Living the cottage life, Alaskan style!

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Graduation

Today is a bittersweet day....  It's the day my husband and I have looked forward to for a very long time....  But now that the day has arrived, it has me torn to pieces emotionally. 

Let me back up.  Back in 2008, my son and his partner announced that they were expecting a child and asked if we could babysit, just through the newborn stage, as day care is ridiculously expensive in Juneau. 

So we said, "yes." 

Well, a few months later my daughter announces that THEY'RE also now pregnant, and can we watch their child as well?  Okay....  It was, after all, going to be a few months only.  So now we had two newborns five months apart. 
 
Well, months turned into years, and then a third grandchild showed up, and five and a half years later, our babysitting is coming to a close today.  Well, sort of. 

The two big kids will start kindergarten tomorrow and we will be left with just one granddaughter to watch.

So today we celebrated with McDonalds for lunch and a banana split for dessert.  Now it's time to go shed a few tears....  Maybe I can write more about these past five years after the sadness wears off. 

Monday, June 24, 2013

Today I Turn 61

I really don't much care for birthdays....  I'm not one of those who will celebrate all week long.  It's not that I hate getting older because I don't. I just don't like being the center of attraction. 

I don't mind being 61.  I'm rather pleased with being older and wiser.  I find I'm more patient the older I get, the less things bother me.  Am I where I want to be at this point in my life?  No....  But that's neither here nor there.  Being 61 is okay. 

This was my favorite present.  Rapped with love... my husband did this.  I didn't know he had it in him!  Inside was a purse.  Okay, so I picked the purse out, but he filled it with goodies and wrapped it!
You always know it's a gathering at our place when the bucket comes out and gets filled with all kinds of good drinks!  Now it might look like A's been caught sneaking a beer.... but I think she's going after the ice!

My son gets a fire going in the pit.  We're hoping the smoke will keep the bugs away. 

Who wouldn't want to be chillin in the pool on this hot, summer day?  Yea, he's got it tough!

The kids have fun in the Ford 150. 

My hubby mans the grill.  Today it was bbqued chicken.  Yummy!

The dessert is served.  My favorite--german chocolate cake!

Yes, it was a good day. 

Sunday, June 23, 2013

I Am A Lion

I became a Lion last night.  Just one little person among 1.3 million Lions around the world.  As minor as that might seem.... I plan on making a difference. 

For someone who does not like attention.... be the center of attention.... be recognized.... be honored.... last night brought tears to my eyes.   

But today I am thankful for many things.  For my husband for giving me the time I needed to make the decision to become a Lion.  For Lion Neil for always being supportive of my hair-brain ideas even though I was not a Lion, and for all the incredibly nice things he said last night.  For the MFLC as they're an incredible group of people that have always made me feel welcome even though I wasn't "one of them." 

It's taken me awhile to make the decision to join the MFLC.  I've been sitting in the sidelines, watching... listening....learning.... taking note of the dynamics of the club.  To be perfectly honest, I've been waiting to see if my husband would get tired and drop out, but he hasn't.  His passion has gotten stronger and stronger as each year passes.  This made me look at the club harder and harder, to see what there was about it that got my husband so fired up.  What it did was make me realize this club and the members in it were something special, doing special things, making my town a better place and I decided I wanted to be an official part of this. 
This is what you need to know about me.  When I get involved, I will throw myself in 150 percent.  Please don't hold this against me, or anyone who has a passion for what they're doing and believe in.  I will use my strengths to the benefit of the club and learn from my weaknesses.  Hopefully. I hope to come up with ideas the club feels are worthwhile and have merit and will work as hard as I am needed and then some. 

I look forward to becoming a better person, for isn't this what Lionism is all about?  Personal growth?  Stepping out of your box?  Helping others?  Making a difference?

Here's what you might not know about me but will give you a better understanding of who I am and why I do what I do.  I gave the State of Alaska (Department of Administration) everything I had for 30 years.  I was one of those dedicated State employees who loved going to work every day.  For eight years I was the Commissioner of Administration's Executive Secretary; taking care of people, sharing information, ensuring tasks got done, being the keeper of all things and an organizer.  For many years I wrote a technology newsletter for the department and others who wanted it.  I was a trainer for computer software programs and department policies.  I created and maintained an Intranet (internal web page for employees) and a web-based newsletter for the department as well as policy manuals. 

This is who I am.  This is what I love to do.  These are my strengths.  We won't mention my weaknesses....

I hope to bring fresh ideas to the club that utilize these strengths and passion I have for doing them.  But I'll be just as happy to pick up trash alongside the road three times a year.  

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Laundry Day

Growing up, I remember laundry day when my mom would hang the laundry outside to dry.  But it never dawned on me, as an adult, to do it.  Maybe it's because we don't have hot summers or a lot of sunny days. 
But one spring everything changed that.  We had an avalanche that tore out our power lines and we had to live off a community generator.  Our electric bill went up 500%!  Ouch!  Our normal electric bill for that time of year was about $120, so you can imagine how this was going to hurt.  Fortunately, we were told from the minute it happened that it would take months to fix and do whatever we could to cut down on our power usage. 

So we bought a clothes line and some racks and started drying our clothes the old fashion way.  We still didn't have sunshine, but we could dry the clothes inside when we had to.  I even bought this cute little clothes pin bag from Etsy.
 
There's something comforting in hanging laundry outside to dry....  I don't know why that is, maybe because it takes me back to the basics.  This is how my mom and my grandma and my great grandma dried their laundry.  There's a connection between us.  Yea, it takes more time and the clothes aren't all fluffy and soft, but that's okay. 
 
They smell good and it's a fresh smell, not from some marketed bounce or other fabric softener. 
 
I'm thankful for all the sunny days we've had this summer and look forward to many more. If, for no other reason than to hang my laundry out to dry.  

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

An Uncommon Juneau Summer

Summer in Juneau is typically, shall we say, wet?  I read in the paper the other day that the average temp for Juneau in June is 62 degrees.  For the past couple weeks it's been in the high 70's AND 80's!  We're fried!  Our skin.  Our brain.  Our bodies. 

Good weather in Juneau is iffy on a good year.  So when the sun comes out, so do the people!  We play hard, work hard, stay up late.  Course, it doesn't help that our hours of daylight increase considerably and there are days that it simply does not get dark. 

Besides being so incredibly hot, we had a thunder and lightening storm yesterday!  This is even more incredible as we don't have this phenomenon in Juneau.  In the 40 plus years I've lived here, I've heard thunder three times.  Something about the mountains.... 
A rainbow.  This was taken last night at 10:00 p.m. after a long evening of storm warnings, thunder, and lightening.  So weird....

Monday, June 17, 2013

First King Salmon

There's nothing quite like the first taste of the season of fresh King Salmon.  Melt.in.your.mouth.good.  With oils oozing out of the flesh, onto the plate, ready to be wiped up with a piece of French bread.  Yep, eating at its finest.

But it isn't always like this.  I remember overcooking salmon.  I remember going to restaurants and having it overcooked.  I didn't know there was any other way.  It was still good. 

Then my hubby came into the picture and however he figured it out, I'll never know.  I mean, it isn't like people KNOW to not overcook fish....  You cook it until it's flaky, but being flaky is different from melt-in-your-mouth flaky. 

We were in Seattle last year and went to his really nice restaurant.  I ordered fresh King Salmon served all kinds of fancy.  But it sounded good.  It came and the instant I put my fork into it, I knew it was overdone.  Not by much, but overdone.  I was going to eat it anyway because clearly this is how they cook salmon at this restaurant.

Then the waiter stopped at our table and asked how it was.... do I dare say, "overcooked"?  I stumbled for a second, then I stuck my fork back into the salmon and I think I must have made an unhappy look on my face and he instantly knew what I was thinking.  He grabbed my plate from me and said he'd get me another one!  Okaaaaayyyyy.....

It didn't take long for him to bring the second attempt to our table and as I stuck my fork in for my first bite, here comes the chef!  He thanked me for returning the fish and commented that most people prefer their salmon overcooked, because they don't know otherwise!  I think I made his day!  And I appreciated that he came out to follow up and see what kind of odd person wanted their salmon so not overcooked.... 

But once you've eaten salmon the right way, it's hard to eat it overcooked.

Now, here's how to cook it to perfection.  First, you butterfly the steaks so they're all even sizes.  Don't ask me how because I just eat the fish, I don't prep it!  Next, sprinkle it with Hickory Smoked Salt.  Generously.  Although you can use a propane grill, my husband prefers the good old fashion Weber grill with briquettes.  Get them good and hot.  Then, start adding the steaks, cook them for two or three minutes, flip them over, cook another couple minutes.  You only cook until the flesh can be pulled apart, not a second longer.  If you do this, you will have melt in your mouth fish that is to die for. 

We had a friend who would come to Juneau every spring and fish for King Salmon off the rocks of Outer Point, Douglas.  He would call us with a "fish on" and by the time he got to our place, we would have dinner going, fit for a King and Queen.  Some years we would have fresh King Salmon five nights a week....  And we never tired of it. 

The rest of the salmon would be processed (butterflied) and put into gallon freezer bags, every spare inch of space/air being used by a steak.  Then frozen.  Our friend would take some of the salmon home with him to can, but mostly he just filled our freezer.  Over and over and over.  We never complained; we just fed him. 

Saturday, June 8, 2013

I'm Overwhelmed with Clutter

"I'm overwhelmed with clutter" isn't exactly true.... I appear to be overwhelmed and anxious and when I get this way, I feel like the weight of everything in the house is weighing on me.  What causes me to feel this way?  Trying to figure out my future....

My husband and I are retired.  But we like to say, "mostly tired."  And for good reason.  But that's for another day.  We're trying to figure out what we want to do in the next chapter of our lives and it isn't that easy.  Several of our friends have moved South to be near family.  My family is here.  Yet part of me wants to move South so desperately.  Would I be betraying my children and letting my grandchildren down if we moved away?  Would my presence be missed? 

Today I was so close to packing up and moving.  Starting the sort of what to take and what to get rid of.  Yes, I was that close.  I have been downsizing for years now, getting ready for the day when we might leave, and this next downsize will be the real thing. 

But there's so many details to consider and the big one is, can I really, truly, leave my kids and grandkids? 

I think it's time. 

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

My Aunt Rosy

May 26, 2013, my Aunt Rosy passed away....

For every person who knew her, this is a great loss. 

Aunt Rosy was that one person in your life that you admired most, loved most, respected most, and looked up to most.  She was my hero.

She was "organic."  She watched what she ate before it was popular.  She walked every single day.  She made the best clam chowder.  Her voice always had the spirit of joy in it.  You knew she was genuinely happy to see you. 

Aunt Rosy loved to dig clams and mussels. She was a great fisherman.  I knew she used to work at a cannery but I just learned through her obituary that she owned it!  A small cannery where they processed fresh seafood and sold it. 

She was the youngest to climb Mt Hood in the 1920s at the age of 9.  She has been a remarkable women since a child. 

I admired Aunt Rosy for many reasons.  Mostly, she made life look easy.  Even after being married for 39 years and learning her husband, Uncle Edgar, was involved with another women.... she was forgave both and they were all friends.  For the next 31 years, she drove a small motor home from Netarts, Oregon, to Niland, California, where she enjoyed the sun and playing horseshoes. 

Yes, Aunt Rosy lived her life.  A simple life but full.  I will miss her more than she will ever know.  Rest in peace, Aunt Rosy.  I love you. 

Sunday, May 5, 2013

May Day

Who remembers making May Baskets as a kid and sneaking over to your neighbors and hanging them on their door?  Little cones made out of construction paper.  We'd attach some kind of handle to it and fill it with flowers out of the garden. 

Well.... we aren't going to be doing any picking of flowers from our yard this year, but the grandkids and I still made May Baskets, filled them with store-bought flowers and tiptoed to the other grandparents homes and left them on their doors. 

I found some really cute ideas from Pinterest and I took the pictures to Joann's to get the material I needed.... a $160 later!  $160 for material to make May Day Baskets.  Or Tussies as some call them.  http://skiptomylou.wordpress.com/2008/04/27/may-day/

I don't know who had more fun making our May Day baskets.... me or the grandkids.  But I think they turned out beautiful! 

Each child had their own techniques for making, designing and selecting the flowers they wanted to use.  I think they turned out fabulous!

What do you think? 

Later!
Nancy 

Sunday, April 28, 2013

Spring Postponed

I lied when I posted on the 22nd that we were well on our way to Spring.  Well, we're well on our way to SOMETHING.... but it isn't Spring!  This weekend brought 6" of new snow and today it's seriously snowing some more.  ENOUGH ALREADY!   

This change in weather has everyone on edge, cranky, confused.  The Thrushes have arrived but don't have access to the worms or bugs they'd normally be picking from the ground right now.  I'm back feeding my Chickadees and other little guys in the back yard to help them get through this latest change of weather. 

But look at this.... even the slugs are confused!  I debated whether to put this guy to safety but I didn't....  I'm not a fan of slugs and will go to all measures to pluck their eggs from underneath rocks and wood rounds and kill them.  The grandkids and I go slug hunting to find the real things and put them out of my misery.  Still.... I felt bad for the little guy....  Just a little.... 

Saturday, April 27, 2013

Bragging Rights

I thought of starting this out, life sucks.... but it isn't that life sucks... it's just that at times life piles up on you.  Take yesterday for instance....  In between all my bawling, I had my sister to worry about who was having some oral surgery.  My 93 year old aunt was back in the hospital.  My favorite aunt I might add.  My son's dog (which is like my own) is ill and required a trip to the vet.  And if this wasn't enough, we got 6" of new snow and I had to spend a couple hours shoveling snow. 

In the midst of all this sadness and worry that seems to be burying me these days, or to top it off.... my husband is out of town and I'm left to my own devices.  It's hard enough when I'm separated from my husband....  You know the saying, "your other half"?  Well, he IS my other half.... he is part of me... when we aren't together, I'm lost, I have little motivation, I don't do well. 

So here our neighbors/good friends are leaving , it's snowing like crazy, the dog is sick, etc., etc., and you have to wonder what else can go wrong. 

I'm happy to report that we are not having a repeat of yesterday!  Oh, I'm still bawling and I'm still sad, but I'm so happy for my husband.  You see, he's a Lion.  Lions Club International is the largest service organization IN THE WORLD!  And my husband is a part of this great organization.  He's in Fairbanks for a few days at their annual convention and was awarded the highest award -- Lion of the Year!  This is out of ALL the Lions in his District in Alaska which are probably thousands.  But he certainly deserves it.  He's worked so hard these last couple years, trying to make a different here in Southeast Alaska.  It's nice that his hard work did not go unnoticed.  For that I am grateful. 

Friday, April 26, 2013

Change

They say change is good... it can even build character.  I say it hurts.  It hurts to the core some times.  Yes, I know change isn't a bad thing, but you can't convince me of that at this moment. 

I'm a guarded person.  I was bullied in high school and hurt by my best friends and family.  It takes me a long while to open up and let people in my private world.  It's not to say I don't have friends, I just won't let them too close to my heart.  Usually.

We moved into our present home in 2003 and it took us several years to become good friends with our neighbors.  We waved and chatted but it hasn't been until the last several years when we became close.  We looked out for them and they helped us out.  They are good people and the kind that would give you the shirt off their back and their last $5.00 if you needed it.

But it was more than that.  It was looking out our dining room window and knowing that they were home by the lights on.  It was joining them on their front deck on a sunny day for a glass of wine.  It was eating leftovers with them or providing the plates and ice for dinner parties. It was talking politics, listening to jokes, sharing our lives.

It's been said our friends required a lot of maintenance, but it was a good kind of maintenance.  We took their trash out when they were out of town, watered their plants, and raked their leaves when they piled up.  We were their go to people when they needed eggs or flour or a baking sheet or a number of items.  They knew they could count on us and we knew they would be there for us.

But now they're leaving Juneau.  Moving somewhere sunny and warm.  Part of me envies them, to just pack up and leave.  They're no spring chicks after all!  But their family is all down south and I know that even the best of friends can't replace family. 

This week has been incredibly hard for me.  As I sit here and look out the window across the street to their home, now vacated, I choke up and sob.  When the movers came, I bawled.  Thinking how it must have felt driving out of their driveway for the last time made me bawl some more.  The tears have not been very kind to me the last few days. 

Part of me wants to scream DON'T GO!  And the other part of me says, "go quickly and have a safe journey."

I know we'll see them again but it won't be the same.  New neighbors have already moved in, but it's not the same.  We will never have the same relationship that we do with our good friends and for that I'm sorry.  But this is just one more reason why it'll take even longer next time to let someone into my heart.  Because here in Juneau, they always leave. 

I don't like this feeling of sadness, of an empty heart.  I'm not so very appreciative of this type of change.  It hurts.  It hurts a lot.  I'm told life goes on.  Yes, yes, it does.  And we will forever remain friends with Mal and Jean. It just won't be the same and that saddens me. 

Monday, April 22, 2013

Waiting for Spring

This is a difficult time of year for me.... Is it spring or is it still winter?  Are we going to HAVE spring this year or go right into Fall?  If we have a nice spring, does that mean we'll have a horrible summer?  

So many questions.  Last year our April was absolutely gorgeous!  In the 70's all month long.  Now, this is incredible for a couple reasons.... we hardly ever get weather in the 70's in the middle of our best summer and here we're sunny AND warm in April!  And did we live to regret it?  You bet we did! 

The rest of our summer was horrible.  Normally we will start our winter cleanup around now, picking up branches that have fallen in wind storms, raking up the million pine cones that have fallen, picking up trash that has blown into our yard, more raking, tidying up gardens.  Last summer our weather was so horrible that we struggled all summer long to even get our spring clean up done.  We were still pruning damaged shrubs well into Fall.  Summer came and went at the blink of an eye. 

Yes, this is our dilemma....  what kind of summer are we going to have. But first.... we need to feel that spring has finally arrived.

I can honestly say that I believe it has....  At least the little red nubbins of the rhubarb have poked their shiny red heads up through the frozen ground.  That's no easy task!  We've had a few nice, sunny days but it hasn't been warm.  This weekend it was gorgeous, but the 41 degrees felt more like 32 degrees. 

We've already done a lot of our spring clean up but still more to go before we can welcome summer.  I'm anxiously awaiting some green to start forming on my shrubs, maybe a little yellow from Trollius to shine on our yard. 
But, for now, everything is still pretty brown. 

Yes, spring always brings with it hope.... hope for a sunny summer.... time spent outside without having to bundle up.... picnics.... hot dog roasts.... and a yard filled with color.  So far we're off to a good start.  Wish us luck! 

Later! 
Nancy

Monday, April 1, 2013

Family

Family gatherings are always a big event for me.  I'm not certain why....  Maybe because growing up, we always spent holidays with our country grandparents, with all our aunts, uncles, and cousins.  We played outside, running wild.  We sat quietly, in the library.  But this was my life growing up, spending time with family.

When I was 19, I moved to Alaska with my boyfriend.  I didn't know a soul here.... As far as I was concerned, I was in a foreign country!  But soon, his friends became our extended family, and all our holidays and special events, became a special time spent with friends.  These friends became my family. 

Forty some years later and friends still make up our extended family list and holidays and events wouldn't be the same without them. 

Today I'm thankful for my ex-husband and his wife.  Our divorce didn't start out friendly and accommodating, but I'm happy to say that today we're good friends.  And not just because we have the kids in common.  He may not have been the right husband for me, but he's a good man and one I admire.  Unlike most of us, he lives his life to the fullest.  None of this pussy footing around, wasting time on a boring life.  No, there won't be any regrets when he leaves this world. 

When we were married, living a life filled with adventure and mishaps wasn't for me.  I valued living more than he did!  But it's worked for him and his new wife.  Today I'm thankful for our divorce because without it, we would never have become the good friends we are today.  Had we stayed married, we would have been that bitter old married couple, miserable.  By getting divorced, we were both able to find our perfect life partner. 

I have no regrets as far as this man is concerned.  We were married for 22 years, we tried to make it work; we just weren't compatible. But he's a good man. 

AND we made good kids and they have given us our precious grandchildren.  Life is good. 

Sunday, March 31, 2013

Happy Easter

Here comes Peter Cottontail,
hopping down the bunny trail....
 
How many people still sing this song to your children?
 
I miss the days when my children were little and I got to get up at the crack of dawn to hide eggs and wait in anticipation for their smiling faces to peak out of their bedrooms. 
 
Today we wait for grandchildren to arrive.
 
The plastic eggs will be hid outside, my ex-husband and his wife and parents of our daughter-in-law will join us.
 
We'll have too much food and it'll be chaotic.
 
This is Easter at our place.

Saturday, March 30, 2013

Could it be.... the Sun?

It doesn't take much to get us excited.  Take the sun.  A little bit of sunshine goes a long way when you live in Alaska!  It doesn't matter if it's summer, winter, fall, or spring. We see it, and we have to take a picture of it!

We're always happy to see the sun.... but not so much the dust that you see when the sun decides to shine....  or the little fingerprints...or the piles of dog hair that have found some special place to rest.

It's hard to describe how we feel when we see the sun peaking through the clouds.  It's.... it's like the frosting on the cake.... being on the receiving end of a great big smooch from my grandson.... seeing the sweet smile of my grandaughters....
 

As you can see, it doesn't take much to get us excited.... A ray of sun here, a ray of sun there.
 
You might think, "how sad for them...." but look at the joy a little sunshine brings us!  It's the silver lining in an otherwise dark and dreary day! 
 
It's raining today, but at least it isn't snowing. Maybe the sun will come out tomorrow.  
  
Later!
Nancy



Friday, March 29, 2013

I Wish You Enough

I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.

I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.

I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.

I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.

I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.

I wish you enough hellos to get you through the
final good-bye.

author unknown



I just love that poem. I keep it handy where I can read it from time to time to keep my life in perspective.

Today I'm grateful for my husband. Here's a man who would do literally anything for me or my kids. He has accepted my children as his own and loves them unconditionally. When the kids are going through difficult times, it's often Mike who suggests we offer support to them. He's never tried to talk me out of any of my hair brain ideas when it comes to the kids but embraces the idea and helps make it happen.

Today I'm grateful that my sweet husband came into my life.

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Our Home is No Longer Our Home

Remember when we were raising young kids?  Our house was usually chaotic.  Toys everywhere.  Art work hanging on the fridge.  Color crayon "art" on the walls.  Kids were running rampant.  Not to mention clothes strewn everywhere, especially if there were girls involved.

Then, the kids grow up.  Move out.  Get a place of their own.  Get married.  Have their own kids. 

Meanwhile, we retire and settle in for our next adventure whatever that might be.  Some times that involves traveling, crafting, gardening, and other hobbies.     

This is our life now.  The chaos.  The new trend is to babysit grandkids.  That's what we do.  It started out with getting our first grandchild through the new born stage, where day care was most expensive.  Then came our second grandchild.... and our third... and five years later, we're still at it. 

And that's okay.  I've come to accept that this is where we're supposed to be, and this is what we're supposed to be doing.  Right now at this particular time.  I don't know what else God has in store for us, but I have confidence that are services here will be completed in the near future so we can go on with OUR life. 

Besides being exhausting work and not having much of a life for ten hours a day, our home is no longer our own.  We have toys everywhere.  Chaos everywhere.  With two grandaughters (age 3 and 4), we have several wardrobe changes a day.  Art work?  Yep, can't see the fridge or the walls most of the time because of all the pictures that have been colored or painted and presented to us. 

The grandkids don't seem to like how we decorate and they take every opportunity to switch things around for us. 

We have craft projects hanging from every knob or nail the kids can reach. 

There's forts.  Babies lined up in a row.  Stairs become staging areas for babies.


Yep.... we lost our nice, quiet, home five years ago when we started watching grandbabies....  Instead of spending our days enjoying the quiet of doing nothing or possibly playing cards or gardening or having lunch with friends, we now change diapers, fix meals, clean up messes, do craft projects, change more diapers, make more meals, make more forts, do more projects, and clean up more messes. 

But the joy we get seeing our grandkids every day almost makes up for all it.  The rest comes from the hugs and smiles we receive. 
 
I'm not saying that I don't long for those days when our life will become much simpler.... when I don't have to wash tongue prints, lips, and fingerprints off the windows every week.... or move dolls that have taken over the couch so I can sit down.... or when I can go out to lunch instead of fixing lunch. 

Yes, I do long for the days when our home and our life becomes our own again.  But it's not time yet....

For now, I have a lunch to make! 

Later! 
Nancy


Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Easter Memories

When I was little.... probably 7 years old.... I heard the Easter Bunny....  I didn't see him, but I heard him!  I remember how excited I was, but I didn't get out of bed.  I was sleeping with my mom at the time, as our dad was in the Veteran's Hospital.  We lived in an older home and my mom had a great, big kitchen cabinet.  I'm pretty certain I heard the Easter Bunny hop from the top of the refrigerator down to the kitchen cabinet.  I'm 100% certain. 

Now, I know.... there is no such thing as an Easter Bunny, but I will never ever forget the sound, the excitement, the joy I felt that night.  I guess that's why today, I still believe.  I believe in the Easter Bunny, in Santa, in the Tooth Fairy.  Because you just never know....

Later!
Nancy

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

When Life Gives You Lemons



When Sur la Table gives you lemons.... There's something about lemons.  Maybe it's their color.  Yellow.  Sunny.  Bright.  But when I saw these lemon plates on the Sur la Table website, I knew I had to have them.  Why?  Because I'm a plate junky.  There, I said it.  I love plates!  They are my weakness.  I would have a set for every occasion and holiday if I could.  I usually buy a set of four salad/dessert plates so it's not too bad.... but some times I just have to splurge and buy dinner plates too. 

Then, when I saw this lemon background for my blog, I knew I had to use it!  For now, anyway.  It's cheery and bright and will get me through winter and into summer. 

Aren't these plates yummy?

Later! 
Nancy

Monday, March 25, 2013

Is it Spring Yet?

Okay, so right now all I can think of is Spring.  Spring.  Spring.  Spring.  Spring is that hope that Summer will come next and maybe, just maybe, this year it'll be a nice one.  Here's some of my winter pictures from this year. 
 
I love this picture. It looks like a yard of cotton, doesn't it?  Snow had pretty much melted except for the big piles where it had been piled from shoveling so one sunny, brisk 21 degree day, we went outside and started breaking the piles down and scattering it all over the yard!  Clearly we had nothing better to do that day!
 
One day, the grandkids wanted to go sledding so my hubby took the snowblower to the back yard and made a figure 8.  This cleaned up enough snow and we had a trail to pull them on their sled.  They had so much fun!


Ugh.  Snow.  Snow.  And more snow.  There's always something to shovel! But it sure is pretty....


Right after Thanksgiving, my husband hangs clear lights in the front yard.  I love how it looks with all the snow.    Isn't it pretty?


I can almost see myself sitting here, sipping a nice cup of tea, reading a good book.  Well, maybe this summer....

Ahhhhh, I love my bridge.  It's just a bridge, over a dry creek bed.  Nice. 


Yep, almost time to light a fire in the fire pit... Well, soon....

But it's not Spring yet.  We thought it was a couple weeks ago when the sun came out and the temps dipped up to 21 degrees.  Snow was melting pretty fast.  I even saw some buds on my shrubs! 

Then.... two Winter Advisories brought about 8" of new snow.  Bummer.  And earlier this week it was back down to 8 degrees.  Again... a real bummer. 

It's raining today and we're supposed to have rain mixed with snow all week.  Maybe it'll rain hard enough that all our snow melts and we can have Spring.   

Later!
Nancy