Babies Moved Out Today!

Stuff happens in an instant! Yesterday Wrenni was busy feeding her babies. Today they are GONE. I am a bit bummed (a bit) ... tonight we found one of the babies on the deck under the barzebo dead. No sign of Wrenni and the other two babies. Life goes on ... and tomatoes continue to grow in the garden, but I miss entirely too much stuff working outside of my home. What if I was home today ... maybe I would have seen the little bird fall under the barzebo?!?! What happened out there today? What if ....

oh well ... I guess it's nature's way ... (but I don't have to like it)

xoxo

I've got Squirrels!

remember my tomatoes in the rain ...

weren't they beautiful?

well ... in an effort to help provide fresh vegetables for my family I did some container gardening this year on our 'beach beige' deck. A variety of tomato plants, in organic soil, with organic fertilizer and beautiful sturdy tomato ladders. We've already harvested a couple of the yellow mini-cherry's. BUT IT LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING ELSE IS HARVESTING TOO. Maybe I'll have to quit my day job and patrol the deck during the day. I know it's the squirrels! And they actually have the audacity to pick the tomato and take it to a deck chair or lounge chair and share a few bites with a friend. Wish I saw this little deck party going on today! They didn't even pick up after themselves ... those squirrels have NO manners whatsoever!

Kathy ... don't say "I told you so"!

xoxo

Moose Manor!

Exciting Stuff ... it's all coming together!
Michele (my baby sister) and Bruce are building their retirement home in New Hampshire. "Moose Manor" is taking shape. Michele is standing in the living room and MY room will be built above the living room (it will be the room with the best view). They are busy picking out floors and cabinets and appliances, etc.
Sweet retirement!

Congrats Bruce and Shell!

xoxo

Rusch to Phoenix

It's official ... Chris, Ellen and the kids are moving to Phoenix ... I think the actual move is happening next week. Here's a pic of the new house ...

Here is the pool and spa

... and here is where I'll be staying ... the Guest Suite & private bath through the interior Courtyard ...

Congrats Cousin and Family!

xoxo

Wreni is the BEST Mom ...

... even Dad helps out with feeding. The three babies have hatched. Tiny little gaping mouths are all you can see deep in the spider plant (and we don't peek often). Our bug population has to be down by at least 400 insect critters. She runs back and forth continuously with the strangest little bugs ... here she is with a grub like worm ...

dividing up supper for the kids ...

here she is with a long legged winged thing ...

(Deck parties have been curtailed due to the blessed event. Although we did sit out the other night with a neighbor and Wreni kinda calmed down a bit after a while. Hey, they're only little once, soon they will be fledglings and will leave the nest. Again I will be an 'empty nester' ...)

tomatoes in the rain ...

xoxo

Where Women Create

Check out the below photo of an arrow waymark signpost in Ireland (my Mom took this photo back in July of 1999). It's so cool to know where you are and where you can go, and even how far you have to go to get there!

I've created my own arrows from some scrap wood I acquired a bunch of years ago from Chuck. Not sure exactly what their purpose was back then, they were slightly rounded almost like a barrel stave, but a bit thicker and they didn't taper toward the ends. But Chuck didn't want them and I knew that someday they would be 'something' (I am such a pack rat). Well anyway I created arrows pointing me to some of my favorite places (I do have a few more favorite places, but ran out of these treasured pieces of wood).


U of U ... well you all know that is where my son, Bryan goes to school - OUCH 2009 miles away (as the crow flies). Key West ... been there, loved it! Yankee Stadium ... actually I really don't care if I ever go there again ... but Rog and Bry love it there, they are forever Yankee fans (if it makes them happy, I'm happy)!


Old Saybrook ... OHMYGOSH, ya just gotta love it there, especially if you're married to a GHB Brat. OZ ... hmmm, somewhere over the rainbow, I imagine. Used to be scared to death of that movie when I was a little girl, so it's a special place now. Cape Cod ... 143 miles away ... the best Family vacations ever! And last, but not least, Lobster Landing, a wee tiny seafood shack on the sound in Clinton with the best lobster rolls in the whole wide world!

So now, what am I going to do with them? .... you gotta wait and see ...

Here's a picture of part of my work bench where I painted the arrows. Hmmmm, my studio??? Sort of ... maybe ... I guess ... Can't wait to take a peak at this publication when it comes out in November.

http://www.stampington.com/html/woman_create_winter_09.html

.

Sometimes I am very jealous of pictures of beautiful, bright and well organized places/studios that women create their art in. I certainly spend too much time searching for materials when I finally have an idea of what I want to do. They are everywhere and could be anywhere in this house. But my dad built that workbench, back in 1950 something, and he did some incredible stuff there. Like fix every thing we ever broke (appliances, pots and pans, toys, etc.). That's where he helped me with my science projects and built my Halloween costumes (I was a robot once... shhh).

So yah ... that is my studio! It just needs a little bit of work.

Hopefully, I'll get the signs up soon. When they are ... I'll share a picture. Have a great rest-of-the-week!

xoxo

Peeping Squirrels!

I am a morning person - I LOVE MORNINGS! I think more clearly in the morning, I have more energy in the morning, I am more creative in the morning. I just LOVE mornings! Here is the view of our 'beach beige' deck from our kitchen window. I am usually still in my jammies sipping Gloria Jean's Southern Pecan Pie coffee with Nestle's Coconut Creme from my very favorite mug with pink hearts on it given to me by my high school/college best friend Jane M. when I glance out the window AND there she is! My 'peeping' squirrel. She was actually lounging on my chaise lounge basking in the sun!

Who taught her to do that? And then when she thought she had not gotten my attention, closer she came and she snuggled on the railing! (These photos are shot through the closed glass window over my kitchen sink!)"Put down that coffee Girl

and get out here and feed me!"

Look at her little face, she's so precious! She loves bird food and corn cobs and bagels with all natural peanut butter! Tomorrow she's having fresh native blueberries from Laviana's!


Oh, and Mama Wren living in the spider plant, has three little eggs in her nest. Those babies should be hatching any day now. We love the critters in our back yard. Even whatever lives under the shed ...

xoxo

Happy Birthday Dad!

(chris, dad and I)

ohmygosh DAD you would be 81 years old today! Remembering you on your birthday and seeing so much of you in me (all the good stuff). Happy Birthday!

Arthur A. Chouinard

7.14.1927 ~ 11.4.1989

xoxo

What Part Is Mine?

18 days has come and gone. Brought Bryan to BDL today for his return flight to SLC. 18 days never went by so quickly! It is always hard for me to watch him go so very far away. He starts school on August 25th and won't be back home until Christmas.

Luckily I was 'rescued' earlier in the week by my friend, Barbara B. who lent me her 'Michael sings McLean' CD in anticipation of me and my separation moment. The CD includes Michael's ballad, "Which Part Is Mine?" He sings about stages in a woman's life. Each verse portrays the issues she encounters in her relationships with a girlfriend, her spouse, and her children. She is able to define her role in her relationship with her girlfriend and her spouse by discussing in the refrain, "which part is yours and which part is mine?" When it comes to her children, she leaves that question with God ...


"Every sleepless night knows many mothers
Who are wond'ring if they've done alright.
And the dairyman's daughter
Knew more than a few of those nights.
Had she given her son too much freedom?
Had she smothered her two teenage girls?
Did she spoil them too much
Or not trust them enough
To prepare them for life in this world?
So she opened her heart to the heavens
And she mentioned her children by name.
And the prayer that she prayed
That her kids might be saved
Had a very familiar refrain.

Which part is mine?
And God, which part is yours?
Could you tell me one more time,
I'm never quite sure.
And I won't cross the line
like I have before.
But is gets so confusing sometimes;
Should I do more, or trust the divine?
Could you please tell me which part is mine
And which part is yours?

Did you hear me?
I can feel you near me.
This is the answer
That I've been longing for;
Just to know you hear me,
And to feel you near me.
This is the answer
That I've been longing for.

After I've done my best
I know you'll do the rest
'Cause I know you hear me."

I know he's all grown up and I know he needs to solve his own problems and find his own way. I know I probably hover too much. I know he will make little mistakes and learn from them. I know he needs his independence. I know this is what is supposed to happen. He's going to school and has two jobs (he's the Fall lead soccer writer and the 2nd football writer for the Daily Utah Chronicle) and he works at the field house. I know ... I know ...
I know ...

... and I try to know which part is mine and I do my best ... I'm just so very glad that I know GOD will do the rest! It sure makes it easier to know I have help ...

check out Michael McLean's CD, Michael sings McLean at http://www.heartrisemusic.com/artists/McLean/MichaelSingsMcLean/index.html

Love YOU Bry!

xoxo

Celebrating His Life

It has rained here everyday for almost a week. The sun peeks out occasionally, but the daily weather symbol usually looks like this ...

or even this ...

It was Saturday, July 5th. The high in OS was 73 degrees F, the low 66 degrees F, very cloudy and overcast. It was raining in Bristol when Bryan and I set out for the beach to meet family and friends of Frank J. Mattoni to celebrate his life, by the sea ...

Frank's family and friends gather on the sand bars ...

the heavens opened up

and the sun put on a magnificent show to greet them ...








... and then a rainbow

... and if that wasn't enough ...
a double rainbow!












Clouds in life are passing
But soon we see His Light
Written in the wind and sea
God's everlasting Might
He sees us in our passing
He looks at us with pride
Knows that we are searching
For Gentle Hands to Guide
But seas in life are rough now
Through clouds it's hard to see
But Light will enter brightly
Then peacefully appease
For we are but the sailors
Who seek to find the way
Mighty is our Captain
Who guides us as we pray
The waters calm and steady
Upon the shore we'll land
And we will know the bounty
His Ray of Light so Grand.

~Francine Pucillo © 2003

WE LOVE YOU FRANK!

xoxo,

July 4th 2008

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA
God Bless the U.S.A.

Happy 4th!

xoxo

Happy 21st Birthday ANTHONY!

The many faces of Bryan and Anthony!middle school?
high school!

July 1, 2008
Anthony's 21st Birthday

'mug shot'

ohmyheck!

Happy 21st Birthday Anthony!

xoxo