are all flowers and will bring colour and scent to my gardens. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/easter-2022 monthly 0.5 2022-04-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/2a1ec82f-51ea-45be-9897-d1ce66c32be0/Blog+Easter+kitchen+island+two+tiered+tray.jpg Blog - Easter 2022 - Make it stand out This is my kitchen island tiered tray dressed up for Easter. [Please note that in an attempt to be honest and authentic, I did not block out anything in the background. I don’t live in a showplace, I live in a world which includes doing dishes and sometimes leaving them to dry!] https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/e415ed8c-fea6-4db3-b181-a2c589f498af/Blog+Easter+fireplace+decor.jpg Blog - Easter 2022 - Make it stand out A few years ago I found these bunnies and just had to have them. Each year when decorating for Easter, I bring them out. This year, I spruced up my basket with colourful blooms from a dollar store. A pretty addition doesn’t have to cost a lot! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/a29fbac3-0199-4853-bb0c-da416b5a0d41/Blog+Easter+kitchen+open+shelves.jpg Blog - Easter 2022 - Make it stand out I love adding decor to these open shelves. A new bunny gnome found its way home with me this year! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/d8a52b0f-1df3-4a01-8bd5-c443c4be3960/Blog+Easter+Sunday+bedroom+window+view.jpg Blog - Easter 2022 - Make it stand out The view from my bedroom window this morning. What a beautiful start to my Easter Sunday! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/unwell monthly 0.5 2022-04-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/0a86dc53-32ca-48a7-82d2-b36f5d680427/Blog+squirrel+issue.jpg Blog - Unwell… - Make it stand out I’ve had an issue with squirrels in the attic since I moved in. Finally it’s being taken care of. What you see is step one of the solution - a one-way door so that the squirrels will depart and be unable to return! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/0f286d3d-af1a-4ff9-a808-9f1b498129b8/Blog+new+spring+door+mat.jpg Blog - Unwell… - Make it stand out A gift card, given by my neighbours at Christmas, to a local shop got me this bright new door mat! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/b3fe62e4-b203-4cd8-9910-2672531cd3c6/Blog+spring+orchid+blooms.jpg Blog - Unwell… - Make it stand out An image of hope - new orchid blooms! This window has turned out to be an excellent spot for my orchids. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/relationships monthly 0.5 2022-04-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/ca00a656-2d6e-4795-b5ce-abf9d15c12c3/Blog+accent+wall+dining+room.jpg Blog - Relationships - Make it stand out This is the accent wall with wainscoting in the dining room. As you can see, I had some clean up work to do after changing my mind about painting the wainscoting to match the wall. Looking forward to showing off the overall effect of the new wall colours. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/6614da30-bf20-4a6e-9ba8-acb336d8501a/Blog+yellows+and+shelf.jpg Blog - Relationships - Make it stand out Two different tones of yellow. The shelf unit underneath is a new project - changing the colour to suit my new office! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/884158ef-c32b-447f-b901-8ec1c87fb6c3/Blog+addition+to+sitting+room.jpg Blog - Relationships - Make it stand out A birthday gift from my mom that is going to end up gracing a wall in my sitting room. I can’t wait to get working on this whole room! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/eada859c-ee1e-4a5e-811f-2ebaa73b040c/Blog+new+office.jpg Blog - Relationships - Make it stand out Some exciting changes are coming! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/purpose monthly 0.5 2022-03-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/3e785c9a-4c45-4a78-a18b-32fc1922cfef/Blog+tub+changes.jpg Blog - Purpose… - Make it stand out Top picture: newly reglazed tub from March 2021! Middle picture: dark green tub - I had a plan! Bottom picture: pink tub! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/80113413-057f-443c-86ca-cf22750ce1f3/Blog+bathroom+changing+wall+colour.jpg Blog - Purpose… - Make it stand out It is very difficult to tell that the wall is being painted mint. The swath of colour on the right is the other green I was contemplating - far too dark. I went with the mint and in this picture you can tell it’s significantly different than the original colour. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/ab5729e7-1ae9-42e0-82cc-44d9eb469713/Blog+bathroom+mint+walls.jpg Blog - Purpose… - Make it stand out After the first coat of mint. I’m sorry that my phone picture doesn’t do it justice. It’s really lovely. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/8381fa46-6601-4ef7-a760-d715650d933d/Blog+bathroom+lighting.jpg Blog - Purpose… - Make it stand out The new lighting for the bathroom! I looked everywhere and finally found something I liked at a specialty shop in Cornwall, ON. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/4168b9d3-115d-45ec-a7e7-806cb0301ce5/Blog+antique+washstand.jpg Blog - Purpose… - Make it stand out This is a great picture which shows the detail of the new lights as well as the new toilet, new garbage container (textured and a true white colour), and the antique washstand repurposed with the vessel sink and faucet installed. Missing is the antique mirror - it’s not ready to hang yet! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/e1823474-b015-469d-99b6-318609dc8e23/Blog+bathroom+storage.jpg Blog - Purpose… - Make it stand out The antique dresser I picked up last year. It’s perfect for this room and provides lots of storage. (Note the tumbler for my toothbrush!) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/19c02a59-b9a4-4c2e-a25f-6118e83ba44c/Blog+new+bathroom+almost+there.jpg Blog - Purpose… - Make it stand out A new bathroom - almost complete. Still to come: floor changes, some wall hangings, a rug, and a stool! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/f4e1cb37-7d37-45e5-90f9-cf6885101b76/Blog+new+bathroom+door.jpg Blog - Purpose… - Make it stand out This was the biggest problem with the bathroom renovation. The old door swung inwards and ran into the pedestal sink. The washstand would not fit with the door. So, I was going to put in a barn door (with thanks to a friend for her idea). For some reason I could not pick out a barn door that I liked or that fit. This was my contractor’s idea for a temporary solution. I’m going to make it a permanent solution! I’ll be painting it and changing the handle/knob. It’s a great fix for an awkward spot! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/comfort monthly 0.5 2022-03-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/ec9d0f1f-8ec9-4ff6-94f7-6af49a50b039/Blog+soda+bread.jpg Blog - Comfort… - Make it stand out Each year on St. Patrick’s Day, I bake soda bread and gift it to friends. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/8af1e9c6-9b75-4cf4-aaf8-4a274a931d11/Blog+St.+Patrick%27s+Day.jpg Blog - Comfort… - Make it stand out There was something very comforting about being able to go out again for St. Patrick’s Day this year. Good food, great company (my mom), and live music. It’s been a long two years! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/6c09576d-d902-4ac2-a315-0bfc7d7beb39/Blog+lap+dog.jpg Blog - Comfort… - Make it stand out There’s nothing quite like the comfort given by your dog. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/0f152067-7ee1-4dd2-b322-04732917209a/Blog+orchid+spring+blooms.jpg Blog - Comfort… - Make it stand out It’s a comfort (and a relief) to see new blooms - a reminder that Spring is coming and the land will dry! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/history monthly 0.5 2022-03-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/cce8415c-722c-4553-912e-3a506d1d7ea5/Blog+original+house+end.jpg Blog - History… - Make it stand out This is the end of the original house. It was uncovered in the renovation when the contractor had to run plumbing and electrical for the new sink. The house is approximately 167 years old - these boards are in amazing shape, even considering they were covered when the first addition was put on. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/bb61f1b7-d7fb-4cc6-bf85-594e228cdda2/Blog+stone+foundation.jpg Blog - History… - Make it stand out This is one of the stone foundation walls in the basement. Incredible to think how strong and sturdy it has been holding up the house. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/237dd0ee-a8a3-4dde-a9d8-0d370cb34ee1/Blog+crazy+stairs.jpg Blog - History… - Make it stand out The currently yellow stairs (and oh, how I look forward to changing that!) on the left are in the original house. They’re crooked and worn and I wasn’t sure how I would ever comfortable on them. Nowadays both the dog and I run and up and down without a thought, although that is unconfirmed on the dog’s side. On the right hand side are the very crazy stairs that lead to the loft and attic. The loft is above the second addition and the attic above the first. We believe the stairs align with the building of the first addition and were perhaps exterior to the addition. Looking forward to finding out more this summer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/0368936c-d2e0-4a8a-b25e-fbc4f341501d/Blog+first+addition+original+wall.jpg Blog - History… - Make it stand out This is the inside of the exterior wall of the first addition to the house. Can you see the doorway? It’s hard to make out but the white above the door is old wallpaper! By the time I moved in this was covered with wall and cabinets - we put in fresh insulation after the electrical and plumbing was complete. There were no structural changes made during the kitchen renovation so I’m very grateful to have learned as much as I did about the house itself. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1622165d-d0bb-4bf7-af22-c40bd043752d/Blog+second+addition+ceiling+beams.jpg Blog - History… - Make it stand out This is the ceiling of the second addition, the living room. As you can see one of the beams is significantly older than the ceiling. I’m looking forward to finding out when this was built. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/verts monthly 0.5 2022-03-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/ef162dac-0d2e-4330-b3c3-818acc2f7804/Blog+office+shelf.jpg Blog - Verts… - Make it stand out I’m in the middle of some craft projects! I buy the sample paint jars to try out the colours on my walls. Those paint jars are great for projects, as well. This is a shelf that I’m working on for my office space. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/39f59dcd-8728-43bd-9c80-6810e51af384/Blog+antique+chest+tray.jpg Blog - Verts… - Make it stand out I’m using leftover wallpaper from my bedroom on an antique chest that I was gifted. This is the interior tray. Can’t wait for the whole chest to be complete! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/de4229c9-ec3e-4c0a-84d2-1e738d0fdfe9/Blog+yoga+post.jpg Blog - Verts… - Make it stand out This post is from the Instagram page of my yoga instructor, Anandagloyoga. I’m sharing it with her permission so you can see an example of the grace in our world. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/war monthly 0.5 2022-02-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/bb78f68b-9756-4835-beab-ccdcfb908b6f/Blog+winter+bloom.jpg Blog - War… - Make it stand out Each winter I bring my hibiscuses inside. Against a backdrop of fresh snow earlier this week, this one bloomed in a sign of hope. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/perspective monthly 0.5 2022-02-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/0e9fb741-e6ab-43e7-b85d-d0435c92ae41/Blog+Irish+towels.jpg Blog - Perspective… - Make it stand out As I’ve said, I love to decorate for the season or special occasion. These are two of my Irish towels - I started my decorating for St. Patrick’s Day a week early. I need some green in my life after the heavy snowfalls we got this week! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/559955ab-0bad-4f96-a746-b9e0c8aadafe/Blog+getting+Irish.jpg Blog - Perspective… - Make it stand out Bringing some Irish into the kitchen! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/a67402d2-a5cb-4459-9d66-ffd797cce57b/Blog+house+perspective.jpg Blog - Perspective… - Make it stand out On Saturday evenings, I attend mass and then take myself out to dinner. On my way home last night, I stood in the middle of the road and snapped this picture. My perspective of my house last night was one of warmth and welcome, even in the midst of the latest snowfall. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/budget-ideas monthly 0.5 2022-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/74a7466b-40f1-46e9-ba4c-c9f043183c50/Blog+paint+samples.jpg Blog - Budget Ideas… - Make it stand out A selection of paint samples, currently in use. They may look small, but they are mighty! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/7dd62958-fd89-4393-9178-216eb4f14334/Blog+paint+choices.jpg Blog - Budget Ideas… - Make it stand out See what I mean? Being able to swipe the “competing” colours in different areas of light, give a much better view. These do not look the same everywhere! When I brought these two colours home, I had a choice made. I changed it based on these swaths of colour. Which would you choose? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/cf105052-da6a-4df4-9198-8ce40ec2a401/Blog+fireplace+and+stove.jpg Blog - Budget Ideas… - Make it stand out I’m cozy, even in -20C, with a well maintained fireplace and stove. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/332c93c9-f334-40b7-8ba6-7093464a5998/Blog+St+Valentine%27s+Day.jpg Blog - Budget Ideas… - Make it stand out Happy St. Valentine’s Day, tomorrow! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/6057e1cf-6541-4f97-9188-bc5527b1c46e/Blog+coming+soon.jpg Blog - Budget Ideas… - Make it stand out Who doesn’t like pink? Changes coming soon! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/life-reminder monthly 0.5 2022-02-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/d78950d8-f65e-4607-bb03-d3533a807ec4/Blog+bedroom+window+winter+scene.jpg Blog - Life reminder… - Make it stand out The morning after a heavy February snow. On the left is the scene from my bedroom window - how incredible is that for a view first thing in the morning?! On the right is the view from my office window. I don’t have to go very far to be reminded of the beauty of our world. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/f5060b39-98bb-49d9-95c5-c51254056f16/Blog+drowning.jpg Blog - Life reminder… - Make it stand out This is a sweatshirt from my son’s line (Tragic Squad). I appreciate the image as it represents my feelings of the last few months. I’ve felt like I was drowning and because of the support I have, I have not gone under. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/428366b1-4a7b-450c-875a-49e712aa284b/Blog+Anne%27s+exercise.jpeg Blog - Life reminder… - Make it stand out An exercise given to me by a good friend when I was too far down. (My thanks to my son for removing the words - they are private and aren’t necessary for this sharing.) She suggested I write on stickies all that I was thinking about. The yellow stickies represent me - my personal concerns of that morning. On the blue are my work thoughts, on the pink, my family thoughts, and the orange held a “wish”. She told me to look at my stickies and remember that I’m doing it on my own and surviving. She is right. (I probably had a couple of other things on my mind that morning but I ran out of stickies!) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/e09551b1-b4bc-45ba-841b-dd8a00591180/Blog+attic+update.jpg Blog - Life reminder… - Make it stand out An update on my functional attic! The contractor has put in the floor and a sturdy shelf to hold bins so that I can start turning my loft into a livable space! Note the wonderful spray foam insulation - it’s no longer cold up there! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/55395aa2-0a4e-4b00-92ea-60b2742d2a30/Blog+St+Patrick%27s+Day.JPG Blog - Life reminder… - Make it stand out I don’t want to share any pictures of my friend Fran, so I share this and a story. Years ago a group of girlfriends went out to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. I was the designated driver. I clearly remember three things from that night. Driving home after getting a ton of snow and none of our streets being plowed out. My little car managed to get us all home without getting stuck! Some Irish luck, right there! Finding Mel’s lipstick in the backseat the next morning. AND non-stop laughter. We had soooo much fun. I don’t ever remember spending time with Fran that was not filled with light and laughter. RIP, my friend. The world is a little less bright today. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/success monthly 0.5 2022-01-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/59c91f3c-885c-4d84-bab9-9eba8bc06d37/Blog+coaster+reminders.jpg Blog - Success… - Make it stand out A couple of coasters I use in my kitchen. Reminders to be true to myself. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/58c9a414-d5ad-4f3f-8f98-b439bf702601/Blog+one+winged+angel.jpg Blog - Success… - Make it stand out A Christmas gift from a few years ago from my adorable niece. One-winged angels, in all their imperfection, are beautiful. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/458865ed-4871-492a-b0f3-e9d82e6038bd/Blog+icicles.JPG Blog - Success… - Make it stand out The beauty of nature in wintertime. #tinrooficicles https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/30657fa5-333c-4abd-b5e1-6eafd6b4f4ea/Blog+kitchen+dinner.jpg Blog - Success… - Make it stand out Eating dinner with my boy in my gorgeous kitchen - house success! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/health-reset-the-details monthly 0.5 2022-01-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/f196f50a-74ca-4862-ba48-544797491dad/Blog+new+kitchen+pictures.jpg Blog - Health Reset - The Details… - Make it stand out New pictures on a kitchen wall! These are from a trip many years ago to Ireland where we kissed the Blarney stone. I found picture frames at IKEA, sanded and repainted them to work in the kitchen and with my son’s help got them hung. You’ll notice Christmas cards in a stand below. The cards were too pretty to put away with all the lovely snow outside so I’ve left them out for awhile longer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/86012c49-52b7-440d-a2f6-614d624b2ade/Blog+winter+kitchen+candle.jpg Blog - Health Reset - The Details… - Make it stand out Candlelight always seem so warm and welcoming, especially in wintertime. I’ve had this candle holder for a number of years and love its snowflake design! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/9a1c3004-a19c-496c-836f-8ec3b026bb0b/Blog+dessert.jpg Blog - Health Reset - The Details… - Make it stand out A pretty dessert for dinner with my son. It’s low fat, sugar free mousse with blackberries (more hidden within). It was a lovely, light sweet to end a meal. (photo credit to my son who is a photographer extraordinaire, not like me with my barely passable point and shoot abilities! LOL) https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/the-great-reset-part-1 monthly 0.5 2022-01-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/5a1d2494-51e6-4737-9465-50416211d598/Blog+snow+kids.jpg Blog - The Great Reset Part 1… - Make it stand out These are my “snow kids”. They sit by my fireplace until the end of winter. (not the best picture quality) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/b6e21216-7bc1-4295-976e-a51a54813944/Blog+winter+table+setting.jpg Blog - The Great Reset Part 1… - Make it stand out My dining table: the tablecloth is antique, from my grandma; the placemats I bought years ago; I love napkins that go with the season. (Everything was just pulled out of the bins and there are still lots of wrinkles!!) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/9638fa41-a89f-4cd3-8c54-159ed7847efb/Blog+winter+decor.jpg Blog - The Great Reset Part 1… - Make it stand out Some of my winter decor in the kitchen. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/9b5b05b3-68d0-4a5f-8158-ba764fa121ba/Blog+winter+doors.jpg Blog - The Great Reset Part 1… - Make it stand out Top: front door; Bottom left: driveway entrance; Bottom right: kitchen porch entrance https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/christmas-2021 monthly 0.5 2021-12-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/fc9fed99-4b65-4113-a39e-ac7d57d627c6/Blog+addition+to+kitchen+island.jpg Blog - Christmas 2021… - Make it stand out Got a gorgeous two tiered tray for my kitchen island! I transferred over my decorations to it. While not done, it doesn’t look bad. My thanks to Just a Bit of Home for delivering the tray to my mom’s place. Check Terra out on Facebook! Great items in her shop. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/ec4183ab-627d-4f1c-9fee-f43b67c86f17/Blog+Christmas+book.jpg Blog - Christmas 2021… - Make it stand out A book under my Christmas tree. I’m really looking forward to reading it - so much I love about it already! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/c785b2e2-5578-410c-99c8-4921f5da1add/Blog+Christmas+gift+bird+feeder.jpg Blog - Christmas 2021… - Make it stand out Beautiful bird feeder - a Christmas gift from my mom. It’s going to look amazing in my yard! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/07a77319-9eec-4152-b0c4-0ad4e3f0f3ee/Blog+nativity+scene.jpg Blog - Christmas 2021… - Make it stand out My central nativity scene - this is what Christmas is all about for me. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/christmas-traditions monthly 0.5 2021-12-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/68d32736-90ec-4420-8e7d-4c57b56abd5d/Blog+Christmas+baking.jpg Blog - Christmas Traditions… - Make it stand out Christmas baking from left: peppermint kisses, chocolate chip cookie dough truffles (before dipping in chocolate), shortbread based on my dad’s recipe. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/70becd07-89b8-44f1-b236-6755de3dc755/Blog+goodie+tins.jpg Blog - Christmas Traditions… - Make it stand out Two of my goodie tins. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/46ed394a-7897-4fe0-81b4-d497ca96d144/Blog+Advent+calendar+and+countdown+chalkboard.jpg Blog - Christmas Traditions… - Make it stand out On the left is the Advent calendar I have owned since before my son was born 26 years ago and on the right is the chalkboard countdown that I’ve had since he was a toddler. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/b02333ff-059f-4bf6-8a79-178f1bab1d08/Blog+elf+and+manger.jpg Blog - Christmas Traditions… - Make it stand out On the left is my small manger, being filled with straw for the Christmas Eve birth and on the right is the elf visiting from Santa’s village this year. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/opportunities monthly 0.5 2021-12-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/83a03261-2c0d-4d23-af48-ef83f0cf1a9b/Blog+driveway+door.jpg Blog - Opportunities… - Make it stand out I want every door to have a welcoming wreath at this time of year. Here is my driveway entrance. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/49a67e47-855c-4a02-b5d9-d49a100e25dd/Blog+driveway+lights.jpg Blog - Opportunities… - Make it stand out Lighting up the driveway. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/32deaed6-e76f-47b9-96e9-2d105f6f7deb/Blog+kitchen+door.jpg Blog - Opportunities… - Make it stand out Even the kitchen entrance, slightly hidden by the porch has to have a wreath! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/c10a110c-6d33-40f5-87b6-4914d334085a/Blog+side+yard+lights.jpg Blog - Opportunities… - Make it stand out The view from the street of my side yard with the lights on. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/cd79ec8a-f364-491f-a0fe-628f1c1daf8f/Blog+front+from+street.jpg Blog - Opportunities… - Make it stand out Welcoming warmth from the lights on the front of the house. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/5d703664-ee33-48de-b2a4-9ddda9fe53c3/Blog+front+steps+lights.jpg Blog - Opportunities… - Make it stand out Close up of the front entrance. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/b6a996c6-53b0-43a1-99cf-4e01d3871b44/Blog+village.jpg Blog - Opportunities… - Make it stand out Evening walk through the village. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/89ec6fb0-5843-485a-b3f9-d809ace4cebd/Blog+village+near+me.jpg Blog - Opportunities… - Make it stand out Near my house in the village. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/decorating monthly 0.5 2021-12-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/b05e4cdf-d4ce-4d19-a80e-96c303b60ec3/Blog+Christmas+angels.jpg Blog - Decorating… - Make it stand out These Christmas angels are keeping watch in the kitchen, on top of my china cabinet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1eca2764-4491-4076-a44c-2c14da2ba296/Blog+Christmas+kitchen.JPG Blog - Decorating… - Make it stand out Christmas in my kitchen! I have a wreath in each of my kitchen windows - I’ve hung them using some pretty white ribbon with silver stars. The bottom two pictures are some of the decorations I’ve put on my kitchen shelves. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/047ed1eb-50a7-4544-9d87-fd198884d11d/Blog+Christmas+extras.JPG Blog - Decorating… - Make it stand out The top picture is a couple of Christmas characters from my son’s childhood while the bottom picture is the tea towel hanging on my stove. I have so many pretty tea towels that I change them every couple of days so that I can enjoy them all!! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/9b90b38a-3907-42a2-b7f7-b2a89369359a/Blog+Christmas+santas.JPG Blog - Decorating… - Make it stand out I have had Santa and Mrs. Claus for years - I’ll have to spruce up his beard before next year! Hanging Santa is on the inside of my front door and the penguin is sitting on my main stairs (a special gift from my sister one year). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/740a151e-1b90-4afb-b561-265d251adae0/Blog+Christmas+nativity+lights.jpg Blog - Decorating… - Make it stand out A lovely nativity scene that lights up with tealights. The diffuser in the background is filled with a wonderful evergreen scent that I will keep out all winter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/b1122f63-f008-44d3-b44b-439fdfaea8a1/Blog+Christmas+tables.JPG Blog - Decorating… - Make it stand out Some of my Christmas table tops. The top pictures are my dining table and a close-up of the centrepiece. The bottom left is my telephone table and the bottom right is my kitchen island. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/0946cdf1-0723-430f-b963-ec4ba4c1c8b7/Blog+Christmas+indoor+wreaths.JPG Blog - Decorating… - Make it stand out Some of the Christmas wreaths/door hangings I have inside the house! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/73f8cd25-9481-4913-9011-5e04ed5b5ecc/Blog+Christmas+windows.JPG Blog - Decorating… - Make it stand out Christmas lights to brighten up my living room windows. Ceramic tree on the bottom and the decorative lighted plates telling the story of The Night Before Christmas were all gifts from my mom over the years. (Am I a lucky daughter or what??) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/344cd403-6803-4967-b1da-c8aa7bafcdaa/Blog+Christmas+living+room+lights.JPG Blog - Decorating… - Make it stand out On the left is a gorgeous basket of pine cones with mini lights and on the right is an idea I stole from my mom. She put an autumn wreath at the base of a side lamp and I loved it! I think this one looks pretty good, too! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/e9e4d02d-9d9a-4276-9113-42c959319eba/Blog+Christmas+tree.JPG Blog - Decorating… - Make it stand out Well, obviously my Christmas tree is on the left. This is the first year I’ve had an angel on the top! On the right are my crazy stairs to the loft and all of the winter or Christmas fuzzies my son and I collected over the years! There is still a little clean up and finishing up that I have left to do. I’ll share more pictures in the next blog; I won’t take nearly as long to publish it! Oh, but one more… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/52f5f9c0-51ef-4b0a-8649-51844cf23b70/Blog+office+accent+wall.jpg Blog - Decorating… - Make it stand out As you can see, there was a lot of craft work on the go! I decided to paint the accent wall in my office. I’m so happy with the colour! However, it is making me re-think the choice for the rest of the walls. Glad I didn’t buy the rest of the paint!! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/passion monthly 0.5 2021-11-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/7f701ce5-01e6-4f9c-a4ef-e930e0c80fc9/Blog+dining+room+Fall.jpg Blog - Passion… - Make it stand out I love (hey, maybe am passionate about?) decorating for the seasons! This is my Autumn dining table. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/484297db-138a-4b22-bd66-13bb8d4624f7/Blog+hibiscus+buds.jpg Blog - Passion… - Make it stand out Each Fall I bring my hibiscus in from outside. This one is loaded with buds getting ready to bloom! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/f564287f-9a9d-41fd-9310-7bdb0b7190d0/Blog+kitchen+china+cabinet+wall.jpg Blog - Passion… - Make it stand out Adding personal items is making the kitchen more “mine”. Barn door on the wall is a craft I bought and adapted for the new kitchen colours. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/0ea6cd4a-d299-4e97-a721-4af3915bc980/Blog+kitchen+porch+entrance.jpg Blog - Passion… - Make it stand out The kitchen door to the porch boasts a couple of signs I’ve had for years - they really seem to fit! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/315d2b2c-cde6-4342-bcaa-c00d1a3bfb54/Blog+kitchen+sink+wall+done.jpg Blog - Passion… - Make it stand out The sink wall is almost complete! Dishwasher is installed (small finishing piece still to come), tea area set up and operational, new hood fan installed (although not operational due to the rain that is keeping the contractor from cutting the hole to outside), and my newest shelf. This wood is also from the original pantry. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/49e49426-7221-495a-8db5-ee3e3e8021c2/Blog+washroom+mirror+and+light.jpg Blog - Passion… - Make it stand out Remember my teeny washroom? The new lights and mirror are installed. What a difference! (There are still light switches to be changed!) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/ada057cc-196d-4915-bcae-da449fa92773/Blog+side+yard+Fall.JPG Blog - Passion… - Make it stand out Getting the yard ready for Winter and putting up Christmas lights before the weather is too cold! All the dirt piles have been distributed and raked out! Phew!! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/duty monthly 0.5 2021-10-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/fee86e24-455b-4ada-9a80-efbf91e037b4/Blog+quartz.JPG Blog - Duty… - Make it stand out As I mentioned in the previous blog, there are still some outstanding tasks to complete the kitchen. I’m sharing my new quartz countertops for now, and will hold off sharing the full kitchen pictures until all work is done. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/9ce3f46e-0ffc-47e1-9db1-2228da111feb/Blog+master+bedroom+wallpaper.JPG Blog - Duty… - Make it stand out The new paint and some of the wallpaper in my master bedroom! So much gratitude to my two helpers (only one pictured) for their expertise and hard work. Lots of housekeeping work in this room required before “putting it back together” as well as one remaining renovation piece. It’s going to be incredible when finished! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/b6ce405f-187c-42ac-9a1d-1366fc1407d4/Blog+candleabra+craft.JPG Blog - Duty… - Make it stand out I often feel I have a duty to re-use items. I hate throwing things out - adding to a garbage dump is distasteful to me. This was a candlestick not in use that I felt could be redone to fit in a planned area of my house. I think it’s so pretty and perfect for the space! (more on the space to come in the months ahead) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/77b38f2a-bde8-4b65-81dc-6ae42ed1e1a5/Blog+Hallowe%27en.JPG Blog - Duty… - Make it stand out I’ve always felt a duty to decorate at Hallowe’en. This is my son’s favourite holiday, not mine, and I always supported him. From a young age, he would work for months on a plan for our yard and I would allow him to miss a day of school to get set up. His last Hallowe’en before leaving for post-secondary he was given the trust of our neighbours and created a three-yard extravaganza. I continue to answer that particular call to duty because of the joy it brings to the children of the neighbourhood. This is part of the decoration for this year. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/recovery monthly 0.5 2021-10-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1634502353480-X0IUEK0YFUJTT5P9M5LU/Blog+porch+sign.JPG Blog - Recovery… - Make it stand out A new sign for above the love seat on my porch, courtesy of the creative talents of my mom and sister. The lights are on a timer and come on around dusk. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1634502428028-5RN4RQIOLNV8IQJSD57P/Blog+master+bedroom+before.JPG Blog - Recovery… - Make it stand out These pictures are from February, shortly after moving in. The bed linen is my fall/winter linen and will be back on the bed soon! I lighten it up in spring and summer with pastels. The walls were a greyish blue colour that really didn’t work for me. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1634502558505-R7D1AIEW54WHZ0Q0XJ9O/Blog+master+bedroom+new+colour.JPG Blog - Recovery… - Make it stand out This is the new colour for my bedroom. As you may guess, I’m not afraid of colour. Oh, the ugly greenish cabinet will be painted, too! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/lw5ls6lwu40x7ymoc9o1ggmnq8584u monthly 0.5 2021-09-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1632858564783-L58XFZXP7SKCR7HM1CAY/Blog+outside+dirt+work.JPG Blog - Fads and trends… - Make it stand out A combination of trench digging, excavation of the decommissioned septic system, and pool installation meant a lot of piles of dirt in the yard. I’ve been slowly working to fill in rough spots and spread out the remaining piles. The yard is still very messy, unfortunately. Looking forward to good “working weather” this coming weekend. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1632858702949-5MNUHLN9CNFSQHNMJH85/Blog+kitchen+organization.JPG Blog - Fads and trends… - Make it stand out I’m all about organizing my kitchen to be an efficient workspace. Note the shelf liner (only two more rolls needed!). While the shelves are great right now, putting the liner (non-adhesive) down will keep them scuff-free. On the left side are two shelves in one large cupboard: this is all about the appliances. The middle and right pictures are my large drawers for cookware. The bottom drawer holds the pots and pans and the top drawer holds the lighter items like cutting boards, cookie trays, and reusable containers. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1632859293674-CH1TCKM9UC10WBFF86VZ/Blog+kitchen+set+up.JPG Blog - Fads and trends… - Make it stand out The top picture are my new open shelves above a line of cupboards. The bottom shelf is from the original wall and the top two shelves come from the original pantry. The bottom picture is one of my two kitchen windows. This one is beside the stove and looks out on the driveway - a perfect spot for herbs! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/ha72jx36a6a1ww501t2vnl3anqwamn monthly 0.5 2021-09-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1632089375725-5RNQD3NS6CD6YHZZK4DT/Blog+kitchen+island+stools.jpg Blog - Going with it… - Make it stand out New island stools! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1632089424192-CCAWE6ML1EGPPSUBIDAO/Blog+kitchen+far+wall+cabinets.jpg Blog - Going with it… - Make it stand out The far wall cabinets. Not at all like they will look, except for the new microwave - white to match! The shelf above is from the original wood found behind the wall! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1632089518399-JF447D2XJLVM3LHP83TN/Blog+kitchen+new+fridge.jpg Blog - Going with it… - Make it stand out The fridge has been moved to the opposite side of the room. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1632089569525-CAHPXTKUZMOPRQHJ8RYV/Blog+kitchen+china+cabinet+back.jpg Blog - Going with it… - Make it stand out The china cabinet has also moved to the opposite side of the room. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1632089645714-RM3F07IXHOH7O3KBFD90/Blog+kitchen+sink.jpg Blog - Going with it… - Make it stand out My beautiful farmhouse, copper sink is installed! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1632089744933-N9BD9V6DP0L0AA9I834L/Blog+kitchen+mugs.JPG Blog - Going with it… - Make it stand out If I’m changing my kitchen colours, I’m going to need new mugs! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/6rjtqqqgdl64bshzpc8c18u7ymqr9d monthly 0.5 2021-09-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1630949736293-D9MHX571EVZYI5R9LR27/Blog+attic+after.JPG Blog - It’s coming together… - Make it stand out This is the attic now, before the foam insulation is installed. So much better than before and much safer, too! This reality has started me thinking! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1630949839774-AFGPVUCSMX5NCKXK89CU/Blog+kitchen+lights+to+come.jpg Blog - It’s coming together… - Make it stand out One of four pot light locations marked and ready! Beautiful new whitewashed cedar ceiling! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1630949888488-UHVKBMTQMKNUSE8ABJR5/Blog+kitchen+far+wall+before+and+after.JPG Blog - It’s coming together… - Make it stand out This is the far wall of the kitchen - before and after. Guess what? I’m keeping the china cabinet and moving it! The mint green is going to work so well in the new kitchen! And I’m on the lookout for mint green mugs! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1630950000715-7KHPV7Q2NKMGVC6D5ZL2/Blog+kitchen+main+before+and+after.JPG Blog - It’s coming together… - Make it stand out Left side top is the line of cabinets that came out from the entry wall; on the bottom is the outside wall with fridge and stove. On the right is the outside wall where the range, sink, and dishwasher will now reside. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1630950124927-A3ESTMZIOWLWSZ59UJD5/Blog+kitchen+pantry+before+and+after.JPG Blog - It’s coming together… - Make it stand out Left: Ugly, uneven panty. Right: New, clean space for the refrigerator! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1630950231893-ANEQZM22YSA5E2ZUQ6WX/Blog+kitchen+still+to+come.JPG Blog - It’s coming together… - Make it stand out Left: Welcome to my new doorstop! Right: Do you remember my chest freezer? It’s been moved to the basement and something special will soon be created here! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1630950349142-5DASC3JTXP7D1N0ELM55/Blog+lofty+ideas.jpg Blog - It’s coming together… - Make it stand out The attic improvement is giving me ideas for this space. It’s currently holding a lot of kitchen wares as well as seasonal storage bins. Looking forward to cleaning it up! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1630950453919-C6NK8EFE049HLYZC728L/Blog+transplanting.jpg Blog - It’s coming together… - Make it stand out The kitchen isn’t the only thing on the go. Yard work never seems to end. This is the first of the transplants - lots more clean up and transplanting still to come! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/pictures monthly 0.5 2021-08-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1630273894809-W1B6H2BPQE9O9LQRBWJ3/Blog+kitchen+week+two.JPG Blog - Pictures… - Make it stand out Top: we discovered a hole was cut through to the outside - you could fit both fists through it and pick the grass!! Middle (from left to right): the old insulation and the door we found behind the wall; the outside wall where the original house ended; behind the old insulation Bottom: adding wood to even out the wall and prepare for electrical and plumbing https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1630274076193-AH6QJGTI54VCW2IW0BAG/Blog+kitchen+week+two+outlets.JPG Blog - Pictures… - Make it stand out New insulation, new outlets, completed underfloor! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1630274247196-BR8UDNX0R6BPCNAJ4F0E/Blog+kitchen+finds.JPG Blog - Pictures… - Make it stand out Top: left is the cement poured to level out the floor (it’s quite slanted); right is the helpful barrier to keep dog out Bottom: left is a very old board that had to be removed and will play a special role in the kitchen finish; right is above the old doorway - that’s floral print wallpaper! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1630274399180-YDY9MQ7CTETOAG6PK6K1/Blog+kitchen+elements.JPG Blog - Pictures… - Make it stand out Can you guess what roles these will play? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1630274475924-TR3LYSW87QWN6CXEXN9E/Blog+kitchen+quartz.JPG Blog - Pictures… - Make it stand out These are the four quartz choices for estimate purposes. Thoughts? https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/flexibility monthly 0.5 2021-08-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1629667352178-793UBGRQ8LLFHJF0L3QU/Blog+pool+installation.JPG Blog - Flexibility… - Make it stand out Whoo hoo! I have a pool! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1629666544548-WM9D08CLWVTH5DV7SRA7/Blog+empty+kitchen.JPG Blog - Flexibility… - Make it stand out Emptying the kitchen was a big task! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1629666685108-A0GWIETSW14BU7ME880U/Blog+kitchen+stuff+everywhere.JPG Blog - Flexibility… - Make it stand out When you empty out a kitchen, it all has to go somewhere! Last weekend the whole house was a disaster! In the bottom right is one of the piles of kitchen cupboards awaiting installation. In the center are some of the pantry shelves that were salvaged! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1629666809351-RTTG9SNFZG282ELJW8SN/Blog+kitchen+demolition.JPG Blog - Flexibility… - Make it stand out Top left: while the attic was under consideration it was decided the original floor had to be removed. Middle left: the built-on pantry is gone! Bottom left: only the parts of the wall boards that could be seen, were painted! On the right is the cedar that will become the new ceiling. Top right: plumbing issues mean that the sink and dishwasher cannot be situated in the island. Middle right: the attic caused issues for the ceiling plan. Bottom right: Tom removed all of the insulation and got things improved. Foam insulation still to come! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1629667115061-OQ2QFJE7TVYFCLZKMGAN/Blog+kitchen+end+of+week+one.JPG Blog - Flexibility… - Make it stand out End of week one and the joists have been strengthened with fresh lumber! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/solo monthly 0.5 2021-08-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1627939960296-9MNVAOSHRUBU3IA01DP7/Blog+kitchen+materials.JPG Blog - Solo… - Make it stand out Materials piling up! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1627940133074-W5WCHHY6ZU6TFOC626EX/Blog+kitchen+renos+part+2.JPG Blog - Solo… - Make it stand out Left picture - kitchen focal point Right picture - one pre-kitchen picture https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/exhaustion monthly 0.5 2021-07-26 https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/fhlhphubnqaon9dj47nrneec708jsm monthly 0.5 2021-07-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1626643147849-L8YZTEM7467SIF7C53VC/Blog+trench.JPG Blog - Platitudes… - Make it stand out Bottom left is the rusting top of the decommissioned septic tank. Rest of the pictures are various parts of the trench. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1626643525366-D1EPSCABZX3TGJA3RXGX/Blog+sneak+peek+spa+bathroom.jpg Blog - Platitudes… - Make it stand out Sneak peek of the developing spa bathroom. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1626643637728-BROGU48YA9EWZHB6BNHG/Blog+orchid+blooms.JPG Blog - Platitudes… - Make it stand out I’ve found the perfect home for my orchid. It keeps blooming and blooming! So beautiful! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/weeds monthly 0.5 2021-07-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1626039546350-OQXJKRRU975TC2Y71Y6G/blog+driveway+cleanup.JPG Blog - Weeds… - Make it stand out Left hand side: some pictures of the driveway before weeding and some of the weeds gathered! Right hand side: a much cleaner driveway! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1626039638158-JI8UNFTZAZM9B90RNFIT/blog+little+things.JPG Blog - Weeds… - Make it stand out Some images around the yard that make me smile. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1626039686006-MBE8UWDG5LOPS8FI5WSP/blog+reading+area.jpg Blog - Weeds… - Make it stand out My new reading area. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/preparations- monthly 0.5 2021-07-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1625430363079-2K3MRQ7G0HX65FPS7373/Blog+tree+removal.JPG Blog - Preparations … - Make it stand out It was a big tree! According to the arborists who took it down, it was approximately 2/3 rotted inside. The last picture is the “trench” it dug when it landed. thank to WoodsWorks for a job well done. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1625430498155-Y42D1LDYUTFS6H5WF0Q5/Blog+bathroom+dresser.JPG Blog - Preparations … - Make it stand out The exciting “new” find for the spa-like upstairs bathroom. Can’t wait to see it in place! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1625430557499-YF0ZFU7H69MCI30SKZ0O/Blog+craft+project.JPG Blog - Preparations … - Make it stand out Using an old shutter to make a beautiful welcome for my porch - will share it next week after it’s been hung! With thanks to my talented mom and sister. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/money monthly 0.5 2021-06-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1624825291883-98B27Z4M1I0IX8WL2UU4/Blog+collage.JPG Blog - Money… - Make it stand out Top left: the 50+ year old toy pram - I think it will be amazing with flowers! Top right: my son’s wooden birdhouse, painted white and sitting on the porch. Middle left: the new candelabra awaiting transformation. Middle right: an inexpensive dollar store find, made rustic with tin and burlap and new salt and pepper shakers! Bottom left: the pieces that will reconstruct an old shutter into a welcoming sign for the porch. Bottom right: making the most of my living room now, until I’m ready to redesign! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/reminiscing monthly 0.5 2021-06-22 https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/musings monthly 0.5 2021-06-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1623620249598-E5UDDQTPU46AOTITYDL7/Blog+ladder+and+clematis.JPG Blog - Musings… - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/the-little-things monthly 0.5 2021-06-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1623016391972-P8O2AKULFGZ608WJXACV/Blog+new+fence.JPG Blog - The little things… - Make it stand out Top picture - the process of removing the old fence. Bottom two pictures - new fence! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1623016477334-IFGPNFMQX8O32ESOW0K8/Blog+back+driveway+garden.JPG Blog - The little things… - Make it stand out Top left: a cute corner spot for lilies. Top right: a long line of lilies against a shed with a sweet window box above. I’ve used two of the old fence posts as a border - what do you think? Bottom left: almost finished - just need mulch. Bottom right: clean up required! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1623016652694-UBT9J8FXK8WXV3F3T12X/Blog+front+steps.JPG Blog - The little things… - Make it stand out Top picture is before. The bottom two pictures are from different angles (obviously) and show the new paint job. It’s an interesting colour - has tones of gray and blue as well as some purple when it’s first going on (from Behr and called Poppy Seed)! And, of course, we discovered something weird - the steps are not attached! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1623016823486-9TS13P8W4R0EW9K0OKGL/Blog+side+porch+prepped.jpg Blog - The little things… - Make it stand out Coming soon - new life for the side porch floor! https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/a-little-something-extra monthly 0.5 2021-05-31 https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/north-and-south-sides monthly 0.5 2021-05-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1622408660439-9FRMA4UMU5MPKS65SJEL/blog+north+side.JPG Blog - North and South Sides… - Make it stand out Bottom right corner is from a couple of weeks ago. Bottom left is after my mother went to work on it. The plants have some growing to do but I know it won’t take long. On the top left is the gnome my mom felt was perfect for that spot. Take a look at the top right - I can’t wait to get that changed! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1622409059352-TMSQDLT6EMBVRQJ97RWZ/blog+south+side.JPG Blog - North and South Sides… - Make it stand out Top and middle left show the inherited red mulch. Bottom right is the pile of rocks dug out from underneath the border! The rest show the finished product with the black mulch and new border. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1622409199028-G636CS88EU3USKGYDGEX/blog+pre-fence.JPG Blog - North and South Sides… - Make it stand out A few pictures of the mess that the fencing company is dealing with as they install a new fence and line of cedars. Doesn’t the bottom left have an inviting appeal about it? https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/struggles monthly 0.5 2021-05-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1621891341197-QL9ELXZMBTJDZ41EBG7V/Blog+pathway+before.jpg Blog - Struggles… - Make it stand out This is before the stone pathway was installed. That big, ugly, black pipe? That is representative of one of the biggest struggles I’ve encountered since buying the house - the basement flood. Due to a very creative mother, look for a change to come. It’s going to be amazing! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1621891462227-YIAJB2UEPAT2AY0HN7YI/Blog+pathway+after.JPG Blog - Struggles… - Make it stand out The dog inspects the work! It was a lot of work and wow, does it look good! Who wouldn’t want to wander down the path to see me? https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/sunshine-and-heat monthly 0.5 2021-05-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1621198359853-OL9S1H5CVGY71EI3OCM4/Blog+backyard.JPG Blog - Sunshine and heat… - Make it stand out Cleaning up the yard. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1621198419700-EU4OR03BUS9JS4791ZS2/Blog+backyard+dining.jpg Blog - Sunshine and heat… - Make it stand out Outside dining…. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/odds-ends-gravel-and-a-broken-toilet-seat monthly 0.5 2021-05-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1620586031817-9MMRDB0XGE3LCTWHR6FO/Blog+bathtub.jpg Blog - Thoughts, gravel, and a broken toilet seat… - Clawfoot bathtub reglazed! This picture is just after it was glazed. It takes at least 12 hours of “curing” to make it usable. The difference from “gray and gross” was stunning. The tub will be the focal point of the spa that the bathroom will become. A tub like that requires luxurious accessories. I want to wander through a store and see and feel what I’m buying so I’m waiting until our stay at home order is lifted before making any purchases. I know what I have in mind. Next up: finding it! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1620589394806-LWYPRJ8D4WWOFDQH2HBB/Blog+gravel.JPG Blog - Thoughts, gravel, and a broken toilet seat… Pictures on the left are “before”. On the top right is a picture of the finished driveway and the lower right is the hardworking nephew and my mom (“Grandma”, also known as the project manager) who oversaw the work. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/water monthly 0.5 2021-05-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1619984808874-G5C4Z86XY848T22EYBVU/Water+-+blog.JPG Blog - Water! Top picture: the final solution Bottom pictures: rainstorm in March https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/spring monthly 0.5 2021-05-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1619393267828-Y6SEG64BI5P4EKSJM2A2/Spring+Blog.JPG Blog - Spring… Developing my outdoor space. https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/style monthly 0.5 2021-05-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1618758906024-KCPBROCNG6AUYB453NA1/Main+Floor+Bathroom+Before.jpg Blog - Style… BEFORE… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1618759171301-TA1U6MLR1MQKPS9S5VVW/Main+Floor+Bathroom+Becoming.jpg Blog - Style… BECOMING… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6068cd80f6fb7864389fa0f2/1618759867285-5WHBO0HWTWABP8P02LUD/Main+Floor+Bathroom+Better.JPG Blog - Style… BETTER… https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/blog/eonws6l7z90bg1fhym97en0neevc2w monthly 0.5 2021-05-31 https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/what daily 0.75 2021-04-17 https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/aboutme daily 0.75 2023-03-05 https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/home daily 1.0 2024-09-01 https://www.lifessecondhalf.com/contact daily 0.75 2021-07-13