Jerome...

This weekend.

What a rush...as in rush from here to there, and have a ton of fun!

Gracious...

It may take me a couple of days to recover...

My week was a bit, well...odd at points during one 48 hour period at the end there (I only wanted to say 24 hours, because I so badly wanted it to only have been odd for 24 hours, but it extended people...it extended. I may elaborate if I can make it into a good enough story that doesn't make me cry with the retelling. It is actually getting better the father I get from it.) The highlights:

• A cook out with Bert and Janie
• Another Fresh Strawberry Pie
• A whole slew of designer jeans came into the shop
• A trip to Jerome

Ohhhh...did you say a trip to Jerome?!?!

I did.

I love Jerome...it is a ghost town you know. And, it's quite close to home actually...and as youngsters, before it became more of a bustling Art's town, we used to run up for the day, and um...well, let ourselves into the closed up building to see what was inside. Now a lot of the buildings and homes are being restored...

Jerome is an old copper mining town built on the side of a mountain...where most of it just hangs off there into space. It's charming and fun...and steep. We walked and browsed in the fun shops before we headed up to the Haunted Hamburger for lunch. The are on one of the top streets, and have a great view! And, Janie and I agreed that it was a good thing we didn't see the 6 layer carrot cake and even taller chocolate cake until we were leaving...as that is the only thing we may have eaten.



























We made a quick trip to the Holy Family Church, for a view of the wonderful Catholic Religious Art they have inside (I remember it being more pink at one point, but it was still fabu) As you can see, even if it was still quite hazy (what is it with all this crazy haze??) the views from the hill of The Verde Valley and Sedona are just amazing. Rich and I had to leave earlier than Bert and Janie so Rich could go to work, and we missed a little live jazz at the Spirit Room...but responsibility called (for both of us, as I actually had to duck into Snap Snap as well)

Our last stop before returning home was to The Asylumn...the old TB hospital in Jerome. It's now houses a The Jerome Grand Hotel and swanky restaurant. It apparently was the scene of some pretty "weird" incidents involving caretakers and the elevators...and the elevators falling on the caretakers and killing them. This apparently happened more than once, and now the hotel claims to be haunted. It is a weird place, and while I've actually stayed in Jerome at a bed and breakfast (the only weird thing we had happen was to find a rather large and rather alive tarantula on the wall of our room, which we needed to take outside) Rich and I both agreed that this hotel definitely feels spooky, and neither of us would stay there in the near future.

Even as a younger version of myself, this place was definitely weird and freaky...It IS beautiful though. I believe they now host some kind of weird haunted night during the year...

Yipes.

I like to actually feel comfortable enough to sleep when I spend that kind of $$ to stay at a hotel (well, depending on who I'm with I suppose...wink wink. Ok, that was bad.) At any rate, I would rather not stay in a place that gives me the creeps during the day, much less at night)

All this was such a lovely way to start off the weekend...But, I have to confess, after the weirdness of the week, and the running to and fro, and showing off our corner of Arizona, I was so beat, I had to opt out of running over to Matt and Megan's for a Saturday night cap (but, I was sort of there...I mean, Megan displays some of her jewelry and art at an Art Co-Op in Jerome) I wanted to go so very badly...I really needed it, unfortunately the only move I made on Saturday night off my chair was to either refill my hot tea, or to flop in bed.

Which was good...because we were off to an incredible hike in The Promised Land on Sunday...

I just love a weekend that can't quite be covered in one blog post...

Yogurt Mat Bag...

This is what Rich calls it.

Yogurt.

"How was your yogurt class?"
"Are you going to yogurt today?"

Yes.
Yes I am...and I am taking my ultra pink yogurt mat in it's brand new Yogurt bag...

Yogurt.
giggle.

This is some of the new fabric I got this week...It is the Yoga Monkey pattern by Michael Miller, from the store jcaroline creative. Which, in my esteemed opinion, is a wonderful online fabric store. I simply adore the yoga monkeys (almost fainting dead away when it popped up on the screen) and knew without a doubt, that it was imperative that I have this fabric in which to make a yoga mat bag (I'd been wanting to make one for a bit now) I think the insidethehead conversation went something like:

"Lord in heaven...I must have that yoga monkey fabric in which to make a yoga mat bag asap." (all while using the serious and matter of fact insidethehead voice, of course.)

I completely made up this pattern. Which means, I researched what all the cool yoga people are carrying nowadays...and then tried to figure out what I wanted to see in a yoga mat bag...you know? For personal use?

• I really wanted something to hold a yoga mat...
• Some kind of strap in which to sling it over my shoulder so I could easily transport everything to and from yoga class
• I wanted something with monkeys on it
  

That about covers it. (except that last one...I didn't even begin to imagine that I could have monkeys doing yoga on a yard of fabric, the fact that I did find this fabric was a complete bouns)

The strap is made from a woven 100% cotton strap, and clasped together with a plastic buckle thingy, making the straps totally adjustable, just in case I may need such a feature in the future. I finished the bag in a spare hour and a half I had this morning...

I paired the monkey fabric with a color coordinating fabric that consists of blue argyles, because I love me some argyles...almost as much as I love paisleys...or monkey's doing yoga...err...um...yogurt. I bought thie argyle fabric at JoAnn's here in town...and for some unknown reason it was only $2/yard...and I thought a perfect compliment in which to line a yoga mat bag, and create an outside pocket on the bag.

• The pocket is for my iPod and is open at the top.
• The green button was scouted from one of my 3 button boxes.
  
• It is vintage.
• I adore it as well.
• (I used pink embroidery thread to attach it)

The only way in which the button is functional is to bring me great joy when I look at it...the button does not keep anything closed, or fastened...it's just a wonderful vintage button. Can you believe that I did not, in any of my button boxes (and to be fair, there are also several jars, and one rather large zip lock bag...I smell button give-away coming up soon) find a monkey button? I know...I can hardly believe that myself.

You might think that making a yoga mat bag is easy business, but I woke up early giddy with excitement, going over in my head exactly what I would need to do to make the bag...including the part where you dig out a ZipLock Container To Go lid to use as a circle template (this is after running around the house wondering why I don't seem to have more circle shaped things lying about) That is absolutely a must when you are making a yoga mat bag (one may question themselves at this juncture, if the author is now trying to use the phrase yoga mat bag in some sort of a record breaking way?)

It is also a must that one find a perfectly matched tank top at the thrift the very same morning that the bag was completed in which to iron and sew on a yoga monkey carefully cut from the left over parts of the Yoga Monkey fabric...to actually DO yogurt in...all matchy~matchy with one's new yoga mat bag (yup, there it is again)

The only person I warned ahead of time that there was yoga monkey fabric on it's way in which to make a yoga mat bag was The Amazing Megan. That conversation went like this:

Me: Megan...I just ordered the most adorable fabric! It's lime green, and has monkeys on it, doing yoga! (she collapses in a fit of giggles)

The Amazing Megan: Really? Um...Are they sock monkeys?

Me: (sitting up straight and saying quite seriously) Meeeegan...Um...NO. Sock Monkeys don't DO yoga.

(as if)

(though, one may argue that no monkey probably does yoga...per se...but that one is seriously rocking the tree pose)

Corners Of My Home...

I suppose technically this isn't my home, but since it seems like I spend more time here than home, I thought I would post pictures of the latest window display at Snap Snap today instead.

I have been in a rather creative mood after the success with the skirt this week (creativity seems to be a snowball effect) and while sometimes this translates easy into one part of my life...getting it to translate into all parts of my life? Not so easy. But, seeing as I needed to change the window up at Snap Snap, now was my chance to try to carry the creativity over to work. The conversation in my head went something like this:

"...uuuugh...(heavy sigh) I really want to think of something creative to do with the window...(mentally searches brain for supplies for such creativity that I have on hand at Snap Snap, all while casting around with eyes to locate something usable) Why aren't I being more creative in the shop!?! What's wrong with me??"

And, this can either slip into all sorts of confrontational self esteem issues, which often results in making lists of things...Or bring me a flash of instant inspiration. This week, it resulted inspiration. Now, since there are no major holidays to decorate the window for every month, sometimes I need to come up with other themes instead (yes, I've been doing it for 13 years, and I'm lucky since my stock is constantly changing, I have all sorts of other reasons to be inspired) All that coupled with the fact that since I sell all things wearable, I like to try to get that across in the form of a creative sidewalk stopping window display.

Now, if all that's not enough for you, the sun here in Arizona is quite strong, and glares through the window at least once a day for quite a long time...enough time to fade clothing if you don't change the displays in the window often enough...and the sun is also strong enough to fade shoes that are made of anything other than synthetic materials.

Oh, but we love shoes!!

Yes, I know...but, I have faded many shoes in my time. And, since I only put one side of the pair in at a time...I've faded one shoe of a set, which completely ruins the entire pair of shoes...because at Snap Snap, they're buy one shoe get the matching one free (unless I can fade the other one to exactly the same shade...but alas, shoe fading is not an exact science) Which has left me no choice but to exclude shoes from my window displays...

Oh, but we love shoes!!

Well...hang on, because this is all leading to the exciting idea that I could probably hang shoes...so they would still be visible in the window display, and out of the suns harmful way...and Ta~Da! I present to you:

April Showers Bring May Footwear
(a concept window by the designers of Snap Snap)

Oh yes, and that's just perfect for today, because as you can guess by the glare in these last couple of photos, we have some seriously cloudy weather going on up here...In fact, it is actually raining right now.

And not just designer footwear either...

Drought? Bah!

(Update: The fabric did make it's appearance yesterday. It is washed and ironed, it has complimentary fabric matched to it, and I've already completed one project....but, I'm gonna' make you wait until tomorrow to see it...

Bert and Janie arrived last night for a visit here in Prescott...they are Rich's friends and the most charming couple. Bert is a professional photographer and writer, and they both travel all over. Bert is writing an article about Prescott, and I am so very excited both to get to know them better while they're visiting our little corner of the world...)

Profusely...

Thank you for the skirt love...I am so very pleased with the way it turned out there in the end. Now I am not only finding myself searching for linen skirts to rip apart (Ohhhh...A quest! A quest!) but I am thinking seriously about breaking down and buying linen at the fabric store (even though the best part about remaking something is that you get to re-use...well, that and the entire project cost me $3) Unfortunately, I may have to travel to a different fabric shoppe (more fancy with that E on the end, wouldn't you think?) far away from my fair little towne (see??) to find some...Unless one of you out there knows of a good Internet Shoppe where one may purchase such a thing as wonderful linene? (too much with the E? Yeah, I thought so)

Then again...if you knew of the fabulousness that is, right at this moment, speeding my way, you would be giddy with excitement! Here is the status due to the latest stalking of the UPS website:

PRESCOTT VALLEY, AZ, US 04/02/2008 7:00 A.M. OUT FOR DELIVERY

I only hope that I bought enough yardage of the fabric I so carefully obsessed over for 3 days...um, I mean...selected. For, I have bigplans for this fabric and am hoping to squeeze 3 garments and a bag out of it...Do you think half a yard will be enough? Just kidding, keep breathing, I'm not that silly to think that I could attempt that...I mean, while it is delightful and perfect fabric...it's not magic fabric!

I don't think.

But wouldn't that be cool?

I will just have to settle for looking through this book my mother recently presented me with while I'm waiting for the package to arrive:



OhMy! Can you stand it? I had a bit of a chuckle-snort when I read the bottom caption...

Profusely Illustrated.

Well then...

I think part of my brain wanted that word to be a derivative of Profane...but, Profuse? Well...that is entirely another story...I think it rather describes life as I see it...profusely illustrated indeed. Lest you worry, the description is correct as this book is filled with the most wonderful vintage nautical images. It is inspiring me to get to card and image making again as well...

It's making me want to get another tattoo...

Oh wait...I think I just saw the UPS truck pull up...

Skirt Redux...

Redux: (adj.) Brought back; returned. Used postpositively. [Latin : re-, re- + dux,]

Another life saved via the Thrift...

Sometime last week during a scouting trip to the thrift, I spied a linen skirt that was just aching to be mine (like a soul mate, we were destined to be together) Unfortunately, at some point in the evolution of all things, I did not hold up my end of the bargain and reduce myself to a size zero...

Lucky for me, this brown and cream linen beauty was Gap brand:

1. Thus notorious for running larger than the size posted on the tag
2. Some weird Gap style with some funky kind of pleating in it (which may be why the original owner parted said skirt, but upon inspection, I knew that I could work with this garment, because of the extra material.)

So...off came the original waistband, out came the weird pleating, freeing me up to make a skirt that could be tailor made just for me. And, don't you know, when I was rummaging around in the studio that I would come up with the perfect complimentary fabric? (I should, there's a lot of fabric sitting around on shelves in there)


The striped fabric is a lighter cotton, so I doubled it up before making a new waistband for the skirt...and it worked beautifully. I also sewed a little striped ruffle around the bottom, which turned out horribly, so off it came. I am wanting to maybe make some striped cute pockets for the front as well...we'll see though. I used turquoise thread to sew the entire thing, because I am loving the blue and brown color combination

I wore it yesterday already, and I am having a hard time not wearing it again today...I would love to sew an entire fleet of these beauties, the linen hangs so well, and it feels so good to wear.

I have some more fabric coming in the mail this week (tomorrow as a matter of fact, I've been tracking it) So, skirts are in short order for sure, along with another project. The sewing machine has been gathering some serious piles of dust over the winter, so these few projects are making it an easy jump back into the art of sewing...which seems to be more of a summer activity around Foolsewoode. I am envisioning giving new life to a whole stack of things...

Sunup to Sundown...

on Saturday.

What a weekend.

Or day (as we're looking here at Saturday aren't we?) Quite simply put, I was engaged in fun fun fun from sunup to sundown...

My good friend Chrystal (after going to her little girl's school dance on Friday evening together...where I held her sweet little boy almost the whole time...he was a great date!!) called me, as she was doing a little disappearing act jump into Saturday...and swept into my weekend, like a fun girl whirlwind...





We started the day off with a big home made breakfast, tea and coffee....juice, you know, the works...

Rich called and let us know he was making a brief appearance downtown for some early morning pictures...we walked out the door into the day to meet him...

Things are starting to bloom in full force around town, so we took advantage of the good morning light, and clear blue skies...



I was a bit obsessed with this tree, as you can plainly see (which will probably mean that it will end up in my header before long...for April) My ornamental cherry tree is much younger than this one, so the branches are so much smaller...Plus? Since it's growing into/near the pergola on the patio, I keep it well trimmed.

Either that, or my guests have to live with eating through branches...

After a full day of pedis, lunch, chatting, and a quick clothing party...Chrystal went her own way, and I immersed myself in a late afternoon bubble bath...


...Towel dried, and hopped into the car out for a trip to Granite Dells, a visit with my favorite Airstreamer, his good friend Gunny (and wonderful pooch-a-roo) and Lars...where the 4 of us headed out for a quick hike to catch the sunset...


We're still gettin' our haze on sky-wise here in Arizona...I figure, with the spring winds we've been having, maybe that's it? Rich says no...that when he got here last year it was all clear and sunny...windy, yes...but not as hazy.


It was a lovely sunset, although I wasn't too inspired to take a million shots...I'm reading up on ye ole' digital photography and trying to gear myself up to learn some new tricks. And, it was fun to visit a bit with Gunny, as he reminds me of my grandfathers...



Then, off the rocks and into the gentle safety of the Airstream (which continues to feel like such a wonderfully safe place to me...it was all that Anza-Borrego traveling we did, you know...either that or Rich's fabulous couch and softie blankies) where Rich and I kicked back, put our feet up, and watched The Deadliest Catch...Have you seen this show?! It is amazing...I know what you're thinking, "who cares about crab fishing?!" (easy judgmental) Well, I suggest you suspend those beliefs and sit down for a viewing. It utterly captivating! I mean, I start to feel sorry for the crabs after a while (but, I'm not a big crab fan, so it's a bit easier for me to watch...give me lobster any day...that and they have very strict guidelines about catching, and who gets taken out of the ocean, and who gets thrown back...) but, what an interesting job...I would totally do it.

yup.

Right up until the point it got all cold and wet and I didn't get any sleep (oh wait, that IS the job, then again, I'd be pretty buff) Rich is currently catching me up to speed as he gets the latest episodes himself. I love me some Alaska though, and I have always though I wouldn't have any problem living up there, it is so amazing...and very harsh. Much like Arizona, only in the opposite direction of the spectrum I think...

Good~Bye Sweet...

Friend...

Sweet Strawberry Goddess of Goodness...

I will miss having you for breakfast (because fruit for breakfast is healthy right?) with a little dollop of lemon curd (although, to be fair, there is still some lemon curd left...Just enough that I will be running my finger around the jar to get the last of it's tartness out...we musn't be wasteful forheavensake) Even though I finished you up with my mother the other night...I still loved you...and well, well...I guess we'll always have Easter.

Although, it's so early in the strawberry season, that I will probably make more pie...and I promised Dina I would...

For now, I will have to get my strawberry fix in the form of jam with peanut butter on a rice cake instead. Not quite as good, but probably healthier?

Have a wonderful and amazing weekend!

Corners Of My Home...

It's spring isn't it?

And, along with spring comes?

Allergies!
(well, yes that's true)

April Showers?
(ummmm....ok)

May Flowers?
(yes, yes...all true. And...)

And, along with spring comes something else entirely new...as we decided some while ago, I would change my bedding come spring. Well, since it's officially spring...

yesterday was the day for the big switch over...


Now, I know what you're thinking, "Sadira, we love your regular color scheme of red and white...but, this new blue floral set, while it has red in it, it doesn't necessarily warrant all that other red does it?" Funny, that was the same thing I was thinking, we are so on the same wavelength~I fired up the sewing machine...after blowing off the inch of dust that had settled there during the winter months (cough, sputter, sneeze) wound up a red bobbin and cut into some Ralph Lauren blue and tan ticking that had been just begging to be used (I have quite a bit of ticking in the fabric stash because I have a serious thing for ticking, and sometimes it gets whiny if I don't use it...which is annoying, as the studio is right next to my bedroom. This is the kind of thing that could keep you up at night.)

I made a dust ruffle, meaning I hemmed up long pieces of material and then straight pinned them to my mattress (take it from me, it's easier than trying to wrestle a complete dust ruffle onto your bed by yourself) I pinned it right over the red and white gingham checked one that normally lives there...so, it's kind of like a tear away dust ruffle...Hubba hubba (I know I'm turning on some domestic goddess out there.) I realize I still need to make a matching ticking pillow covering for that rather large red and white checked pillow on the top of the bed up there, but I ran out of steam. I'm also trying to figure out if I want to do a straight cover or try to make it match the ones that came with the set I bought (that will buy me some time, right?)

I also took down the poppy shower curtain in the bathroom, and hung up the one that now matches the bedroom.

It's all so very matchy matchy isn't it?

But secretly? I really like it...all this matchy goodness, almost as much as I like changing up the house for the seasons. The blue will be so much cooler feeling than the red of the fall and winter bedding...

And, since I'm living in Arizona with no air conditioning, these are the things I'm banking on to make it through the summer heat...

Oh yeah.

The Dells...

In Pictures.

More from this weekend for your viewing pleasure...These shots were taken on both Saturday evening during the do-over hike...and Sunday after the Easter festivities wore down at Foolsewode.

The skies have been quite hazy lately, making for dull blues in the background of photos...

The spring winds have begun, and judging from the amount I've been sneezing and the types of sneezes they are (oh yes, it's been 3 sneezes right together in quick succession) it's allergy time as well. I am having the horror thought that all that haze is actually pollen blowing around in the distance.


AchooAchooAchoo...

And here's Rich, cause I know you're all dying to know exactly what he looks like, but we have yet to really sit down and take a great photo of the two of us, straight on, when we're not out hiking, or wearing sunglasses, or the shadow of a hat is thrown across our eyes...because you know, you really can't tell much about someone unless you see their eyes...because they're the window to the soul...

specially when they're all blue and sparkly...

Just Sayin'...





















































...And besides all the blue sparkly eyes going on in The Dells, there was a lot of putting up of the feet...

Oh yes there was...

That seems to be a theme around here lately to tell the truth...just kickin' back relaxing and enjoying where I'm at...

Silhouette Drama...

Saturday was, at it's worst points, a very off day, and at it's best points, a relaxing day full of great friends and fun goings on.

*I had an early appointment in which the main event didn't show up...but, that left time for a good friend and I to go out for a quick breakfast and chat instead...

*Rich and I went out on a drive/hike, but he felt awful physically, and I felt awful emotionally (a surprise anniversary of sorts for me, only a surprise because I had forgotten and it snuck up on me...which brought Rich and I's relationship to a new place...the place where I got totally vulnerable and lost my s_ _ _ _ in front of him? Much to his credit, not only is he understanding, but he didn't seem to mind) and we couldn't find the look-out we were driving to (some kind of weird beginnings of what looks like a superhighway through the middle of nowhere...but, there were blasting signs up everywhere, making us a little nervous...no death to the Titan thankyouverymuch) which eventually resulted in us finally giving-up and turning around with no hikes or pictures to show for the hours in the truck...but allowed me the time to wash and clean out the car, chat on the phone with friends who agreed that the day may require a do-over, make the fresh strawberry pie, plant flowers in pots at the house, and meet up with Matt and Megan for some much needed lunch and R&R...

And then Rich and I decided to throw caution to the wind, and try it again...try a do-over only this time we went out to the rocks where we knew we would be successful in finding what we were after. This evening, I got comfy on a rock that was gently radiating the heat it had stored up all day, and kick back and watch the light slowly change as the sun put itself to bed.

Rich also wanted to experiment with a photo technique he's been reading about, and I am finding myself the willing subject in my constant need to find some balance between being in front of the camera (thus looking relaxed and natural) and smiling like I've never seen a camera and having 4 chins pop up for no reason whatsoever...

Saturday was a day with a million little lessons. Saturday was about not being able to meet set expectations and having to be flexible. It was about giving up when things weren't working and walking away from it for the time being...and then it was about finding things that did work better and relaxing into those moments fully...and then retrying, and reconnecting in the end and allowing whatever was to BE to just BE.



Okay...I'm not implying that there was drama because of these silhouettes that Rich snapped of me, it's just that silhouettes always seem so dramatic...Don't you think? This do-over part of the day was actually drama-free.

I happen to love these shots (a little more than the one's he took where you could see all my facial details, but that's because no matter how cute Rich thinks I looked, I thought I looked as if I could use some make-up, a hair brush and a nap...and not necessarily in that order) and there is not an extra chin to be found in any of them...

I wanted to let you all know that Rich wrote a wonderful post about Backing up your computer...and how to do it. I have seen so many people loose important things off of their hard drives, and to be completely honest, I knew that backing up your computer was important 2 years ago, but I had no idea how to even go about doing it...So, click on that link up there (it's the line that is a different color) and it will take you directly to the post. He has also offered to make a podcast about this subject if you have any specific questions...just leave him a comment. He's a wonderful teacher, very knowledgeble, and very easy to understand...

Easter Sunday...

Started with the making of the traditional fresh strawberry pie for the holiday...I love fresh strawberry pie, and have always been inspired by the one's they make at Marie Calendar's, however, I've never been able to pile mine quite as high as they can...

They're amazing.

Of course, I usually cut my strawberries up, and don't leave them whole, so that could be one of the reasons...





I also had the pleasure of using my new vintage pie pan. This pan is like the vintage cake pans I have with a little built in cutter that runs along the bottom, and around the edges of the pan, so that you don't have to grease the pans and everything comes out all smoothly...I have no idea why they stopped making these kind of pans? I think a muffin pan like this would be even better!




Rich, Mom, Rozz and GG came over in the early afternoon for some Easter egg hunting...

Note to self:

Making sure the Easter Bunny has hidden eggs early is a great idea...not realizing that some had chocolate in them (which may melt in the sun) makes one realize, while they may not melt in your hand...they do melt in little plastic eggs.










For some reason, this was my favorite shot of the day...

It's Easter Egg hunting in action....











I was indeed able to debut the patio this weekend, as we spent most of our time out there...this is what Easter Holiday Nachos look like, with beans, melted soy cheese, guacamole, and soy sour cream...they were very good! Methinks that these will again be a staple food...the soy cheese melted quite well (although, it sticks to the cookie sheet and may need to be removed with a putty knife, but it's really a small price to pay)





We all had Easter baskets to open and got a lot of fun things...it was a microfiber Easter, which is fun, because mum got me a wonderful microfiber washcloth that works wonders taking make-up of the face...and I will let you know how well they do taking the ring out of the tub and other surfaces of the house...

All the socializing totally wore Meena out and she sacked out on her little bed in the window...I just love it when cats sleep with their little arms thrown over their eyes...







Rich had left a little early due to tummy issues, so I popped over in the afternoon after the festivities wound down over at Foolsewoode took him his Easter basket, and we took a small hike out into the rocks, where I got to stretch out and rest a bit myself...

It was a fun day for sure...

Did you have a good Easter?

Long Distance Love...

I have been the recipient of Love this week...there are the people in my life that live close that shower me with love all the time...and then there are the far away people that pop up and surprise me in the most delightful of ways!

I received a package in the mail from California, a place I can't remember hearing of, and when I was stumbling through the pronunciation, my mother said it right out loud...The wonderful woman whom sent the package has a 5th wheel trailer and has found my blog via Gadget's Airstream Chronicles(...the owner of said blog with whom I am quite smitten...but we all know that by now, I just like saying it) She has been a long time reader apparently, and I am just tickled to death and doing quite the happy dance when opening this package. In it was a lovely card and the most fabulous sock monkey stamp ever! Who knew they made such things? Ack! I am just dying to use it, and have actually contemplated making up a wall design so I can stamp it all over the house and be able to see it every single day!

Thank you so very much...

And yesterday, I looked up when a customer came in, and who was it but the daughter of my lovely Velvet Brick and her friend who had driven up for the day, and were in to deliver to me:

A jar of homemade lemon curd.

Oh my.
Oh my my my my my...
(you can believe this will be gracing the Easter table this year...that is, if I don't eat it all first...I just love lemon curd!)

Now you'll remember that I had the fine fortune of first meeting my sweet friend last year...we had found each other through our blogs, and actually have so much in common, it was eerie. She had been talking about making lemonade on her blog, and I made a comment that if she wanted to get rid of some extra...she knew where to send it. And, lo and behold, who should come up the hill and walk into Snap Snap? You got it! And, we stood and talked and laughed and cried...it was wonderful! I not only had the great fortune of making a wonderful friend...Every time I see lemons now, I immediately think of her.

Thank you!!

I also got to see my darling Dina today as well (it has been a stellar week for sure) and may I say how hot she looked? Woot-Wo! She was actually in getting rid of clothes...things that she's shrunk too much to wear! Damn girl...you're looking good...and all that hard work is indeed paying off!! If I had the camera here, I would have taken a picture and posted it...although, she hinted that she would be starting up her little blog again soon.

I am in awe and a little humbled to be recognized for this little online journal of mine. I started this blog with the intention of having a place to record the goings on in my life, a sort of personal writing therapy, and a place for far flung family to check in when they wanted to. I am honored to be sharing it with so many wonderful people, who have done the kindest things...from checking in via comments and emails, to writing letters, sending articles, cards, chocolate, and the most sweetest gifts.

I thank you all so much, from the deepest part of my heart...the things you have so kindly done for me always come at the right time, and are appreciated so very much!! As always, I am the one who is lucky to have found you...

Have a wonderful Easter Day!

Easter Is...

Right around the corner...

Isn't it?

I mean, the holidays are feeling a little squishied up to me this year, are they feeling like that to you too? I was just recovering from Christmas/New Year's Eve/birthdays/Valentine's Day...and here we are with Easter right at the end of the week. And can you believe that I haven't decorated the house?

Nope.
Not one iota.

I was going to try to fool y'all and look back through past photos and just post one and hope that you didn't notice that my mantle was still decorated for Valentine's Day. (Actually, unless you come over, you wouldn't know that at all, and you know you can come over anytime...just call first I'd hate to miss you) But, this all changed on Monday night when my mother stopped by for various and sundry reasons and said to me, "well, we're having Easter at your house this year!"

Oh.

Well...

eeeek!


That means not only do I have to clean up, pick up, and dust..but I get to play hostess. One of my most very favoritest things ever (mum and I were just talking about the joys of soy cheese nachos this morning...cause' if you don't eat ham for Easter...you gotta' eat nachos!) I may also debut the patio on Sunday as well, as the temperatures are going to be 65-70...which means that windows need to be spritzed, things raked, swept and hosed off as well (heh...I said hosed off)

It also means that I had to decorate...not only was I perpetually disappointing Rozzie every time she came over and peeked to see if the mantle had changed...oh, and I know that there are a few of you that wait to see what is going up at what holiday as well, and I hate to disappoint. Plus? Truth be told, I love all the things that I've collected over the years for the holidays, and even though I dragged my feet a bit on this one, I was very happy I took the extra time to delve into the Easter box...

Very happy indeed!

Happy First Day of Spring!!

Sick Day...

Let me preface this story by first saying that you should be thanking me that there are no photo's accompanying this post. Y'all know how I love to photo things and share, but when, at 2 am, I was wrestled from a deep comfy slumber by the words, "um...something isn't quite right here..." going off in my head...And, I hopped up and ran to the bathroom...I knew I was in trouble.

I think I have a mild case of food poisoning (well, mild compared to a case I once had...but, strictly speaking, I may have lost about 5 lbs. here...yay for weight loss, but boo for not a healthier way) that I am tracing back to eating at the local health food store last night. Mum had to wait for the plumber all day, and needed to take back a movie after he finished (last evening) and get another (Enchanted...if you haven't seen it...do, it's a riot!) and we popped over to the health food to check out their selections. I'm thinking it was the coconut cupcake mum and I split...the new vegan icing tastes as if it has Crisco in it, so I have no idea what they could be thinking. But, mum and I both had an "uh-oh!!" moment when biting into the cupcake, because the last time we tried to eat this icing, she was extremely ill for about 24 hours...and at $3.00 a cupcake, one hates to scrape all the icing off...or get violently ill from eating such a pastry. My Gosh, is healthfood finally trying to kill me?

This isn't anything new, let's just put it this way, with food allergies sometimes come these problems of accidentally eating something you didn't know was an ingredient in a food item...and often you pay. I've been paying a lot for this one. I am now in total agreement with Rich, "If you don't make it yourself...you can't trust it" (this is after the latest soy cheese incident on his part...of which I also had a mild reaction, cause I was there eating dinner) Certainly wise words, and now one's that I'm going to have to live by...because as I'm getting older, the reactions get worse (plus, after fighting off the soy cheese thing a week ago, I don't think my body was ready to try to do it again so soon with whatever is in this icing...or it could have been something else I ate from there, who knows?) I'm feeling a little better now as well (at least in the fact that I'm not in the bathroom every 15 minutes) and I have 2 small baggies of cereal to try to eat with me, because on top of it all, I'm hungry...but a little scared to eat anything.

I'm at Snap Snap though...never fear. I'm like the Postal Service that way...rain, hail, sleet, snow...food poisoning...I'm here.

Bag Origami...

I take used grocery bags in at Snap Snap, in fact...I encourage people to bring in their bags...it's the ultimate way to recycle really. Give them to me...I'll keep passing them along...

Save a plastic tree for heavens sake!!

So, I have all sorts of wonderful people dropping their bags by on any given week. Usually they are bags stuffed into bags any which way...but someone dropped off some bags that were folded into little triangles...

I mean, these things are really folded up! So much so, that I struggle a little trying to get them open to fill them up, just one little shake won't do it...they are so very folded that I can't even begin to figure out how this person folded them to begin with, I mean...I might have a better chance if I was a teenager again, and these were notes I was trying to pass someone.

Who has such time to sit and fold up their old grocery bags? I wonder if they would come by the house and help me clean? Or at least fold my laundry for me? Or even come by and teach me how to do this with my own bags...you know, in case I have a few hours out of my life to spare?

You want to know the most amazing thing about this entire bag art? Whomever it was that dropped these off dropped off two full bags of these folded bags.

I am amazed.

Skull Valley Sunday...

Snow, snow and more snow was the theme for Sunday. I know...Wha? It was in the 60's last week, with buds popping forth from the trees and bushes...and flowers springing up all over town, and snow, sleet and freezing rain was on the menu for the trip down to The Skull Valley Cafe...

Rich drove, so there were no worries on my part, although we both remarked that not only was there no sun to be seen, but no mountains, and at some points only the road in front of us remained...crazy spring.

We arrived at the newly opened cafe...I say newly because I'd only heard about it recently, and noticed it the last time we were down to photo in the valley...much to my surprise, I received a call after one of our hikes in Anza-Borrego and on the other end of the phone was my friend Molly, who informed me that it was she that had opened the cafe! She also let me know that she had planned a get together of friends for a Sunday, and that I was specially requested to be there...

You see, my good friend Charles Edwin Taylor the baritone extraordinaire (or Charlie, or Chuck...or other names we have for each other, rather than our grown-up names...Rich kept calling me Sadira, and Charlie was like, "Who's that??") was going to be in town and wanted all of us to get together. Unfortunately, he's not in town singing this time (later in the year...and you all know what a huge opera fan I am...so, that is certainly on the agenda) but he was here visiting family with his beautiful wife and equally adorable baby girl! Since I've known most of the people that were there so many years, that we all have a lot of funny stories about each other...

It was wonderful to catch up with so many old friends, and introduce Rich all around. It was like the practice reunion before the big one in July Plus? Molly has done a wonderful job with the Cafe. It is so delightful and cozy, painted all colorful on both the inside and out...the menu looks delicious (she fed us all sorts of goodies while we were there) and showed us the fabulous side patio that we could have used if the weather had been kind enough to hold...as it is, I am looking forward to going back sometime this summer, as she's planning on having live music out there sometimes. Gawds, I love live music in the summertime out under the stars...All in all, she said, it was packed that morning (seating for 25 inside) and with all locals...She was wondering how they've gotten along without the restaurant there so far? I say it's a wonderful addition to the town of Skull Valley for sure!

As you can see...Rich's watermark is on all of these pictures, because my camera decided to take the afternoon off and hibernate in the car instead of making an appearance...Thank you Rich, for being the resident photographer (he wants to practice shooting people more anyway...hmmmm, that sounds weird) I have absolutely no pictures of my finished W.I.P. from this weekend, as I um...sort of didn't get around to making it. I had a whole lot of other things come up instead...

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!