The Land of Bliss

I've never felt so relaxed ...

so exhilarated.

 

It's so beautiful here.

Time Alone

 

Art enables us to find ourselves

and lose ourselves at the same time.

~ Thomas Merton

(my colorful art basket)

 

My husband and all three sons left Thursday morning

for a charter fishing trip

on the Greak Lakes.

I cannot wait to hear every detail.

WHAT a great memory for the three of them,

esp at this chapter in their lives.

Gavin graduating, starting a new job in PA...

Zach leaving for Japan in July...

 

So I've spent several days all.by.myself.

 

 

and so

to hit the highlights:

 

~ had dinner Friday with an old friend from high school

~ finished up the signs I'm making for Marco friends

~wrapped the signs/gifts

~ killer leg &glute workout at the gym on Saturday morning

~ worked on base tan on back patio

while spray painting chairs for my neightbor friend

(hung them one-by-one from a tree!)

~ jammed with tunes while working on projects

~ made two batches of protein muffins for my trip

~ roasted almonds for my trip

~ made a new pillow cover for the back porch

~ piddled in the garden with the flowers

~ went on a walk with Chessie x 3

~ painted another handmade gift for a baby

~ began making myself a "wine" sign

(my next one will be a bottle of Ergo)

 

...oh, and did I mention I painted this weekend?

 

....and now I'm sitting on the back porch...

it's pouring rain

with candles glowing

and Chris Botti station playing softly in the background

to say that it's peaceful is an understatement

 

I think about Gavin...

I miss him

He starts his new job tomorrow and I'm happy for him.

Of course I am.

But I can't bring myself to go into his barren room.

Zach has not officially "left home"

and so this is a first for me

letting go

it's more difficult than I imagined it would be

but I am forcing myself to focus on how happy he is

how proud I am of him

and how excited I am for him as he embraces his future

It's fine.  It's gonna be just fine.

I'm blessed.

 

I remember to exhale.



When I Called Your Name



Sign Language

though miles may lie between us

we are never far apart
for friendship doesn’t count miles
it’s measured by the heart

 

as our friendship grew over the years

we began exchanging
gifts each time we'd meet on
Marco Island,
tokens of love
friendship & good times
sealed with a "kiss"

Last Saturday's sign-making project for their gifts.
Distressed, weathered wood
(with a little help from Vaseline, sandpaper and paint)
...and the perfect expression
for island babes...
(shhhhhhhh!)

Can't wait to give them the finished project.....!



Toothless Who?

Can't believe it's been almost one week ago since Live on The Levee. 

 

It turned out to be a great evening -- good company, a yummy, light dinner on the grill (just my style), a couple of beers, and wrapping up down on the Levee with "Toothless Ruth." 

 

Okay.  So I'm sure this group has sound reasons for this ridiculous name, but uh... really?  Toothless Ruth?  I had no idea what to expect from that name, but I was pleasantly surprised -- their lead vocalist sounded almost identical to Steve Perry.  Very cool!  Definitely a "rock" band, many of  their songs from Journey, Styx, Aerosmith.  Works for me.

 

Yeah...such great music in that era... I miss it.  "Lady."  I don't think I'll ever grow tired of listening to that timeless romantic rock ballad.  Same for songs like Wicked Games (Chris Isaak), Love Look What You've Done to Me (Boz Skaggs), Miss You (Stones), Sweet Emotion (Aerosmith), Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen), Dream On (Aerosmith), Bennie and the Jets (Elton John), Start Me Up (Stones)... and the list goes on and on.  The great artists and classics of yesteryear.  Those were GOOD TIMES.

 

I'l be doing Live on the Levee again later this summer.  Hoping for some jazz at some point.  I won't hold my breath.  Not wildly popular in these parts.  But stranger things have happened.

 

 Heading to the levee from across the river ...

 

A shot from the bridge, facing east

... and facing west, seduced by the brink of sunset

This would be Toothless Ruth

Those boaters had the BEST seats!

Night sets in on the river

happy people everywhere...

...and the love affair resumes ...

Mesmerized by the energy of the atmosphere

heading back across the bridge...

twinkling reflections of city AND river night life in the water

Let's do it again, my friend!

 



Waves of Fun

"I’m a big woman.  I need big hair.”

 Aretha Franklin

"BIG"

“My real hair color is kind of a dark blonde;
now I just have mood hair.”

Julia Roberts

 

 This would be "good mood" hair, right?

 

 

“I don’t think about how I wear my hair.

I get out of the shower,
put on some gel, and it dries.
I got blessed with good hair from my parents.”

Douglas Wilson

 

Yeah.  Okay.  I guess my dad had SOME worthy qualities.

And so I ask myself: Really?

Do you REALLY wanna fight the wave thing,
the "big hair" thing,
pointlessly fuss with that whole
        flat-iron thing?

IT'S ISLAND TIME.

Let go…let loose
just be me
relaxed
no boundaries
spontaneous & spirited

 So.  That  settles it.

As I begin packing,

I’ve made up my mind.

BEACH = NO WORRIES

Flat irons are for places with boundaries.

While at Marco,

I shall celebrate "waves."

Waves and waves of fun

Phone Booths

 

I love antique phone booths.

I've always thought it would be urban-cool to have one.

Oh, would THAT would be an awesome find.

 

Some day phone booths will be a thing of the past,

remembered only in history books and photos...

antique stores.

 

That's too bad.

There's something about the human voice

that will be lost in all of this texting and emailing technology.

Something sexy and timeless.

Solid.

Stimulating.

Genuine.

 You have to hear the voice for the message to get truly sent.

 

The happiest conversation is that of which
nothing is distinctly remembered,
but a general effect of pleasing impression.

~ Samuel Johnson