Sunday, November 27, 2016

A Boot Scootin' Party



Christa Jean,
even "your" cows wanted to be nearby
and
celebrate you!
The only time they stopped by all weekend,
and they certainly added to the décor...
you certainly are a "cow"girl!

And thanks for wanting this themed party,
which forced me to buy BOOTS!!
(They're too pretty to put away...lol)


Your love for life
(and Karma Cream)
is contagious,


and affects all who cross your path.
Keep spreading the love,
cause it comes right back round to you!
(that could be a lyric in a country song!)
 Happy Birthday, Dear Daughter,
and may this next year
be as wonderful to you
as you are to all of us!


And keep on dancing!


Saturday, November 19, 2016

Be Still My Heart!




Apparently,
I have a granddaughter who loves museums!
(they do say some things skip a generation!)


So,
you can imagine my delight when,
on a day all of us simultaneously had off from work,
she chose to fit in as many museums as possible.

Be still my heart!

And here is the evidence....



Charlie and Michelle's favorite....


I was ecstatic to see a piece by Benjamin West


and excitedly said to Michelle
"Remember that favorite book I read
to you girls a number of times in your childhood!  We all loved it!"
 
 She gave me a blank stare.
Well, I loved it,
(I even referenced it in one of my college papers!)
and I pulled it off the bookshelf to read it once more as a family
ha-ha.

 


Another side note...
years ago, Michelle and Hope took a cross-country trip,
zigzagging from Berkeley to Jersey then down to Florida
(how was I not on that whole trip with them!?!?!
although I did make the Jersey to Florida portion with them!)
I was on the phone with Michelle as she was driving through
Montana? North Dakota?
and she interrupts our conversation with a
"Oh wow, just saw a deer! Wait! Maybe it was a rabbit!"
WHAT?!?
"How do you mistake a rabbit for a deer?!" I ask!
Well, here's how.....

The five-year-old came out in all of us...

My favorite piece...



Finishing at the Cummer,
we jumped in the car to head to the
but got caught up in the activities at



Listening to some "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay"...
very, very good street musicians...

and stopping to admire the street art....



We did make it to the


and closed out the day enjoying city life!


As you can imagine,
this is a day I want to recreate sooner rather than later.
There are more museums to explore!
Hope, are you ready!!


Saturday, November 12, 2016

The Story of the $5 Heirloom



Many, many years ago,
I came across the perfect oak rocking chair at
a garage sale on a brick-paved St. Pete street.
The chair had already seen much use
evident by the difference in shading of the stain on the seat.
A lot of rocking was a part of its past
and
a lot of rocking was a part of its future as all of my girls
fell asleep numerous times by its motion.

Well,
this rocker made its way to Asheville
and felt very much at home there.
But,
as fate would have it,
a move from one house to another proved disastrous.
And the chair got smushed...to smithereens.
When Rachel took me down to their basement
and showed me during one of my visits,
well, we just both stared sadly.

Another move was made,
and the broken pieces went along...
after all how do you throw away memories!

Then,
late the other night,
I received this text and picture from Joseph...



Once again,
do you see how I love the men in my girls' lives.
More evidence.
What a heart!

And, yes, Rachel did freak...
and I had sentimental tears in my eyes!

^^Lucy, enjoy!^^

So now,
I'll have to quickly make my way back to AVL
to test out the sturdiness of the rocker! 
Oh bummer!
Such a chore!
hee-hee

Thank you, Joseph,
for surprising my girl in such a wonderful way!


Friday, October 28, 2016

"I Love to Walk in Leaves!"


Folklore has it that you go to a mountain top to find the old man to seek wisdom.
Well, I have a little bit of a different take on that legend.
Yes, I did go to the top of a mountain,


however,
it was the three-year-old who I asked for wisdom.
After all, they do know it all!
"Livi, what do you love?"
"I LOVE to walk in leaves!"


Excellent advice!
And I'm convinced if more people enjoyed leaves with the intensity of a 3 yr old,

^^my Timberlands...not my legs^^

we would experience more peace in the world.
I know I did!


Throw some chocolate and apple donuts into the mix,


along with some family time


and some fun competition



well,
let's just use the word
bliss!
(Is there an apple named Bliss?? There should be!)

Rachel and Joseph,
you two are the extreme hosts,


And, Rachel, we love AVL


as much as you do!

Thanks for providing a home away from home...
and don't worry,
I can always find my way


back!










Friday, September 23, 2016

"Do You Have Fall In Florida????"




This was an exchange between Christa and Courtney, an Asheville-girl, after Christa posted a picture celebrating fall.   I couldn't help to laugh out loud not only at Courtney's number of question marks, but Christa's response, "mostly in our imagination"!  So very true.   And thank God for vivid imaginations!

So, with yesterday being the start of one of my very favorite seasons (I have 4 of them!), I had to make a decision as to how to celebrate.... and the answer was obvious.   Find an available 3 year-old, dressed in her best Fallish-Florida attire, and set off to discover.....Fall! 

(Notice all the fall colors, Courtney!  Don't forget, use your imagination!)
^^^Do you recognize this stride^^^
Watch out for this one, World!
She knows where she's going, even on an unfamiliar path!







This look comes from spotting a butterfly flying branch to branch just within the woods.
This look reminds me to always look at the world through the eyes of a child.
There was an almost silent "awwwwww" coming from her, voiced so quietly so
as not to frighten the butterfly away...



After our fall leaf finding expedition,
it was off to Ace with two goals in mind.

#1,
find a fall plant to bring home to mom...



"How many do you want to get, Livi?"
"Two!"...


#2,
hangout with the koi



and wait for the lovely
Ace-Flower-Lady to ask that special question,
which she always does,
"Do you want to feed them?"...

The answer,
always,
"YES!"


Happy Fall!
to you all!

And fyi:  I will be watching for some color that will be creeping our way,
and it won't just be "in our imagination"!