It's A New Day

Homework

You wouldn't think someone facing a multi-decade high school reunion in just six weeks would still be worried about homework but I am...or rather, I was. It's done; well, as much as I'm going to do anyway. The upside to my homework is that there won't be any failing grades as a consequence.

I'm off to Atlanta in the morning for the Scrap Etc. Event, and as part of the hybrid class that Jessica Sprague is teaching there, I've been learning about digital templates and clipping masks. Thanks to Jessica's awesome pre-class video lesson, I'm a clipping wizard. I did a little manual clipping, too, cutting out that circular photo collage that was too big for my circle cutter. The reset of the materials at the edges of the photo are all the tools and supplies that are now packed and sitting by the door ready for the trip.

Wayne's coming along too...well, for the ride anyway. He has his own agenda in Hot-lanta; it didn't require any homework.

Hits And Misses

April is nearly done and among other things, that means we're nearing the end of the reality shows like American Idol. They've whittled it down to the top five who sang tonight...a talented group for sure. This season as a whole has been better than most but it's been obvious for some time who the top three singer would be...Adam, Danny and Kris. At least, that's my prediction.

When I heard Adam sing tonight, I knew the hits on my blog would go up. What in the world, you're probably thinking, does American Idol have to do with my blog? It's pretty simple.

Adam's song choice was Feeling Good. The theme tonight was songs sung by the Rat Pack...you know, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., and so on. I didn't know one of them sang Feeling Goodas I tend to associate the song with a more recent version recorded by Michael Buble but it must be older than that. At any rate, the chorus goes it's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life for me, and I'm feeling good.

Most people don't know that the song is titled Feeling Good. I know that because every week I get hits on the blog for people Googling "it's a new day song." They're disappointed no doubt to find talk of scrapbooking, travel and gardening instead of song lyrics but that's how it goes. And given Adam's popularity and his song choice, I felt sure those queries would increase. Sure enough, they did.

Adam might have a hit on his hands with his rendition but those stumbling in here looking for more information on the song will definitely find a miss.

Piles

There's an unexpected benefit of having company come to stay; some of those piles of assorted stuff have disappeared. You know those piles...the mountain of papers on the corner of the desk, the opened mail set aside on the counter, and the pile of magazines next to the chair. No, I didn't hide them in a cabinet or drawer...although that was tempting; I dealt with them.

Those piles start out innocently enough. Life's busy...let's just set that aside and deal with it later becomes the standard operating procedure. And suddenly the little stacks have become bigger and bigger. Personally, I think they multiply overnight while I'm sleeping.

So I tackled those piles the other day. There are new folders in the file cabinet for the volumes of paperwork from new insurance policies that came a month or two ago. The memorabilia from Christmas and Kayla's birthday has gone to live with other similar momentos from our lives...waiting for a permanent home on a scrapbook page someday. Outdated coupons and notes we no longer need have been discarded, and the recycle bag got its share of old magazines and other papers, too. Yessiree, the counter and desk are looking mighty fine minus the piles that used to occupy them.

Today's piles were of a different sort...laundry. Those piles are just about gone, too. While I might keep the corner of the desk clear for more than a week, I know the laundry pile will be back no matter what.

A Full Day

Some days go by entirely too fast, and this would be one of them. Of course, the short time we have to play host to Leslie and Matt will all be that way so we're trying to do a lot, say a lot, and enjoy one another's company a lot in these few days.

After a lunch on the patio that included boiled shrimp, we headed for the Naval Aviation Museumaboard Pensacola NAS. It was always a nice museum but they've expanded their exhibits since we were last there several years ago so it was new and different for us, too. They've added so many details to their large collection of aircraft (like the actual deck from an old aircraft carrier in the section on WWII planes), and those details really tell the story. Matt confessed to a love for all forms of transportation so he was right at home, and I've always loved the big display of the Blue Angel planes in formation that hangs in the atrium.

From there it was just a short hop to the Pensacola Lighthouse. There was a recent story in our local paper indicating that the lighthouse had reopened after being closed for some time but the gate was padlocked today. Just as well, according to the signs you couldn't climb the 171 steps to the top if you were wearing flip-flops or shoes with no straps on the heels and half of us fell within that exclusion. So we just walked all around the outside.

And what would a visit to Pensacola be without a trip to the beach? We all waded along the water's edge, letting the waves lap up over our toes. We all agreed that the water was too cold for much more.

Not that we would have done any swimming if it were warmer...the waves were cranking and the red flags were flying, warning people that the surf was dangerous and to stay out of the water. We could actually see the rip currents in the area where these photos were taken.

After a seafood dinner at a beach restaurant, we headed back to the house for more talking and sharing before calling it a night.

Everyone wanted in on the act of welcoming the Millers to Northwest Florida and making them feel at home, especially Leslie. The Whataburger just up the road displayed this sign:

Baton champion? Who knew!

Timmmberrrrr!

I didn't know we were chopping down half a tree when I went outside to do yard work today but we did. It's my fault, I suppose. After all, I was the one who suggested that we load up some old planting pots and haul them to the dump. Both the pots and the plants in them were well past their prime. A trip to the dump...you could almost see the light bulb go off in Wayne's head. I'll cut that limb down that I've been wanting gone and take it too, he said.

Only it was more than a limb...it was almost a second tree so it turned out to be a big job, especially when the gasoline chain saw wouldn't start and Wayne was forced to start the job with the electric one.

He fiddled with the gasoline saw enough he finally got it started, and he notched and he sawed and he chipped and he sawed until he had a sizeable cut in it. Then he tied a rope around the limb and safely pulled it down with the truck.

Here's Paul Bunyon Wayne and his trophy limb before he cut it up and hauled it off to the dump. He said the Ax Men don't have to worry...he won't be after their jobs.

Visiting Blessings

The house is strangely quiet. After a few days of sharing our home, Brad has returned to his and we miss his quick smile and easy-going manner.

This visit was such a rare treat in that he came alone. Now I love my Kayla visits which never seem to be frequent enough, but it’s also nice to have one-on-one time with our grown children. To have real conversations and relate as adults while they are free of their parenting responsibilities, and we did. And to play and laugh and hang out as equals…we did that, too. I’m grateful for the few days we had with Brad, but the time went by too quickly. Then again, it always does when the guest in your home is someone you love sharing time with.

It’s nice when the population in the house expands to include a few extras. While we’ve hosted an occasional stranger in our home, it’s far more likely that the occupants of the guest bedroom will be someone we’re thrilled has come to stay with us. There’s an air of excitement…for filling in the blanks of what’s been happening in their lives, making them feel welcome and comfortable, and showing them the sights and people that make up our everyday life.

Implicit in those visits is the message you are important to me and I want to share time with you. It’s a validation of a meaningful relationship, and in my book, that’s a blessing. Filling the guest bedroom with people I care about and who care about me has made me happy this week, and that’s why I chose it as the subject of my layout.

Here’s the page I created.

 

Supplies: Cardstock: Bazzill Basics Paper
Patterned Paper: 7gypsies and Rusty Pickle
Brads: Karen Foster Design
Chipboard letter: Rusty Pickle
Pen: Staedtler
Ink: Clearsnap
Font: Downcome, Internet

Brad isn’t nearly as willing a photography model as Kayla is but I did manage to get a few shots of him before dinner one night. I liked the lines and rugged finish of the steps in this one although it’s a little over-exposed. Upping the saturation gives it an artsy look, and using earthy colors in the layout keeps the photo from looking more washed out.

I wanted the page to have a masculine feel so I kept the design simple and the colors muted. A grungy font and brads that mimic screws fit nicely with that theme and added some texture and interest. Some of these papers are really old but that doesn't matter when they work for the look I was trying to create.

I like defined edges. By that, I mean there are elements in the design that tell the eye here’s the boundary, whether it’s the photo, a decorative addition or the page itself. I’ve done all three here, each with a different technique. The photo has a white border around it…a constant in my design process for some time now. For years it was black but either sends the same visual message. You can create the border by matting the photo on cardstock or, as here, leaving a margin of photo paper in the trimming process. Applying ink to the edges of patterned paper, text box and even the page gives them definition. It’s a quick way to add depth to these elements and allow each to establish its own identity. And finally, there’s a black pen line around the outside of the page. While you could use a ruler to create this, I like the subtle irregularity of doing it freehand. I almost always add a pen line to my layouts; to my eye, defined edges just seem to finish the page.

I’m grateful for the few days we had with Brad. The linens have all been washed and the room is ready for the next occupants…they arrive on Saturday. I’m twice blessed this week and couldn’t be happier.

 ***Each Friday's post is part of my 52 Blessing project...an effort in 2009 to be more aware of and grateful for the blessings in my life.

Drive-by Post

I'm relishing our time with BW...a little friendly harassment on the golf course, quiet conversations in the comfort of home, and sharing laughter with friends over dinner. Be back tomorrow with something more than a drive-by.

Recipe For A Perfect Birthday

   Start with one glorious, blue-sky spring day, made all the more delicious by catching a few extra winks before arising.
   Add a heaping cup of girlfriend-time in the form of an invitation to lunch. Just thinking of the stories told and laughs shared brings a smile to my face all over again.
   Stir in a quiet dinner at a favorite restaurant shared with my two favorite guys. It was such a treat to have Brad come down to share the celebration.
   Season generously with well-wishes from friends and family via Facebook, telephone, text messages, e-mail and good old USPS...they were all appreciated.
   Top it all off with an "I love you, Grandma!" from a special young lady. I don't have to see her face to know how her eyes are dancing and her face is lighting up; I can hear it in her sweet voice.
   Serves one very blessed (and another year older) honoree.

The Wheels On The Bus Go 'Round and 'Round

Most of the time they do. But occasionally they go flat.

Like last Monday morning. I'd taken the car to Lowe's on Sunday, filling the trunk with new blooms for the garden, and everything seemed fine on the way home. But when Wayne went to get in it the next morning, the tire was flat. Out came the jack and the spare and he set about removing the deflated tire. When he got it off, we could see that the tread was separating on the inside edge. We're lucky it made it's final gasp in the garage and not on one the many interstates we've been on lately.

So Tillie got four new shoes. That should take care of flat tires, right?

Fast forward to this Sunday afternoon...we were craving fresh seafood for supper so we drove down to the fish market. On the way home, another vehicle pulled up next to us and signaled that we had a low tire so we stopped to check it out. Sure enough, one of those perky new tires we'd just gotten was looking pretty limp. An infusion of air got us home but there was definitely a leak as it didn't stay fully inflated. Back to the tire store for Wayne this morning. A faulty valve stem was the culprit and after a quick repair he was soon back home.

Tillie and her wheels are looking good once again but I'm not sure we should drive her anywhere next Sunday. After flat two weeks in a row, she might be trying to tell us to stay home.

Cracked Logic

Saturday morning finds us making the rounds to restock the fridge and pantry for the week ahead. Two of the stops (produce and meat) are small, family-run businesses but we end up at one of the big boxes for the majority of the supplies. This week it was WalMart.

The shopping list included eggs, and as I headed for the display I noticed a man adding new cartons to the case. Not a problem...it's a big case; I'd pick from one side while he restocked the other. Now I always open the carton and check to see that none of the eggs are broken, and I did just that yesterday. The first one I picked up was a reject...yellow yolk was oozing out of the egg in the corner. The second one was just as bad.

As I was about to reject yet a third carton, the man asked if I was having trouble finding one without a broken egg. When I replied that I was, he began opening cartons from a box of new ones he had on his cart. Nope, he said, this one has a large crack, too. And with that he tossed the whole carton in a second box. It wasn't a gentle placement in the box like you'd expect with a carton of eggs; he chucked it in there. And the same thing happened with the next carton he opened. When he finally found a good one for me to purchase, he started pitching the cartons I had opened before he offered his help.

I throw away cases of these eggs every day, he announced in between tosses. Can't you just get rid of the cracked or broken eggs and replace them with whole ones instead of throwing away the entire dozen? I innocently asked. Nah, he answered. I don't have time for that.

I resisted the urge to lecture him on the waste associated with that...how it probably made the cost of eggs higher than necessary and that there were people struggling to buy groceries who would overlook one broken egg if the price was significantly discounted rather than thrown away. Given the flaws in his thought process, I didn't figure it would do any good.

A Black Thumb

 

I have a black thumb...and black fingers, too. Not black and blue...no injuries to report; just black. And they're likely to stay that way until I Monday when Soft Scrub and I have a date with some sinks.

It started yesterday when I washed the pool enclosure. From 10:30am until 4pm I went up and down all the bars on the pool cage, ridding them of the same dirt, pollen and mildew I scrubbed off the patio furniture a few days ago. And while I changed to fresh soapy water frequently, it seemed my hand was always going into gunky, black water. The enclosure looks great, all shiny and white, but my hands? Not so much. I took the nail brush to them three times last night but the cuticles are stained black.

One day cleaning, one day planting/weeding...that's been the routine. Somehow neither task seems so overwhelming knowing that I'm doing it just for the day.

I added more grime to the nails today weeding and planting. The ground here has a lot of red clay and sand so every spring I try to amend the soil in the main flower beds with peat. It adds to the spring chores but I can definitely see the difference. And it seems the most effective way to break down the peat and get it thoroughly mixed in is with my fingers. The hands took more abuse.

Hence, the black thumb. There's an end to the cleaning and maybe even the planting, but the weeding...it goes on for months. I think I'd better get used to black.

A Good, Clean Blessing

It’s been rewarding to tick a few of the chores off the spring to-do list. From winter-kill to prune and discard to surfaces that need pollen and dirt washed away, there never seems to be a shortage of tasks that need to be completed this time of year. And while I sometimes feel I’ll never reach the end, I enjoy the journey towards it…stretching and moving parts of the body that grew lazy over the cold months and absorbing the sights, smells and sounds of warm weather’s return.

One of those labors is washing all the patio furniture, no small undertaking given the amount of it. Our winter started a little earlier than usual so it hasn’t been used for some time and I’ve missed having lunch outside or just sitting for a few minutes to watch golfers go by. It’s peaceful there on the patio…one of my favorite places to be. But not when every surface is grungy.

So armed with my Scum Buster, power washer and my own soapy-bleachy cleaning concoction, I scoured and scrubbed an entire afternoon away. Gone is all the pollen, dirt and mildew and in its place is shiny, sparkling and clean. It makes me happy…not the physical effort of getting it to that point (although that is definitely a good kind of tired) but knowing that I can once again enjoy the sanctuary that is the back patio. The end result is worth the effort and serves as my blessing this week.

Here’s the layout I created:

 

Supplies:
Cardstock: Bazzill Basics Paper
Patterned Paper: Arctic Frog
File folder: Daisy D’s
Mini brads: Queen & Company
Punch: EK Success
Letter stickers: Making Memories
Ticket: Jenni Bowlin
Button: Autumn Leaves
Font: Garamond, Adobe Systems

The design appears on the back of the file folder used for last week’s gratitude but by choosing a different color scheme it stands alone. I started with a sheet of striped patterned paper that had some colors I liked and others I didn’t. By cutting it apart and piecing it back together, I could use just the pieces that worked for my color scheme and the earthy green and tan could be saved for another page.

The front of the file folder now looks like this:

I knew I wanted to add a strip of cardstock along the side so the folder would open easily rather than binding it at the fold. And there are holes now…my acceptance of the fact that rings will be the medium to hold everything together. I’d left space on the pages already completed for the Bind-It-All punch but the rings require a little more room so I’m adding strips like this into several of my pages, inserting them between the two sides. As soon as I have everything punched and assembled, I’ll share the results.

I’m grateful to have all the patio furniture clean again. While it will need refreshing periodically, it won’t need the heavy cleaning until late summer. And I’m already looking forward to having lunch outside tomorrow…and there’s the real blessing in all this work.

***Each Friday's post is part of my 52 Blessings project...an effort in 2009 to be more aware of and grateful for the blessings in my life.

Like A Good Boy Scout

Maybe it's because I spent most of my working life in the legal field and Wayne spent his working for doctors but we've always planned ahead. We signed our first wills when we were still in our twenties, we designated guardians for our boys when they were little so we'd know who would be responsible for them if something happened to us, and we never left them in the care of Grandma to travel for work or fun without giving her a medical power of attorney. It wasn't that we had some weird premonition or obsession with death; it was just tending to business.

The same is true about our own health care decisions. We've had those deep discussions...the ones involving the kind of care we'd want if we were unable to communicate our wishes and when to terminate that care. And the living wills and documents designating health care surrogates were signed years ago. Now don't let your imagination run wild in light of Wayne's little "episode." Neither of us is facing some health crisis...we've just covered that ground while we're healthy.

April 16 is National Health Care Decisions Day, a day set aside to raise awareness for those kinds of discussions and for the signing of durable powers of attorney and other medical directives. I love that they chose April 16 intentionally, playing on the saying that nothing in life is certain except death and taxes. One of our senior centers is hosting an open house to provide information and form to the public, and similar events are being held across the country.

The link above contains a number of different resources with further explanations of advance directives and the need for durable powers of attorney for healthcare decisions. The downloadable brochure from the American Hospital Association is particularly well-written and easy to understand.

You don't have to have a lawyer to complete an advance directive. The Decisions Day link above has a series of state-specific forms, and there are more examples here. Following the Terri Shiavo litigation, the Florida Senate added forms to its website so you might find something similar for your state. The thing to watch is whether your state requires the signature be notarized to make it legally binding.

High fives to you if you have your advance directives signed and in place. And if you don't...today is a good day to remedy that...to be a good Boy Scout and be prepared. That's my public service announcement for the week.

Too Pooped To Pop

It's been a productive day. Under bright blue skies we crossed a few things off the old to-do list.

Pool maintenance topped the list. The ailing Polaris has made a trip to the pool doctor and been cured of its ills, but while that was taking place, I had to resort to manual vacuuming. I'll have sore arms tomorrow, for sure, as the combination of pushing and pulling the vacuum at the end of a long pole uses muscles that haven't been getting much work lately. But the pool looks great...ready for swimming if the water wasn't so cold.

The back patio is all clean, too. Spring here means lots of yellow pollen from pines and live oaks and it settles everywhere. The water washing off the back of the porch had a definite yellow tinge to it so it's nice to be rid of it for this year.

Wayne had his own to-do list. A neighbor up the street had put a sign in her yard offering the rest of a load of dirt free to anyone who wanted to load it up. She'd top-dressed her yard but had more dirt than she needed and she was happy to share...so Wayne took her up on her offer. We didn't want a full load but had several places in the yard that could benefit from a fresh layer of dirt so he shoveled and raked in a pick-up load's worth of the free bounty.

Throw in some errands, lots of chopping for a great stir-fry dinner, and doing the week's ironing and that pretty much sums up the day. We'll sleep well tonight.

Experimentation In Progress

I found a little time this weekend to make a nursery run. The perennials in the flower garden are coming back nicely but there are areas that held annuals that need to be replaced. I love wandering up and down the aisles of pretty flowers trying to decide what to choose this year. In the end the cart contained some pentas and New Guinea impatiens as they're favorites that do well in the garden, but I can't resist trying some new ones, too. These experiments have the potential to be future favorites.

This kangaroo pawsplant intrigued me so I brought one home. The leaves are spikey and the flower stalks have a course fuzz on them, not to mention the unusual shape with the little yellow "teeth" at the end. Very textural and very different. When I talk to it, I'll have to say "G'day"...it's Australian.

And my friend Donna shared some of her peacock orchidswith me. Scrapbookers and gardeners are like that, passing along something that makes them happy. I'm excited to see how these little guys like being southerners and to think of Donna as they reward me with blooms this summer.

Last year's experiments were bat face cuphea, angelonia and another plant whose name I can't remember (but I'm watching for it in the nursery so I can figure it out). They all did well and are coming back in nicely.

I like the tried and true but I like something new, too.

Wanna Come Visit?

You can come hang out in my corner of the world...virtually, anyway. And who knows, you might be so intrigued you'll want to come for real. I'm sure that's what the folks at the Visitors Center hope.

Every Friday USA Today devotes part of its Life section to travel. Imagine my surprise when I sat down to read it that night and found myself staring at a feature article on Pensacola. It was interesting to read what local sights they highlighted to readers unfamiliar with the area. Snow-white sandy beaches, fresh seafood, historic sights, and the Naval Aviation Museum would all rate right up there in my book, too, but I probably would have included McGuire's Irish Pub in the discussion of restaurants. It's not everywhere you can kiss a moose. 

The highest compliment to the area, however, is about the people...how friendly and full of Old South charm they are in Pensacola. I'd definitely agree there as well.

You can read the entire article here and then take the photo tour of the city here. The photos on the Pensacola Beach website are pretty, too. I went there to double check the date of the Blues on the Beach show...July 11, in case you were interested.

The virtual visit is pretty good but you'll have to imagine the smell of the salty air, the feel of the cool sand beneath your feet and the taste of fresh fish. Maybe you'd better come in person after all...they're too good to miss.

Peas And Potatoes

Making my lap around the little produce market this morning, I was thrilled to find bags of fresh peas. Not southern peas...like black-eyed, pink-eyed or purple-hulled/ Those are really beans that are called peas in this part of the country. These were real peas...English peas, and they were already shelled. In an instant, dinner was planned.

These weren't the mushy, canned peas of my youth. Those were the center of many a battle of wills between my mother and my brother John who hated peas. I'm not sure if she thought he needed the nutrients or that he would learn to like them if he ate them enough. That never happened...he still hates peas.

Wayne has better memories of peas. They were part of the bounty from Grandpa Arnall's garden along with new potatoes so unlike John, he grew up happy to see a bowl of peas on the table.

It's not often we see fresh peas in the produce stand or even in the big box grocery stores so I grab them when I do. The plan was for creamed peas and new potatoes and I looked forward to their sweet goodness all day long. I was not disappointed. And since they were so good, I had seconds...in John's honor, of course.

A New Decorating Scheme

The dinner menu last night featured spaghetti. Now while I can and I have made spaghetti sauce from scratch, it's rare. Bertolli Organic Olive Oil, Basil and Garlic sauce is a staple in my pantry because it's pretty darn good so I had retrieved it from the cabinet. Wayne grills the Italian sausage; I do the rest.

So the water for the pasta was boiling and I was ready to put the sauce in another pan to heat. I usually give the jar a shake or two, just to redistribute things that might have settled while the jar sat on the shelf. Yes, you can see where this is going.

Apparently I had loosened the lid when I first grabbed the jar then set it down while I started the water and did other dinner preparations. When I gave it that shake, spaghetti sauce went everywhere. On the counter and the wall. Down the cabinet and the stove and all over the floor...there was sauce everywhere. It would have been gory and gruesome if you didn't know what it was, and clean-up was a little gruesome, now that I think of it. I can't tell you how many paper towels I went through before breaking out the Swiffer mop.

I was decorated with sauce, too, sporting splotches of red on my jeans, shirt and socks. As usual, I was wearing my trusty white sweater. It didn't have so much as a single spot. Apparently, red dots on a white background wasn't part of the scheme.

The Blessing Of A True Friend

It’s Friday again. This week seems to have flown by…playing catch up will do that to you, I think. And while some of the essentials of life got done, like laundry and grocery shopping, there’s plenty still on my to-do list. Then again, I can probably say that most weeks.

Friday means sharing another blessing in my life. I love that this project makes me think of blessings more than just on Friday. I find myself musing throughout the week about what event/person/object I am most grateful for that week…a blessing in and of itself.

My choice was easy this week; I’m celebrating the special friendships in my life.

I value my friends every week but I’m particularly mindful of these relationships after Wayne’s little episode last week. Upon learning of it, friends called me to check on him, sent e-mails wishing him well and were anxious to see him in person on our return and assure themselves that he was as well as we both said he was. It was a wonderful reminder than friends are so much more than just people to share time with…they share their affection and concern as well.

My project includes a photo of my three closest friends but I’m blessed that the circle of friendship is much wider than that. From women I grew up with in Kansas to those I seldom see and even those I’ve never met in person but know through the wonders of the Internet, they lent me their support and celebrated with me the fact that there were no serious health issues. It’s reassuring to know you are held in the hearts of so many, and it inspires me to be a better friend myself. How blessed I am.

Here’s the page I created for my album:

 

  

Cardstock: Bazzill Basics Paper
Patterned Paper: BasicGrey, My Mind’s Eye
File folder: Daisy D’s
Chipboard accents: Scenic Route Paper Company
Brads: Making Memories
Ribbon: Prima Marketing and Unknown
Fonts: Garamond, Adobe, and Bradley Hand, Internet

The colors aren't the best as I photographed them this evening.

The file folder that forms the base of this page is an older product, but the color was perfect and I thought it would add an interesting interactive element to the page. I’ve finally accepted the fact that the album will be too large for the Bind-It-All so I’ll add finding rings, punching holes and assembling the album to that ever-growing to-do list.

I love the way the flower on the front turned out and it was really easy to create. It started with two circles punched from patterned paper, one slightly smaller than the other. I roughed up the edges using a distressing tool then gave them a quick bath under the faucet and blotted them on a paper towel. While they were still damp, I crunched and wadded and folded and tore. You get the idea…they were thoroughly abused. But it makes the paper almost cloth-like and you can mold it into the shape you want. The pieces stiffen as they dry then you can layer them to form a unique accent.

And here’s the layout from last week’s blessing:

Cardstock: Bazzill Basics paper
Patterned paper: Karen Foster Design
Textured Paper: ProvoCraft
Punch: Fiskars
Photo turn: 7gypsies
Brad: Making Memories
Charm: Watch Us, Inc.
Accent: Wrights
Fonts: Downcome and Libeled Lady, Internet
Other: Jute

There’s no complicated technique to explain here…my focus was getting caught up but still making a page I liked. The feather is an iron-on appliqué…again it’s an old product that was perfect for the colors and theme of my page. That seems to be the theme of the day as the charm has lived in my stash for a long time too. I cut the loop off with a wire cutter then smoothed the edges with my Dremel. Yep, I have a Dremel and I’m not afraid to use it. Dremels, wire cutters, iron-on appliqués…it takes all kinds of things to build a scrapbook page!

Friday rolls around quickly…that happens when life is busy. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.

***Each Friday's post is part of my 52 Blessing project...an effort in 2009 to be more aware of and grateful for the blessings in my life.

Going Postal

I have to admit I'm not a fan...in fact, I don't know that I've ever seen an episode of The Simpsons. What little I know about them comes from working crossword puzzles; the short names of the characters are answers on more than an occasional basis.

But I find it interesting that the U.S. Post Office is going to feature the characters on a series of new stamp which go on sale on May 7. Those would be $.44 stamps by the way as the rates go up again on May 1. You've been warned...but I digress.

The stamps commemorate the 20th anniversary of the television show. Who would have thought it had been on that long. Now, I don't mean to tell the USPS how to run their business...well, maybe someone should given the losses they're sustaining...but how come the Simpson's get stamps after only 20 years and Mickey and the gang had to wait a whole lot longer? And what about Elvis? Yes, I know he wasn't a cartoon character, but more than 20 years elapsed from the start of his career before they put his likeness on a stamp. You know...equal treatment and all.

I'm not sure the postal authorities are interested in our opinions on Mickey and Elvis; they are, however, interested in knowing which one of the Simpson stamps we like the best. So if you or your children are fans of the show, or even if you're not...you can cast your ballot here. I voted for Marge solely because of her blue 'do but I expect to have a supply of "forever" stamps on hand before Marge and the rest of her crew go on sale. Just my $.02.

Eavesdropper

 

The plants in the flower bed are safely tucked in for the night. There's a frost warning again so for the second night in a row I was spreading old sheets and blankets over happy little plants who, like me, thought it was spring. Frankly...I'm tired of cold and I'm hoping the weatherman is right that tonight is the last night of this chill-down.

I was giving the bed the once-over last night when I went out to tend to this chore. It makes me happy to see how many plants are beginning to grow...blooms in the coreopsis, buds in the Gerber daisies, and thick lush growth on the Stokes asters.

Then I noticed the rose bush in the corner. It was just plain ugly last year...long, leggy canes despite frequent pruning and never producing a bloom the entire year. I had concluded that it was probably a hybrid and the lovely, flower-producing part had died, leaving me with the strong root stock that didn't bloom. I had told Wayne not long ago that I intended to dig it up and get rid of it.

It must have heard me. It has flowers.

Remember Everything

I've always thought Wayne enjoys the planning part of vacations almost as much as he likes the actual traveling. He researches the locations we'll visit, reads blogs and other sources that discuss both the well-known attractions and the ones that only the locals are familiar with, and finds reviews where others who have visited then write about the hits and the misses of the local sights. By the departure date, he has a virtual treasure trove of information that lets us get the most out of our time in a new place.

In the past, he's printed out all this valuable information and put it in a notebook we took with us, but we tried something new this trip. It was so successful, I don't see us going back to paper. We used

Evernote is a software tool that lets you store notes, documents, images and more and then access them from any computer or other device that is Internet-capable. It's like having a virtual notebook that you can add e-mails, excerpts from web pages, Word documents and photos to, and you can add them and then view them from multiple computers. And it's so easy.

When the hotel confirmation e-mails arrived, we could just click the "Add to Evernote" button that is added to your toolbar after you download the software. When you find information on the web, you can highlight what you'd like to save then add it to Evernote, an option found under "Tools." One of the nice things then is you can look at just the highlighted part you saved but the full web address is there too in case you want to go back to where you found it. And you can establish multiple folders and tag the materials in them so they are searchable, if you want.

So both Wayne and I could put information into Evernote from our respective computers at home, and then while we were traveling, we could look at it from the laptop in the room at night or from the iPhone while we were out and about during the day. It was instant access to addresses to plug into the navigation system, hours of operations for locations we wanted to visit, and descriptions of attractions so we could decide if they merited our time. So convenient and much less work than our former notebook system, not to mention the savings of paper.

You don't have to travel or have an iPhone to use Evernote. Maybe you and your sister are researching family history from opposite sides of the country and looking for a good way to share your finds. Or you like looking for recipes on your lunch hour at work but want to be able to see them and decide what to cook when you get home. It's just a great application that allows information to be shared between two or more Internet-capable devices. And it's free. Well, the starter version is and that was enough for us. If you have lots of information to save, you might need the fee-based version.

There are lots of other cool things you can do with Evernote and you'll find the explanation on their website. It's definitely a keeper at our household. After all, who doesn't want to remember everything?

Comfort Level

It was another day of viewing the world through the windshield. The reward? Knowing that home was waiting at the end of the day.

While the miles were long, there was a certain comfort in them. Unlike yesterday, the road was familiar...that same stretch we've traveled so many times. We know where to stop to find the cleanest restrooms and the coldest Diet Cokes. About the only surprise was the number of colorful wild flowers blooming in the medians...the blue-purple of blue bonnets in Texas, bright yellow patches of a tall blossoms waving in the breeze in Louisiana, and delicate pink little cups along the road in Mississippi. And there was a thick blanket of bright red clover growing everywhere. The pretty colors and an interesting book made those miles go a little faster.

There was physical comfort, too. It was such a relief to hop out of the car without having to reach for a coat and then to take a leisurely stroll across the parking lot, soaking in the warm temperatures rather than dashing in from the cold. We left behind the sagebrush and bare trees of a few days ago and replaced them with pine trees and fresh new leaves. And after a week of dry air, either because of furnaces or climate, it feels really good to fill my lungs with the humid air of the south. My chapped lips are better already.

We stopped in Mobile for dinner...a chance to get out of the car before the last push home. The dining choice? Comfort food from Cracker Barrel.

The ultimate in comfort, however, will be sleeping in our own bed. I hear it calling now. 

Some Blessings Are Obvious

We're in Dallas tonight...half-way through the long trek home. We've left the higher elevation and its chilly temperatures behind and with each hour the thermometer crept ever higher, much more to my liking. We didn't see and do everything we wanted in Santa Fe, but then that's often the case of places we visit. It just gives us a reason to return at some time in the future.

Thanks to all of you for the kind comments and e-mails wishing Wayne well. He seems his usual self today, just as the doctor predicted. I've kidded him, telling him I always thought he had a selective memory but it was usually for things he chose to forget, like husbands often do.

Given the events of yesterday, I don't have to look far to find my blessing for this week...a blessing that is, in fact, two-fold. I'm grateful first for the caring and efficient staff at the hospital in Santa Fe. There are plenty of horror stories of people sitting for hours waiting to be seen in emergency rooms, but that wasn't our experience. Wayne was seen promptly, tests were ordered and conducted quickly, and throughout the day, we were told what would be done next, why it was being done and what the results were. We were both surprised when we realized Wayne had been receiving treatment for more than three hours before anyone asked about our insurance coverage. Yes, things got a bit crazy and we waited longer than expected for the actual dismissal, but overall the whole experience was positive under the circumstances.

And that brings me to the second part of the blessing...the fact that nothing serious was wrong. We tend to take the good health of our loved ones for granted, and probably that of ourselves as well. Then something comes along to remind us that good health can be fleeting...here today but with no guarantees for tomorrow. The doctors in Santa Fe gave Wayne a good work-up and fortunately the test results were good. We've joked that he now has proof he has a heart and a brain but the serious side of that is both are in good health, a blessing indeed.

So this Friday I'm grateful...for good health, for good health care providers and for good wishes. Life is truly good.

How to Waste a Vacation Day

Today was suppose to be our last day in Santa Fe and our plans were to visit a couple of ghost towns and Tent Rock National Monument - None of that happened!

I woke up this morning ready to go but after a shower I felt a little strange and somewhat confused, a feeling I had never experienced before. When I couldn't quite remember where I was or what my computer passwords were, Brenda suggested(?) we'd better make a trip to the emergency room and get it checked out. I guess I must have been concerned enough that I didn't resist.

So that's where we spent the day. The preliminary diagnosis: Transient global amnesia. Nope I never heard of it either but a quick peek Mayo Clinic gives you some clues. For the rest of the day I was poked, prodded and subjected to lots of tests. The end results of a MRI, EKG, Carotid Ultrasound and a Echo cardiogram produced no apparent issues.

The last couple of hours were mainly waiting for discharge from a busy emergency room. Discharge orders were to take a regular aspirin a day and see my primary physician when I get home. It wasn't a fun day for either of us and you can blame me for no pictures today. I appreciate the fine care I got today and especially Brenda sitting by my side all day - - no fun for sure. Wayne

Chili Today and Hot Tamale

Actually, it should be chilly today. It seems the weatherman changes his mind hourly and the warmer temperatures promised just a day or two ago haven't materialized. Tomorrow, he promises...again. Thank goodness he was wrong about the snow, too. We saw a few flurries but that was about it.

Santa Fe itself was the focus of our explorations today, and we walked around the plaza area where we could dart in and out of stores, churches and historic sites away from the wind and the cold. It's between seasons here...ski season has ended and the rush of vacationers won't arrive until summer. It's good news for us as the places we wanted to visit aren't crowded but I'm sure the merchants are looking forward to June. We did a little buying but much more looking, and I skipped entirely the vendors selling Indian jewelry that line one side of the plaza.

 We were in several old missions again today as well as the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. The Cathedral was beautiful inside, much larger and more ornate than the missions we've been visiting. Unfortunately they are restoring the exterior so the front was covered with scaffolding and plastic.

This photo was taken just outside the Santuario de Guadalupe. Our Lady of Guadalupe is the central figure in a large painted screen behind the alter inside the church and a more modern statute of that image adorns the plaza outside the church. We missed yesterday's pretty blue skies.

Our tour around the downtown area included this old railroad station which is still in use, and we walked through the state capitol building as well. We've seen lots of capitol buildings around the country, many of which are very pretty, but I have to say I wouldn't put the Roundhouse on that list. 

Lunch today was hot tamales from a vendor's cart at the plaza. Wayne's been looking forward to it since he started researching things to do in the area. The tamales were good but they were really hot...as in spicy hot.

And to round out the day we had dinner at Bobcat Bites, a local hamburger joint that can't seat more than 25 people. Their huge cheeseburger rated two thumbs up from Guy Fieri of The Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives according to Wayne's golfing buddy Jimmy..and we'd have to agree. The restaurant was a trading post at one time and it got its name because bobcats used to come down from the mountains behind it and get treats from the restaurant staff. The hamburgers were a treat but we passed on the green chili version they serve.

We're hoping the weatherman finally gets it right and we can do some hiking tomorrow.

We Took The High Road And The Low Road

Taos was the destination of choice today, with plenty of little side trips along the way. And with a choice of routes to get there, we took the high road first. Here's a sampling of what we saw.

 

We stopped at several old missions. All were small adobe structures and each had its own beauty. This one is El Santuario do Chimayolocated in the town Chimayo. There were several small rooms adjacent to the sanctuary and in one of them there was a 18" circular opening in the floor. The dirt on which the mission was built is thought to have healing powers, and the other room contained a variety of crutches and other medical appliances people had discarded after rubbing the dirt on their affected limbs.

In Las Trampas we found this beautiful old mission, San Jose de Gracia. It was the only mission we couldn't go in but it was interesting to look at from the outside because the adobe was much coarser and you could clearly make out the straw used in making it. There was a small cemetery on the grounds as well.

At the edge of Taos we spent some time at Taos Pueblo, a village that is both a link to the past and the current home to Native Americans. Wayne and I found it interesting that in addition to the per person admission charge to visit the village, there is a charge for each camera you bring in. This is San Geronimo Church and although it was built in 1850, it's one of the newest buildings in the village.

The village is huge. This segment of buildings is about one-fourth of the buildings that were there, and there were corrals, a cemetery and a large open area in the center of the village. Some of the buildings were connected and stacked like this group.

And some were smaller buildings sitting by themselves like this one.

Set against the earthy color of the adobe, the brightly-colored doors were both functional and beautiful. Many of these units held native craftsmen but I suspect when tourist season is in full swing, many more of the units are filled with people selling their wares.

Back in Taos we visited the San Francisco De Asis Mission. Like the others, it was beautiful inside. While it would have been nice to have photos of that beauty to share, all of these are active churches with regular services so strangers snapping pictures doesn't quite serve their religious purposes.

   

It wasn't all churches and Indian relics...we admired some beautiful landscape too. We drove out to the Rio Grande River Gorge, a deep valley carved in the desert landscape. It's weird because it comes in the middle of a large flat plain so it's almost a surprise that it's there and it's so deep.

We walked most of the way across this bridge to be able to see down the gorge to take the first photo. The sidewalk is only wide enough for two people and it's right next to the traffic lanes of the vehicles crossing the bridge. We were out in the middle of the bridge when a big semi hauling gravel came across. The bridge vibrated so much the metal railings began to sing...and Wayne and I looked at each other and said this isn't something Dr. Dale would enjoy.

We shopped a little in Taos and then headed back to Santa Fe, this time taking the low road along the Rio Grande River. It was Mexican food for supper again...too many good choices to resist.

Tomorrow is another day...we'll see where the road takes us then.