Celebrations of Spring

Hello, Dear Friends. Time is racing along and here 

we are celebrating the middle of May already! 

I hope that everyone who celebrates it, had a lovely Mother's Day.

I've been sick the last few weeks with the dreaded Covid. 

Yea, I know. 

I've been so careful, but I let down my guard 

 and well, here I am. 

I am feeling much better and I'm glad that I am vaccinated 

and also had my booster shot.

I had serious fatigue, muscle aches, headaches, 

and of course, lots of congestion. 

I pretty much felt like a wet noodle and 

just hung out on the recliner in the library 

all day, with the bedroom to myself. 

Luckily, Ramblin' Man didn't catch it! 

He had his own problems to deal with. 

More on that later...

I started this post right after Easter, before getting sick, so I will take 

you along on life up to today. 

The weather has been mostly cool and wet, 

here in the foothills, 

with system after system swirling down 

from Alaska. I have been unable to get outside very often. 

It's been rather depressing, which doesn't help

my state of mind, what with the endless sorrows 

coming out of Ukraine, and the political conflicts 

and violence here in the states, not to mention, catching Covid. 

xx

So, while I have been shaking my head in dismay, with tears of sorrow

at what is taking place, I've been working on healing and attending to my own 

little world here. 

To get ready for Easter dinner at my daughter's house, 

I painted some clay pots so that I could gift the ladies 

with flowers. 

I painted them inside and out with latex porch and floor paint in gray. 

Painting them inside and outside keeps moisture 

from seeping into the clay and lifting the paint.

Then I dry-brushed the outside and inside rim with white craft paint

 (In one direction) and rubbed it with a rag while wet to give it a concrete look. 

I added a 'ribbon' of chiffon fabric from 

 a gown that I had to shorten for my daughter a while ago. 

I couldn't bear to throw away the long ribbon 

of fabric that I had left over. 

xx

I used a piece of double-stick tape on either side 

of the pot to hold the ribbon in place. 

I had enough for the six pots that I painted. 

I tucked some potted fuchsia inside

and voila'! 

Latex porch and floor paint will last several years outdoors

without fading and take on a charming, weathered look. 

My daughter, Heather's house looked so pretty, 

all decorated for Easter. 

The potted plants are gifts from my daughter-in-law, Jen. 

More little gifts from daughter, Heather. 

Heather is the queen of charcuterie boards. 

Here she is on the right with sister, Jennie.

xx

We had a delicious dinner of baked ham, cheesy potatoes,

roasted veggies, green beans and salad. 

I brought deviled eggs. 

Then it was time for the Easter egg hunt! 

All five of the grand boys lined up, wrangled by daughter, Jennie, 

waiting for the word, 'Go!'

It was a rare, sunny and warm day. 

A beautiful day in every way. 

xx

We also celebrated Jennie's birthday recently. 

xx

(Having a little fun with her age candles - even 

though she could pass for 24, I think!)

Another beautiful table at Jennie's house, 

courtesy of sister Heather, who helped 

Jennie's husband Steve host.  

Heather made ice-cubes with berries and herbs frozen inside. 

The drink was a delicious gin and sweet grapefruit juice concoction. 

 Appetizers. 

I made the bruschetta. 

Here's the recipe:

Bruschetta

3 lbs tomatoes, cored, seeded and finely chopped.

1 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped

or 1/4 cup dried, more or less, according to taste 

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Serve with sliced baguette, brushed with olive oil and toasted, or plain, like I did. 

Yum! 

Heather's husband, Eric's home-made spaghetti sauce. 

We have a family of wonderful cooks. 

Except for Ramblin' Man. 

He has many talents, but cooking is not one of them. 

xx

Here we are enjoying our time with the family. 

 On the way home we were treated with a view 

of 14,411 ft. Mt. Rainier in its entirety in the evening light. 

xx

The next day, Ramblin' Man took advantage of 

another rare sunny day to work on the playhouse

he is building for the grandkids. 

He had the ladder against the side while 

he worked on the roof, nailing on plywood, 

when the ladder slid, flipped around and sent him 

flying backwards into one of the cement piers. 

His lower back took the brunt of it, scraping 

 patches of skin and knocking the wind 

out of him. 

View of playhouse from the deck

with newly laid plywood roof. 

I had a migraine that day and was debating 

whether to lie down or go and sit on the deck

in the sunshine for a while. 

I chose the deck and that is when I heard him 

calling for me. 

He always calls me 'Honey', but when he 

is very serious about something, he calls 

me by my name, Karen. 

When I heard my name, I looked down and there 

he was, looking pale and unsteady, but standing. 

I helped him inside and patched him up. 

He is feeling much better now, 

but still a little bit stiff and sore. 

So, of course, once I got over my initial gratitude 

that he was in one piece, I was so upset

that he wasn't more careful. 

He did get some sense knocked into him, though,

without my having to say one word. 

There was no sense in adding insult to injury.

xx 

Of course, he could lecture me on letting down 

my guard and catching Covid, so Touche'! 

At the end of April, I went to my first flea-market 

in over 2 years with daughter, Heather and daughter-in-law, Jen. 

We were so excited! 

The market had a definite 'Farmhouse' style theme to it, 

which is their decorating style. 

Mine is a little more 'Country Cottage', but I found 

some little treasures never-the-less.

Carved wood bookends. 

Long length of vintage crocheted lace. 

Nice wooden bowl. 

Carved wood plaques. 

Apple cutting board. 

Ceramic bunny for next Easter. 

Authentic 1950's tablecloth in beautiful condition. 

 Red enamel bucket for my collection of rolling pins. 

I'm pretty sure this flea-market was where I caught Covid. 

Nobody was wearing a mask, so I took a risk. 

I'll never do that again! 

xx

Here are some pretty scenes from my trips to and from the 

grocery store a few weeks ago. 

The rainbow was a nice surprise after a cold rain. 

While I was sick, my daughter, Heather and family,

sent over some home-made cream of potato soup 

with all the fixings. 

There was enough for several meals. 

So delicious and welcome, and a relief from 

Ramblin' Man's toast and tea. 

Sweet message and drawing from the grand boys. 

xx

Then, a few days later, chicken noodle soup, rolls and cookies 

came from my son, Gabe and wife! 

The company they ordered from is called 'Spoonful of Comfort'.

There was enough for two dinners for both of us. It came with 

a pretty ladle, too, all packaged so nicely with 

interesting quotes about food. 

Along with that they sent a new DVD player and some movies

so I could watch them in the library! 

Yea, I'm pretty spoiled. 

I was sick on Mother's Day, so I spent the day in isolation. 

But this past weekend, my daughters came for

a belated Mother's day visit. 

(I am now testing negative)

They brought delicious chicken salad sandwiches, pasta salad, 

and lemon poundcake for dessert. 

After lunch, they gifted me with a beautiful gift basket 

full of goodies. 

New gardening gloves, clippers and plant mister, 

herbal seed bombs, hand cream and sweet 

book and plant. 

A fancy 'Mom' cookie and salted caramel chocolates. 

New watercolor paints and work-books. 

The books take a beginner like me through the steps to complete

the painting, with the sketch already done on the next page! 

A leather-bound watercolor journal. 

xx

"All that is gold does not glitter.

Not all those who wander are lost:

The old that is strong does not wither.

Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

From the ashes a fire shall be woken:

Renewed shall be blade that was broken. 

The crownless again shall be King."

- J.R.R. Tolkien -

Sweet, embroidered frame and message board. 

xx

A sweet pop-up card from my Grandson. 

Botanical prints and tea towel. 

We had a wonderful visit.

When I told them how generous they were, 

they said that I deserved it for raising them 

and their 2 brothers and now that they are 

mothers themselves, they understand 

how difficult that was. 

xx 

 

A reward for all of the rain. 

xx

Through all of the difficulties of life, 

the sacrifices, the hardships, 

the ups and downs, there are 

rewards. 

Hopefully, we develop character, resilience 

and fortitude. We learn from our mistakes. 

We forgive those who have wronged us, 

not only for them, but for the lessons we learned. 

Hopefully this is compassion and the lesson 

of how not to treat one another. 

We learn to walk in another's shoes, 

while taking the high road, 

and live in such a way that we feel peace 

with ourselves and the choices we make. 

In a world of darkness and hate, 

we must shine the light of goodness and love. 

Love is more powerful than hate. 

It's time to take our power back. 

xx

"What you do speaks so loud that I cannot hear what you say."

-Ralph Waldo Emerson-

"Character is how you treat those who can do nothing for you."

-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe-

"Reputation is what men and women think of us;

character is what God and Angels know of us.

-Thomas Paine-

 

xx