Shattered - Someone Find The Glue Quick!

You probably remember this Angel and Bird Cage 

from one of my recent posts.

She was placed under my front arbor near the house.
You can imagine my horror when I went out one morning to find the cage had been tossed about 5 feet,
 with my "kissing Angel" broken.

Who knows what happened ~ raccoons, a cat fight, ~ a neighbor has an Asian Bengal Rosette he lets run loose. Anything that moves is prey. He can't even pick it up, it's so wild, (but that's another story for another day). The arbor is a "gateway" to the roof which is part of the critters "under overground railroad".

Anyway I was beside myself. 

Could I glue all the pieces back together? 

And how was it going to look?

I got my E6000  out and went to town. 

Piece by piece I lined them up as best I could, 

allowing each piece to dry before adding another. 

Sorry, no photos, 

was so nervous about getting all the pieces to fit,

 I forgot to take some.

So it was back together and stable. 

But you of course, could see the cracks.

Then my light bulb went on, it does occasionally ;)

I remember seeing Self Etching Primer by Rus-toleum in the store. It said it could be used on just about anything to make paint stick, even ceramics. 

Thought it was worth a try.

Then I saw Rus-toleum American Accents Stone Texture.

I thought what a great way to cover those cracks! 

And cover those cracks it did!

Awesomely ♥

I wasn't sure where I wanted to put her, 

except not in the front of the house.

I recently had removed an old bird nest

 from basket that used have plants in it.

It was wired on a horse collar on the deck.

 It had been empty for a couple of years, 

so I felt it was safe that no one was coming back to it.

I placed her on top of a bed of reindeer moss

 and wired her into the basket so she wouldn't fall out.

She looked kind of plain just sitting there,

 so I added some Dollar Tree flowers to surround her with color.

One of the wires I used went around her neck.

I had a hard time trying to camouflage it 

until I thought of a necklace.

Dug through my stash and found a broken piece 

of rhinestone bracelet/necklace that was just the right size.

I glued it over the wire ;)

I love the way she turned out.

Maybe an unusual place to have an angel,

but she's safe and secure!

And that's the most important thing!

He Loves Me, He loves Me Not......WW

♥

Butterfly Designs to Color ~ Free Printables

In the Garden with Pets

We seem to always have one or two in the bunch!

With Summer in full swing, 
everyone is spending more time outside.

The last thing I want to find is my best friends 

digging up my flowers. 
Or stray cats leaving me "presents".

You don’t have to choose between your dog and your daffodils; keep both by adding a digging pit to your landscape ~ a spot where Fido can satisfy his urges without 
destroying anything in the process.

A digging pit can be a simple depression, a wooden boxed area,
 a child's wading pool...whatever suits you and your dogs needs. 
You want to choose a good location your dog will want to use. 
One of the reasons dogs dig is to have cool soil 
under their bellies when they rest. 

That means you need to place your pit in an area that gets shade, 
at least during the hottest part of the day. 
Pick a location where the ground will not become 
waterlogged when you water the garden. 

Clean up any debris if necessary

Make it the right size. 
The pit needs to be about as wide as your dog is long, 
and one-and-a-half times your pet’s length. 
These proportions give the dog room to maneuver comfortably.

 Next, do some training.

Once you’ve made your digging pit, 
you have to convince your dog this is the one and only place to dig. While it may take time, it isn’t difficult. 
First, bury favorite toys or biscuits your dog will 
be happy to find in the pit. 
Take your dog with you to the pit and 
make a big show of digging. 
Get excited and play with a toy you uncover. 
After a minute or two of play, 
bury the toy again while your dog watches. 
Dogs will often dig where you’re indicating, 
especially when they smell the toys or biscuits. 
When that happens, praise the dog extravagantly 
and play again when the toy is uncovered.

We gardeners don’t like finding “presents” left 
behind by stray cats.
The worst! 
There are solutions to this problem, 
though it may take experimentation to 
find the one that works best for you.

Add a feline ''playground''. 
Try adding a “kitty corner” away from your main garden, 
off to the side perhaps, to keep the cats busy. 
Fill this area with sandy soil, and plant around it with 
catnip, mint, and grasses.

Once in a while one of ours goes out to enjoy that corner also :)

Or just visit the garden ;)

This will entice cats to remain in this location 
instead of in the rest of your garden. 
This is what has worked for me.
I've left a back corner grassy and added some catnip.
 They like to slink down and hide in them too.
There's also an area of soft sandy soil for there convenience.  

Look for deterrents. 
Rue (Ruta graveolens) is a well-known cat repellent, 
used through the ages to keep cats out of gardens. 
(Some people develop a rash when handling rue, so take care.) 

Commercial repellents have varying success. 
Some cats flee; others don’t even acknowledge the products. 
Many cats dislike the scent of citrus, 
so try scattering citrus peel around your gardens.

Get ‘em wet. 
An automatic sprinkling device, called the Scarecrow,
 releases a burst of water when anything moves in its coverage area. A quick spritz is sure to make Kitty think again about a future visit.

I tried the Scarecrow for Raccoons, it didn't work.

Maybe cats would be more skittish. 

Don't get me wrong, I am definitely an 

animal person and love them all. 

I've probably had a wider variety than the average person.

Just some kinder thoughts, ideas, and tips to help 

enjoy your garden more  =)

I opted for a sandy shaded area for ours dogs.

So far no more digging in the garden! YAY!

Bella enjoys it! ♥

Make Your Own Fragrant Massage Oil

Let's face it some days are just plain rough.
Whether it's stress or pain that has gotten you down a good massage will certainly help!
Especially one with your custom fragrance!
Ah, c'mon you can make beautiful fragrances, yes I said fragrances. Why have just one, when you can choose one that strikes your fancy on any given day! 

Massage therapists often keep several different massage oils on hand for various complaints and personal scent preferences.

 This recipe is enough for one full body massage. 

Make up a custom blend on the spot, 

or increase the amount of favorite blends 

to have on hand.

Vitamin E - (Optional. 1-2 drops) An antioxidant, it helps prevent rancidity and prolong the life of your oils.

~ Choose 1 or more carrier oils: (2 Tbsp.)

Sweet Almond – Nutty aroma. The most popular oil for massage, it is light and thin, flows well on the skin and does not absorb too quickly.

Grapeseed – Very little scent. A glossy feeling oil, high in skin supporting compounds and great for balancing oily or combination skin.

Olive Oil Pomance – Affordable and odorless. Olive oil is known for improving and strengthening the skin. 

~ Choose 1 or more essential oils: (6-12 drops)

Relaxing and soothing: lavender, sweet marjoram, relaxation blend

Clarifying and balancing: geranium, clary sage

Romantic and sensual: ylang ylang, sweet orange

Purifying and cleansing: tea tree, purify blend

Energizing and uplifting: peppermint, energize blend 

Muscle warming: fir balsam

Directions

1. Pour 2 Tbsp. carrier oil(s) of choice into an amber glass bottle. 

The 2 ounce size works well for this recipe.

2. Before adding essential oils, if combining more than one, test a drop of each on a cotton ball to ensure you like the scent combination.

3. To obtain a basic 1% dilution of essential oils, add 6 drops total. For a stronger 2% dilution, add 12 drops.

4. If you are making larger quantities to have on hand, add 1-2 drops of vitamin E oil per oz (or 2 Tbsp) massage oil that will be stored.

Pour a small amount of oil into your palms to warm it prior to the massage.

Massage oils also make very popular and appreciated gifts!

Now go get your favorite person to give you a good massage :)

Happy Birthday and Father's Day Dad ~ I Miss You!

June 9th is my Dad's Birthday.

1919-2010

He flew PBY's in WWII.

After the war he became a carpenter

 and did so until her retired.

His main love was farming.

Our barn my Dad built

What a little cutie!

About 4 yrs. old in this photo.

Our tradition to celebrate both his Birthday and Father's Day, 

was to go to Saint Michael's Portuguese Holy Spirit Festa In Livermore.

Here was our last time all together eating Sopas.

He turned 90 that year.

Dad and Cody in better times

Mom and Dad in later years.

So here's to you Dad,

Happy Birthday!

and Happy Father's Day!!

I love and miss you!

Give Mom a kiss and hug for me!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

And yes ~ JB Weld fixes everything!

Garden Photos ~ WW