This is a view in early spring, 1998. When I was in England, I marveled at the beautiful, tall, and colorful flowers in front of the cottages, especially Anne Hathaway's family home near Stratford on Avon (Shakespeare's wife's family home). This is as close as I have been able to come, so far. I love this city-country cottage, that someone told me looked like a carriage house (minus the carriages) just LOVE it. It has one acre, and is 62 years old. The shutters are now a "Newport Blue", and I am getting ready to paint the door and sidelights the same color. This year's flowers will have the same scarlet and white Hollyhocks with the addition of yellow Black-eyed Susans, purple Phlox, and blue Bachelor Buttons

This home is most modest, and I know it, but not to me. I struggled to keep it and with God's help, He has allowed me to live here and to see some of my "dreams" for it happen. This photo was taken in July, 99.

Sixty something Blue Spruce in the fall - has a triple crown! Can you believe this scene from the front of my home in this current fall beauty, is only 5 minutes from an interstate highway? is only 15 minutes from the Harry S Truman Library? is on a ridge once pathed by the Santa Fe Trail? is only 20 minutes from the Nelson Gallary of Art? 20 minutes from the University of Missouri-KC? 30 minutes from Fort Osage?

This is a view looking towards the privacy fence and deck around half my home. The deck is a wrap around, just right for the needs I have. From it to the east is a huge Ash tree about 10 feet away and to the north is the expansive view and lawn to mow! This was taken in July, 99. Oh, how I hated to see the first frost take my lavendar-pink petunias in the four pots on the deck railthat you see just below this photo.But the ginger and red leaves of fall make a nice colorful change. Below the south to the boulevard (front)view from the deck is a view to the back of the acre behind it. My son, Jeff, designed the deck and the attaching privacy fenced area wrapping around behind it and to the middle of the other side of the house.

Interesting view from the back 40! Lots to mow! I call this view "Sandy's Compound", because about half the house is surrounded by deck or six foot privacy fencing, while the remainder of the back acre is 6 foot chain link fence.

I hope this photo give some sense to the viewer of the PEACE I feel when sitting in the swing (out of the photo near the deck), or the bench beneath the huge Maple in the photo. Double drive gates are seen behind where a black chain link 6 foot fence surrounds the property from there to the back boundary. Again, it was Jeff's idea for the black chain link, less obtrusive to the eye, and therefore does not interfere with the view. He also gave his "momma" the bench and the great two person swing that matches it!
 
 

Thanks to Dawn Reber for "Autumn Muted" Background. Visit her site for free beautiful graphics and she even has a "build your own page" feature with hit and select 3 backgrounds WITH HTML codes! Dawn is a talented sister from Roses of Sharon Ladies Christian Web Site. Visit this award winning site!