Summer Daze

A streetside farmstand had Georgia peaches for sale. Little ones. The fragrance is heady and the taste--well, it could be improved. I am sticking my nose in the plastic bag everytime I walk past. Ahh!

My little plot of peat pots sitting on the porch. Planted a bit late but doing just fine. Tomatoes and five cucumber plants. G says I can only have 12 tomato plants this year. I usually have lots more.

My Mother's Day stepping stones made with my daughter Slambo. We mixed cement and decorated the stuff and it was messy and over pretty quickly. I also smeared cement over the bottom of my old birdbath and added turquoise stones. Very pretty. Nice gift. The one on the right has old watch faces imbedded in the cement. None are ticking.

Moving along. Now the flowers need to be bigger to show movement from front to back. I will also layer more and larger flowers over the ones already in the arrangement. Nothing is ironed down. It's cheerful.

Company from Texas. Deborah from Deborah's Journal came to visit me, my garden and my studio. She brought this delightful gift and made the little pin heads from ShrinkyDink. I gave her a glass of water. We walked the yard, then Deborah helped me decide what to do with a few fabric pieces I'm working on. One is a large square with strips layered over the surface. Just wasn't working. I was attempting to translate the very successful small 15 inch Trashformation squares into a 60 inch square format. Working small is so much easier.

Deborah suggested adding some black and white to the orange and lime surface. After lunch, I climbed a ladder to the top shelf of my fabric warehouse and pulled down a black fabric with white lines in a railroad track type pattern and cut a long strip into narrow strips and added them to the square---it's "cooking" now. Thank you, Deborah!

I even used the trimmed portions of the strips to make an interesting collaged African piece. So yesterday was a "very good day". Today I planted herbs and lettuce and cabbage in the garden and watered everything. I had planned to dig and weed for most of the day in the grass filled flower beds--because tomorrow I get my nails done. But I'm tired. Maybe a nap on the porch?

Wednesday, May 23

From now on----well, today and maybe next week----I'll try a Wednesday post. Just normal, what's going on today stuff. I snagged the pretty kitty drawing from a five year old who came to the library for Kindergarten Screening. In my Town, not everyone who is five can go to school. I always have an image of screening my compost pile at this time of year. And the image of all the acorns, pine straw, rocks and sticks that accumulate on the top of the screen. And all the yummy compost and worms in the wheelbarrow under the screen. What would it be like for the five year old and mom to be left on top of the screen?

Today's breakfast was oatmeal without the usual splash of milk to loosen it up. No one here is drinking milk like they used to and even the smallest container--a quart-- spoiled. I guess I have to buy pints. Or "waste" calories drinking milk. My bone density was amazing and my height at 60 is the exact same as my height at 18. I drank milk and no soda through my youth and high school years. Coke was a Christmas Eve treat. The tiny bottle. One for each of us and one for Santa.

Watched Tom Selleck as Jesse Stone last night. My dad drank. So it was with a heavy heart that I watched Tom/Jesse drink his way through a whole evening. Every evening. And that poor dog had to watch him drink. It would be wonderful if something could make Tom/Jesse smile once in awhile.

I wanted Earl to win the million on Survivor and he did. I wanted Apolo to win Dancing With The Stars and when I tuned in at 11pm--he had the trophy in hand. No need to watch the whole 2 hour crap-a-thon. And in case you ask, I NEVER watch American Idol. Ick.

Top Chef is coming on again. I like that show. And the Closer starts next month. And Big Brother which I will watch *once* to see if I like the people. If not, I'll stop while ahead. I LOVED last summer's All Stars with Boogie and the Showmance (romance for show). LOL. G finally had enough 24 and I got to delete them from my TiVo line up, unwatched.

Johnny Depp and the Pirates are back! Number Three. Can't WAIT!!! Love Captain Jack!!!

Oh, G bought a scale and I broke down and weighed myself yesterday. I have finally broken 200 and now weigh 199.5. I've lost 38.5 pounds since the first Friday in January. I'm confessing to actually weighing that much, then and now, to be perfectly honest about this whole adventure. I know there are ways to do this "faster" as my friend is doing MediFast and lost 40 pounds in 6 weeks. But I'm actually trying to do something PERMANENT. This is the way I will be eating for the remaining 40 years of my life. Because I plan to have a birthday party in September, 2046 with 100 candles on the cake. I may allow myself a very small slice of cake and a big scoop of ice cream at that party. Don't worry, I'll blog it.

Art Content

While G watched the Ninja Challenge on cable I had the opportunity to go down to my workroom and start in on something. I have a similar (subject matter and dots) quilt hanging at the library now and have been asked if there are others in a series. Why not?

So I looked around for another blue dotted fabric and found this and pulled out my limited supply of fused pieces of fabric-- just didn't feel like searching for the glue bottle which has disappeared. Started cutting, free-hand in case you wondered, placing, moving. Nothing is fused yet because I can't quite figure out how I'm going to accomplish that. Yes, I do know how. But the fabric is on the wooden table, on my cutting mat and none of those surfaces are iron friendly. Moving means things sliding and falling off. I have sort of decided to tap/fuse the flowers together on release paper.

I did enjoy doing the cutting. Nice to get back to work again. And the dots really cheer me up. What's not to love about dots???? After my daily walk, I have a choice of making banana bread or making some of my "signature" tulips for this quilt. Or I can do both. Tulips while the bread bakes. Multi-tasking.

I have been dreaming of Reny. Worried about him. Is he happy? Then I remember he is at the breeder's with lots of dogs, little tiny puppies and "starter" dogs. Reny was wanting dog company so he's happy. I miss him. But each morning I wake up relieved that I will not be spending the day with him. Am I a bad person for this?

In fact, I am relieved that I am not responsible for any person, child, animal, deed or deadline. No strings on me. I don't even have library fines. I don't need to check the calendar, the clock or wear a watch if I don't want. Freedom calls me like a siren song. What would I do if truly free? Go when I want. Just leave home and go places. Visit people. Do nothing. Yes, that's what I would love to do. Life as a constant road trip.

And if I won the lottery? Build a studio on the back, south side of the house. Remodel the kitchen so it is clean, modern and utilitarian with radiant heat in the floors. Finally have a shower built in my bathroom. Buy a second car of my own to haul big and dirty things. Get my hair colored every three weeks so it always looks perfect. Buy several pairs of eyeglasses so I can change them with my mood. All these "freedoms" have a price tag. And I have little money. But a girl can dream. What do you dream?

What Goes Around

This morning I wanted to take some pictures but it's cloudy, cold, and rainy today in Maine. Another sweater day. Maybe even a winter coat day. So I took pictures of stuff and ended up liking the rubber band. It goes around.

I think I would like to be spending the day in my fabric room--straightening out the messy piles and trying to do some work. I also need to do my two mile walk. What I really want to do is burrow down on the couch with a romance book and a warm lap blanket.

G is outside getting dirty. Working on the wood pile. Yesterday he planted three Christmas trees he found growing in the woods behind our house. (on our land) Don't want you to think we were stealing them. Someday they will look pretty nice.

Made a really nice paper collage in my journal today that would make a very nice quilt. That hasn't happened too much lately. Not many quilt ideas.

Sometimes life is just too busy. No time to just sit and stare at things and think. I'm the sort of personality that needs lots of quiet alone time to just stand and stare at things. All the things I do artistically take time to perk in my mind. It looks like I'm doing nothing. But the opposite is true. When I'm busy and have to work alot at the library-- that's when I'm doing nothing. Work equals no art. And this week I'm scheduled to work everyday. So no art.

I've also decided to stop scheduling lunch dates. It's too much food and calories. And I am 3 pounds away from my 20 week goal of 40 pounds. Missed it. Very sad about it. This is now week 21 and if I don't catch up, well, I'll always be behind. So I'm tieing on the walking shoes and hitting the pavement. Every day this week. Walking. Soup. Salad. Work. Sleep.

I have to get back into the spirit of this weight loss plan. Working Hard. Eating Right. Moving Forward. Walking. Walking. Walking. Tired already.

Mother's Day

My daughter made this little stone tower with my limited help out of my stone pile at the end of the driveway. I can see the stones from my porch and it's really very "meditative". Obos.

The view from my porch steps. I think we need to look through a camera lens to truly "see" our own surroundings. I didn't realize how nice this looked till I took the picture. I love my house and yard.

It's this nice. Just what was on the porch. Right in front of my eyes. Today my daughter and are are making stepping stones from cement and found objects and then having our weekly Chinese Lunch which I look forward to ALL week. A non-diet meal.

Happy Mother's Day to all.

Seven Things About Me

I think I'm supposed to have seven new things but I'm forgetful. You may already know these things.

One: It's summer and I just had my first strawberry ice cream cone of the season. And the cone supposedly had more calories than the ice cream.

Two: I wear a size 16 (now) everywhere but at LL Bean where I am between an 18 and a 20. So I bought the 18. It'll be like Goldilocks. A little too tight, just right and a little loose in the next 6 weeks.

Three: I never really plan my quilts. I have an idea and just sort of start working and changing things until I make something. Which may not even be what I started making. Sometimes I may have an idea of how big it's going to be.

Four: I carry two checkbooks in my purse and always pull out the wrong one. Even though I look and think about it before choosing.

Five: I hated Survivor for years and said uncomplimentary things about my husband's taste in television (he watched) and never actually watched any of the series until they decided to go the Amazon. Well, I couldn't imagine how they wouldn't get eaten alive. So I watched. And then they did the 'Pirate' one and Rupert got me hooked. Now I wouldn't miss an episode, no matter how crappy they are and wish I had watched the early ones.

Six: My husband and I have been married nearly 39 years and still don't know the complete history of each other. Constantly surprised. Or is it just memory loss????

Seven: No one who knows me and my technology phobias, can actually believe I have a blog and post pictures and get around on the internet. It's sort of like finding out your mom was a Rolling Stone groupie. Huh??

Eight: Anyone else wondering where the hell they are going with Lost? And isn't "Sawyer" a great character? So much better than "Jack". And anyone else think Ben is a schizoid? I think that voice saying "help me" was Ben talking. And why didn't the cute guy in the woods get any older? The living dead? Anyone interested in dishing on this topic?

Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

Today Reny goes back to the breeder and our days as dog owners come to an end. We did what was in the best interests of the puppy. G and I just had not established the dominant leadership positions that the dog needed from us and the biting and aggression Reny exhibited (as he clearly became the dominant dog) increased in violence each time. At some point G or I were going to get seriously hurt as the teeth began to break the skin.

The next owner. The next home. That is where Reny will belong and become the wonderful big dog he was meant to be.

We gave him love. And sometimes that isn't enough.

Reny knew he was saying goodbye this morning. He licked my face and leaned against my legs and let me know that he loved me as much as I love him. I think he was excited to be going on to a new adventure and lots of dogs at the kennel. In fact, I know in my heart that he was.

When you do the right thing it feels right. And as hard as this is, it feels right.

Today is a Good Day

There will be puppy news later in this post but for those of you not interested in puppy business here's what's going on with me. I am struggling to make some fabric art. A few moments of each day. But I am trying. I also purchased a size appropriate blouse yesterday to wear with the correct size black pants. Size 16. Still big. But a big change for a 2X (18-20) and sometimes 3X woman. And it helps to wear the right size clothing. People notice. But the correct size feels-- how to say this-- too close? In the past three months I got used to all my clothes being loose, even baggy.

I have to make a big decision. To get rid of the "too big" clothes or wash them and fold them and put them away "in case". (Just like I saved all the size 12 clothes I have stored in the attic for 20 years.) I never want to go back to that big size but things don't always work the way we want do they? I have considered making things from all the linen fabric in those clothes. Anyone out there "been there, done that" have any advice?

I have really missed blogging. There isn't much new to say. I just try to make it through each day and do some laundry or ironing or cook something good for dinner. We had tequila lime chicken on Cinco de Maya. I made these really wonderful peppers and onions. Soft and creamy and brown. Yum. And Mexican rice. The week before I made Chicken Francais for G and it turned out exactly like served at one of his favorite restaurants. I even pounded the chicken flat with my Christmas (gift) pounder thing. Next up, Chicken Marsala with portobella mushrooms. G likes chicken. I don't.

The dog is now 4 months old and forty pounds. We've entered the "I'm a big kid, I can decide where I want to go, leave me alone" stage. He wants to go visit the neighbors and eat their spring flowers, newspapers and their pant legs. I want him to stay home. Or at least come when I call him. So he's on the leash 24/7 and he is HATING that. Reny was born free and wants to stay that way. He was also born to run. Which is why his full name is Renegade.

At 4 pm everyday, he starts in biting. Very aggressive. Scary. Like Rottweiler biting. So we need to stop that. I have bruises all over from the bites. And no reason for it as the rest of the day he is a very mellow, if not stubborn pup. My guess is that by 4 pm he has used up all his puppy patience with all our "rules" and just lets go. And he's tired. It's not unusual for him to be bedded down for the night by 7 pm. And not up again till 6 am. He's a good sleeper.

We are changing him from 3 meals a day to two. He's going to HATE this. But the vet says he can have a rawhide bone (the biggest one we can buy) to chew. We have to take it away if the rawhide gives him the runs. He is still a young puppy.

G just got home with a new walking harness for Reny and a long, thin BBQ rawhide stick. The wrong thing. Why he can't do exactly what the vet suggested is beyond me. The house smells like a smoke pit. Yuck! And he bought a freezer bone. Like you make for a teething baby. G says Reny likes ice. Reny just likes anything that comes out of the fridge. And is handed to him. Reny eats wood. Bark chips. Rocks. Reny is no gourmet. So we are returning the freezer bone. I wish we could return the stinky rawhide stick but G gave it to Reny (for 10 minutes) and he already chewed the end off it. The store clerk said it took 2 months for her Husky to chew the stick. Ha!

Well, Reny is napping. G is "doing things" and I will go do something also. Then go to work and on the way stop and buy the correct rawhide bone. Plain. No smell. Huge. And not a thin, flavored stick that Reny can shove down his throat. And not from Petco. Men just DO NOT know how to shop.