"Long Time No See"

Received an email from Dan last night! It was so good to hear from him! Can't believe it's been 10 years since they moved to AZ. According to Dan ...

"It seems like only yesterday we were all on the Cape

livin' the dream with no worries."

(Paul, Bry, Tim, Kev and Dan)

Dan's married to Dawn, taking classes at ASU, working and ...

in his spare time, climbing MT Humphreys!

Humphreys Peak is the highest mountain in Arizona at 12633 feet.

WE MISS YOU DAN!

Thanks for "keeping in touch" and sharing the 'pics'!

xoxo

Happy Happy Birthdays!

HAPPY 21ST BIRTHDAY BRYAN

born 8/24/1987

on a Monday morning at 8:02

9 lbs. 9 ozs.

Kevin and Bryan
(big brother kisses)

Bry ... thanks for being such a joy to raise!

I am blessed to be your Mom!

HAPPY 28TH BIRTHDAY JEFFREY

Jeff at a wedding in 1986

(with Rog and Stef)

Jeff at a wedding in 2008

... all grown up!

"A birthday is just the first day of another 365-day journey

around the sun. Enjoy the trip!"

Anonymous

xoxo

"FAM" News

Paul's off to Northern Arizona University

to pursue a career in theater!

WAY COOL!

BYE PAUL ... be good!

sweet computer ... study hard!

(Kathy, thx for sharing the 'pic')

Michele and Bruce's retirement home

is coming along right nicely!

(Shell in window ... at least I think it's Shell)







and the rest of the family is up to what????

xoxo

All Creatures Great and Small ...

living on the beach beige deck after the rain!

xoxo

Just a few 'Staycation' Days

Wish I made that word up ~ "Staycation" ... but everybody is using it! It's even in the Urban Dictionary. A few days all to myself! I did not vacate my home and this is what I was up to ...

Painted an old nightstand!

and prepped another old wooden ironing board for a Halloween design and painted an old footstool and a plaque that Rog made for brass numbers for our house

(he said the pizza delivery guy can't find us)

and this is the coolest old table! Roger's Dad made it for his Mom as a laundry folding table years and years ago and with a little paint,

I'm going to use it in my studio.

Trying a new type of paint from http://canvascorp.com/

This was my Mom and Dad's old bedroom. It kinda turned into the 'aviary' for our rescued feathered friends.

Well now they are going to have to share it with me!

Took down the bed and moved it upstairs

(you can see the night stand in its original state in this picture)

I'm going to turn it into a studio like place (with birds).

I'll show you 'after' pics when it's all done.

and last but not least, Rog helped me hang my arrows so I'll never get lost in my backyard and I am constantly reminded of some of my favorite places and the people that play, learn, grow up, and 'vaca' there (BRYAN, I did not say 'party').

the squirrels use it as a play scape!

so that's what I've been up to ... how 'bout you?

xoxo

BACON, BACON, BACON

It's breakfast time and fresh garden tomato BLT time. You just have to have a bunch of bacon at all times. I LOVE BACON! But as much as I love it, I used to hate cooking it on the stove top. Grease splattering everywhere! Had dinner with Kathy a few months back at her home (grilled bacon cheese burgers) and she showed me a new trick! Bacon baked in the convection oven. I have not fried bacon on the stove top since.Preheat the convection oven to 375 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and lay out your bacon. Sprinkle with herbs if you'd like. Peppered bacon is Yummy. I love Penzey's spices http://www.penzeys.com/ Be creative, I haven't tried a spice I didn't like on bacon!

I turn the bacon half the way through the cooking time, it crisps more evenly.

TAA DAA!

Crisp yummy bacon without the mess! Drain bacon on paper towels. Just toss the parchment paper and minimal scrubbing is needed for the sheet pan. Leftover bacon can be stored in the refrigerator and briefly microwaved later to heat.

Who am I kidding ~ who has leftover bacon?

Jasmine just loves bacon!

Kathy ~ thanks for making our life easier and yummier too!

xoxo

Creative 'Patrol' Cats

remember an earlier post ... squirrels are eating my container garden patio tomatoes. Can't tent them ... squirrels will chew right through the tents. So I'll git me some patrol cats. Squirrels don't like cats!

This kitty birdhouse was handcrafted by Uncle Pete in NH, painted by me and given as a gift to my Mom.

... and this kitty ... another quirky creation, a spirited character brought to life in 2003 by me ~ I LOVE THIS PIECE! TWO gourds joined together make this cat come alive. Covered in a coat of ‘love YOU’ hand painted hearts, Kitty promises to be faithful forever (but can she scare off the squirrels?). She has paper clay ‘mitten/sock’ paws and ears. A funky fiber and feather boa collar and a “Kitty Love” charm embellish Kitty’s tail! Maybe the boa is too much for her daytime assignment ... oh well

Let's see if it works!

The END!

xoxo

Weekend Events

Beach People DO go to Church!Wedding Flowers

Nicole and Jason
Linda and Jeff
(at the wedding)
Chris and Ray
(the after-after party)
Ray and Chris
(the after-after party)

Petey the Lobster
(the morning after)
Petey the Lobster
and Mom of the Groom
(the morning after)
Joe, Rog and Heather
(Sunday afternoon before Heather went back to OH)
JELLYFISH!
(in the creek, eeewwwwwwww)

"Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you."

~ Carl Sandburg

have a great rest-of-the-week!

xoxo

PRINCE OF PEACE Sketch

by Liz Lemon Swindle

Just turned the calendar over ... It's August 1st, the 213th day of the year (just 152 more days until 2009). Summer is more than half over already! Have I accomplished at least half of what I wanted to? Where does the time go? I love my 2008 "Son of Man Calendar" by Liz Lemon Swindle. She is an incredible artist. Check out more of her work at http://www.greenwichworkshop.com/swindle/ or just 'Google' her!

Uncle Sam's B-day is August 13th

Chuck's B-day is August 23rd

Bryan, Jeff and Diane S. have August 24th B-days

(Bry is going to be 21!)

Sarah Jane's B-day is August 30th

did I forget anybody?

xoxo