M.T. Pocketts -- At Home and Abroad

I love the smell of casino chips in the morning!

2012-02-06T16:38:00.000-06:00

I have not been able to post anything for awhile....

2 reasons:

Lethargy
Very busy

These are not mutually exclusive situations!

I have had to put away my ongoing projects (really, will I actually live long enough to finish all of them?!) and, excitingly, pack up some new ones for the road! (More on that later when I have something to show for myself!)

So.....
I have been here:

Yep, Las Vegas! Love this town! This is the view from our room at Caesar's Palace, Forum Tower, 18th (???) floor.... (not sure about that, as we always punched in "68" on the elevator....whatever that means!).

And here's the view one morning before my slacker husband and daughter ever rolled out of their beds to save me from being all consumed by the double draperies that covered the entire outer wall of our room:

Did you know there's such a thing as remote controlled draperies?! You know, when you're too lazy to get up and walk 2 feet and pull a drapery cord?! Mr. P was quite emboldened by this state of affairs and found it necessary to ~~bark orders~~ nicely ask that I "close the drapes/open the drapes/close the drapes/open the drapes" (take your choice)....always while he was less that 2 feet away from said drapes.

And did you know there are miniature television sets in your bathroom mirror?! Mr. P rightly pointed out that they are exactly in the proper position for watching whilst your face is at exactly the proper angle for shaving? Goodness, those casino folks think of everything! Either that, or I just don't get out enough!

And did you know that I spent 3 days in Vegas and never so much as put a quarter into a slot machine?! Geesh! I'm losing my touch--usually I can be found grudgingly heading to a Blackjack table at some point.....(I love to play Blackjack, just I hate to lose money more.) Why was that, you may ask?....

Lethargy?
Nope
Very busy!!
Yep

More to come.....

O Winter! = Snowy Evening

2012-01-21T09:33:00.003-06:00

We had our first big snow of the winter yesterday! It was light and powdery--Mr. P., still transfixed by the beauty of it all, (as is always the case this early in the season), said it was easy to scoop.
Sitting upstairs in our TV room, which looks out over our backyard, I noticed the snow looked so magical in the light coming from our neighbor's yard. I just had to grab my camera....

I should have known they were there, but I didn't realize all the deer were enjoying the backyard, too, at the same time. When cranking open the window to get a better view, I unwittingly interrupted their evening snack==our bird feeders! Although my camera wasn't steadied yet, I snapped a couple photos. I actually like the blurred effect; it shows their motion and indecision... Is this a threat? I can't leave now, I haven't cleaned out the entire feeder yet!

Once the deer left and I got my camera steadied....here's what I was talking about:

This is a volunteer Redbud tree on our patio; an offspring of a much larger Redbud further up in the yard. To differentiate between Redbuds (and if you're not careful, you could have dozens of them--those little trees pop up like mushrooms!), this one is known as Redbuddy. (Corny, I know.) A couple years ago I hung Christmas lights on it--they've been up ever since, no matter the season. We like the ambiance! The lights also help detract from how funny this tree looks in winter, as every year it has a "haircut" to remove the branches that are blocking our view from the upstairs windows.

And finally, here's the view out my bedroom window:

Many a time I have been asked who lives there... it's our neighbor's garage! Lovely in summer and winter: grape vines grow on the arbor in front of the screened in porch, cardinals nest there every year, clematis vines grow along the sides. And in winter....a lovely, peaceful little cottage tucked behind the snowy rock wall. O Winter!

O Winter! ruler of the inverted year, . . . I crown thee king of intimate delights, Fireside enjoyments, home-born happiness, And all the comforts that the lowly roof Of undisturb'd Retirement, and the hours Of long uninterrupted evening, know.--William Cowper, Task (bk. IV, l. 120) English poet & translator (1731 - 1800)

Linking to:

Bicycle Pillow

2012-01-13T12:59:00.006-06:00

You know when you have a whole bunch of projects to do, and it looks like you'll never, ever get it all done?... well....this may seem counterintuitive, but I've found I actually get more done if, instead of attempting to tackle the biggest project on the list, I start doing the easiest stuff first and work my way up from there. Try it--you'll feel good about your accomplishments which in turn (ideally) will give you the motivation to work on the harder stuff!

And speaking of projects, here's one of the "easy" ones....

Bicycle Lumbar Pillow

After doing that stunt, he's probably going to need a lumbar pillow! The picture is from The Graphics Fairy, part of a series of circus acrobats and performers.

Here's a closer look:

I used an iron-on transfer for the design--you'll notice that the original has him facing the other way around. Oops! Forgot to flip-flop the image before transferring it. Oh well, does it really matter which way he's facing?! The red material is ~~faky~~ faux suede material. It was the strangest stuff to cut out; it kept wanting to "stick" onto my cutting board. The braiding was purchased awhile back at Michael's clearance aisle--one of those happy coincidences, as it happened to match just right!

I originally had the corners squared, but the pillow insert didn't seem firm enough to fill it out. So... I decided to gather the corners.

If you've never done this before, it's actually very easy:

Working on the inside, just gather the corner together between your fingers and tie dental floss around it!

Your corners will then look like this. And if I change my mind, or get a better pillow insert, I can always have it back to square corners.

The back is simply a slip cover style; the idea of trying to sew in a zipper with this fabric did not fall into the category of "easy"!

Cross that one off the list.... on to the next (easiest) thing!

Thanks for looking!

******************************

You can see my project & lots of other cool stuff here:

A Gift of Stitches

2012-01-07T16:31:00.003-06:00

Several years ago I read an online list of contributed bits of wisdom and quotes from fellow needleworkers and cross-stitchers. The one that stayed with me was, "Never give a stitched gift to a non-stitcher!" This person went on to describe her heartache after she stitched a beautiful and complicated Christmas stocking for a friend as a gift and discovered it at the friend's garage sale the following summer. (Dealbreaker, if you ask me!) It drove the point home--unless you are a stitcher, most people simply cannot appreciate the amount of time and effort (and love) that goes into a completed project!

However, there are exceptions to the rule....

I purchased this pattern, "Animal Samplings," from Hillside Samplings a few years ago:

Photo as seen on the pattern cover.

She has a website, www.hillsidesamplings.com, but I am not sure if it is active. This pattern is still for sale at Stitchery shops, if you're interested. (I checked!)

I've mentioned before that my daughter, Sorena, loves squirrels. (This squirrel pillow was another Christmas present this year.) Therefore, a slight change was necessary....

Here is my customized version: can you tell the difference? Hint: ghijklmn. As much as I liked the deer, he was replaced with a squirrel eating, what else?, acorns. And, most importantly of all, I think she really liked it! I know it won't be seen on any garage sales either!

Disclaimer: It's my understanding that some designers are touchy about their designs being altered, while others are more than happy to be the inspiration for further creativity. Let's hope it is the latter in this case, if not, I'll let you know!

Happy New Year!

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Happy Holidays!

2011-12-31T09:40:00.000-06:00

Happy Christmas!

2011-12-23T10:26:00.000-06:00

We didn't put up a real Christmas tree this year,

as we're spending the holiday with

The Girl Child and her family in California!

(70 degrees & sunshine is the weather report for today!)

I'm missing our tree though...

I found myself looking through some of last year's photos:

Most of our ornaments are decades old.

I love the oddball subjects....

a lamp!

Now who would think of a lamp for a Christmas tree?!

Or a head?!

We have a few heads hanging around the tree.

They always creeped our daughter out

--she would never hang them herself!

I love this guy!

Part Santa?

Part Wizard?!

Or a beautiful peacock sitting on a ball.

(Don't particularly know why he's doing that;

he just is!)

And if you want something really weird....

Get a look at this one!

We call him

"The Fetal Puppy"

(I know, gross!)

He's so weird, he's worth another look!

Oh my!

This is actually a fairly new one.

A pincushion!

Every crafty seamstress needs a pincushion

on her Christmas tree!

And then there's just the downright pretty ones

that have been with me my entire life.

When I get them out of the box,

I feel so at home, surrounded by comforting familiarity.

May your Christmas be one of beauty, love, & peace.

Wherever you are!

Let there be Peace on Earth.

Holiday Hand Towels

2011-12-20T16:51:00.000-06:00

If you've got a hand towel...

and some leftover Christmas material....

you can make a simple, decorative towel for your guest bath or a hostess gift or a stocking stuffer. (Why is it when I type this, I hear this uber-perky voice in my head, getting all excited about.... a towel?! Such is my life!)

Using the lines that are already in the towel's design as your guide, just line up the material, tucking all the rough edges under, and stitch along both sides and the ends. I didn't even bother basting or anything like that; it just depends how free-wheeling you feel and your sewing experience. (Make sure your bobbin color is the same as your towel, regardless of what the top color is.)

I had enough material to make two of them! And, really, it didn't take that long.

The material is a remnant from my daughter's Christmas stocking that I made for her when she was about 5 years old. She'll probably freak when I give her her towel, thinking I disassembled her beloved stocking! (I like to keep her on her toes!)

Now to go through that bag o' scraps I have.... surely there's some "hearts" print in their somewhere for Valentine's Day? Or some bunnies for Easter? Or... or....!

And 3 not-so-tiny Reindeer...

2011-12-18T17:31:00.003-06:00

I fell victim to holiday marketing this year, thanks to those cunning folks at the Barn that is full of most everything except Pottery. Usually I manage to take only an occasional peak at their stuff, primarily just for a little look-see; it seldom gets beyond the drooling stage. Until this year, that is.

It was one of their ever-changing, Christmas "One Day Sales" they've been pushing for many, many days now--I have an overstuffed in-box to prove it. I'll grant them this--they are savvy! I can't decide if I was truly enchanted by their product or if they just wore me down. (I know for sure they couldn't care less which one it was--the end result is what matters, right? Ka-ching!)

This is what I fell for:

Aren't they sweet? Aren't you just enchanted?

Firstly, I pictured these guys as being somewhat more diminutive. And secondly, they should have come with a warning about sharp edges! Geesh--it was dangerous pulling these skinny bad boys out of their boxes and untangling their "antlers."

Once I finally got them out of their boxes, I couldn't decide what to do with them. They look different in person and not quite so enchanting-- but I think that's more a lack of imagination on my part than on theirs! Frankly, they look like some metal-work sculpture I would have seen at a Mexican bazaar. Now don't get me wrong, I love Mexican bazaars! It's just that if they had indeed come from a Mexican bazaar, they would have cost a whole lot less! (Apparently they come from a Chinese bazaar--the "made in" sticker indicated as much. How exotic.)

So they sat under a table in the livingroom for about a week. Mr. P walked by one day and asked where they came from. I told him not to ask.

I walked past them, too, wondering just what I was going to do with them!

They needed something...but what?

Ribbons? Colorful ribbons? There's 3 of them...what is Christmasy and comes in 3's?

How about J-O-Y?

Round 1 with the Graphics Fairy, I downloaded some of her Christmas sheet music ("The Christmas Tree") and made a star cut-out. Working with 3 of the same cut-outs, I added red letters. Though you wouldn't know it, all 3 of the starts are the same size in my computer file, I just printed them out in proportionate sizes to match the deer.

At this point, perhaps I should have punched holes in the tops, put a ribbon through them and called it a day? (As in, sometimes less is more?!)

But no.....I wanted some bling.
Round 2 with glitter glue:

I had a bottle of red glitter-glue. Well, as you can see above, glitter-glue isn't quite as snazzy as regular old hard-working glitter, nor does it go on evenly. Grrrr!

So I added multi-colored regular old glitter (didn't have any red). Oh Joy, so nice and sparkly!

And the final result?

Having made their way to the top of the table, here they stand, paused, not sure what to do next.
Find some fake snow perhaps?!

In retrospect, I think I should have given the tags a white background to make it pop out a bit more; but that's getting a little fussy. They'll do for now. I'll figure something out....any ideas?!

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow, Gave the lustre of midday to objects below, When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer.

- Clement Moore, The Night Before Christmas.

More Christmas Glow

2011-12-10T16:35:00.002-06:00

A couple weeks ago I made some Christmas candles, using little more than a dollar-store candle. (If you're curious you can see it here, or you can probably just keep scrolling down....) This week I finished up another simple one, using this graphic from, where else?!, the Graphics Fairy:

The Graphics Fairy has other designs that sort of match this.
I may have to make a set!
(That's where the madness starts.....)

Along the bottom, in matching green, I added the inscription:

Joy to You at Christmas

I think it sounds quaint and, well...joyful!

After sizing my image to only be as tall as the wax (leaving the top part clear), I printed it out onto Decal Paper, etc. etc. etc. Here's the result!

The bow is just twine, combined with a couple jingle bells I found lying in a box of Christmas sequins, glitter & doo-dads; along with two leaves that fell off some "holly" holiday lights we bought this year (literally found them on the floor and thought, "these might work!"). See how well thought-out this whole process is? ha!

And here's the backside:

My quasi-lame attempt at "staging" has given the photo a sort of golden glow. The colors are actually a little more vibrant. I'll just call that soft light!

And now, dear readers, if you are still with me....I have to come clean. This is what my dining room table has looked like the past couple days. Aaaaarrrggghhh! This is pretty much what it looks like right now, as I am typing this. I have just received news that we are having guests dropping in for lunch tomorrow. You know, lunch--where you sit around the table.... Yikes!

.........................................................................

Update: Never let it be said that I can't rally when called upon!

xoxoxoxox

Have never joined anything like this, but thought it looked fun.

Wow, there's a whole lotta creative folks out there!

The Loveliness of Snow (When Not Scooping It)

2011-12-06T11:46:00.001-06:00

We had our first snow of the season this week!

It was a soft snow.

I was enchanted.

I was not scooping it!

Milk Can Christmas

2011-12-05T07:56:00.001-06:00

Last time I posted, I showed you this:

And I claimed that I had some big plans for it...oh yes, indeed!

It is with a sigh of relief that I can post an update on my progress.

Here it is in stages:

1) This is really an ugly, old milk can.

I cannot even remember where it came from. I'm thinking maybe it was in an old garage in our backyard when we bought our house. (The garage was a remnant of an old, 3 story barn that sat upon the hillside behind our home, long before our arrival upon the scene. We're told it had entrances on 2 levels. Sadly, that garage met its demise the day one of its stone walls collapsed--the result of an overly industrious groundhog undermining its foundation. That also happened to be the very same day my cat nearly died in surgery and our daughter broke her arm rollerskating! Ever have one of those days?!)

Good grief, I digress! Where was I? The milk can-- it is terribly dented, and horribly rusted; it has been painted over several times. The bottom is rusted and distended to the point where it will not stand flat anymore. (You, nor anyone else, will not be seeing that!) I cannot imagine what makes an old milk can bulge like that? Perhaps water froze and expanded inside there?

2) The milk can needed a paint job!

Christmas red was in order. (Please forgive the photo quality--quickly taken with my phone.) It's amazing how many flaws a good can of spray paint can cover! Remember, I'm not talking sophisticated restoration here--we're just skirting along by the skin of our teeth.... (Is that not one of the weirdest sayings ever?!)

It looks like I forgot a part, doesn't it?!

3) When you use decal paper, it will not transfer onto a dark background. I have no idea why exactly; I just go with it (and it wasn't a suitable project for a modpodge transfer, in my opinion). Therefore, I had to paint a white background the same size as the design I was planning to affix.

Here it is with a white rectangle suspiciously the approximate size of an 8 1/2" x 11" piece of paper.

4) I downloaded this antique postcard from the Graphics Fairy. (I'm developing a serious girlfriend crush on this woman--her site is so amazingly fun to delve into!)

This scene reminds me of Mr. P and myself
with our daughter when she was little.
Yep, we looked just like that!

With my computer, I enlarged it to fit onto a sheet of decal paper (8 1/2" x 11" standard size).

5) Miraculously (from my point of view) it fit into the white space provided! And because the decal is initially pliable after you remove the paper backing (and before it dries), I could adjust and straighten it, while also making it adhere nicely to what is definitely an uneven surface. I'd like to be able to show you a photo of this phase, but it's kind of intense-hands-on for that brief period; and I was alone. Nobody to man the camera....

So far, so good!

6) Let's put it outside, where it belongs!

It was actually snowing when I snapped the picture!

The greenery is actually some of those mini LED lighted stalks, made to look natural (well, as natural as lighted up plants would look, I suppose).

Here's the final version of how the front porch now looks.

Thanks for looking!

P.S. That's not my cat!

Candles & Light

2011-11-28T10:55:00.001-06:00

Combine a cheapo candle and some inspiration from a dangerous domestic anarchist (you can see her blog here!),

Cheapo candle -- a contrast study.

then add a sprinkling of fairy dust from The Graphics Fairy...

Combination of 2 images:
"The Christmas Tree" sheet music
&
an antique postcard cutout.

and what do you have?

This! As I mentioned in the caption above, this is comprised of 2 layered images. The postcard cutout was originally round, but I stretched it out a bit because I thought it suited the design better. Not sure it would have made any difference really. I also tried to get the song title at the top so that when the candle is lit, presumably, it would show. The images were printed out on decal paper and then affixed onto the votive. (Note to self: when using decal paper, you don't have to reverse the image! Duh!)

Here it is, all dressed up in its native habitat:

That's a twine bow & a sprig of "holly" around the top.

I added this one because I thought it was funny...
can you see me?!

(Humor me a bit...)

But wait, there's more! I couldn't limit myself to only 2 images:

Add caption

This was a plain, glass candle holder--the kind where you're supposed to fill it with water and put flowers & stuff in the bottom and float a candle on top (I think). The back layer on this one is an antique advertisement for Christmas toys from a toy store in Boston. Overlaid on the ad is a cutout of Santa from a postcard (both images also from GF).

I just couldn't seem to get the photography right, but I kept trying! Here's a sampling to show you all sides:

Left side.

Right side.

I wanted to show it lit up,
so I went to the windowless downstairs half-bath.

One more time...

Spooky Santa!?

I still have a few more images dancing around in my head...mixing with some glitter & ribbons & holly & such. Oh yes, there will be more to come--my kitchen table will not be seeing daylight for perhaps a week or more! However, this one's next in line:

Help?!

And if you're still with me at this point, thanks for indulging me! Really.

Can we have a DO-OVER please?

2011-11-22T15:51:00.001-06:00

Mr. P and I ~~celebrated~~ experienced another wedding anniversary! We share our anniversary with the Queen of England -- I'm sure that was unplanned on her part, as well as ours. And I'm not sure at all what they did to celebrate, but I'm pretty sure it was better than what we ended up doing!

In the early days of our courtship, we spent an annual long weekend in Madison, Wisconsin, attending a "conference." So, in a spirit of nostalgia and anticipation, off to Madison we went! On a friend's advice, we were booked at a refurbished bed & breakfast hotel, originally built in the Victorian Era. It's had its innings (haven't we all?!), but has survived an era of "squatting transients" (as the historical brochure curiously phrased it) to once again be used for its original purpose. It was quaint, but not too quaint--nary a doily in site; not even an antimacassar! Though, in hindsight, we could have used one...

On the bright, sunshiney morning that was our anniversary, I sat in the hotel's restaurant having some of the best Crab Cakes Eggs Benedict I've ever had in my life!....alone. Later, I went to a movie that has yet to see national release, but it is playing in Madison because, well, Madison is cool like that. I sat alone. After that, I wandered about an upscale shopping mall (we don't have that sort of thing out here in the sticks!), popping into this store and that, buying this and that....alone. And even later, I sat in my hotel room and pretty much downed an entire bottle of wine...and I may as well have been alone. And even later than that, I sat drinking in a bar...alone...waiting for my takeout meal to be ready.

Meanwhile, Mr. P spent our entire anniversary sitting in a chair in the corner, leaning his head back (antimacassar anyone?) with his eyes shut, or holding his head in his hands, in agony. When he wasn't doing that, he was horizontal, in agony. And when he wasn't doing that, he was too too too well acquainted with that little room with those quaint, antique-style hexagonal black/white tiles....bathroom tiles...in agony.

Don't think it was all fun and games.... when I wasn't busy spending our anniversary alone, I was out purchasing pain killers, Imodium, 7-Up, Ginger Tea; and bringing back food carefully packed by sympathetic cooks and waitresses (most of which, sadly, remained uneaten).

A horrid flu-bug (as if there's any other kind?) descended upon my beloved and, beyond the tincture of time, there just wasn't much we could do about it. He needed rest, darkness and quiet. I needed to save my sanity.

It was a very, very long day....for both of us, but especially for Mr. P.

xoxoxox

As I write this, the tincture of time has indeed worked its magic.

We are home again and Mr. P, while not exactly being at 100%, is doing much better.

Life for us, luckiest of all, goes on.

Yep, we're still afloat!

Squirrel Season

2011-11-14T07:31:00.002-06:00

My daughter absolutely loves squirrels. Her Christmas Elf has been busy this week, with a little help from The Graphics Fairy!

16" Pillow
Mattress Ticking Material
Iron-on graphic stitched onto the pillow.

Hand Towel

"When the trees their summer splendor

Change to raiment red and gold,

When the summer moon turns mellow,

And the nights are getting cold;

When the squirrels hide their acorns,

And the woodchucks disappear;

Then we know that it is autumn,

Loveliest season of the year.

--Carol L. Riser

Have a WALE of a good time!

2011-11-11T10:41:00.000-06:00

11-11-11

Otherwise known as "The Date Which Most Closely Resembles Corduroy."

Today is National Corduroy Appreciation Day!

If in doubt, check with the folks over at the Corduroy Appreciation Club.

"The time has come.
The Wales are aligning.
The date which most closely resembles Corduroy,
EVER, 111111 is upon us!
Rejoice. Rejoice! Our day has come."

As you can see, Mr. P is very happy to celebrate the spirit of the day! After all, not often does a retired Professor get to bring out (and celebrate) his work uniform. Trust me, these corduroy coats have the required leather elbow patches, too.

11-11-11

And, as if that weren't enough, the Corduroy Appreciation Club is searching for its Messiah--an 11 year old child born on 11-11. Says Club founder, Miles Rohan, "The parents need to be amenable to this sort of thing, and they need to explain to the child the lack of responsibility that comes with the title."
You can read all about it here.

We'll be going out to dinner tonight--you know what we'll be wearing!

All Hallows Eve

2011-11-03T17:37:00.001-05:00

Is there anything quite as thrilling as your candy haul at the end of a long Halloween night?! I remember my triumphant return home, walking into the living room and dumping the contents on the floor for sorting. I smile now thinking of myself separating out the candy I wasn't quite so enamored with--specifically the Milk Duds (they always stuck in my teeth & that bugged me....don't get me started!) and the Bit O' Honeys (do they even make those anymore?). I would oh-so-generously share these with my parents; my Dad especially liked Milk Duds. Win-Win! Really, who was I fooling?! I'm guessing they thought it was funny (and predictable) too!

I don't recall there being any sort of brakes put on my candy consumption. My parents pretty much had the attitude that if I ate too much of it, I'd start to feel sick and hopefully I'd have the good sense to stop eating! And maybe I'd remember that next time?! (Of course this was coming from my Dad who, as a boy, loved chocolate pudding so much that his older sister decided to make a huge bowl of it to see if he'd ever reach his saturation. He ate the whole thing and asked for more!)

Many of the kids forgot to say "Trick or Treat" when
they saw this scary guy at the door!

We did our bit to help the little urchins of our little village--full size Hershey bars at our house! Fun to hear their gasps of delight when they spied them or to watch them skipping down the sidewalk exclaiming about getting a BIG candy bar! A woman in my hometown did the same thing every year--nobody passed by her house. (It was rumored that some of the boys would switch masks and go back for seconds--boys!) I was so impressed that I vowed to myself that I was going to do that someday, too. And here I am, doing just that! Yay!

What a Crock!

2011-10-09T11:11:00.000-05:00

Ever start a project which then leads to several more projects? That's pretty much the story of my Summer (and Fall!).

Allow me to start with the easy ones (a.k.a....the finished ones):

Don't get me wrong, Mod-Podge remains my dependable, long-time friend & helper....we go back a number of years. (Just the name alone conjures up visions of tie-dye & hirachi sandals--it's obviously been around for awhile!) However, somebody new is in town, threatening to usurp MP's dominance for my attention. This new relationship was quite transparent from the get-go; allow me to introduce.... Decal Paper!

With the use of Decal Paper and the ever-satisfying Graphics Fairy, here's what I came up with:

This crock, which stands about 8" high, is actually used as a wastepaper basket in our downstairs bathroom. The era of the sign matches well with the age of the crock. So, what was a boring old crock, is now a stylish accent! You'll just have to trust me when I say it fits in well with the room decor. I also like that it's not too cutesy or froo-froo. I actually think when people see it, they assume it's original to the crock!

Another label from The Graphics Fairy and a smaller crock. I'll probably end up putting a plant in this; in the meantime, I just like looking at it! Again, the graphic seemed to match the crock so well. Timely for Fall, right?

The white terracotta pot with the bees on it is a product of messing around with Mod-Podge. Again, with a contribution from The Graphics Fairy, I used a bee graphic and experimented with 1) painting the pot beforehand with some leftover housepaint, 2) adhering the bee with MP, 3) letting it dry, 4) gently peeling/washing off the paper the next day while, hopefully, leaving the bee graphic on there, and 5) coating it with some clear poly.

Bee design replicated multiple times to create a border effect.

And while we're on the subject of projects, thought I'd throw this in for good measure.... last week I attended a baby shower for my nephew's yet-to-be-born son. (Apparently everybody wants to know ahead of time these days? What's wrong with a surprise now & then?, I ask!!)

I figured Gabriel might need some formal attire now & then. His new onesie was quite the hit. I didn't tell them (but I'll tell you) that the tie was made from an old pair of Mr. P's boxer shorts! Waste not, want not!

Next I'll attempt to show you the big project....the one which makes Mr. P nervous about ever getting his garage back! Really, it's winding down....it's almost finished....

That Grand Old Flag

2011-09-25T06:59:00.000-05:00

We had a grand time in St. Louis recently. Though you might not guess it, besides getting some psychologically much-needed dog time with Klaus, we really did do other things. An unexpected pleasure was seeing all the September 11th Memorial flags at Art Hill in Forest Park--the green expanse in front of the Art Museum leading down to the reflecting pools and fountains. We saw them on the news and, since we were mere blocks away, we figured a quick cruise through the park was in order. Everyone else (and their dogs) in St. Louis had pretty much the same idea! But a good idea it was--they were beautiful--even brought a lump to my throat as we walked among them.

Though it hardly captures it well, I tried to take some footage with my iphone:

The mood was not somber; more of joyful contentment. Everyone seemed to be having a good time. And I mean everyone.....look again, you may have missed this the first time around (I did):

The viewfinder on my phone is relatively small, so I didn't see him!:

How curious...he's kinda hard to miss!

Such a glorious day!

P.S. Who needs traveling gnomes?!

I love hummingbirds!

2011-09-21T08:29:00.000-05:00

We still have our hummers....they've been tanking up the last couple weeks, getting ready for the big trip south. Usually they leave around the 24th of September, so it's only a few more days now.

A friend sent me this video of a guy who raised a baby hummingbird. Very sweet.

He adds a post-script:

This is a baby hummingbird I rescued after it was attacked.The song is "Better Together" by Jack Johnson.UPDATE!!! when she thought she was ready to leave (and she was) she flew off to her favorite patch of the back yard, and her instincts instantly kicked in, and now she's just like all the other hummingbirds. for those that are concerned that she has imprinted on humans and wouldn't survive in the wild, don't worry, she is thriving. she has even successfully migrated and returned back to my yard. and for those who think i didn't know what i was doing, i did NOT feed her plain sugar water. i went outside 3 times a day and caught flies from my compost bin in big bags, crushed them, and mixed them in as well. I also helped her learn to catch flies while flying (not in the video because you obviously wouldn't be able to see the flies). in the end, i don't think it could have worked out any better

I notice one of the comments said there's nothing more s*xy than I guy who has a soft spot for animals. I concur!

Klaus: He's worth another look.

2011-09-18T10:08:00.000-05:00

Back home again to my dreary, lonely, pet-less house....

really, a great visit with friends and family, but it's nice to be home.

*Sigh*

I still miss him....

Klaus....ahem....Klaus!....hey, you!

Are you talking to me?

Why, yes, I am! Klaus, I'm over here!!

Oh, you are talking to me! Wanna go for a walk?!

You got it, buddy! Let's go!

Klaus' House

2011-09-10T16:24:00.000-05:00

We're spending a few days with Little Klaus (as I invariably refer to him). That's Klaus, which rhymes with House. He's named after some film director or philosopher--I don't recall which. However, no philosophers named Klaus come to mind, so it must be the film industry....?

I'll have my people talk with Klaus' people and get back to you on that!

Fiesta World

2011-09-01T10:23:00.002-05:00

It's come to my attention that another friend of mine has fallen victim to the Art Deco elegance of Fiesta dinnerware.

I'm so happy to have company!

Re-inspired, I noticed this large serving platter at a department store. Had to have it! Mr. P says it clears up any doubt as to just what all that stuff is above our kitchen cabinets. Ha!

My daughter showed excellent taste by choosing Fiestaware for her dishes--it's such fun to buy her pieces now and then! (Hmmm...could she have taken that into consideration when making her choice?! Clever girl!) She's a 4th Generation Fiesta collector in my family. Wow! Her Grandmothers would be pleased!

Sultry Summerness

2011-08-06T13:03:00.000-05:00

I've been waking up early the last few mornings....usually around 5:46 a.m. It's often foggy out, or at least I'm pretty sure that's what it is, as the windows are totally steamy, covered in the dew that attaches itself to me the moment I walk out the back door. The steam-bath that is our backyard has its own special nuance this time of year--consider: it's not everywhere that you work up a sweat just in the act of lifting your coffee mug!

View of the backyard garden shed as I drink my coffee in the morning.

I've been a busy bee lately....(more on that at a later date--let's just say, for the time being, it involves a lot of travel and furniture, excitement and exhaustion).

I'm not the only one who enjoys our hostas!

I'm hardly the only one, or thing, that's been busy. Witness, our garden: everything is just so...ample! All the flowers get so exuberant this time of year--putting on their best show--it's now or....next year! Ah, July!, you are my favorite, most favorite month of all!

More backyard.

Somebody was hungry...

And further up the backyard....

Blanket Flowers

Coneflowers

And on a side note...thoughts while drinking my morning coffee:

Trumpet Vines in the side yard.

Mr. Pocketts and I recently were away for the weekend to attend a wedding. Our daughter was the Matron of Honor--thus officially entering her "matronly stage." The bride is a lovely, intelligent, fun girl we've known since she was a tiny first grader. This weekend she was a beautiful, tiny bride! And something of a bigger Bridezilla! I never cease to be amazed at the whole wedding spell that comes over the most sane individuals, causing them to act out in ways they would hardly recognize or believe if confronted with said behavior. I still have confidence that our bride will come out from under the spell she cast upon herself. The wedding was beautiful and a grand success, despite that too-many-pearly-thingies-in-the-bridal-bouquets meltdown!

Ode to Eros
Where weddings begin?

Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind;
and therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.

Tiger Lilies on the other side.

Hmmm.... I shall ponder a bit more...I'm going to have more coffee and enjoy my verdant surroundings, before I get back to that furniture and exhaustion stuff I hinted at earlier!

Yikes, it's been a while!

2011-06-16T09:56:00.000-05:00

John Lennon said life is what happens to you when you're making other plans. Couldn't agree more at this particular time. Good grief, it's been a while--I have been AWOL!

The month of May is something of a blur for me, as I spent a lot of it with a sprained lower back--I've had backaches before, but this one was a doozy. When you have a backache, your world becomes very small. I mean very small! Distances are redefined: reaching for something 3 feet away becomes an insurmountable task. And sneezing---who knew your lower back muscles come into play when you sneeze?! All this required medical intervention. Let's just say I got to know my Physical Therapist far better than I ever planned! (And if you know of any young, single women who would like to meet a 33 year old golfing fanatic with a sense of humor and some ex-fiance issues--just let me know!)

I'm happy & relieved to be able to say I am better now. FYI: stretching exercises are worth the time & effort!

Since returning from Mexico, besides being flat on my back, I've been to San Diego (via car one way, airplane home), St. Louis, and in a couple days we'll be off to Colorado to attend a wedding, then off to San Diego via car (again). Phew! Here's some photos of happy days in the backyard....

This guy was grey when he was on the fencepost!

Mr. Toad of the side porch.

Mr. Toad of the pond.

Mr. Toad, kickin' back on a hot day.

Ms. Robin

I HEART U

The other Ms. Robin, she's a bit of a slattern,
if her housekeeping skills are indicative of other personality traits!

Bi-polar Tulip

Tree Trimming

2011-04-06T13:20:00.000-05:00

This time of year in Mexico, everyone is getting ready for Semana Santa (Saint Week....at Easter). And even though it will be quite late this year, preparations have started. That includes trimming the dying fronds off the coconut trees, along with any sizable coconuts--reminds me of that statistic about the number of people dying from coconuts every year verses whatever....

Which then reminds me that this nearly happened to Mr. P and I this year! We were innocently walking along in a little beach cove town, along a sort of promenade lined with very tall palms. Frighteningly, we nearly learned the hard way that they don't bother to trim their palm trees down there, as a huge, ripe coconut came crashing down right beside us! Neither of us saw or heard it coming until it whizzed by our heads!

They needed to hire this guy:

He waved to me on the way up!

Or maybe this guy:

They made quite a team!

Watch as he scampers up this tree, safety gear optional!

Up....

and up, until he can start shredding the first dead bits.

Then the chopping begins in earnest:

One year we happened to be packing up to leave when this fellow was literally outside my window. He glanced in and saw my suitcases as I looked out and saw him. We exchanged waves and smiles. It was a bit like The Wizard of Oz when Dorothy, flying through the tornado, looks out the window of her careening house and waves to that little knitting granny! Just like that...except for the tornado part! Haha!

Done & down! Bring on Easter!

Time and Tides

2011-02-28T11:12:00.000-06:00

I've been in paradise for a month now! Strange how time has gone quickly when I have slowed down....

I don't remember how to scrub a floor.

I haven't a clue how to do my own dishes.

What's a washing machine?

Do you know how to make your own bed in the morning? I seem to have forgotten!

I must be losing my mind.....

And I'm enjoying every minute of it!

Does this look sideways to you?! Why is that?!

Salud!

A Day that will live in Fantasy

2011-01-24T09:35:00.000-06:00

Have you noticed all the "anniversaries" our national media has been observing lately? Strangely, it's like our country lives a lot in its past. Some nostalgia for days gone by is not to be dismissed; after all, if everyone forgot, we'd have no history, no identity. But it seems to have gone a bit far--like we're spending more time looking backward than forward. I saw a poll where more Americans than ever think our country's best days are behind us--perhaps all these memorials are a manifestation of these feelings. Here is but a few examples in the past week:

1.
The "architects" of the Iraq war got together to commemorate themselves for what they did 20 years ago. At the time, I stood on a cold, snowy street corner with a handful of fellow pacifists holding signs saying things like "No Blood for Oil." We got cheers, we got the finger, we got car horns. I have not changed my opinion since then.

2.
Fifty years ago President Kennedy was inaugurated. As part of the festivities, he gave us an incredibly good speech. Wasn't around for that one, but my pregnant Mother was doing her best for our country during his administration.

3.
Twenty-five years ago the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded. Where were you then? the media asks. Answer: in college, taking an Interim course called "Children's Theatre." I played "Yellow" in one memorable scene. Things looked dire for America, but at least one place was coming up rainbows!

4.
And on one very busy day 30 years ago, January 20, 1981, Ronald Reagan was inaugurated, becoming our oldest President ever, and all those Iran hostages were freed--one of the most historic days in 20th Century American history.....except that day doesn't exist!

For me anyway.

You see, I left for Australia to be an exchange student for a year on January 19th, flying over the Pacific and the International Dateline. I arrived on January 21st. January 20th never existed. The Western world took a noticeable shift....and so did I!

************************************

Hope is definitely not the same thing as optimism. It is not the conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty that something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out.

--Vaclav Havel, Disturbing the Peace, ch. 5

Rambling thoughts on a Snow Day!

2011-01-11T11:41:00.001-06:00

Our backyard, looking toward our neighbor's garage.

Today is 1-11-11..... second only to 11-11-11.

Today is a day to wear Corduroy!

(If you're saying, "Huh?" think about it!)

****************

And just one more thing:

assuming you have no choice,

do you "scoop" snow or "shovel" snow?!

****************************

Down Mexico Way

2011-01-08T10:42:00.000-06:00

I've been spending a lot of time in pajamas lately. We call them our soft clothes, as in "Enough of this formal wear [jeans], I'm putting on some soft clothes!" I haven't got to the point where I never get out of soft clothes---that would somehow seem too slovenly and my Protestant work-ethic/guilt would set in by at least two o'clock if I wasn't dressed by then. (And then I'd have no way of knowing that my jeans no longer fit because pajamas are very forgiving after you've eaten a boatload of cookies over the holidays...) All in all, I think it has something to do with all the dark days; the cold, snowy, blustery weather we've been having; Mr. P's seemingly endless hacking cough for the past ten days and counting; the boatload of cookies...

I just don't want to deal with it anymore! I want to be warm! I want sun! I want Vitamin D!

So where am I going with this???.........

I'm going to MEXICO!!!

I bought two airplane tickets yesterday (yes, Mr. P, cough & all, gets to come along because I like his company) and, come February 1st, we're soooo out of here!

It's warm there! It's sunny there! People like ~~my money~~ me there! There's Vitamin D there!

View from our balcony..... why am I not there now?!

There, there..... it's all good!

Reflections on Christmas & a Series of Small Miracles

2010-12-29T09:39:00.001-06:00

The last of our holiday guests left this morning and I find myself alone for the first time in days. It was a good Christmas, better than I had anticipated! Looking back, several things stand out in my mind....

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were gloriously, snowy white--big, beautiful flakes falling on our noses and eyelashes--the kind Tony Bennett was singing about all week long at our house, via his Christmas album, that is. (And since when did that song become a Christmas song?, we wondered aloud this week. Kind of in the same way Jingle Bells is? Tangential connections at best!)

Everyone in my extended family was most cordial and kind to one another on Christmas Eve. This is something of a miracle, considering there had been some dust-ups preceding the grand event. (I'd like to think I'm "Switzerland" in all this, but I do favor one side. Mr. P says not to be concerned about that as "even Switzerland leaned toward the Nazis." Haha!) However, we continue to handle these flareups true to our brooding Scandinavian heritage and tradition: we silently seethe and obsess about some irksome person or situation until we eventually grow tired of it and put it out of our minds, hopefully to be swept under the rug and forgotten entirely! And my step-son's incredibly yummy fried turkey didn't hurt matters either! Miracle?....check!

Coincidentally, two of our guests who were supposed to be at our Christmas morning brunch were unable to attend, as they were stuck in London due to too much of that glorious, snowy white. Oddly, they do not know each other and it seems strange to me when I think that there were 2 people in that far away metropolis who were both trying to get to the same tiny town in the Midwest of America. Would have been even more bizarre if they ended up on the same flight, then met at our house thinking, "I know I've seen that guy somewhere before...."

I drank too much, but suffered no ill after-effects. I am considering that my Festivus Miracle!

My step-son's girlfriend (you know, the one who never picks up a restaurant tab) actually seemed flattered when I presented her with a meatless version of this year's "Breakfast Strata" in her own little mini casserole dish. (It's not that she's a non-meat eater on any sort of ethical grounds--that would be easier to accept; it's just that she doesn't like the taste of any meat except chicken--white meat only.) Sometimes it's hard to connect with her....another Christmas miracle?!

Sausage & Sun-dried Tomato Strata

I found the most perfect recipe for Christmas cut-out cookies. You see, my mother never made them when I was growing up. Perhaps she did at one time, but those days must have been long gone by the time I came along. (Alas, the curse of the youngest child.) I've been through a number of middling recipes over the years; the last one (before Xmas season) had me planning to give away all my cookie cutters to the Goodwill. Then I stumbled upon one more recipe (hope springs eternal?!) and decided to try.... Let's just say the Goodwill (God bless that excellent organization) is not getting my cookie cutters and people were asking me for "my" cookie recipe! Miracle time!!!

The little guy is frowning 'cause his arm has been eaten!

Mr. P was a most excellent Christmas elf! Remember that Le Creuset uber-practical pot I suggested? Got it!...well, got the oval version by mistake, but I figure I can just learn to stir in ovals rather than circles! Those mercury glass pillar candleholders?....got 'em!...well, two of the tallest size rather than a threesome--a perfect pair! All the other sizes aren't available until June! (Nice job, Pottery Barn merchandise people, nice job!--a lump of coal for you?!)

Mr. P is renowned for his present wrapping.
In his world, there are no square corners!

And perhaps in his starring role as elf, Mr. P presented me with this romantic little item:

This dragonfly pin is a "whimsical adaptation" of the original which is in the Kremlin Museum in Moscow. The funny thing is, I've probably looked at the original, but have forgotten! (I know, that sounds so blasé! In my defense, there were so many, many incredible insect and plant forms adapted into precious gems--those Czarinas sure had cool stuff!) If you want one, you can get one here.

Yes, all in all, a good holiday! I hope your holiday season was just as kind to you.
Contented sigh.... on to 2011....!

The most astonishing thing about miracles is that they happen.

---G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936)

Happy Festivus for the Rest of Us!

2010-12-23T15:33:00.000-06:00

Today, December 23rd, is Festivus!

Get your Festivus pole out of the closet, prepare for the feats of strength,

get ready for the airing of grievances, and most of all,

expect a Festivus miracle!

(Glaedelig Jul is Danish for Merry Christmas,
which actually isn't as creepy as this guy makes it look!)

"Green" Christmas

2010-12-17T02:11:00.000-06:00

Some people just seem to have a clever way about doing things. I envy that!

Take a look:

A cleverly wrapped Christmas gift from a friend of ours. It's sitting under our Christmas tree and it is my understanding that it contains homemade vodka infusions. (That much was divulged because we were supposed to be sure to keep it upright; she wasn't sure about the cork reliability factor!) The flavors of said infusions remain a mystery. Oh, sweet anticipation!

Funny, I don't remember them going to Cozumel....

******************************

I have come to believe that giving and receiving are really the same.

Giving and receiving -- not giving and taking.

--Joyce Grenfell

Merry Merry Merry....

2010-12-11T07:20:00.003-06:00

Some people are so darned creative....a little holiday music for you!

(Will you be able to watch this only once?!)

Good grief, it'z blizzarding outzide!

Here'z what it lookz like, only minutez ago:

Pardon the picture quality...taken with phone.

Sure, yesterday it was nearly 50 degrees, and today it's in single digits, wind howling, snowing horizontally.

I make fun of how much we Midwesterners are willing to talk about the weather

...geesh, it's something to talk about today!

Luckily, this stack is out of the blizzard and well on its way to California! Hooray!

(Note Christmas Story paper on top!)

Now it's time to have more of those
Black Walnut & Golden Raisin Cookies
I've been obsessing about (and eating) for days!

Cheers!

'Tis better giving than receiving....

2010-12-02T11:35:00.001-06:00

Most of my Christmas shopping is done! Hooray! Generally I find it pretty easy to think of things for people I love. My problem is usually reining myself in. Not the case with Mr. P, "Eccentric Genius" that he is. He has difficulty this time of year. From his point of view, you'd think the stars have aligned to conspire against him: there's my birthday, our wedding anniversary, and Christmas...1-2-3-!! They tend to stack up on him and his solution is to generally sigh a lot and purse his lips. (Actually I'm playing fast and loose with that last part about the lips; I can't be sure, they're under his moustache and no one, other than his dentist, has seen them in decades.)

Holiday fatigue had already set in by #2, our anniversary. By some mysterious consensus, we didn't exchange gifts. Sadly, we didn't even exchange cards! (And I love cards!) Mr. P suggested that we could go to the card store, pick out cards, and pretend we had given them to each other. (Lame!) I suggested a nifty follow-up would be to go to the jewelry store and look at all the fancy jewelry that we didn't give each other. Then we could go to the luxury car dealership and pick out our new car that we didn't give each other. The possibilities are endless! (For some reason I think he interpreted my cleverness as sarcasm. C'est la vie!)

I'm starting to get the impression that I am something of a burden to buy for. This is probably brought on by the fact that I hardly "need" anything--that is totally what I call a "champagne problem." You know, like super rich guys sitting over their prime rib dinners complaining about all the taxes they have to pay because (you can only surmise?) they've made so much money that year! And speaking of expensive dinners.....

Over the Thanksgiving break we went out to dinner with my step-son and his girlfriend. It was not a grand affair--really just getting a bite at a decent restaurant the evening before the big feast. The bill for four of us came to $150.00. Not to sound petty (ok, this will probably sound petty) but my entree was $14.00. Mr. P purses his lips (I assume) and pays it--afterall, the bill always seems to be placed in front of the oldest male at the table and nobody quibbles with this quaint custom. For example, we have yet to see the girlfriend (who has a high-paying job in middle management with a Fortune 500 company, as they say) ever, ever pay for a meal. So, pettiness aside, where am I going with this?....Logically, if one can plunk down $150 for a bite, everything being relative, what should one plunk down for a Christmas present? Something that will last longer than 1.5 hours and hopefully not leave you with indigestion?! Hmmmm....has the ante been upped?

So here's a helpful list of ideas (some of these I even managed to create a link, just scroll the cursor over the words):

1) Firstly, I have to make a disclaimer (Lutheran guilt; all Scandinavians have it). We have given to our favorite charities already. The holidays aren't only about us, yada yada yada. Our favorites are Doctors Without Borders, our local Animal Shelter, Project Zawadi, Amnesty International and our local United Fund.

2) I know plenty of women who refuse to even consider the joy of receiving a housework-related gift, such as a vacuum or mixer. My Mom always said that if it's something that makes your life easier, then it truly is a gift! (In all fairness, my friend who received the dustbuster would have been far more thrilled if a piece of jewelry was attached to the handle. Gentlemen take note.) My housework related choice:

Le Creuset Signature Round Dutch Oven, 7 1/4-Qt.

The practicality of this choice astounds me--I may never have to pony up for another one of these things in my lifetime! Really, everyone in the household benefits with this one. (Shipping might be a little pricey for something this substantial, but there's some good deals out there....pay $30 and get "free" shipping for a year! Woot!)

2) Pajamas....who doesn't need new pajamas? However, I'm tall and I hate pajama pants that are too short. Have you ever noticed that in practically every clothing store there's a "petite" section, but there's never a "tall" section for women?! There's usually a tall section in men's.... alas, I guess women are supposed to be average or short, and if you're tall you already have a leg up on the other gals and you have no right to complain (or so it seems). Hrrmmmph! So...walking into just any clothing store is out of the question for Mr. P. (On the upside, I cannot begin to calculate the amount of money and time I have saved by seldom bothering to go into clothing stores! :)

3) Jewelry--yeah, it's cliche. So what's your point?!

4) Scarves, preferably of the silky or woven linen-like variety, not the actually there to keep you warm variety. Does that make sense?

5) Antiques. Hmmm...that's kind of broad. Just putting that out there...

6) Antique Mercury Glass Pillar candle holders--Should probably say "antique" here... don't "need" them, but like 'em! (And free shipping, folks!)

Phew! I am plumb out of ideas! Now what to do about Festivus?!

Cutest.Dog.Ever.

2010-11-27T07:00:00.002-06:00

My daughter texted me over the holidays:

"Want to see the cutest photo of Lola EVER?"

She's right!

Happy Holidays!

'Tis Time to Give Thanks

2010-11-22T14:46:00.007-06:00

Over the river and through the woods

to Grandmother's house we go.

The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh

through the white and drifted snow. Oh!

Over the river and thru the wood,

Oh, how the wind does blow!

It stings the toes, and bites the nose,

As over the ground we go.

Over the river and thru the wood,

To have a first-rate play;

Oh, hear the bell ring,

"Ting-a-ling-ling!"

Hurrah for Thanksgiving Day-ay!

Over the river and through the woods

Trot fast my dapple gray.

Spring over the ground like a hunting hound

For this is Thanksgiving Day, Hey!

Over the river and through the woods

And through the barnyard gate.

We seem to go extremely slow

It is so hard to wait!

Over the river and through the woods
Now Grandmother's face I spy.
Hurrah for the fun,
Is the pudding done?
Hurrah for the pumpkin pie!

Autumn brings poetic thoughts....

2010-11-15T12:09:00.001-06:00

"O wild West Wind, thou breath of Autumn's being.

Thou, from whose unseen presence the leaves dead

Are driven, like ghosts from an enchanter fleeing."

- Percy Bysshe Shelley

She Baked Me a Cake!

2010-11-11T15:40:00.000-06:00

Cashing in air miles, we spent the first week of November in sunny San Diego, visiting the Girl Child and her Marine hubby and, of course, our Granddog Lola!

Lola was happy to see her Abuela!
(We try to speak to her in her native language as much as possible!)

Rumor had it the weather was unseasonably warm back home (we're happy for our friends we left behind).... it was unseasonably warm and sunny in San Diego as well! Yay! No marine layer in the mornings--we woke up to bright, sunny, cloudless skies all week long.

Ocean Beach

Our favorite place to go this time was the Dog Beach at Ocean Beach. If you ever want to witness absolute JOY-- go there and observe all the dogs! Our little Lola did pretty well holding her own; though she often seemed more intriqued with the dogs' owners than with the dogs themselves. (She's such a people person!) At one point she became very attached to a spritely young woman jogging down the beach with her little Yorkie. Apparently Lola figured she'd just go live with them from that point forward; or at least you'd get that impression by the way she never looked back...not even once. Aside from that, it finally dawned on her that she could RUN....preferably in large, circuitous movements at breakneck speed. She received compliments on her prowess from other dog "parents." We're so proud of our little Lolabug!

More Ocean Beach (but not the dog part).

Mr. P and I walked out onto the Pier and had lunch--an awesome Mahi Mahi Fish Taco washed down with Iced Tea. (Wish I could show you some amazing, well-lighted, perfectly proportioned "foodie" photo here....but I only had my iPhone. As if you'd be getting that otherwise! ha!) The salt air smell made us homesick for Mexico; this was a pretty good substitute.

Our view from the restaurant.

And for the grand finale...the actual reason (excuse) for making this trip..... my birthday! People were very, very good to me: Mr. P realized my need for some gold hoop earrings (his lament: "It's not a good time to be buying gold." But he sucked it up anyway!). Our Marine smoked a leg of lamb using some of the lilac wood we brought along in our suitcases--those puppies are surprisingly heavy. (Bet the baggage handlers wouldn't have guessed "lilac logs"!)

Baaaaahhhhh!

And the Girl Child made this:

Yes, a first....the tables have turned....she made me a cake!! Hidden beneath that "Tie Dye" exterior was a superb Red Velvet cake. We're so proud of our little Beanie! If this is a reward for getting older, bring it on!

*********************

With mirth and laughter, let old wrinkles come.

--William Shakespeare

Alternative realities.

2010-11-10T15:33:00.000-06:00

I need to make a correction to my previous post-- I was wrong, I said Meg Whitman spent something like $60 million. It's more like $140 million.

That's $140 million!

One hundred forty million dollars!

ONE HUNDRED FORTY MILLION DOLLARS!

ONE HUNDRED FORTY MILLION DOLLARS!

****************

I can hardly grasp the concept of that much money. Obviously Meg couldn't either! But let's suppose Meg gets a re-do. If Meg had to spend $140 million--and it can't be on herself (because she tried that last time with less than stellar results)--what should she spend it on?

Hmmm.....for starters.....

A little college in Pennsylvania recently received a gift of a mere $30 million. They're over the moon. How about Whitman University?--though I'm not sure I'd want to major in their Political Science program!

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Have you voted yet?

2010-10-31T17:08:00.000-05:00

Have you voted yet? Have you managed to wade your way through the political muck our society is drowning in? If you've been paying attention, you know that we're surrounded by the most evil people in the history of humankind and, strangely, every single one of them happens to want to become or remain an elected official! It's a scary world out there, and we must practice constant vigilance! Or so we're told....

I truly believe most every politician originally entered politics because he or she wanted to contribute to the good of our society--whether they are Democrat or Republican, etc. etc. I also think every politician, deep down in their hearts (if there's anything left in there) knows this as well. So it's just plain depressing when they, along with their like-minded pundits, resort to demonizing anyone who isn't in lock-step with their agenda. Just look at those TV ads if you doubt me.

Is it really noble to spend $60 million of your own fortune, or the money earned by others for that matter, on your bid for office? Take the blatent example of Meg Whitman of eBay fame.... apparently she wants the power and prestige which comes with being the Governor of California (and the possibilities of future offices that seat holds?) Sadly, she could have used that $60 million to start an amazing charitable foundation--as to who it would benefit, take your pick. She could have been a much loved and admired woman of influence. I guess her ego and priorities are elsewhere.

Could it be that there's just too much money at stake? Could it be that campaign finance reform, and I mean real campaign finance reform, might be an answer? Oh sure, some of them talk about it, but then they get into office and their convictions seem to melt away. It must be hard to keep your eye on the ball when all those corporate and PAC contributions keep flowing in.

I've been involved in politics for a long time. I made my campaign debut in 1972 when my friend Jeff and I led the Nixon campaign at our elementary school. And we won! It was those little Nixon buttons we designed out of cardboard (and distributed at recess) that did it--that sort of thing didn't occur to those McGovern losers! Looking back, the whole experience remains one of my most memorable elementary school experiences--though I'm not sure whether to be proud or ashamed, considering my candidate! ( I don't recall my bemused parents saying much to me about it; I have a hunch they didn't vote the way I did!)

I'm still into politics. Mr. Pocketts and I are the local representatives for our County political party. I've been the Caucus Chairman several times--it's actually kind of fun. We put up yard signs, sometimes write letters to the editor, volunteer at our County Fair booth; I'm not sure whether it always helps, but we've met lots of people in the process--of both sets of stripes and a myriad of opinions ranging from Tea time to twilight zone!! I'm pretty sure every one of us cares about our country, even though I admit to feeling "charitable" saying this.

I watched some of John Stewart's "Restore Sanity and/or Fear" rally on C-span yesterday. His end speech was stirring--particularly appropriate for me as that's just what I was doing--stirring ingredients together for an apple pie. It was not lost on me that, as John went on about how the vast majority of us get along with each other every single day in America, respecting the rights of others, I was making that most American of foods--apple pie! (Ok, groan if you like, but really...)

The past year, I've almost totally quit watching television news. When we spent several weeks in Mexico last winter, I didn't miss it. We read the newspaper instead. Congress was debating healthcare; the newspapers were factual, not alarmist, merely giving us a review of events. When we got home and turned on the TV, it was like we were witnessing a different world--a world of strife and back stabbing, a world that most wanted us to hold on through the next commercial break to hear more of the same. It's a world we wanted no part of. We turned it off. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying to give it up and let whatever happens happen. I'm just saying we need rational thinking--something that is hard to find in cable TV land. It can really only be found within each one of us, if we have the fortitude.

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"If you want to live like a Republican, vote Democrat!"

--Harry Truman

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Bumbling along...

2010-10-26T08:22:00.003-05:00

....through Bulgaria!

Ask somebody what they think of when you mention Bulgaria and you'll get varied answers (excluding those who just give you a quizzical, somewhat blank look)--my favorite being "Is that where Bulgur wheat comes from?" There's more to this country than Olympic weight-lifting cheats or the classic Bulgarian "heavy" in every Cold War spy novel!

When you're trundling across Bulgaria in a bus, you'll get a variety of comments, apparently depending on where you're from:

"This looks like west Texas." (It was hot and dry that day in the southwest.)

"This looks just like Kansas." (Fields and fields of blooming sunflowers.)

"This looks like it could be Indiana." (Cornfields.)

"We could be in Kentucky right now." (More cornfields.)

It's pretty obvious Bulgaria is an agricultural country--field after field of sunflowers, corn, and most surprisingly--roses. While we didn't actually see them blooming (that's in June, I'm told), it's not often you see something you think of as a fancy garden plant grown on an industrial scale! Bulgarians are justly proud of their roses; we were told all about them over the span of, say, hours. (There's a lot of miles to cover--there's time.) We were highly encouraged to purchase rose scented lotions and perfumes--kind of with the assumption that you'd have to be out of your mind not to want rose scented everything. After a pit-stop, our bus full of sweaty tourists started smelling better and better.... Mr. P, with an expression of growing contentment, commented that it made him think of his Grandma. Apparently he wasn't the only one; everybody seemed rather pleased to be there! Hmmm... maybe this was the Guide's diabolical plan all along?! Now if she had brought out a plate of warm cookies....

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Chances are, if you see a monument in Bulgaria,
it's commemorating a battle with the Turks.
Chances are, the Turks won.

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Typical Soviet architecture in Eastern Europe.
Where a Soviet star or hammer & sickle once resided...there is nothing.
Depending on your point of view,
this might be considered an architectural improvement.

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A church in Vidin, Bulgaria.
You'd mind your P's & Q's walking through
that door, wouldn't you?!

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Beautiful Bulgaria

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“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.”

---Mark Twain

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All the really important things....

2010-09-27T09:52:00.001-05:00

Istanbul has a lot of really cool stuff--major understatement!
Beginning with the city walls....it was a fortified city at one time.

And then there's the mosques...the glorious, wonderful, stupendous, awesome, utterly beautiful mosques!

The Blue Mosque
As you can tell, I loved those pink flowers!
Never did find out what they were,
but they were everywhere.

However, there are the lesser known mosque Cats!

Doesn't everybody take photos of cats while on vacation?!

At the entrance of the Blue Mosque.

One photo is not enough, let's get a better look....

Hello, Puss!

Then again, besides the feline distractions, there is this:

Blue Mosque

I should mention here that it was 98 degrees, no breeze, with high humidity; probably warmer inside the mosque. So there I stood in this grandeur, trying to pretend that a torrential sweat was not running down my backside, remaining calm, even striking a thoughtful pose (ha!). One must maintain a sense of decorum afterall. But on the inside....I was jumping for joy, doing cartwheels, exclaiming (oh so thoughtfully, of course): "This is so cool!!!!"

You could pretty much say I felt that way on the entire trip!

Inside the Hagia Sofia (Aya Sofya)
For a little perspective,
those round Arabic discs are 25 feet across.
(Isn't that a couple storeys high?)

The Hagia Sofia deserves an encore because it's just that amazing! (I'll spare you the other 100 or so photos I took of this place! Not kidding!)

Can you tell I have a thing about pillars & columns?

Later, we went to the Topkapi Palace...where the big-time Sultan lived, with his rather large entourage of servants, family, and of course, the Harem.

Speaking of Harems....

Maybe this was a little more along the lines you'd expect to see at a Palace?:

I guess I have a thing for domed ceilings, too!

At one point Mr. Pocketts and I escaped to go to the National Museum of Antiquities. (Still 98 degrees, etc.) Here's what you do when you have a few extra bits laying around:

Any one of these would have been the centerpiece of a museum back where I come from!

And when you blessedly collapse in a chair to have an icy cold Coke (98 degrees...), somebody might be watching you:

Why, hello there, you!

The Turks, or rather the Romans at the time, also made good use of a few leftover Greek bits. During Justinian's reign, ginormous cisterns were built. And what if you had a couple pillars that, for whatever reason, didn't quite meet the specs? Well, you improvise:

Finally a good use for those pesky, old Medusa heads.

Sometimes you have to do that more than once:

After all that, it sure did feel good to get back to our hotel room and lie down in the air-conditioned bliss! We were dead tired!

While we were gone, our hotel was thinking about us. They were kind enough to leave treats for us--every day was a Turkish Delight indeed! (sorry, couldn't resist)

Ok, so I took photos of my hotel candy--don't judge me!

And as for the cat picture-taking thing....in my defense, I wasn't the only one!

********* ********* *********

Join me next as, for some quirky reason, I decide that riding across Bulgaria in a bus sounds like a swell idea!

A Soft Introduction to an Old World

2010-09-10T10:28:00.001-05:00

Let's see....where were we?

Ah, yes...the Bed & Chair in London....

If you are familiar with traveling to London, you know that you can spend a lot of money just to stay in a reasonably comfortable hotel, which will include a semi-reasonably good breakfast, and (hopefully) your own private bathroom. It's an expensive city! So...you get a bed and you get the requisite chair...and you make do. Speaking in mere generalities, we have a long running joke with an Australian friend of ours who actually lives in London now, trying to capture the curious English mindset: "Why be comfortable when you can make do?" I love England, but they do have a penchant for the whole "stiff upper lip" thing and happily putting up with adverse circumstances. It's a matter of pride, I guess--they will persevere!

I digress... back to the chair....you can have this chair:

The Chair

Or ((she flippantly says)) you can fly to Istanbul and have THIS chair:

Ahhhh!

Difficult choice, eh? But wait a minute, here's what it looked like after I'd made myself a little more comfortable:

This is only about one third of the room....there was the TV, the desk, the walls of windows, the view, the marble and tile bath, the doorbell..... (And, for my needlework friends, see that framed design above the bed? That's real embroidery!) Why am I blathering on so about a room, you might ask? Well, it was all so unexpected! This was included in a last-minute, heavily discounted river cruise deal (which we did a little further bargaining for an even better deal--believe me, they'll work with you on that!). We just hadn't realized this was part of the package---I'd naively been expecting a Bed & Chair! I was prepared to make do. Hmmm....maybe the English are onto something?....Who says you can't benefit from low expectations?!

The Bosphorus

View from our window.

Really, the difference was night and day!

M.T. Pocketts is no longer Abroad!

2010-09-02T15:33:00.003-05:00

Yep, have been back for almost a week...but that doesn't mean I've been doing much of anything! Kind of nice to take a little vacation after my vacation! haha! I took hundreds (yes, literally hundreds) of photos, of which I'm slowly making my way through. I'll share a few of them over the next few posts. First off....

LONDON

I'm assuming most people pretty much know what scenes of London look like, right? This was not my first trip to London (I am very, very lucky), nor will it be my last, God willing! We took a little day trip south of London intending to find Hever Castle. ... got a bit lost and literally ended up in a cow pasture! We thought about our friends picturing us glamorously cavorting about Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square and such. Nope!--COW PASTURE!

Where now, brown cow?!

We kept following path after path, zig after zag...

Stay on the paths between the pastures!

We also stumbled across nice, little, unassuming English cottages. For some reason, we got the feeling they weren't thrilled to see us! Hmmm....nevermind.

We finally did make it to the castle.... Aside from being saved by the Astors in the early 20th Century, the claim to fame of Hever Castle is that it is the childhood home of one Miss Anne Bolelyn.

Here I am, standing on the moat. Yes, there's a moat! It is a Castle afterall!

Every decent castle has to have a nice courtyard:

They told us Anne looked out these windows. Well, duh!

Apparently Edward Scissorhands had recently visited the castle, too. I'm so sorry we missed him!

For our Midwestern friends!

Lastly, I will leave you with a photo from our hotel in London, which we christened "The Bed and Chair." It will provide a lovely segway for our next Bed and Chair....

Lovely, yes?! And so cozy, comfy, too!

They say you can't go back to Constantinople....

2010-08-04T21:42:00.000-05:00

Hmmm....I'll just have to go to Istanbul!

">

Really, I'm not kidding! I said I had a lot on my plate this week.... let's just say a week ago I had no plans to be getting on a plane this Friday and going to London for a few days, before jetting off to Istanbul! And later, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Croatia & Hungary. I'm still pinching myself! I'll let you know how it goes.

*(*)*(*)*(*)*

I wanna hang a map of the world in my house. Then I'm gonna put pins into all the locations that I've traveled to. But first, I'm gonna have to travel to the top two corners of the map so it won't fall down.

Mitch Hedberg

American comedian (1968 - 2005)

Au revoir!

Projects Projects Projects!

2010-08-01T18:02:00.000-05:00

Since our return from California we've been busy finishing up some projects that we've been intending to complete for some time now! Like, say, 6 or 7 years perhaps? In the case of the antique stained glass window in our library, it has been that long! *blush* It was installed in a hurry (I don't remember why) and the frame was never stained and varnished to match the woodwork around it. You know how you can get used to things and start "not seeing" the flaws?... the window is so pretty, we stopped noticing the frame entirely! So it sat there, and it sat there.....

Voilà! One stained and varnished window frame which, not surprisingly, looks a whole lot better that way! Magically, it makes the glass look better, too! Who knew?!

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And yet another project is completed: The highchair! This was a Goodwill purchase for a couple bucks....originally I was going to remove the paint and have it be a wood-grain finish. However, it was just too scarred and messed up. There comes a time when you have to admit defeat and go to Plan B. That would be paint! I'm not a fan of paint--I've saved some beautiful antique pieces from "antique green" oblivion, to reveal awesome quarter-sawn oak beneath. The transformation would convince most to shy away from paint stores forever! But this time.... Paints have definitely improved--I found some lovely black (made by Rustoleum called "American Accents") that leaves it a satin-like, Colonial-style finish. They had several shades: dark green, dark red, creamy white, slate blue; but I decided a basic black would work wherever I decided to put it.

Before (well, During.... I had removed at least 3 layers of paint in blue, white and yellow):

After:

The Fleur-de-lis was an afterthought. I just love it!
Since I don't have any small people in the house, it might end up being a plant stand. We shall see.

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And remember the fern stand from last year? (Of course you don't, but here's a reminder!) That, too, proved to be a mess underneath its god-awful brown porch paint. I had so hoped it was a lovely oak (it's very heavy!), but instead, it looked to be several pieces of mahogany glued together before being lathed. Not a good look for actually seeing the wood!

So....it got the black paint treatment as well! And it's done!

Now I just need a big Boston fern and I'll be set!

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Some stitchery has also been completed. There's another more complicated one that's getting tantalizingly close to being done, but I did this one in the meantime for a change of pace! Approximately 8x10, it was a quickie & fun to do.

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All in all, when I'm done with all of that, I prefer to be doing this....Cheers!

I just love summer!

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Ok, gotta go---I've got a lot on my plate this week. Just you wait and see!

It's almost August already? What??!!??!!

2010-07-27T11:53:00.001-05:00

After 4376 miles on the car and 75 hours in the car, we arrived back home!

Ever so briefly--

Our main purpose of the trip had to do with helping our daughter move back to San Diego and reuniting with her husband. Mission accomplished!

This is what it looks like when your Dad comes home from Okinawa!

XOXOXOXOXOX

Then, free of further obligation, Mr. Pocketts and I headed north along the famous coastal Highway 1.

Some highlights on the way back home:

Solvang, California serves incredibly good Danish food!

(It's worth repeating!)

Let's just say that the Hearst "Castle" at San Simeon, California is very cool! Usually I think those 'over the top' sorts of home are so awful & garish (as in: "you can never have too much gold Baroque decor"--blek!), but this one was nice and tasteful, in our opinion, that is. Here's a picture of one of the guest houses where all sorts of famous folks stayed. (It's very Moorish in design--reminded us very much of a Tater palace we saw in the Crimea a couple years ago.)

No, really, it was tasteful!

Doesn't everybody want babies at their front door?!

Walruses are cool, too!

Please note: The John Muir National Monument IS NOT THE SAME AS The Muir Woods National Monument!

When you arrive at the wrong place, a Park Service professional will (a little too giddily) inform you that everybody makes that mistake all the time, while handing you a somewhat cryptic directional list as to how to get to the Woods. This will entail approximately an extra hour's drive through the San Francisco area (including $6 toll bridge). However, once you get there, you'll be glad you did!

I think I know the difference between a Redwood & a Sequoia now. Maybe.

We had to leave in a hurry before they realized Mr. Pocketts knocked one over!

He tried to set it back up....

Then it was back on the road again:

Our award for Most Bikes!

XOXOXOX

Yep, 75 hours driving 4376 miles! Woohoo!

Snow on the 4th of July!

2010-07-08T20:29:00.001-05:00

We spent the 4th of July going to Snow Basin Ski Resort (northern Utah) for a Sunday Brunch. Oh me, oh my..... all future brunches will be judged against this one, and they will probably come up lacking! And the decor?...let's just say the chandeliers (there are many) probably each weigh more than my car! And the diameter of the log pillars (there are many) are probably larger than my car's wheels!

This is the view we had once we stepped off the gondola that took us up.

We had seven in our group (including 2 skinny little boys we refer to as "Rough" and "Tumble"), all riding together in the relatively massive capsule.

Not sure you can see it here, as I just took this photo with my phone....

we saw a guy ahead of us taking up his snow skis.

Ok, it is a ski resort, afterall....

Evidently he did indeed find some snow,

as seen by the zig-zag pattern he left on this little patch of snowy mountainside!

***** ***** *****

Climb the mountains and get their glad tidings.

---John Muir

Where the West Begins

2010-07-01T22:40:00.000-05:00

Greetings from Wyoming....a state we drove all the way across today! I love the West....it's a part of the country where we literally fit. We like to say when we go out East (or to Europe), it's a "7/8ths World" where we're forever about 1/8th too big for everything, be it chairs, hallways, doors, bathroom stalls, cars, etc! It's crowded and everything is small! But out here....it's practically a 1 & 1/8th world....everything's not only big enough, it's very big-- they don't refer to big skies for nothing!

We began our trip slowly, by stopping overnight in Omaha. It's such a fun city--easy to get around and just enough stuff to happily keep you occupied. After our dinner at Blue (our daughter's favorite Sushi restaurant there--Mr. Pockett's had never been, so I insisted...) we walked over to what is this ginormous bronze sculpture display honoring the westward trail. It's actually very cool--we had never seen the covered wagons and pioneers part; up to now, we'd only seen the buffalo & geese outside the Doubletree (where we usually stay; but alas, not this time). (You should take a look if you're ever down there: geese & buffalo go through walls!)

I'd love to wax on about the meaning of the West to Americans and our inner frontier mentality and how it affects the American mindset, blah blah blah....but I was having too much fun:

Some might say things devolved a bit:

Really, I did make it to Cheyenne the next day! (more to come.....)

Ponderings & Observations....

2010-06-28T21:58:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned in the previous post, I've been doing some stitching and other various projects (furniture refinishing, painting, etc.) which don't always require a great deal of concentration. One's mind is allowed to wander....and to ponder.....

Here's a sample of what's been going on in that head of mine. Don't judge me!

Hard to remember....does vacuum have 2 c's or 2 u's or 2 of both?
The spider living in the ceiling corner of the stairwell...what on earth does he eat?
I know people who are admirers/collectors of cultural handicrafts & stitchery from other countries, yet they show no interest whatsoever in the needlework adorning my walls that has been made by me! Is this not the very same thing--but showing my culture & heritage?
Do some bloggers have their cameras permanently attached to a cord around their necks? Sometimes, even the most minute (inane?) detail is photographed & catalogued. Why? (I admire bloggers who say they'd love to show something, but oops, didn't have a camera along! They seem a little more real.)
Where do earwigs fit in the universal meaning of life? Apart from their curious natural engineering (butt pincers? really?!), I cannot figure out what their value is to anything or anyone. And why are they apt to take over the planet, beginning with my garden?
And while I'm at it....Ticks! What are they good for? Perhaps birds like to eat them, but beyond that......???? Ewwww!
Is stitching "in hand" really faster than using an embroidery ring or clamp? Should I be trying this? Would I get stuff done more often?
Does anything captivate the flavor of summer more than Bing Cherries?! (Preferably cold from the fridge.)
Is it wrong to love my refrigerator as much as I do?!
Will I ever get photos taken of all these projects I flippantly mention?!
If one makes a "bullet list," how does one un-make a bullet list?

M.T. Pocketts in Absentia

2010-06-23T09:57:00.001-05:00

Well goodness, gracious--it's been a while! I've been on something of a gardening/stitching/reading binge lately. Weeds need pulling, flowers need encouragement, x's need stitching and, like millions of others, Steig Larsson has taken over a part of my life. No time for frivolous blogging!

The girl-child, and her little dog Lola (whom everybody, with one exception, positively adores and wants to adopt!) have moved back to California. I'm a little sad about that---am now in a pet-less home for the first time ever! (I mean ever.) Of course there's still the fish, (who strangely do show some personality traits--though most people wouldn't believe that); but that hardly counts. Nothing soft & cuddly around here anymore....then again, there's still Mr. Pocketts.... he's not very soft (thank heavens!), but he's definitely cuddly.....

Until next time, with photos..... thanks so much for stopping by!

Welcome to Geriatric Gardening!

2010-06-04T09:48:00.000-05:00

I've had my eye on one of these babies for some time....running it through my mind, deciding pros & cons....trying to justify its existence.....did I want to take that leap?

I finally decided it was time; my knees have had enough. Yesterday there was a knock at the door. The FedEx man dropped off a heavy box:

Hmmm.....

Some assembly required??

No problem!! I'm mechanical....

Whee!! Let's go for a ride!

It bemused me to read on the instruction sheet that this was not a toy for children. What?! Any kid worth his salt would immediately hop on this and ride around! I'd be disappointed if he or she didn't! So.... my daughter & I took turns pulling each other across the yard and back, with Lola Bug (the amazing chihuahua whatever) riding along. It was all a joyride, accompanied by spontaneous whoops & hollers & laughter (and neighbors peeking through their curtains?).....until I felt myself losing my balance! I quickly put my foot down-- thus barking my ankle on the front axle and unceremoniously dropping the dog in the process. Ouch! Yeah, it's all fun & games until somebody gets hurt! I guess I'll need adult supervision in the future! Calling Mr. Pocketts!!!!

A HOSTA TAKEOVER

2010-05-25T21:19:00.000-05:00

It's been in the works for over a year now....the need for my brother and sister-in-law's garden to experience a hosta takeover. Last Thursday I began the digging out process. With the lovely exception of an hour-long phone call from my favorite cousin, I spent the better part of an afternoon with shovel in hand. Phew!

Seven varieties should give them a good start, leaves ranging from the size of nickels to elephant ears; including a palette of grey/green to lime green to green/white to yellow. (I'm throwing in some trumpet vine, ferns, and lily-of-the-valley as well; just for good measure!)

I am thankful for people whose job it is to develop new, unusual, & visually appealing hosta varieties--I occasionally purchase one of these. But I always feel a bit awkward about it--who buys hostas? Really, isn't it sort of pathetic if you have to actually go out and purchase a hosta? Doesn't that mean you don't have any friends? They're the easiest plant in the world to share! (Just give me a call-- we'll swap!)

I talked to brother last night. All the hostas are planted, albeit in a rather haphazard, temporary setting---until he gets some other dirt moved, for what will be part of a new entrance or something to that effect. He always has 100 projects going at once! Make that a 101!!

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A bit of fragrance clings to the hand that gives flowers.

--Chinese proverb

Bright Star

2010-05-10T15:45:00.007-05:00

Remember how good it feels when you've watched a really excellent movie? Like after your two hours are over and you have no regrets for a wasted evening?! And part of you wishes the movie was a little longer, so you could have more?! We saw a movie like that last night:

Bright Star

It's the story of poet John Keats, and the love of his (short) life, Fanny Brawne. A review from The New York Times concluded that this movie is "perfectly chaste and insanely sexy!" (FYI, I think this review, like so many these days, gives away too much of the storyline. Read it after you've seen the movie!) Also, you might want some tissues on hand....just sayin'.

Another cool thing about this movie.... Fanny is quite the cross-stitcher and seamstress, with no apologies! Yes!!

John Keats

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Bright star, would I were stedfast as thou art--

Not in lone splendour hung aloft the night

And watching, with eternal lids apart,

Like nature's patient, sleepless Eremite,

The moving waters at their priestlike task

of pure ablution round earth's human shores,

Or gazing on the new soft-fallen mask

Of snow upon the mountains and the moors--

No--yet still stedfast, still unchangeable,

Pillow'd upon my fair love's ripening breast,

To feel for ever its soft fall and swell,

Awake for ever in a sweet unrest,

Still, still to hear her tender-taken breath,

And so live ever--or else swoon to death.

Fanny Brawne

Waiting for a Smile

2010-05-08T10:41:00.002-05:00

She is not fair to outward view

As many maidens be;

Her loveliness I never knew

Until she smiled on me;

Oh! then I saw her eye was bright,

A well of love, a spring of light.

---Hartley Coleridge

It's RHUBARB season....

2010-05-05T15:40:00.001-05:00

and that, my friends, is a very, very good thing!

More STUFF please!

2010-04-28T15:30:00.014-05:00

Remember back in 2001 when we were a sad nation on the brink of war, yearning for intelligent leadership & guidance?.... our President gave us this astute advice: "Go shopping!" Yep, that'll solve all our ills. Didn't that just make your heart swell with pride?! Didn't it just make you want to go out and attach a hokey little plastic Stars & Stripes to your car's side window?

*Sigh*

It's taken a few years, but we at Casa Pocketts have finally answered the call! Remember the Winter From Hell when everything that could go wrong pretty much did?! Well....everything that could break down pretty much did as well, or started showing signs that it would very soon. So, for the good of our country's economic prosperity (and general household sanity), we went shopping!

Here's what we got:

A new refrigerator!

A new refrigerator! Yay! We've always had the style with the freezer on the bottom. We're tall people, we don't like to bend over. We didn't know if we'd like the pull-out freezer (as opposed to a regular door)....the verdict: we like it! And this one has an icemaker that works! Former icemaker died a few years ago; we calculated the cost of replacing the icemaker VS. the cost of buying bags of ice for special occasions and rummaging around the cellar to find those old ice trays we stored somewhere "in case the icemaker quits someday." A replacement icemaker didn't "pencil".... however, we sure got tired of making ice our version of "the old fashioned way." **[see below]

Oh, and the "French" door (why? what is French about this?!): it's actually pretty handy! Note, no ice/water on the outside of the door-- until they figure out a way to hook up my box of Sauvignon Blanc to that spigot, forget it! (Then it really would be a French door! ha!)

A new dishwasher!

More Maytag.... the previous dishwasher was still in operation--some 16 years of near daily continuous use (I cook a lot)--but it was just a matter of time.... I don't hold much brief for Maytag; afterall, Whirlpool bought them out and promptly began breaking their promises and dismantled the Newton, Iowa plant that had brought generations of prosperity to the Midwest (I digress). It's the local dealership we like--our own Maytag repairman. (By the way, we ended up getting so much stuff that he said he could just put his truck on autopilot, take a nap, and he'd arrive at our house!) This dishwasher is quiet--very quiet. Interesting, considering there's so much stainless steel. It also has some mysterious quirk called the "silverware blast"--sounds fun, whatever it is!

A new microwave!

Or should I say Radarange?! We have generational microwaves in our family. The most recent one we were using was my Mother-in-law's, purchased in 1986; we still have all related documents and receipts. (She was like that.) Previous to that, we'd been using one from 1982--one of the "spoils" from Mr. Pocketts' previous life. This new one has a lot of wattage--it's so fast! The old one was slowing down a bit. It's kind of weird complaining that your microwave is "slow"--like it takes 2.5 minutes to warm up some coffee instead of 1 minute! (I lead a frenetic life, I simply don't have time to be standing around waiting on things like slow microwaves. My time is important to me!) **[see below] The new microwave has settings on it that, I guess, pretty much reflect what America eats (but really not what WE eat): Chicken Nuggets, Nachos, Chicken Wings, Potato Skins, Cheese Sticks, Hot Dogs, & French Fries. All in all, a most excellent machine--we hope Sorena looks forward to inheriting it someday, bless her heart!

A new dryer!

Didn't plan on this one at all; apparently the laundry room appliances were feeling neglected, what with all the hoopla in the kitchen. Two days after the fridge, microwave, and dishwasher were installed, and after 19 years of service, the dryer called it a day. Maytag repairman to the rescue--happy to oblige! This dryer is awesome--it's called Bravos. Well...Bravo, I say! The niftiest thing about it is, if you put in a load of wet clothes, some 50 minutes later they will be dry! I have still not recovered from the novelty! And it has the added bonus of playing a little song to you when you press "power." A cautionary note: this may freak out your unsuspecting daughter when she turns this on in the dark! **[see below]

A new vacuum!

Vacuums are generational too: we've been using an Electrolux that my Mom bought in 1984 and gave to us when she moved to her apartment in 1991. It was still working, but the handle broke--creating an apparently insurmountable problem--nobody wants to fix it, or they can't! Hrruummpphhh! So I got my dream vacuum and, if all goes according to plan, I will not have to purchase another for decades! This new one is not an Electrolux; I hold no brief for Electrolux--a Swedish company that emptied out their plant in Iowa and moved all the jobs to Juarez, Mexico. (I'm sure there were Swedes mad about losing their jobs to the Iowa plant generations before.... isn't world corporatism grand?!) This one is a Miele and it practically purrs when operated! Why, Mr. Pocketts can be upstairs vacuuming and I can't even hear him! This is a small matter of concern, as he may not get notice for all his wonderful, stupendous household help! **[see below] And why is it, when a woman vacuums it's a matter of a mundane "yes, that needed to be done" etc., but when a man does it, it's "isn't he a great guy for doing that!" (I digress...again.)

Still with me?! Phew! So much stuff.... It's exhausting just thinking about it! Coincidentally, as I type this, the Girl Child is downstairs bitterly declaring that her toast is almost burnt on one side and not even brown on the other. And thus, it continues..... **[See Below]

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Have yourself a clean, energy-efficient day!

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**Special announcement: This is an excellent example of what I refer to as "Champagne Problems." Really, if this is as tough as it gets around here.....

Did you say it was snowing out?!

2010-04-27T07:05:00.005-05:00

We spent a long weekend away. At home our blossoms are still patiently waiting for the right moment to burst forth; not so in places south. So many clouds of mauve, lilac, pink, and white everywhere! Cars that had parked under these trees looked like they were painted with pink polka dots. In some places, you might think it had just snowed! (But we're done with that snow stuff, right? Right?!?!)

Merrily, merrily shall I live now,

Under the blossom that hangs on the bough.

--William Shakespeare

"The Tempest", Act 5 scene 1

Playa de los Muertos

2010-04-23T10:11:00.007-05:00

It's a rainy day...supposed to be rainy all weekend. My thoughts drift elsewhere.... such as, a typical afternoon in Puerto Vallarta. Can you hear the sounds of happiness? There's always something going on--never a reason to be bored!

Same view...more people....more laughter:

********** ********** *********

What we do is less than a drop in the ocean. But if it were missing, the ocean would lack something.
--Mother Teresa

********** ********** *********

Go out and have yourself a lovely day!

I Heart Mexico!

2010-04-20T11:59:00.012-05:00

I've been so busy in the garden the past few delightful spring days...haven't spent much time at the computer, much less working on any of my photos. However, here's some highlights of our recent visit to Mexico:

View from our balcony, looking south.

First of all, let me be very clear, lest somebody takes umbridge--I love Mexico! Our hotel sits right on the beach, so we get to do a whole lotta people watching. I usually make silly lists, one of which is mostly beach-oriented observations, accompanied by photographic proof when available:

Things Mexicans do that I find amusing (and/or curious):

1) They roll in the sand on the beach when they're wet.

Ok, so nobody is wet...but they will be shortly!

2) They dig big holes on the beach and stand in them.

3) They swim (or get into the water) with their clothes on.

4) They bury each other in sand.

This is a double-header...sand burial and people swimming in their clothes!

5) They think clowns are hilarious. (Sorry, no pics--too hideous!)

6) They stack rocks and stones into towers.

Our husbands couldn't figure out at first why my friend & I kept taking photos of all the rock towers.

They didn't know we were so into geology & sculpture.

Especially the sculptured part!

7) They embrace--and then hold that pose..."pose kissing."

8) They carry trays of baked goods on their heads!

His baked goods are just awesome! Especially the apple custard pastry!

9) They love the song, Stand By Me. I know not why; you hear it everywhere.

10) They love pinatas, in any shape or form you can imagine.

Makes me wonder if the pinata shared any likeness with the birthday girl.

If so, when it came to punching time, wouldn't that be a bit weird?!

11) They're obsessed with sand sculptures.

Madonna always seems to prevail, sand sculpture-wise.

And what a good lookin' gal she is, too!

12) Bus drivers decorate their buses with a lot of fringe.

Cutie pie!

13) They have roadside shrines, complete with offertory boxes.

I picture neighborhood kids coming along and routinely pilfering from this!

14) And, most of all, they work very, very hard and they know how to appreciate a very good time!

Good food, good times!

**********

Mi gusta Mexico!

Forget-Me-Not

2010-04-12T18:23:00.014-05:00

Yesterday would have been my Mom's 93rd birthday. It was a beautiful, warm, sunny day here--spring flowers bursting forth--she would have loved it! Traditionally I would always give her a huge bouquet of daffodils picked from our backyard.

They are super abundant this year!

Here they are, captured!

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Curiously, my Mom never knew for sure what her actual birthday was... she was born near midnight at home. Only two clocks were present--the doctor's and the one hanging on the wall. One of them said before midnight, and one of them said after--nobody knew which was right! So...they decided upon April 11th because her sister's birthday was January 11th. Maybe it was the 10th or maybe it was the 12th?

It was a busy day yesterday; I didn't dwell on missing my Mom. We got a lot accomplished in the garden. So many, many leaves and plant effluvia to be raked up--what's literally left of all of last year's beauty. At the end of the day, I was trying to decide where I would plant a new hosta: shade considerations seem to change year by year, etc. etc. Then I saw them.... my clump of Forget-Me-Nots was in full bloom! How could I have missed them the day before?!

They were my Mom's most favorite flower of all.

I'm pretty sure she was born on the 11th!

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"May you live all the days of your life."

--Jonathan Swift

Home again, home again...

2010-04-03T12:37:00.006-05:00

Got back from Mexico earlier this week and was amazed, pleased, incredulous, happy, and satisfied to experience 80 degree temps upon our arrival! Friends of ours were gracious enough to give us credit for bringing all this nice weather up north with us. The daffodils in our backyard, in a show of perfect timing, popped out into full blooms the next morning.

Spring is here!

Busy, busy week....after a month of pretty much pure relaxation, the pace of life in our little village seems so hectic! Sounds funny, but it's true! Once again I have to make decisions like what to eat for dinner (as opposed to where to go for dinner!)....dishes need to be washed (well, ok, put into a brand, spankin' new dishwasher!) by somebody in this household as, unfortunately, no maid service exists, (try as I might, I cannot convince my daughter that this would be a worthwhile contribution to the general happiness of her parental units!); and finally, laundry has to be done and folded by me....and not that nice Lorena at the lavendaria! *Sigh*

I took about a squillion pictures, but haven't even had a chance to connect my camera to the computer to get a good look at them. It's become a bit of joke that I enthusiastically take photos every year....of pretty much the very same scenes that I took the year before! Ah well, fun to look back over the years and notice the subtle changes. (Thank heaven they are not many--I like Mexico just as it is!) I will share some of them in the near future.

Happy Easter! We will celebrate by seeing the girl child off to the airport where she begins a 23 hour flight ordeal, eventually landing in Okinawa, Japan. Hubby will be waiting, open-armed!

xoxo

¡Hola amigos!

2010-03-08T17:55:00.004-06:00

Second row down....third one from the left! If only you could really zoom in, you´d probably see a woman holding a vodka tonic in her hands, with a smile on her face! That´s because, besides the obvious v&t, she´s had another relaxing day and she´s thinking about where to have dinner that night. Life is good south of the border!

¡Adios!...for now....

The Future's So Bright...

2010-02-27T15:53:00.015-06:00

That's it! I'm going to forget about this:

Ice dams along the east side of our house.

And this:

More gruesomeness.

Ok, so it wasn't all misery... daughter Sorena took time out for a little ice guitar. I'll remember this!:

It was her reward for making it through this:

(It's far worse out there now--you can't even get through anymore!)

Also, I'm going to try to forget about this:

The indoor results of the ice dams. Curtain & wallpaper ruined; antique woodwork had to be removed before it warped even more. Behind it is wet, moldy plasterboard. Ugh!

And finally, I'm going to forget about this:

That's part of my Fiestaware collection cluttered about the kitchen table. It normally sits atop the cupboard and looks, more or less, like this:

(You get the idea.)

We are getting a new refrigerator next month...somewhere in the past 19 years since we've purchased one, the refrigerator gods decided a standard size should be about 2-3 inches taller. So....the cupboard that is above the fridge had to be raised! Fiesta dishes can't be put back until the decorative railing is replaced. God only knows when that will be!

But there's one part of that I'm not going to forget, and that's

Fiesta!

In less than 48 hours, I will be sitting on a beach in Mexico, sipping a cold adult beverage!

In fact, I'll be doing pretty much just that for the next 30 days!*

I'll be wearing my new sunglasses:

I plan to look awesomely cool in them! And whenever I want to, I'll be able to work on a crossword puzzle or read a trashy novel because these sunglasses are also....voila!...reading glasses! (My first bifocals. *sigh*)

Yep...my future's so bright, I gotta wear shades!

*I plan to hang out at the internet cafe a time or two...I'll talk to you then!

Adios Amigos!

M.T. Pocketts -- At Home and Abroad

I love the smell of casino chips in the morning!

O Winter! = Snowy Evening

Bicycle Pillow

A Gift of Stitches

Happy Holidays!

Happy Christmas!

Holiday Hand Towels

And 3 not-so-tiny Reindeer...

More Christmas Glow

The Loveliness of Snow (When Not Scooping It)

Milk Can Christmas

Candles & Light

Can we have a DO-OVER please?

Squirrel Season

Have a WALE of a good time!

All Hallows Eve

What a Crock!

That Grand Old Flag

I love hummingbirds!

Klaus: He's worth another look.

Klaus' House

Fiesta World

Sultry Summerness

Yikes, it's been a while!

Tree Trimming

Time and Tides

A Day that will live in Fantasy

Rambling thoughts on a Snow Day!

Down Mexico Way

Reflections on Christmas & a Series of Small Miracles

Happy Festivus for the Rest of Us!

"Green" Christmas

Merry Merry Merry....

'Tis better giving than receiving....

Cutest.Dog.Ever.

'Tis Time to Give Thanks

Autumn brings poetic thoughts....

She Baked Me a Cake!

Alternative realities.

Have you voted yet?

Bumbling along...

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.”

All the really important things....

A Soft Introduction to an Old World

M.T. Pocketts is no longer Abroad!

They say you can't go back to Constantinople....

Projects Projects Projects!

It's almost August already? What??!!??!!

Snow on the 4th of July!

Where the West Begins

Ponderings & Observations....

M.T. Pocketts in Absentia

Welcome to Geriatric Gardening!

A HOSTA TAKEOVER

**** Bright Star ****

Waiting for a Smile

It's RHUBARB season....

More STUFF please!

Did you say it was snowing out?!

Playa de los Muertos

I Heart Mexico!

Forget-Me-Not

Home again, home again...

¡Hola amigos!

The Future's So Bright...

Bright Star