Welcome to Monday!!

The start of a brand new week!  Tomorrow is the first day of summer...what could be better?  Mr. Seventies & our son-in-law were honoured on Father's Day...and their requested meal of pizza and cheesecake was full filled!  And both received an abundance of gifts ranging from books, clothes and gift cards!  Grand baby was on hand to entertain us with antics....and discovered tissue paper is a whole lot of fun!

My birdhouse received a couple of coats of pretty paint!  We used paint on hand...a sample size to use up.  Now the bird house is ready for new occupants...

I picked up the curtain rod for the guest room curtain panels...and was able to use a 20% off coupon...cannot wait for the curtain panels to arrive...estimated delivery is June 27-July 15, 2022.  They are a custom order which take a little more time....the actual shipping time should only be a few days once they are dispatched...as they are coming from Ontario.....

Remember the Nippon tea set I shared the other day?  The one I came across on Etsy....( I suspect the flash has made the blue appear lighter....or the photo has been lightened)....

This is the set I have....passed down from my Mom.  I am not a fan of the colour...I find it gaudy...but then that was the Victorian era.  My set is unmarked as well...which means it was produced prior to 1891....

I also came across a McCoy pottery Model T car cookie jar!  And I also have one!  Growing up...it was housed  in my Mom's china cabinet...and was used to store receipts!  (never cookies!).  I'll bring mine out & compare it with the photos I've seen for ones listed on E-Bay....for a much as $176!   I could never part with mine....my Dad was a bit partial to it...and I am as well....

The weather was beautiful on the weekend...we did get a thunder shower early Saturday evening....gave everything a good soaking.  We spent most of our time outside....Liesel joins us in small increments...as it takes her a bit of time to become acclimated to the outdoors.  Not certain why...she has always been that way....by the middle of summer she will spend more time outside with us...and bask in the sun.  She had a much needed bath & groom last week....

Can you believe how gorgeous this Iris is?  We only have a couple in coral & pink...as I think they were about $15 each....but wow....would love to have a lot more of them in these colours!

I have to share the amazing recovery of our Snowball shrub!  Just look at the beautiful blossoms this year!   Only by sheer determination of Mr. Seventies is it flowering beautifully.  For a few years...something had been eating it...and destroying it's leaves and flowers.  It was so sad...I asked Mr. Seventies to either cut it down or attempt to save it.    

He chose to save it.  Each spring...at just the right time...before budding is when it's crucial (with no rain or wind in the forecast for 24 hours)...Mr. Seventies would spray it with Dormant Oil.  Dormant oil is a non chemical spray that suffocates insects and their eggs nesting in the branches....so they no longer can destroy shrubs and fruit trees.  It can be purchased at hardware stores....

I recently came across a home-made recipe for Dormant Oil, as well. Mix 1 TBPS of canola oil, a few drops of liquid laundry detergent and a quart of water.  Shake well & pour into a spray bottle when you are ready to use it.  It works the same way...smothering insects and eggs before they can do damage.

We haven't tried this home remedy yet....but may give it a shot next spring....

The pool is sparkling clean...all that is left to do is set in the steps....and wait for Mother Nature to warm the water.  Water temp was 23 degrees yesterday....unfortunately we have with cooler temps and unsettled weather in the forecast his week.  We need some sunny, warm days....

Thanks so much for spending time with me...so happy you stopped by!  And as always, I'll be sharing on A Stroll thru Life, for Inspire me Tuesday and today at Between Naps On The Porch for  Metamorphosis Monday .