Back Home!

Well, I did it. I quit my job and moved back home to Florida! I just couldn't stand being stuck in Alabama another day. I need sunshine and sand between my toes!

I had a huge yard sale and downsized big time. Then I packed up my stuff and moved to Cocoa Beach Florida! I'm renting a little one bedroom apartment that is just 4 blocks away from the ocean! I love it here!

My recent projects have been to paint my entire apartment and some of my old furniture. I found this daybed on Craigslist and painted it white. The comforter was $2 at "my" new favorite thrift store here. 

I have had this table for years. I painted it a pretty coral and now it has a new life too. This photos shows how I installed the doors upside down. I fixed that and now it looks much better. I'm also painting some other furniture, inspired by Jane Coslick's Happy Colors. 

I have some sad news to tell too. My sweet Dylan went over the Rainbow Bridge on June 6th. He was 14 years old and my little buddy. His cancer had spread and he was having difficulty walking. He seemed confused at times too. I know it was the right thing do but I miss him so much...

 

Nugget misses Dylan too. Because the weather is so nice here, I'm taking Nugget for long walks twice a day. That has been good for both of us and we are having fun exploring our new little beach town neighborhood. Dogs are not allowed on the beach here but sometimes we walk up there early in the morning to watch the sunrise. Just looking out over the ocean makes my heart sing!

We also see dolphins playing in the river that is just at the end of my street. There is a great gray heron who seems to enjoy spending time in a neighbor's yard. Of course there are palm trees and tropical plants everywhere! You know how I love palm trees! :D

It's been fun being "retired" but I really need to find a part time job! I've been looking everywhere but so far I've had no success. Please pray that I find something soon.

I'll be back with more photos and hopefully get back to work on my miniatures. Hope you have a beautiful day!

"Home"

This is where I will be in three days! I'm going "home" to visit my boys in warm and sunny Florida!

This is my son's heated, salt water swimming pool. I plan to spend a lot of time soaking up the sun here!

I applied for a position at a veterinary practice in Deland, Florida. They care for domestic animals as well as Florida wild life. Here is a photo of their office. I think it would be amazing to work here!

Deland is a small college town, about five miles from where my son and daughter-in-law live. It has a lovely downtown area with lots of nice shops and restaurants.

I don't know if there is a miniature store here but I hope so! One place I love in Deland is the Florida Architectural Salvage store. When I was renovating my 1920's bungalow in Sanford I came here often.

It was so much fun browsing around to find things for my house. It is a treasure hunter's dream!

I need to find a job first, but here are two houses I like. One for sale and one for rent. They both look like dollhouses to me. :D

Maybe things will work out so I can return to Florida soon? I hope so!

Manatees

Margaret asked me what the animals were that are in my blog header photo. They are manatees. I took the photo at Blue Spring State Park in Orange City, Florida. Some of the manatees stay there year round. Others come in when the ocean waters get cold. The water in the St.John's River at Blue Springs is 72 degrees year round.

Photo from Wikipedia

These gentle creatures are endangered because of their habitat and the fact that boaters speed through the areas where the manatees live. Many are chopped by boat propellers and some are killed. The manatee areas in Florida have speed restrictions for boaters. If only they would slow down. If you would like more information about saving the manatees, click here.

I loved visiting this park when I lived in Florida. We would take a picnic lunch and sometimes rent a canoe.

Photo from Blue Springs State Park website

I have lots of hilarious memories about canoeing. Like the time where we got our canoe stuck under some brush. It was covered with spider webs AND spiders! Makes me shiver to think about that! Thankfully, the water was shallow enough for me to jump out of the canoe fast!!!

This park shows you a part of Florida that you may not have known about. I get homesick just thinking about it and the beaches, of course.

Welcome to the Beach!

As promised, here are some photos of REAL beach houses! Wouldn't you LOVE to live here?!

or here

or maybe here?

The house below defines "weathered wood!"



I love the roof top deck on this one!



Check out these great windows...




This is MY kind of neighborhood!



House hunting in Alabama won't be quite like this. I've had a wonderful time here in Florida! Time to go "home" and start packing.

Blessings,
Kathi

What's Next?

So, here I am in sunny Florida happily enjoying my vacation... when I get a call from my landlady. She's putting the house I'm renting on the market for sale in 30 days. I have to move!

I don't WANT to move. I don't want to PACK. I don't want to look for a place to live AGAIN. I just want to keep working on my beach house and not have to worry about REAL life!

UGH.
I'm going to go raid my daughter-in-law's craft supplies. She said I could...

Blessings, Kathi

Needlepoint?

I've been wanting to try doing a needlepoint rug. Here's a pattern I found that I think will be perfect for one of the rooms in my dollhouse?

It is a Cheryl Fall design and is FREE at About.com. I think I'm going to try it?

I'll be going on vacation to FLORIDA on Saturday! I'm very excited. I haven't been "home" for almost two years!

It will be so much fun to see my boys, go to the beach, swim in the pool and soak up lots of that warm Florida sunshine!

I think this little needlepoint project will go along with me. I know I can't be without minis for a whole week!

Blessings,
Kathi

Some Things You Should Never Take for Granted

This beautiful beach was only about 50 minutes from my home in Florida. I have sat on this beach and watched the sunrise many times. I wish I was there today.

Florida Sunrise from R Scott on Vimeo.

I'm feeling homesick. Can you tell?

Tag! You're It! Photo Challenge!

Yep, I got tagged too! By Jody at Mini Leaps and Bounds! Here are the "rules" which I had to bend just a bit. I had to look in my saved email photos!

1 Open the 4th file where you store your photos

2 Pick out the 4th photo and publish it to your blog

3 Explain a bit about it

4 Pass this challenge to 4 other blogs

This is a photo of my oldest son at New Smyrna Beach, Florida. He's the big kid making the sand castle! He found a little helper to tote water to the construction site. Very clever!

This photo reminds me why I miss Florida so much! I miss the beach, but I really miss my son!

I'm passing this challenge on to these four bloggers! Have fun!

Sanibel Toot's Lazy Days
Dale's Dreams
Kim @ Flower and Art
Marlies Miniatures

A photo is worth a thousand words!
Blessings, Kathi