Elfing about the house . . . .

So what kind of Elfing is happening at your house?  We are making little Chocolate trees held together by Cornsyrup . . . Cutting lots of paper snowflakes , Oh so pretty!!!!  Getting the Gingerbread house preparation underway, cookie baking . . . Peppermint bark . .. knitting, sewing, stamping and so much more. Oh when we will ever wrap gifts or clean the house??

Christmas Past

If you grew up around Rochester NY, a trip to Mid Town plaza was what got the Holidays going . . . You could go there and see a Santa in Sibleys, Mc Curdy's, B Forman and of course in the Plaza where the Monorail was. I so enjoyed seeing the decorated storefronts and I can remember walking along in awe of the animated figures, the toys and Santa. One of the stores had a walk through that was similar up on the 4th floor.Of course nothing beat cramming yourself into the Monorail for a ride around the indoor plaza. The Christmas Tree that was inside was always the biggest I had ever seen. We would go for Breakfast with Santa at one of the Department stores with the Great Aunts and the Romper Room lady. We would get all dressed up for that special event. As a child I do not remember there being many decorations until after Thanksgiving. We looked forward to that every year. What do you remember most about Christmas past and if the Decorations arrived before or after Thanksgiving? Journal your Christmas December 2nd, 2012

Finally a sunny day!

So this summer in the Northeast has been one early on of little to no rain, beastly hot days , lots of humidity.  As soon as we go on vacation where we are near the Ocean and  a Pond, it is cloudy, overcast , cool and foggy.  A week on the Cape and this was 1 of 2 nice days.  We hightailed it to the Ocean for a morning walk.  I am not the lay on the beach all day kind of gal. maybe on a cooler day but I just do not enjoy the heat, and no where to get cool.  They were limited in letting people in the water today as the current and surf were very high and the Lifeguards were on high alert.  I counted close to 20 on the beach. I think this gull thought we were interrupting his morning nap.  Always amazed at teh immensity of the ocean.  the colors on a sunny day are like no other.  We saw 4-5 types of birds this AM including a large osprey out fishing in the open Ocean.

August

                        The first week of August hangs at the very top of summer, the top of the live-long year, like the highest seat of a Ferris wheel when it pauses in its turning. The weeks that come before are only a climb from balmy spring, and those that follow a drop to the chill of autumn, but the first week of August is motionless, and hot. It is curiously silent, too, with blank white dawns and glaring noons, and sunsets smeared with too much color. Often at night there is lightning, but it quivers all alone. ~Natalie Babbitt, Tuck Everlasting


Get out there and enjoy this last week of high summer!  My first 2 children were born this week.  It has always been a hot week but from this point onward the nights can be counted on to be cool.  Previous to this the nights are very balmy and warm.  We start to see all of nature change with the coming of a new season.  Sit back and enjoy this remaining 6 plus weeks of summer!

Graduation 2012

We Had the gardens looking good and Decorated up the yard for a simple Family party the day after Graduation

Banner I made for our small party

An Asian theme with Cherry Blossom lanterns to accompany the Sushi

Technology always at hand in this generation!

Almost there!!!

We did it!!!!

Summer Garden Mid- July

I drifted into a summer-nap under the hot shade of July, serenaded by a cicadae lullaby, to drowsy-warm dreams of distant thunder.  ~Terri Guillemets

People, Wonderful People

I work with public daily.  I meet close to a dozen new people daily plus or minus.  It never ceases to amaze me the wide variety of people out there.   There are those that are a pure delight  to meet and work with on a regular basis and then there are others that really try ones patience.   Those that make you laugh , those that clearly need lots of help, those that you wonder what life has been like for them, those that have been to Nepal and other great reaches of the Earth, and those that have never left the town they live in much less the state or country.  I was thinking about the Barbara Streisand song, "People who need People . . . .are the luckiest people in the world . . . "   I was also thinking about How little we truly know of others and the journeys that they may be on.  Are they safe?  Do they have enough food and drink, a house over their head?  What do we really know?  Then I hope and wonder that I have raised my children to be kind to others no matter what?  The people we meet and the relationships we build are the cornerstones of Life.  Some will become passing friendships and some will be for life and beyond.  I like what John Mayer has to say below. I will be musing on that for the week.  Are you a box of 64 or a box of 8?  I need inchworm green,electric lime, and dandelion yellow, What colors do you need?

 “Life is like a box of crayons. Most people are the 8-color boxes, but what you're really looking for are the 64-color boxes with the sharpeners on the back. I fancy myself to be a 64-color box, though I've got a few missing. It's ok though, because I've got some more vibrant colors like periwinkle at my disposal. I have a bit of a problem though in that I can only meet the 8-color boxes. Does anyone else have that problem? I mean there are so many different colors of life, of feeling, of articulation.. so when I meet someone who's an 8-color type.. I'm like, "hey girl, magenta!" and she's like, "oh, you mean purple!" and she goes off on her purple thing, and I'm like, "no - I want magenta!"” John Mayer

 

Weekend wanderings

Where did your weekend take you?   What is their about the weekend?  We look forward to it all week, we savor Friday because we know that on Saturday we can take it a little slower, fit in a nap, linger over coffee, Tea, the paper and maybe catch up on a few long overdue chores.  Although I will be the first to say that the chores are not high on my list, it does feel great to get something of significance accomplished. It seems that our weekends are always jam packed but now and then we can have a day at home or a long leisurely Morning.  this weekend we went out Saturday night to check on a sailboat and afterward we went to see the sunset and it was spectacular.  Sunday we walked a new stretch of trail that has been up graded to a multiuse trail.  There were many Turtle nests on the edges, lots of wildflowers and berries growing on the waysides. A very beautiful stretch of trail.  Fresh Blueberry muffins, homemade Pizza and Blueberry Buckle among the many treats to cross our palates.  Home projects were wide ranging.

4th of July 2012

 A very windy day at first - then dead stifling humid heat

 All the gardens are looking good thanks to my husband for watering and lots of weeding and planting things that died off over the winter

 cool solar lights we have this year!!

Thanks for our freedoms of Liberty and the Pursuit of happiness!

Happy 4th of July!!!

The 4th of July has always been a time of quiet celebration for us. A picnic, sparklers, firefly's and Homemade Ice Cream.  Time to reflect on this great - Land of the Free!  How do you celebrate the 4th?

Thoughtful Thursday

The Last Day of School . . . . . . . how would you finish that?  What images does it give you? What stories does it tell you? How would you do a journal page?  Today is the first day of Summer vacation!!!

Fathers Day 2012

A day filled with a lot of work, staining the deck, all the regular house chores, Pecan Waffels and brunch mid day , followed by a family walk in a nearby park and then Pulled pork, beans, potatoes and fruits.   It was a hot day for sure. Elderberries are in bloom and Milkweed is very early this year but we did not see any Monarch butterfly catepillars,  A stop at Peppermint Springs with the crystal clear water and walking through heavy forest and wetlands, it is a park with mixed vegetation  for sure.   A good swim for Edna at the end.

Cannon Crew

War of 18 12 replica Cannon built by Scouts Last year for Canada Brigade in the Fall. This is the 200th Anniversary of the War of 1812 on the great Lakes and many towns that were part of it are having special celebrations. This was the Cannon Crews first hometown parade!!  Way to go!!!

Rembering . . . . .

Today we remember those that have gone before us in order that today we can have the freedoms and privileges that come with the battles they fought for. At the cemetery this morning after the parade  the speaker  commented that we all volunteer for things like Church scouts, PTA but let us not forget those that volunteered their life in service for this country both in war and peacetime.  This level of volunteerism goes above and beyond the call of duty.  We celebrate the fallen and those that are still with us but have served or are serving.  My dad served for 3 years in Hokkaido, Japan during the Korean Conflict. My Father- in - Law served in Washington DC  Hats off to veterans and current service men and women.  This is our Boy Scout Troop placing Flags 2 days ago at local cemetery.