Petals and Boots

Hello, February

2012-02-01T09:19:00.002-05:00

I never did like to spell February.

It's a funny month. Could go either way. Bitter or sweet, depending on your viewpoint. We're gearing up for the groundhog to see his shadow, the Giants to win the Super bowl, some well deserved Valentine's Day treats, with maybe a blossom or two, and a long awaited return of Real Estate frenzy! I'm looking forward to a great month ahead. So, February, please be kind.

Happy Day!

With love and hugs.

Metaphors and Analogies

2012-01-30T06:52:00.003-05:00

Winter is hanging on....

although

February will soon kiss

sweet little January goodbye!

With sky so blue

I wonder...

Will Winter cover our world in a blanket of white?

Happy Monday!

With love and hugs

Just thinking...

2012-01-25T07:24:00.002-05:00

"He who overcomes

others is strong,

He who overcomes

himself

is mighty."

~Laozi

With love and hugs.

YAY!

2012-01-23T08:51:00.003-05:00

You all know how much I love...

The Giants vs. The Patriots!!

Go New York!

With love and hugs.

A Double Dose

2012-01-19T08:53:00.004-05:00

And hugs.

Tell Congress NO!

2012-01-18T15:59:00.002-05:00

Tell Congress NO!
Go to Google...Sign the Petition!
Tell Your Friends and neighbors!

With love and hugs.
xo

Red

2012-01-17T08:31:00.002-05:00

"An optimist is a person who sees a green light everywhere,
while a pessimist sees only the red stoplight...
the truly wise person
is colorblind."

~Albert Schweitzer

Be safe.
With love and hugs.
xo

Social Networking

2012-01-16T08:58:00.001-05:00

We never know what life has in store for us.
I know that sometimes it appears that some people are happier,
healthier, and sometimes, just plain luckier than me. Life has given me a smorgasborg of experiences. Some happier than others. Today was one of the happier ones so many years ago. It was when my first nephew was born. It was January 16th, but it was a Sunday. And, it was Super Bowl Sunday! I was away at college, and a telegram arrived announcing his birth. Except, Western Union got it wrong. It read "Janie" has arrived. It was supposed to read.."Jamie" has arrived. I remember feeling sad and homesick that I wasn't able to join in the festivities and celebration. A new baby boy! Miami to NJ was way too far for a visit. My only connection back home was an occasional letter from my Mom, or a collect phone call on a Sunday evening. How times have changed. Today, that little baby boy is all grown up! He calls Las Vegas his home, and he has his own baby girl. Actually, 2 girls! Consequences kept us distant and apart for so long. Facebook and a woman changed all of that! I am so very grateful! A very special Happy Birthday, James! May your dreams come true!

With love and hugs.
xo

Dancing With The Moon

2012-01-11T08:58:00.003-05:00

Trees, proud standing people
stretching fingertips to the sky, reaching, praying
glorious attention, breathing light,
strength
shelter
timeless confidence
bending and firm
comforting
rooted chorus line
dancing with the moon, the wind, the clouds
framing bursts of stars
tender rugged celebration
absorbing and releasing life
each holy branch holding
the power of the Universe.
There.

~Wallace Stevens

With love and hugs.
xo

Paperwhites

2012-01-09T09:44:00.003-05:00

Happy Monday from my kitchen to yours!

With love and hugs.

Twenty Twelve

2012-01-07T08:49:00.004-05:00

20 Ways to Get Good Karma in 2012.

1.Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

2.When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.

3. Follow the three R’s:

- Respect for self,

- Respect for others and

- Responsibility for all your actions.

4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.

5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.

6. Don’t let a little dispute injure a great relationship.

7. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

8. Spend some time alone every day.

9. Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.

10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

11. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and

think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time.

12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.

13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don’t bring up the past.

14. Share your knowledge. It is a way to achieve immortality.

15. Be gentle with the earth.

16. Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.

17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.

18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

19. If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.

20. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.

~The Dali Lama~

Happy Weekend!
With love and hugs.
xo

Turkey Vulture and a Patient Cat

2012-01-05T09:05:00.002-05:00

'The rugged old Norsemen spoke of death as Heimgang-"home-going".

So the snow- flowers go home when they melt and flow to the sea, and the rock ferns, after unrolling their fronds to the light and beautifying the rocks, roll them up close again in the Autumn and blend with the soil. Myriads of rejoicing living creatures, daily, hourly, perhaps every moment sink into death's arms, dust to dust, spirit to spirit-waited on, watched over, noticed only by their maker, each arriving at its own Heaven-dealt destiny. All the merry dwellers of the trees and streams, and the myriad swarms of the air, called into life by the sunbeam of a summer morning, go home through death, wings folded perhaps in the last red rays of sunset of the day they were first tried. Trees towering in the sky, braving storms of centuries, flowers turning faces to the light for a single day or hour, having enjoyed their share of life's feast-all alike pass on and away under the law of death and love. Yet all are our brothers and they enjoy life as we do, share Heaven's blessings with us,

die and are buried in hallowed ground, come with us out of eternity and return into eternity.' "Our lives are rounded with a sleep."

-John of the Mountains: The Unpublished Journals of John Muir-

Do you see the patient cat?
Cobblewood Road
November, 2011

Seventy Six Days...

2012-01-04T09:19:00.003-05:00

Until Spring!

Love and Hugs.

Sugar Coated Weekend

2012-01-02T18:36:00.003-05:00

There is a sugar coated mountain in Maine. Otherwise known as "Sugarloaf".

Located in the Carrabassett Valley of Western Maine, the "Loaf" is the setting of my brother and sister-in-law's new weekend home. We took a trip there last week to visit. A long drive from New Jersey, it's about 9 hours from home. It was so worth the drive! Once we arrived, the strong winds just about blew us in the door! I could not believe my eyes. What a spectacular place! The quality of the craftsmanship and the details in the design and interior left me speechless. I felt as if I was in the setting of Country Living Magazine shoot. Perfection! The log interior is bright and light. With an outstanding view of the 'Loaf' from the great room windows, the mountain becomes a magnet from dawn to dusk. The trails were snow covered, but there was little snow compared to most New England winters. It made for hiking and exploring rather easy, and definitely enjoyable. Surrounded by our family and friends, we learned in a very short time that it's easy to fall in love with the 'Loaf'.

We celebrated Kim's Birthday, we chilled in the sunshine, we toasted with the kids, and we met and fell in love with the newest member of the clan, Miss Bailey. What a little pip she is! And, as if we needed to party some more, we were also lucky to be at the 1st New Years Eve bash! There was live music and dancing and bubbles in the air! There were fireworks on the mountain, and a dusting of snow to complete the festivities! The photos give a little sneak peek, and I woke up this morning looking for the Mountain!

A fabulous time was had by all. My Mom could only say..."WOW"!!

Happy New Year and I hope yours is sugar coated!

With love and hugs.

Christmas Passed

2011-12-28T07:08:00.003-05:00

Sweet and tender.

Laughter, then tears.

Joy, then sadness.

Dark into light,

light into dark.

Quiet and peaceful.

Gladness of heart.

Truly,

Love is all you need.

See you next year!

Blessings of Love and Gladness of heart.

Oh, Christmas Tree

2011-12-24T08:05:00.000-05:00

The boys cut down our Christmas Tree this year.

You can see how tall the ceiling in our family room is.

It allows for great height in a tree.

We need a ladder to decorate it with lights and our angel!

I changed things up a bit this year,

and decorated with a collection never displayed before.

Because it's a Christmas like no other.

Our little diamond girl is with her other family this year.

She's far away in the cold Northern lands of Michigan.

So, on Christmas Eve this tree goes up for you, Tiff.

Have yourself a Merry little Christmas!

Because after all, Christmas is truly about Love.

Merry Christmas to all...

With love and hugs,
and dreams come true!

Winter's Solstice

2011-12-22T06:32:00.003-05:00

I love the word "solstice". It reminds me of solitude. It feels calming and peaceful. And full of sunshine and dreams. It commands a pause in time. It's heavenly. It's fancy. It appears on our calendars twice a year. Today is our lucky day! Inch by inch the days will become brighter, the nights will become shorter. Before too long, the engines will rev up once more! On this Winter's Solstice I wish for you Peace. I wish for you Love. And most importantly, I wish for you Light. Blessings to all.

"Light a candle and burn away that which no longer serves."

~via Catherine Hiker~

With love and hugs.

Decisions

2011-12-20T20:57:00.002-05:00

When your journey

becomes long and complicated

simply

your heart.

With love and hugs.

Light

2011-12-18T18:54:00.001-05:00

"There are two ways of spreading light;

to be the candle

or the mirror that reflects it."

~Edith Wharton~

May your days be happy and bright.

With love and hugs.

What Is Life?

2011-12-13T16:51:00.001-05:00

'It is a flash

of a firefly

in the night.

It is the breath

of a buffalo

in the wintertime.

It is the little shadow

which runs across the grass

and loses itself

in the sunlight.'

~Cowfoot~

Native American Curator

With love and hugs.

Peace

2011-12-12T06:55:00.002-05:00

"He is happiest,
be he king or peasant,
who finds peace in his home."

~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Peace at home.
With love and hugs.
xo

Quiet

2011-12-09T07:01:00.001-05:00

I listen to the river

and the moon

and the wind

in the bare naked trees

and

i hear

the voices of my

children.

With love and hugs.

Color

2011-12-05T08:57:00.001-05:00

"Sit in reverie

and watch the changing color

of the waves that break

upon

the idle seashore

of the mind."

~henry wadsworth longfellow~

Happy Monday!

With love and hugs.

While Surfing...

2011-12-02T22:50:00.001-05:00

I came across some cute finds

for December galavanting..

Click here to see them!

Happy weekend!

With love & hugs...
xoxo

Milwaukee Art Museum

2011-11-30T18:51:00.001-05:00

We took a sweet little stroll along the water's edge and stumbled upon a bit of art. Inside and out. Here are a few shots of the Art Museum of Milwaukee. Rumor has it that Chicago wanted the building to grace her harbor, but Milwaukee won out. And win she did. The "wings" of the building actually open and close. It's quite beautiful. It's quite unique.

Hats off to the architects that imagined and created this Masterpiece. Designed to showcase fine art. And light. And love.

A quote from Degas greets all visitors:

"Drawing is not what one sees but what one can make others see."

Here's to the artist in you.

With love and hugs.

Back Home

2011-11-28T08:06:00.001-05:00

We're back in New Jersey after what was a whirlwind of a few days with our daughter and Matt in Milwaukee. I thought I'd share some photos of the city, and a few thoughts on our visit. We haven't seen Tiff since May. I had been counting the days until we met. My heart skipped a beat when she peeked around the corner at the airport! Her smile radiates love! Her engagement ring sparkles on her little finger! And, on first impression, I loved the city. It is so clean. And sprawling and light. In spite of the fact of tall buildings, the sky is so visible, Lake Michigan looks like the ocean. The city is pretty flat, and holds unique architecural delights! Beautiful museums, restaurants, brew pubs, bridges, coffee shops, and, not to mention the Bridal Salons! It was Black Friday when we shopped for the perfect white dress! And I'm so happy to say...Mission Accomplished! What a great time, what a memorable Thanksgiving, and what a sad day indeed when we needed to say good bye. I Hope you enjoy some photos, I'll be posting some more soon!

Happy Monday, everyone!

With love and hugs.

And a view of Milwaukee!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-22T06:09:00.001-05:00

Blessings of Abundance.

Love, Joy, Peace.

And may you gobble 'till you wobble!

With love and hugs.

Birthday Love

2011-11-20T18:03:00.001-05:00

I'm grinning ear to ear!

My heart is bursting with

Gratitude

for all of the Birthday love!

Thank you, everyone, everywhere!

The cards are beautiful, the thoughts are heart warming,

the wishes are abundant, the Love is touching.

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday,

I am forever grateful for all of you!

With love and hugs.

Kitty :)

Weekend Already!

2011-11-18T16:34:00.001-05:00

I hope this Friday finds you well prepared

for a beautiful Autumn weekend,
Filled.

With
Love and Hugs

and Gratitude.

Started My Shopping!

2011-11-15T19:05:00.001-05:00

Some of you may know I took a little motorcycle ride this past weekend. We went with a few friends up to Newburgh, NY to the motorcycle museum. There were photos to be taken for a story to be written. So we hopped on board. It was great fun, very interesting history of bikes from the early 1900's to the 60's right on through to present day. I'm so happy we did. Because with the Chrsitmas holiday approaching, I'm always stumped as to what to get my Mom. She's tough to buy for. She always says she doesn't need anything. She wants simple gifts like love and happiness.But in my heart, I know she'd love a motorcycle! But, her hair do. And, She doesn't like wind in her face. Problem solved! No worries!

Can't you just see "Dolly" sporting around Brick Town, NJ on this!!
No wind, no helmet hair, no worries!
Shhh!!

A Single Word

2011-11-15T08:37:00.001-05:00

just a thought....
if your closest friends or family members
had to describe you...
in one word.
what would it be?

Happy Tuesday!
With love and hugs.
xo

Orchid in the Air

2011-11-14T10:55:00.001-05:00

Happy Monday!
With love and hugs.
xo

To Our Birthday Girl

2011-11-12T07:05:00.001-05:00

A beautiful little blossom for our beautiful Birthday Girl!

You see,

Long distance separates us,

she is

living her dreams

in the far away land of

Cheese and Crackers,

Beer, and Packers..

but our hearts remain forever close,

our love remains forever true,

and,

Little Miss Tiff,

we are so very happy

and

so very proud of you!

Happy Birthday, Tiff!

With love, hugs, and dreams come true.

Doubled!

11.11.11

2011-11-11T07:51:00.001-05:00

Once every one hundred years we see 11.11.11. Seems like once every hundred years I see my little sister. Today is her day, and it's a big one for sure! See's far from us, way down south in her new home in Southport, North Carolina. With her soul mate, her new pet fox, her new beach hang out, her friends, and for Christmas, her girl.
I see alot of chatter online about project 11.11.11. So, my project is my blog post dedicated to my little sister Nancy. Here's a Happy Birthday to you, Nan! I hope the lights remain bright for you throughout the coming year, that you enjoy your new digs, and that your heart bursts with Love and Happiness!

I miss you,
Happy Birthday!
With love and hugs.
xo

For Anthony

2011-11-10T07:05:00.004-05:00

Today just might be a hard one at my office.
You see, it's the Birthday of my friend's son.
Who passed away, ever so quietly in her arms.
After 26 years. She's been talking about today,
and a part of her is pretty scared. It's that hole
in a Mother's heart when sad things happen to a child.
But Lynn is a member of a different kind of club.
It's the I lost my son club. Or, I lost my child club.
Fewer members than the PTA. Or the local Book club.
But the stronger part of Lynn is prepared. Head on.
Like a ship in a storm.
With love, with memories, and balloons.
Anthony was never able to speak words.
He was never able to walk, nor did he ever play sports.
He was her angel. He entered our lives, whispered Hope, taught Love, and disappeared. Into the heavens. And Lynn moves forward.
With a vibrant self, a new found determination that will bring down walls. She demonstrated a dedication and Love to Anthony like you've never seen.

To you, Lynnie. And to your little boy.
Peace.
With my love and hugs.
xo

11.9.11

2011-11-09T07:03:00.000-05:00

A certain day became a presence to me;
there it was, confronting me-a sky,air,light:
a being. And before it started to descend
from the height of noon, it leaned over
and struck my shoulder as if with
the flat of a sword, granting me
honor and a task. The day's blow
rang out, metallic-or it was I, a bell awakened,
and what I heard was my whole self
saying and singing what I knew: I can.
~Denise Levertov, from Breathing the Water

Live Your Best Day!
With love and hugs.
xo

Back on Track...

2011-11-07T10:33:00.001-05:00

...Well, sort of!
You all know by now that we loose power. Alot.
But, we're bright again.
Part of the annoyance of loosing electricity is that every single digital appliance we own goes down. And, then, it's sort of like re-boot.
Re-set. Clocks. Ugh. Just reset all of the clocks, and then, it's the end of daylight savings time. More clocks. The good thing about "fall back" is more sleep time in the morning. My husband gets up very early, so the fall back is a treat to him. Except this morning! I woke him up accusing him of not turning his clock back, but I was the one! I forgot to turn the other little bedroom clock back. Because...I just re-set the darn thing from our power outage! UGH. Small little pest annoyances.
Being woken up way too early! Sorry, Wes!

Happy Monday!
With my love and hugs.
xo

PS...Happy Birthday, Tom!
Bet you didn't mind getting up too early!!

Last Saturday...

2011-11-05T09:43:00.000-04:00

Last Saturday morning I was playing around with this photo. This is my neighbor's tree. There were electric wires to delete. I painted the sky a bright shade of dangerous and I saved it. My plan was to post it on Mischief Night, with a little caption of "Painting the Town". Well,with an unexpected twist of fate from Mother Nature, instead of me deleting the wires, the wires deleted me! It has been one crazy mess here in Northwestern New Jersey, but today is different. Autumn is back with her blaze of color. In all of her glory. The snow has melted. The mellow sound of the electric bass once again harmonizes our home, the lights are glowing brightly, it is warm, and all is calm.
I am forever grateful.
For water.
For light.
But mostly,
I am grateful
for Love.

Have a happy weekend!
With love and hugs.
xo

Long Days and Long Nights

2011-11-03T17:39:00.001-04:00

Each day

presents

an opportunity

of Hope.

And beauty.

And resolve.

And light.

And darkness.

There may be some light at the end of this dark tunnel.

I still could not drive on my road today,

it was too crowded with JCP&L trucks!

Fingers crossed.

With love and hugs.

Hello, November!

2011-11-01T09:06:00.001-04:00

Good Morning, World!
I shot this photograph on Sunday morning a short distance from where we live.
We've been treated to a new round of challenges by Mother Nature. Again.
A fury of a storm flew in Saturday morning, hung around most of the day and night, and on Sunday the sky was the most beautiful shade of blue that one could only imagine. There was an Autumn beauty like we've never seen. The kiss of color beneath a heavy snowfall. Only one problem. We're in the dark once more. The weight of more than a foot of snow has crumbled the land. And my spirits. It's another long journey until we see the light.
But, as Wes and I sipped some leftover coffee in front of the fire early this morning, we both agreed that it's just one more challenge that makes our bond truly unbreakable.

Here's hoping we have a few milder days and nights.
And, Happy November, my friends!
With my love and hugs.
xo

Psst!

2011-10-31T19:25:00.000-04:00

BOO!

Happy Halloween!

With love and hugs.

Fire and Ice

2011-10-29T09:57:00.001-04:00

Wasn't it just Summer?
Brr...it's cold outside.
Time to cook up a little fire.
And get ready for the snow.
My camera is waiting.

Hope it's a fun weekend!
With love and hugs.
xo

Rainy Thursday

2011-10-27T15:46:00.001-04:00

There's a little chill in the air today.
It's dark and dreary.
Wet and a bit windy.
But the colors...they take your breath away!
Here's a festive little home town diner
from my home town to yours.

Happy Everything!
With love and hugs.
xo

What Is Photography?

2011-10-25T07:12:00.001-04:00

Photography is
creative writing
without any words.

Have a photographic Tuesday!
With love and hugs.
xo

A LITTLE RED FLOWER

2011-10-24T09:35:00.000-04:00

To my far away friend on her Birthday, who always grew the most beautiful zinnias. And cooked the most delicious meals. And made me laugh the hardest!

Happy Birthday, Cath!
With love and hugs.
xo

Good and Beautiful

2011-10-20T08:23:00.000-04:00

'That which is striking and beautiful
is not always good; but
that which is good is
always beautiful.'

~Ninon De L'Enclos

Hope today brings you good and beautiful.
With love and hugs.
xo

Flower Power

2011-10-19T07:55:00.003-04:00

It's still rather dark here at almost 8:00 in the morning.
A sort of gloomy day in the hills of Hardwick.
The only golden glow being the hint of Autumn from a window.
A cool, steady drizzle bids farewell to the last buds of Summer.
No sign of birds, nor song, nor sun.

But there is beauty in today.
I hope you enjoy my little splash of love.
It is from a pretty, sweet veranda in Cape May.
It's where I left my heart.

Happy Wednesday!
With love and hugs.
xo

Monday, Monday

2011-10-17T08:07:00.002-04:00

So we made it to Sandy Hook!
A beautiful but chilly morning greeted 14 motorcycles as we headed South from Warren County. It was a fun ride down, but the magic of the day really began when we crossed over the bridge into Sandy Hook.
The vista was magnificent! It made me feel like I was in Monterey California! Really! The view startled me. There's something about life on a bike. Everything becomes so real and in your face. The slow descent from the bridge into the park was so beautiful. The ocean was choppy. The sea spray was exhilarating. There were fishermen, kites, windsurfers, and kite surfers. And bikers and runners and walkers and bikers. This was our "South" destination point for a badge we earned in our club. The North point was High Point State Park, West point was Split Rock in Pennsylvania, and the East point was Turtleback Zoo in West Orange. We experienced insane wind, traffic, beautiful sunsets, bikers full of road camaraderie, tractor trailer trucks, race cars, barking dogs, stares and lots of thumbs up! We stopped in Atlantic Highlands for lunch at a beautiful ocean front restaurant, in a beautiful little seaside town, and if I ever win the lottery....that's where you'll find me! It's back to the grind Monday, and I look forward to the 2012 patch...where will it take us?

Ride your own!
With love and hugs.
xo

2 Wheelin' Weekend

2011-10-16T08:02:00.001-04:00

Off to Sandy Hook State Park this morning.
Yesterday, it was Turtleback Zoo
with Mother Nature kickin' up her heels.
I'm finishing up the points and destinations
required for the "Curvz" patch from my
motorcycle club.
Enjoy your day, wherever it takes you!
With love and hugs.

I hope this doesn't happen!

Quiet

2011-10-13T08:58:00.000-04:00

Sometimes the quietest moments

yield the loudest messages.

I hope you find your quiet today.
With love and hugs.
xo

My Little Kestrel

2011-10-12T09:31:00.001-04:00

We went to a hawk demonstration in Cape May!

This little one stole my heart....right out of the can.

He's the smallest member of the hawk family. He's an American Kestrel. It is "easily identifiable" by the 2 black stripes on his face, it's blue grey wings, and chestnut back and tail. Perhaps one of the most colorful raptors (birds of prey) in the world, they grow to full size in only one month.An interesting fact is that hawks can sometimes attain speeds of 150 MPH when diving, and most mate for life.

Their sense of hearing is excellent, and their eyesight is the best in the animal world. Not only can hawks see greater distances than humans, but their visual activity (the ability to see clearly) is eight times greater than ours. Hawks also see in color!

It is illegal to capture or kill a hawk, or possess a hawk alive or dead, without proper permits from the State of NJ and the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

Because they are predators, hawks have historically been regarded by many people as vermin. In the past, they were seen as wanton killers-

cruel and harmful creatures. Fortunately, with ecological knowledge we now realize they are neither harmful nor cruel. They are, like all living things, important parts of a diverse and intricate natural world. The protection of that world is of paramount importance to their well-being, and to ours.

And let me tell you ....they are down right adorable.

Long live the hawks.

With love and hugs,

Love

2011-10-10T20:49:00.000-04:00

if i had a little green notebook

i'd fill it with love.

in the morning

on a park bench

on a street corner

in a rain storm

at 3AM

on a dark highway

under

a full moon.

with love and hugs.xo

Smart Birds

2011-10-07T08:31:00.002-04:00

Smart food makes smart birds.
Happy Friday!

With love and hugs.
xo

Cape May

2011-10-05T22:07:00.002-04:00

Beach flowers

Coffee shack at Sunset Beach

Raw Surf at Higbee Beach

Beautiful Dusk

We encountered some wispy weather last weekend, a cold front was approaching and the winds picked up with great gusto. I love the Jersey shore at the end of Summer. There's something so peaceful and calming in just observing what I've loved since I was a young child. It sucks me in. Walking along the ocean shoreline, I found myself thinking alot about my Dad. I used to love "scrounging"the shoreline with him after a storm. Barefoot and sunburned, it's when he found his most prized fishing lures, and I was able to collect those infamous shark eggs, sea glass and driftwood. The beach would be scattered with fishing lines all tangled up with goodies inside. And the surf would be riddled with seaweed and jellyfish. The shells were plentiful, the sand crabs busied themselves hiding from me.
I miss those days, I miss the ocean, and I really miss my Dad.

With love and hugs.
xo

iSad

2011-10-05T21:30:00.001-04:00

"Thanks for showing
that what you build
can change the world."

~Mark Zuckerberg,
Facebook Founder
...on the passing of Steve Jobs tonight.

With love and hugs.
xo

Roar to the Shore

2011-10-03T06:28:00.003-04:00

Friends of ours have a house or 2 in Cape May, NJ.
The end of the line along the Jersey shore.
We were invited down for a long weekend!
Three of us rode our '2 wheels' down the long stretch
of Parkway to destination Ardis.
I snapped this shot with my iphone.
I have lots more to come.
Cape May has my love forever.
Thanks again, Laurie and Bob!
With love and hugs.
xo

Stone Puddles

2011-09-29T22:22:00.001-04:00

I went to the Peters Valley Craft fair last weekend.
There were some beautiful displays.
Leather and jewelry and art and clothing and pottery
and this beautiful birdbath.
It is handmade in Vermont by Frank Sprague.
He creates bathtubs for birds! His company is Stone Puddles.
I loved his work.

I'm sure the birds love him too!
Stonepuddles.com

Happy cool down!
With love and hugs.
xo

Single, Red, and Beautiful

2011-09-27T22:42:00.002-04:00

I love
the backs
of flowers.
The stems,
the brackets,
the petals,
the colors.
The contrast.

With love and hugs.
xo

The Book or The Movie

2011-09-25T18:33:00.000-04:00

Early morning is my favorite time of day,
and it's my favorite time to read.
It's quiet and calm with out distraction.
It's then that my travels with books are uninterrupted.
Once the sun starts to rise and the sky turns to pink,
I start to prepare for the day ahead.

I finished The Help early one morning.
It stopped me dead in my tracks.

The pain and the sadness made me cry.
The stupidity of the slave owners made me angry.
The thought of women
loving, and caring, and giving,
day in and day out,
sometimes for as along as forty years;
to go home in the evening
to drunken cotton pickers
only to get themselves beat up.
And then, to put on those starched uniforms
and start it all over again
the next day. And the next night.

It made me shiver.

To all of the women who stand up
and to all of those who are still afraid,
remember always:

"You are smart.
You are kind.
You are important."

~Kathryn Stockett

We went to see the movie this past Friday evening.
And, not to be critical of anyone or anything;
the personal and gut wrenching emotions of the author
were lacking on the screen.
The parting shot, however, was magical.

I tip my hat to Kathryn Stockett and "The Help".
Thank You, Kathryn, for wondering
what it was like to be a black woman
in Mississippi in the 1960's.

With my love and hugs.
xo

Frost At Midnight

2011-09-23T09:03:00.002-04:00

"....Therefore all seasons be sweet to thee,
whether Summer clothe the general earth
with greenness,
or the redbreast
set and sing
betwixt the tufts of snow
on the bare branch
of mossy apple tree,
while the night hatch
smokes in the sun thaw;
whether the eave-drops fall
heard only in the trances of the blast,
or the sweet ministry of frost
shall hang them in quiet icicles,
quietly shining to the quiet moon."

~Samuel Taylor Coleridge

May the Autumn season be sweet to thee.
With love and hugs.
xo

Just Sayin'

2011-09-22T08:08:00.000-04:00

There is nothing like the smile on my 'sonny-boy's' face when the New York Yankees clinch a playoff!

Thank you, New York Yankees! Rock on!

With love and hugs and game balls.
xo

September

2011-09-20T08:50:00.001-04:00

"The breezes taste
like apple peel,
the air is full of smells:
ripe fruit,
old footballs,
burning brush,
new books, erasers,
chalk and such."

~John Updike

Happy Tuesday!
With love and hugs.
xo

Try It!

2011-09-17T08:41:00.000-04:00

"It's impossible" said pride.
"It's risky" said experience.
"It's pointless" said reason.
"Give it a try" whispered the heart.

Happy Weekend!
With my love and hugs.
xo

A Change In the Weather

2011-09-16T07:03:00.000-04:00

Chilly wind.
Windows closed.
Good bye, Summer.

Hello, leather!
With love and hugs.
xo

Stillness

2011-09-12T08:46:00.000-04:00

"All landscapes ask the same question
in the same whisper.
'I am watching you-
are you watching yourself in me?'
To tune in, without reverence, idly
but with real inward attention...
you can extract the essence of a place
once you know how.
If you just get
as still as a needle,
you'll be there."
~Lawrence Durvell, Spirit of Place: Letters and Essays on Travel

Until the next time,
With love and hugs.
xo

Towers of Light

2011-09-11T09:24:00.001-04:00

"Bloodplanes break the silence of clouds-
strangely lonesome-
as we, the living, pierce ourselves with the hooks
of memory, digging, digging without rest,
digging night and day, throwing ourselves into
the holes of grief in search of ourselves changed forever- looking up, seeing nothing, in disbelief
looking up again."
~ Jim Cohn
2001.
While driving to Englewood last night I saw the twin beams of light that memorialize the location of the twin towers in NYC. The rays created a second moon in the sky. A quiet moon. Unreachable and untouchable. Just like those who's lives were lost.

Where there is light, there is hope.
With love and hugs.
xo

Sunflowers

2011-09-08T20:44:00.000-04:00

There seems to be a gigantic burst of wild sunflowers through the rolling hills of Northwestern New Jersey this year.
I discovered some blazing in wide open fields
that used to be exclusively home to corn fields.
Now, they're sunflowers as soldiers.
Some were mixed neatly with corn patches.
Some were randomly planted on cornfield edges.
This shot above is from a local dairy farm.
It looked beautiful.
I'm curious as to why so many sunflowers?
They don't seem to be harvested, now, most of them are simply dwindling away.
Is it for the cultivation of their oil? Crop rotation? Is it just for the seeds?I know black-oil sunflower seeds are in demand through the fall and winter months for bird feeders.
Or, maybe cut flowers for retailers?
And then I wonder, is it simply because the farmers want us to stop in our tracks and take notice of the beauty in a field of sunflowers? Ahh,... those tricky farmers.
If so,... it worked!

I loved the sunflower farms.

And now, I'm hoping the sun comes out from hiding.
She's been away for way too long!
With love and hugs and sunshine to come.
xo

Water Everywhere

2011-09-07T19:51:00.000-04:00

It's been one wet week. Or two. Maybe even three!
I wish we could send some of the wetness to Texas.
Or wherever it's needed more.
I've learned over the past few days
and nights the secret power of running water,
or should I mention the lack there of.
Now we're soaked.
Everything here is soggy.
And green. Brooks and streams are ferocious.
Ponds have become lakes.
Streets have become canals.
I hope Mother Nature is kindhearted
to us this Winter!
Aye karumba! Where's the sunshine?
Happy Rain!
With love and hugs.
xo

PS...No, not my photo!

Thistle Bud

2011-09-05T08:57:00.000-04:00

"All my life
I have tried
to pluck a Thistle
and plant a flower
wherever the flower
would grow
in thought and mind."
~Abraham Lincoln

Happy Labor Day and Thank You!
With love and hugs.
xo

The Week that Was

2011-09-03T22:55:00.003-04:00

I'm back! Ha!
It was a week ago that a vicious little lady by the name of 'Irene' decided that she was going to reek a bit of havoc on our lives. I remember going to sleep last Saturday night with the wind howling and the rain pounding against the windows.
A severe storm was in the forecast for extreme southern NJ, and eastern Long Island with the possibility of some damage to NYC. No mention what so ever of the skylands territory of Northwestern, NJ. Ha! Little did we know.
She was planning a surprise, and it seems nobody was prepared.
We've been without electricity for seven long days. It's been pretty rough. I guess.
No water, no lights, no computer, no television, no stereo, no vacuum, no refrigerator, no ceiling fan, no air conditioners, no internet, no telephone, no shower, and imagine...no toilets.
But we've laughed and we've learned.
We've marveled at the fact that we are safe. Completely, 100%... AOK.
With no damage. At all.
No trees on our roof.
No trees on our cars.
No water in our basement.
No trees on us in our cars.
But I write this cautiously. Because. There are huge trees all over. I love trees. Now, I fear them like the ocean. In her mad rage. And the rivers and the bridges,.... they too break.
The heavy rains combined with power of the wind forever changed the landscape of the little town we call home.
I had the pleasure of visiting the local laundromat twice this week! It was the most happening place in town. Rumors and predictions. Tears and fears. Hope. Anger. Frustration. Quarters were flowing like waterfalls. I met little children who were scared, awww...may their bad dreams be gone forever.
I met big children who were mad, may they know this is but a brief life moment. It too, shall pass.
To the many people that were in the wrong place at the wrong time with no shelter from the storm, may your hearts be filled with peace, and your love live on forever.
I bid the darkness farewell, and I look foward to a beautiful sunrise on the horizon!
With my love and hugs.

PS...Ya' know my little "rolling stone",? I mean "diamond girl"?...well,... ya' know what?!!...she passed the bar exam! Talk about a light at the end of the tunnel.

Storms

2011-08-26T06:44:00.000-04:00

There's a lot of chatter today
about hurricane Irene.
I don't live near the ocean,
but days like this I wish I did!
I've always loved experiencing the rough surf.
The strength and power of the ocean amazes me,
as there is no stopping it.
I love a windy, desolate beach.
in a hooded sweatshirt and sunglasses.
And bare feet.
Loud, thunderous waves.
Riptides.
Like a bad temper.
Splashes of saltwater on sunburned legs.
Dogs running free and chasing their dreams.
Shells and shark eggs washing ashore.
Seaweed and tangled fishing lines.
And horseshoe crabs.

And then, the calm.

Happy Friday!
With love and hugs.
xo

Time and Love

2011-08-25T08:18:00.002-04:00

I don't know about you,
but I am feeling the whoosh of days flying by; it seems like yesterday was Memorial Day and with the fervent winds of time we have Labor Day just minutes away. Then it's Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and before you know it, year's end. Another 12 months about to be over.
The next twelve months ahead are going to present a whole new experience for me, and my family. Because...We're planning a wedding!
I wake up excited and happy. Then; I'm scared.
My little 'rolling stone'....(I need to give her a new name today)...something more feminine and lovely and appropriate, I think I'll call her "Diamond Girl"...is dreaming and planning and dreaming some more of her and Matthew's special day.
Together they are as busy as little beavers scouting locations, meeting with planners, creating budgets, imagining menus, and flowers and people, and colors and the oh so many logisitics.
So, today I am dedicating my Petals and Boots to Tiffany and Matthew. Your countdown officially begins!
Your love for each other has proved itself, your commitment to each other is documented, and your dream of sharing your love with the world is just 365 days away!
May your days be exciting, your manners be cool, your fears be few, your respect for each other paramount, and, I hope your love for each other continues to grow as the days roll into nights, the weeks into months and the dreams into reality.
Congratulations once more!

With love and hugs and dreams come true...
xo

2011-08-24T21:31:00.001-04:00

People amaze me.
Sweet dreams!

Bethel Woods

2011-08-22T08:56:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I was clever,
that is why I wanted
to change the world.
Today, I am wise,
that is why I am changing myself.
~Sri Chinmoy

Have a beautiful day!
With love and hugs.xo

How Lucky We Are

2011-08-21T12:52:00.000-04:00

Photo courtesy of "The Big Picture".
Take a peek,
It will take your breath away.

Blessings.
And love and hugs.
xo

Beauty

2011-08-19T09:24:00.000-04:00

"Beauty is not caused;
it is."
~Emily Dickinson

Have a beautiful day!
With love and hugs.
xo

Will. I. Am.

2011-08-17T09:53:00.000-04:00

Shakespeare, that is.

"And this, our life,
exempt
from public haunt,
finds
tongues in trees, books
in running brooks,
sermons in stones,
and
good in everything."

Have a beautiful day!
With love and hugs.
xo

Buckets of Rain

2011-08-14T12:52:00.000-04:00

The little birds are singing their hearts out today.
They are enjoying a cool, gentle rain and little tidbits from the gardens.
The best part of a summer rain is a porch on which to enjoy it!

Happy Sunday!
With love and hugs
xo

On Tap Tonight

2011-08-13T08:48:00.000-04:00

It's the Blue Tip Band
at Sylvio's Restaurant in Warwick, NY
and they're in sync
with the Green Corn Moon!

Happy Weekend!
Get Your Rock On!

With love and hugs.
xo

Mid-August

2011-08-12T08:44:00.000-04:00

There's a beautiful, crisp air this morning.
All of the humidity has blown away.
A new, quiet energy takes hold.
And, it reminds me
that Summer won't last forever.

Have a beautiful day!
And take good care.
With love and hugs.
xo

What Does One Need?

2011-08-10T08:49:00.001-04:00

"Just living
is not enough...
one must have sunshine, freedom,
and a little flower."
~Robert Louis Stevenson

Here's to all the little flowers.
With love and hugs.
xo

HELP!

2011-08-07T07:59:00.000-04:00

I entered this photo in a contest today!
I need your vote!
I don't think I'll win, but I need more than one vote!
Help!
Nikon Live.com
Cool Shots!

Thanks...it's also on my Facebook Page!

With Love and hugs!
xo

Saturday

2011-08-06T09:24:00.002-04:00

Hope yours is cool and colorful!
With love and hugs.
xo

2011-08-03T08:12:00.000-04:00

I'm late.
xo

Weekend Wrap Up

2011-08-01T21:26:00.016-04:00

We had an exciting weekend with family and new friends.
We all celebrated together!
An engagement! She said YES! Yay Tiff and Matt!
A Birthday! Yay Henry!
Another Birthday! Yay Lisa!
A belated Birthday! Yay Bea!
Clear skies and Summer breezes! Yay summer!
Shrimp and Salmon on the barbie! Yay barbie!
Not one, not two, but three cakes! Yay Trifle!
Hula hoops on the deck! Yay hula hoops!
Crowns and balloons! Yay color!
Champagne and croquet! And I took 2nd place! Yay Lin!
Swimming and volleyball! Yay beautiful weather!
Cecil learns to swim! Yay Cecil!
Mark getting sunburned! Yay Mark!
Bailey chasing bears! Yay Bailey!
Buddy and Chase...not, Yay Buddy and Chase!
A sweet, adorable helper! Yay Paulie!
And a great time was had by all! Yay Tim!

Happy August!
With love and hugs.
xo

Love

2011-07-29T09:19:00.003-04:00

"You know you're in love
when you can't fall asleep
because reality
is finally better
than your dreams."

~Dr. Seuss~
Happy Friday!
Love and hugs to Tiff and Matt!
xo

Zen And The Art Of Your Daughter Taking The Bar Exam

2011-07-26T06:02:00.005-04:00

Ya' know, it's funny.
From a Mother's perspective,
little girls grow up so fast.
At the blink of an eye, they go from tiny and cuddly
to independent and productive.
On their own.
As I think back on the early days and education
there were so many milestones. Pre-school. Sweet little Merry Mushroom.
Then grade school. Cute lunch boxes and pencil cases.
And a teacher we'll never forget.
And a graduation speech.
Then it was Middle School..and her first real dance.
Before I knew it..High School. Work hard. Play harder.
College...Work really hard, play even harder.
Then ...came Law School.
Excitement and challenge. Wrapped into one.
Before I knew it, it was Graduation Day.
A stellar moment in my life.
I'm so lucky to have my daughter.
I often wonder: "How'd I get her?"
And so today, it's yet another milestone.
It's the infamous Bar Exam.
A new journey. In a new city. A new beat.
To all of the takers, everywhere...Best Luck. Fear not.
And to my little 'rolling stone'...
"This too shall pass, and so will you"!

With love and hugs.
And a tear!
xo

Atrium of Love

2011-07-24T13:43:00.008-04:00

"I stopped believing in birds for a while.
A nun said my heart was broken,
before I even started dating. A parrot in an
unlocked cage waits to start singing.
To mimic off-key is song, but not
song of yourself. Before the cross of Romans,
men followed the flight of the swallows
to build temples, as nests for their gods.
But I can't live in city gardens, more poppys
along train tracks in Poland. I've learned to field myself
in countries, to rejoice the potato is to see the
pigeon as dove.
Divorce yourself from the body as burden.
You're an atrium of Love."
~Carl Sagan
1934-1996
American Scientist

Hope you enjoy the Mid-Summer Dahlias!
Keep cool.
With love and hugs.
xo

Rubrum Lily

2011-07-20T07:38:00.003-04:00

A garden surprise!

Keep cool and carry on.
With love and hugs.
xo

This and That on a Saturday

2011-07-16T11:04:00.015-04:00

What a summer!
Seems like every day just flies by at lightning speed.
There are so many little things I'd like to get caught up with.
My cookbooks are a little dusty.
My craft counter, while full of ideas, well it sits waiting for me.
Books I'd like to read....not started.
Rides I'd like to take....not yet.
Flowers I'd like to paint...a blank canvas.
Flowers I'd like to plant...sold out!
Windows to wash..never gonna happen!
When I stop and think of ..well, why not?
I think it's that ipad.

Then there's the Thunder Moon.
And Jersey corn and tomatoes.
The story of the picket line in Peapack.
The night job in Jersey City.
The farmer's market downtown. The debrt crisis.
The card shop. Yes, Etsy's on my list too.
I think it's that ipad.

And juicy, jumbo delicious Bing cherries.
So, I snuck in a Cherry Clafoutis!
And a few new photos.
And a couple of poems.
And laundry. And words. And email.
And new to me...Stumbleupon.
And that was this morning.
Yup, it's definitely the ipad.

So, I hope you too have an ipad!
And one fabulous weekend!
Thanks for stopping by!
With love and hugs.
xo

NJ Champagne Region

2011-07-14T21:44:00.005-04:00

Cheers! Coming to you
from the Millbrook Village Grapevines!

With Love and Hugs.
xo

The Turtle

2011-07-13T08:53:00.004-04:00

breaks from the blue-black
skin of the water, dragging her shell
with its mossy scutes
across the shallows and through the rushes
and over the mudflats, to the up rise,
to the yellow sand,
to dig with her ungainly feet
a nest, and hunker there spewing
her white eggs down
into the darkness, and you think

of her patience, her fortitude,
her determination to complete
what she was born to do-
and then you realize a greater thing-
she doesn't consider what she was born to do.
She's only filled
with an old blind wish.
It isn't even hers
but came to her
in the rain or the soft wind,
which is a gate through which her life keeps walking.

She can't see
herself apart from the rest of the world
or the world from which she must do
every spring.
Crawling up the high hill,
luminous under the sand that has packed against her skin,
she doesn't dream,
she knows

she is a part of the pond she lives in,
the tall trees are her children,
the birds that swim above her
are tied to her by an unbreakable string.

~Mary Oliver~
...and she digs mushrooms in the morning.

With love and hugs.
xo

Another Holiday, So To Speak

2011-07-11T10:12:00.003-04:00

On my kitchen wall
is a calendar.
I love my calendar.
It's a Susan Branch design.
She's artistic, whimsical,
thoughtful, most clever,
and considerate of all living things.
She posts cute artwork,
recipes, random thoughts, and poems.
She introduced me to the Moon Months.
She has a cute little home site on Martha's Vineyard,
where she writes, dreams, and explores.
And a home in California.
On the calendar today, she declares July 11th
as "National Cheer-Up the Lonely day"!
How sweet is that?
So, if you're lonely...cheer up!
And if you get a chance, check out Susan Branch!

She knows nothing about me, I just want to share her with you!
http://www.susanbranch.com/
Her website has singing birds!
Here's to the Lonely Hearts Club!
With love and hugs.
xo

Still

2011-07-07T08:44:00.002-04:00

In the midst
of movement and chaos,
keep stillness
inside of you.

~Deepak Chopra

Happy Day!
With love and hugs.
xo

A Walk In The Park

2011-07-06T08:05:00.002-04:00

Does your soul good.
Especially if it's with dear friends.
That you haven't seen for 12 years.
And then once more it's time
to say good bye.
My heart was sad yesterday.
It felt as if I'm always saying
good bye
to the people that I love the most.
But I'm OK now.
Until, we meet again.

To all of those I love the most.
With love and hugs.
xo

Happy 4th of July!

2011-07-04T08:17:00.001-04:00

Milwalkee Style!

With love and hugs.
xo

July

2011-07-01T07:13:00.003-04:00

A certain day became a presence to me;
there it was, confronting me-a sky,air,light:
a being. And before it started to descend
from the height of noon, it leaned over
and struck my shoulder as if with
the flat of a sword, granting me
honor and a task. The day's blow
rang out, metallic-or it was I, a bell awakened,
and what I heard was my whole self
saying and singing what I knew: I can.
~Breathing the Water~

To the Best July. Ever.
You can.
With love and hugs.
xo

Emily

2011-06-29T23:19:00.011-04:00

I've been blessed.
Over the past 24 years of my Real Estate career, I have met so many wonderful people. I get up close and personal, after all, it is their homes that I am involved with. I hear so many wonderful stories of children and husbands and in-laws and pets and secrets.
I'd like to share one secret with you.
I have a lady client who is Ninety years old.
She is bright, and witty, sophisticated, she's a naturalist, a hunter, and a pilot. Like airplane pilot! She's won all kinds of Bridge awards with her card skills. She lives alone on a beautiful secluded 90+ acre estate. She drives all over the tri-state area just to play Bridge.
She's a Mother of 4 adult children....a few rather local, and one as far away as Peru.
She is always dressed to the nines. Even just relaxing in her own living room. Listening to the birds. Her skin is beautiful; her eyes sparkle. Her heart is wide open, and, her smile radiates contentment.
So yesterday, as we were wrapping up our little visit together, and I was secretly admiring her grace and beauty... I just had to ask her... 'So, Emily', "What is your secret?"...She is very soft spoken, and after a brief moment I thought she whispered.."Tranquility". Oh, Okay I thought. That sort of makes sense. Tranquility. I repeated...."Tranquility"?? "Oh, no, no, no she said....it's WHISKEY"!!
What a Pip!

With love and hugs and Cheers!
xo

gratitude

2011-06-28T07:33:00.003-04:00

"The Place I want To Get Back To"

is where
in the pinewoods
in the moments between
the darkness

and the first light
two deer
came walking down the hill
and when they saw me

they said to each other, okay,
this one is okay,
lets see who she is
and why she is sitting

on the ground like that,
so quiet, as if
asleep, or in a dream,
but anyway harmless;

and so they came on their tender legs
and gazed upon me
not unlike the way

I go out to the dunes and look
and look and look
into the faces of flowers;
and then one of them leaned forward

and nuzzled my hand, and what can my life
bring to me that could exceed
that brief moment?
For twenty years

I have gone every day to that same woods,
not waiting, exactly, just lingering.
Such gifts, bestowed,
can't be repeated.

If you want to talk about this
come to visit. I live in the house
near the corner, which I have named
Gratitude.

~Mary Oliver

I am so happy to have learned about Miss Mary Oliver.
Have a Happy Kind of Tuesday!
With love and hugs and gratitude.
xo

Just words

2011-06-25T08:26:00.004-04:00

"On some hill of despair,
the bonfire you kindle
can light the great sky-
though it's true,
of course,
to make it burn
you have to throw
yourself in."

~Galway Kinnell

Happy Weekend!
With love and hugs.
xo