I Like Thursdays #35
It’s Thursday, and that means I need to write my I Like Thursdays #35 post. Each week, I think I don’t have a thing to write about, but after some thought and looking through my photos, I’m reminded of things I’ve seen, been grateful for, or read during the past week. If you want to read my past posts, you can go to my home page, scroll down, and click on the “I Like Thursdays” menu.
I’m joining in once again with LeeAnna from Not Afraid of Color, who hosts this fun weekly group. You can find her post, along with a list of posts from the others, at Not Afraid of Color.
I Like Flowers
Honestly, who doesn’t like flowers, right? This year, however, it seems that all the blooming things from fresh green grass, trees leafing out, and all the flowers bursting into bloom has been a salve for our souls during this grim time in our world.
We planted fewer flowers this year, but I do like having the pops of color on my deck and by my front door. A few years ago, the kids gave me lilac bushes for Mother’s Day. We picked a large bouquet this week and it filled our living room with its aroma. Wilbur, of course, had to check it out, snuffling around the blossoms and tasting the leaves.
I haven’t planted petunias in a long time, but I liked this red variety and how it sets off the lampstand by our front walkway. I didn’t really intend this photo for my blog, so it’s taken at a weird angle, but I think you’ll get what I mean.
I Like My New Closet
BigJ needed a project to work on while sheltering here at home. He decided to tackle the bedroom closet. We have an older home and the closet was set up with one bar for clothes all the way across and a shelf above. The shelf was too high for me to reach, and we had too many clothes piled on it, making it difficult to use, so we came up with a new design. There are no before photos; it was just too awful to share. It works much better for us now.
I Like A Good Read
Now and then, I like to read books that aren’t usually what I would choose to read. I don’t recall where I found the recommendation for this book. To be honest, I was pulled in by the beautiful cover with the type style and the beautiful flowers (see? flowers again!). My son noticed the book and mentioned that the author was familiar to him. The book is fantasy fiction, which is definitely not my usual genre.
I was whining to fellow bookworm and quilting friend, Diann (Little Penguin Quilts) in an email about not getting into this book much, so she will be amused to see this in my list of likes. Sometimes when I’m reading a book that is not drawing me in, I give up. Other times, I stubbornly refuse to quit, which is the case with this one. With a cover like that, it just had to have promise, right?! (Okay, enough about the cover!) Somewhere along the way, once I settled in to the fantasy of it, the story caught me. The author draws lovely word pictures that either make you gasp (in a good way), or make your heart ache. It’s worth sticking with the book until the end. It is now on my list of favorites, and I can’t wait for my son and daughter to read it.
I Like the Smell of Rain
We have had a wet, rainy week here. I know some of you have too, causing some flooding in your areas and in your homes. While I don’t like that, I do love the scent of the air after a rain shower, and the cool, crisp breeze that comes in the windows. Wilbur loves the smells of the outdoors, especially in the morning hours. He races through the house like a crazy cat, from one end to the other, yeowling until we ask him to please stop. I, on the other hand, restrain myself and prefer to sit in my chair, breathe in the fresh air, and sip fresh, hot coffee.
Well, I Like Thursdays #35 is a wrap. I enjoy writing these posts each week, thinking over the past week about things that made me smile that I want to share with you. I hope you head over to Not Afraid of Color for more likes from my friends who join me in this weekly fun.
But before you go, tell me this – what’s one new thing you’ve done this week?
Until next time!
Wendy
To Do Tuesday #18
25 Comments
Riceford Streams
That’s a wonderful list of likes! I can join in on the scent of lilacs and rain. Mmm. Your closet turned out great! And now I’m curious about the book — I’m glad it turned out to be a winner, especially now when everyone needs a good escape.
marissthequilter
Enjoy the flowers and the rain. We are going into winter on this side of the world and have just had our first cold snap. There has even been snow on the mountains near us
karenfae
love your new closet – we had to do the same thing years ago – flowers! love wish I had lilacs here they were a favorite when I lived in the north. I haven’t seen the book must look for it.
Diann Bottrell
I love flowers, too – and lilacs and petunias are high on my list of favorites! Lilac bushes sound like a great gift! Your closet looks amazing – kudos to BigJ! Now you’ve made me curious to read that book – I’ll have to go look and see if my library has it. Have you read Station Eleven? It’s in the dystopian genre, which I don’t choose very often, but I really enjoyed that book!
Sandra Walker
My photos help me too, since I usually only do a monthly I Like post. I start the draft near the beginning of the month. I have found several books through these Thursday posts, and my quilting bookworm friends on Insta as well. I have to update my current I Like post with my reads! Thanks for this recommendation; that’s one from you and one from Diann this morning! Terrific closet! Can’t wait until ours are done up here in our new bedroom.
Nancy Bekedam
Nice, Wendy. Lilacs, red petunias, an awesome closet makeover, fun book (it’s not on RBDigital or Hoopla–bummer!), and the sweet smell of rain. You’re gratitude is contagious. Thank you.
lapaylor
how about that last comment?! your gratitude is contagious! Nice….
like Sandra, I start a new I Like post on Thur for the following week and add to it as I notice something. It’s too hard to remember the good but small things all week with my widdle bwain, so distracted now, so I keep a post in edit going. LOVE flowers and color. We’re watching the Great Gardening Challenge on youtube, and they are challenged to design gardens for the senses. Nothing like having a resident librarian like Diann or a voracious reader like Collette on our team!
thanks for the great list Wendy
LeeAnna
catpatches
We had a closet like that too. The bad part was that the doors were more narrow than the closet inside, and so part of the closet was impossible to reach. We turned the bar on that end so it went perpendicular and then put shelves and shorter bars in like what you have. I love your red petunias. We can only have them in hanging baskets because the squirrels eat them. Squirrels.
rl2b2017
Hi Wendy! I love the smell of rain, too. It was just sprinkling earlier this morning on our way home from watching the littles. Sue still can’t smell but I told her it smelled like rain – oh, so Spring-like. I also LOVE lilacs although I’ve had no luck growing them here. Your pretty red petunias look lovely surrounding the lamppost. I would love to make some adjustments to my closet and add a sliding barn door to it. It opens out, into my bedroom and it is so inconvenient. A slider would be much nicer – maybe someday. I don’t recall doing anything new this week, although when the weather clears I’m going to try a new recipe for maple fudge. Take care, my friend. ~smile~ Roseanne
Kay Welch
Thanks for the book recommendation. I’m always on the lookout for interesting reads, especially outside my normal genre. The cover and title caught my eye before I read what you had written. It’s on my list. My new thing this week is trying new plants for the summer – dahlias. I’ve loved them, but never tried to grow them. The other new one is a mandevilla, and it’s blooming bright red flowers. We’ll see how it goes. I spent the past two weeks getting my beds ready and planting. Petunias and vincas are my go to for easy, and I try to add at least one more perennial to the mix each year. I rescued irises from a neighbors bed last fall, and they’re doing great. Some of them are actually blooming this year. And I’m envious of your closet redo. May have to put that on my wishlist, even though ours works pretty well as is.
quiltinggail
Love the pictures of spring … so encouraging!
And thanks for the book recommendation! It seems that I always enjoy the books you suggest!
Happy Quilting! 🙂
shelteringhaven
I like the things you like, Wendy! 🙂 And, I may have to try out that book!
Patricia Evans
Hey, I can actually answer your question this week. Our library is still closed, so I finally decided to figure out how to download and audiobook from the digital collection and actually managed to do it. Haven’t listened to it yet, but maybe tomorrow. Our house is over 100 years old and boy, could the closets be improved, if it wasn’t for the fact that they are just too small! Have a good week.
Carol Andrews
Rain, flowers and a new closet? Life is good 😉 Carol
Louise Hornor
Wow! Your closet looks great! BigJ is such a handy guy. One new thing I did this week is make wonky herringbone blocks from my green and pink strings. I really like them! 🙂
thedarlingdogwood
That is the most amazing closet!!!! Wow! Great quarantine project, and just gret project overall!
Sally
For not having likes, these are some good ones! Those lilacs are pretty. A nice, neat closet. That is a wonderful like! I’m starting to learn python. Ugh. But it’s certainly a new thing! 🙂
Jocelyn Thurston
Lots of great things Wendy are here. Flowers, bouquet from gifted lilacs with their wonderful smell, a great book to read, a handy hubby, new closet space, a faithful kitty. Oh and the smell of rain.
Mary
I can just imagine the lovely scent of lilacs in your home. Petunias grow-so well here in the desert in the spring and fall. You’ve peaked my interest with that book but I love that closet-well organized.
What a great post.
Kate Swallows
Lovely lilacs! Very cool new closet set up. Your Guy is definitely a keeper, he did a great job with it. I’l check out the book, I’m always on the look out for a new book to start.
Mickie
Love your new closet and of course I adore your flowers!!! I’m doing some petunias this year too! Something comfy in old fashioned flowers in the garden! Have a wonderful week!
Cocoa Quilts
Wendy I do love the smell of Lilacs. Our last summer in MI, we went up to Mackinaw Island for the Lilac festival, it was beautiful and very fragrant. I am sure that new closet is amazing. Having had a small closet in an older house I know the rod and shelf routine. Hope this week as as many likes as this week.
Kathleen McCormick
I love flowers and am waiting for my red poppies to bloom as well as my peonies. The lilacs outside my studio have bloomed and I love the smell of them! I love your closet…nice job Big J. Interesting about persisting reading and finding something you unexpectedly love and will share with your children.
Colette
Great likes. Oh the lilacs in the house must have smelled heavenly! LOL about the book. I know that when I browse books even on Amazon, sometimes the cover pulls me in. Gorgeous petunias, be still my heart! Red! Yay for a nice closet.
Quilting is in my Blood
I have major closet envy! I absolutely love well-organized closets. I’m also a book lover. Right now I’m reading some brain candy murder mysteries, but I’ve read some awesome books being part of a women’s book group since 2009. One of our favorites last year was The Lost Man by Jane Harper. As far as something new I’ve tried this week. I’ve made some angled strips sets and actually used the 60 degree line on a quilting ruler for the first time. I’m so glad it’s finally the weekend! Take care, Mary.