and now.... food for the heart.

grandma pile!

Yesterday I updated you on the feeding of my soul and tummy. Today I ask your indulgence as I relate the food for my heart... grand kids! One's own children are wonderful, and raising them is a constant awe-some experience, but then (if you are lucky) comes grand parenting. It is a whole different realm of wonderfulness. My grand guys are Finn and Liam, sons of my son. And at times, when I am with them, I am transported back to when their father was their age.

corn at the fish market

But, they are not their father, and their world is so different than his was at the ages of 2 and 4. They are comfortable with  computers, when Pong was just emerging for their father. I talk with them over Skype with the video feed, Brian's Grandma wrote letters. They eat foods that I didn't even know existed until I was an adult, and so on and so forth. But the basics never change.

"Pay hockey, peeeese?"

The pure and instant laughter that rolls from their bellies is the same. The courage they get when one parental (or grand parental) finger is gripped in their tiny hand as we walk down the street is still welcome. The wonder in their eyes when the merry-go-round horse takes its first lurch forward sparkles again. And the sweet aroma of youth and sweetness is something shampoo will never replace. Blankies are still loved, stories still need to be read, and spaghetti still paints faces.

However, now it is my son and his wife's turn to get up during the night, find the band-aids, teach "please" and "thank you" and make sure veggies come before dessert.  It is my turn to "spoil" now and then. I have license  to flit in and out of these young lives leaving a trail of hugs and kisses, pennies for the piggy bank, and indulgent gifts and treats. Such is the wonderfulness of grand-motherhood.

Food for body and soul!

blossoms at the Smithsonian castle

Today I spent the majority of the day amongst the cherry blossoms, magnolia blooms and tourists in downtown Washington DC. For lunch, we visited the Fish market on the Potomac.

such a pretty pattern!

I must give a disclaimer at this point. I love fish. I love to watch them. I love to swim with them. And, while it may seem ironic or hypocritical, I love to eat them. So I found myself straddling two ideas of heaven today; One resplendent in the smell of hyacinths and the beauty of the aforementioned cherry and magnolia flowers, and the other, an abundance of sea life not normally available to one who is far more accustomed to cows and other terrestrial food surrounding them.

the deadliest catch - east coast style

While one seems to be food for the soul and one food for the body, they both nourished me with beauty. The colors of one soft and creamy and pastel, and the other patterned and striped and far more varied.

no mistaking where I am!

It was a lovely day.

Some Upcycled Favs and the TCC

There is recycling and then there is RECYCLING!! As I wander through the sellers on Etsy there is the good, the bad, and the ugly, but I am always amazed at the number of us junk collectors and thrift store haunters!

When I was about 8 years old, I was one of the founders of the TCC. That, to those of you who might not have lived on Piper Drive during the late 50s and early 60s, is the Trash Collectors Club. It all started on the day one of the neighbors oldest child left for college, and the Mom purged their room. The curb was alive with treasures which were immediately found by my young friends and me and then dragged to our homes. Why would anyone throw out a perfectly good huge Mexican sombrero? As I remember it, the TCC only managed to stay in existence for one week until the tyrannical mothers of the block banned its existence and made sure we didn't get out until noon on trash days, but it was fun while it lasted.

Here are a few of my upcycled favs from ETSY sellers. 
Things that I recognize as the fruits of the labor of kindred TCC members:
1: Coffee filters upcycled into a lamp by Lampada
2: Boot (but he will use ANYTHING) made into a clock by Imotime
3: Forks now as useful and peace full hooks by JJEvensen
4: Thrift store blouse reincarnated into an elegant clutch by Elegant Green
5: Cowboy boot turned purse by Koop Designs
6: An Ottoman (I am sure it is easy to move when flipped on its side!) by Motomotif

Lunch shadows

Yesterday my friend and I were seated at a very nice cafe for our lunch. She was seated looking towards me and out to the world through huge front windows. I was seated looking past her at a huge blank wall (albeit pink). However I definitely got the better view. The sun outside projected constantly changing and very dimensional images onto my wall. It was both beautiful and fascinating. Luckily my friend, Judith, has long  embraced my ADD (defined as either Artistic Detail Diversion, or Attention Deficit Disorder - you choose) and was not offended by my constant distraction during our conversation!

When I got up to use the facilities, I discovered this little corner of the world... glad I had taken my phone/camera with me! What a beautiful display it was and one that must change everyday with the people and the light. Congrats on a great spontaneous art show to Nosh in Geneva IL!

TONS of new stuff added yesterday - but there is a catch!!

aqua coat

I will be taking most everything out of my shop on Monday 3/28 for my show in Maryland. I will return anything that doesn't sell by 4/a5, but just so you know that this abundance is temporary! I just don't like to take stuff to a show without giving all my Etsy loyalists first crack at it! Here are a few of the items- click on the captions to go to the store:

black and white

green cardi

zig zag

hoodie

sunset