Spring Fluffing. Welcome to the 64th Metamorphosis Monday!

What would you do if you could not fail? I asked that question yesterday and your answers were thought provoking, heartfelt and amazing! Some even brought tears to my eyes...your hopes and dreams were truly wonderful!

If you have a moment, read the comments left on yesterday's post. I think some of us are exactly where we would like to be at this point in our lives. But, many of us (me included) have ideas and dreams that we are not pursuing. Why is that? I think the reasons are often complex...sometimes we see obstacles that appear too large to overcome.

Other times, I think we fear failure, even though we may not even realize that could be what is holding us back. In truth, failure only happens if you don't try...if you settle for living a life that doesn't make the most of your wonderful talents.

Ok, I know that's not why you're here to day...you're here to see some fabulous "Before and Afters." I just couldn't dive into Met Monday without telling you how much I enjoyed reading your comments yesterday...and how touched I was with the hopes and dreams you carry in your heart. Your comments were truly a blessing to all who read them.


Metamorphosis Monday:
I'm half way there on the metamorphosis I shared with you last week....I have the chandelier back and it's ready to be hung. I can't show you the "After" just yet...still waiting for my "handyman" to come by and install it. I am truly hoping he can get it done this week. Maybe I'll be able to share it for next Met Monday....keeping fingers crossed. Since the chandelier "reveal" isn't ready, I thought I'd share some spring fluffing I've been doing on the back porch.

Oh, before sharing my spring fluffing, I have to tell you what happened yesterday! I was in the kitchen polishing some candlesticks I'd just bought earlier in the day, when I heard a lot of noise. At first, I wondered if Max was up to something. I checked out on the porch and Mr. Max was innocently snoozing away in his favorite chair. I went back to my polishing, but in short order I heard all the ruckus again. I stopped, went back out onto the porch and listened. It was coming from one of the long downspouts that runs all the way from the top of the porch roof to the ground two stories below. Something was trapped inside the downspout.

I looked the downspout over and could see it was held together by these funny shaped screws...don't know what you call them. At first, I couldn't find a tool that would fit, so I called Leaf Guard to see if just maybe they were doing an install in the area and could swing by. The representative checked and said they didn't have anyone in the area. :-(

I kept searching in the garage and eventually found a tool that would work. I unscrewed the gutter downspout in 3-4 spots. Initially, whatever was in the gutter sounded like it was near the roof end, but after a while, it sounded further down the downspout. Whatever it was, was making a chirping sound. I thought it might be a bird, but how does a bird fit through a tiny opening that is made for just water to slide through? These are those leaf guard type gutters that don't allow even leaves to get inside the gutter. See that tiny slit up there...how did a critter get through there?


I got the top part of the gutter off and unscrewed the band that held the long piece to the edge of the porch support.


I went down the deck stairs to the yard and unscrewed the other bands that held the downspout to the porch support pole. I tilted this huge two-story downspout to lay it on the ground. I was afraid I would drop it but I managed to get it down without doing that, thank goodness. I didn't want to injure whatever (whoever) was in there.

After several minutes of waiting and taping on the downspout, I picked up one end and started to gently shake...I could hear something sliding down. Eventually, I could tell it was at the opening...but whatever it was didn't seem to want to come out. Suddenly, out shot a cute little chipmunk. He hurriedly scurried off into the bushes. :-) It took me a while to get the downspout back up and I still can't get one of the support bands back around it...


Another item on my list when my handyman comes out. Have you ever had a chipmunk stuck in your downspout? LOL


For Met Monday, I'm sharing a few changes on the porch. Here's one of the doors leading out onto the porch. The white basket came from a local antique shop...the daisies from Michael's.




Here's the other door on the porch. This wreath is made of two long wisteria garlands I picked up at Old Time Pottery. I just curled them around to make a wreath shape and connected them with green garden ties in several places to hold the round wreath shape.




As you can tell, I really fell in love with daisies last year.




The cute, fuzzy green bunnies came from Pier 1 last year, too. You probably remember seeing them all over Blogland. :-) This arrangement still looks pretty fresh so I'm using it again this spring/summer on the porch. In fact, you'll be seeing it in a tablescape in a couple of weeks. :-)


So, that's some of my spring fluffing. :-)


Looking forward to seeing all your "Before and Afters!"



Metamorphosis Monday is an opportunity to show a "Before and After" project in your home. It can be as elaborate as a whole new room addition or as simple as re-doing your decor with the changing of the seasons. Maybe you have a "trash to treasure" project to share...we'd love to see it! If you don't have a "Before" pic to share, describe as best you can what the room or item looked like prior to the renovation.

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Fabulous "Before and Afters" await your visit: