Meet Lucy Caboosey!

My heart was captured the first time I laid my eyes on this kitty! I had just signed papers on the Caboose and was sitting in my 'soon to be' garden area when I saw these yellow eyes looking at me from under the Caboose. She was sitting on the rail all safe and secure and looking at me wondering who I was. Not knowing her name or if she was lost I tried to friend  her and as I got closer she walked the rails underneath and got more secure deep in the belly of the underparts of the Caboose..I checked back a while later and my new little friend was still there so off to the store for some canned food and dry kibble.I found out from management here at the Village that she is a ferrel kitty that was born here and that she had been captured by PAWS and spayed along with her siblings and then brought back to the Village.That was over 6 years ago! So when I moved in,  I was actually moving in on her space so I was careful but determined to share this.space with her. Since she is a ferrel  cat and has not ever been held, brushed or loved it has been a long process and over time we have managed to work out ways to show affection for one another. In the winter she has a heated igloo with soft warm blankets and in the summer time she chooses between 3 favorite sleeping towels and of course her comfy bed. She has been named "Lucy Caboosey" and she proudly lives  in the garden area greeting all who walk by and always has her safety area on those rails under the caboose. She has become our kitty  and runs to the walkway to greet us in the mornings and follows us right in the shop for her morning treats. The same goes for in the evening when it has quieted down Lucy  wonders in to find her treats that have been put down for her on the rug. As far as holding her and touching her ..well that is still a work in progress. I have touched her on her back and tail many times and she always give me 'the look' as she scoots away.  She has willingly come close enough to bat at my hand (with her claws in) and then sit just out of arms reach and then sneak in at my hand to smell it and I have even got a lick....melt my heart, that was she has done to me! So if you come by, please stop in to say Hi to Lucy Caboosey... and me of course!

Until then, ~Rose xoxo

Let my blogging begin :)

It's time! Time to stop thinking about this and just get busy and start writing. I've wondered what to put here and what not to and I guess it will be trial and hopefully not to many errors.
So with a little luck..here goes!
I have had the pleasure and the hard work to run my little shop (that is actually in a Caboose dating back to 1905) for nearly 5 years now in a wonderful destination location in Bothell, Wa called Country Village. I am so at home here and can't ever imagine leaving.
So I plan on writing of the daily tales of being here in this country setting with  the chickens, roasters, ducks, my feral kitty named Lucy Caboosey and all the fun things going on here.
One of the best parts of being in my shop is the customers that have become friends and my little adopted family of three and a half. They are Chris, Janene and wee Benjamin and a new little one on the way due in September. I  held and rocked Benjamin as a wee infant and can hardly wait to hold his little sister. I love when Benjamin yells from across the parking lot when he's getting in the car..."Good Night Gramma Rose, I love you!"
Benjamins' world  is all about trains! He can tell me more about trains that just about anyone and sometimes I'll be working away and I'll hear the chain and wheel that's attached to the caboose making noise and sure enough...it's Benjamin and Chris having a grand time. I am so blessed  to have them in my daily life!
Isn't that the cutest picture of Chris and Benjamin playing right outside my door?
Well, I hope this is ok for my first blog in long long time.. I'll get better :) I promise!

Until then, Rose xo

A Touch o Whimsy

MMP Friday Shopping event March 5th "A Touch of Whimsy"

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Please join us for shopping with a twist on Friday March 5th 2010 as we present "A Touch of Whimsy"

Every now and then, it's fun to take a detour from the everyday by adding playful touches to our routines. It doesn't even need to be something outrageous. Sometimes, adding just a "touch o' whimsy" is all it takes to spice things up.

It can be fun to add whimsical touches to our homes too. Having a beautiful home doesn't mean you can't let your playful side shine through. In fact, I think it's just the opposite. If you find something that makes you smile or gives you a feeling of pleasure, you should joyfully include that piece in your décor. It's those special little touches that bring your unique personality into your home and make it truly special.

Fanciful touches that make you feel just a twinge of joy are never out of place, even in the most elegant surroundings. Tucked into my favorite painted and chic china cabinet, sits a beautiful pedestal bowl filled with hand-shaded velvet strawberries. They're bright and pink, and completely unexpected. But they add a touch of whimsy that makes me smile whenever I pass by that corner. My white-painted kitchen shelf displays fine canvas prints of the most beautiful roses, vintage china tea cups and mini creamers. But beside one of the canvases, filled with the most exquisite roses, I've placed a whimsical pink polka dot tea pot. Think it doesn't belong? On the contrary, its presence brings the entire shelf to life.

Where could you add a whimsical touch or two to your home? In your most elegant display, or a forgotten nook? Let your imagination play. Faux pastries trimmed with lace on a table set with your grandmother's vintage china. A whimsical wreath made from ribbons and treasures, hung on the wall of a Victorian room. A cupcake cushion placed on a refinished antique French chair. If it brings you the tiniest feeling of delight, it belongs.

Celebrate your whimsical side and surround yourself with things that make you smile.

 

 

Joyce Lucas, Founder
Make Mine Pink

Photo Contribution 1: Sweet Hummingbird Lane | Photo Contribution 2: Esprit de Joie| Photo Contribution 3: Gail Friend Designs

Wow can you believe it is already November and time to start craving Thanksgiving dinner?
I wonder what will be in store for this Thanksgiving. Will my children be going to dinner at their in laws or will we have a feast at home. I think this year I'm not going to say a word and see what happens.
What will you be doing this year?

Happy Fall!
Don't you love that 'fallish' feeling in the air? This is such a lovely time of year when sweaters come out of storage and the smells of something in the oven or crock filling up the house with love!

I wanted to share with you and tell you that the new design on my blog was done last night by my sweetest friend, Gail who did her magic and got this started. Thank you Gail so much! It looks soft and pink and me!!!
 Now am going to learn how to add all the great logos for Make Mine Pink and The Slipper Project but I am just too excited to post this so excuse that their not up yet!

Thanks for stopping by and if you'd like, say hi.

Hugs!
~Rose~

Hi Everyone,

I am hoping everybody is having a delightful summer and living lots of moments that will soon be wonderful memories!

The weather here in the Seattle area this summer has been so different ! I would like the old Seattle weather to come back and stay! That is one of the many things I fell in love with when we moved here 23 years ago!!! Cool summers, everything lush and green and we celebrated all four seasons...this years has been a heatwave on week and 40 degrees cooler the next ....ok.. already... we experienced something new now give us back our normal weather.....please!

And on top of all of that, where did the summer go? Wasn't it the 4th of July just last week? Sure have been enjoying watermelon almost every night !

I want to tell you about the most exciting thing that I have done in a long time. I not one to belong to lots of 'this and thats' but I now proudly belong to an organization called... Make Mine Pink. Please check it out if you have a minute or two..It's www.makeminepink.com .The founder is this remarkable lady, Joyce Lucas who started this company 6 years ago. I have been following its progress for several years and hoped that one day I too could be part of this group of women in business. And now I can proudly shout to the world...that my little shop is a very proud member of Make Mine Pink!!!!! I have the upmost respect for Joyce, her business savy and her ability to always be a step or two ahead of the rest of us! I have met the 'creme of the creme' with the business women who like myself are part of this networking. I can hardly wait to get into the shop in the morning and hop onto the Make Mine Pink Forums to see whats in store for the day.

So I will keep you posted to all the new adventures we are taking.....

I better stop here and try to figure out how to make this blog pretty, pink, soft, flowery and me.

From me to you and until then,
Love,
~Rose~