GOTTA LOVE THE GOURD!
I’ve always been a huge fan of gourds… even more than pumpkins! I love the colors, the curves, the warts and the colorful fun of a bowl full of gourds!!! Especially when the bowl is made of rusty tools, right?!

Today’s bike ride with Chris started out in the west suburbs… and headed out even further west into the farmfields & rural small towns. Kinda far away, but very little traffic on the endless roads – so it’s easier to get the longer mileage in! For our turn-around spot, we decided to stop off at a farmer’s estate sale where they were auctioning off so many cool things!!! LOTS OF RUSTY METAL!!!

We really stood out of the crowd… in our brightly colored spandex jerseys & bike shoes!!! So many cool things… that we could never buy and bring home on our bikes!!! As it was, we had just a little rain for the last five miles as we were pedaling into the wind!!!

Seems simple enough, right?
But it’s really the rusted patina finish that I’m enamored by.
Perfect for another TEXTURE TUESDAY.

Celebrating another TEXTURE TUESDAY with a little sightseeing downtown… enjoying the CITY while looking up & looking down!

Exploring and finding cool things! You know how much I LOVE rusty metal & weathered wood. So imagine how excited I was by this beautifully dilapidated barn out in “the middle of nowhere.” A beautiful day with this beautiful barn… and a fun chat with the farmer who was so nice… even though the “No Trespassing” sign was about three feet away!!!

Another overcast Spring day… finding new places to explore
while staying “right on track” before the rain gets here!

It’s a beautiful snow-covered day in Chicago! Looking out my kitchen window to see my back porch “curtain” of rusty gears under a new blanket of snow! A good day to go hiking through the snow… or to curl up under a blanket on the sofa! Either way, enjoy the snowy day!!!

You know how much I LOVE rusty metal…
so it’s perfect for another TEXTURE TUESDAY!

The vines growing on my back porch are coming along nicely. They’re purple hyacinth bean vines that are climbing up my hanging “curtain” of rusty gears. Soon they should start shooting out some purple flowers… to be followed by glossy purple seed pods! Can’t wait…

So excited to see my purple hyacinth bean vines climbing up on my back porch! They’re off to a good start. I love how they quickly wrap & grow up things like my rusted metal “curtain” of gears! I love how the leaves appear to float by themselves – and then the flowers will come later in the Summer, followed by wonderful purple bean pods in the Fall! Which of course I’ll save so I can re-plant the seeds and start again next year!