A perfect day.

I wait for this day every year. It doesn't always get here. This is a downside to living in beautiful Southern California. Rainy days? Not so many.

But today is just lovely. It's not too cold. The rain is constant and just a drizzle. Things are in a beautifully chaotic state with Christmas being packed away for another year.

The Narcissus is blooming.

And my big dog? Well, he can't decide if he wants to be in or out, so we pass in the kitchen, often.

The pup and I were up very early to pick up papers from the vet so she could go to obedience school. Then school. Coffee in the rain with my friend and her doggy. I just said coffee in the rain. Ya really can't say that very often here in our town. But we sat outside at the Starbuck's with our poochies until the drizzle turned to drops and got a bit soaked walking the dogs back to our cars.




The first part of the day had Lucy and me just a bit exhausted. I made a fire out of our wonderful cedar firewood. Crack! Pop! Good night right there on the living room floor. I snoozed a bit and was joined by both Lucy and my girlie. At this point, I'm heading back to Christmas while the two of them nap.  I'm in and out with boxes (and my big old German Shepherd) and just enjoying every minute.

Crackling fire. Raindrops. Naps. Reorganizing.

This is my idea of a perfect day.

A nice cup of tea is in order, don't you think?

Quotable Sunday ~ The Name is Mom

"The ordinary arts we practice every day at home are of more importance to the soul than their simplicity might suggest."

- Thomas More

How I love being taught by the other Mamas ~ The Name is Mom

"Thank you, Mom!"

Very simply, I love learning more about being Mom. I am in the phase with a pre and a teen where I'm doing the mom thing differently. I feel more awake and aware in it than ever. I like it. My awakening is to the changes around my folks. They are thinkers and doers and interesting people. My mothering requires wisdom and thought.
Imagine how thrilled I am to find this post from Mary at The Yellow Door Paperie on teaching gratitude. I hope you enjoy it too. What inspires you on your path?

The Happy Mother's Day Mom ~ The Name is Mom

Here she is in the midst of an art show at my daughter's school. The one who defined the word, Mom, for me. For those of you who, like me, enjoy a list, here are her astounding accomplishments:

• Taught me, from the first skin on skin touch of my life, the meaning of faithful love
• Raised two girls, in the face of the unpredictable, inconceivable event of her husband leaving her when her second daughter was just days old
• Walked, whistling in the dark, with a desperate need for her heavenly Father, seeking and trusting Him for everything
• Made ball gowns for grown up ladies
• Made school and play clothes for not-so-grown-up young ladies
• Taught that "young and lady" were inextricably linked words which did not exclude fun, but did require discernment
• Worked, when many moms stayed at home
• Cooked endless meals when the kitchen was her least favorite room
• Responded to every little peep, tear, wail, story, action, need, desire, requirement coming from either my sister or me and often with the word, "no"
• Gave up things I can't imagine or haven't considered to provide a home and those previously mentioned "needs"
• Repaired endless tears, rips, breaks to toys, clothes and bears
• Scolded
• Cajoled
• Loved
• Encouraged
• Never (NEVER!) missed a concert from the time I picked up my violin in 7th grade until I graduated college and there were many orchestras 
• Typed term papers that were started waaay too late
• Let go when I moved for my career, but was never really too far
• Moved in for weeks when the babies came
• "Reminded" me of all the mommie techniques required for those babies
• Hosts endless overnights and after school meals for my kiddos
• Loves at every corner
• Tells good secrets 
• Shares every experience
• Houses old secrets
• Giggles in cahoots
• Listens

Mom is somewhat ageless. My cousin Pam told me yesterday about my mom's secret plan to focus on herself over summer so she can take on 4th graders three days a week after school and 6th graders every Wednesday morning. After the recent passing of our next door neighbor, Mom announced she's also decided not to make friends with anyone over 40. They can't be relied upon to be around when she wants to play.
I love her like crazy and I'm very aware, very aware of how blessed I am to have her for all that has been and all that is in front of us.

The first day of Kid's Color Week, hosted by Kerry at Young Ones, is RED. Here's my girlie's contribution: a rather salmony red S.

It happens that today is also a big birthday at our house. The young missy turned eleven which shocks me just a little. It seems moments ago we were on our way to the hospital for the whole two and a half hours of labor this little one afforded us. Now she's singing to Justin Bieber songs and excited about a family gathering to celebrate her special day at the California Pizza Kitchen.

We make a spectacle of birthdays at our house. Stars are hung in the bedroom hallway door and have been since the big boy man turned one.

The birthday sign goes up and you start the morning wearing the birthday hat as you open cards. Tradition. Fun.

There will be cupcakes at school and that promised dinner with our friends, who really are our family. Her big bro has tucked a pair of earrings in a box and put them on the front seat of my car. This means she'll find them after school. I think he's an awesome big brother and even though they can fight with great passion and a tone that shakes me to the core, they have the shape of best of friends in their thoughtful hearts. Evidence? He went into Justice for Girls to shop with his dad. He never mentioned how mortified he'd have been if any of the girls from school came in. He just soaked it up when she squealed over the JB T-shirt.

So our red day is also a pink and green happy day. As we celebrate the birthday of the baby.

Brisk and random

Today, I'm considering several thoughts, in no particular order:

• I found a lovely blog, lovely experience of a blog, wherein the writer suggests that comments might just detract from the freedom of just being at the blog site and enjoying. As much as I love the connection in comments, I believe I love this idea for myself.
• It's heading toward 10 in the morning, we're all home for Easter break, and waiting for the washing machine repair man. No one has moved out of jammies. We often spend this time of year in San Francisco. So I guess this is vacation. There will be some mad scramble when the doorbell rings.
• I love having the backdoor open to the high 50's cool. It creates a little draft that reminds me that spring looks delicate with all the floral blooming. But spring is not tame.
• My German Shepherd discovered a yellow hand squeezer-thing which made its way into our house. It is the focus of his existence and we just watched him sit, staring up at the mantle where it sat waiting for it to do something for 10 minutes. I love focus.
• I watched Mario Batalli make a salad of raw shredded asparagus (he used a tomato or potato peeler) in olive oil, lemon, and parmesan reggiano. I was not able to tell, from Matt Lauer's face or comments, if it was tasty and now I want to try it. I may hold some baby romaine on the side just in case it falls flat with my staff here. He made a super yummy looking pasta dish too.

There you go. Brisk and random.
That's what's on my mind.

A gentle turning ~ Russelina ~ Day 5

This morning I note the gentle turning.
A hint of browning.
All the more lovely.

Several years ago, when my darling cousin, Wendy, was wildly in love with a German artist and Fulbright Scholar, we all had dinner in my little apartment near the beach. While I was busy preparing, Wolfgang was chatting me up on many important visual ideas. We immediately agreed on this: the spending of a flower is worth as much as the budding. He was commenting on some tulips that were turning and dropping on my kitchen counter. I thought they were wondrous and worthy. And so did Wolf.
This affection doesn't always work for me, when I'm the attentive gardener. When I'm the attentive gardener. Flowers spent need to go. As I understand it, they extract energy from the plant needed to form new buds-to-flowers-to-groundward-petals. I become conflicted. I want the new and I love the early turn.
So here we are and here we will be. Observing the turning of Russelina at the expense of that which will follow.

The last of the hardy, fragrant, Freesia.







Tomorrow? Shall we turn to the glorious creation called the Redbud Tree?

Found some! In Search of Spring

Spring is singing quietly in my backyard in the form of nectarine blossoms on my dwarf tree.

Poetry itself.

I Love:: 21 ~ These happy garlands:

I must make one of these at the first possible moment.

I see pink and brown and brown and pink for my girlie's room.

Oh I must!

I must!

I Love:: Happy Garlands.

These are from Purlbee.

But I was originally inspired by

 Kyrie's, and look at Rae's!