THE LATEST HAPPENINGS

 An honest answer is like a warm hug. Proverbs 24: 26 The Message

As I look back at my posts I realize I've been posting just one post a month. Not what I had hoped to do when I first started this blog. I had hoped to post much more often! But the reason for this blog in the first place was to let you all know when our Hob Nobber sales were coming up and also to share some of our "finds" before the big sale and the adventures we had finding them! But change is a part of life and as we got older the work became harder. It became quite a huge project to fill this big old house with vintage and antique finds, as fun as it was! So that's when I opened up my online shop, Gwen And Alma's, on Etsy. Later my daughter and granddaughter joined me in this endeavor. Hubby Les, became our shipper! Occasionally we had a booth at Gold Rush in Rochester but later stopped doing that as well.

Presently we are still selling in our online shop, Gwen And Alma's! Hop on over there to see some of our latest finds!

One thing that we started doing is having a yearly garage and vintage sale to begin downsizing while also selling some of our Gwen And Alma treasures. So I'll be sharing here when our next garage sale will be. Most likely in September. So keep an eye out for it! You might also want to check out our Instagram page which Elissa will be taking charge of and will be posting photos on there! 

As mentioned in several posts I'm also sharing about how to simplify your life which, as I think about what I've written here, doesn't sound like I'm doing any simplifying myself! Hahaha! It's a work in progress!

Another thing that's in the planning stages is a Centennial Celebration for the Plummer House in 2024. Read about the Plummer House on another page seen at the top of our blog. The Plummer House was built from 1917 to 1924! It took 7 years to build this 49 room mansion! Next year it will be 100 years old! So we're planning an event to celebrate! I'll share details as it gets closer!

Every year my granddaughter, Gili,  sets up a Fairy Garden on the grounds. We found a spot at the bottom of a stone stairway that is hidden just until you come around the corner and there it is! A pleasant little surprise! People began leaving change in the little shell that we set next to it! That was a magical surprise for US! It never amounts to much but we save it and buy new things for next year's garden. Below is this year's Fairy Garden.

              Gili posted a little note that reads, "My Fairy Garden...Enjoy but please don't destroy!

Stay Cool!

Sandy 

THE FAIRY GARDEN

One of the things that I do with my granddaughters ( Ashley and Brianna ) every summer is to make a Fairy Garden. We live in the middle of 11 acres of property that is also a public park so we knew we'd get visitors to our garden. The first year we set up the garden we were worried that, being so open to the public, someone might mess it up or worse yet, take something out of it. But to the surprise and delight of Ashley, Brianna, and I, the first morning we went to check on it, we found a pile of pennies next to our Fairy Garden. The girls thought that another fairy must have come and left them. So we put a large shell next to it and put the pennies in the shell. The next day we not only found more money in the shell, but someone had made a little bed for the fairy ( named, Iridessa ) out of a flat rock and a leaf for a blanket. During that whole summer we continued to find more money and more additions to the garden until at the end of the summer we had $4.32 and lots of handmade furniture! It was quite magical as we never saw anyone near the garden when we went to check and yet things just kept magically appearing!

So this year I thought I would document things here and hope that we have similar results to share with you. We'll show you the path to the garden and then the FAIRY GARDEN itself.  Then periodically, we'll show you any improvements or "monetary" gains we receive in the garden. Join us in THE MAGIC OF THE GARDEN.


We begin here ( photo above ) where a small path leads us to the big circle drive.

To the right of the circle drive is the front door to the main house.

An old pot of flowers in the middle of the circle drive to our left.

We are now heading down a cobbled path on the other side of the circle drive. 

Turning right on the cobbled path, we head towards the base of the former greenhouse.

Turning left at the greenhouse, we follow the path around the greenhouse.

Eventually we arrive at the top of this staircase. We're almost there!

Down the stairs and around the corner  to the right and here we are!

Ashley and Brianna are hard at work!

Close-up of Iridessa sitting on a mushroom.

Table with little wooden bowls and stone stools. 

"Pond" surrounded by moss with a couple of ducks.

Pot of flowers on table.

Owen, the owl, sits on a ledge overlooking the scene.

A little shelter made of twigs and leaves.

Froggy, the frog, sits on a stone.

We'll keep you posted on the magic appearing!