A House From Home

Many many years ago I bought this small decorative birdhouse perched on a curvy wrought iron stand. The artist had a roadside stand in rural Maine...he was a really cool guy. The birdhouse was birch with a lot of rustic charm. 

It lasted a LONG time through many many Maine and Massachusetts winters....but just last year it had completely fallen apart. 

I had some pieces of barn board from the family farm in Wisconsin....and asked Jim, our handyman, if he could build me another house. 

I told him to keep it simple. I wanted the house made from the red side of the barn board and the roof from the back of the board. I didn't want it functional...just decorative. 

He took it home for a winter project...and just brought it back to me a week or so ago. He absolutely nailed it...pardon the pun! 

It's simple and sentimental...and the perfect for the wrought iron stand. He drilled a shallow hole and painted it black so it would appear to be an actual hole. 

I'll have to see if I can find the star that was on the original one....if fell off years ago. But I also like it just the way it is. 

It sits along the fence between our patio and our neighbor Anna's. I may be done with the bottles...but they're staying for now. The wild blueberry bush wreath is new...and I still love my wrought iron dancer. 

I absolutely love this view of my garden from the patio...which now includes this sentimental house from home. And the most heartwarming thing about it is that he gifted it to me and wouldn't let me pay him. As someone who is enjoying giving things away these days...I didn't even try and talk him out of it.

Plein Air Painting

May all your to-dos turn into ta-das!

I have a lime green bleeding heart plant in my garden. The foliage is showy and fabulous...and what's not to love about these sweet little bleeding hearts.

I aways admire people who do plein air painting....a French term for painting outdoors. When I stumble artists doing just that....I always want to find a chair and watch the magic unfold.

I did a little plein air painting today. It wasn't of my garden or an ocean view....it was our garage door! We replaced the door this winter...and the weather finally cooperated to get it painted. Today was the day...and I'm proud of my work!

 Ta-da!

This afternoon the Pool Committee sponsored a pool opening celebration! It was well attended and everyone had a good time. I haven't been in the water yet...but I will be soon! Ta-da! It's pool season!

45th and One Day

Yesterday was our official anniversary...but Paul and I celebrated today on our 45th and one day anniversary! I think we've found our groove.

I'm taking you along on our anniversary field trip today....Paul made lobster rolls and we took them to Wolfe's Neck State Park in Freeport. After lunch we walked the trails along the water and through the woods. It's a beautiful spot....and free for us seniors! 

We had a glimpse of the water from our picnic table....the weather was perfect.

Lobster always tastes better with an ocean view. 

There are defined trails and spaces and places where you can walk down to the rocky shore. 

There was a large osprey nest in the treetops on Googins Island.

Do you see it?

Here's another one.

I took my rainbow parasol....but didn't need it....there was plenty of shade on the trails.

I've been married for 45 years and one day to this wonderful and kind man. How lucky am I!

Just Enough

It rained all night and most of this morning....just enough to be extremely beneficial.

I'm pretty tickled with this cyanotype card featuring my meadow rue. There's just enough green watercolor...and a touch of blue to tie it into the print. I'm also quite fond of the blurred meadow rue and the vinegar spots in the background. Just enough!

And the gold speckles seem just right too. I can honestly say that I love it! 

"The flower doesn't dream of the bee...it blossoms and the bee comes." Mark Nepo

I tried to get a photo of the shimmer. You can't see it very well...but it's there!

After the rain....I explored the raindrops that pooled on the leaves. 

Here they are on the meadow rue...kind of a nod to my gold splatters.

My day was fabulous...just enough of everything!

Kitchen Studio

It's was chilly and rainy today....a perfect day to turn my kitchen into a cyanotype studio using my UV lamp.  I'm going to make some cards for the Winslow Farm garden store again this year using all my part of the proceeds to buy things for Maine Needs.

This time I dotted vinegar here and there before I placed the plants down. I do like the effect. I might do a bit of little accent watercolor....but maybe not.

This one had some large vinegar blobs...I'm quite fond of it.

My UV lamp is pretty handy when the sun isn't available. And this is one of those times a glass top stove comes in handy as an extra surface. I took over the WHOLE kitchen all morning.

I stitched up four cards this afternoon.There is something about the simplicity of just the blue and white that makes me happy. But I do want to paint a few.

I especially love the way the vinegar interacted with the blades of grass....leaving a light blue polka dot! I had fun in my kitchen studio today!  

In This Together!

We're all just walking each other home. Ram Dass

Paul and I walked the 3 /12 mile loop around Back Cove with over 1,400 others in a fundraiser for Maine Needs. The weather was perfect and it felt good to be with a community of caring people supporting an amazing organization that lifts up those in need. 

Paul had his big floppy hat...and I had my parasol.

There were great views of the city of Portland and Back Cove neighborhoods all along the way. 

We were all in this together....helping our Maine neighbors in need.

We're Here!

"Hey world...we're here!" That's the text I got this morning from Patty along with this first photo to alert me that the baby house finches hatched! One was ready for some food!

I walked down a little later in the morning....and they were sound asleep....just a little pile of feathers. It will be fun to watch them over the next few weeks. 

I walked back down later this afternoon and caught momma bird in the nest. The only thing better than having this little family right down the street is having a good friend right down the street. Lucky me!

And look at this fabulous found object! Thanks Paul!

It was a good day to be here!

The Color Purple

Joy doesn't cancel out the heavy things...but it gives you little pockets of strength to carry on. Let it in....whenever and where you can. Stacie Swift

We had a couple of unusually hot and humid days....but I was excited that we were back to fabulous spring weather today. The sun was warm, and the air was cool and crisp....and the front that brought in the better air created a breathtaking purple sky last evening. 

I spent almost the entire day outside. I finally planting all the annuals I've been hardening off...I shared some perennials with a neighbor and spread the last of my mulch/compost mix. So many people were out and about...so I got little breaks all day long visiting and connecting with neighbors. I love days like this. 

I didn't take any photos today...but had to laugh when I heard my camera taking a photo in my pocket. I had blue jeans on...but the photo came out purple....a nod back to last night's evening sky....and maybe a little purple pocket of strength.

The lilac in my side yard is starting to bloom!  I took this photo a few days ago....I love this color purple.

Lighten the Load

Like many of you...I'm guessing....I've been struggling with the blatant and undeniable corruption on full display in our government right now. It's unconscionable what the President is able to get away with and it's hard to understand and accept the abuse of power. The news is horrific and heavy.....so it's even more important to set it aside and find some joy each day. I still dare to hope that the arc of the moral universe will eventually bend toward justice.

I just finished this fantastic puzzle with all of its colorful and tiny details. 
I loved every minute of it....and it helped lighten the heavy load.

 I'm going the opposite of tiny on the next one...large blocks of bold beautiful color. 
Having some peaceful puzzle time every day brings me joy.

Here's another wonky fabric flower experiment....I mostly like it...but there's room for improvement. I will always enjoy stitching on paper....but too much stitching causes the paper to rip so this time I used fabric for the background. I am at peace when I am playing with bold colors at my sewing machine.

Foam Flower

Foam Flower is one of my very favorite perennials. It loves the shade...which I have a plenty of...the bloom is so dainty and pretty....and the leaves are so special! 

I split my plant last fall so have it in a couple gardens...and it's all thriving! 

Once the blooms are gone...the foliage will be lovely all seaason. 

Stitching!

I've said it before....and I'll say it again: stitching changes everything! 

This version with the stitched  bloom is so much more appealing! 

Bloom!

I hate when people accuse me of lollygagging when I'm quite clearly dilly-dallying. 

The screens are in the windows....I moved a few perennials around....and the rain lilies are repotted. It was a good morning for fresh air chores. I guess that's actually the opposite of dilly-dallying.

And....the crabapples are starting to bloom in the neighborhood!

These pretty pink blooms are such a delight this time of year!

I'm also still celebrating tulips...this time using fused fabric. 

I'm going to try it again...and stitch the word Bloom!