I have the insane habit of looking up. All the time! Do you think that it is because I am 5′ 9 1/2″ tall?
Because I look up so much, I bump into things, trip very often and though embarrassed, I do not fall often.
A good friend once told me that looking up is such a positive thing. To be honest, I had never considered that before.
The photo above is proof that I look up to much and after I took the shot, I thought, I need to take more photos at eye level. This is the next shot I took………
Photo: Mad Hatter
The Mad Hatter allows you to take his photo for the right price.
Life imitates ART OR ART imitates life? Look up or view from eye level?
No matter how you look at things, all that matters is that you are happy.
I wish you {you know who you are} the happiest day that you can imagine.
Photo: Robin’s Birthday flowers {thank you Karen Cox} and Champagne
Yesterday, while preparing to write the blog post, I found a couple of adorable photos. I put them aside till today, hoping to share a special time that I get to observe each June/July.
When our girl~granddaughter~Matilda was born, Larry bought wine to celebrate. When Lauren and Josh brought her home from the hospital, Larry asked if they would mind him taking a few shots of baby Matilda with the wine. They were very accommodating and said yes. Matilda was 3 days old.
Photo: Baby Matilda and celebration Champagne
Starting then and to this day, each year, Larry buys a bottle of Champagne to toast Matilda. He always says that he cannot wait till she is 21 and she can toast with us.
He also has a photo of her with a new Champagne bottle for each year of her life. I will not show them here. They are for Larry to share and they are wonderful!
After the photo shoot of this year, {2019} Matilda came back to The Cottage to start Camp Robi, I caught her smiling at the Champagne and she asked me to take her picture.
Photo: Matilda with Champagne and Robin’s Birthday flowers
What more can I say? Birthdays are the best and next week, while the adults are toasting our angel, Matilda will be hosting a swimming/unicorn party.
I always heard that Grand Children were the best thing to come into the life of the grand~parent. Never knowing exactly what that meant, I just smiled and listened to my friends share about how a grandchild changed their life.
How absolutely true every word they said was.
Having a grandchild is like unicorns becoming real. Special beyond belief and indescribable.
Yesterday, on the heels of planting plants on the patio here at the cottage, my mind kept going back to London.
The wisteria in London this spring was my favorite. It canopied over our heads and made us feel as if we were in a lavender tunnel.
Photo: Wisteria~London 2019
When I managed a flower shop in Tennessee, one of the designers was a sweet lady from Japan. Her name was Nodiko. She knew the meanings of so many flowers and plants .Wisteria is named after a scientist, Dr Wistar. It has many meanings but my favorite is: Celebrating the youthful vitality of a young friend or child.
In the 1970’s my Grandmother had wisteria growing up the side and over the top of her front porch. {she lived in a Pre-Revolutionary War house outside of Philadelphia.} The family would complain about so many bees buzzing around the blooms, but I just liked to go sit out there and read. It was perfect and my memories of it are spectacular.
I wish that we could grow wisteria here. I have tried but no luck. I guess that means that I best go water the plants on the patio…..
What or whom will you nurture today? Animal, vegetable or mineral?
The weekend was filled with migraines and side effects of the head aches. I was not 100% but not sick enough to go to bed.
Yesterday, Sunday we skipped church to watch the Women’s World Cup Soccer match. It was wonderful. The soccer, not skipping church.
After world cup, we had to do a few chores and ended up buying plants for the patio. I am ashamed to tell you that since Libby’s death, we have neglected the patio very badly. She would sit out there and watch the world go by. { I would love to sit with her out there} Yesterday, I picked out plants and Larry planted them. It was super hot and utterly miserable and it felt so good!
Photo: Patio
Photo: Container arrangement. Coleus , Inpatients and creeping Jenny
After planting the containers, we had Sunday dinner and a movie. Larry grilled out rib eye steaks and I made scalloped potatoes and asparagus. For dessert we made sundaes out of left over brownies and ice cream.
Photo: Steak, potato and asparagus
Photo: Sundae desserts
In honor of Doris Day, we watched another one of her movies…..
Photo: Sunday Dinner and Movie
The Man Who Knew Too Much is Larry’s favorite…I think Rear Window is mine. Do you have a favorite Alfred Hitchcock movie?
It is now Monday morning. We walked our miles at the lake early. 6:30 am. Larry is sequestered in his office working on a restaurant contract and I am doing laundry while I write. After I post this, I will get out my sewing machine and start making a linen dress. Sounds ambitious doesn’t it? Well, its really not. I want to go back to bed and read. I am reading the sweetest book that was given to me on my birthday…
Yesterday, the fourth of July, we had no plans, so I told Larry that I would make a picnic and we could go to the Dallas Arboretum.
I made chicken salad {served on croissants} , deviled eggs and brownies. Throw in some fruit & Champagne and there was a picnic! Like magic, right?
Larry had the day off so we arrived early at the gardens, I brought music and we talked. It was wonderful.
My time with Larry is the best and our picnic went by at record speed.
I hope that everyone had an amazing holiday too.
***
I would like to thank the people who sent me notes, opinions and thoughts about the post titled: Every New School. Taking the time to share your heart is always a gift to me, Merci Beaucoup.
***
Larry and I got up early this morning and walked our miles at the lake. It was gloomy and humid but my time talking and walking with My Larry is the best time of the day. He is a great listener and gives great advice.
It is time for me to get busy…I wish you a happy day with lots of smiles.
This recipe is brand new. {credit to Margaret Wilson for her recipe} Our church had its annual 4th of July pot luck last Sunday and this is what Larry and I took……
Photo: Irish Cream Chocolate Trifle
Ingredients
1 package devils food cake mix
1 cup refrigerated Irish cream nondairy creamer
3 1/2 cups of 2% milk
2 packages {3.9 oz} instant chocolate pudding mix
3 cups whipped topping
20 Andes candies, chopped
***
Prepare and bake the cake according to package instructions using a 13 X 9″ pan. Cook in pan for one hour.
With wooden skewer, poke holes in cake about 2 ” apart. Slowly pour creamer over devils food cake. Refrigerate covered one hour.
In a large bowl whisk milk and pudding mixes for 2 minutes. Let stand 2 minutes.
Cut cake into 1 1/2 cubes. In a 3 qt trifle bowl, layer a third of each of the following: Cake cubes, pudding, whipped topping and candies. Repeat Layers twice. Refrigerate till serving.
***
Larry scores this dessert a 10 out of 10. It was a hit at the Presbyterian Church and at The Cottage!
Each morning, I read a blog by a wonderful woman. She is faithful, kind and very creative. Her journey is one of deep commitment and joy. She is my ideal
Today she posted a story that her son was being bullied and the ripple effect it had through her family. Her wonderful, close family.
When I hear about specific bulling stories, my heart beats faster, my hands tremble a bit and my mind races so fast that it sounds like rushing water in my ears.
I remember.
As a family, we moved every two years. My father was always searching for something better. The big job, the big house, the big car. I went to many schools. { 8?, 9? Including 3 different high schools}
The new kid at a school is always a target, until the other kids discover how cool the new kid is. Lets face it. That was not going to happen to me. I was not cool, pretty or smart. I was sad, misplaced and to be honest, not nurtured much at all. {I was told to quote-BUCK UP-unquote. My father had no patience for such things as bulling}
Photo: Me always the new kid
This morning, while reading the blog of my favorite Blogger, I wanted to reach through my computer and hug her. She showed so much courage sharing the story. There is one way that we can change bulling. Bullies must be made accountable and then shown the love that perhaps they are missing in their life.
Every new school for me was a nightmare. I learned early on just to avoid telling about the bulling when it happened, but above all, avoid the problem at all costs.
No one except my family knew what I was going through. They were convinced that it was me who was the problem. I am sure that my parents did they best they could while I was growing up…..times where very different.
We never know what someone might be going through, so it is best to be kind to everyone. , I say to my favorite blogger: Thank you for giving me the courage to share part of my story.
Yesterday, one of my favorite actresses turned 103 years old. Happy birthday, Olivia De Havilland .
When I found this photo, I cried. How amazing is this shot? It has all of the elements of a perfect portrait, plus a pug. Can you hear me sigh? A PUG!
Ms De Havilland was born in 1916 in Tokyo, Japan. {and lives in Paris} She has always been one of my favorites. If I listen closely, I can hear her voice. Her beautiful voice. She has been in over 31 movies {she was Melanie in Gone With The Wind} and won two Oscars. Her talent was perfection and her acting is still relevant in 2019.
Happy Birthday Ms De Havilland. I send greetings from Texas to you and sweet Oscar.
Today, Larry walked {exercised} with me. It is warm and humid outside. I was angry today and walked very fast. We walked 4 miles in 55 minutes. The question of the day was: How much dirty laundry am I allowed to share on the blog?
The answer {for today} is zero. Everyone goes through merde, but we do not want to hear all about it. {do we?} Oh well. It is Monday. I have today’s exercise calculated into the week {Thank you FitBit} and the real laundry is half finished. {and I have only 2 dryer sheets left till grocery day, that’s good isn’t it?}
***
Sunday dinner and a movie came on the heels of the annual 4th of July pot luck at church. {where I ate one hot dog, three different salads and 4 of the most wonderful cookies I have ever had in my life} We came home from church and walked a few laps at Willow Bend Mall. My back was hurting, so we did not do our usual miles.
Sunday dinner and a movie……
Photo: Sunday Dinner and Movie
Dinner consisted of quiche {more about that later} a sweet salad, Champagne {an interesting find of Larry’s} and our movie was Paris Blues.
I think that Larry loves Paris Blues so much because it was filmed entirely in Paris. I just like seeing Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward make goo goo eyes at each other. Not to mention the other dynamics that come into play in this complex movie. It was a perfect movie for last evening.
BIG NEWS: Larry bought me a new clock to replace the old one that the battery leaked all over last week.
Photo: The new clock
Yes, look in the middle at the bottom. There is the time. I think he liked that it is a weather station! It is perfect. Thank you Larry. I love you.
Happy July! May this new month be filled with only clean laundry and happy hearts.
A few weeks ago, on my birthday, Karen, a dear friend send me the most beautiful arrangement of flowers. The flowers lived forever….and when they started drying, I drained the water and now they are living on in the dining room. The roses next to the arrangement are from a special day in Austin with good friends. I have plans for these treasures! Karen, Rosemary, thank you for being such wonderful friends.
I walked four miles this morning. It is a beautiful, hot day today and many people were at the lake exercising. Larry and I have signed up for a quarter marathon in September and we need to get into better shape. {and I am so tired!}
Happy Friday. May your days be filled with many fireworks and lots of flags.
