The Green-Eyed Monster....

For most of us, this phrase brings to mind the term jealousy. In this case, I'm using the words both literally and figuratively.

In my last post, I introduced our latest bundle of joy (a new kitten named Byron George) to the world. Apparently, our established (older) and spoiled Princess Mia Cat is a bit disgruntled that her grand entrance into society was put on the back burner for the sake of a wild & wooly newcomer. Here she is before Byron George:

Isn't she sleeping so peacefully?
....and after B.G. :


Those of you not familiar with Mia may not recognize the expression of righteous indignation on her face. It's a look I've seen before - usually if I come back from shopping without a treat for her, or if I've been out of the house longer than she felt was necessary. Though her eyes are closed in both pictures, I'm quite certain they've turned a deeper shade of green since our new arrival has come to live with us. Maybe I'll show her this post - complete with her TWO pictures to compare with Byron's ONE. That oughta put her in a better mood. :)

Sending blessings and best wishes for a purrfect day!

~Shari

Good things in Small Packages

Sometimes life sorta comes flying at you from all directions! A few weeks ago, my sister Sandy was out in her wonderful old barn taking care of her chickens when she heard a mewing sound. After much exploration, she found the sweetest little kitten that looked to be about 3 months old and had been injured. She took the little gal to the Veterinarian and was told her growth plate had been damaged and her leg would need amputation. Being the compassionate soul she is, my sister arranged for kitty's surgery and offered her a permanent home. Now Miss Lily (AKA Tripod - but only when she's not listening)will always have a safe, warm place and a family consisting of human parents and canine & feline siblings! What a lucky girl she is.


Fast forward a couple of weeks and Lily is doing well. Sandy is again in her barn - this time with her husband. Yep, more mewing. This time, they discovered a teeny, tiny kitten. It was evening, and they considered the possibility that the mommy cat may have been in the process of moving her babies, so they left the kitten and went inside. The next morning, they went back to the barn and the little guy was still there. After sending her husband to the pet store for kitten formula and a bottle, Sandy called me and asked if I'd be interested in taking care of this little one. Of course, I jumped at the chance. I drove to her house and picked up my precious bundle. That was a week ago. We took him to the Vet's office and were told that he was approximately 2 weeks old. He weighed 6 and one half OUNCES! Can you imagine how teeny tiny that is? He also had an eye infection and an upper respiratory infection. So now, after a week and 2 days - and oral antibiotics & eye drops, I am pleased and proud to present 3 week old and 11oz. Byron George...or as we lovingly call him "WonderCat"

Adding Layers

Hi Everyone! Sorry I was away so long. It's been a busy, busy year and I have so much to share, I don't know where to start! Months ago I posted a picture of our new house - a view from the road. What you can't see from that image is the back yard, which had been sadly neglected for many years. Let me tell you a little about the former owners and residents of our little cottage. They were a sweet old couple in their 90's. Now mind you, this is a super-small town, and when we arrived, the local folk wasted no time in letting us know how well-loved and respected these citizens were. Mr. F. (The names have been abbreviated to protect the innocent) had been an engineer and Mrs. F was a teacher at the middle school. We're told by their nephew that Mrs. F was largely responsible for the school's library expansion. As a result, a plaster bust of her resides in the Middle School Library, which is kitty-corner across the street from us. I can almost feel her watching over her beloved home & yard. Talk about having big shoes to fill - My Guy and I wondered if we'd ever fit in! Mr. and Mrs. F. must have been extraordinary gardeners too, because nearly the entire backyard was a giant mass of flowers and of course the weeds that moved in while the F's grew older and less able to tend to them. When we viewed the house for the first time, it was April, and there was still a healthy coating of fluffy white snow on the ground. We assumed there would be grass beneath it. Silly us!!

It is apparent that Mrs. F. loved her flowers, and as I take on each small section of the yard, she is never far from my thoughts. I can only imagine the time and love she invested in this home and it's yard. It is with those thoughts in mind and with respect to Mrs. F. that I've tried to salvage what I can, and donate what I cannot or do not want to keep. One of the highlights of the yard is an enormous wild rose bush in the NE corner. Isn't she wonderful? I'd love to know how long this stunning gal has called this little spot home.

It is my hope that I'll find the right balance between putting my own personal touches on this yard, while still offering an appreciative nod to the talented lady whose flowers still bloom.

Here she is from far away....



And up close....



Until next time, take care and take time to smell the roses!

Hugs,
Shari

A Time for Reflection and Gratitude

Hello Everyone, and Happy Thanksgiving! It is with light and grateful hearts that we write today - the day before Thanksgiving. As Sandy and I prepare for tomorrow, we are reminded how very lucky we are to have our families, each other and friends old and new.

As we count our own blessings, we realize how important it is to remember those less fortunate. For several years now, Sandy has hosted a wreath making party at her home. She invites her sisters and friends (and encourages each of them to bring another friend), out to her beautiful old barn, and this wonderful, warm and creative group of women make and decorate live wreaths and swags that are then sold, and all of the proceeds are donated to a local charity. This is also a great opportunity for the women to eat, drink and be merry, as the barn is filled with the chatter of kindred spirits. This wonderful event is taking place on Sunday, November 30. I plan to have lots of photos to share with all of you.

We wish each of you a warm, wonderful Thanksgiving Day!

Life's Little Adventures!

Hello Everyone! I'd like to extend a special greeting to Robin and Melissa. They were the first to welcome us into the blogging community, and we couldn't be more grateful!

As our profile states, Sandy and I are sisters. We share many of the same tastes, hobbies, goals, values and ideas - so we decided to follow our hearts and start a business that reflects our passions...Family, Home and all things vintage! Talk about a big step! It's a little scary, as we learn to juggle jobs, family, friends, and now this new endeavor! If that weren't enough, my "better half" and I recently purchased our first home together. I lovingly refer to it as our "little stone cottage"..(see below)



I fell absolutely, completely and utterly in love with this house the first time I drove up to it. I could FEEL how much it was meant to be mine. Once inside, it was apparent that the only updating to this (built in 1940) house was a family room addition that was put on in the late 60's - complete with dark, heavy paneling, those old porch style crank windows, and period sculptured shag carpeting. Needless to say, this will be a work in progress for me as I try to settle in and update at the same time. I look forward to sharing this journey with all of you, and hopefully hearing your ideas and suggestions along the way!

It's like the first day at a new school......

Hello there fellow bloggers. Thank you for dropping in and for having enough interest (and patience) to keep reading. My name is Shari, and together with my sister Sandy, we're known as Tidbits and Treasures. Here is where we'll share our ideas, opinions, successes and blunders as we grow and learn to thrive on this crazy journey we call life.

We're so thrilled to be entering into this new and exciting realm of online communication. We've been reading many different blogs for months now, and have been chomping at the bit to become a part of this amazing community. It's very exciting to see so many clever, witty, warm and inspirational people carving out their own spaces and offering so much support and encouragement to each other. We look forward to making new friends, and learning new things as we dive head-first into this new territory.