Last week, we had the honor of attending Matilda’s ART show at her school. It was amazing. It was genius. It was inspirational. To view the ART of young children and the promise that they hold is truly a gift to grandparents such as Larry and I. The future is golden.
A Matisse painting is worth millions….but being a grandparent is priceless.
Love you.
Me
I took the photo above on Mothers Day. I love how Matilda and Lars are looking at each other. Mothers and daughters have a special bond. It is a secret society. It is a gift from God.
Early this morning, I received an email from France, from a very good friend telling me that her Mother had passed. Madame was 93 years old..She was a renaissance woman. Her husband had been in the French Resistance, she drove race cars. When she was in the states, we would always plan dinner parties. She made the best couscous I ever had. She raised two children alone during very difficult times….and most of all, she was Anne-Marie’s Mother.
During my walk this morning, I was thinking about the special bond mothers and daughters have. There are almost no words to describe the relationship. I miss my Mother often. I am her legacy. {Hope I am doing OK}
Love you beyond the moon.
Me
Many people will walk in and out of your life
but only a true friend will leave
their footprint on your heart.
~Eleanor Roosevelt~
My Life has been wonderful. I am married to my best friend. Lauren and Jamison are the joys of my life and my granddaughter Matilda inspires me every day to be positive and creative. There is one more aspect in my life that is important. Friendship.
I know many friends come and go. Some are fakes and ego driven but, then, there are the certain few that come into our lives. they make a difference just by saying hello.
They are the earnest, sincere friends, who touch your life in an unexpected way. They support you and recognize the bumps in your life and each visit is a treasure.
Last Friday, while Larry kept working, we drove to Austin, TX. A friend of mine was visiting from California. Larry and I met Rosemary, her husband David and daughter Whitney for lunch at the sweetest cafe in Austin. The Launderette. We visited for a second. Wait! It was three hours. Time flew by. Larry and I were honored that they took the time to visit with us on their busy Mothers Day weekend!
Please note, the flowers on the table. Whitney handed them to me after a hug and wished me Happy Mothers day. They are so beautiful. I held them all the way home. {From Austin to Plano}
Larry and I had the BEST Mothers Day weekend ever.
Thankfulness is a part of each day for me. Rosemary, I am so very thankful for you.
Dear readers, have you thanked a friend recently? Have you just taken a moment to say hi? Rosemary is my example to try to be a better friend…..
Love you.
Me
The kitchen smells like roses…..the first cut rose from our rose bush is making its existence known. When we lived in Memphis, I had roses in the garden…in Texas, they are more difficult to grow. Fingers crossed for this new rose bush! {the bloom is in a little jar}
The veggies are chopped and in the Crock Pot …….It is soup night at The Cottage and I wish that you could smell what is cooking. {would you like the recipe?}
Please forgive the short post? I feel tired and frustrated. Today is soup day and I have a lovely sketch on canvas that I wanted to start painting. My body is screaming for exercise and it looks like rain. Again.
I hope that you have the best day and weekend.
Love you.
Me
While in London, Larry and I enjoyed just being together. He had given me a new camera before this trip and it was fun using a new lens. I will post a few shots today….just because I adore so many of the photos.
Happy National Day of prayer….
“Prayer should be the key of the day and the lock of the night.”~George Herbert~
Love You.
Me
Just like one of my favorite Carol King songs, I am Home Again.
I listened to the song this morning and it made me cry. When I was 16 I saw carol King sing this song in person, in Raleigh, North Carolina. At the time, I needed this song. It was MY song. Our Family moved every two years and I needed a HOME.
Larry gave me the HOME I needed. He gave my daughters roots and a sense of community.
This past weekend, My Larry look me away for a few days. 4 to be exact. We went to London. We had a wonderful time. So wonderful, that I don’t have the words to express my heart.
But. I am HOME AGAIN. The Cottage is warm and comforting. My days continue, but with a slightly different perspective. I will share more later….till then…please know that I missed posting on the blog for the past week. I missed your comments and kindness. I missed my daughters and sweet Matilda. It is wonderful to be HOME AGAIN
Please have a day filled with love and joy. Life is our sweet journey. Making it happy and positive is why we are here.
I love you.
Me
I have a head ache this morning. My desk is quiet. Projects are complete. Larry is in Dallas meeting with clients. I finished reading the book club, book. {The Southerners by Edna Lee} The garbage men are out front making a ruckus and the light on my phone is blinking like crazy.
I am day dreamy and sluggish. My attention span is zero. The book shelves by my desk have grabbed my attention. One shelf in particular. The photo is a dog, a dog angel and Eiffel Towers. This was my childhood dog. Lancelot was his name because Mother adored the play Camelot. He was adopted as a puppy in Raleigh North Carolina. {1963-64?} It was around Easter-time after church because I remember my younger sister getting dog poop on her good shoes the day we brought him home. He passed away the year that I married Larry. This is the last photo taken of him in 1977. I still miss his sweet character.
Yesterday Larry and I went to Matilda’s softball game . We went early and took a picnic. The 7-8 year old girls are so much fun to watch. They know the game and try so hard. The game ended in a tie. 11-11.
A few of you, have much going on in your lives. Forgive me for not writing you personal notes…but know that you are in my thoughts and prayers.
It is Tuesday! I am saying bye for now and off to get some things done. {and maybe walk a few miles?}
Love you beyond all sweet memories.
me
Little Dedo is, according to an old story, is a small gargoyle with pointy ears and human-like feet who lives on the roof of Notre Dame Cathedral. When the cathedral was built in 1160, a nun from a tiny convent in Provence disliked the menacing gargoyles that were being placed on top of the building as reminders of the nature of sin and evil. As the daughter of a stone cutter, she had learned the tools of the trade and decided to put them to good use. One day, she disguised herself as a workman, gained entrance to the work site and quickly carved the sculpture from a small block before placing it on the highest roof. The gargoyle remained undiscovered for centuries until a small boy, lost in the labyrinthine roof, stumbled off a ledge and rolled down into the lap of the gargoyle. Since its rediscovery, the creature has been affectionately known as Little Dedo, the gargoyle with the crossed toes. In response, some parents keep a statue of this gargoyle around their house in the hope that it will protect their children.
.Larry and I were introduced to the story of Dedo about 12 years ago and bought a replica of the gargoyle {while in Paris} who sits in our fireplace. He has been part of our every day for a very long time.
This weekend, we went to Scarborough Fair, a Renaissance fair in central Texas It is always interesting at a Ren-Fest, and this year was no exception for we found a Dedo! {and brought him home!}
We saw Unicorns and found Dedo! He was a long way from France and we brought him home for the Zen Garden. How can life get any better?
I wish you a day filled with Unicorns and Gargoyles.
Happy Monday.
Love you.
Me
For many years in Paris, the shops along the Seine and near the Cathedral of Notre Dame, sold these tiny gargoyles. My collection is small and has been hidden away for a long time.
The Cathedral of Notre Dame is known for their many Gargoyles. How amazing is it that I have a collection? They each have such personality.
Because of the fire in Paris this week, I have been sorting out many of my photos. The photo above is one of a very few Lauren/Larry shot during the holiday. I need to be taking better shots and sharing them better. This shot is in a FLICKR album. You can scroll the shots below, or click the photo itself to go to my FlickR album.
I hope that you have a lovely, lovely Easter weekend……I am off to sort more photos!
Love you.
Me
I woke last night when storms hit Dallas. I watched Night Line, a long commercial, World News Tonight and some time near 4:30 am, I fell asleep.
Listening to storms is not wonderful. It just wears a body out.
The good news is, The herbs that I planted last week are safe and sound.
Last night before going to bed, I tucked all of the newly planted herbs under shelves in the garden. The weatherman kept saying that we would be getting huge hail during the storms. I did not want the new plants hurt.
All of the plants made it through the storms just fine. Just imagine all the goodies I will cook this summer using the beautiful herbs. Fresh herbs are one of my favorite things in the entire world.
Benjamin Franklin said, “Much virtue in herbs. Little in men.”
Today Is Maundy Thursday. Tonight Larry and I will be at church for a special service.
Love one another. May your heart be filled with the joy of love and forgiveness.
Love you.
Me