Susquehanna Sunset

As I was driving the John Deere this Friday night, trimming the fenceline of our fields, I looked up and noticed the sun was setting over the treeline and I caught my breath. The stunning beauty of the cloud formation in the sky, the dusky oranges and yellows and pinks seemed to hover in the air...watercolors sliding through the sky. At that moment, I was so glad to be alive and witnessing the quality of the light, that I turned off the tractor and just sat, watching. The next thing I noticed was the high pitched chee of the barn swallows who were skimming the grassline of the fields, catching a late dinner of insects, filling their bellies with protein for the long night ahead. I knew I couldn't sit there on the yellow seat until dark...I had a job to finish before I lost all the light, but I was so thankful to have taken that two to three minutes to just be present in my environment.

Then, Sunday evening, after a trip to the Conowingo Dam and the Union Hotel with my youngest children, my husband was driving us back home over the bridge when I hung myself precariously out the passenger window to grab this glorious sunset on my iPhone. It was breath-taking. The summer warmth, the low-in-the-sky sun, the reflection in the water...just perfect. And I remembered to be thankful again. And present. And aware. It is in moments like these when I am surrounded by nature's splendor that I feel the seeds of hope blossoming in my gut. One day I will be better. One day. Until then, I will grab on to these stolen minutes of being completely present in my environment and waiting for the next sunset.

Hoping you all had a wonderful weekend and are beginning the week with some gratitude of your own.  xo

Ten Things That Made Me Smile This Week

1.  The book Wild.  I know a while back I said I loved the movie, but I am loving the book even more.  The language makes me feel like I am talking to a best friend and she is recounting her amazing story with me.  Really...you should read it.  Y'all know I love me some great memoirs, so if you have a suggestion for a book I need to read this summer, please leave it in the comments, PM me, or email me!

2. Hiwa Kai Hawaiian Black Lava Sea Salt with activated charcoal.  Yeah...none of the chemically processed crap, just pure black salt and activated charcoal to give you all the benefits of the sodium our bodies need and the detox value of activated charcoal.  LOVE IT.  Besides being great for your bod, it also looks beautiful garnishing your food.  I buy mine from a gallery where I show some of my art, The Gallery at 122 Main in Elkton, Maryland, but you can buy it at health food stores or online.  Be sure the company is reputable and you are not getting less than stellar products!  **Please store your salt in a glass or ceramic container as it can react with metal and change the chemical composition of the salt!

3.  My library.  Seriously, libraries have come a LONG way and I absolutely love mine.  Harford County Library offers so many wonderful programs for  adults and kids (Science Cafe being one of my new favorites), so many digital connections including access to streaming movies, downloading ebooks, access to online magazines, obtaining free digital music (for keeps!), and more!  There are themed learning kits and American Girl dolls, books, and accessories you can borrow for kids, book club bags for adults, a special teacher collection (great for homeschooling!), and MORE!  They also make it so easy for me to obtain the materials as I just log on to the website, find the materials I want and request it be sent to my local (very rural) library so I don't have to drive to several branches to collect all my stuff! In a few days they text me telling me it is available to pick up and I go the one mile to my local library to grab my stash!  How much easier can it be???  I am on a first name basis with all the staff there and I just adore them.  They are always so helpful and kind to me and my kids.

4.  These bright, bold, graphic illustrations from artist Marina Esmeraldo.  They simply make me smile and they speak to me.  This one and this one are two of my favorites.

5.  Non GMO tomato plants!!  So for Mother's Day, my kids got me tomato plants to grow in large containers.  Tomato plants are special to me because I used to help my father grow them when I was a little tyke.  I also love to eat fresh tomatoes.  So, anyway, I was so excited to plant them and get them going and then I read the tag in the plant...you know the one...the plastic tag that tells you the type and care instructions.  And guess what...on the tag it said "modified" tomato plants...in other words, GMO!  Ach!  I don't want to grow GMO tomatoes!  I want REAL tomatoes!  So, after an exhaustive search, we found real tomato plants and have them in their pots ready to go now.  Who knew it would be so difficult to find non-GMO tomato plants?  Scary, people!  Here is an article that can help you sort the difference between heirloom, hybrid, and GMO varieties.

6.  Concrete- They poured the concrete floor for the garage, wrap-around porch, mudroom, storage room, and the exercise room!  This is the step we have been waiting for so we can move forward with the rest of the construction.  Hopefully next week doors will go in, the rest of the rough-in for electric will go in, and the plumbing will be moving along.  I really would like this finished by fall!

7.  Rain-  Yes, I was thrilled it rained this week.  I could have done without the massive downpour, but the soft, gentle, steady rain soothes me and also waters our pastures (for our horse) and my above mentioned tomato plants.  We needed this rain after about 3 weeks of very dry weather.

8.  This cat-  Ok, ok...so this is my own cat, Oreo.  Yes, she has her own Instagram account.  Don't judge.  :)  Go ahead, you know you want to follow my little darling.

9.  Agros Raw Greek Honey- Their website only lists their olive oils, which are delicious and amazing too, but I buy their honey from The Gallery at 112 Main!  It is so delicious and the kids beg for it on toast all the time.  Really...you must try it!  Amazing flavor.

10.  Office Supplies- I know, I'm weird.  I've blogged about his obsession before, but now that I've decided to homeschool (shhhhh...I haven't told many people yet!), the obsession has kicked in overdrive!  Pencils, pens, paper, planners, you-name-it-I-love-it!  These pencils are my all time favorite and I have a hard time keeping them around...my teens are just as obsessed with them as I am and steal mine all the time!  I can not wait for my office/studio to be finished so I can get organized and ready to homeschool my 2nd graders!  Eeeek!  Excitement! And the art curriculum...it is inspiring me to create more than ever!

The Pioneer- Digital Collage

Digital Collage from various vintage papers 

Ten things that made me smile this past week, in no particular order, of course:

1.  This collage artist.  Love love love her work.

2.  Having lunch and catching up with a great friend and hearing about all of the wonderful things happening in her life.  So proud of where she is and where she is going.  There is nothing better than celebrating life accomplishments with a good friend.  Lifting each other up is what it is all about.

3.  Watching my daughter perform in her drama classes' children's theatre as a bossy, over-the-top stage manager in the play Red vs. The Wolf.  Her performance was fantastic and I can tell she loves drama so much.  Nothing better than watching your kids do what they love.

4.  This post from Lady Fi.  Ahhhhh...I would so love to be there right now.

5.  This delicious concoction!  Yep, this made me smile.  I know I am not supposed to have caffeine, and it does have a few ingredients I try to stay away from (sugar for one), but man, when I tasted this I had to have them.  So, to keep my diet as clean as possible, I only have 1/2 carton every 3-5 days as a special treat.  So thankful that all ingredients are organic, gluten free, and dairy free or I wouldn't be able to have it!

6.  Passing inspection for the next phase of our building project!  They are getting ready to pour concrete for our wrap-around porch, the mudroom, the garage, the storage space, and the work-out room!  Can't wait for all of this to be finished so they can concentrate on getting my studio/office space drywalled!

7.  Seeing my son's college class list for next year.  He will be taking 15 credits in the fall and I am so excited for him and this next phase of his life.  So proud of the young man he is...now if we can just get him through college!

8.  These block heads made me smile.  I dare you not to. ;)

9.  The show The Willis Family- Y'all know I am a sucker for reality shows, and I really like this family!  I've enjoyed the first two episodes so far.

10. Hearing my youngest son got his first hit this baseball season...a hard smack right down third base line that landed in outfield.  It should have been a double as his coach was telling him to go to second, but he was so excited about getting a hit that he stopped on first and jumped up and down cheering and didn't hear his coach signal for him to continue to second base!  I missed the hit because I took my oldest daughter at her semi-final tournament soccer game at the same time; but it was great to hear my son tell me the story and see his face light up as he recounted the details.

Hoping you have a wonderful Thursday!  xo

A Little Friday Smile Party

The pier at Venice Beach in Florida

Ten things that made me smile this week.

1.  Wild-  Have you seen it yet?  I loved it and now want to read the book more than ever!  This movie really resonated with me and I connected with the main character very closely.  I can't wait to get the book and start reading!

2.  The Theory of Everything- Loved this one too. Check it out if you have not.  Truly a humbling experience to watch this movie and wrap my brain around this man's life and accomplishments despite his illness.  I also was in awe of his wife, Jane, who was an amazing person in her own right.

3.  Girls Night Out!  Yep, Wednesday night I went out with three other girlfriends to....wait for it...the library!  :)  You know you are getting old when your girls' night out is to the local library for a Science Cafe presentation.  We went to hear a program about the brain and how the brain is affected by illnesses such as Lyme.  It was informative and I really enjoyed spending some time with the neighborhood ladies (two of which also have Lyme.)

4.  Watching my oldest daughter play soccer-  She had two games this week and I truly love watching her play, especially since she will be aging out of the program soon.  These moments are sweet...sitting on the sideline and cheering for her team.  So far they have won 2 and tied 1 game...good start to the season.

5.  Helping my son pick out a corsage for his date to prom- Now that he is 18, in school, and has a job, I rarely see him!  We both live in this house, but we are like ships passing in the night.  So, any time I get to spend with him one on one is special and I treasure it.  We drove to the local florist this week to order his date's corsage and we had a wonderful conversation in the car.  It made it sweeter when he said thank you to me when we got home.  <3

6.  Spring cleaning and selling some "junk" at a flea market and consignment shop- Last Saturday I participated in a local flea market and made over $100 getting rid of things we don't use anymore!  It felt good to get rid of the piles of stuff, it felt good to sit with two friends all day while they were selling their stuff, it felt good to have the skin burn my skin slightly, and it felt good to chat with all the friendly people as they walked around!  It was a great (albeit exhausting) day!

7.  The Sketchbook Project-  Have you heard of this?  Sounds very cool and interesting and I am thinking about participating one day!  So cool that you can randomly flip through some sketchbooks digitally...could lose myself for hours doing this!

8.  KIND Healthy Grains Peanut Butter Clusters in a bowl with sliced up banana and almond milk.  Yum!  I have a 3 pack delivered right to my door through Amazon.  Life is good.

9.  Getting a call from The Gallery at 122 Main asking to keep my work in the gallery for one more show.  Yes, yes, yes!

10.  Inching closer to making a huge life/family decision that has been weighing on my mind for quite a while now.  I just have to go with my gut and trust God.  The whispering in my heart is there for a reason.  It feels good to be a few steps and a few answers closer to pulling the trigger.  No one likes unresolved life choices hanging out there.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.  I will be sending my son off to his senior prom on Saturday and construction on my new office/studio will continue this weekend, so it should be a good one for me!  TGIF!

Ten Things That Made Me Smile This Week

 

1.  The pink blossoms peeking out on the outstretched, sun drenched branches at the local orchard.

2.  "Thank you Mama." and a kiss on the cheek after gently cleaning my little one's wounds after she crashed on the asphalt running to catch the morning bus.

3.  The chandelier I ordered for my new office/studio space that is under construction.  I've always wanted a chandelier in my office.

4.  The hand written card I received from my mother.  There is nothing better than getting unexpected love in the mail.

5.  The new baby willow tree leaves shining my favorite bright spring green dancing to and fro in the breeze.

6.  The smell of the first grass cutting of the season.  Oh, how I've missed that smell.

7. Doc Martin.  Every single episode.  Love him.  Love it.  Can't get enough.  I am pretty sure I was British in a past life.

8.  Getting an email from a colleague saying thank you for a job well done and telling me I was an important part of the team.  Everyone wants to belong to something bigger than themselves.

9.  The first hot cup of organic rooibos tea in the morning.  YUM.

10.  Having dinner with my family and friends at a delicious Irish Pub (I had the traditional beef stew...OMG)  after the opening reception at the gallery showing my work!

I hope you are as blessed and have 100 times more things that make you smile.

Snowy Farm at Sunset

iPhone Digital Painting of a local farm during sunset

Today I am thankful for:

1.  My beautiful mother.  Today is her birthday and I am so blessed to have her in my life.  In many ways she has shifted to not only being my mother but my best friend.  She is such a strong woman and she has impressed me with her independence and grace since my father's passing.  I can learn something from her every day by just watching her move through life.  I hate that she lives so far away, but I am thankful every minute of every day for the time we still have together here on this side of forever.  Happy Birthday, Mom!

2.  The amazing and regal hawk I saw soaring above the out-of-season cornfield today.  You took my breath away as you gracefully glided above the ground, surely searching for your next meal among the -not-yet-plowed-under cornstalks.  That brief moment I watched you as I was driving down my road lifted my spirit just as the breeze lifts you upon the sky.

3.  The sunshine.  Well, hello there, my long lost friend.  Your kiss upon my face this morning was exactly what I needed after a long sleepless night and was so much appreciated this morning. Despite the cold temperatures, I could still feel your warm potential as you beamed down, inching ever closer to the earth as the spring equinox creeps closer.  I can't wait.

4.  My wonderful friend/artist colleague who is pushing me to get my work out there and in her new gallery!  It is so easy to say, "I am not ready" to avoid the fear deep within me that says I am not good enough.  Thank you for believing in me and what's more, pushing me beyond my comfort zone.  I love you for that!

5.  My dear, steadfast friend, who is coming for lunch today.  Our time together sharing food, worries, stories, and dreams of the future with each other not only fills my belly, but also my soul.  I am so looking forward to our time together laughing and catching up.  You are the best and I love you!  I hope you had a wonderful birthday earlier this week!

It is my wish that all of you have a wonderful, stress-free weekend doing whatever it is that makes you happy and fulfilled!  See you Monday!

xo

If You Know Me...

You know I love football.  You also know that I am very competitive.  So today what I am thankful for wraps both of those traits about me all up in one.  For the second year now, I am participating in a football pool with the real estate office I work with.  All I ever wanted last season and this season is to come in first place for one week!

Well, this week I went 12-3 and won Week 7 of the NFL Office Football Pool!  I was so stinking excited when I checked the standings.  If I never win another week the rest of the year, I will still be a happy girl.  Right now I am sitting in 6th place for the season out of 45 participants.  Not bad, if I do say so myself.

Each week I love doing research on the teams and comparing their skills and trying to guess which team will win.  So far I haven't been too shabby.  And for that, I am thankful.

xo

Getting Back Some Normalcy

My daughter sitting quietly and enjoying the soothing nature at Deep Creek Lake

This weekend I finally can see the light at the end of the tunnel.  I feel like I am getting the beginning stages of building up my strength and stamina again.  I still have some very frustrating moments when walking to my daughter's soccer game across a school complex wears me out, or when I, for the life of me, can NOT think of the words I want to say, but those moments are fewer and farther in between.

Even though I haven't been writing much, I am still continuing my daily gratitude focus.  It helps keep me in a good frame of mind for healing.  I haven't had much love of humanity lately, as every time I turn on the news it is scary and negative.  But this weekend my faith in humans was restored, even for just a brief moment.

We took our twins to Hershey's Giant Stadium to see Disney's Frozen on Ice.  We let the kids choose the restaurant where they wanted to eat and then we took them to see the show.  They were very well behaved and loved seeing their favorite characters in live action.  But the incident that happened when we were leaving the packed stadium, home of the Hershey Bears Hockey Team, is what restored my faith in people.

After the show was over, there was a mad rush to the exits.  Everyone wanted to be first to their car to avoid sitting in the parking lot for an hour.  Not up to fighting crowds and ridiculous people, we just sat and waited for the stadium to empty.  Finally, when things were clearing out, we got up to leave.  When we made our way to the main concourse, there was a small toddler (I'm guessing he was between 12-15 months old) toddling along alone among the legs of all the people.  It caught my attention because I didn't see any adult with him.  Literally, the split second I thought about going to grab him and taking him to security, another woman noticed the same thing and beat me to it.  She went and grabbed the child (who was completely calm and content) and started searching for an adult that he belonged to.

Within a minute, a lady with three other children came up onto the concourse from the seats below sobbing in horror.  The rescuer immediately took the baby to her and asked if that was her son.  She grabbed the toddler, sinking her head into his neck and cuddling him close while sobbing even harder.  She couldn't talk.  Yes, that was her youngest of 4 kids and somehow he had gotten trapped in the crowd's flow and just toddled away.  She was frantic and sick.

After she calmed down, she was able to thank the woman who rescued the toddler.  It made my heart swell to see these two strangers embrace over the realization that this scenario could have ended very badly.  But, it didn't thanks to the rescuer's quick thinking.  So many people just looked at that boy and continued to walk by...but she didn't.  She took action when action needed taking.  Who knows what would have happened to the boy had she not.  With all these crazy people in the world, it could have ended tragically.

The lesson for me in all of this is a reminder that we all can make a difference.  It reminds me to not be a bystander and assume someone else will take care of it.  Take action.  It could mean the world to someone else.

Have a wonderful week, y'all.
xo

Taking It All In

As seen on the beach of Cape May this summer

I had a shoot today in Port Deposit, Maryland.  

I was a little skeptical when I left the house as the weather was humid and cloudy,

looking like a possible rain threat.  No good for a real estate shoot.

I called the client (I was over 40 minutes from her and the weather can be very different

from my home to Port Deposit) and was happy to hear that the sun was beginning to peek out from behind the clouds where she lived.  The shoot was a go.

As I drove, I had the window cracked and I could smell autumn...

that damp smell that comes with fallen leaves and rain.

The colors of the changing leaves popped with the mist still clinging to the surface 

as I drove through the rural tunnels of trees that overhang so many roads here in the boonies.

I played soft, spa music quietly on the stereo and I decided to forget my worries

and enjoy the drive to my destination.

As I drove east, the clouds did indeed begin to part and the sun began shining brightly, enough to make me put my sunglasses on.

I could immediately feel the temperature change and the humidity begin to lift, as did my spirits.

As I pulled into to Historic Port Deposit, there were still puddles on the road, but the weather was glorious...low 70's and the sun shining brightly.

I arrived at the location for the shoot and was greeted by a lovely, kind lady who had a beautiful apartment right on the water.  Her double level deck looked out to the water and the docks.  What a glorious place to greet the morning with a fresh brewed pot of coffee in the morning!  I could see myself wrapped in my robe with warm cup of joe watching the waterman move about in the early morning light.

After I completed the inside of the house, I walked to the common courtyard of the complex to take pictures from there.  As I walked out, the owner of the unit called to me from her deck and pointed in the air.  "Look there," she said.  "A bald eagle is showing off for you!"  And sure enough, my eyes followed the direction of her finger and not far above me was a glorious bald eagle soaring above the water just off shore.  I stood mesmerized by the sight and I knew in that moment, the warm sun filling me up, the breeze from the water rustling my hair, and that eagle flying above me, that this moment was what I was thankful for toady.  I let all my senses record that moment so I could have it with me all day.

After finishing the outdoor shots for the property, I began my journey home.  I was sad when as I moved west again, the clouds began getting thicker and the sun disappeared.  It's funny how just a few miles can make a difference in so many things...including weather.  I was sad I was returning to the mud and moisture of my hometown, but amazingly enough, as I approached a curve in the road, about 5 miles from my house, I lifted off the accelerator because something huge caught my eye.  A wide-spread white tail was fanned out just yards ahead of me with great yellow talons hanging down, grasping a large squirrel and flying straight down the middle of the road above the double yellow line ahead of me.  My jaw dropped.  Could I be this lucky in one day?

Sure enough, the creature veered right into a clearing of the woods and as it began to land, breakfast in talons, I saw the telltale white head...another bald eagle!  Bald eagles are occasionally seen around my home, but rarely...maybe one or two times a year.  But here was one only feet in front of my windshield in all its glory!

Wow.

I'm hoping your day is as magical as mine is...it's difficult not to smile when you can fill yourself with the natural gifts God has given us.

xo

The Details

I was discouraged last night as I felt my body falling back into 

what I call the "down cycle" of Lyme after having about a week of feeling really good,

I knew I was going to struggle emotionally and physically today.

Too exhausted and in pain to meet friends for breakfast, I regretfully canceled my date.

I managed to get the kids ready for school and I trudged to the bus stop in a difficult mood.

But when I focused my attention outside of myself and on 

the little details surrounding me on this amazing autumn morning,

my grumpiness began to fade.

I pointed out to the twins a pair of bluebirds, a male a female,

that were perched on our pasture fence.

Each time we took a few steps toward them, they would fly 

just a little bit further down the driveway and land again on the fence.

The twins giggled as they repeated this pattern until finally the birds gave up

and flew up into a neighbor's tree.  

When we reached the bottom of the driveway, 

N discovered the most intricate spider web in the grass.

The dew had covered it in tiny droplets that shown like diamonds

in the early warm sun.

Neighbors walked by on their daily stroll and called "Good morning" to us.

I replied, "Yes, it is!" and I meant it.

After waving to the kids as they pulled away in the school bus,

I began the journey back up the hill to my house.

Along the way I found a fuzzy caterpillar munching on a dew soaked 

blade of grass, preparing for the coming winter.

I also found one little yellow leaf in the middle of the driveway.

I took the time to examine it closely to see the veins

and clusters of shapes like the scales on a fish or alligator.

It amazes me how detailed the world is when you look closely.

As I reached my front door, the workers who are building our new garage

and front porch smiled at me and said, "Good morning."

The entire week they have been here they haven't said a word to me

until today, when I needed to hear again that it indeed was a good morning.

If we let it, the universe, God, will give us what we need,

emotionally and physically to get through the day.

Sometimes it is just all in the details.

xo

Looking Up

So excited and grateful that my mother came to visit us from Virginia the past few days.

She is over 5 hours away from us and I miss her horribly being that far.

My mother has never been an adventurous driver, so I never thought that she would venture

all this way on her own now that my father passed away.

But I was wrong and she was brave, armed with her GPS, she called Sunday night

to let me know she would be driving up the next day!

She arrived safely and I have enjoyed her company the last several days.

She is always such a pleasure to have here and brings lots of joy to me and the grandkids!

This image is a new iPhone series that I am beginning called Looking Up.

What is above our heads is largely ignored and rarely seen,

so I have been lying my iPhone flat, and turning the camera toward the sky.

I loved the colors and shapes in this abstract picture taken below the edge of a building with 

the bright blue autumn sky as the background.

xo

Leap of Faith

I don't like constantly talking about my illness

because it is not who I am and it does not define me.

With that being said, the reason I do talk about it publicly is

because if I can help one person or make one person

feel as if he/she is not alone in this battle, 

then talking about it is worth it.

Today I am thankful that my family and I have been able to raise awareness

about the dangers of tick-born illnesses to people we know and care about.

My husband had a call from a tearful client today 

and she expressed gratitude that he had saved her life.

 

This particular client always asks about me and the kids when she calls my husband,

so he had told her about the struggle we have been going through with my illness.

Turns out she was bitten by a tick over the weekend and didn't think much about it

until the next day when she noticed a bruise developing around the bite site.

She remembered what my husband had told her about my illness and about 

tick-born illnesses in general and she got an uneasy feeling about her own tick bite.

She sought medical advice and it turns out she did indeed have a dangerous tick-born illness...

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

That trip to the doctor for early diagnosis very well may have saved her life.

She is being treated for the illness and is expected to make a full recovery.

In every dark time, there is light that shines.

All of us can use our own stories and experience to connect with and help others,

whatever that story may be.

Our common experiences connect us as humans and if that means 

giving up my prideful ways to talk about this disease in order to possibly help others,

then so be it.

Many have been asking me to discuss more about my experience with Chronic Lyme 

and I have agreed to do that, but I don't want it to be the focus of the blog.

So, I've added a tab at the top where I will add some information little by little

in hopes that it may help others.

This picture was taken at the bus stop with the twins. 

Each of them found a rock and using their imagination,

played hopscotch on a non-existing hopscotch grid.

Ahhhh...to be in first grade again with unlimited enthusiasm, energy, and imagination.

I love those kids.

xo

Reflecting

If you have known me from previous blogs, you know how I love

REFLECTIONS...

both in water and in glass.

There is something that draws me to the intermingling of the real world

with the perceived reality in the reflection itself.

I also like to reflect on my day, 

as you have noticed by now,

and find at least one thing I was grateful for in that 24 hours.

In the past 24 hours I am grateful to have spent

my morning drinking my coffee in my pj's 

in my most favorite spot in the world...

my front porch swing.

I sat in the warmth of the early morning sun peeking over 

the cypress trees with the latest edition of 

Digital Studio on my lap, 

my Ravens pajama covered legs stretched long,

covering the entire length of the porch swing,

watching the morning birds flutter happily about the feeder.

It doesn't get any better than that.

Below, I decided to post one more reflection that was taken a long time ago,

but it is still one of my favorites.

It is a self portrait...the Hyatt in Orlando.

Can you find me?

xo