Dogs + Internet = Happy

There's nothing like animal videos on the internet to boost one's mood (unless you hate animals, in which case, I can't help you).  This video of a dog sliding down a snow-covered hill is priceless enough without the sound, but the delighted laughter of the dog's owner and his daughter is contagious.  It totally made my morning.

Speaking of dogs, my roomie and I had a furry visitor last week.  I found an old golden retriever wandering the streets of my neighborhood when I was on my way to work, so I took him home until I could find his owners.  We called him "Buddy" since he was such a sweet and friendly boy.  After three days, we were able to find his family - my neighbors - through a Craigslist posting, and they were joyously reunited.  

My couch may never be the same, and the cat was stress-puking the whole time, but it was fun to have a horse-sized dog in my dainty little house for a few days. 

The internet is a wonderful thing, ain't it?

Brass, Secondhand Lions, and Thrift Score Thursday

A couple of my recent thrift store purchases has been featured on Thrift Score Thursday this week!  This is a weekly challenge hosted by Brynne over at The Gathered Home and her co-hosts, who this week are Trisha at Black and White Obsession and Stephanie at Sandpaper and Glue.

First, this solid metal Target knockoff lamp (originally $55) of a much more expensive Arteriors brass lamp.  I was able to figure this out through the help of a fellow Instagrammer (kdall070 of House of Hipsters) and this post from Copycat Chic.  I have big plans for this guy somewhere down the road.

And then, my secondhand lion.  Isn't he fierce?  I have no idea where I'm going to put him.  I might just move him to a new location every day.

Brass is my jam, you guys, can you tell?  Speaking of brass, I've got some shiny new changes coming for the blog, which means my break is almost over.  Stay tuned!

Resting and Stuff

I previously posted a much longer version of this post with a lot of whining and stuff, but I decided to delete that because I hate whiners.  If you follow me by email or on Bloglovin', you'll probably get this post twice, so bear with me.

I'm taking some time off from blogging to recover from a string of illnesses and a concussion that I just powered through instead of resting because I like to think I'm a total boss but I'm really just a complete disaster.  

But while I'm resting, I'm also going to work on some things to take my little blog to the next level visually and creatively - so this is good news all around!   In the meantime, I've changed the name of my blog back to its original title.  I'll also be doing some editing of old posts, removing the ones that make me cringe a little, and possibly republishing old ones that would shine with a little polish.  It'll be great, I promise.

Stuff I Gotta Do: Yard Work Updates

It's been a busy few months over here in my little world, between work, throwing out my back a bunch of times, and working on the yard when my back isn't out.

As I've stated before, my yard is pretty huge by Vallejo standards.  It was completely overgrown with weeds, volunteer trees, more weeds, a 20'x15' blackberry bush, and other plant life.  This summer, I've made it my business, with the help of my family and friends, to get this nasty yard into shape.

But you wouldn't believe what kind of progress we are making back there!  It still looks rough, but we're pretty much stripping it down to its bare bones so that I can plant beautiful things next year, and invest in more attractive landscaping features.

The other thing to consider is the drought here in California.  I'm not watering the "lawn" (and by "lawn" I mean "patch of dirt and weeds"); only the vegetables and plants are getting water as needed.  The plants I've purchased so far are drought friendly, so mine isn't the most lush of gardens.

Anyway, here are some updates. Click on through for pictures.

Stuff I Gotta Do: Yard Work

If you're like me, you have a to-do list a mile long, whether it's a mental list or a written one.  Or both, as is the case with me.   For example, I've been meaning to get a pedicure for 6 months.  It's on my list, and my toes look terrible, but it's such a hassle I just keep putting it off.

Right now, my to-do list is yard-focused.  I've mentioned before that I have a really big back yard.  My little house is seated on .26 acres, which is pretty huge by Vallejo standards.  The size is great, but when I bought the house two years ago, it had long been neglected and overgrown.  Since I didn't grow up doing yard work (I have a brother, y'all), it was intimidating, so I didn't do anything with the yard the first year I lived there.  Last summer (my second summer in the house), I started doing a little here, a little there, but not much.  This year, however, I couldn't take it anymore.  I made it my goal to get 50% of that yard in shape by labor day.

And by "in shape," I mean not a total nightmare.  And by "not a total nightmare," I mean not covered in young trees with fist-sized spiders chilling in minivan-sized webs between them, and not covered in blackberry bushes, ivy, honeysuckle, and other invasive vining weeds that strangle plants.

Click through for more...