thanks — Page 2

The Morning After

November 26, 2010 at 11:34 am by Claudia

As I sit here this Friday morning, sipping my coffee, looking for new blog posts and finding very few, I thought I should step up to the plate and post something. I realize you are all busy. However, this is my morning ritual. I drink coffee and read and comment on blog posts. Today is no different than any other day for me – yesterday was – but not today. Can you see that I might be going through blog withdrawal? Not a pretty sight.

Oh lordy, did we eat yesterday! The day started off with my fabulous (if I do say so myself) French Toast. Don contributed Fakin’ Bacon – tastes like bacon but isn’t. Then dinner….you can see by the menu that the MHC household ate well. To be frank, we overate. I cannot resist mashed potatoes…or stuffing…or my Grandmother’s biscuit recipe. Or anything on that list, to be honest. You know we are vegetarians, hence the quotation marks around “Swedish Meatballs” – again, not really meat.

Don usually does the daily dinner cooking here because he likes to. I like to bake. It works out nicely. But yesterday was a special occasion and I made the mashed potatoes, green beans, biscuits and pumpkin pie. I also coordinated the timing on everything, a task made more difficult by two dogs who insist on being in the thick of things. And today? Leftovers. Umm-mmm good. We are grateful.

I was out and about the other day and found this sign:

It’s made of very thick cardboard. The gold letters in ‘Lady Duff’ are raised. I’m a sucker for this type of art deco lettering and I had to bring it on home to the studio. At the moment, the sign is living right next to Letitia – she is, after all, wearing undergarments.

I hope your Thanksgiving celebrations were filled with good food and good company, my friends.

Surprises in the Mail

May 8, 2010 at 1:42 pm by Claudia

Thank you for all your loving, supportive comments yesterday. I know that all of you have had your share of losses and understand how overwhelming grief can be. Writing about it was enormously healing for me. As I wrote, I cried. The sadness stayed with me throughout the day. But I feel better now. Today is a new day, the sun is shining and I have a lot of work to do!

On to happier things!

My friend Terri of Artful Affirmations took pity on my mail-less state and sent me two things this week. I can’t tell you how happy that made me. I received this postcard first. I love the quote and have it propped up on my desk.

Oh, how true!

Yesterday, I received a little package from Terri. Of course, I opened it at the theater so I have to tell you how it was wrapped – in lovely aqua tissue paper with string tied around the package. On the string was a tag. The tag said:

When I flipped the tag over, I saw this:

Inside was this:

I opened up the bag and found this:

The beautiful components to make a flower like the one Terri made at the top of the photo! Isn’t that the best idea? It is the perfect thing for someone like me, away from home and my studio, without access to everything I have there. (I’m so happy I threw some glue in the boxes I sent here!)

Thank you, Terri. Terri is enormously talented, by the way. I continually gasp every time I see one of her creations. If you haven’t visited her wonderful blog, you must!

Have a happy Saturday.

Hyacinths & Squares 35, 36 & 37

April 5, 2010 at 12:04 pm by Claudia

Such a pretty hyacinth! And the scent is heavenly. Thank you so very much for your lovely, supportive comments on our recent losses. It has been a tough time for us, as well as for many others who loved these wonderful men. Don has lost the 3 most important men in his life in the last year. It sometimes doesn’t seem real…I suspect this is a natural coping mechanism. One can only process so much at a time.

I hope your Easter was happy. The weather here has been absolutely gorgeous. I’ve been working out in the yard, trying to get everything ready before I leave for San Diego on April 17th. Then I have to leave my gardens just as everything gets ready to bloom. I’ve decided that this will be the last time I leave for such a long time in the Spring. Gardening is one of my greatest pleasures and I waited many years to have my own garden. This will be the 3rd year in a row that I’ve been gone at this time of year. By the time I return in July, many of the spring flowers will be gone.

I played catch-up on the 39 squares project this morning. I’m actually stitching 40 squares so I did three this morning. Two of them are combined.

In honor of Spring – my favorite Spring flower, the tulip.