End of Summer

We spent the holiday weekend closing  my in-laws summer home.
My son and my niece spent a couple of weeks camping with Grandmamma and Granddaddy for many summers.  Sweet memories of time on the beach, cheese toast under the broiler, adventures at Point Betsie and fireworks over the lake.

In town, there is an interesting oil and vinegar shop, Fustinis.

Individual tasting pots of oil and vinegar.  

My favorites were Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar and Tuscan Infused Olive Oil.  

I took home a bottle of each and looking forward to 

homemade bread and pasta with a fresh green salad. 

 A couple of walks around the "island" with the pups and family were fun.

                     

Moomers Ice Cream is a favorite of many people.  

They don't advertise. Folks discover it by word of mouth. 

It's so out of the way, one would never find out about it "driving by". 

The milk and cream for the ice cream comes from their own dairy farm.  

The view from the deck is overlooking their lovely farm.

Back to reality .  .  .  laundry - cleaning the house - changing linens

And a busy week at work.

Starting Over

Today is my birthday, a day to begin anew.  Since my last post in October my life has changed in happy and sad ways.  Reminds me of a Charles Schultz book from my childhood, "Happiness is..." My copy, blue with Snoopy dancing on the front, is packed up; this is all I could find online.   

 

My husband gave me most of the series when were were dating.  He is my happiness.

Happiness is looking for the simple, uncomplicated and unexpected, visual, tactile, and auditory. Wonderful flavors and heavenly scents.   

Huggs, smiles, beauty, being loved and loving, a dog's wagging tail and squeaks of joy.  

Spending more time with my dad one on one.  (He is in a long term memory care facility now.)

Being protected. (I totaled my forever car in April.  Now I have a car I love with room for four.)  

The new project was not the house across the street.  It was our house! The beautiful laundry room nearly done. (I will post pictures when it is finished.)  

Starting on the old master bedroom this week!

Choosing not to apply for a job I really wanted.  LESS STRESS, my new boss is a joy.

New garden plan during the long, hot, drought. The veg garden is planted in pots. It's much easier to water and keep an eye on the plants.

Happiness is a new life in my life. 

Happiness is giving someone a home.

Happiness is learning a new culture.

First green beans, only 2, but hey.

A husband who loves me.  

Happiness is making him happy.

Knowing my kids are safe and happy.

Happiness is loosing weight-woo hoo!

Being healthy-able to do the things I want.

Making new friends.

Blogging.

  Making choices full of life...

Wishing happiness for you all...

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder

You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger

May you never take one single breath for granted

God forbid love ever leave you empty handed

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean

Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens

Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

I hope you dance

I hope you dance

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance

Never settle for the path of least resistance

Livin' might mean takin' chances, but they're worth takin'

Lovin' might be a mistake, but it's worth makin'

Don't let some Hellbent heart leave you bitter

When you come close to sellin' out, reconsider

Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

I hope you dance

I hope you dance

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean

Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens

Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

Dance

I hope you dance

I hope you dance

source 

Happiness is a choice, easier for some I know.  I hope you dance.

I will post when I have the time and something to share.

p.s.  This is an inauspicious start. My birthday was yesterday.


My birthday party was today! Thanks to many special friends in my life.

Considering a New Project

I have long loved houses with character-not the worn, peeling paint, shabby chic kind of character.  The real thing that is part of the structure and design of the house.  Columns with either fancy of plain capitals.  A big front porch.  The front door with such beauty it takes my breath away.  Wood. Real wood siding. Original windows. Gorgeous woodwork that has never been painted.  Hard wood floors.  Cresting on the roof ridge. Fireplace. Built in cabinets in the dining room and kitchen. Floor plan that has been altered so little since it was built, that taking out one bathtub and it is original once again.

Ever since I finished my degree in historic preservation, I have been longing for an historic house with lots of character and wholly unaltered.  Something that needs TLC.  Working on others houses and buildings if fun, but I want one that is mine.

There is such a house for sale right across the street from my current house. It is just an ordinary vernacular white two-story frame house.  I hope to blog about everything from considering the purchase to decisions about the work and restoration that hopefully will happen should I decide to buy the house.

With my fingers cross, and hoping my husband doesn't kill me for taking on this project and the expense, today it is a dream. Turning it into the reality of my life will take my head as well as my heart.

Wish me luck!

Saturday Mornings

My life has changed so much over the past few months that I hardly recognize myself.  You are familiar with the philosophy God is in the details? Well, God is in technology these days in our family.

Keeping in touch with family is highest of priorities. I am not a phone person; random phone calls are intrusive to me most of the time. Invariably, one of us is too busy to talk. We laugh about stalking Google Talk to catch someone online, but it's true. Differences in time zones and schedules make it challenging to connect.  Little snippets of chatting happen throughout the week, but Saturday (and Sunday) are the best days to have a long video chat and, yes, phone calls for those who don't use technology.

Hanging out in the kitchen-keeping room is a weekend treat with time to make cappuccino, read the paper, enjoy the sunshine and spend time with hubby and Cotehele.  Homemade waffles are a weekend ritual enjoyed by all. Cotehele patiently (ya, think?) waits for her own little waffle with real maple syrup and fruit.  I always enjoy the chance to bake.

Blueberry Danish

Lately, Saturday morning is my time to catch up on the week's blogs.  I admit to being a visual person.  My brain has processed enough work all week, that I love scrolling thru blogs just for the pictures.  Beautiful, creative, interesting images take my breath away.  These are a couple if visual blogs I enjoyed this morning.

The Enchanted Home

                                                                Conspicuous Style

This afternoon we are having a shower for my "adopted" son and daughter. 

It's their first child - a Boy!

They have been very gracious to invite me to go with them to the ultrasounds.  

He is a cute little guy.  Grin. 

~~ Pictures tomorrow~~

 If I don't get too caught up in the celebration to remember to snap a few.

  TTFN

Hey!

To my blogland friends, I just want to take this opportunity to say I miss blogging, and I miss you all.   Work has become overwhelming and it is not likely to get any better for at least a month.  Hope all is well in your part of the world.  I will be back when I can.  So long for now.

Quick and Easy

It has been nearly impossible to grow anything that is surviving in the heat and drought this summer.  Native flowers are doing fair with as much pampering as I have time to give them.  Everything else - the water hogs especially - are pretty sad.

The most lush plant in the yard came up all by itself.

It has had no special treatment, no fertilizer and very little extra water. 

I have always heard when a plant is in the perfect place, it thrives.

Last summer two hybrid small-tomato plants lived in this bed.  

Tomatoes that dropped on the ground were left to compost in situ.

 I didn't have the chance to plant any garden this year. What a lovely surprise it was to see little tomato plants poking up through the mulch. 

I pick about a quart of tomatoes every other day.

Hope they pop up again next year.

Sweet Puppy Update

Last winter I blogged here about a very sweet puppy we passed on our walks. I am happy to say that Madison has has found her forever home thanks to some very diligent and committed doggie people here in town.


". . . they adore her!!! Just a little glitch . . . She's not fond of their cat but, they're working on it.Great family, he's a school teacher, they have 3 kids (that Madison just can't get enough of) and they hike a lot with her:) She has a huge fenced yard to call her own and a big doggie bed all her own. She's a queen now!"