Hancock Grill

Every Wednesday night all summer long someone in our church hosts a backyard "Hancock Grill." Paul and I kicked the season off tonight...

 ............and had 45 people in our back yard.  People bring something to grill and a dish to pass...we had a feast!  It was a big success.

Performance Art

My adorable grand niece Vanessa....I think I would call this "performance art." It doesn't get any cuter than this!

Photos courtesy of her mom Kay's Facebook page.

Catalog Mosaics

Ever since I made the photo mosaic mirror (which sold in just a few hours) I knew I wanted to try it again using other materials. So one of the evenings I was sitting in Maine visiting with my guests I punched up an entire Ethan Allen catalog. And...just in case you were wondering...my guests didn't think that was weird at all. My husband is used to it...Ellen totally gets it....and Phil just goes with the flow.  

I have a whole stack of these catalogs...the colors are earthy and rich, and there are lots of interesting textures and lines.

 

The next day I edged some of the squares with a gray sharpie and glued them down in a staggered pattern on a gray piece of card stock. I left a little of the gray card stock showing because I wanted it to look like grout. I covered one 8 1/2 by 11 page of squares just to try it out.



Once it was good and dry I started re-punching.

These are some of the re-punched squares...they aren't glued down...but laying on top of another piece of gray card-stock. Once I rework the rest of the squares I'll find some sort of a frame or canvas and create a piece of art. I think there's potential here....I love using recycled materials! I think from a distance it will look like really interesting tile work....maybe.

A Splash of Color

This morning I watched part of the South Portland 5K "Color Run." The event promotes health and happiness and proceeds went to the Barbara Bush Children's Hospital. There were whole families and people of all ages and sizes in colorful costumes walking, running, and riding. Tutus seemed to be the clothing theme....it was a fun way to spend an hour.

"Sweat Sparkle Shine"
(from their website)

One Morning in Maine

Ellen and I did a little beach combing this morning.  We went to an odd little off the beaten path beach that was full of rocks and all kinds of "stuff."  It was very low tide so if you went too far out it was a little mucky...I almost got my feet stuck in a couple of times.  But it was very cool.

I did find some glass and pottery....but I'm always as interested in the off beat things I find....like this button.

And this particular beach is littered with curly pieces of metal shavings....kind of curious what the story is. I couldn't resist picking some up....it's oddly intriguing.  

    We had to stop at one of my favorite
              spots... the bug light!

And finally our beloved Willard Beach.  Not bad for one morning in Maine.

Ellen's Here!

Madison friends Ellen and Phil are here with us in Maine and we kicked it off with a lobster dinner. I'm thinking there will be some ocean time tomorrow....and maybe a little art.

Shtick

I love this word.  What's your shtick?

I saw this on Pinterest...it originally came from dictionary.com word of the day.

And just for fun I looked at today's word of the day...

who doesn't like a good rib-tickling!

"Words AS Images"

I saw these "words as images" on Pinterst created by Ji Lee and thought they were cute....but the real clever part is the video that goes with them. Click here to see the video and make sure you have your sound on.  (I could do without the robbery one...but the rest are delightful!)

Look for the play button right below the Smi)e.

 It's worth a couple of minutes....there are
some creative people out there!

Second Chance

I was visiting with Linda and admiring her lovely pedestal birdbath.  I have one....a hand off from a neighbor who moved away.  I know the birds use it...but I have been frustrated with it.  

It's there in this garden...but you can't see it. Mine is made of concrete and VERY heavy.  Once the plants get big I can't see it to enjoy the birds...and because it was out of site I forget to fill it and clean it. Are you getting my drift? I was ready to let it go.

Linda mentioned that her husband uses all kinds of things as bases for planters and birdbaths. Then I had a lightbulb moment! I could use an upside down plant pot (which I already had) as a base and get my birdbath up off the ground....making it easier to clean and watch the birds. Why didn't I think of that? Such a simple fix. Thanks Linda and David!

So this hand-me-down is getting a second chance. Life is good....for the birds.

I love this view of my back yard in Lexington....especially this time 

of year when everything is so lush and green.

Walking the Yard

We had perfect weather while we were up in Maine this last weekend...and for the first time the back yard really felt like a sanctuary. Since a lot of my creative energy goes into my gardens and yards...it's what you get to read about.

I have been working with Aaron, a delightful young landscaper on softening the back yard and creating more privacy. It's nice to have someone doing most of the digging, hauling, and mulching. With his help....I'm at the point where I can just sit back and enjoy it. Just a little weeding and edging is all it will need. 

Take a walk around the yard with me.

As you go around the left side of the property...we planted some new things along the picket fence.  I love these neighbors...but that corner is a little bit of a storage place for them.  The Joe Pye Weed will get tall and really soften the fence line and there are three Clethra bushes that are filling in nicely.  It's kind of a swampy corner in the spring and after big rains...and all of this will do fine. I would have never guessed that anything could have been planted here...because of the dampness and the large tree roots. But Aaron figured it out.

The Seven Sons tree we planted last fall along the back property line is doing well.  It's supposed to be a fast grower....so it will be fun to watch it this summer....and the spectacular fall bloom will be fun.

We have added some other small shrubs around the tree and  I just planted some purple scaevola and verbena for some color....although you can't see it in this picture.

Aaron just planted a little Sourwood tree...which I had never heard of...it has a very interesting fall bloom. I like how the new growth is kind of pinkish. And my dwarf River Birch at the corner of the deck has done really well.    

The Sourwood will eventually give us some privacy out some of our windows...and help with the shade for the deck. Like I said....some day....right now it's just cute.  

We are somewhere on the list with our contractor to have a pergola built over the deck.  Once that's done I will work on this area.

My raised rock wall garden in the corner is filling in nicely with several kinds of hosta and I have added in coral bell and coleus.  You can't tell from this picture...but there is a new Red Bud and Choke Cherry as a back drop. And at the very left...the fluffy white ball is a new Tri-Color Willow.

Another view of the the raised garden...and my little rock garden.  There were two scuff trees that Aaron cut down right at the corner of the fence.  I asked him to leave the trunks... I plan to do something creative with them.....bird houses on top? weaving? driftwood trellis????  We'll see.

And...there's nothing better in the back yard than one of the boys. Sam hung out with us for a few hours...what a treat! 

Thanks for walking the yard with me!