the good

I hadn't realized until I decided to check the dates that these photos were taken almost 3 weeks ago on March 30th. The daffodil were just starting to peek out and only the crocuses were up. I love that lonely little one that just found it's way under the trees. George was just finishing up some projects. Making some little compartment for lumber out of pallets. I think he would be make a good lumberjack...it's in his genes as his great grandfather was a logger. I am sure there were many loggers back in his day.  Anyways I was stalking him watching him work on this beautiful sunny spring day.   The bulk of the planting is done and in different stages of growth. Now it seems there is a lot of moving. Always a lot of moving. Cooling things down and hardening off.  It's fun to look back and see how much things have grown. I actually find myself cutting a lot back already. I am never without my scissors close at hand. My most used tool.  I made up a lot of little succulent mixtures and hopefully won't run out as quickly as I did last year. I'll try to photograph more of them to show you and maybe some flowers. Looking at these photos there isn't much that looks like spring. I am sure blogland is full of spring colors. I haven't had the time to visit like I would like but want to thank you for the wonderful comments. Most of you that write know that this is our crunch time. I so appreciate you understanding.  That was our weeping juniper that broke in the middle from that super snowstorm when we got 30-36". We haven't had the time to take care of it and it makes me a little sad to see it broken but it was getting too big for the space. 

Sadness is the Boston tragedy. I am overwhelmed with grief as I know you are.  I have been trying to listen to NPR for most of it as I haven't been doing much TV watching. The stories are horrific but also very inspiring as you hear of the people that stepped up to help. It's easy to get lost in the hatred, but important to know that humanity is not lost. 

Some wise words to keep in mind from  

From Patton Oswalt on facebook

I remember, when 9/11 went down, my reaction was, "Well, I've had it with humanity."

But I was wrong. I don't know what's going to be revealed to be behind all of this mayhem -- one human insect or a poisonous mass of broken sociopaths.

But here's what I DO know. If it's one person or a HUNDRED people, that number is not even a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of a percent of the population on this planet. You watch the videos of the carnage and there are people running TOWARDS the destruction to help out. (Thanks FAKE Gallery founder and owner Paul Kozlowski for pointing this out to me). This is a giant planet and we're lucky to live on it but there are prices and penalties incurred for the daily miracle of existence. One of them is, every once in a while, the wiring of a tiny sliver of the species gets snarled and they're pointed towards darkness.

But the vast majority stands against that darkness and, like white blood cells attacking a virus, they dilute and weaken and eventually wash away the evildoers and, more importantly, the damage they wreak. This is beyond religion or creed or nation. We would not be here if humanity were inherently evil. We'd have eaten ourselves alive long ago.

So when you spot violence, or bigotry, or intolerance or fear or just garden-variety misogyny, hatred or ignorance, just look it in the eye and think, "The good outnumber you, and we always will."

Surprises

This is a quickie post.

Like the way I just start off with that statement?

I guess it’s the guilt that I should be working….

On what? …..everything.

but I won’t get into that…..

this is suppose to be a quickie remember.

I was inspired by my husband.

Yes, the man I love that never picks up my camera…..or rarely

unless it’s for a spider or some kind of weird bug.

Not usually anything  you’d appreciate me showing.

Am I right?

cuz I can….I have plenty!

Well, anyways he came walking back in after a couple of minutes. I asked him

what he had photographed and he just said you must have changed the settings.

I told him yes and then looked at what he photographed.

I had left it on Manual and it was nothing more then an outline and completely overexposed.

I changed the settings……went outside and handed it back to him and

with a slight “ you can adjust the white balance” lingering in the air….falling to deaf ears

he walked off.

It was the fog that he wanted

on the pond.

Ok I altered a few….

the last 3.

I couldn’t help myself!

and if I could remember what I did, I would tell you. Really should write things down more.

The first 3 are as is with just a little contrast added.

There’s not really anything special about them except that they were taken by George.

Always surprising me that guy….

not a bug in these picture!

but not so surprised about him photographing this little puff ball.

If looks could KILL?????

Hope your New Year is going well so far!

More Shop stuff

               I’m so late in showing you more pictures of the shop.

                 Oh but before I start I hope everyone had a wonderful

                Thanksgiving!

                  I wanted to do a post but things here have been nuts since we  opened.

                I’ve missed my blogging time and have been going thru

              some real withdrawals.

                              

 

         Having you all in my life really makes some of the hard times

         much easier to get thru.

                I wish I could live in this little blog world that is always

              so welcoming and encouraging.

            But I guess that’s not really possible …

            is it???

                    I wanted to thank you for all the kind words about the Christmas Shop.

                I wish you could all come here too and we could play with my ribbons…

               or something !!!

                 I have a few customers that really “get me”and it’s great when

                I get to see them this time of year.

                  And yes we play with the ribbons….

              amongst other things.

                

                I’ll be quiet now and just let you look.

                I’’ll be going back to finish up a few orders…

               sometimes I feel like an elf working late into the night!!!!

             

 

 

               This was taken at night when almost all the lights were turned off.

                                                

                                             

                      The best picture of ALL!!!!!!

                    George and sweet little Charlotte

Happy Birthday to the twins

Some of you may remember our friends with

the twins

Fifi and Coco

aka  Felicia and Clio.

My nicknames haven’t really stuck yet

but I’m not giving up.

They are the names their crazy Aunt Carole…me

will always call them:)

That’s ok I like the role of being the crazy Aunt.

I was stumped as to what to get them for their 1st birthday.

Obviously they really won’t have any recollection of this milestone like they

will when they turn 5 , 6 or older.

Do you remember your birthday presents at that age?…I only remember

my Barbie's.

It was all about the Barbie’s when I was 5.

Wish my mother hadn’t given them away. 

I wanted to give the twins something that they would keep forever….

or at least longer then toys or clothing.

My search brought me to Martha’s site

of MJ Ornaments.

You may remember me doing a post on her HERE

We’ve been blog friends for awhile now.

We have a lot in common,

both of us are talented, tall and blonde.

Oh did I mention gorgeous!

haha

Just kidding…. I wish!

She was sweet enough to make these charms special for me…

or should I say for the twins.

We emailed each other back and forth a dozen times or so.

Thanks Martha for all your patience!

I picked the Mermaids because they are beach babies

and will surely grow up loving the sea like their parents.

I needed a special box to put them in.

I really like the cherubs but wish now that I had used photos of them.

As usual I was making these the night before and it was a rush job.

This is the bottom of the box. You probably wondering why its blue and not pink.

Lynn, their Mom decorated their baby room in Blue and Brown.

Her favorite color combination.

She’s not a  Pink Girl and yes I did pick the charms in pink.

I tease her that they’ll probably love the color pink

when they grow up just to be different then what they grew up with.

Who knows why we gravitate to certain colors?

This is how dingy I am.

While I was making the boxes I thought I had done the top and back upside down.

I panicked for a second.

Then I turned them back around.

Pretty bad huh?

It’s not easy being me!

In my lame defense…

it

was very LATE!

I think this was such a good choice for them.  They won’t be able to wear them

until they are older but

for now Lynn will wear them on a charm necklace.

Everything goes right into their mouths

No matter how BIG!!!!!

They have grown so much in the last few months.

This was taken in April.

and this in July with Dad being tickled.

Is there any sweeter sound then the sound of a toddler

laughing?

Or that awed look

Or just starting to walk

with momma’s help of course.

She looks so proud of herself.

Or discovering flowers

We love when they come for a visit.

The large dahlias look like vintage hats on those little heads. They didn’t like

them all that much but with persistence I finally got a picture with them.

My little flower children.

Felicia riding high with George.

It’s such a joy to watch the twins learn to walk.

They just started walking!

Now their parents will never get any rest:)