Just Vote

Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, 

must, like men, 

undergo the fatigues of supporting it.
-Thomas Paine

God bless us, every one.

To make democracy work, we must be a nation of participants, not simply observers. One who does not vote has no right to complain. Louis L'Amour
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/l/louislamo139325.html

The Maple Hill Hop 157 (Finale)

Welcome to 

The Maple Hill Hop.

This is a hop for folks who love the outdoors.

Feel free to post about anything that's going on

OUTSIDE

in your neck of the woods,
no matter the season.

(Please share only outdoor posts.)

*Grab the button above to link back to Maple Hill 101.*

Another gorgeous fall weekend,
another outdoor festival to attend.
This past weekend found us at Pioneer Days
in Lake Wales, Florida.

This event serves as an entertaining way to
educate visitors about old-fashioned skills 
in a time not so long ago.

The Florida Flywheelers displayed how their engines worked
to run all sorts of machines
to make life just a bit easier for settlers.

A handsome exhibit of tractors is always a favorite.

There were drum ceremonies performed by native peoples,

as well as local artisans like Utah Farris,
who not only hand carves his flutes,

but favors us with beautiful music to demonstrate his wares.

Our friends, Faye & Lynn were on hand,
to showcase their wonderful pesticide-free, locally grown produce.
This year their home-spun booth featured avocado, okra, papaya,
and starfruit.

We took the annual hayride to learn more about
the architecture and history of this sleepy lil' town.

There is always something new to learn.

It was a beautiful day for a ride,
and we are thankful for all of the hard work
that goes into an event like this.
And even more grateful to the pioneers
who started it all.

That's what's happening where we are.
What's going on outside in your town?
Let's HOP!

***Thank you for being a part of The Maple Hill Hop
over the past three years.
We have enjoyed sharing your outdoor posts.   

    An InLinkz Link-up

   

Shower Makeover

Well, we're back at it.

We'll be putting our house back on the market this weekend.

After 3 years of trying to sell our home,

our fingers are crossed that this will be the right time for us to successfully sell.

New realtor, new staging (thanks to Sister),

and new hope.

So, spiffing up and paring down is on the agenda.

I'm the chief cleaner in the family,

but this shower just got away from me.

Our master bathroom is one of the best features of our home,

but due to poor water quality and poor initial installation,

this shower was looking mighty ragged.

 It turns out that caulking was used where grout should have been,

and the mold grew even though I clean every week.

No matter what I used, I couldn't get it clean enough.

It's bothered me for a long time,

and we were happy to find a company that could help us make it better.

 The Grout Smith came in and cleaned it up

better than we could have imagined.

It took them 4 hours of prep,

and almost 4 more hours of regrouting and color sealing.

The process is laborious and tedious,

but they got it done.

The first step of the process requires scraping out the old grout

and thoroughly cleaning all the affected surfaces.

They have their own special product that cleans even stubborn mold.

A bottle for us was included in the price of the job,

so that we can keep it looking as good as it does now.

The difference was pretty amazing.

It looks even better than it did when we moved in.

By using the provided cleaner every other week,

it should stay this way.

Big K already said that he doesn't even want to use this shower,

just so that it stays looking so good.

The color sealer takes a full week to properly dry,

so fortunately, we have another shower in the house to use.

We are still astounded at the difference.

We're so glad that we finally called The Groutsmith

to come and beautify our home.

Hopefully, their hard work will help us sell quickly.

The Groutsmith has locations all over the US.

Feel free to browse their website for more information

Groutsmith.com.

We couldn't be more pleased with their professional attitude

and work ethic.

They were on time, worked until the job was done,

and even cleaned up after themselves.

We wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to others.

If you decide they can improve your tile work,

tell 'em daisy sent you!

The Groutsmith

(Lakeland, FL)

863-698-7730

Wordless Wednesday

The Maple Hill Hop 156

Welcome to 

The Maple Hill Hop.

This is a hop for folks who love the outdoors.

Feel free to post about anything that's going on

OUTSIDE

in your neck of the woods,
no matter the season.

(Please share only outdoor posts.)

*Grab the button above to link back to Maple Hill 101.*

On Saturday,
the weather was perfect for a field trip.
I ventured to downtown Winter Haven
to take a gander at the Saturday market. 

Although there were a couple of vendors selling produce,
most of the folks were showcasing their homemade crafts,
jewelry, soap and other treasures.

 There was even live music by the fountain,
which featured pink water to promote breast cancer awareness.

This booth caught my eye right away.
This gentleman fashions biplanes made from recycled cans
that sway in the breeze.

An array of unusual homemade soaps were for sale.

At The Button Sisters' booth,
I found a number of wonderful upcycled creations.

 Can't you just imagine giving these jars as gifts
with homemade candy or trinkets in them?

Whimsical artwork was displayed.

This was one of my favorite pieces from their booth.
I might have to start looking for buttons
the next time we go thrifting.

Autumn is being celebrated
by spending as much time outdoors as possible.
This market was a great way to discover what 
the most creative folks in Winter Haven are concocting.

That's what we've been up to.
What's going on outside where you are?
HOP to it!

   

    An InLinkz Link-up