Friday, February 29, 2008

Summer dreaming....

Every summer we rent a cottage on the coast and our whole family, brothers, sisters, kids, grandkids, nieces and nephews of all ages enjoy playing together. Part of my enjoyment on these long, cold winter days is thinking up things to do. Whether we ever do them or not doesn't matter, but it certainly gets me through these snow filled days. I have made these little journals for anyone that wants one. The idea came from the beautiful little thank you card I received from my friend Deborah on which she had sewn two simple little leaves to a piece of white card stock. Of course I had to try it, too. I just added many pages of colored paper and called it a book.





So it's called: "hot sticky buns and journal drawing at our cottage every morning". The fresh out-of-the-oven sticky buns will be the lure for some ( I have a great overnight cinnamon rolls recipe) and the paints and colored pencils will do it for others. It's a way to get the kids involved in the creative side of life before they head off for their very active swimming/gaming/biking/whatever day!

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

The Importance of Hands

I study hands. A lot. I never knew I did this until recently. When I think of a person and imagine their face I can also see their hands. For instance, I can remember my best friend Kathy Crosby's hands from our high school days. The way they looked and the way they moved. Put a bunch of hands in a room and I can tell you who they belong to. My sister's hands. Long delicate fingers. My kids hands, Sean's calloused from playing the drums and Sarah's well manicured. And, oh yes, then there are Keith's very distinct hands:). Double jointed or is it triple jointed?!

My hands have aged and changed these past few years. They have age spots and my skin, when pinched, takes a few more seconds each year to relax back to normal. I would spend hours watching my mother's hands go about her chores, teaching me to knit or sew, so it was with sadness I held them in her last years...long fingers, nails that were kept trimmed for her, bones covered with transparent skin. My grandmother's chubby soft hands that went along with the rest of her body. Slightly curved fingers from a touch of arthritis. I was completely taken with my husbands hands when we first started dating. Just right. I watch hands when someone holds a cup of coffee. I secretly study them. Weird. My father's hands. Delicate dark hairs, on shortish fingers, hands a little shaky these days, and then there's my intake of breath when I first notice the new wedding ring. Not the beautiful simple smooth piece of gold he had worn for the last 50+ years, the one that left an indentation in his finger when he took it off, but a new, edgy, thing. Square edges. It looks like an art deco door placed on a beautiful antique center chimney cape.

I'm just sayin'.

Thursday, February 14, 2008


Happy Valentine's Day

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Painted Fabric....

...wonder what for?

Woke up this morning, glanced at the thermometer and my heart momentarily did a jig...48degrees!! Oops, 4 POINT 8.