Eyes That See Things Much Too Far

I've been self-absorbed in otherness all day today...

Thoughts seeming to elude cohesiveness.

This

then

that

and

back and forth

from

then

to

now.

Drifting.

Happily tinkering,

while the clatter of my thoughts

drown the silence of the air around me.

And ya know what?

I've concluded that sometimes

I just need to do the don'ts of life.

I've had most of the day to myself,

and while drifting,

I've been cleaning and sorting and categorizing and purging.

Keep this, toss that.

Remember?

Yes, I remember... 

I've finally made myself sit down and eat something.

My stomach has been empty, growling reminders at me...

Hey? Ya gonna feed me or what?

But I'm intent on finishing my list...and that list keeps growing.

Warm weather.

It's appeases my soul.

As I pass by in haste, I keep glancing out the kitchen window to the patio.

The flowers are moving gently on their stage.

They love showing off.

And I love watching the show.

They make my heart smile,

evoking an intimacy within me.

Intimacy doesn't always have to be a physical thing.

Rather a search inward.

Okay.

Time's up.

Until next time.

Moms Don't Miss a Thing

When Mom found my diaphragm,
I told her it was a bathing cap for my cat.

- Liz Winston

I remember those days.

When I was young and stupid and naive enough

to think that Mom didn't know 

what I was REALLY up to.

All of those times when I was up to

"no good"

and thought I had her fooled.

I thought I was smooth as silk

slick as a greased pig.

NOT

She didn't miss a thing.

It's funny now that I think about it.

I desperately want to sit with her some day for 

that heart-to-heart, laughing our butts off...

so much left to be said...

We ran out of time.

A young mother experiencing her

first-born's first birthday...

I had no idea that little tow head 

would end up halfway across the world some day.

My Mother’s Day Weekend in Photos

A visit to a local greenhouse...

I chose THIS one...because...

IT'S BLUE.

All things blue.

BEAUTIFUL BLUE.

 

It was a happy and heavenly visit.

 It rained Saturday, so I spent the day indoors recovering

my patio cushions with the fabric I bought in Winston Salem

a few weeks ago.

Chessie approved.

"This will do just fine," she said.

 
              A package?  For ME???

 

Fascinated by all the Japanese jibberish

that decorated the wrappings...

I must insist on a translation!

 I just stared at this.

"Hm," I said.

Love notes, cards and a pedicure!

Chessie enjoying her new patio "bed"

They turned out perfectly!

But I definitely need to finish painting the rocker.

Oops.

After I was served dinner on the screened porch,

I was served a glass of wine by the fire pit on the patio.

PERFECT!

Thanks, you guys.

This mother is blessed.

Yes, They Make Your Ass (and gut) Look HUGE

Every woman has asked it at least once ...

Do these jeans

make my ass look big?

Yes, darlin'....they do.

High-waisted

pants and jeans?

REALLY?

REALLY?

HUGE

fashion trend mistake.

(Play on words)

Ugh!

I Need a Reboot

What was my first clue?

Uh...when my feet reluctantly hit the floor this morning

when I got up to head to the gym?

(It's not usually that painful!)

Uh...when I never got to my "second wind" zone

during cardio warmup?

When I barely made it through a moderate shoulder workout?

The last three days on my way home from work

I've driven in a sleep-deprived fog.

I'm getting in bed too late at night while trying to get up

at my normal gym routine time.

It's my body telling me I need a reboot.

(Or a vacation?)

Usually a good long nap does the trick.

I dim the lights in my office,

pull the shades,

turn on my Sleep Machine app,

and Mr. Sandman and I rendezvous.

It's motions week,

which means non-stop court time all day long.

I've had to work through my lunch hours on transcripts.

Finding the time for that nap is the dilemma.

It's Thursday...one more day and I get to sleep in.

Chill.

Relax.

Until then, I'll guzzle more coffee and green tea.

The strong stuff!

SMILE, T.

The weekend is ALMOST here.

New Life for Garden Pots

It's been a crazy busy week, as I had predicted.  I'm already looking forward to this weekend so that I can finish up my garden plantings.

I'd purchased a few plants last weekend at our local farmer's market in the city. Oh my, buzzing with shoppers!  You couldn't stir that place with a stick.  I regret that I didn't take pictures.  That intoxicating excitement of spring's first flowers, plantings, gardens, lawn plantings, vegetables...everyone wants a piece of it.  It's like cake.  You can never have a BIG enough piece.  You always think you need a little more.  I want it all!

I have two large pots in front of our house that we used for two big ostrich ferns -- I've heard them called by many names.  They're the ferns that grow upward, tall and stiffer leaves than the Boston ferns.  They don't droop nearly as much.  The pots had faded over this past year and looked tired and worn.  I spent last Sunday afternoon giving them a few coats of paint, various colors and washes to make them appear more ethnic.  Then I coated them with a light glaze.  I was thrilled with the results, a deep and dusty red with hints of black, gray and caramel.  It was a beautiful day, although extremely windy.  I had to use rocks to hold my cardboard palette in place as I painted, breathing new life into my garden and patio adornments.

This pot was an ugly dollar store tan plastic pot that I painted to resemble zinc.  

I then painted a little leaf decoration on the front in deep red.  

I liked the zinc look so much I painted a few other pots the same way.

I spied this adorable corkscrew plant -- a must-have!

The pot was repainted a mustard and black,

then a topcoat of antique stain.

The bigger matching pot, a darker caramel.

I'm kind of crazy about the mustard color.

This one had been washed out pale yellow.

B O R I N G.

The wash of mustard and stain gave it style -- "T style."

This pot had been light cement gray.  One of those cheap foam pots.

It's now a mix of reds, caramel, and black, 

then light touches of metallic bronze glaze.

Last but not least, my sweetheart fat bunny.

I'm sentimental about this little fellow, having bought him

in Winston Salem two years ago when I visited my friend...

my first visit to Raffaldini Vineyards!

(I'm tellin' ya...that will be my home some day.)

He had faded to a very washed out pale gray from last year's

hot sun.  I used a wash of browns, burnt umber and grays on him.

He's much happier now.

Let the growing begin.

FNL - Building Paradise

By having good memories

on every place you just visit,
you are building paradise

in your own heart and your life.”

~ Toba Beta

The best part of this music...get right to it...Counter 3:23
soulfully rich and passionate
the utmost

My little pieces of paradise from last weekend...

 Raffaldini Vineyards

 

Pieces of my heart have been left behind

in North Carolina…

and there they shall remain.

For I will return to live there one day.