I'm so tired of my heart breaking every day. I can't bury my head in the sand, but reading and watching the news is gutting me.

The first ten days of July have blown by and it's been a blur. My days tend to look the same, so it's easy to lose track. I have to look at the calendar every day just in case I end up in an ER and my mental clarity is questioned. The joy of retirement is that there's no need to track days, weekends don't mean much, Mondays aren't dreaded. The flip side is that if someone offered me a cash prize to quickly tell them the day and date, I'd have empty pockets. The mister has been out of town since the 5th and won't be home until the evening of the 14th. If you're a serial killer reading this, I have attack cats. You've been warned. But what that really means is that I'm not doing much cooking. The day he left I placed a grocery order for pickup and my grand total was $37.

It would have been less if I hadn't purchased cat treats. That's never going to happen. Anywho, a rotisserie chicken, a pound of ground turkey, eggs, cold brew concentrate, Fiber One bars, and a bit of produce. That'll feed me for days and days. That bag of slaw, part of the red onion, and the ground turkey make a yummy skillet dish. It's sort of like the inside of an eggroll. I make it with a little toasted sesame oil, plenty of garlic, slat, and pepper. Basically, saute the ground turkey and red onions, then dump in the bag of cabbage and carrots (of course the flavor comes from the sesame oil and spices). Clap on a lid and give the cabbage a few minutes to cook down. It really is that simple. This makes five meals for me.

No one cares what I'm eating, but I'm telling you this because after taking stock of my produce, planning out my meals, and placing that order, someone sent me a box of LOBSTER.

Alright, it was my sweetheart. Our 42nd anniversary was on the 7th and after that many decades you really don't get too excited about it. I told him we'd go to dinner when he got home or stay in and order Chinese and eat in our jammies (I almost always choose that). But he decided to sweep me off my feet with a box of fresh lobster. Kind of made my rotisserie chicken look like a booger. Inside was a pound of fresh lobster, huge chunks!

I got out my kitchen scale and weighed it out into 1/4 pound servings and have eaten lobster 4 nights in a row.

Forty-two years of devoted service deserves 4 days of lobster. Okay, if I'm being honest, those decades were also filled with pranks, sarcasm, eye rolls, and sprinkling of, "I don't think you know what you're doing." There's a reason the spouse is always the primary suspect in a murder. But he's safe for another years because of this box of lobster. In other happy news, the 4th of July is over. It's a lovely holiday, always lots of fun. But once it's over, it's basically Halloween for me.

112 days! I went to Easton a couple of days ago because I had a 25% off coupon for Michael's (and I always need craft supplies). But deep down, I went because I knew....it's time.

It's starting!! I'm going to ignore all of the heat warnings and the"feels like" temps and dream of pumpkins and trick-or-treaters. Halloween is on a SATURDAY this year. It will also be just a couple of days after the full moon, so hopefully it will still be a big ol' light in the night sky. I'm asking the universe now to keep rain away. While I was in Michael's I bought another unfinished wood birdhouse. Last year I made one into a haunted house and it was such a fun project that I thought I'd do another. I've got it painted and now I'm working on little polymer clay ghosties and such. Keeps me out of trouble. I did pause my pumpkin and ghost factory to make a couple of fairy doors for the grandgirl's garden. These are fresh out of the oven. I still need to add a little paint to the flowers and leaves.

They're not prefect, but they're fine. She'll outgrow this fairy fun soon enough. I intend to feed it as long as she's interested.

This post is a whole bunch of nothing, but I felt I needed to provide proof of life. I'm still here. Thank you for being here too. I'm going to go outside and give the strawberry patch a drink, then call it a day. First jammies, then I'm going to start watching the new Little House on the Prairie. I devoured the books as a girl, and loved the show with Melissa Gilbert - I wanted to be Halfpint! I'm hoping this new show is every bit as heartwarming as the old one. Will there be a Nellie Oleson? Anyone remember when Laura finally snapped? Nellie had it coming.

Very few things make my heart sing like a good deal. Some things are worth spending on, but it takes a lot to pry cash out of my hand when I think I can find a better price. Has this practice made me rich? No. Do I sleep better at night knowing that I wasn't a rube who bought whatever some million-dollar marketing team tried to sell me? Absolutely. Having said that, you already know that I love good skincare, quality cosmetics, nail polish, and all manner of girly-girl stuff. I've been on a mission over the last few months to find affordable dupes for my favorite products. In order for me to give up my favorites, the less expensive product has to thoroughly impress me and perform as good (or better!) than my higher end original. Y'all, i have found some gems. I'm going to start with the one that has knocked my socks off. I'd been spending $44 a bottle on Ciele foundation. It's fantastic. It's light to medium coverage, serum based so you're getting skincare in the mix, and the shade range is pretty good.

I mentioned to my sister that I was hunting for a dupe. I can't justify spending that much on foundation that I wear maybe once or twice a week, and the only person I see is a cashier at the grocery store. I'm not working, I hardly socialize, and Mickey doesn't count because in his eyes I am forever eighteen. Anywho, my sister forwarded an article that listed several foundations that compared well, so I chose the cheapest from that list to try. It's just $9...

and it's from Revlon. Whaaat??? When I say that I love this stuff, I am not exaggerating.

The shade range is fabulous, it's also a serum foundation (which just feels so darn good on the skin) and that price puts hearts in my eyes. It contains hyaluronic acid and squalane, and my skin always responds beautifully to both. It also offers an spf of 15, but I never put much stock in spf foundations as I think you'd really have to use a lot to get that protection. This foundation is a workhorse. It stays put for hours, looks fresh all day, and did I mention it's just NINE DOLLARS?? The Ciele foundation provides 1.20 oz, the Revlon offers 0.94oz. Still, drop for drop you're saving a bundle. I wear the color Tan Sand and it's a great match. You can find this treasure at Target, Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, Amazon, and probably anywhere else drugstore level cosmetics are sold. Moving on, but staying in the same category. I've mentioned a time or twelve that I love a cream blush. My all-time favorite for years has been the Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge for lips and cheeks.

Stunning, sheer, natural, and stupidly expensive. When I started buying it I paid around $20. Over the years the price kept creeping up, but I justified it because one pot lasted me two years or more. You really only ever need a dab or two. Then, despite my loyalty, they discontinued my favorite color. I wasn't about to pay $36 bucks for a runner-up shade. None of the new shades appealed to me, so once again I was on a mission - not just for a shade match, but a more frugal shade match. Success! This time it wasn't a rock bottom price, but it was half the price of Bobbi Brown.

For $18 rather than $36 I was able to find a color that I love, highly pigmented so I only need one dot per cheek, and it sheers out beautifully. Bonus, it's definitely longer lasting than the Bobbi Brown. Because it's Sephora's house brand you're not paying for ad campaigns, celebrity spokespeople, and all that marketing pressure. Now, we all know that all the makeup in the world won't look good if you're not taking care of your skin. I've been a big fan of Kiehl's many anti-aging products and grudgingly forked over money hoping to avoid becoming one of those shrunken apple head dolls.

Anyone else make those as a kid? No? So I was the only weirdo? Okie dokie. I finally decided that no amount of money would keep time from marching across my face, so I might as well spend that money on hobbies and plants. That's when I discovered The Ordinary. First I discovered their hyaluronic acid serum, which I've already mentioned that my face loooves. That serum is about $9 and I'd gladly pay double. But recently I've added this powerhouse.

I had to do a deep dive to find out what the heck these "growth factors" are that they tout. Turns out they've been included in higher end skin care since the 90's. Here's a blurb:

Highlighted Ingredients: - IGF: Helps regenerate the appearance of skin by visibly enhancing density. - EGF: Supports skin’s natural elastin and the process of skin renewal. - TGF: Improves skin’s integrity by supporting natural collagen.

What Else You Need to Know: Growth factors for skin work to signal its natural repair mechanisms. Over time and with age, the skin’s natural levels of growth factors decline, contributing to the appearance of signs of aging. GF 15% Solution contains a 15 percent solution of plant-based biomimetic EGF, TGF, and IGF peptides.

------- I was skeptical, because it sounds like a bunch of baloney. Then I read that growth factors (I don't remember the scientific names) are often used in wound care to regenerate the skin, and used quite often by cosmetic surgeons. Ohhh, tell me more! I don't expect to reverse aging, but if I can repair some of what I did during many summers on the beach, I'm in. Turns out, this stuff works. It's very watery, comes with a dropper, and I squirt it into my palm after washing my face and just pat it in. I follow it with my Prequel moisturizer morning and night. Prior to buying this $15 bottle, I'd been a huge fan of a Kiehl's serum for my nightly routine. It was $60. SIXTY. I used to justify it by saying that we'd spend that on pizza for the family for one night and the serum would last me for months. Eventually I stopped using it because I felt stupid spending that much. Granted, I almost always purchased it with birthday or Christmas gift cards, but still. Fast forward and I can honestly say that in the couple of months that I've been using The Ordinary GF 15% Serum, I've seen a bigger, better change in my skin than I ever did with the Kiehl's. I was a dummy. Please remember that this is not a paid review, no one asked me to tout this, so when I say that my skin is brighter and more even-toned, and that my crinkly eyes are noticeably less crinkly, there's no freebie in it for me. It's good stuff. I just realized that if I'm pushing makeup and skincare I should provide a picture. Oh, good lord. Trust me, you don't want that. Most of the women on the internet providing reviews of cosmetics look like supermodels. I look like the granny I am. I just looked through my phone to see if there was a decent selfie with the mister or my sister. Nope. I have this mugshot that I sent to my sister a couple of weeks ago when I felt the hair salon did me dirty. lol

Is my bottom lip really that big? Anyone else hearing Sling Blade saying, "Reckon I could have me a biscuit, mmhmm."

Anyway, in that awful mugshot I'm wearing the Revlon serum foundation in Tan Sand and the Sephora cream blush in Toasted Almond. Probably about 6 cents worth, and that makes me very happy. Save your money, the billionaires have enough (okay, there are Revlon and Sephora billionaires so that doesn't really work here...) but you know what I mean. Keep more of your cash for your own enjoyment. Spend it on experiences rather than stuff. I actually have more to add to this "things I like" theme, but they're cleaning products and that's no fun. I'll save those for another day. Now I'm off to have a little snack - highly recommend plopping some cottage cheese in a bowl and shaking in plenty of Everything Bagel seasoning. Use it as a dip for celery sticks and you've got a high protein low calorie treat. I also add cottage cheese to my scrambled eggs for an added punch of protein. Again, that's a topic for another day.

I HAVE A RABBIT!

All of my garden and lawn efforts have paid off and we have a resident bunny. I don't care if she eats everything in sight, I'm thrilled that she feels comfortable and safe enough to hang around. Let me back up, I should confess my deep affection for bunnies. I love 'em. If you walk around my house, you might piece that together.

More in my craft room...

Even mixed into my already too busy supply cupboard...see them on the shelf amidst the madness?

My return address stamp...

And of course, on the porch and in the gardens. This guy is my favorite, bought him years ago in a Cracker Barrel gift shop. Right now he's way back in the tree line, under the shade of a beautyberry bush. I recently transplanted a little fuchsia/bleeding heart that was unhappy in its pot to that same shady spot. It's just behind the bunny and thriving.

Now that I've shared those pictures I realize I may have a problem. If you walked into my house you probably wouldn't even notice the bunnies, they're scattered from room to room. Besides, you'd probably be distracted by the taxidermy raccoon. Anywayyy, that bit of info may help you to understand the joy I feel when a rabbit decides to share our space. That brings me back to our little friend. I first spotted her hopping around past the backyard fence and occasionally slipping through to nibble on our clover. She was skittish (smart) but over the span of a couple of weeks I would talk softly to her while I weeded flower beds or watered plants. I wanted her to get used to me. This is not Old Mr. McGregor's garden, all bunnies are welcome. Fast forward to two weeks ago. I was in my afternoon spot on the porch, curled up on the loveseat with a good book and a cold drink. I saw that darling little rabbit slip through the fence and hop behind a row of zinnias and bee balm. Rabbits don't tend to like eating zinnias or bee balm - so there's a method to the madness of my plantings. My gardens still provide shady resting spots and safety from predators. Okay, I'm rambling. I decided to talk and talk and talk to that bunny and as I did she came closer and closer. I ran out of things to say so eventually I just read aloud from my book. Then I decided to sing to her. Trust me, no one wants to hear me sing. I figured it would either soothe her or scare her. Decades ago I made up a little nonsense song that I sang to fussy babies. I used it with my boys and with my grandbaby. It always works. Surely it would work on a rabbit, right? It did! She settled right in and took a snooze.

I considered us bonded for life. It was at this point that I named her Pancake. There's the whole iHop joke sitting right there, plus she's fluffy and sweet like a pancake. A couple of days later I was pulling a few weeds amongst the zinnias (never-ending battle) and guess who showed up? I talked about the weather and told her to watch out for mean cats, I asked her if she'd eat celery if I brought some out, but it wasn't until I started to sing the fussy baby song that she came closer and closer and felt comfortable enough to groom herself. Success! I'm sharing this video against my better judgement, I don't need dozens of messages telling me I'm a terrible singer. I KNOW THAT. I just want to share proof of my rabbit whispering ways.

You guys, I was right there beside her and she was just chillin'. We are besties!! If you have been wondering how my life is going, this should fill in the blanks for you. I am beside myself with glee because a rabbit likes me. Not where I thought I would be at age 62, but here we are. I've neglected this blog because I truly have nothing to write about, life is all about finding ways to fill the hours and I just can't keep inflicting my boring hobbies on you. I've made a lot of cards in the last week and this one felt personal.

Oh well, Pancake likes me. That'll have to be enough. I'm going to try to make the ol' blog viable again. I'll be back on Monday to share some products I'm really liking. No links, codes, or commission for me - just stuff I honestly like. I'd try to post on Sunday but we'll be heading over the Chesapeake Bay to visit with the Edgewaters. They just returned home from an incredible trip to the west coast. They explored so many beautiful spots - Olympic National Park, La Push, Rialto Beach, Crescent Beach, Hurricane Ridge, and so much more. Every photo they shared was just stunning. They saw loads of wildlife (I wonder if they tried singing?) even a mama bear and two cubs (through binoculars, thank goodness). Little Miss was beaming the whole time. Hearing her squeal with delight on a whale watching boat, watching her exclaim over starfish and sea anemones in tide pools, seeing her so carefree - it was precious. *sigh* What a great start to her summer vacation. Alright, leaving on a high note. I'll be back on Monday. I hope that you've all been playing in the summer sun and making the most of this season. I mean, it IS just 126 days until Halloween. But who's counting? I am, I'm counting.

It's a hot June day and I've just come in from playing in the gardens. Bees are buzzing, flowers are blooming, and the strawberries are setting fruit. I gave everything a drink before I came inside because we can't seem to get a drop of rain. Though the flower beds look good, our lawn is embarrassing. We're still in a drought and our grass is patchy and crunchy. Just awful. I try to ignore it and just focus on what's pretty.

I love bees and they're crazy about the salvia and speedwell in my gardens. Such happy, busy little companions. I'll have to beg for some grace, as the keyboard on my laptop is a hot mess. First the A key popped off, so I'm just hitting the naked button. I have to tap it a couple of times to get the letter to work. Usually you can snap the little cover back on, but nope. Then for no reason at all, the N key decided to join in the fun. Good times. As of two days ago the J key decided to strike in solidarity. This is especially inconvenient when most of one's log-ins start with njpullen. Quite a while ago my in-house IT guy ordered a new keyboard, but apparently it's an hours long job to install it and he's just not around a lot. When he is around he's in his office processing photos or recording tutorials for YouTube. I hate to bother him. As you may have gathered I do not use a top o' the line piece of equipment. That's on me. All I use this laptop for is blogging, creating my cards, and online shopping. I don't need anything fancy. It would be nice if the keyboard would work though. Currently I have to go back over every sentence and insert any A,N, or J that was skipped. It's tedious. It also explains why I'm not blogging much. So if you come across a missing letter, don't judge me - I'm working with what I've got. Anywhoooo, I keep myself busy with gardens, books, and a paintbrush. All three keep me off the street and out of trouble. I'm currently reading The Land and Its People by David Sedaris. Not for the easily offended but, as always, hilarious and thought provoking. When we saw him in Easton he was reading essays from this book for the audiobook. So if you listen to it, I was there!

I have a to-be-read pile that should keep me busy all summer. Theo of Golden, Buckeye, Whistler, Call the Canaries Home, and on and on. I'm always looking for the next book that I won't be able to forget. So far this summer it's The Calamity Club, but there's always room for more. Oh! I had a little fun with some Mod Podge and a paintbrush last week. I was bored out of my ever-loving mind so I scrounged around and came up with a few things to use for an easy craft. Behold - paper napkins and Mod Podge!

I also grabbed a couple of small flower pots and painted them white. Then I got busy. The important task is to separate the napkin if they are two ply - just peel the printed layer off the top, it comes off very easily. I cut out some roses, nothing fussy, you can leave sloppy edges. Then slap a layer of Mod Podge on the surface of your item, place the cut out, and go over it with a second layer. I used the outdoor variety of Mod Podge because my projects would be sitting on the porch.

When they were completely dry I did spray them with an acrylic clear coat that I had in the garage. It was left over from the time I painted those creepy snake heads for the library.

Such an easy craft, and it adds some pretty to the porch. I picked up a few shade-loving plants on the Lowe's orphan table and gave them a home.

Easy peasy! I've also kept myself occupied watching The Other Bennett Sister. Oh, Mary's story needed to be told and I'm cheering her on in every episode. Always an Austen fan, and I think she'd be pleased with this expansion of one of her minor characters. The forgotten Bennett sister - the brainy, unconventional, somewhat awkward one. She is an utter delight. I'm watching it on BritBox and only getting one episode per week. It's wonderful and torturous at the same time. I hate waiting, we've become so spoiled with the ability to binge an entire season of show. Still, it's worth the wait. Besides, I can find plenty to watch on BritBox. There's always Hyacinth.

That's about all the news that is news from my little corner. It's a big day for me if I drive into Easton and pick up fabric softener at Target. Oh, that reminds me. I'm getting MUCH better at keeping wackadoodle thoughts in my head. I'll explain. RJ is currently decked out in his cool summer vacation shirt, looking like a million bucks.

With 4th of July coming up I started thinking of something cute and star-spangled for him. But that would be silly, and a waste of money - I mean, I'm not crazy. OBVIOUSLY all he really needs is accessories. So, I was in Target browsing that little impulse area near the entrance where everything is about three bucks. I found a bin of kids patriotic sunglasses and thought, "Jackpot!". As I sorted through them another woman, about my age, began looking at them too. As she was making her selections she remarked that she needed to find four identical pairs, and added, "Gotta' keep the grandkids happy, right?" It was on the tip of my tongue to say, "Oh, these are for my raccoon." Instead I just smiled and said, "Yup." She walked away thinking that I was perfectly normal. It's only taken me sixty-two years to find that edit button. Late bloomer. Also, the sunglasses were a wise choice. I was so disappointed in RJ's Cinco de Mayo outfit. The hat was too small and the scarf was too big. Lesson learned.

The hat was from the doll making section of Michael's. I'm finding that infant clothes fit him better than doll or pet items. But where the heck do you find an infant sombrero? No worries, he'll wear his summer shirt until September, then I'm going to have FUN with Halloween. It's his first Halloween, it needs to be special. I have plans. Alright, enough of my nonsense. Just trying to create joy in a world gone mad. Speaking of joy, I think I'll go take a turn around the gardens and give everything a pep talk. I'm alone this evening as the mister has gone to a wedding. I'm going to enjoy girl dinner and savor the latest episode of The Other Bennett Sister. It's a wild Saturday night around here. I'm sending you loads of love and hoping that YOU are finding joy and, most importantly, creating joy for yourself. Lots of little joys add up and will buoy your heart when the world is determined to sink it. Stay afloat, friends. Time to go commune with the bees. Stay safe, stay well. XOXO,

My last post was on May 1st and the days since then have been a blur. I've been in a bit of a funk because May 7th marked the start of our fifth year in Denton. We've been here four years. Four stagnant, empty years for me. The thought of four more, or ten more, makes me want to drive off the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Now that I've put that bit of sunshine and light into the world, let's talk about what's good. I had an absolutely beautiful Mother's Day because the universe gave me the best kids in the world. The Edgewaters came Saturday and stayed over. We managed to squeeze in a visit to JZ Farms for strawberry picking and playtime. They have the best set up for kids there - an adorable kid-sized town where they can be anything from a cop to a beekeeper. They have obstacle courses, big bounce pads, and you can even rope a steer.

Speaking of steers - a new obsession has been unlocked. JZ Farms had these sweet little highland cows in residence. Super friendly, very cuddly.

I was not aware that these cows are available in MICRO and MINI sizes. OHMYGAWD, I need a herd! I need acreage right away so I can have chickens and tiny cows. The micro cow will be no taller than 36 inches. Would that be the most adorable cattle drive ever? The mini cow can be up to 42 inches, which seems large when you're only 60-ish inches high yourself. I can't stop thinking about them.

I've given up on people, I think it's time to build a herd. Animals make better friends anyway. The conversations are a bit one-sided, but they're exceptionally non-judgmental. Other than picking strawberries and petting cows, plenty of time was spent cranking out desserts in the mud kitchen. I forgot to give her a tea towel, guess where she wiped her hands?

She had a grand time and served us flower pie and cinnamon tea. My gardens are thriving, though we're in a terrible drought and the grass is patchy and crunchy. We're supposed to conserve water so everyone's yards look about the same. I do water my strawberry patch and the beds where I scattered zinnia seeds. I have to give the babies a fighting chance. The zinnias are a little over an inch tall now, big enough for me to thin out, but I hate doing that. What if I pluck out the ones destined to be pink? What if I leave behind too many orange or yellow? There's no way to know.

My climbing rose is gorgeous this year (knock on wood). She's planted right at my reading spot, and provides the loveliest fragrance.

That's a Zepherine Drouhin rose - thornless and shade tolerant, exceptionally fragrant, and fast-growing. She's a winner. I spend a lot of time in that spot. I usually stretch out on the love seat with a book and let the birds provide background music. There are house finches nesting in a hanging fern and chickadees raising a family in the birdhouse. I love being a landlord.

My little corner of the big porch is always a few degrees cooler under the shade of that Crape Myrtle tree. Last Saturday I ignored all chores and spent the entire afternoon sprawled out while I finished a delicious book. I recommend with my whole heart that you read The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett.

She wrote The Help, so if you read that novel (or saw the movie), you know what a wonderful tale she weaves. I fell in love with so many of the characters, and what a testament to the strength and creativity of women! 5 stars, no notes.

Other than tending to my gardens and burying my nose in books, I've been fiddling with paint, paper, and odds and ends. I've been making fairy cards - because I have a split personality. I love the snarky cards, but the magic and whimsy of fairies is built into my DNA. These were trial runs - not finished, just figuring out what works. I find old photos of darling little girls, give them crowns and wings and decide who they are. This little miss was originally on a trike, but in fairyland she zooms around on a bird.

This one needed a storybook, a flower crown, and wings to do her job.

I love to sit them on flowers. This girl has't gone on a card yet, but she's delightfully prissy.

And wouldn't this be sweet for a graduation card?

I also played around with some of my paper scraps and made this happy fellow.

I goofed in a million ways, but I like his tail.

Do the words make it better or worse?

Gardening, reading, dabbling in art, and dreaming of micro cows - that's taken up the bulk of my month. May is usually pleasant, the heat of summer hasn't settled in, but the danger of frosty nights has passed. It's really the best month until autumn arrives. I've been purposely detaching from reality because our country is a flaming dumpster right now. None of the news is good, every day is a gut punch, and feeling powerless adds to the misery. Making fairies is saving my sanity, so don't judge me. I also read poetry to feed my soul, and get out my copy of The Comfort of Crows by Margaret Renkl - just a single chapter will set me right. When the world ends they'll find me here with paint and glitter on my hands, clutching a book. At least the mean people didn't change me. Gee, morbid enough for you?

It's the first day of the merry month of May! I opened my eyes this morning and said, "Rabbit, rabbit!" before putting my feet on the floor. Will it truly ensure good luck all month? Never has before, but maybe this time it will work! May is a month bursting with promise - things are growing, budding, even blooming, and the birds are singing their hearts out. Some are looking for mates, some are already nesting, but they all sound happy. Happy May!

Today is also the birthday of my darling daughter-in-law. That's such a boring term for someone who has added so much love and joy to our family. She's our Jamie, no "in-law" required to identify her as ours. It seems fitting that we celebrate her during a month of plants breaking ground and reaching for the sun. It's her life's work! She was even featured in Smithsonian Magazine last month. Great article, give it a read.

She's pretty wonderful! We'll drive over the bridge tomorrow to play with Little Miss so her parents can have some free time. Then we'll do cake and presents before heading back home. I'm sure the grandgirl will want to decorate for the festivities so I'll bring supplies. I've also been busy making accessories for her fairy village. I still have gobs of polymer clay and I don't really make jewelry with it anymore. That was a fun time filler, but I think I was giving myself brain damage with the resin fumes. I'll blame my senior moments on the pursuit of art. Sure. Anywho, I'm trying to use up my inventory of clay and like an idiot I choose to make tiny things. At this rate I should be out of clay in five or six years.

I've made fairy babies wrapped in leaves and little bee cup flowers for bumble bees to sip from...

Those had't been buffed or polished yet - have mercy.

I've made dishes,food, and even this little fairy campfire that looks like flaming turds.

It's rough right now, but I'll file those flames and paint the logs a bit and then it will look like fancier flaming turds. No one said I was good at this, but I think the fairies at my grandgirl's probably enjoy s'mores and the least I can do is provide some burning logs (as questionable as they may be). I've also been busy putting together some Mother's Day cards. Those are hard because my default setting for cards is slightly snarky and nearly always inappropriate. Not typically Mother's Day fare. This one made me giggle, but it won't be going in the mail.

My Mother's Day usually involves blooming things. On Sunday we'll drive up to Lancaster and visit a few Amish greenhouses and nurseries. I kept insisting that I don't need any plants, that I've surrounded this house with reliable perennials, and blah,blah,blah. Mickey said:

So we're going to Lancaster. I want it on record that I attempted to be reasonable and save some money. He is choosing to release a flower addict into the plant equivalent of a crack house. His funeral. I will admit that my porch needs some help. My seasonal standards are looking a tad dull. My porch faces southwest, and that afternoon sun really takes a toll on fabrics. Ugh. Also, because we are close to Shore Highway/404 (the bane of my existence, my nemesis, the reason I grind my teeth) everything, and I mean everything, always has a layer of black dust or grime on it. It's awful. For those of you who know how much I love a pretty porch, you'll understand that this kills my soul. Kills. It.

I do like that little windmill plant stake I brought home from Zaanse Schans. It's a little bit of Holland on the front porch! Anyway, maybe I can find some pretty plants to bring life to this space. They'll have to be able to handle the blazing afternoon sun this summer. Fingers crossed. I think what I really need is just a new rug. That one will be 4 years old this month and should look better, I'm just too cheap to pay big bucks for a good porch rug. I know, first world problems. Speaking of problems - these guys are all over.

Aren't they the caterpillars that turn into those White Cabbage moths? Or is it a White Cabbage Butterfly? Either way, I think they're a real pest to crops like cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower - none of which I'm growing. But what if they like strawberries for dessert? Or feel that roses will do just fine if there's no cabbage? I don't trust 'em, but I can't bring myself to just murder them. I keep flinging them under the birdfeeder, hoping that some Blue Jay will do me a solid.

I bailed again. I said I'd be right back and then my sister decided to visit for couple of days. Sorry! Not really, because it was so much fun having her here. We raided a couple of consignment shops, ate girl dinner, and watched girl tv. Keep in mind that for decades I lived in an all male household. A husband and two sons, and even the pets were male. Girl time is a luxury for me.

Sisterhood, coven, whatever - we need it.

Anywho, I doubt you've been on the edge of your seat waiting for more vacation photos. I won't cover every last day of our trip. How about I just finish up with a few photos from Zaandijk? It's one of our favorite spots and I can't even count the times we've visited. We hopped on a train at Centraal and in about 16 minutes we were exiting that train. We know the way to Zaanse Schans with our eyes closed. Leaving the train stop, we walked straight down the road past a cocoa processing factory. The air always smells like chocolate! We hang a left there, walk about a block, turn right at a big windmill and walk across a bridge...

and into the past. This little village has the sweetest cottages, working windmills (one is a lumber mill, another grinds pigment for paint,etc), a klompenmakerij, or wooden shoe producer, a centuries old cheese business, spice shop that dates back to the golden age of sail, and more. We love to just roam. We usually eat lunch at the same spot - your choice is soup (usually vegetable) and a cheese sandwich. The only thing you get to choose is the age of your cheese. It arrives on fresh,thick bread with onion, lettuce and tomato. It's simple, rustic, and delicious. Mickey usually takes off with his camera and I pop in and out of shops. I like to watch the demonstration at the klompenmakerij where a block of wood is turned into a pair of shoes. There's a little museum on one side that shows wooden clogs through the ages. These are for the ice.

These are dressy clogs for church on Sunday or formal occasions.

These are wedding shoes.

Can you imagine dacing all night in those? You'll still see wooden shoes on door steps, seems they're mostly worn in the gardens, though we did see plenty of people wearing them at the cheese market in Alkmaar.

The store has a variety to choose from -

and I tried on a couple styles. Just between you, me, and my sensitive feet - they're very ucomfortable. I mean, they feel like wood. I say that as girl who wore those awful Dr. Scholl's wooden sandals in the late 70's.

That's right, I was feelin' foxy. I didn't purchase any wooden shoes, but I was very tempted by these Starry Night clogs.

They were much softer, and who doesn't love a nod to Van Gogh? But I didn't buy shoes. Instead I wandered over to the cheese shop and bought rounds of cheese for family.

I made friends with a few goats long the way. They were very content.

I browsed all the cheese - goat, sheep, and cow. All ages, flavors from garlic or truffle to honey & thyme. There are beer cheeses and spicy cheeses, and you can sample them all.

I continued to wander with my bag o' cheese, stopped in the spice store and purchased some interesting tea for my tea-loving daughter-in-law, and just enjoyed the peacefulness.

Weaving my way through town, over bridges, chickens and ducks sharing the paths - it was a delightful day.

Eventually I rejoined my sweetheart and we walked back to the train stop. We rode in comfort back to Amsterdam, caught the #2 tram at Centraal and made it back to our apartment during rush hour.

That coffee shop on the left, Bagels & Beans, was fantastic. We miss it. It was just a few steps from our door and by the third day they knew our order. I've barely scraped the surface of a wonderful trip. We did some new things and repeated some old favorites. Our flights home were on time and uneventful, exactly the way we like 'em.

We left Schiphol,

and flew across the ocean in a chair.

MAGIC! We gathered our bags, caught the shuttle to long term parking, and finally pointed the car toward the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and home. Someone was very glad to see me.

By the time we got to bed it was something like 3:30am Amsterdam time. We were beat!

We all slept well and it was, unfortunately, back to reality the very next day. Laundry, grocery shopping, and weeds in the flower beds. Ugh.

I spent today readying the raised bed for some strawberry plants. I'm getting my hopes up and I think the squirrels are giggling and planning to destroy my dream. I talk to them when I'm outside, trying to convince them to raid the birdseed and not my garden. They act cooperative, but I think they're lying to me. Okie dokie, that's it from me. I'm going to go soak in a hot bath and crawl under the covers with a book. I'm currently reading this and it's quite interesting.

After ten days we have made it home. I gave up trying to blog while on vacation. I'm really, really bad at that. I'll try to catch up without boring you silly. No one wants to look at an endless stream of someone else's vacation pics. *Yawn* So I'll condense the last bit of our trip. We managed to get tickets for the Anne Frank house, and they were worth the wait.

That shot is directly across the street, the entrance to the museum is just there on the right. It's so well done, and so very, very moving. You're able to go behind the bookcase and up the stairs to the hiding place where Anne and her family hid for two years. I won't go into detail because I think nearly everyone in the world knows Anne's story. She was given a diary on her birthday, just before going into hiding. She poured all of her thoughts and dreams into "Kitty, her diary. She was so bright, curious, thoughtful, and talented - a girl of just thirteen with a million ideas and just as many hopes and plans for her future. For two years, until the nazis discovered them, she wrote faithfully. Besides her diary she kept another book that she titled Book of Beautiful Sentences. It was filled with passages from books she'd read, poetry, and other words she found worth keeping. Her writings were all left behind when their hiding place was raided and thankfully, a friend and helper, Miep Gies, saved them. When Anne's father returned after the war as the only surviving member of his family, Miep gave him the diary and said, "This is the legacy of your daughter Anne." Otto knew that Anne had dreamed of being a writer, in March 1944, she had written, "Imagine how interesting it would be if I published a novel about the Secret Annex." Only a short time later she would be transported to Auschwitz, then Bergen-Belson, where she died in February of 1945. That beautiful, bright mind was extinguished. He made it his mission to see Anne's words published. It is heartbreaking, haunting, and one would hope an important lesson for all mankind. A child's voice, ever hopeful but terrified, living in a war concocted from prejudice, greed, and a hunger for power. Have we learned anything? The website for the Anne Frank House is excellent.

They also have a wonderful YouTube channel.

I encourage visits to all of the above. I remember reading The Diary of Anne Frank in junior high. I was gutted. We would have been the same age, had many of the same dreams, and simply because of the religion that she was born into, she was murdered. I was buying lip gloss and mood rings without a care in the world, she just wanted to live -  "One day, this horrible war will end. One day, we will be humans again and not just Jews". The museum/house is a somber place, but if you get the chance, GO. Out into the bright sunlight again, we walked toward Centraal Station where you can catch trams, trains, ferries, and buses. On this particular day we were looking for a bus. Those are found on the back side of the station. You walk through a lovely tunnel covered in Delft blue tiles,

and check the board to see which numbered spot you can catch your bus at - we found ours! It's all so very simple. The Dutch use common sense methods and it's wonderful.

Bus 316 took us to Volendam, about 13 miles outside of Amsterdam. We've visited before, it's a charming harbor town on the North Sea - always bustling with a happy vibe.

Our plan was to roam a bit, have some lunch, then catch the ferry across to Marken. So we did. Marken is like stepping back in time. It reminds me of when we visited Inisheer in Ireland. I mean, a different look, but a small population that has decided to let the rat race go on without them. To quote an article, "During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Marken and its inhabitants were the focus of considerable attention by folklorists, ethnographers, and physical anthropologists, who regarded the small fishing town as a relic of the traditional native culture that was destined to disappear as modernization of the Netherlands gained pace." Many residents still wear traditional clothing, the homes are old Dutch style, and life is quiet. I love it there.

No parking, cheese carriers only.

Even on Marken the postal service is careless.

Lots of pennants fluttering due to the upcoming King's Day celebration. Red, white, and blue for the DUtch flag, and orange for the royal House of Orange.

We stopped at a lovely little church (Grote Kerk) where the maritime history of the village is embraced.

It was a beautiful day spent in a beautiful spot. Just perfect. Eventually we bid Marken farewell and caught a ferry back to Voldendam.

We strolled to a bus stop and waited for #316 to whisk us back to Centraal Station.

Once at Centraal we hopped on tram #2 to our Air BnB.

It really is that easy and simple. Everything is clean, you just tap in and out with your card, and for the most part the riders are friendly and talkative. Amsterdam is big and busy, but once you're a block or two from Centraal it tends to calm down.

A walk through Vondelpark is dreamy. Crates of tulips floating in ponds...

and nesting storks.

Geez, I'm so far behind! We get back to the apartment after a very full day and all I want to do is soak in a hot bath and watch something funny from BBC before lights out. Sorry about that. I think I left you just before we visited Delft. We've been to Delft twice prior to this trip and it's such a pretty town. In the past we've visited the factory where the royal delftware is handpainted and that was interesting and beautiful. I purchased the delftware made for commoners. We've also toured the Vermeer house and soaaked up his history and paintings. This time we just wanted to ramble around. So we did. We chose Saturday because they have an antique market on that day every week. Why not browse market stalls for treasure? The weather was mild and cloudy all day but never rained on us, thank goodness. We've had great luck so far. We arrived my train mid-morning and walked the couple of blocks to the square. It's an easy and pretty walk. Oh my word, there were hundreds of stalls selling fascinating old stuff, none that I needed though. If I did fancy something it was usully an item almost impossible to get home. I mean, the taxidermied Dutch hare would look fabulous next to RJ.

This delft blue cart had potential too

We roamed around, up and down...

Saw some wedding photos being snapped...

bumped into a pretty milkmaid outside the Vermeer house...

and eventually found a spot for lunch. After lunch we split up because, as usual, Mickey needed to climb to the highest spot in town to get a photo. No thanks.

That's Oude Kirk, or Old Church. Founded in 1246, the tower was added between 1325–50. I've been in enough of Europe's old churches to know that I never need to climb the narrow, steep, winding stairs to another bell tower. I told MIckey to have fun, that I'd poke round in the shops and meet him for a coffee if he lived. So I headed to the other end of the square.

I think I had a better time.

I'll wrap up Delft day by saying that we did indeed meet for that coffee before heding back to the train station for the ride back to Amsterdam.

That was a pretty quick summary, and I probably left out a lot - feel free to search "Delft" on this blog for our past trips with more info. I'm lazy.

TODAY was big fun. We rented car for the day because the photographer in the family wanted to drive just north of the city to the flower fields. As wonderful as the trains, buses, and trams are - they won't drop you in the middle of farmland. Well, bus might. Anyway, we picked up the car and zoomed out of town.

Look at that color!

We passed a lot of windmills on farms.

That last one had a sign on it that said it dated to 1597. Can you imagine having anything on your land or in your family that lasted that long?

It wasn't long before we were surrounded by flower fields. We parked tha care and walked, nd the air was incredible. If anyone can make a perfume that smells like tulip and hyacinth fields in the spring, I'd never wear anything else.

My little phone pictures will never do these fields justice, Mikey took plenty that I'll probably share after we get home. You could walk for miles and see in every direction - oceans of pink, purple, yellow, red, and orange, It was breathtaking. We visited Keukenhof, the magnificent gardens further north, on a previous trip. It was all stunning. But I loved seeing these blooms at home in the fields, with sweet farmhouses and windmills in the distance. There are walking paths for all of us lookie-loos who come to see the flowers, and it was nice to see people being respectful and not tromping off into the fields. We only saw a handful of people, maybe 8 or 10.

We dined in Schagenbrug (at Brasserie de Koeken - delicious!!) before returning to Amsterdam and dropping off the car. We hopped on a tram and it dropped us practically at our front door. Nice. It was a sweet day, certainly a feast for our eyes and noses. I'm pooped and heading for bed. Just one more picture. I snapped this while Mickey was taking a photo of acres of pink tulips.

I skipped a day out of sheer laziness, but I'm back with a fun report. Yesterday we hopped on train and visited Haarlem. If you want out of the hustle and bustle of Amsterdam, there are so many pretty towns a short ride way and Haarlem is one of them. It's an theater and arts hub, and they're very proud of how well they fought off the Spaniards in the 1500's. There are numerous statues and markers around town lauding the heroes of that time. Meet Kenau Simonsdochter Hasselaar and Wigbolt Ripperda

Kenau and Ripperda, along with other courageous Haarlem residents, are said to have defended the city against the Spaniards for seven months during the Eighty Years War. Unfortunately, the people of Haarlem could not withstand the Spanish troops, and the battle came to an end on July 12, 1573 when Haarlem surrendered. Although Kenau managed to escape the horror that awaited her, Ripperda did not get that chance. He was beheaded, along with several hundred supporters, in the town square. And lovely town square it is (though I imagine it's haunted!). There are tons of interesting shops (I fell in love with a shop full of unique home goods and Mickey fell in love with bakery) and dining spots. I didn't make any purchases because A) I'm cheap frugal and B) that's not what this trip is about. I always try to bring home a sensible memento, usually something I can frame and hang. Just a warning to loved ones - I normally try to bring a little somethimng home for everyone, but I'm keeping that to a bare minimum. Odds are that you'll all get cheese from Zaanse Schans. That's my favorite spot to buy it. A small wheel of Gouda packs quite nicely. I'll look for new flavors - they'll have everything from hatch chile to honey & thyme. Anywayyyyy...fast forward to today, day three of this trip. We ate breakfast and were out the door by 9am. We are professional tram riders in Amsterdam (I think this is our 4th time here) and can get from A to B to Z without a hiccup. So we caught the #2 tram to Centraal station where we hopped right on a train leaving for Alkmaar. Today was cheese market day in Alkmaar and that's always tons of fun. Farms from all over the area bring their cheese to market. The inspectors knock on each wheel with a special hammer to judge consistency and any cavities inside. Then they use a tool to pull out a long plug from a wheel of cheese and they sample it and grade it. That determines the price per kilogram. There's a whole routine between the seller and the buyer that includes hand slaps, laughter, and a final handshake. Once the price is determined, the fun starts. Each lot of cheese is weighed in the big ol' weighing house that has been used for centuries.

These guys are “kaasdragers” – the cheese carriers. They wear white suits and colorful straw hats, and are members of the Cheese Carriers’ Guild. The cheese carriers’ guild was founded in 1593 and always consists of 33 members. These are divided into 4 groups, the Vemen. They wear straw hats in yellow, red, green and blue (like the houses at Hogwarts). Each group consists of 6 porters (and I guess alternates because the numbers don't add up) and one person on the scales. In addition, there is the "cheese father", who wears an orange straw hat. It's a lot to remember. I learned that it is NOT easy to get into the Cheese Carriers' Guild, someone basically has to die and even then you start as a temp and complete a two-year apprenticeship. They can ditch you at any time if you're not cheese worthy. The Cheesefather of Alkmaar is , of course, the central figure in the guild. He is responsible for the smooth running of the cheese market.

It's fun to watch all of this...

(Purchased and headed to the buyer's boat)

and even more fun to see the goods heading home to whatever cheese shop or restaurant bought them.

Today's market was also selling large crates of tulips. If I understood the announcement they sold over 20,000 tulips today. As the market closed people were buying leftover bunches and kids were scurrying around collecting loose tulip bulbs from the ground. I don't know if they planned to plant them or throw them at each other. I saw this woman as we were leaving and thought this snap was just so very Dutch.

We roamed the streets of Alkmaar most of the afternoon and accidentally found the one street dedicated to the red light ladies. Like all of the streets it was pretty and tidy, which is why it startled me to see scantily clad women sitting in windows. I guess cheese isn't the only market in town. Down another lane filled with beautiful flower shops and boutiques a woman was playing a harp and singing, it was so lovely. Against my better judgement I even made a purchase at a small store filled with treasure. I love a little crossbody bag, especially for travel, and this one has a BIRD embroidered on it!! The cheapskate in me moaned, but the rarely seen impulsive part of my heart rejoiced.

It's got three compartments and the zipper pulls are little leaves! The lining is even pretty. I mean, a little suede bag with a bird! After all my yammering about not shopping I failed on the third day. Still, it was really fun day and that bird is stinkin' adorable. No regrets.

So, after eating my words, we eventually bid farewell to Alkmaar and boarded a train headed back to Amsterdam. Mickey swore he was starving and all he'd talked about eating lately was a Dutch pancake, so we found a spot. They're similar to crepes but a little thicker, a tad browner, and especially delicious. Mine had goat cheese, bacon, spinach, garlic oil, and seeds. Again, no regrets.

They're not at all like American pancakes, not fluffy or cakey. I may have to learn to make them. Delicious! We're back in our apartment after a quick stop for a couple of items at a grocery store. My plan is to finish this silly post and go soak in a hot bath. Tomorrow we're taking a train to Delft, another old favorite. There's a big antique market on Saturday and the cheapskate in me is scared. Vacation Nancy isn't to be trusted. Yikes. I'll leave you here with a photo of the cutest kaasdrager I saw today. I'm not sure he knew what he was doing but he was having ball.

Howdy do! Our flight across the Atlantic was uneventful, thank goodness. We touched down at Schipol in the wee hours of the morning here, just past our bedtime at home. I wasn't able to sleep on the flight (never can) so by the time we went through passport control and collected our bags I was getting bleary-eyed. Fortunately ground ransportation is efficient and cheap here, so we rode the escalator down to platform 3 and caught the Sprint train to Centraal station. Once we arrived at Central we had directions from the Air BnB host to catch the #2 tram and get off at Hoofddorpplein (say that 3 times fast). Just as we exited the station, #2 pulled up! Perfect. We hopped on, super easy because you can just tap in and out with your credit card on trains, planes, and buses. You can also purchase an OV card and connect it to your credit or bank card - it's all very convenient. ANYWAY, we exited at HooperDooperPlein and walked about a block to our apartment for the next nine days. It's on a pretty street with wonderful coffee shop (not that kind of coffee shop) on the corner called Bagel and Bean. We're also close to some cute shops and a couple of very nice grocery stores. Here's a photo I snapped of our street once the sun was up. Bikes and flower boxes everywhere.

Because these are all old, narrow Dutch buildings we had to climb old, narrow Dutch stairs...

That's super fun with luggage. I have a small foot, I wear a 6 or 6.5 shoe and those stairs only allow for about 3/4 of my foot. I expect to fall to my death this week, speak kindly of me when I'm gone. I'll have to get a photo from the top so you can get a better idea of why these houses are ideal for mountain goats. Still, at the top of the stairs we opened the door to this lovely space.

Not pictured is the dining area and kitchen, the COMFY bedroom, and the wonderful bathroom with a deep soaking tub (hallelujah!). There's a washer/dryer in the hall as well. Once we dropped our bags we did what we always do - we grabbed a cat nap. Depending upon the time we arrive, and how many hours until bedtime we have two methods for getting on a local schedule quickly. Arriving at the very beginning of the day (when we'd be sleeping at home) we allow ourselves a two hour nap. Any longer would make it impossible to get to bed that night, it's just enough to survive the day. If we arrive mid-day we'll power through and try to get out in the fresh air and move. Both methods work really well for us. Today we napped and it was delicious. We got up semi-refreshed and made a quick trip to a grocery store. On vacation, we like to eat breakfast before tackling the day and neither of us wants to search out a restaurant or wait in a line. We filled our basket with fresh eggs, big, beautiful strawberries, bananas, and a few odds and ends - crackers and water, that sort of thing. Most things are labeled in Dutch, but are fairly easy to figure out. This item was in English (because they use the same word) and for whatever reason I thought it was amusing.

"Hey babe, crack open a can of hot dogs, would ya'?" 6 stuks (pieces) of chicken and beef hot dogs in a can. We brought our groceries back and scaled the stairs to the apartment and then rewarded ourselves with a coffee from Bagel and Bean. They make a fine iced vanilla latte. Ten out of ten. And they weren't stingy with the ice! Most places in Europe will drop in two tiny cubes. I was delighted. Fully caffeinated, we decided to stroll to Vondelpark which is about two blocks from our front door. It's such a pretty place, lots of walking paths, ponds, ducks and geese, happy dogs running around, and nice people soaking it all up. Some of the trees were fully leafed and some were just budding. It'll be interesting to see how it fills in during our week here.

Those pics don't look like much, I should have taken photos of the pretty paths, the nesting storks, and the spring blooms. Next time! Late afternoon was spent relaxing, watching boats drift down the canal in front of our apartment, hunting down dinner, and calling it a day.

I was in pajamas by 8pm and I'm blogging to stay awake. If I can make it to 9 or 10 I won't wake up in the middle of the night - then presto, we're on reasonable local schedule! The view from our balcony before I pulled the curtains for the night was pretty and peaceful.

I'll say good night for now. Tomorrow after breakfast we'll probably hop a train to Haarlem. It's about a 17 minute ride and should make for a lovely day. We're crossing our fingers that the fickle spring weather cooperates (this is why I like vactioning in the fall) but even if it rains, we'll have fun. Today was 70 and sunny, the week head looks promising but not guaranteed. Might be a good week to wear a hat. Sweet dreams to all of you. Hopefully I'll have more interesting photos and topics of discussion tomorrow. Sending out lots of love. Stay safe, stay well. XOXO, Nancy P.S. Have I ever mentioned that the Dutch are some of the tallest people in the world? Because of that, everything here is fashioned for people (everyone) taller than me. Today, while visiting a restroom, I stood directly in front of this mirror and snapped a photo. Can't even see the top of my head.

It's been a busy few weeks and I don't know whether I'm coming or going. Actually, I do know - I'm going. After a trip down to Florida to celebrate my mom's 90th birthday, coming home and catching up on a few things around here, then keeping my sweet grandgirl for a few days of her spring break, tomorrow I'm flying off to Amsterdam. Gosh, I sit around here and rot for months and then everything happens at once. Maybe next year we can spread things out a bit. We usully take our vacations in the fall, but this trip is for Mickey's birthday. Guess who turned 70?

He wants to go run around The Netherlands and I'll never turn down chance to do that.

Seems weird that I'm not spending the next couple of weeks getting gardens tidy and ready for summer. I normally wait until days are consistently above 50 degrees before starting that process. Many of our little pollinator friends and beneficial insects winter under that leaf fall and debris, so I like to give them their space. But I definitley have spring fever and an itchy trowel hand. I'm ready! When I returned from Florida the forsythia was in bloom. Those pretty yellow flowers are always a harbinger of spring. Now my Lamb's Ear is filling in and looking velvety. The Stoner Creek irises have buds, and all of the pretty perennials (rudbeckia, coneflower, speedwell, globe thistle, clematis, climbing rose) are sending out green shoots. The little Red Bud tree is showing off too!

The Jane Magnolia trees are covered in blossoms! And, as you can see in the photos, we have plenty of dandelions.

Weeds survive weather, pests, and anything we might throw at them to stop the spread. Might as well make friends with them.

I convinced Mickey to scatter clover seed in the back yard. If I had my way I'd have a clover lawn front and back. It's better for pollinators, the soil, the environment, and it hardly needs mowing. Added bonus, it might tempt bunnies and deer to visit.

What could be better than that?? I'm also considering making my entire raised bed a strawberry patch. Stay tuned to follow my battle with the squirrels. I just know they're going to try to ruin it for me. Anywho, I won't hold you hostage here while I ramble about my garden plns. I'll do plenty of that when we get home from The Netherlands. I will, however, share that my grandgirl definitely has at least one drop of her Grancy's DNA (don't message me, I know the science, I know she has a big ol' scoop). Her parents informed me that while we spent time together over her spring break she wanted me to dye her hair. What?? Her perfect, golden, virgin hair? They did their research and settled on a color depositing conditioner that would slowly wash out before she returned to school. She chose pink, of course. We set up Grancy's salon and got busy. The end result was not a shocking permanent pink, more like pink tone and streaks. She loved it. I told her that when I was her age I used to wear wigs. She asked, "Was that before hair dye was invented?" So I grounded her. Just kidding.

These pictures are proof that she's part of my world now. This is the gateway drug. One of my favorite quotes from Steel Magnolias was when Annelle said," Miss Truvy, I promise that my personal tragedy will not interfere with my ability to do good hair."  I agree.

Anywayyy, I'm taking myself off to bed a bit early. We have a very long day tomorrow. I'm taking my laptop along and wi-fi permitting I'll share some of our trip with you. We've been several times and it's one of our favorite spots, so we're not rushing anything - just poking around. We've rented a darling apartment through Air BnB and will spend our first day relaxing, probably walking in a park to ward off jet lag, and picking up a few groceries. Probably not the sort of stuff anyone wants to read about, but I'll share the more interesting days. We'll be home the night of the 16th and then life will settle into a more normal pace. I'll post again from across the pond. Until then, you know the drill - Stay safe, stay well,spread some love. XOXO, Nancy

Only old folks will sing that title. But that's what I'm doing tomorrow morning, hopping on a big bird and heading south. I mentioned that my mother is celebrating her 90th birthday in a few days, so we're gathering from far and wide to honor her. I'm sure that when I wrote that, you developed an image in your mind of a typical 90-year-old woman. Yeh, she's not that. Not at all. She's probably in better shape than both of her daughters and still sharp as a tack. She does more yard work than I do and definitely has a more active social life. Honestly, she's probably more like your average 70-ish gal. Still, marking 9 decades is a big deal so we're going to light up that cake! Gosh, when I think of what she has seen and done in those 9 decades, I'm amazed. She rode a train from Idaho to Alabama when she was 18 and joined the Army.

A few years later she married a soldier and her life as a military wife began. She made homes all over the country, birthed her first baby in the Alaskan Territory before it was a state, then had another right after it became a state. I didn't come along until they arrived in Ft. Benning, so I'm a Georgia peach.

Yeah, sure. Then it was back to Alaska and I stayed longer than any of them. Go figure. My mom kept our ship afloat, all while putting in decades working for the government in Civil Service, and now she lives the good life in Florida. She has seen and survived it all. I love that she does exactly as she pleases now. She certainly earned that right.

Anywho, that's where I'll be for the next few days. My sister is also flying in, so maybe we can get up to some shenanigans that are interesting enough to post here. Highly unlikely as we'll probably be in pajamas by 8 o'clock. But if there's mischief available before sundown, we're your girls.

Seems like all I ever do is post about how boring life is here in Denton, then I share a couple of photos of my latest watercolor failures. Guess what? I'm about to do it again.

Nothing has changed here, life is still limping along. My sister came to spend the day yesterday so my abs got a workout from laughter. That's always good. We were supposed to get haircuts but the stylist texted and said she had a stomach bug and canceled. That was no bueno. I felt horrible for her, and I hope she's already feeling better, but we're flying to Florida on the 17th and I really needed a cut. I'm shaggy and my hair is already puffing up from spring humidity. My sister and I usually make our appointments back to back so we can hit the salon, then shop or have lunch. We both think that the stylist woke up that day, looked at our names on her calendar and thought, "I just can't..."

Honestly, I don't blame her. Cutting both of us in the same morning has probably given her carpal tunnel syndrome and PTSD. I respect her decision. Sadly, that doesn't solve my hair dilemma. My choices are to have a go at it myself, which I've done over the years with equal rates of success and failure. Or I could roll the dice and find someone who can squeeze me in over the next couple of days. We all know that rarely ends well for me. There's a third option of spending the week in Florida with my hair in a ponytail or a claw clip, but all that does is showcase my double chin. Looks like I might be cutting my bangs today. Really hoping I have enough positive karma stockpiled to provide a decent outcome. Maybe a groomer at PetSmart has an opening. I promise not to bite. I get it, I'm making a big deal out of minor inconvenience. Those of you who were blessed with normal hair will never understand. Moving on. Let's talk about how I'm wasting paint and paper and only producing throw-aways. It feels wrong. On the other hand, how will I learn if I don't use up supplies? I've been cutting my paper in half, so that reduced the guilt a bit. I've also noticed that when I'm trying to figure out what to paint I nearly always default to birds. Why birds?? I wasted paper on this hummingbird because I completely screwed up the tail. Could I have stopped, hunted down a photo of a hummingbird to see and copy the tail? Sure. Did I? Nope. I was twenty minutes into a murder podcast and couldn't be bothered. Now his story is that his tail was mangled by a neighborhood cat. Lucky escape. He's just happy to be alive.

This guy's feet are all wrong and I messed up his beak by using too much water. *sigh* I do love a Titmouse.

This was a tiny painting, messed up her beak too. Perhaps birds are not the subject I should be painting.

I titled this one Nosy Neighbor and for the life of me, could not get his bill right.

This was my last attempt and again it was the beak that tripped me up. Seriously considering switching to rabbits.

I will happily admit that the hours spent sliding paint around are soothing to me. When I pick up a paintbrush I feel my body relax, my shoulders drop, and my mind is ready to play. That's a gift. I'll keep practicing, and I may or may not get any better. I do think that making art has always released endorphins for me the way that some people say a good workout does for them. I'm just exercising my imagination instead. Could explain why I don't have abs of steel. Is that a thing? Maybe it was buns of steel. Whatever, I don't have 'em. My painting hand is fit as a fiddle though. Today I need to sort through my closet and decide what to pack for Tuesday's trip. It'll be warm down there, and my spring clothes mostly consist of what I can wear in the garden. I've got some cute sleeveless summer dresses, but those won't be appropriate for March. Shoulder seasons are hard to pack for - spring temps go up and down. We were 83 degrees yesterday and next week's forecast shows possible snow flurries. I'm thinking I'll just wear pajamas. Safe bet, right? Combined with my crazy hair it should remove any doubts about where I am in life.

As much as I love winter, the thought of spring being just around the corner is tantalizing. I'm eager to see the birdies bustling around building nests. I'm so ready to see some pretty color - the first flowers, the grass greening up, trees unfurling their new leaves. But first, we must get through March. She's a fickle month and can feel like spring one day and drop snow on us the next. That's okay, at least it's not boring. Besides, March also brings loads of Irish fun - I think every American claims Irish ancestry during the third month. I have a few drops in me, so I'll celebrate with the best of them. RJ agrees.

He's got some pot of gold sunglasses too, but I think they hide too much of his adorable face.

Besides, RJ knows the difference between being fashionable and being attention-seeking. He's classy. No glasses.

Since I have nothing to talk about other than raccoon ensembles, I'll embrace the cheerful Irish spirit and use some of their phrases to tell you what I wish for your month.

May the most you wish for be the least you get.

May the doctor never earn a pound out of you. (I guess that would be a euro now) May your home always be too small to hold all your friends. May misfortune follow you all the rest of your life, but never catch up.

And, of course, my personal favorite: May the light always find you on a dreary day,

When you need to be home, may you find your way,

May you always have courage to take a chance,

And never find frogs in your underpants. Never finding frogs in my underpants is a lifelong goal. So far, so good. Yes, this is just a silly post, nothing but nonsense. I'm avoiding news and social media today because the world has gone mad. Sometimes we need to spend a day in a protective bubble. I'll be back at it tomorrow - trolling elected officials and firing off emails and postcards. Don't know if it does any good, but it makes me feel better. Today, I'm going to make art, sing along to good tunes, and celebrate the imminent arrival of *SPRING*. This time of year always makes me think of that old (like, 1906 old) book about Mother Nature and the root children. The root children represent the plants and insects that sleep all winter. The stories follow them as they slumber through winter, wake up in spring to prepare for the world (sewing dresses, painting bugs), play in the fields during summer, and return underground as autumn arrives. It's a sweet and whimsical take and has enchanted me for decades.