Costumes Encouraged

Happy Halloween! We get one trick-or-treater every year. Just one. 

Patty gave me this lovely monarch butterfly from a recent trip....and I love it. It found a home on my wreath by our front door and goes so well with my pumpkins....and I was tickled with the reflection of the tree in the side light. Where did October go? Bring on November! 

Paul and I attended  the rally downtown today....costumes were encouraged so I went as joy. There was a festive and hopeful energy in the air...we're so glad we went! 

Moments

It's Janice's Birthday today....and this golden oldie window box display continues to be one of my favorite Janice moments. But things have changed. Janice and Jay have a brand new garage....with a brand new window. 

And whether or not there is a new window box, I can always be certain that every time I visit....there will be some sort of a colorful and fabulous Janice moment. And I celebrate that she is just ten minutes away.

Happy Birthday Janice! 

I had a wonderful visit with Patty today...and I keep celebrating that she's right down the street. Yesterday I had breakfast with Marita and tomorrow I'll connect with Jane. I got a couple update emails today from Cherie (more on that tomorrow)....and texts and calls from other friends in the past several days. I'm so grateful for so many joy-filled moments with my circle of women friends.

It was a treat to have breakfast at Marita's yesterday....and I was smitten with her collection of found nature objects on his kitchen bar counter. 

The whole was as beautiful as all the individual parts.

So may sweet moments.

Celebration and Dedication

Paul and I headed south today for a very special event at Hancock Church in Lexington, MA.

While Paul was the minister at Hancock phase one of a major renovation was completed which included the installation of an elevator making spaces and places in the church accessible. Phase two was just completed with renovations and improvements in the sanctuary and today was Re-Dedication Sunday. 

It was wonderful seeing familiar faces...and celebrating with them....and oh what a celebration it was! 

I took a peak at the JOY banner hanging in the upper stairwell I made as a farewell gift. Seeing it still hanging in in this very special church makes my heart sing. 

Slug Shenaigans

Laughter and sorrow often travel together, and sometimes the silliest things carry us through the hardest moments. Diane Wilk

Yesterday while I was visiting Patty I got to hear more about Sluggo...her precious banana slug. Sluggo is now featured in a book called ADVENTURE IS IN MY SOUL. It's true story of how after a tragic loss an entire extended family found connection, comfort, and laughter through a stuffed banana slug named Sluggo. 

Patty was instrumental in making sure all the family members had a cousin of Sluggo that could comfort them and accompany them during family gatherings and travels. Patty's clever like that!

Everyone played along and over a period of several months shared their slug's shenanigans through group texts and emails. Patty's sister-in-law Diane turned these adventures into a book. It's just a delight.

Even in life's darkest seasons, there is still room for laughter, joy and absurdity. Family Matters. Loves survives grief. And sometimes the best way forward is simply to hold tightly to on another and keep smiling at the wonderfully ridiculous parts of being human.

After our visit....Patty brought Sluggo down to photograph him in my garden with The Traveling Flowers....they seem to be related not only in color....but in spirit. Cherie and Dale had fun on their wonderfully ridiculous journey with these flowers. 

The whole Traveling Flowers journey can be tracked in these posts...in reverse order.

Joyful Abundance During Breakfast

I started removing the edge pieces from my puzzle (yes, I store them separated) this morning during my breakfast...and happened to open my phone. It was already on camera mode and I saw this scene on the screen and my heart was full. It was all right there in front of me...but seeing it un-staged on my phone really made an impression. So much to celebrate here in the early morning light:

My yummy bowl of steel-cut oats, apples, chia seeds and cinnamon...my colorful paper pieced mini placemat....that fabulous puzzle....my rainbow puzzle gang keeping an eye on me...Clarke's hand knitted frog...JP (joyful puttering)...my felted heart from Roseanne...the LED starburst way back in the corner of my living room....a colorful tapestry from Honduras my sister Nancy brought back from her Peace Corps days hanging over the back of the couch.....Joyful abundance during breakfast.

Per usual....Paul and I went to the 11:00 rally downtown....there are so many things to be concerned about. 

My rainbow parasol made the hot sun tolerable....and makes a statement at the same time. 

Honestly, I long for the day again when I can wake in the morning and not have to brace myself from some new horror committed by a man and his regime who are feeding themselves on the ruins of public liberty. Steven Beschloss

My fellow protester to my left....notice the rainbow hearts. 

Love.....makes a nation great!

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 Light We Carry

Joy isn't the light at the end of the tunnel, it's the light we carry as we walk through it. Forty Fifty

I've been a bit of a creative slump since I got home from my trip. I've dabbled with a few things that I've shared...but feel like most of my outcomes have been a bust. I'm actually feeling a little lost in my studio. 

Maybe I shouldn't think of it as a studio slump and more of a pause. I need to take my own advice and focus on what's right in front of me. Spring is such a wonderful time of year...and it deserves my attention right now. The studio will always be there! 

The joy/light I carried today:

• I planted a moonbeam coreopsis in a little garden at the corner of our street....actually I split the plant in two pieces so I could spread it out. It's not really my garden...but I mostly take care of it. Moonbeam is one of my favorites and I don't have enough sun in my own gardens. I'll keep you posted how it does.
•  I gave my newly purchased annuals some outside time as they gradually get the used to the sun and wind. But they're tucked back in the garage for now during the cold rain.
• I cleaned and filled the hummingbird feeder and birdbath.....I love taking care of the birds. They bring us so much joy.
• I also got to pick this little bouquet from my garden....a familiar combo this time of year: daffodil, hyacinth and barrenwort. 

Nancy offered me a split of this plant...but I knew I had it. I looked it up today....it's called barrenwort. And I smiled when I learned it is also known as fairy wings or horny goat weed. How can you not love horny goat weed! 

The rest of the day I got to tidy up the condo and do a little food prep for a spontaneous gathering with friends for cards and dinner tonight. Yay!

There's joy in the tunnels....slumps...and pauses....we just have to take the time to recognize it. If any of you read Cherie's comment on yesterday's post.....here is the photo light/joy that goes along with it. One of the first things I noticed in her photo was the shadows. 

Not All Bells and Whistles

There are a handful of new people who have signed up by email for the blog and I would like to officially welcome you!  It's not all bells and whistles here...just simple everyday things that bring me joy as I putter around my studio....house and yard....and places I visit.

I spent a good chunk of the day out and about doing errands and chores. There was satisfaction...and even some joy in taking in our recycling and returnable bottles. Our bottle money goes in my Maine Needs fund. There was joy in buying my first few annuals so I can start hardening them off....and that I found just what I wanted for my hummingbird garden. And there was even joy in having my annual skin check at the dermatologist. 

There was most certainly joy in my visit to Bessie.....the beloved Hackmatack tree in a nearby neighborhood. Her pine needles are filling in and as always....they're soft as a baby brush. 

I am smitten with the baby pine cones....especially knowing they will grow up to be still tiny pinecones. 

Seeing her in this stage actually does feel like bells and whistles.

So that's what you're find here. Some bells and whistles...but mostly just simple things that bring me joy that are right in front of me. And what's in front of me right now is spring! 

If you are new....there are more than 10 years worth of posts that can easily be accessed by topic using the label links along the right hand side of the blog if you have special interests. The labels in quotation marks at the beginning of the list are posts about classes that I have taken. 

I hate being a broken record, but I would  also like to remind everyone that sometimes photos are distorted in the email version so not visually appealing.  You can easily link to the online version by clicking on the title of the post in the email.

There was joy in our sunset last night....I hope you found joy in yours.

Small Things...Big Joy

Nancy gave me these adorable felted eyeballs for my birthday.....I think they're fun! 

They're on two separate wires...so easily placed in any plant.

Small things bring big joy!

There was another small thing on my puzzle table when I got home....a found object from Paul. How is it that a bright green Duplo can bring big joy! I think it's as simple as making a decision to appreciate the little things. Nancy also gave me the little pink crocheted heart....big love....big joy.

Connecting

Subtitle: My Heart is Full!

Joyful Puttering: Collecting, Creating, Connecting...that's what the banner at the top of my blog says. And all of that brings me joy. 

To the casual observer...my studio is in a constant state of chaos. I'm constantly trying to assess what I have collected over the years and figuring out what I should let go of...and what I should keep. The problem is...I see potential in everything.  When I'm trying to tidy up...I always find some  some bright shiny object so it's more likely that I'm creating something rather than organizing. And when I find myself connecting with someone...THAT is what it's all about.

Dotty was one of the recipients of one of my blue and white journal. She wrote a poem about her journal...and you can read it on her blog here.  

If you check it out.... you'll see her little creation that she tucked inside the yellow envelope that I included in one of the pockets in her journal.

My heart is full.

Julie received her Joy Journal a few days ago...and sent me several photos of things she has already tucked or glued into her journal. It's going to be a wonderful place for her to tuck her favorite things from her grandson. How can you not save his adorable writing! souen is sewing in Connor's four year old world. His grandmother is a quilter.

And now one of Connor's hearts is tucked in the little pocket

My heart is full. 

I made did several journals for Lynn long before the Joy Journal Project including an altered purchased journal with her papers stitched in as inspiration. 

Lynn sent me some photos of a few of her pages in her altered journal and that makes me so happy. You can see just a hint of the inspiration paper on the far left for this spread.

My heart is full. 

And just a few days ago Cherie wrote about The Traveling Flowers and Chuck, her dad, on her blog. 

You can read that post here. 

My heart is full.

And just today....after a 3,000 + mile journey from Chuck's workshop in southern California..The Traveling Flowers arrived at their new home on the east coast in Portland, Maine. 

Ben....our mail carrier humored me....he was part of the journey too!

From Chuck's shop....to Cherie's front door...to my front door....these handmade flowers have connected us! And don't you love how my sweatshirt matches Cherie's door. 

My heart is full! 

The journey isn't over. I will be auditioning them in various places around the condo...inside and out when the weather is better. For a few days....they'll live on the coffee table in the heart of our home. 

Did I mention that my heart is full?

A Guy Named Chuck

Subtitle: The Traveling Flowers

Sometimes joy looks like a guy named Chuck.

This is Cherie's dad...and his doodle was featured on the first page of her joy journal. While she was visiting him in Southern California she shared the journal with him. And just a few days ago...the three of us had a Zoom call because he had something he wanted to share something with me. 

Chuck is a retired metal shop teacher...and he's spending his retirement years repurposing parts of refrigerators....water heaters...and other metal from the junkyard into flower sculptures. 

Yes...you read that right water heaters become flowers....most of them with precious hummingbirds. 

At the end of the zoom call I got a tour of his own backyard junkyard and his shop....it was so impressive. I took a few screenshots along the way.

This water heater was his latest find at the junkyard!

Apparently the skins of water heaters are very useful! Who knew?

Chuck knew!

If he didn't have the right tool or storage unit...he made it. 

This rotating tool holder was impressive giving him two sided storage for his tools! I thought it was brilliant!

I believe he also made this cutting tool he uses to hand cuts the flowers....and he gave a demonstration.  He made another tool to bend them into the shape he wanted and it has interchangeable parts for leaves. I was blown away! 

Here's another one of Chuck's creations:

But the best part of this story Chuck wanted me to have one of his sculptures. They are going to travel by car back to Pennsylvania with Cherie and her husband where she will mail them to me. They are taking the scenic route...so Cherie is going to help me track their progress. They left Chuck's cabin last night near the Sequoia National Forest and spent the night at a spa in Hot Springs CA. Cherie sent photos of the flowers getting a little fresh air at the spa.....and I laughed out loud. What a delightful way to start my day! I'm going to have fun with this. 

It's these kinds of connections and experiences that balance out a chaotic and mixed up world. And I'm going to savor it....and celebrate a guy named Chuck and his devoted and creative daughter!

I'm going to (loosely) track these traveling flowers...just because I can.