Pumpkin Sunrise

  Yesterday, my husband and I went to the Phipps Conservatory to see their spring flower show. The traffic was insane and it took us quite some time to get there because of heavy construction and possibly a traffic accident (we will never know). Once there, we had so much fun seeing the flowers. I wish I could photograph the scents! I believe this year's spring show was better than last year's show. We have a membership and go four or five times a year whenever they change the exhibits. I snapped so many photos and maybe I will paint some of them. I felt the creative urge to do so. Spring is filled with hopefulness and new beginnings, I like early spring but do not like late spring when the weather gets too hot. However, I don't have to think about hot weather right now, the forecast is saying snow next week, I hope it is incorrect. Afterwards, we went out for lunch at a ramen noodle restaurant. It was so good and I love the noodles! I have yet to come across a recipe that...

  Yesterday we went to the local conservator y to see their orchid and bonsai exhibit. We had fun being indoors looking at flowers while outside was a dreary drippy, damp day. After our visit, we went out to lunch for ramen and then did a tiny bit of shopping that amounted to nothing being bought.  My adult non-credit classes started up this week and I eased into a new routine and schedule. I love seeing friends I've made and I continue to make new ones. Joining the adult learning program has been a good decision. Of course my favorite class is Tai Chi.  Can you believe we are over a third of the way through winter? Yikes! Time flies. I've been watching the weather and I see snow in the forecast for the next week off and on. I don't mind the snow. Currently, I'm reading a short story collection, The Wonder Garden, by Lauren Acampora. It's been a long time since I've read short stories and I'm enjoying the switch up. This book has been languishing on my '...

  I celebrated my birthday this week! What a great time to be alive, I am so grateful. I received many calls from my family. While yesterday was not my birthday, it snowed! I felt like that was a gift from Mother Nature since I love winter so much. We went to see the holiday lights at the conservatory and they were lovely. I had a difficult time being thoroughly immersed in the displays because right before we walked into the foyer we were pummeled by high winds and drenching rains. My husband and I were soaked through and were so cold down to our bones. Glass houses are not heated, lol. All I thought about was getting home and changing my clothes and drinking hot tea. Yesterday was a delicious day at home. I got caught up on the computer with 'stuff' and did my readings for the week for two classes. Below is a photo of a hat for the my grandson. I am not sure I have enough yarn so I am winging it. My years of experience say there is enough yarn but the pattern I chose says the...

  Hello! How was your celebrations yesterday? We had a quiet Fourth of July. Next weekend our children and grandchildren will be visiting and causing mayhem. I like the quiet days leading up to a family visit. My to do list is quite detailed although not quite finished. Yesterday my husband and I had burgers and fries at home then some ice cream.  Frodo is feeling better again. His vet followup appointment for repeat bloodwork is in two weeks. It's nice that he's acting like himself more, barking at everyone and no one in particular, he loves to look out the window and watch the neighborhood, like Mrs. Kravitz from Bewitched.  I've been reading Hello Beautiful  and The Secret Garden.  I'm enjoying both of them. I thought I've never read The Secret Garden but I have in my youth. The plot is so familiar and when she met the friendly robin I remembered. I just can't remember when I read it. Maybe my teen years... Summer days are reading days for me. I love sinking ...

  How are you all doing? Over here, summer is showing off with all the flowers blooming. I cannot get enough of my hydrangea bush, gah. Our butterfly bushes are starting to bloom as well. I might not like the heat and humidity of summer but I do like the flowers. My first summer session classes have ended and I have a two week break before the second summer session starts. I'm loving the rhythm of my days during the in-between time. I'm reading a lot and getting little jobs done around the house. We will have a house full in a couple of weeks when all of my children come to visit. This time around, I am pacing the chores so I do not slam myself with doing everything the day before they arrive. Future me will thank past me for this. We had no electricity for one hour the other night and I sat and wondered why I am so committed to being tethered to the internet. I have no answers but I did question myself endlessly. The electricity came back on and I forgot about my reflections u...

  I survived the heat wave. This morning is glorious! I cannot wait to walk Frodo and be comfortable while being outside. It's the simple things of life. How was your weekend? Mine was lusciously boring. I finished the Civil War book after marathon reading for three days. All I did was read. I enjoyed the book and yet I will not be starting another non fiction book that is nearly 900 pages of reading any time soon. Besides reading, I started on the second leg warmer and have made steady progress, it's my nighttime knitting where mistakes are minimal and the thinking is minimal as well. I also started a pair of mittens for me but I will talked about that project on Wednesday. I do not have any classes this week except Tai Chi. Next week is a week off from summer classes before the second summer session begins. I love having the time off. May you have cooler weather! How was your weekend?

  Good morning! How are you? Are you in the heat wave? I am trying my best to ignore this weather but I have to confess, I'm dreaming of autumn. This will not serve me well, so I pushed the desire deep in my soul and I'm trying to see the beauty of summer while ignoring the heat and humidity. It's always a challenge. Frodo and I are walking at 7 am this week. We are both bleary-eyed and tired but at least we are somewhat comfortable for a 20 minute walk. He continues to do well. He is now on a special prescription low fat diet because he is a schnauzer with a sensitive stomach. He loves the food! He is worth every penny. We are in our bonus years with him. Every morning when I wake up and he wakes up I say to him (he can't hear but I think he feels my sentiment) 'we have another day together!!'. He will be 15 years old in October! What an old old man who is living his best life! I wound up this skein of super scrumptious yarn that my daughter and son in law gave...

  Good morning, how are you and how was your weekend? Our daughter and son in law arrived Friday night and are leaving sometime this morning to go back to the Boston area. We are so grateful they came to see us. We had a fabulous time together. Saturday morning, we went to the conservatory for their summer show and it was fabulous. We love being members there and I always see something new when I walk about their gardens. It was very hot in the sun outside and I wilted. My autoimmune disease (Sjogren's Syndrome) makes me sun sensitive and heat sensitive.  I try to cover myself from head to toe to shield the sun and yet I still at some point feel unwell (flu like symptoms).  I guess that is why I love winter so much!  After the conservatory, we had a difficult time getting home because a major highway ramp was closed. So we took the scenic route through another section of the Pittsburgh area and after an hour ended up at our place for lunch. That had a 45 minute wait ...

  And just like that, I'm back in ordinary time.  I go to my classes and continue to love Wednesdays because that is tai chi day. I'm not an expert but I've graduated myself to the back of the class so that new people can be up front if they wish to see the instructor clearly.  Frodo continues to be well considering his age. We are grateful to have him every day. Holly continues to check in on him and wish him well. In the photo above, she is watching us from the upstairs window as we walk around the yard. For the first time since moving here (2021), the hydrangea bush is blooming! Every day I witness its beauty. Now if only the lilac bush would bloom. Maybe the inspiration will come from the hydrangea bush for next spring.  Our daughter and son in law are visiting us this weekend and today I have a bazillion things to do. (it feels like a bazillion). I wish I would have done a little bit each day this past week but I waited until today.  I have yet to decide on...

  My weekend was spent taking care of Frodo who is slowly improving (I'm impatient and wish it was faster). I love the photo above. Frodo cannot see Holly, but she is all in on supporting him. Our flowers are blooming like crazy and every time I walk outside, I see something new or interesting. How was your weekend?

  How was your weekend? Mine was relaxing and 'ordinary'. I spent most of Saturday reading books or knitting or sitting and relaxing. It was a fantastic restful day. Frodo is getting old and only wants to sit outside for about 20 minutes then he wants back inside.  On Sunday, we went to Mass and I endured a speaker (after the sermon) who was going to 'keep it short' which is code for another 10 minutes which is not short at all. My wish and desire is that they put it in the bulletin.  Sunday afternoon was more of the same as on Saturday just add my laundry. I sketched (!) on both days, feeling rusty but definitely loving the time I spent in my sketchbook. How was your weekend?

  Hello! Good morning! How are you? After arriving home from our little getaway to see the grands, I caught up on rest and sleep within 48 hours. There is nothing like your own bed to help ease back into 'ordinary' time. I am doing all the boring things and missing the grandchildren.  All of a sudden, spring is here. The trees are mostly leafed out and so many flowers are blooming in the neighborhood. Of course, the weather became hot, hinting at summer days ahead. For now I'm enjoying the spring. The month of May reminds me of my paternal grandmother who absolutely loved this month and all of the flowers her children would buy her on Mother's Day and then again on her birthday. Her yard was teeming with spring bulb plants.  My husband is mostly done with replacing the deck flooring. He enjoyed the project and wants to get back to regular job tasks. We have done a lot in updating this house. We have more to do but the list gets easier. I wrote a gratitude list in my art...

  Good morning! How are you doing?  Right now I am sitting at my kitchen table in the morning writing this post. Yesterday the rain came all day long, today we are in for some more rain. Our backyard is a mud pit and I try to walk Frodo from one tuft of grass to the other trying my best to avoid mud - the success is intermittent, but my determination is strong. On my daily walk yesterday, I snapped that tulip photo from a neighbor's garden. We cannot grow tulips in our yard because the deer eat them up but I guess where she lives the deer are respectful. My daffodils continue to bloom and are wonderful to look at. I came across these two gratitude quotes and decided to write them down to remember them.  Today I am grateful for: - my healing wrists - being finished with an antibiotic - my raincoat and umbrella - leftovers - a captivating novel on a rainy day - easy peasy sock knitting - Frodo and Holly - phone calls from the kids - silence - the kindness of others What are...

  I cannot believe we are celebrating Easter this weekend. The Lenten season has gone fast and yet is has gone slow at the same time. I am excited about the weather being more like springtime and less like wintertime and I say this with my fingers crossed.  How are you?  Earlier this week, my husband and I went to the conservatory to see the spring flower show and it was the first time going without my sister and brother in law. We had a nice time and enjoyed seeing the flowers. I was surprised that some of the glass roofs of the greenhouses were drippy from the outside rain. I guess a lot of work and maintenance goes into the upkeep of not only the plants but the structural integrity of the buildings as well.  I've had the whole week off from my classes and have focused my attention on knitting (carefully so that the flare doesn't flare up again). I'm looking forward to seeing my local family on Easter Sunday and eating lots of food. Happy Easter!

  And just like that, spring has arrived. Yesterday was a warm and sunny day - everything is starting to bloom. Maybe it's a little earlier than usual compared to previous springs, but I do like it. The weather is heading back to colder weather over the weekend and I thought I heard the word snow once more in the forecast.  Spring is such a fickle season and that is one of the reasons I like it.  I pulled my sketchbook out to draw a downy woodpecker. I was outside and heard a woodpecker and used the merlin app to identify the bird. I then fell down a rabbit hole of differentiating a downy woodpecker from a hairy woodpecker (I do love a rabbit hole!). I spontaneously wanted to try a sketch. I could list a million things wrong with my sketch, but I am focusing on the fact that I did a sketch and did enjoy the process. Creativity also blooming. I hope you are experiencing some spring time magic where you are!!