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Come stroll through the gardens…

  …and I’ll share with you some of what’s been tugging at me lately.  Those who know me well might have over the years deemed me a bit… oh, shall we say.. restless.  I’ve worn many hats and have managed to pursue some interesting and creative endeavors.  My jobs outside the home have varied greatly but none are what you would call a bonafide career.  I have several talents, but am the master of none.   I know all too well what it feels like to be cooped up in a windowless office on a beautiful summer day.  And I know the dread of having to meet a deadline… still have those dreams… even the missing homework dreams!   I bet you know the ones.

    I know what it takes to be a  single working mom with a child in daycare, and a stay-at-home mom who’s social life revolves around the grocery store,  sticky cheerios, legos, dirty diapers, pooper scoopers and plastic wading pools.  I’m intimately familiar with the wonders and woes of owning your own business, of blending well and not so well with another in a  partnership. I know the joy of success and the sting of failure.

   
   What I NEVER knew was that all along, no matter what I was doing or not doing… who I was pleasing or not pleasing… as long as I was doing my best, doing what I felt was right, taking care of what needed tending and being kind whenever possible…- being the best me I am capable of being – …  It has  always been.. ENOUGH.     Even now,  as I find myself without a specific Job Title or an impressive long career at the age of 47…with  no little ones requiring my full attention 24-7 and no clock to punch…  I’m not sure what I will be next.  And you know.. I think I’m really OK with that.. with all of it. 

Why does it take us so long to approve of and embrace who we are…
no apologies, full acceptance.
If we don’t see our own worth,
how can we expect  anyone else to believe it?

My 18 year old niece wrote on her facebook wall recently…
” I wish I were a brown eyed brunette.”
She’s a beautiful blue eyed blonde. 
*sigh* 

Day trippin to Newport – Part 2

On our way to Newport we stopped at an Antiques barn on Route 138
where they were holding a Bottle Club gathering.
These folks are very proud of their collections..

Did you have a pair of these?…

This is a 1700’s cobblers bench. 
I love seeing a piece that is well worn from trade use…

Down the road near the University of Rhode Island is this house…
charming architecture… but the paint job would give me a headache
if I had to look at it every day.

 Finally.. the Wharf!
..a shoppers paradise..
and food options galore.

You won’t see green slate roofing like this in many places…

These are bath bombs, not cupcakes.
The fellow selling them was very interested in letting me know this.
I already knew because I used to sell them in my artisan shop.
The idea that that I used to sell them in a shop seemed to put him off.
When I asked to take a picture of them because they were so pretty, he said no.
I did anyway. 
 What’s wrong with people. 
We didn’t tour any of the mansions this time around,
we’ve seen the ones that interest us and were here more to just
relax and wander.  We did stop at this place on Bellevue Ave…
to take a picture of this beautiful wing. I love the design…
It was clearly a public building of some sort with a big driveway and
many parking spots with concrete bumpers, some  reading “reserved”. 
We pulled in and I pointed my camera…
and a very old man in a little sports car pulled up to us immediately and asked
in a very snippy tone if he could help us. 
Mike said “can we help YOU? We’re just taking a picture. “
He replied “it’s not public property”
which clearly wasn’t true.  It was DEFINITELY either
a Chamber of Commerce building, or a public meeting house of some sort.
I wonder what PMB stands for.
And it was wide open to the main street and public.
No one puts about 50 concrete parking bumpers, Park HERE signs, etc. in their front driveway.
Again… what is wrong with people.

 These below are two  private residences nestled among the mansions,
so I respected their privacy ofcourse and stayed on the street…
but you can see the opulence everywhere..
just another way of life all together.
This cottage is right down the road from Doris Duke’s mansion..
so charming!….and probably worth atleast $2 million.

We landed where we always do…
along Ocean drive and settling for a while
at Bretton Point State Park.

Along the water’s edge are these beautiful rock formations…
soft, smooth greens, whites and even purples…
This is where I steal a few pieces of Newport Real Estate
for my little side porch perennial garden.  


The water is crisp, clear and cold…
with aquamarine hues when the light filters through the waves…

I’ve always felt that salt air and water are healing, in more ways than one…
and what better place to be than standing on one giant lucky stripe rock 🙂
I hope you’re having a relaxing Memorial Day weekend…
and to all those Veterans who’ve served and those serving..
THANK YOU.

Day trippin to Newport, RI – part 1

  The Mr. has been working 80 hour weeks recently after being hired to re-do much of a rather large estate. I can’t even count how many lists he makes in the wee hours of the night after the actual work day is done, and lists of lists. The workload has been staggering but the pay has been appreciated, especially in this economy.  He’s a stress ball, which makes me a stress ball with a  double bounce.   I knew he/we needed a day away and so I begged talked him into an escape to Newport, just for the day.  We actually left the kids to their own devices, yes we did.  I guess you could call it a date!

 Too many pictures to share in one post. My favorite part of the day was boarding the Alabama, a Black Dog Schooner that normally resides on the Vineyard docked in Vineyard Haven Harbor.  For the Memorial Day weekend it is docked at Bannisters Wharf in Newport.

  The Alabama is available for family parties, learning excursions, sunset sails, etc.  According to her website.. because any Schooner is a “she” don’t ya know…. she is a living piece of maritime history.  Built in 1926 for the Mobile, Alabama Bar Pilots, she served until her retirement in 1966.  Coastwise Packet Company owner Robert Douglas bought her and brought her to Vineyard Haven in 1967. Today his third eldest son is Captain of the Alabama.  For more information, click  http://www.theblackdogtallships.com/

Where do you go…..

…to decompress?
Do you have a place  you escape to
when you need to air it out..
breath it in…
let it go?
I find a walk in pure Nature
is the best soul soother,
stress reliever, reminder..
that we are oh so small in this big universe.
It has a way of telling me to
just be in the minute and enjoy what’s before me.
We all need to do that now and then.
If I could just bottle the scent of those glorious beach roses….

Determined

  Barn swallows are a determined lot… we’ve had them nest in all three of the barns we’ve had over the past 24 years.  Barn rafters make natural sense… they are out of the way of traffic up in the eaves, they can come and go as they please through the big open barn doors.. and there are plenty of bugs just below them and out in the paddocks.   For some reason, at This Old House.. they’ve chosen the kitchen slider porch instead of the barn,  where there is heavy pedestrian traffic.  The dogs sit right underneath them!  I don’t get it.  However.. I’m enjoying the process.  Type A husband is trying real hard to ignore the mess underneath the commotion.

He’s been scolding us continuosly…

….Annoyed that he has to fly off every time we enter and exit.
I told him he could stay, but some things you just have to figure out for yourself.

 This was built in two days.  Pretty amazing. 

With all the rain and mild temps this week.. the gardens have flourished…


I don’t always watch American Idol…
but I’ve checked in on the progress this season now and then…
for two reasons…
Steve Tyler and Phillip Phillips..
I just love them both.

And Phillip… you are a man for the ages..
what creative talent you have..
love for your family…
..just a geniune hometown boy with a real love for you music.
I do believe your version of “Home” is my favorite song. Ever.
I think anyone listening to this will feel uplifted…the soul stirred..
…will feel like they are truly home.
 As if you’ll read this 🙂

See  his version of HOME  HERE…

Goin to the Dogs

  I couldn’t take it anymore.
The shame was just too much.
.. most difficult were the constant disappointed looks from my family.
I called the helpline and begged..
Can you meet me?  Anywhere?  I NEED YOU..
I’ve messed up and I can’t fix it…
 it’s just getting worse
every.. time… I try.
The reply was immediate.
“Meet me at the XXXX parking lot at 6pm,
no one will bother us there and I think I can help you
but it might not be pretty at first.
These things take time”

If you live in Connecticut
and are in need of Mobile Dog Grooming Unit services…
Let me introduce you to Lillian,
owner of  Goin To The Dogs …
203-481-3994
She’s awesome 🙂
She’s also one of my new friends who volunteer
for Shelter Dogs… has a few herself!
Thank you, Lillian ~ Frasier thanks you too.

A Happy Tail

  Let’s go back to the last Dog Days Adoption Event in Old Saybrook. At the end of the weekend there were just a few dogs left… one, named Wally, captured all of our hearts. You can see his adoption video here.   We had all been cuddling Wally that day, sad that he just wasn’t finding his forever home.  After a few hours of searching for Frasier in a nearby neighborhood – ( the lost newly adopted dog who was soon to become my own) – I had just returned to the event to find Wally in the arms of a lovely couple who were in the process of adopted him!  I had tears in my eyes…

I was able to catch up with these wonderful folks and get an update on Wally’s new life.  Thank you, Liz and Brenda!…..

  We just love Wally and he is the best dog for us. He is a blessing for sure. We kept his name because one of our sons lives in Wallingford, lovingly known as Wallyworld and we added Peace because he is pure peace to have here.

The first picture is of Wally coming home. Unfortunately, we had a house full of people the first night, but he went to sleep under the table with craziness all around.


The second picture is of Wally after a busy day at the ball park with George. He loves to travel in the car and go wherever we are going. Notice that he loves his grandmothers quilts best. Nothing is too good for this dog.

 The third picture is of Wally in his game day shirt. My daughter-in-law that found him for us in Old Saybrook, ordered a shirt for him that lets everyone know that he is with the Coach of 960 WELI.


We have a farm nearby that we visit to see animals with our grandchildren. Wally goes too. He and the bunny hit it right off. They were digging from both sides of a fence to see each other. He also likes the pony and goats.

Wally is with his sister, The Sequelle. He has never tried to chase her, but she keeps her distance for now. As much as he likes to bark at squirrels and birds, he seems to respect her space and she his.

We love this dog and I am healthier for the great walks that we take together every morning and night.


Brenda

True Colors

My daughter rode in a Connecticut Colored Breeds Horse Show today…
glorious weather…
So many beautiful horses of different breeds and spectacular color.
She rode Beemer, a paint who is owned by her riding instructor.

 Wouldn’t this gentleman Clydesdale make a nice lawn Ornament here at this old house?

Pretty in Purple…


A beautiful Palomino..

A Clydesdales “Feathers”..



A Hair raising experience

  Frasier is a poodle spaniel mix, we think.  What’s definite is his poodly hair.   I’ve never had to deal with poodle hair before because in general I’ve never really been a poodle person.  This I have learned with Bailey and Frasier… (both are poodle mixes, but Bailey has terrier hair)… Poodles are the smarts in this mix. I’m amazed at the intelligence of these dogs.  When Frasier looks at you, it’s like he’s human…and they both wear their emotions on their ..  proverbial sleeves.

  So getting back to the hair. Frasier was definitely getting poofy in recent weeks, and it was clear that he was getting hot underneath the poof.  I had an appointment with a friend who is a partner in rescue work and a dog groomer as well.  She and I were the mobil unit looking for Frasier when he was turned loose by his adopter of 25 minutes.  

But I’m impatient and Frasier was hot. 
Although he looks so cute,  like a stuffed animal with all that hair, don’t ya think?

 I went to Petco and bought clippers, thinking I could just get this over with myself.   

 And I did.  Felt like I was sheering a sheep.
 It ain’t pretty… but it will do.
Just hush.