Merry Christmas and Blogiversary

Hello everyone,

Merry Christmas to all.

Today is my Blogiversary. 

I have been blogging since

December 25, 2009. 

I started blogging on a whim, and I have loved blogging over the years.

I have learned so much over the past eight years. 

Friendship is the most rewarding part of blogging.

Journaling my daily experiences for my family and friends is a

great way to record my journey in retirement.

My photography has improved, but I still have 

a lot to learn about the photo editing process. 

I wanted to share a little Christmas cheer from my garden.

I hung my red teapot on a shepherd hook in the middle of 

the flower bed. Fresh fir from the Christmas tree is a

perfect bed for my glass mercury bird.

A festive red printed ribbon adorns the hook.

I will start another year of blogging with an

open mind and an open heart to new

creative ideas. This past year I have struggled with finding

time to blog, because of my husband's illness. During

July, he had emergency pacemaker surgery

, and I had cataract surgery on both eyes. I have slowed 

down and I just feel like taking life easier. No pressure

to do extra lifting, cooking, or spending money on 

decor for our home. I love setting a Tea scape once a month

for my Tea Time calendar, and maybe a trip I take

is fun to blog about. 2018 is going to be busy

with family activities. Hopefully, we will

stay healthy for a minute. Come back to see my New Year's Eve Post.

Merry Christmas and see you soon.

Joyously,

Betty

Linking to:

Rustic and Refined for Dishing It and Dishing It

Love of Home for Sunday at Home 

Normandy Life for Mosaic Monday

 The Dedicated House for Make it Pretty Monday 

Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings-The Heart of Your Home
Between Naps on the Porch for Met Monday
Tuesday Cuppa at Antiques and Tea Cups

Friends Sharing Tea at Bernideen's Tea Time Blog 

The Scoop at Cedar Hill Farmhouse 

Our Home Away from Home for Tuesdays at our Home

A Stroll Thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday 

The Dedicated House for Before and After Wednesday

Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesday 

Katherines Corner for Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop

Home and Garden Thursday at A Delightsome Life 

Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday
Thoughts of Home at Poofing the Pillows

The Essence of Home for  Show Your Style Thursday

French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday

Rattlebridge Farm for Foodie Friday and Everything Else 
 The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday

Ms. Toody Goo Shoes for Best of the Weekend

How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday~Anything Goes

June Garden Journal

Hello everyone,

Welcome to my blog...If this is your first time

here I am so happy you are visiting.

Each month I share photos of my garden.

I love to see the changes from month to

month and year to year. 

The little blue bench got a new paint job.

and I am trying to develop a shade area 

under my plum tree...I have wild violets growing

and I would like to plant some hosta plants and other

shade loving plants.

My new love affair is my water pump.

I love the contrast of my garden decor in this

photograph.

June is the begining of our hot weather season.  I planted two

hydrangeas last year. They have grown taller

and wider this year. I bought a new umbrella to

cover them during the hot summer days.

I think I need to find a new place for my angel. She is

getting covered with the beautiful blooms. Go Here

for a look at last year's hydrangeas.

My hydrangeas are very special to me. 

During the month of May the roses are all blooming.

June is the month for my day lilies to show off.

I love the beautiful yellow/orange color of 

day lilies.

One more look at my water pump. 

I hope you have a great week. I will be back 

soon to share more garden beauty.

Joyously,

Betty 

Linking to:

Rustic and Refined for Dishing It and Dishing It

Lavender Cottage for Mosaic Monday

 The Dedicated House for Make it Pretty Monday 

Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings-The Heart of Your Home
Between Naps on the Porch for Met Monday
Tuesday Cuppa at Antiques and Tea Cups

Bernideen's BTTCG Blog Party

Friends Sharing Tea at Bernideen's Tea Time Blog 

No Place Like Home at Rose Chintz Cottage 

The Scoop at Cedar Hill Farmhouse 

Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House

A Stroll Thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday 

The Dedicated House for Before and After Wednesday

Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesday 

Katherines Corner for Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop

Home and Garden Thursday at A Delightsome Life 

Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday
Thoughts of Home at Poofing the Pillows

The Essence of Home for  Show Your Style Thursday

French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday

Rattlebridge Farm for Foodie Friday and Everything Else 
 The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday

How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday~Anything Goes

Let's Celebrate

Hello everyone,

I have all my yard work done and I'm ready for our

party this Saturday. Today's temperature was over the 

century mark and all this week it's projected to 

be in the triple digits.  I will be moving the party into

the house, but we will do the family photo 

outside under the big tree. I'll share the photo next week. 

I was planning to have the food inside the house and eat outside

So I moved the black table and chairs from the pergola to the open patio for 

more seating and with the picnic table we've had since the 70's

plus the table in the covered patio we have seating for 16 people.

That was before I saw the HOT weather forecast.

We will be eating indoors now. 

  I found two Salmon colored geraniums for decoration.

I love my bunting hanging in the pergola and my

new patio umbrella to shade my company.

When I moved the black patio table and chairs to the 

open patio, I moved my bistro set and bench under

the pergola. The lavender is blooming beautifully, and 

I decided I wouldn't harvest it this year for my lavender projects.

I just want to enjoy the beautiful blooms.

A little apartment size stove sits under the

pomegranate tree. I would like to find some vintage cups 

to put on the stove top adding more color... 

The family will be arriving on Thursday afternoon and  

hopefully I will be able to snap some photos of the

covered patio and the dining room decorated for

my birthday party on Saturday.

Have a great week. 

Joyously,

Betty 

Linking to:

Rustic and Refined for Dishing It and Dishing It
Lavender Cottage for Mosaic Monday

 The Dedicated House for Make it Pretty Monday 

Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings-The Heart of Your Home
Between Naps on the Porch for Met Monday
Tuesday Cuppa at Antiques and Tea Cups

Friends Sharing Tea at Bernideen's Tea Time Blog 

No Place Like Home at Rose Chintz Cottage 

The Scoop at Cedar Hill Farmhouse 

Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House

A Stroll Thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday 

The Dedicated House for Before and After Wednesday

Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesday 

Katherines Corner for Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop

Home and Garden Thursday at A Delightsome Life 

Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday
Thoughts of Home at Poofing the Pillows

The Essence of Home for  Show Your Style Thursday

French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday

Rattlebridge Farm for Foodie Friday and Everything Else 
 The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday

How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday~Anything Goes

Fall Patio Before and After

Hello everyone,

We are having a 20 degree above normal temperature in Northern California. It's been in the 90's this week. Hopefully by this weekend it will be cooler. Sweetheart and I are busy this month. I am so blessed to have a group of friends and we are gathering together this weekend for a retreat...Then sweetheart and I rre off to his 55th high school reunion. October is always so much fun with the baseball playoffs and the World Series. We have friends coming over to watch one game on our BIG television on the patio. And now I have the patio decorated with a warm blanket covering the swing and another warm blanket covering the chaise. I have comfy pillows and a throw to cover up if anyone gets a chill. I found a plaid throw to cover the top of the swing. I bought the gray blankets and plaid throw at Wal Mart for under $5.00 dollars each.

This summer I dressed the swing in white with soft pink pillows and pink flowers. BEFORE

If the weather cools off in the patio, we have a large heater to warm us up.

Our family has  decided to all come to visit during the Thanksgiving holiday and we have plenty of space for the guys to watch the Thanksgiving day football games. I will be blessed to have all my children and my six granddaughters together at the same time.  I have a photo opportunity and I will be taking a loot of photos. 

Looking forward to the weeks ahead entertaining friends and family.

My fern grotto is looking healthy. And when I trimmed all the flowers before my vacation they are having a beautiful new blooming cycle. I just love to see the roses bloom.

Secret, Autumn Joy and Delphinium

A mosaic to pin

Thank you so much for visiting My Cozy Corner.

Please come back soon. 

Joyously,

Betty 

Linking to:

How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday~Anything Goes 

The Tray of Bliss for Five Star Frugal

Rustic and Refined for Table It Link Party - Sunday 

Between Naps on the Porch for Met Monday

Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings-The Heart of Your Home

Lavender Cottage for Mosaic Monday

The Scoop at Cedar Hill Farmhouse 

Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House

A Stroll Thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday 

Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesday 

The Dedicated House for Before and After Wednesday

A Delightsome Life for Home and Garden Thursday

Katherine's Corner for Thursday Favorite Thing 

No Minimalist Here for Show Your Style Thursday

French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday

Rattlebridge Farm for Foodie Friday and Everything Else 
 The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday

THURSDAY FAVORITE THINGS BLOG HOP 209

Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop 209

Welcome.
Are you ready to party?
I am!!!
My favorite thing this week is making a mosaic of my Pomegranate Tree.
We squeeze the juice from the pomegranates and enjoy the juice all winter long. I also make pomegranate jelly for Christmas gifts. Yum! To see more Pomegranates GO HERE
Did you know that St. Francis of Assisi is the Patron Saint of animals and the environment.
His feast day is celebrated on October 4th of each year.
The leaves haven't turned their beautiful golden color in Northern California. Maybe next week.

Now it's time to get this party started.

THURSDAY FAVORITE THINGS BLOG HOP NO. 209

Welcome to the Thursday Favorite Things blog hop. We invite you to link up and share your favorite post or a post about your favorite things.

We can't wait to see what you share!

Katherine- Katherines Corner || Twitter || Pinterest || Facebook || Google + || Instagram || Bloglovin’|| Nina-Vintage Mama’s Cottage || Twitter || Pinterest || Facebook || Google + || Instagram || Bloglovin’|| Debi- Surroundings by Debi || Twitter || Pinterest || Facebook || Google + || Instagram || Bloglovin’|| Jas- All That’s Jas || Twitter || Pinterest || Facebook || Google + || Instagram || Bloglovin’|| Erika- What Erika Wears || Twitter || Pinterest || Facebook || Google + || Instagram || Bloglovin’|| Betty- My Cozy Corner || Twitter || Pinterest || Facebook || Google + || Instagram || Bloglovin’|| Rina- I Thee Cook || Twitter || Pinterest || Facebook || Google + || Instagram || Bloglovin’|| Rosemary- An Italian in My Kitchen || Twitter || Pinterest || Facebook || Google + || Instagram || Bloglovin’||

Adding your link to this blog hop gives Katherine and her hostesses permission to share your posts and pictures via social media, on pinterest and as features on their blogs.

An InLinkz Link-up

Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop No 205

Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop 205

I'm so excited to be part of this wonderful 'Blog Hop' every Thursday.

Thank you Katherine for inviting me to share my favorite things. 

My favorite thing this week is my beautiful Angel in my garden.

I love the way she holds the roses in her hands and bows her head in prayer.

THURSDAY FAVORITE THINGS BLOG HOP NO. 205 

Welcome to the Thursday Favorite Things blog hop. We invite you to link up and share your favorite post or a post about your favorite things.

We can't wait to see what you share!

Katherine- Katherines Corner || Twitter || Pinterest || Facebook || Google + || Instagram || Bloglovin’|| Nina-Vintage Mama’s Cottage || Twitter || Pinterest || Facebook || Google + || Instagram || Bloglovin’|| Debi- Surroundings by Debi || Twitter || Pinterest || Facebook || Google + || Instagram || Bloglovin’|| Jas- All That’s Jas || Twitter || Pinterest || Facebook || Google + || Instagram || Bloglovin’|| Erika- What Erika Wears || Twitter || Pinterest || Facebook || Google + || Instagram || Bloglovin’|| Betty- My Cozy Corner || Twitter || Pinterest || Facebook || Google + || Instagram || Bloglovin’|| Rina- I Thee Cook || Twitter || Pinterest || Facebook || Google + || Instagram || Bloglovin’|| Rosemary- An Italian in My Kitchen || Twitter || Pinterest || Facebook || Google + || Instagram || Bloglovin’||

Adding your link to this blog hop gives Katherine and her hostesses permission to share your posts and pictures via social media, on pinterest and as features on their blogs.

   

An InLinkz Link-up

;

Hydrangeas Before and After

Hello everyone,

How about those Hydrangeas? I love, love, love hydrangeas. They are continuing to grow and bloom. We have been having a real hot spell and these fun loving plants love their feet cool all the time. When the hot sun beats down on the beautiful blooms I can see the tips of the flowers getting sun burned. I wish they had sun screen for plants. LOL.

I have my angel sitting between them. I hope she can help with the sun god.

This photo is my BEFORE shot.
I think I've come up with a solution to save my poor hydrangeas from the intense sun. I do have the plants in the shade, but for two hours in the late afternoon the sun is shining right on the top of the plants.

So I went to Big Lots and found this beach umbrella for $9.99 and it works beautifully.
AFTER

The pole is long enough to extend higher as the plants grow. They do look better with the shade covering their blooms. 

Thank you little angel for helping with a solution to my problem. 

Here is a pin for you

Thanks for visiting and I hope you are having a great week.

Joyously,

Betty

Rustic and Refined for Table It Link Party - Sunday 

Between Naps on the Porch for Met Monday

Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings-The Heart of Your Home

Lavender Cottage for Mosaic Monday

The Scoop at Cedar Hill Farmhouse 

A Return to Loveliness  at A Delightsome Life 

Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House

Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesday 
Chic By You for Chic By You Wednesday

Katherine's Corner for Thursday Favorite Thing 

No Minimalist Here for Show Your Style Thursday

French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday

Rattlebridge Farm for Foodie Friday and Everything Else 
 The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday 
My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday 

The ROSEGARDEN for Showoff Saturday