Today, I shared my “bottle mania” with two artist friends (real paint brush artists). I told them of my trip to Livingston in search of red, green, and blue bottles/vases. They told me how to paint the inside of clear glass bottles/vases. Duh, why didn’t I think of that? Mary Alice mentioned the small, inexpensive paint in the artist’s supply section of Walmart. I chimed in: “I have some; I bought a small container so I could paint my name (and Shirley’s) on our ladders.” The project is so simple!! Now I know how to accomplish “cobalt blue” for future patriotic display.

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Postscript/afterthought: I added a small amount of water to the paint container and shook violently. That little $2.00 container goes a long way!! After the paint dried, I did a second coat. Honestly, the container isn’t empty.

Yesterday, I was reminded of Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child. Several years ago, all year-long, I collected items for shoe boxes. While in Dollar Tree, yesterday, I recognized that another shopper was buying for shoe boxes. It’s obvious when there are a dozen boxes of Crayons,  small toys, combs, socks, barefoot sandals, etc. I stopped to visit with the lady and compliment her for her endeavor. I told her Operation Christmas Child had been an all year project for me. Today I looked back at my earlier blog messages on the subject. (Since I left volunteer service with Wycliffe Bible Translators, [regrettably] I drifted away from the worthy project.)

Three 2011 messages on my previous blog site regarding Operation Christmas Child.

Four messages on this site:

Christmas only six months away, July 8, 2012

Be a part of reaching 100 million children, Oct. 11, 2012

My contribution to Operation Christmas Child, Nov. 4, 2012

Little things make me happy, Nov 13, 2012: “Yesterday, I delivered the fifteen shoe boxes to a nearby Operation Christmas Child collection center.  I’m preparing several more shoe boxes, and plan to work at the nearby collection center this next Saturday.”

Serendipity (and Sadness)!! Nov. 17, 2012

“Summer” doesn’t want to let go of Texas. (Unusually high temperatures elsewhere, also.)  For a couple of weeks, I’ve been able to leave the door open all night. The air-conditioner was valuable last night!! Extremely high humidity all night.

Did you read Bottle mania?

I’m planning ahead for Christmas and speculate that red and green will look attractive. Today, I started my search at the local Senior Citizens Thrift Shop and concluded my shopping at Dollar Tree. I’ll search for blue bottles and/or vases for display near Memorial Day and Independence Day. In your mind’s eye, can you see red, white and blue bottles and/or vases for patriotic holidays? ~~ I won’t go to the expense of an Internet purchase of cobalt blue bottles. Hopefully, I’ll find more fifty-cent (or one dollar) blue vases from thrift shops?! (Yes, that blue vase came from the thrift shop.)

See unique bottle designs on these web sites: Bottle Fence, and Using Glass Bottles in the Garden,

Trick or Treat, witches, black cats, etc., isn’t “my thing.” But I contribute to “Fall” decorations. The extremely large, brand-new, flannel-back plastic tablecloth was one-dollar at the thrift shop. Very nice quality and probably ten times more expensive at Walmart. I know it is “too nice” to be flapping in the wind. Today, in lieu of  being “practical,” I’m exercising creative license. (LOL)   🙂   (BTW: The scarecrow decorated my yard in North Carolina; not a recent purchase. Likewise, the garden flag is from my North Carolina garden.)

The television viewer is forced to watch details regarding the election ad nauseam. This morning, I see where we, likewise, will be subjected to “Christmas” commercials–in October. I saw the Hershey Kisses bell ringers.

I accept the fact that my readers probably think my garden, and weather station, pictures continue ad nauseam. Get used to it; I’m a garden kind of gal!!

Magnificent morning!! However “Fall” weather won’t arrive for another few days. I was forced indoors about 10:30. I was able to upload my pictures to Picasa, and personalize them, BUT no WiFi connection. Off, and on, I’ve struggled for hours to get the connection to the CARE Center. There is a problem with my three-year old, Windows 7, laptop computer. That should be my next major expense: A new computer?! It’s 3:00 PM and I finally have WiFi.

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Believe it or not, I “worked” this morning. With our heat, the plants still demand water!! I shuffled planters; I swept the sidewalk; I cut “dead heads.” With my faithful Canon, I documented the explosion of seed pods on the Yellow Butterfly Vine, and large number of purple blooms on the Mexican Petunia. I admired the vivid colors of new leaves on the Coleus. (Oops, too many “perpendicular pronoun.”)

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Next year “yours truly” may be able to harvest Lavender, Ginger root, and Turmeric root.

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At 4:25 PM, Houston TV meteorologist said “We many never see ninety degrees again this year.” That’s music to my ears!!

“Yours truly” is so tired she is cross-eyed (almost). Not too tired to sit at the computer, in the air-conditioned trailer, and prepare this blog message.

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Yesterday and today, very productive!! Confession: I can “live” with clutter in my crowded trailer home but I dislike clutter in my “yarden.”

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Now I can encourage folks to come and visit. This past week, with all the clutter, I was constantly apologizing!! “Almost… but not quite” because more less dramatic projects awaiting my time and attention.

“Yours truly” gets more curses than compliments regarding her garden!! When someone visits me, and admires my garden, I am ecstatically happy!! Former CARE employees came for a several-day visit, and smothered me with love and compliments about my beautiful flowering plants. Mary admired the Cape Honeysuckle and I said “Would you like one?” Yes, she would like one. She liked the Mexican Petunia. “Would you like one?” Mary also liked the Hummingbird Trumpet Vine, and Turk’s Cap, so I gladly presented those also. The idea of a Texas Lilac thrilled Mary but I do not have any “starter plants” (yet). I was able to give her Texas Lilac seeds. Mary and Tom made my day!!   🙂   🙂   🙂

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Before, and after, Tom and Mary’s visit, my focus was on my tomato plants. They have grown but did not produce (due to miserable hot, humid summer temperatures). Previously, I performed “radical surgery” and now in the process of trimming, and eliminating….

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This message is another “late” publication. The (13th) Tarp Shelter Remodel wasn’t published until 9:30 PM Friday (14th) so no time or energy to prepare the 14th day’s thoughts and pictures.

Thursday 13th news published on Friday 14th. “The old lady” ran out of energy so yesterday’s activities weren’t published. Yes, I could back-date but “a day late” is a “talking point” (lol). ~~ I’ve become infatuated with “bottle bush” displays. Truthfully, setting up the bottle display was a very small part of my day. Hours–and energy–spent on tarp shelter remodel.

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Postscript, Friday morning, ten o’clock. I confess: I love to sit on my patio, with a cup of coffee, and admire my “yarden.” I couldn’t resist another picture of the hanging vases. I’m contemplating red, and green, bottles and/or vases for Christmas. They would be attractive when the trees have shed all their leaves?! (Bottles and vases–at bargain prices–from local thrift stores. I already have “green” displayed as “bottle weeds.”)

Postscript, Saturday, Oct.15, 2016: After dark.