Over the weekend, we decided to have lunch at Rocky Gap resort in Maryland which has a casino, golf resort, and spa set in a wooded lake area. The resort’s web sites boasts of having hiking trails, biking, boating and fishing. Around the lake there are a number of chairs and fire pits. We were told by our dining companion that the lights around the patio are very pretty at night. When pulling in, we noticed a sign stating there is a Rocky Gap beach. Sure enough, there is a sandy beach area near the lake. Area Near Lake, Rocky Gap, 4-14-2024Lunch Time We met another person for lunch at Rocky Ga ..read more

So, another spring is upon us and, of course, all the flowers are coming up or in bloom making a perfect time for a home gardening blog. Yes, we have been busy pulling out the weeds and mulching the flower beds around here. In the below photograph, you will see the purple azaleas starting to bloom and the row of variegated liriope. We are having a good rain right now, so all the mulch is wet. Purple Azaleas and Variegated Liriope, 4-12-2024 Variegated Pieris Japonica Shrub The next plant I’m going to talk about is the variegated Pieris Japonica growing in my garden. Previously, I blogged that ..read more

For the last couple of years, I’ve wanted to say goodby tree roots. Let me explain, in my front yard there are two large tree roots in my garden bed. Every time I dig around the plants, I run into these two large roots. At last, I inspired the right person to take a look at those roots and to pull them out. So, how was it done, keep reading. Goodby Tree Roots using a Mattock Digging Tool The person’s tool of choice for removing tree roots is a mattock with a wooden handle. Fortunately, several years ago, I picked up an almost new one at a yard sale. It was super cheap, and I believe it was $5 ..read more

Sorry to say, but I’m always attached to the Rusty but Good pieces in the secondhand stores. These are usually pieces that people toss out in the trash. But stop, donate that piece instead to your favorite charity shop, because there are people who want to buy it. Today I am going to blog about the pieces I picked up on my recent shopping trip including two good but rusty pieces. In fact, you will see my springtime table centerpiece uses those two rusty tart pans. A small glass bunny and holiday eggs fit nicely in those tart pans. A coating of rusty immediately gives a piece a little character ..read more

Happy Spring Meal to all my Farmhouse Magic Blog Readers! Today we are going to talk about how we do things in our blogdom. After an early church service, when we got home we decided to eat our main meal towards evening. In fact, as I write today’s blog, I am finishing up that cup of coffee. Easter Decorations Ok, this year what was different in our spring time centerpiece? Of course, we used that new grape vine basket we picked up in the ReStore shop for $5. You can see it below filled with faux green eggs. To clean it up, I first ran a lot of warm water over it. The handle was slightly loose ..read more

Today we weeded the front garden beds and then checked out the spring blooms at one our favorite garden centers. In fact, we were so inspired by the center’s spring blooms, we decided to buy some bags of mulch to begin our garden bed clean up. After speaking with another shopper, we also bought a package of strawberry roots. This customer loved to garden. We, also, checked out photos of each other’s strawberry patches. Very interesting! Spring Blooms, Merrifield Garden Center, 3-30-2024 Spring Display Inside the Garden Store Carrots and eggs display right inside the front doors. The below ..read more

With all this talk about Springtime activities, it got me thinking about taking a nature hike. So, I’m going to head to my local park and hike on one of the nature trails. I’ve, also, noted a few, springtime robins in my yard along with a female cardinal. It looks like she wants to build a nest in my burning bush tree. On my hike, hopefully, I will find a few birds out in the woods or other woodland animals to photograph. Getting Ready for the Nature Hike Before going out, the first thing I do, is pull on a pair of comfortable walking shoes. I find I need my warm jacket on this crisp morning ..read more

Beau’s School Days is the topic of today’s blog. First of all, Beau is a great puppy and his human mom and dad love him dearly. However, like most puppies, he likes to eat and chew on everything. This is definitely a “no, no” for puppies and dogs. Therefore, to keep Beau happy and healthy, an obedience training course was selected and an instructor hired to help him. Beau gets an hour of instruction a day for five days. Beau Ready for Class, 3-28-2024 Beau’s Training So far, Beau, had thee training sessions but is still learning. For school, Beau likes to dress up with a black and white bow ti ..read more

I want my two dollars back; please let me explain. Last Saturday, I decided to vacuum out the car. I noticed a nearby car vacuum which needed eight quarters to operate. I checked at the bottom of my change purse and, actually, had eight quarters to put in the slot. Non Operating Car Vacuum Imagine my annoyance, after putting in two dollars in quarters and pressing all buttons, that the car vacuum did not work. So now what, who is going to reimburse me, right? And, my car floor remains dirty. Doing What is Right? Some people in my household think think losing eight quarters is nothing. In the s ..read more

Fishing with Dad was always an experience in patience waiting for those fish to bite. As luck would have it, my Dad was an avid fisherman always ready to haul in that big one. He had some good looking fishing poles and also two tackle boxes filled with a variety of fishing lures. I remember straighten up the boxes and looking at the unusual looking, colorful lures. One of my earliest memories is the time we had a large live catfish in a bucket of water in the bathroom. I guess he caught that one, too. Of course, when anyone went in to use the bathroom, the thing would splash in the bucket. I r ..read more