A Note from Tina | № 24
"Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated" ~ Confucius
What We've Been Up To
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• The garage has been cleaned and somewhat organized. Being sick put me behind 🤧
*Recipes that look and sound delicious (that I will probably never try/ make 😆🤷♀️)
○ This Peach Galette
What I've Read | September 2025
Happy Reading!
"A ROOM WITHOUT BOOKS IS LIKE A BODY WITHOUT A SOUL" ~ Marcus Tullius Cicero
• Making Your Home Meaningful | Author: Bre Doucette | 223 pages | Available Here |
Aspiring decorators will learn how to identify their personal style, implement it throughout their home, and effortlessly switch out key decor elements to celebrate seasons and holidays. What is the hardest part of home decorating? It’s figuring out how to get started. Bre Doucette, author of The Gift of Home and creator of the Rooms for Rent blog, helps you get over this crucial first step with proven and practical advice on how to discover your style and then apply it to every space in your home. Once these major decorating decisions have been made, the second half of the book shows you how easy it is to add seasonal touches that still retain the same look of the rest of your home, adding a festive, celebratory feel throughout the year. Making Your Home Meaningful will help you decorate and create heartfelt, authentic spaces that truly make your house a home you love living in.
• The Secret of Secrets (Robert Langdon, book 6) | Author: Dan Brown |688 pages | Available Here
Robert Langdon, esteemed professor of symbology, travels to Prague to attend a groundbreaking lecture by Katherine Solomon—a prominent noetic scientist with whom he has recently begun a relationship. Katherine is on the verge of publishing an explosive book that contains startling discoveries about the nature of human consciousness and threatens to disrupt centuries of established belief. But a brutal murder catapults the trip into chaos, and Katherine suddenly disappears along with her manuscript. Langdon finds himself targeted by a powerful organization and hunted by a chilling assailant sprung from Prague’s most ancient mythology. As the plot expands into London and New York, Langdon desperately searches for Katherine . . . and for answers. In a thrilling race through the dual worlds of futuristic science and mystical lore, he uncovers a shocking truth about a secret project that will forever change the way we think about the human mind.
• Battle for the American Mind, uprooting a century of miseducation | Pete Hegseth | 288 pages | Available Here
Behind a smokescreen of “preparing students for the new industrial economy,” early progressives had political control in mind. America’s original schools didn’t just make kids memorize facts or learn skills; they taught them to think freely and arrive at wisdom. They assigned the classics, inspired love of God and country, and raised future citizens that changed the world forever. Today, after 16,000 hours of K-12 indoctrination, our kids come out of government schools hating America. They roll their eyes at religion and disdain our history. We spend more money on education than ever, but kids can barely read and write—let alone reason with discernment. Western culture is on the ropes. Kids are bored and aimless, flailing for purpose in a system that says racial and gender identity is everything. Battle for the American Mind is the untold story of the Progressive plan to neutralize the basis of our Republic – by removing the one ingredient that had sustained Western Civilization for thousands of years. Pete Hegseth and David Goodwin explain why, no matter what political skirmishes conservatives win, progressives are winning the war—and control the “supply lines” of future citizens. Reversing this reality will require parents to radically reorient their children’s education; even most homeschooling and Christian schooling are infused with progressive assumptions. We need to recover a lost philosophy of education – grounded in virtue and excellence – that can arm future generations to fight for freedom. It’s called classical Christian education. Never heard of it? You’re not alone. Battle for the American Mind is more than a book; it’s a field guide for remaking school in the United States. We’ve ceded our kids’ minds to the left for far too long—this book gives patriotic parents the ammunition to join an insurgency that gives America a fighting chance. Whether you're a conservative looking to push back against the progressive agenda or simply someone who cares about the education of our children, this book is for you.
It's Officially Autumn! 20 Movies for the Season
It's Autumn!
If you're the type of person who doesn't like horror movies (31 movies) ; then you will enjoy the ones listed below.
- Hocus Pocus - the first one. I didn't care for the second one.
- It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown - this show never gets old!
- When Harry met Sally - I love this movie!
- You've got mail - ♥️♥️
- Legends of the fall - Brad Pitt in this movie, sigh
- St. Elmos fire - I haven't watched this in a long time
- Harry Potter (all 8) - of course this can be watched anytime but...
- The Wizard of Oz - Remember when this would come on over Thanksgiving holiday?
- Good will hunting - I miss Robin Williams
- Dead poets society - do you miss Robin Williams to?
- Witches of Eastwick - these ladies give Jack Nicholson a run for his money
- Moonstruck - "That's Amore"
- Stepmom - not all Stepmoms are evil
- Remember the titans - everyone needs to watch a good football movie
- The goonies (original) - my middle son LOVES this movie
- Clue - This movie cracks me up
- Sleepy Hallow - 👍
- Ghost busters (original) - never looked at marshmallows the same again 😆
- Rudy - another good football movie
- Shutter island - I have the book saved in my wishlist
That's all for now! xoxo Tina
Welcome to My Little Garden
Welcome to my little garden and its new home. I've always loved to grow flowers, vegetables and plants, or at least try to.
When I was about 4 my mother helped me plant hyacinth bulbs along the path to my playhouse. I remember my mom chuckling while she was telling my dad that I planted all my bulbs upside down! You know what? Mine were the only ones that came up!
Anyway...![]() |
| Before |
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| After |
But once we made the decision to have the single garage built I knew the garden was going to be moved.
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| Teddy bear sunflowers |
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| Bottom left are my marigolds and basil |
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| Cucumbers |
Not to bad for a garden planted about the third week of June. Of course all the rain helped!
IT'S FINISHED! A Workshop for DH
It's finally finished!
What was supposed to take 30 days took 60 days. Between inspections, rain delays, our contractors concrete guy getting sick, and our contractors wife...well let's put it this way, while in the hospital someone screwed up, but thankfully shes still alive! I was beginning to wonder if it was going to be finished, to include moving DH'S tools and finishing a few backyard projects that had to wait, before the heat of summer (July & August) hit us, but that didn't work out as planned.
Our poor fur babies weren't happy with a bunch of strangers in the yard nor with the noise. But peace is back for them!
So let's take a look at where we began...
BEFORE
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AFTER
How-to Achieve Fuller Looking Grommet Top Curtains (inexpensively)
So, are you team grommet top curtains/sheers or are you team NO?! For me? It depends on where and how I'm going to use them. Now some people may be team no simply because they can lack a fuller look. If this is why you don't use them, then I have an inexpensive how-to tip for you.
◇NOTE◇ if you're planning on opening and closing the curtains this how-to will not work!
I have/use several pairs of grommet top curtains around my home. When I first started using them I had a difficult time with there lack of fullness once hung. Plus, I had to keep adjusting them in my dining room and kitchen when someone or the dogs would brush against them. The ones used in the screened-in porch moved all over during a breeze or wind.
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| These are in my kitchen (for now) |
What to use:
- Use the cardboard tube from paper towels or wrapping paper. Cut down to 2 or 3 inches.
◇NOTE◇ You DO NOT have to take down the curtains to add these.
◇NOTE◇ I recommend using on rods smaller than 1inch.
Supplies:
- This foam pipe insulation
- Scissors
- Ruler or measuring tape
- Silver sharpie
- Step ladder
How-to:
- Decide the length. I have found that 3 inches is just right for me. (I recommend not going any longer than 4inches and no less than 2inches)
- Measure and mark the desired length and the amount you will need.
- Then start cutting.
- Grab your step ladder and add the spacers.
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| Hung grommet top curtains around the pergola and used them on our screened porch (not shown) |

































