Kite Flying

I took the grand kids kite flying over spring break.  Once their kite was up they climbed to the top of the sledding hill and let their string out.
Sometimes the kite sank and they were frustrated at having to wind it up.  It isn't exactly fun, but I don't think winding up string should diminish taking a "risk" of having their kite fly very high.

Sometimes we are like that, afraid of having to tidy up some minor yet unpleasant mess. 
Don't use the nice china you will have to wash it, buy paper.
Don't cook the lasagna, buy frozen.
Don't jump in a pile of raked leaves.

I have a pretty "complete" kite flying bag, but this time I realized I wanted something new, gloves.  I want leather gloves with the finger tips missing.

Prettys for Kitties

So I was at the Salvation Army Thrift shop and I saw these pretty dishes for .39 each and I thought I would like them for the cats.  I mentioned my idea to the lady at the thrift store and she looked at me like I was the most freakin indulgent cat owner ever and she gave me a look like God was going to judge me harshly for giving my cats cute feeding dishes that are intended for people. (remember whe I used to break dishes?) I just smiled. 
*sigh* Now I'm thinking maybe te girls need a cuter rug for under the dishes.  That shouldn't take long to braid.

en Plein Air

I took Shelly to Hidden Lake Gardens to paint/draw.  She had never been there before so we took a tour of the gardens.  I hadn't remembered this tree.  I called it tatooed.  The gardens are so pristeen and manicured that this was a surprising sight.  I believe this is a corkscrew willow.  Perhaps the foliage concealed  the vandalism on my other visits.
It wasn't colorful enough at the gardens and it was too cold.  I never finished my picture and that was just fine because I was really hating the reslts from the oil pastels.  I have never worked with oil pastels and now I have a new respect for the medium. The other thing is I think I was trying to be too literal in line and color. What I like is that I can see how the photograph distorts the veiw.  Everything is so compressed in the photo.

Another One

I made another apple cake for the handbell lenten supper at church.  I took my famous sweet potatoes and this cake.  Folks were very complimentary about my dishes.   The money raised from the dinner will buy more music and help defray festival fees.

KING CAKE CRAZY

The day after my birthday a box from Mississippi was sitting on my porch.  It was a thankyou from Jerry (Gwen's brother) for helping out with the funeral dinner for Marianne.

I was overwhelmed by the size of the cake to I made an adventure of sharing it with friends (some I hadn't seen in a while).  No phone calls.  I made surprise stops as I drove around town.  At the first stop, in the first piece cut and eaten was the baby (Jesus).  So either Jen and Jason are going to make another baby soon or they are going to provide next years King cake.  I took some to Jake's family, I invited Shelly over for a peice, and I had three peices left for Jeff, Randy and me. 

More Birthday Sweetness

 Mom gave me some nice skin care products and this cute apron. 

Gwen gave me the cute calendar towel and Amy & Neil gave me the narcissus.  The flowers will patch in an empty spot were some narcissus used to grow.

March 21

I had Maripat over on my birthday.  I brought out my blue lusterware tea set.  I began collecting blue lusterware when I was in middle school.  My first pieces were plates I bought at a little antique shop in Maine.  My dishes have orange/golden luster accents. I also brought out my Wizard of Oz glasses.  MP cooked up a tofu salad (yummm) and I made my traditional birthday orange cake with cinnamon struesel. for dessert.  Maripat thought it was ironic I made an orange cake, because her gift to me was orange themed.   

The story of orange. 

The orange chakra is associated with creativity.  Gwen says she thinks of me as "orange."  But after losing my job I felt like I had lost my bright and orangy nature.

I felt a great shifting gravitation from some colors to others.  It felt like I was entering a new season, and that I might never enjoy orange like I once did.  Over these past few years some of my prayers were, "Heavenly Father, you control the seasons (spiritually and earthly) and you provide for everything.  Only you can make something out of nothing.  You provide me with the materials to create.  You made me a creator in your image.  What would you have me do?  Where would you have me go?"  I wanted God to place me somewhere that would satisfy worldly ideals. 

My gut went spastic in February and early March.  I had to go to the doctor and get anti-spasmodic pills.  (Remember the lower abdomen is where the orange chakra space is.)  I must have caught virus (remember I saw my sister-in-law who had started a rug that inspired me)  During my 3-4 weeks of gut problems I made a rug.  By the time I had finished the rug, in my heart I had written a hopeful list of future projects.  I was GIVEN an orange themed birthday, and I was GIVEN the inspiration to create.  I saw orange coreopsis seeds and an orange primrose.  I was hoping a certain someone was going to GIVE it to me, but someone didn't and that is another part of the story because I yearn and pray for support for my creativity.  When external support for my creative self isn't "there" I get anxious and then I don't support myself very well.  Be a Big Cat (Tiger - I was born the year of the tiger) not a cub Heidi!  I gave myself the coreopsis seeds.

Inside the lovely bag was orange tea, an orange scented candle, citrus gum,

chocolate orange candy bars (the best I have ever eaten),

and the most beautifully fragrant orange patchouli body cream. 

Kadie and Dan sent me these beautiful flowers for my birthday.

I finally hung my grandma's old lusterware wall pocket. 

Later that day I went and picked up my repaired car.

Sunbrellas

I am finally starting my Sunbrella project.  I have these old damaged umbrellas I am going to repair with lining scraps from the wool skirts and jackets I have cut up to make the rugs. 
I had just finished soaking these filthy umbrellas in Oxyclean, and decided to hang them on the line.

St. Patrick's Baby Shower

March 17th was Julie's baby shower, St. Patrick's Day, and Ivy and David's Anniversary.  I love to play Irish on St. Pat's day calling myself Mrs. O'Draky.  With my reddish hair, green eyes and Irish accent I make a convincing impostor.  I wore my plaid green skirt, short boots white shirt, green sweater, and my mother's old suede cap. Why didn't anyone take my picture?  And, why didn't I drink any Bushmills (like a good Protestant)? 

Anyway, at this time I was reading The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin.  In Rubin's chapter on money she describes herself as being an "underconsumer."  Meaning she doesn't think to spend money on the things she needs so she tends to not have essentials on hand.  I sort of relate to this.  I am an in and out of the store kind of shopper; most of the time I am concentrating on getting one item.  I bought baby Jame's baby book, but I forgot to get wrapping paper.  So at the last minutes I was scrambling around trying to "make up" gift wrapping.  The package above is the results.  Now I know it isn't as flashy as it could be, but I realized that being an underconsumer invites the opportunity to be creative.  

I was happy that I got to use my Hunca Munca stamp.  

Grandma Elizabeth gave me this wonderful cup for my birthday.  It was an ironic gift considering that Spot broke my "Secret Garden" tea cup.  Jeff said I should take Spot to the store  . . .  Stop! Like who ever sees anyone with a pet cat in the store? A dog, maybe. A cat, never.  Continue . . . take Spot to the store and buy her something she has always wanted.  Then when you get home BREAK IT!  right in front of her.  *sigh* Jeff is always the comic.

I told the kids at St. Stephen's the story and Jeff's solution and they were HORRIFIED!  I laughed and said, "That's just Jeff trying to be funny. I would never do that."  But the dears were concerned about me losing my tea cup and kinda felt like the cat needed to be punished.  Poor Spot is being punished enough with her skin affliction.  When people see her I say, "UNCLEAN! UNCLEAN!" like she has leprosy.  Poor old cat, I am NOT believing that this is Karma for knocking over the frog's bowl -TWICE. Anyway Lexi asked, "What will you do Mrs. Drake?"  Able spoke up and said, "She can just a new one."  I said, "One I can appreciate the other ones I have."  I have been on a journey of detachment and what I have found is that the more detached I am the more gratitude I have. 

Anyway, I love this cup although I handle it very gingerly.  In quiet reflection I saw God's lesson's.  God loves me and will provide for my needs.  This isn't about cups, it's about the gift of friendship. All the dolls on the cup are reminders of my friends who are "living dolls."