payback for a wicked winter

Disclaimer to my Artist friends: being crafty can be a real challenge in NW summers. We had such a lousy winter that when the weather is good, I am drawn outside. There are gardens to tend, parks to explore, lakes and rivers to visit and mountains to hike....... so inside crafts just don't compete with those options.

We are currently having the kind of weather that helps us put up with our horrible winters. Absolutely beautiful blue skies and perfect temperatures sustained over several weeks. I got up early to take Connor to the park for some exercise. Focused, obsessed, addicted? All apply when it comes to Connor and a Ball. This past week I have been using a soft Frisbee like disk instead of a ball and he is getting the hang of it jumping up to catch in mid air. It went missing last night so the balls went to the park this morning. Maybe my Vet niece Emily can explain something...... why do dogs tend to run in a somewhat crooked position? I mean he is running forward but he is kind of at an angle. He has always done this and makes me wonder....... Anyhow when he plays fetch he refuses to take water breaks so when we get home he quickly plops down in the cool grass by his water bowl.

Sometimes I am afraid he will have a heart attack or something. It generally takes a bit before he settles down on my cold entryway tile for a long sleep.

So I am feeling the need to capture every corner of my home and garden on camera lately. My way of saying farewell to everything I have planted or tended to over the past 8 years. Here are some of my current blooms.........

I really hope you are enjoying your weekend and doing what you LOVE to do!

Later....

wonderful wanderings over the weekend....

Jennifer and I went to Luther Burbank Park on Mercer Island for some sun and conversation.

Later we met up with Megan who took us to lunch where we sat out on the patio and relaxed a bit before walking through downtown Issaquah....

I am a bit depressed today as I had a job rejection last week and another one yesterday. I guess I should be thankful that I at least had interviews....... but interviews don't pay the bills. Tomorrow is another day and I pray for better spirits!

One awesome thing to celebrate is James was informed last night he received a scholarship from the Chemical Engineering Department. He will have half of his tuition paid for his final year at the U of W....... I am really proud of him.

additional post:

I have just learned from a friend that a family I know is in extreme crises. Both husband and wife, parents of small children, are taking a nose dive straight to their individual bottoms due to addiction. This family would make TLC's Jon and Kate count their blessings.....

It breaks my heart to see this happen but driving home tonight, I reflected about it. This has helped me put things in proper perspective. While I might be unemployed and in financial crises, I at least have my health. Who cares where I live, who cares if I have to start over again. I am healthy!

Thank you God for revealing what I needed to see.......

jimmy johnson in the house......

what a nice saturday in seattle.....

I spent the day outside working in the garden. I know I told myself I was going to wash my car today but the back yard and the mid 70's weather just beckoned..... I had been waiting for a good day to spread the compost throughout the beds.


Compost..... "Black Gold". I find it cool to put old flowers, weeds, and kitchen produce in a barrel and return a year later to this wonder soil and organic fertilizer. It's not quite that simple but I've been composting since the early 80's and still get that awesome sense of accomplishment when your large pile is reduced to this........

Connor was also working hard with me. Always following close behind with the ball just in case I got the urge to play...... we did get some good fun time in the sun today too.

Gosh - I love the look of the gardens with the rich dark soil spread around the borders and feeding my precious roses and flowering shrubs.

I hope to get outside tomorrow afternoon too. I still have the car mats to scrub and looking forward to doing it in the sun after church.....

Great day! Great Weekend!

spring rains and a little art

Todays rain is making the garden look lush and green...... The lilac is just about ready to open in full bloom. I am a patient gardener; waiting 5 years for this colorful explosion.

Connor even enjoyed his time outside. He takes his fetch job so seriously. He too is patient....

I did these layouts this past weekend. The first layouts I've done in months. I used a mixture of past Studio Calico kits ......

James and Megan at Disneyland and California Adventure - Spring Break 2009.

Happy May Day!

Thank you for all the encouraging words. The act of writing down emotions tends to be quite cathartic for me. Putting thought to paper helps the process and I am today more focused on the exciting aspects of upcoming changes. James moving out, a career change and a home change all at the same time can be daunting at moments. But I was reminded this week how often being uncomfortable accompanies times of great growth.


So I took my earlier advise and have watched the Mike video a couple times; gaining perspective once again.


I am off to wash my sofa slipcovers and look for a few throw rugs per realtor advise. We are going to have great weather; sunny and in the 70's -
Nothing will get in my way of enjoying today!

Have a happy Friday! and a happy May Day! I am adding to my to do list.....

Make a Posie and put on my bedside table!