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At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

Where Ideas for your Home Meet Inspiration for your Heart

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  • Meet Vanessa
    • Featured

June 1, 2011

It’s Not Easy Being Green…

No, I’m not talking about Recycling!
I’m talking about the color green.
As in the gorgeous view which has now become so familiar and yet still surprises me every time.
You see, coming home after a week of fun in the sun can be a bit depressing.
Especially when you know there will be cold and rain waiting for you.
But, looking out of that tiny airplane window and seeing the lush green landscape of the Pacific Northwest does help ease the post-vacation pain!
A bit…
I know I was MIA last week but I had a very good reason.
Want to know where I was?
Why, at the “Happiest Place on Earth” of course!

Ahh…the “Magic Kingdom“
Let me just tell you that this was the only day that we had to wear sweatshirts because the rest of the week was perfectly sunny and gorgeous. I have the flip-flop tan lines to prove it!
And why did we go?

Why, to celebrate this guys 8th Birthday!

I don’t know who told him he was allowed to turn 8 years old but it wasn’t me!

We had an absolutely amazing time and the kids were at such great ages for this kind of vacation.
2 years ago we made the same trip (and also went to Legoland) but Lauren was just too little to really appreciate the experience. At almost 4 years old, this time around was much more magical!
Some little girls go to Disneyland to meet all of the Princesses.
Others just want to stomp on every piece of popcorn they can find on the ground.
If I had known how much she enjoyed doing this, I would have just thrown some popcorn on our driveway and called it a day. Could have saved us a lot of money!
While little Miss did things like that (and went on rides too of course!),
my daredevil of a son decided that he REALLY
wanted to try out the giant roller coaster at
California Adventures (the theme park right next door to Disneyland).
The name of the roller coaster is “California Screamin“.
It goes UPSIDE DOWN.
Daddy doesn’t like upside down roller coasters.
Guess who got to go with Ian?
Let’s just say that Mommy pretty much lost her voice (fortunately not her lunch!) after that one.
They don’t call it “California Screamin” for nothing!
Coming home was hard.
The montain of laundry reminded me of the Matterhorn!
But seeing my Snowball Bush/Tree in full bloom definitely helped lift my spirits.


And I wasted no time filling the house with this gorgeousness!

My latest find is a huge green glass vase/jar that I found for $6.99.
It almost looks like a giant carafe, doesn’t it?

Whatever you want to call it, it was just waiting to be filled with Snowball branches!

I just couldn’t resist putting one inside my little cloche too. See it there on the right?

Also waiting for me in the mail upon my return was my latest edition of Southern Living with the caption,
“Welcome Summer!” splashed across the front.

Chock full of beautiful summer inspiration and scrumptious recipes it should have made me thrilled.
Instead, as I looked out the window at the rain coming down, it only made me feel blah!

But, there was one little thing that caught my eye.

I just loved how sweet those herbs looked tied in bundles onto that metal topiary.
And it didn’t hurt that there were some yummy cocktail recipes right alongside it!
So when I saw this at a second-hand store for $5 I knew I needed to recreate it and bring a little bit of summer sunshine into my cloudy days.
Not quite the same as the inspiration, but it definitely put a smile on my face and made my kitchen smell divine!
Now, who wants to join me for one of those cocktails?
When my hubby saw me tying herbs to a black metal thingy he knew it must have something to do with Blogging! Actually, he looked at me like I was nuts for a few minutes. But, what’s new?
Then, he decided to get in on the act and actually make us one of the cocktails featured in this month’s Southern Living.
It’s a rough life I lead being a cocktail guinea pig!
Since he was making them, he got to pick which one we would try.
This is a good ol’ Gin and Tonic.
Pour 2 Tbsp. gin and 6 Tbsp. chilled tonic water over ice in a glass.
Serve with a wedge of lime and a sprig of rosemary if you’re feelin’ fancy!
Wait! What is that I see? A little bit of sunshine peeking through?
Hurry!
It actually lasted long enough for us to enjoy this refreshing “tasty beverage”
(which is what we call adult drinks in this house)
out on the deck. I think I actually felt warm there for a few minutes.
Maybe it was just the Gin!
It was fun to get away, but I sure am glad to be back here at the Fence!
And now, we are a bit late this week, but we wanted to be sure and introduce you to our
What do you get when a flight attendant turns stay-at-home mommy?

When Michell first began linking up to our Inspiration Friday parties, we could not believe the projects she would share with us each week.
We would call each other to say, “did you see what Michell linked up? Isn’t she amazing?”
She creates things like this Art Activity Wall with Sliding Ladder for her son’s room.
You can pick your mouth up off of the floor now.
We have more to show you!
Not only is Michelle beyond creative, she has also quickly become a sweet friend to us here at the Fence.
She is supportive and encouraging and we always feel so honored to have her share her talented ways with us. She says she has a “desire to inspire” and we think she is definitely doing just that!
So, pay her a visit when you get the chance at Girl in Air. You may want to go to the bathroom first though, because you will be stuck to your seat for awhile as you take in all of Michell’s fabulous projects!

This post is Partying at the following places:
Coastal Charm: Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia: Tuesday’s Treasures
DIY By Design: Swing into Spring
Savvy Southern Style: Wow Us Wednesday
Elements Interiors: Whassup Wednesday
Social Salutations: Social Saturday

25 Comments Filed Under: Featured Blogger, Good Ideas

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Comments

  1. Pam - diy Design Fanatic says

    May 31, 2011 at 1:47 PM

    Glad you had a great time at Disneyland and all the other parks in SoCal! You must be exhausted from all the walking you did!
    I am soooo jealous of your snowball bush! The flowers look gorgeous in a vase!

    Reply
  2. Michell @ Girl In Air says

    May 31, 2011 at 2:02 PM

    WOW!!!

    You ladies are awesome….How wonderful to wake up to a fabulous feature!!

    Thank you so much!

    I LOVE looking at all the wonderful Disney photos….brings back great memories of when I took my girls…I can’t wait to take our son! I better get in shape…that place is HUGH!

    Reply
  3. Brooke @ Inside-Out Design says

    May 31, 2011 at 2:10 PM

    Your flowers are beautiful! I spent my weekend at Disney too! (But Disney World). Glad you had a great time. It’s always hard to come home after a trip.

    Reply
  4. Becca says

    May 31, 2011 at 3:24 PM

    Welcome Back, friend !! What FUN pics from Disney … so glad you had a fabulous time. (And, too bad you didn’t figure out that dropping popcorn onto the pavement could prove to be hours of fun)!! The kiddos are precious and, most of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Ian !! You are the best mommy for going on the upside down roller coaster … don’t know that I couldl’ve done that !! And, look at that snowball “bush” !! Whoa. It’s gorgeous … and how beautiful your bouquet is in that lovely vase. And, the drinks … the drinks look too yummy. I want one, please. We missed you and glad you’re back safe and sound !! xoxo, Becca

    Reply
  5. Traci says

    May 31, 2011 at 4:17 PM

    How fun! I love Disney! We’ve never been to Disneyland only Disneyworld. It’s soooo fun!!

    Reply
  6. michelle says

    May 31, 2011 at 5:54 PM

    What a fun vacation and a perfect way to celebrate a birthday! I haven’t been is so long, too long I think. So sorry it is rainy by you, I know the feeling but at least we had a couple days of sunshine. I love your vase and flowers, gorgeous!! Your drink so refreshing too. 🙂 So glad that you had a wonderful time and you are back safe. 🙂
    Enjoy your week!!
    XO

    Reply
  7. Judy says

    May 31, 2011 at 6:50 PM

    Disney is the best…it is the happiest place on earth. That’s an awesome way to celebrate a birthday.

    Reply
  8. Rosemary@villabarnes says

    May 31, 2011 at 7:25 PM

    Looks like you had a great time, and those flowers are beautiful.

    Reply
  9. Conspicuous Style Design Blog says

    May 31, 2011 at 10:00 PM

    Haha….when you said “look what caught my eye” I was caught on the drinks, trying to decide whether I’d pick a Belini or a Palmer….never even SAW the herbs until I read the rest 🙂
    Stacy

    Reply
  10. ⚜ ↁℯℬℬᴵℰ⚜ says

    May 31, 2011 at 11:43 PM

    Happy Birthday to your cutie pie boy! And yes throwing popcorn and crackers in the driveway would be a lot cheaper LOL! Looks like a great trip Vanessa!

    Reply
  11. Ann from On Sutton Place says

    June 1, 2011 at 1:18 AM

    Oh I loved Disney! We went twice as a family and once I went with my daughter’s dance team. I would go again in a heartbeat. I agree that it’s the happiest place on earth! I’m totally jealous of your snowball bush…how stunning. Thanks for sharing and thanks for such a great post. My gin and tonic is waiting so I gotta go. :o)

    Reply
  12. ℳartina @ Northern Nesting says

    June 1, 2011 at 2:48 AM

    So glad you had an awesome time Vanessa! You have a beautiful family! We’ve been to Disneyland and California Adventure a few times and love it! I have the same green vase as you I found it in HG. The flowers look beautiful in it! Have a great week, Martina

    Reply
  13. Courtney ~ French Country Cottage says

    June 1, 2011 at 5:16 AM

    Hey there Miss Vanessa! Ohh I LOOOOOOVVVEE Disneyland! I miss it before we even leave every time! I have been on Screamin~ so fun but not something you can do a lot- course my boys go on over… and over… and over… lol! Anyway, glad you had a fantastic time and HAPPY BIRTHDAY to your little man!
    Hugs, Courtney

    Reply
  14. Linda@Coastal Charm says

    June 1, 2011 at 4:02 PM

    Oh my…just look at that huge and beautiful snowball tree…I’m sooooo jealous!!! I got wo trees last Spring and planyed them…was told that they grow real fast…not mine…got a few blooms this year…but they are still about the same size:( I so love that pretty green vase…it’s very NIFTY THRIFTY:)

    Blessings,
    Linda

    Reply
  15. Lisa says

    June 1, 2011 at 4:28 PM

    Welcome HOME and thank you for the beautiful blog post…sure looks summery despite our downpour of rain this morning! Nothing a bit of pie baking and Ella Fitzgerald can’t fix! XO

    Reply
  16. Shelia says

    June 1, 2011 at 4:31 PM

    What a wonderful trip to Disneyland! We took our children there when they were little! I’d probably enjoy it like a child today! Love your gorgeous white flowers!
    Thanks for popping in and I am thrilled that I may have given you a little inspiration.
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia 🙂

    Reply
  17. Kristin says

    June 1, 2011 at 4:35 PM

    Welcome Home V~
    Glad you had a wonderful vacay and I love, love, love the Snowball Bush!
    Happy Birthday to your sweet bigger guy, too!
    Love, Kristin

    Reply
  18. Val says

    June 1, 2011 at 7:36 PM

    Happy Birthday, to your little cutie pie!! Looks like you had a wonderful time at Disney. Next time you go…I will meet you there. =)))

    Reply
  19. sheri says

    June 1, 2011 at 10:08 PM

    Girl – i know I’ve been MIA lately – but you have GOT to be kidding me that you were in my backyard and didn’t tell me!!

    Love the snowball bush but i love the green jar with them even more 🙂

    You’re doing an awesome job with this blog – i drop by when i can 🙂

    Take Care –
    Sheri

    Reply
  20. Tanya @ Greetings From the Asylum says

    June 1, 2011 at 6:47 PM

    Your snowball bush is truly breathtaking! I LOVE IT! Thanks for sharing your photos and your fun ideas!

    Reply
  21. Sue says

    June 2, 2011 at 6:44 PM

    Those snowball blooms are amazing and they look gorgeous in that giant sized vase! Love your take for the herbs on that topiary! I’ve been seeing herbs being added to a lot of things, lately. I’ve done flavored waters and vinegars, so why NOT booze?! LOL sounds good to me! I haven’t seen this article yet, I have so many mags to read, as well as blog posts…. No time! I don’t think I’m doing too well at time management these days!
    See ya for the par-tay tomorrow.
    hugs, Sue

    Reply
  22. Debbie says

    June 3, 2011 at 1:25 PM

    What a great birthday! You guys know how to celebrate! That topiary caught my eye too, you did a great job recreating it! And those drinks, yummy! Have a great day! Debbie

    Reply
  23. Sarah @ Modern Country Style says

    June 3, 2011 at 4:33 PM

    Oooh,those flowers REALLY do look like snowballs, don’t they?! And yours looks as though it’s absolutely thriving. You must have very green fingers!!

    Sarahxx

    Reply
  24. Christie says

    June 3, 2011 at 3:09 PM

    Happy Birthday to your little (hmm, BIG!) boy! Mine can’t stand when I call him ‘little!’ They grow too fast! Yes, they would be fast friends, I just know it! Your trip looks like so much fun! What a treat for the kids at the end of school! We JUST got out yesterday and I could not wait to be DONE!! The month of May is as busy as December around here! I have nestled that little treat of Southern Living away to sit and absorb every bit of it! I love the topiary!! Wish I lived next door to enjoy the cocktail with you! YUM! Thanks for the inspiration! Christie

    Reply
  25. Kim @ Cheap Chic Home says

    June 5, 2011 at 7:52 AM

    I love your snowball flowers–I don’t think I’ve ever seen a tree/bush like that before. You’ve certainly been busy, Vanessa. The photo of your daughter cracks me up!

    Reply

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Yesterday on the way home from school I had the ra Yesterday on the way home from school I had the radio tuned to my daughter's favorite station and a song that was playing had a line in it that really stood out to me. It made reference to a 'season of the sticks' which I think its safe to say must mean winter. I thought that was such an accurate, albeiet kind of depressing, picture of this time of the year.

While we definitely have more than our fair share of evergreen trees here in Oregon, we also have plenty of trees and bushes that are reduced to sticks during the cold months. But, this morning as I looked out my kitchen window, greedily sipping from my mug of coffee, I marveled at the beauty of the winter sunrise. The sky was all pinks and oranges with frost on the rooftops and a little bit of fog. And, I realized that part of why it was so amazing is because I could see it more clearly through the sticks. The bare branches allowed me a view that I wouldn't be able to see if those same branches were covered in leaves. Being stripped down to almost nothing revealed something magnificent.

We have seasons of the sticks in our lives too, don't we? Times when we feel as though we've been stripped bare and left exposed. It's easy to think that this is a place where all is ugly and dark. And yet, just like the winter sunrise was more visible because of the bare branches, the vulnerability we feel in the winter season of our souls allows us to get a glimpse of beauty that we wouldn't see otherwise. In the lush, warm seasons it's so easy to become comfortable. But in the bare, cold seasons we recognize just how much we need to rely on the One who placed the stars in the heavens and is sovereign over all.

If you feel like your soul has been stripped bare and you've been left exposed and vulnerable, may I encourage you today to ask the Lord to help you to see the beauty in this 'season of the sticks'.

“Answer me quickly, O Lord! My spirit fails! Hide not your face from me, lest I be like those who go down to the pit. Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul." Psalm 143:7
I just went to make my mid-morning protein shake a I just went to make my mid-morning protein shake and grabbed a banana out of the freezer and was about to put it into my shake before I realized it was a frozen egg roll. Sooooo that's how my day is going so far! 🤪How about you?

It's honestly fairly representative of my state of mind these days as I can't seem to make the date on the calendar match the date in my spirit because it feels like it should be January 45th. Every year this month drags on and every year it seems to surprise me for some reason. In addition, my heart just feels heavy as I witness a lot of darkness and sadness around me. So, I'm choosing to control what I can control by making my house feel as cozy as possible, relishing the sunshine whenever it dares to peek through the clouds, gathering inspiration for warmer weather projects and, most importantly, resting in the comfort of the sovereignty of my Father.

“God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding. He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’ So that everyone he has made may know his work..." Job 37:5-7
What if you could do something at the beginning of What if you could do something at the beginning of your day that would be a gift to yourself later on? That’s what we’re talking about on this week’s Tip Tuesday! #tiptuesday
The sun decided to make another appearance today! The sun decided to make another appearance today! It’s been such a lovely Sunday. Chocolate croissants for breakfast followed by church then naps/football/reading/etc and soon we’ll be heading out to dinner with friends. These are my favorite kind of weekends. Hope yours has been lovely too! 🌿
Yesterday was stormy and cold but today the sunshi Yesterday was stormy and cold but today the sunshine is breaking through the fog and my house just seems happier. We definitely needed to see that light streaming in through the windows and it’s a gift I don’t take for granted.

And yes, there are still twinkle lights on my mantle because those help when the sunshine goes away again. ✨
Happy weekend! The rainy and gloomy weather here i Happy weekend! The rainy and gloomy weather here in the Willamette Valley has me feeling less frustrated about my migraine forcing me to just snuggle up indoors and these flowers in my kitchen are lifting my spirits. What are you up to on this holiday weekend?
It’s time for TIP TUESDAY! This week, I’m offe It’s time for TIP TUESDAY! This week, I’m offering a gentle reminder from my own parenting experience after feeling my heart pricked with conviction about what was waiting for my daughter every day after school. I hope it will encourage you! 🌿#tiptuesday
The day after Christmas I found myself laundering The day after Christmas I found myself laundering and folding all of the linens we used the previous night as we hosted my husband's side of the family for dinner and other festivities. As I laid out each cloth napkin and folded them one by one, I couldn't help but be struck by what a simple, yet meaningful, task it was. It's such an honor and privilege to be the hostess and, at this stage of my life, I realize that this has almost one hundred percent become my role now. Our parents are in their 70's and have either downsized significantly or simply don't have the energy to take on hosting duties for a large group. I could resent this. I could feel overwhelmed by it. But, instead, I'm choosing to embrace it knowing that, someday, I too will pass the hosting torch and I hope that I will be welcomed with love and attentiveness. So, I fold the linen napkins, taking pleasure in the way all of the creases line up and how neat and tidy they look in the drawer of my dining room buffet. These seemingly simple chores are part of the lifeblood of homemaking and my attitude towards them can either be one of gratefulness or grumbly-ness (yes, I'm making up words now). 

And I’m choosing gratefulness. 

“This job has been given to me to do. Therefore, it is a gift. Therefore, it is a privilege. Therefore, it is an offering I may make to God. Therefore, it is to be done gladly, if it is done for Him. Here, not somewhere else, I may learn God’s way. In this job, not in some other, God looks for faithfulness.” (Elisabeth Elliot⁣)
Welcome to Tip Tuesday! I’m so excited to be kic Welcome to Tip Tuesday! I’m so excited to be kicking off the year with a brand new series! Each weekly installment will feature a tip for everything from your home to faith to parenting to family life and so much more. My goal for 2023 is to have far more personal interaction with this community while continuing on with the mission of weaving together all things heart and home. I hope you enjoy this first tip and I’d love to hear from you about whether or not you decorate for winter! 
#tiptuesday #organizing #winterdecorating
“He has made everything beautiful in its time. H “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” 

Here’s to beginnings. Happy new year friends! May you experience the majesty and sovereignty of the Lord in 2023 like never before! ✨
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