Monday, April 8, 2019

T Stands for Another Sure Sign of Spring

Hello everyone. T Day has arrived again and this week I am sharing one of the best things that happen in April with all you lovely ladies (and gentlemen who occasionally stop by also).
I'll be sharing  over at Bleubeard and Elizabeth's blog where the T Gang  gets together.


As those of you who stop by regularly know, winter takes its dear old sweet time to leave here in New Hampshire. Here it is April 8 and this is what I came home too.
It is just a dusting but...
(And I will admit, this year has been really long since snow started early in November for a switch). And I am sure many of you are sick of hearing me moan about that too.

But come this time of year, the boards come off the windows of some of the local businesses that have been closed since September or October. Signs go up for summer employment opportunities and better yet, you seen signs like this one above  popping up.

Late Saturday afternoon the hubby and I went out to run an errand at the local farm supply store.  It had been a nice day outside, and on our way, I suggested we see if our local ice cream/take out window was open. 
We hadn't had an ice cream since September, and I thought since we had both done a lot of hard work cleaning during the day we deserved a little treat. 


I had toasted coconut, which is vanilla ice cream with coconut and chocolate chips. And this is their baby size. I don't know who could ever eat the large.
And if this photo  looks empty of other people, it is because it was now after 6 PM which is dinner time in this part of the world.
When we had driven to the farm supply store about an hour and half earlier, there had been a long line, which was why we waited to stop until we were on the way home.
Ice cream makes a good supper too. (Smile)

But then I realized I left out a drink photo for T. Since it was later and the evening chill had returned, we were eating our ice cream in my husband's truck cab.
Pardon his mess.
I had been nursing a Diet Coke for awhile that afternoon and I had brought it with me in the truck. I don't know why the hubby had a Diet pepsi since Coke Zero is his usual choice.
By the way the dogs were in the back seat of the cab (yes Jo he has a double cab pick up), and they each had a cup to lick out after we were done. 

While at the farm supply store I saw this great use for old wooden pallets. Maybe you have seen this before, but it was new to me.
Put 2 together, attach to a wall, and slide your long handled gardening tools into it. We need to make one of these with a couple of old pallets as our long handled gardening tools are rather in a messy stack. It is a great recycling idea of Elizabeth's month of recycling ideas.

And while I have your attention (hopefully), don't forget about the latest challenge at Try It On Tuesday which is Use a Stencil or Two. Here is a page from my Western Journal. 
I am using a Dina Wakely journal for this and some of the pages are canvas.  I used this cool western blanket stencil with red paint onto the canvas.
Once dry, I used  bit of Black Sharpie to outline a few things and stitched on some fake leather trim which I had a picked up in a bag of trim scraps several years ago. Then I added a square of printed tissue paper and this Native American image which I believe is a raven. My two Native American images are from different parts of the West.
You still have almost a week to join in this challenge.

OK, enough for me.
Thanks so much for visiting and
Happy T Day!

17 comments:

Linda Kunsman said...

oh no- snow again!! I feel your pain... But your ice cream treat sounds really good- love coconut!I'm sure the doggies appreciated the cups too:):) Great way to use those pallets- I had not seen anything like that before.And oh wow- I love your western blanket page!!! It looks SO good on the canvas paper especially. Here's wishing you no more snow, and much warmer weather. happy T day!

CJ Kennedy said...

A few weeks ago the DQ in my hometown opened up. A sure sign of Spring. Mmm, I would have chosen the same flavor ice cream as you. Like a Mounds bar. We got rain today. I think I would have cried to see a dusting of snow. I've seen that use for pallets before. Still a very cool idea. The blanket stencil is very cool. I also like the paper with the edging and brads. Makes me think of chaps. Have a Happy T Day. Stay warm!

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

I used to love coconut, but somewhere along the way, it turned out it didn't like me. It's hard for me, since I always enjoyed coconut milk, too. Your ice cream looks good, though. What a great shot of your house and the snow. SO unlike my place, with 84 F high today. Great save with the photo of your husband's truck and your diet coke and his pepsi. Seems both companies were well represented.

Beautiful art today Loved the faux leather trim especially, and the bird in the center.

I've seen a similar way to corral your wayward tools using a single pallet. It's a nice way to keep your tools handy and stored safely, too.

Thanks for sharing your ice cream, your tool recycle idea, your incredible western art, and your two soft drinks with us for T this Tuesday.

Valerie-Jael said...

Yummy, ice cream and coke, winter must be over! Glad the world around you is slowly waking up to spring. Great journal page, too, love the colours. Happy T Day, hugs, Valerie

johanna said...

your western journal looks gorgeous! and how nice to see ice is going to change from weather to cream;) let´s enjoy! happy t-day!

froebelsternchen said...

Sorry for the snow! I so hope we get no one as in our western regions they got a load of new snow again as well. Ice cream!Yeah!!! Speaking of it I found various vegan icecreams yesterday at the grocery store and was just happy and even Ikea surves now vegan icecream her in Austria - fantastic news!
Great idea for pallets! And your Western Journal page is superb - wow!
Happy T-Day
Susixxx

Meggymay said...

Oh dear, more snow, I can imagine you are wondering why it keeps on coming.
The Ice cream however looks yummy and it sounds a great flavour. Our dogs in the past always had the remains of our ice cream treats, they used to drool as we were eating them, memories are precious.
I love the blanket stencil you used, it is an awesome page Erika.
Happy T day wishes.
Yvonne xx

craftytrog said...

Wow! That is a fabulous and striking page Erika, and the ice cream looks delicious!
Alison xx

Let's Art Journal said...

Wow, I love your stencilled canvas page! That's such a great technique and the patterns look amazing 😁. Glad you treated yourself to ice cream now the shop has reopened, it made me smile as today I don't have food cravings like I normally do when I see your T Day posts as as my post shows I've had ice cream recently too ...lol 😉. Happy T Day! J 😊 x

J said...

Poor you with all that snow, our son and DIL lived in Boston for 18 months and hated the snow, thank goodness they moved to San Francisco, no snow!
I'm not a big fan of ice cream but when I do have one I love mint choc chip the best although I had to eat GSs bubble gum ice cream when he was over, it wasn't quite as bad as it looked.
Have a great T day
Jan x

Divers and Sundry said...

Snow! A year ago they were predicting some flakes here, but today we're expecting a high of 80 lol Weather here is completely unpredictable.

I have a taste for a bit of ice cream now and yours does look delicious. I stand my long-handled tools up in a corner in the garage, but the pallet idea is a winner! Happy T Tuesday

Anne (cornucopia) said...

Not more snow! Ugh! I can relate, because coastal CT twice now has had forecasts for rain and snow mixtures during April! The first one ended up being rain and sleet. The second one rain only. It's back to being a little chilly, too. We had snow in November, too, which is not unheard of here, but unusual. I enjoyed seeing all of your photos. That pallet idea for gardening tools is a great idea! Wonderful artwork too. Stay warm and Happy T-Day!

Kate Yetter said...

I know what you mean. Everyone I know is moaning about the last bits of winter. Not that we don't love snow, it just loses its magical quality after Christmas. Haha.
Your ice cream sounds delicious. Coconut...Yum! I too love the idea of ice cream for dinner.
What a really cool stencil. I love your page. It really does look like a blanket.
Happy Tea Day,
Kate

Caty said...

OOhhhhh Ice cream is open !! Happy for you Erika !! Your ice cream looks super delicious !! Happy T-day !
Love this beautiful photograph with the snow!
Your western page is Gorgeous !! I love the stamps and the contrast between red and white colours, lovely raven!
I wish you a very nice afternoon,
Big hugs, Caty

kathyinozarks said...

Oh my more snow-ugh I did see on the weather report last night that a big storm was brewing near the coming weekend and many were getting snow. we are to dip into the freeze numbers-hoping not a hard freeze as the trees are all blooming now.
wow we really miss the handmade ice cream shoppe that used to be in the next town over from us-yours sounds really delicious and I love coconut too.
Love the recycle idea with the pallets and great art too!
Happy T wishes Kathy

Lisca said...

More snow! I can imagine you are fed up with the stuff. I feel for you.
Oh a double cabin pick-up. We traded ours in when we bought our current car, but we do miss it. But we can't afford to run two cars.
That ice cream looks yummy, in spite of the cold. I can't believe that is a baby size!
I have shown my hubby the photo of the pallet storage. What a good idea.
I love you journal page with the red stencilling. Native American motives are beautiful.
Happy T-Day,
Hugs,
Lisca

Jeanie said...

We're all sick of the snow -- I hear you there! We're predicted for tonight or tomorrow. Ugh. But that ice cream looks mighty nice! Sounds like good fun!