Summer joy

We're enjoying last bits of summer and vacation. House cleaning and house sorting isn't a priority. 

We're off to the beach!

Lamps in waiting

As I tried out different arrangements for the still lifes the other day I brought out more lamps from my collection of lamps in waiting.

I have bought several lamps both new and from second hand shops during the last couple of years.

None of them have been put to use yet.

The old ones need rewiring or different fabric or maybe a lick of paint.

The new ones  just have to be connected to the electrical system - which for me is a major obstacle as I have never done that before.

                                         

The excisting lighting in the house is either plain and boring

(as the one in the picture to the left. Each room except the living room, has one of these put up in the middle of the ceiling.) 

or just non-excisting

(as in the bathroom above the mirror and in the kitchen under the kitchen cupboards). 

So, I'll pull myself together and collect all the crafting and DIY skills I can muster, and get these lamps up and running.

They cannot stay in storage for much longer - that's for sure! 

Pastels on the table

Found some pastel colored items and put them together in a still life. 

Blue bowl and pink mug from ikea, vintage yellow vase from don't-know-where 

sometimes back in the eighties.  

The orange desk lamp (Pixar Anglepoise ) is a favorite find from the charity shop. 

Bought it a year or two ago, but still haven't started using it - it's waiting for 

the right electrical connector. 

Silly, I know! 

Baking Friday

The rain came back yesterday evening and gave us this beautiful rainbow. 

It was still raining today which made us change our plans of gardening and going to the beach. 

                          

Instead we stayed at home and my daughter baked yummi muffins.

HAVE A SUPER WEEKEND

Working hard...?

Well, not really - most of the time I'm just thinking about it. But today I brought out the spade and garden fork to do some digging.

During summer I've bought some plants with the intentions of planting in the garden and not done anything about it until today. 

                           

I've had this vacant place in a flowerbed just in front of the living room windows (it's the spot of bare soil between the Phlox and the weed next to the big stone) and I thought it would be perfect for a shrub. I chose a Philadelphus coronarius  (in Norwegian also duftskjærsmin). It will flower in July (hopefully next year) with white flowers and give a wonderful scent.

The info on it says it needs a sunny spot with light warm soil, and that it will grow to be 2-3 m high.

In the photo to the right the shrub has been planted and duly watered.

The weed is still there though, I'll get to that shortly - eventually.

OK, that's one down, six to go.

For a good cause

When sorting through the stuff from the upstairs cabinet I found a bag of nicknacks bought at the charity shop. The items in it still had the clumsy newspaper wrappings from the store and I couldn't even remember what it was.

As I started to unwrap the small packages it came back to me; how I had pondered back and forth whether or not to buy these things and at last come to the conclusion that I had to have them. 

I realize now how important it was! 

Some of it no doubt will have to go straight back to charity. 

It is a comfort then that at least I've been supporting a good cause.

Moving in

The floor of my daughter's bedroom has been painted, it has dried and I have started to move her furniture back. 

When my daughter came home 

(she's been away for almost two weeks - so lovely to see her again) 

she was super excited about the floor. 

'How did you know I wished for a turquoise floor, mom?' she wondered. 

She had only talked about it a dozen times, that's how I knew!

I love the color too. It looks better now with furniture in the room. 

But the color of the floor does something about the color on the walls and ceiling that I had not anticipated. 

Anyway, can't dwell on that now. 

Look how the sunshine pours over the desk. 

We're  going outside to enjoy the summer and warmth of the sun.
Cannot believe it's already August.