all in a day's work

Those of you who don't know me might not be aware that I live with Superman.  Howie is Mr. Build and Make Anything.  And I mean...anything.  After five years here, our house is turning into quite the place to be, in part because my hubby is oh-so-wonderful and can do oh-so-much.  Yesterday I mentioned that it might be nice to have a little stone patio out back under the arbor, the very same arbor we were married under almost six years ago.  Eventually, I want to have a backyard that feels like the Secret Garden.  Weathered.  Stone.  Mysterious.  A bit unruly.  That would be a dream.  And...after just one day we are a little bit closer.  He started this morning and finished this evening and it's already perfect.  Keira was quite the little slave driver, overseeing the work in her "job trailer" (aka: teeny, tiny, house).  We've been outside the whole day and having a ball.  I don't know about where you are, but around here...this weather is just perfect for the soul and very inspiring :)

swept away

Lately, it's as though I'm being swept away with the gentle spring breeze.  I'm just a freshly watered leaf who's along for the ride after some nourishment and growth.  All things greater than me, the things out of my control, seem to have taken over and I am happy to be moving at all.  I'm busy, but that's because I'm being productive.  I'm tired, but that's because I am working hard.  I'm antsy, but that's because I'm leaving the nest for a trip very soon.  I'm happy.  A lesson learned...once you make the effort to get the ball rolling, you never know where you might end up :)  I mean all this is a very good way because you can never go wrong with setting a goal, starting a plan, working hard, and inevitably...moving forward.  I hope you are feeling refreshed in this new season as well !!  Happy Weekend!

star garden

 

We had a little visit to Star Garden in Doylestown the other day.  What a magical place!!!  Created by the fabulous Katia McGuirk Tile Company, this is a haven for all those daily wanderers with an open eye for a gem of a place along their travels.  Hidden down a little alley, you might be so unfortunate as to pass right by without ever even knowing what you where missing.  But if you do stumble there, you are greeted with a little patch of grass, a hollowed out stone fountain, arced steps, and a mosaic wall you could stare at all day and still find something new the next time you visit.  The wall is full of little nooks and crannies, nature images, cracked tiles, bits of mirror, stone pebbles, pond animals, a gorgeous sun and butterfly, and on and on.  It's always exciting to find treasures inside those sculpted ceramic boxes stacked like a tower, left there by anther's visit to the garden.  I was so fortunate as to be able to make some of the ceramic tiles and sculptures found throughout the wall while I worked for Katia years ago and I still love to swing by every once in a while and be swept away into a dreamy land for a while. 

Are any such treasures to be found near your stomping ground?

green eggs and ham

Somehow, we've become the designated "meat cookers" for the holiday family dinners.  Thanksgiving is the turkey.  Christmas is the roast.  And Easter is the ham.  And you know what we think about that?  Great!!  We both love cooking and Keira loves helping.  She is the best little helper, standing up on her chair, trying to stick her fingers into whatever miraculous concoctions are occurring up on the counter.   And this year...we made some green eggs while the ham was basking in heavenly, gooey, brown sugar and honey glazed goodness in the oven.  Here's hoping your Easter was as fun as ours :)

{love} is in the yard

 

While playing outside with Keira this afternoon, I found myself surrounded by hearts.  I just {love} finding mysterious things in unlikely places :)

I hope you have something to smile about today too!

welcome

All the lovely lavender at Peace Valley Lavender Farm

It's raining today, but that's a sure sign of spring.  And a great time to be an observer while out on the road.  On a lovely afternoon drive home from Lake Galena the other day with the window down welcoming spring into my travels, I took in all the new buds that seem to have sprung up over night.  The world is suddenly colorful again, after a long winter.  Finally.  Happy weekend everyone :)    

just hanging out

We don't get out quite as much as we used to to go climbing, with the little one and all.  So, we brought the climbing to our own back yard.  We've got plenty of big, tall trees.  And backpacks full of gear.  So, we're making a bit of fun.

Howie must have also been pondering life up there...Just resting and staring off into the distance.

A rope, a harness, some ascension devices, and a couple carabiners is just enough to hold us off until a climbing wall is built in the backyard :)

Of course, Keira thinks we're crazy. 

But we're not.

Either way, she would just assume stay closer to the earth and stomp on all the bubbles :)

clean up and {Move} out

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain

California~here we come.  Onward and upward (or westward, in our case) for a 10 day traveling vacation.  We're cleaning up and moving out for at least ten days of finding whatever fun we can.  I've got a clean house and six trash bags full of clothes and goodies for the Good Will in the back of my car.  Not to mention a plethora of offers from kinds souls who want to live in the house with the crazy cats while we're away.  Waiting in the shadows I have a couple camera cards, journals, and smiles ready for a California adventure.  After a year hiatus from any far-away travels, we're putting a busy life on the back burner and getting out of dodge, if only for a week and a half.  We're not leaving yet, but soon because it's time to sail {or fly} away from the safe harbor for a little while.

It was supposed to rain today, but unexpectedly...it is quite sunny and bright instead.  A glistening blanket of light has attached itself to everything and I see no cloudy skies ahead.  Anticipation is in the air.  The mischievous cats are circling my feet relentlessly waiting for attention.  Keira is basking in the joy of spending the day in her favorite kitty-cat shirt.  Howie is enjoying the sunny day, doing what he likes best...being productive even on his day off.  I am planning and scheming unfamiliar adventures and enjoying steamy coffee from my favorite hand-thrown, deep-sea-green mug.  Off to a good start :)  And a Happy Weekend to you all!

out of touch

Yesterday morning my faulty cell phone finally decided to die.  It was interesting having no phone all day and night since we don't keep a land line connected in the house.  Actually, as out of touch as I was with the world...I kind of liked it.  It brought me back to the good old days when one was not on call to the whims of others 24/7.  Unfortunatley, I do need to have some kind of phone so I'm off to the phone shop to get another.  In the mean time, I'm enjoying the peace and quiet. 

Speaking of peace and quiet...this is why I love Keira's room.  It's on the third floor so always a little toasty, which is great for my cold self that could always be warmer.  Afternoon light pours in through the knee high windows.  The ceiling is low and cozy as a favorite sweater.  It's Quiet.  Friendly.  Safe.  Everything is rather small like suddenly I'm a giant in a world of miniatures.  So, it's not at all overwhelming.  I think it also helps that it's clean and tidy and has a huge green leaf as a fort to go along with the comforting green walls and white trim.  Sometimes, we dream of living up there all our days...just for fun.  Which is your favorite room in the house? 

today is...

Today is...FUN.  Scrambled eggs with green peppers and onions, french toast, and bacon for breakfast.  A little bit of jumping on the bed while reading.  Taking photos of new work to be posted soon.  Playing in the garden with lots and lots of dirt.  Keira doesn't even mind when she picks up a worm and unknowingly pulls it into two pieces :)  A clean house after last nights bonfire party.  And...a whole "do-whatever-you-want" afternoon and evening to look forward to. 

Preceding today's happenings was last night's excitement.  Everyone was gathered around the blazing bonfire out back, ready to set the dead, old, christmas tree alight.  Red faces and rosy cheeks.  Marshmallows and chocolate.  Chitter chatter of friends.  Then, the time came and the tree was thrown into the flames.  There was quite a lot of smoke and some high reaching flames too :)  Not two minutes later, the siren sounded 2 miles down the lane at the fire station.  I was convinced it had nothing to do with us.  Low and behold...it did.  In came the fire marshal and the police escort.  Oops.  After scoping out the situation they called off the big fire truck that was on it's way.  I apologized to those poor souls who left their warm cozy houses to fight the big bad fire that turned out to be a friendly gathering around a bonfire instead.  I offered them brownies, but they smiled and declined and politely took down our information...just in case we decide to make a habit of this delinquent behavior :)

sing for your supper

Last night I enjoyed watching one of my all time favorite bands,  Over the Rhine at a night show at World Cafe Live.  It was the perfect mix of the joys and sorrows of real life.  Sung by a slinky soulful voice overlapped with ever illusive sounds of the clicking, clacking, beating, thumping, key tapping, string plucking band, it's obvious they love what they do.  They're made up a a long-lasting husband and wife team, partners in crime as they like to call themselves and their small group of young, yet extremely talented musicians.  Sitting at a candle-lit table, listening to Karin's smokey voice full of a thousand layers was exactly what I wanted.  If feels good to be completely content in that place when you know you're doing just what you should be at just the right moment.  Dinner there was nothing to speak of, but it matters not when surrounded by good company and wonderful music.  I don't know how many other contented faces I saw there,  but it seemed we were each in our own little worlds while they played, including the band members themselves.  If you haven't heard them yet, they're worth a listen and a detour during the daily computer induced hazy-eyed happenings.  One never needs a good excuse to be inspired and to let your thoughts ride along the hills and valleys and heart stirring beats of some really good music :)  The new album, The Long Surrender, also features a guest appearance by Lucinda Williams if any of you are fans.

out with the old...

It's a lovely Sunday here, the kind were we are all together in one place, including Howie B :)  Keira Belle got a new handmade quilt from her Grandma Sue and it's already a favorite.  She's talking up a storm today and obviously enjoying the day as much as I am.  Now if only the weather was warm and toasty like this time last week...that would really be just wonderful.  I'm getting antsy for a spring bonfire because it's just about time for one when we gather 'round and set the dead old Christmas tree aflame.  That's quite a sight.  Also...this seems like the perfect time for a little spring cleaning out and rearranging.  I've just noticed that our holiday wreath still hangs on the siding outside the back door.  All this time I've become so used to it that I don't even register it's presence anymore.  But I do believe it's time to retire the old thing.  Out with the old, in with the new.  My clothes closet could also use a bit of  paring down as well.  Who's with me?  Anyone up for passing along a bag full of unworn clothes to another loving owner's delight?  The Goodwill always takes donations :)

this was made entirely by hand...and never even touched a sewing machine if you can believe it