sweetest

nearly October 1 & I'm still cutting bouquets of sweetest sweet peas every few days

wonderful ache

spectacular late afternoon walks in the big meadow with Sam, Winnie Dixon & the Prince

I shudder to think
What it would mean
If the president wore pink
Or if a prostitute was queen
What would happen then
How would the world change
If thick became thin
And the world was rearranged
If the rains brought down the moon
And daylight was feared
And the sun rose too soon
And then just disappeared
If dogs became kings
And the Pope chewed gum
And hobos had wings
And God was a bum
If houses became trees
And flowers turned to stone
And there were no families
And people lived alone
If buildings started laughing
And windows cried
And feet started clapping
And out came inside
If mountains fell in slivers
And the sky began to bleed
And blood filled up the rivers
And prisoners were freed
If the stars fell apart
And the ocean dried up
And the world was one big heart
And decided to stop
If children grew up happier
And they could run with the wolves
And they never felt trapped
Or hungry or unloved
If cats walked on water
And birds had bank accounts
And we loved one another
In equal amounts

Lucinda Williams - What if

a beautiful song heard this morning having coffee with a friend at our village café (& hot spot)

We've been having day after day after day of glorious warm weather, blue skies & sunshine. This morning as Winnie & walked along the boardwalk that edges our little harbour my heart felt so bursting with gratitude & happiness. The tide was out, I breathed in the smell of the ocean, the golden early morning sun was just beginning to touch the other side & we listened to a seagull chattering at a crow who'd landed a little too close to his just claimed tide pool. Along with all this wonderfulness that fills me up, more & more, there's always that small pocket of ache nestled nearby in my heart. Ache & sadness for all the shitty & terrible things that happen in life. Little & huge heartbreaking things that happen to so many near & far. I wonder how it is ...
I'm so lucky.

Very blessed. And I know it.

sub-world

her work takes my breath away - Britt Hermann - etsy & blog

The world that I live in and see through my eyes
tends to become a little rough for me.
It's important for people to create their own worlds.
We have this world in which we all live but
I think we should be creating a sub-world to protect us.

Yokoo

When the idea hits you that you are in control of your life
it's almost like opening a window in a stuffy room.

Yokoo

Oh my there's a fire in my belly. I've always had a lovely cozy sub-world that I live in most of the time, I've just never called it that or for that matter, ever thought about my other world as a good thing - it always seemed like a bad thing, like an other kind of odd, weird introverted thing. Not any more. It IS a protective thing-my sub-world. Rockin' on at the TTD* this early morning.

Watched this very inspiring video of crochet artist Yokoo last night part of a fantastic etsy series.

A movie is watched every single night here at 29 Black Street - the Prince is a bit of a movie buff. I try & watch at least a few nights each week but lately I've been so busy creating away happily in my little sub-world at my desk in the evenings cutting, pasting, drawing, planning - I sure do love to plan ... last night's movie feature was Pirate Radio (based on a true story) - with a Fantastic ! soundtrack WOW which I happily heard trailing up the stairs & into my office.
oh - my - Leonard.

*TTD - big & glorious teak topped desk

insulated

1. an exposed solitary brick wall currently separating us from -35 degree temps + a windchill
2. contents of les crawlspace(s), sorted by category & lovingly piled on the guest room bed

insulated: the story of (formerly) crowded, cramped & chilly closets & crawlspaces

I married a maniac. Well technically we're not officially married but he is definitely a maniac & only the the best, the most excellent, genius, workaholic, smarty smarty pants kind of maniac. + he's constantly chattering away to the animals - especially to the cats (& he answers in their voices - which I love 'cause I do the same thing & have done always). Virgil & Oliver are always tres interested in any & all home reno projects especially ones !! that include opening up of walls potentially gaining them sudden access to hidden nether bowls & regions of this old brick house.

it's all very incredible + ah!mazing. That darn prince is turning this old brick house into a palace.
& here's some of what I've been up to + designing valentines for American Greetings woo! hoo !






les piles, les kittens, les demo, les newly insulated, organized crawlspace - love those old floors

wow

omgoodness - a few September blooms from in & around the terracotta gardens

You are everything that is,
your thoughts, your life, your dreams come true.
You are everything you choose to be.
You are as unlimited as the endless universe.

Shad Helmstetter

this is how I feel ... more happy, content & alive than I've ever felt before. It's time to dream some new dreams because I swear every single dream I've ever dreamed is coming true. Sigh.
Please stay tuned - new & exciting big dreams coming soon to a blog near you ;-)

& oh yeah ! heard yesterday on the radio - our Neil - more sweet songs of my youth

132 steps

our little harbour at 7:30 pm one gorgeous evening this week, I can see this from my windows

I live here

uh huh !! I know ... sick eh ?
pardon les gloating
thank you ! God
I know you're listening

approximately 132 foots steps from our front door
Missy D & I counted them this morning

kitten in-a-box

a rousing round of kill-the-scrap-piece-of-watercolour-paper from my hidden lair

oh if only Mama had a video camera ... sigh
I would surely have my own youtube channel

pour the team & especially for M. Millie

big (& little) stuff

an abundant harvest ?? roast 'em - 425 degrees, olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic & 1tsp sugar

zucchini, red, yellow + cherry tomatoes, fresh garlic cloves, onions, peppers - 20 -30 mins @ 425 stirring occasionally. I'll add quartered black olives & anchovies, toss with whole wheat pasta & top with a generous dusting of parmigiano regganio - yummy (ps use a big pan so that the vegetables aren't too crowded or they'll steam rather than roast).

roast cauliflower, beets, winter squash, carrots, parsnips, turnip (or combo of) - same recipe

I'm currently crazy about brush strokes & drawing with white ink & a nib pen
Diving in with just a tiny plan, a bold heart and a big brush - the looser & free-er the better
The current issue of Bon Appétit ?? be freakin' still my culinary heart ! Eh Shammy Sham ??
I can't say enough about my current book State of Wonder - fantastic ! best book since Freedom
& there's some big stuff goin' on 'round here. Big reno stuff & big clearing out + organizing stuff.
Working on greeting card designs and a tabletop pattern with flowers for spring 2012 ! hooray !!

happy happy Friday