Heartspun Dreamscape: My Paradise @ Shady Lane

My "home sweet home" is here, Shady Lane, Tennessee for the last 25 years, but my world__ encompasses various travels both present and past. We named our estate "Heartspun Hilltop Haven", however after my husband passed away, I renamed it "Heartspun Hillside Haven"

Here, is where I am surrounded in steep-hillside woods, sprawling flora, gardens, and wildlife galore____some I wish I could UPS back to their native lands (armadillo, for one). Home is an extremely delightful place; serenity thrives in my paradise because Jesus walks with me.

I have created an oceanside themed bungalow from a barn! We began building our dream home 5,000+ square feet, but my husband chose suicide at his employer's, so I moved into the barn. I could not afford to finish the home I designed with him.

It was small, but it was a roof over my head. Local Mennonites donated a wrap-around deck on the steep hillside. I became an authentic hillbilly with a scenic view of the valley.

I wear flip flops year-round unless boots are in demand, despite the foot doctor's brace requirement and mandatory tennis shoes. I often run around bare feet, even in the cold. Disability stepped in, along with age issues. Another story, I will tell about in detail.

My front yard is laid back Luau style in the midst of homegrown flowers, including wisteria, and fresh delicious vegetables when the season allows. Although I have had to forego yardwork, I strive to pay others to tend it and stick to flower beds and veggie harvesting.

Despite high dollar designer's predictions or expectations, seashells, driftwood,____ well they will remain in style in my heart and in my home. Bob and I spent six weeks island hopping in Hawaii in 2002. I went to attend the Maui Writers Conference. My heart is still there, despite traveling abroad.

I will add more content often, so visit me often! I will post each month. I will be so happy to see you. Be sure to follow the entire blog.

January 2024

How are you?

Welcome to my paradise, Shady Lane, my happy place.

Enjoy the videos, content, and decor.

Outdoor Fun: 50 Bird Species and the Sounds they Make - Outdoor Benches for Park Activities (aaastateofplay.com)

Hello everyone!!!

Let's begin meandering Shady Lane today Monday, January 15th, 2023, and wow what a bitterly cold day it has turned out to be. So far we've received a foot of snow with no signs of it letting up. We are expecting temps to drop down to 0 tonight!

I spent two years in Apple Valley, Minnesota and that first winter for me was -45. Driving on ice to my job as a manager was crazy and dangerous, but the locals took it all in stride. I had always given Bob the wheel when trucking, in such conditions because he had the driving experience from life in Minnesota.

I begin this personal page with a collection of videos to represent my life's loves. I don't have the desire to go play in the snow outside. Feral cats are trying to find places to sleep, even though I fixed an old crate under the heater vent just for them. A bird even sneaked in.

I hope you enjoy the link to bird sounds. The site has images of assorted ones with their sounds. A replica of my hummingbird community way up above. I have a feeder, however, unfortunately, I am currently out of bird feed. They are all gone for winter, except the singing ones which are my wake up alarms and I will put out nuts for the squirrels tomorrow, and perhaps the remaining birds will enjoy them also.

The dogs simply do not stay outside long to go potty. They are bored to tears right now, and when they get that way they want to be mischievous getting into everything not nailed down to chew on, especially their bedding fill. I have to correct them loudly and sometimes have to pull out wads of the fill out of their mouths.

I tried assorted bones at first. Nylon ones get the knobs chewed off and you turn around and find the bone all the way in their mouth! I've already had to spend $100.00 on a vet call when Tanner got hold of an old-fashioned child's hanger and swallowed a corner off of it and afterwards bouts of diarrhea and pain. I found the corner in one of his bowel movements, so we took off to the vet.

Anyway, threw away the greenies, bones with filler, chew bones, and even milk bones. They all gave these huge dogs belly aches and diarrhea. I need a solution because I even snatch the small twigs away from them scared they will get splinters.

We are sitting in between the fireplace and a space heater in one big room freezing tonight. My hands are cold as icicles. The dogs are taking it in stride.

Can't wait to go to bed under piles of quilts and an electric blanket praying the electricity stays on. Water froze already just before dark, but I have a one-unit burner sitting in the washing machine to keep the parts from freezing like what happened last winter.

Enjoy the videos. I will change them out for others as the seasons come and go. Realize I am a huge fan of everything seaside, including but not limited to shells, snorkeling, deep sea fishing, dolphins, manatees, flamingos, and decor to match, especially on my website with imagery.

Goodnight folks. Say your prayers and count your blessings.

Talk to me myginaannday2023mail@gmail.com

I love tales that are fascinating. Here's one.

I enjoy presenting unique things of interest you might not otherwise search and seize.

This fairytale is much more than mesmerizing; perhaps magical!

It is forevermore heartbreaking bringing layers of sadness and tears.

For the first time on camera, Zsuzsi Starkloff tells the story of her forbidden

relationship with Prince William of Gloucester, in a film rebuilding the lost

legacy of the royal family's own James Bond who died tragically at the age of 30.

#2 is a romantic castle love story.

Welcome to Château de Gudanes — Château de Gudanes (chateaugudanes.com)

Set upon a hilltop in the French Pyrenees, Château de Gudanes is a place of distinguished history, romantic imagination, tranquility and sweeping natural views of the surrounding valleys and mountains.

We warmly invite you to discover this magical place and its story…

Crumbling labour of love: Couple who bought a decrepit French Château for $500k after seeing just FOUR of its 94 rooms reveal the major lessons they've learned while renovating a 300-year-old monument
When Karina and Craig Waters bought the sprawling Château de Gudanes in Verdun, in the south of France in 2013, they had seen just four of its 94 rooms - and had no idea of the scale of the project they had taken on. Almost five years later the couple, from Perth in Western Australia, have published a book about their labour of love journey restoring the vast 18th century property in the Occitanie region, which they paid an estimated AUD$500,000 (£281,600) for. Mrs Waters opened up to FEMAIL about the lessons she and her partner have learned while turning the crumbling château into a working hotel. The Château de Gudanes is an 18th-century neoclassical château in the commune of Château-Verdun, in the southern French department of Ariège. It is built on the site of an older castle destroyed in 1580. The château has been a designated monument historique since 1994, but fell into ruin in the late 20th century.

Several years ago, we visited this beautiful castle. You can find more information on their FACEBOOK at The Château de Gudanes https://www.facebook.com/chateaudegudanes

Fascinating : THE NIGHT WITCHES!

Meet the Night Witches, the Daring Female Pilots Who Bombed Nazis By Night
They were a crucial Soviet asset to winning World War II.
They flew under the cover of darkness in bare-bones plywood biplanes. They braved bullets and frostbite in the air, while battling skepticism and sexual harassment on the ground. They were feared and hated so much by the Nazis that any German airman who downed one was automatically awarded the prestigious Iron Cross medal.
All told, the pioneering all-female 588th Night Bomber Regiment dropped more than 23,000 tons of bombs on Nazi targets. And in doing so, they became a crucial Soviet asset in winning World War II.
The Germans nicknamed them the Nachthexen, or “night witches,” because the whooshing noise their wooden planes made resembled that of a sweeping broom. “This sound was the only warning the Germans had. The planes were too small to show up on radar… [or] on infrared locators,” said Steve Prowse, author of the screenplay The Night Witches, a nonfiction account of the little-known female squadron. “They never used radios, so radio locators couldn’t pick them up either. They were basically ghosts.”

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February 1st, 2024

Hearts hearts everywhere hearts!

Well, the snow hung on for a week and a half, but warmer temps brought in rain to melt it all away! They say we will get more, but maybe we won't. There's at least 40 days until Spring. Did the groundhog see his shadow? First time I haven't heard a word about Punxsutawney Phil and his predictions.

With it being the month for lovers, and hearts a plenty, let's search out my collection of hearts. I like to use them in the blog, crafts, decor inside and around the patio under cafe lights and in emails. Not so much in emails this day and age, they snip everything, but for the smart savvy computer whizes, they will figure out how to open each one.

I have fun in life and sprinkle in all the whimsical love I can. It's me, who I am. God made me that way.

Hearts are especially delightful for me, as we named the estate Heartspun Hillside Haven. Heartspun is a spin from homespun, just a lot more sentimental. Kids, grandkids and greatgrands are always happy recipients of Valentines.

What are your memories of Valentine's Day? We used to make special boxes all dressed up in many ways so a classmate would drop us in a token of their affection. Beaus would bring me gorgeous hearts filled with assorted chocolates. Every year since Bob died, I still receive hearts filled with chocolate. I found that he had left a fund for his Dad to manage, so I get one through him. Sweet!

We used to go all out for rib eye, shrimp, salads, baked taters, and scrumptious desserts. I miss those days as with driving the big rig we had some pretty special stopover places to dine and wine during every holiday.

This is the time of the year the ground is frozen hard, yet a few bloomers would attempt to bud out anyway. Lenten Rose was around throughout the winter and crocus would peek through before wisteria and snowball would creep out in March or April.

Do you garden?

The wind is cold and skies are bleak; the sun barely peeking through. Great times to hike in the woods and build a campfire above the bubbling brook on the steep hillside filled with critters dens under croppings of boulders. Critters scamper around looking for food while the few birds serenade you, perhaps watching for handouts. Snakes and spiders hide in their winter abodes. Deer with the white one tagging along pop by or Bobcat, maybe turkey pass through, sometimes a bear or cougar, but if you are cooking, beware of the coyotes. Simple as simple is, hotdogs with relishes, smores, and drink. Already made the special cupcakes for my company coming for a tea party later today.

SKIP TO MARCH