Summertime Lunch

Lunch.

Florida Tomatoes.

Ready to be chopped up with basil, garlic, green olives and mozzarella,

drizzled with olive oil and fresh ground black pepper.

Left to macerate for a few hours.

Then scooped on top of steaming hot linguine.

Cheese gets melty, garlic and basil emit their fragrant scent,

olives add their salt goodness,

and the tomatoes share their sweetness.

Pasta Primavera a la Suzanne.

Summer on a plate.

 

Happy Friday, beautiful Ones !

Savor it !

 

August Break hosted by Susannah Conway

Share The Joy Thursday–Even in the Chaos…

From this weeks Joy List…

I’m expecting an unexpected visit from this little hug bandit and his momma today !

It has been about a month since I have seen Jayden.

He turned six months this week.

Time is going so very quickly !

Look at him loving on the monkey I gave him, even in his sleep !

Makes my heart shine !

Can’t wait to smooch him !

These are some details of my 24 X 48” canvas that I am working of for my friend Suzanne.

I am thrilled that in the midst of all the chaos of packing, getting this house ready for renting, and planning our cross country move,

I still managed to get this piece to a place I am really excited about.

Hoping Suzy loves it too !

She arrives Sunday to help with some of our hundreds of little jobs that need doing before June,

and I hope to have

“My Garden is a work in progress” completed for her by then.

My white lilacs are in bloom and their scent is just heavenly !

I am glad we are moving after my favorite spring flowers have graced us with their presence.

Spring in New England is truly remarkable.

 

Focusing on the joys and the multitude of little things that are good sure helps keep you grounded in the present moment.

And believe me, I am very grateful for that during this busy, busy time.

Share the joy today, Beautiful Ones !

 

Visit Love, Meri every Thursday.

Doggie Couch Chat

Patine asks "Chica, can I play with your brand new stuffed Bat squeaker?"

Chica thinks "If I ignore her and pretend she's not here, on my sofa, chewing on my brand new stuffed Bat squeaker, maybe she will disappear."

"Why is Chica ignoring me? I have spent the whole week chewing on her neck, trying to hump her, and am even willing to break in her brand new stuffed Bat squeaker for her! Doesn't that make us BFFs?" asked Patine.

"Chew on it, Pipsqueak. I need a nap! "

"Will do, Bestie! Can't wait until spring break when I come back for another visit!"

"Kill me now!"

**********************

Suzanne and Patine were fun guests here at the Yellow House on Orange Street this week. I am sure Chica and the cats agree !

Happy weekend and safe travels home for my friends!

First Post of the New Year, 2014!

I have been neglecting my dear blog over the holidays !

That is maybe because I have been living life in the “real” world so fully.

We had an amazing Christmas in Montreal and La Conception.

Lots of love, laughter and good food.

And yesterday, David and I celebrated New Year’s Eve with my dear friend Suzanne.

We bundled up warmly, donned our silly party hats and grabbed our noise makers

and headed to Hampton Beach, NH to watch the fireworks show

under the stars and over the sea !

Cold, cold, cold (about 16 F) but fun anyway

and there was a great crowd of revelers there !

This morning, David and I did the annual dance in the snow in our bare feet,

inspired by my Mommy, who started this tradition when I was a little kid.

Kooky, cold but invigorating none the less !

My pal Suzy is here for the rest of the week.

Since they are announcing snow and cold for the next few days,

we have planned some fun arty stuff to do together.

Such a great way to launch the new year !

Maybe, as we play,

I will get the message from the Universe

about my Word of the Year.

I started to get a bit of impulses towards it today in fact…

If you would like to keep your Word of the Year in focus

in its very own Word of the Year Rock In a Box,

they are available in my Etsy shop until the end of the month.

I would like to wish all of us a 2014 full of present moment living, hearts full of gratitude and an abundance of love and kindness.

Happy New Year, Beautiful Ones !

Life is magical...

I was in the first place I truly learned the meaning of natural beauty as a child,

spending time in my wooden tent  on the Lake,with some people I love dearly, and getting ready to spend a few days alone enjoying the pace of nature...

when I received a call from a dear friend in need. Suzanne was facing letting her 10 year old Old English sheepdog, Sam,  go, as his body was no longer able to contain his special spirit and he was in a lot of pain.

                                

Suzanne was blessed to find a veternarian who came to the house to help pet parents and the animals themselves through this part of life's journey.

So this amazing dog, who has attended kindergarten everyday with  teacher Suzanne and brought incredible joy and love to so many, was surrounded by love and friends as he took his last breaths here.

I feel so grateful that I was just 2 hours away and could make the drive to be here for my friend. Life sure works in magical ways...

So today, I head back up north for some more family time, a visit to Miss Katie and Thomas before their new school year starts, and back to the lake to soak in the last days of August 2013.

             

Feeling loved, blessed and grateful today.

I hope your week starts off with those kind of feelings too, Beautiful Ones ! 

Big Love !

Share the Joy - Shine Your Love Light

( Sculpture by Dale Rogers, part of the Sculpture Garen at the League of NH Craftsmen Fair 2013,

http://www.dalerogersstudio.com/)

I am having a great week with my friend Suzanne. It is so easy and fun to be with an old friend who just gets you !

Yesterday we went to the League of NH Craftsmen Fair  (https://www.nhcrafts.org/craftsmens-fair-overview.phpt) at Mount Sunapee Resort,  and saw so many inspiring and beauty pieces of art. We also met many artists who generously share their stories, talents and knowledge which was a real joy ! Art, best girlfriend, time and a sunny August day. What could be more joyful?

I also had a revelation in the last few days. I have been realizing how much I have let go of some of my favorite tools to wellbeing. Why do we do that ????

Well, one tool that I love and that brings me so much loving goodness, is giving freely without expectations. Getting out of my own mind traps and thinking about others, and how I can add just a little more love into the world.

The Rock Fairy has been a little lazy lately ! Time to get back in the action !

I have been painting some beautiful Rock Beings lately, getting ready to fill up the Etsy shop and sell some wares.

But I think it is time to give away these bits of loving art just for the sake of sharing it and spreading some love.

This"Shine Your Love Light" rock is going to be abandoned on my journey today. Not sure where, but it will be sent out into the world in a love bubble.

Even just thinking about giving like this fills my hear with JOY ! 

I am thinking a Rock Being giveway here on the blog is a good idea too!!! Stay tuned in the next couple of days for the details ! 

Happy Thursday, Amazing Ones ! 

May it be a joyous one !

More Share The Joy Thursday at Love, Meri (http://meriak.blogspot.com/)

Haiku My Heart–Beach Time

Those ocean blue skies

Waves soothe and tickle my heart

My parasol day.

 

*********************

As I sat under my parasol yesterday at Ogunquit Beach in Maine,

I was struck so many times

by how very, very blessed I was to be enjoying such a day.

It was hot but there was a glorious sea breeze.

The water was an unusual 70 degrees and a delight to swim in.

I was with some dear friends,

and I was free to do whatever I wanted!

It was a truly joy-filled day.

I am so grateful to live so close to the ocean and all its treats !

Thanks to Suzanne and Nathalie for sharing their beach day with me.

 

I hope your weekend is full of joyous treats, Beautiful Ones !

Big love !

 

For more haiku my heart love, visit rebecca at recuerda mi corazon

Felt play date at the Lake House

This

became this 

became this

and finally this 

today at my play day with my dear friend Suzanne. 

These cute felt beings will dry over night and be arty fun pieces that will remind us of how much good stuff we accomplish when we play well together! :) 

Love you, Suzie! 

Thanks for today! 

(Mine is the turquoise pear shaped one with rocks on the belly. More pics later when it's dry and there's daylight.)

Share the Joy–Dear Hearts

From this week’s Joy List :

My great joy is realizing how many sweet places my heart calls home.

(self-portrait and message to my self, heading north to visit family and friends)

(Beautiful birch at Lac Vezeau, Quebec)

(My favorite 4, almost 5 year old in the world, Katie !)

(Happy Breakfast from bro-in-law, John to his son, Thomas on Easter morning)

(Felted fun with my friend Suzanne, the felt artist)

(Tea for me from e.b. – a delicious time.)

(Lake Champlain, with winter winds fighting off spring in vain.)

(Sweet Chica-Lulu, welcoming me home.)

For me, Home is where the dear Hearts are.

And I am so blessed with so many amazing Ones in my life.

 

**********************

Settling back in at home after an amazingly sweet time away.

I think spring may be arriving today in NH.

Better late than never.

I hope your Thursday is filled with heart-felt joy !!!

Big Love !

Sharing the joy is a gift !

From this week’s Joy List :

1. Cold Play in concert at Mohegan Sun last Saturday with my Baby !

The band was awesome and in great form for our evening together in CT.

2. David and I bundling up to go to the New Year’s Eve fireworks in Hampton, NH, only to come home without having seen said fireworks when there was an hour and a half delay that we were way too cold to wait through in spite of bundling up.

3. My friend Suzanne is here and we are cooking up some eucalyptus bundles !

Such fun !

And the opening is always such a sweet surprise !

My indoor clothesline. Not as wonderful as hanging pieces by the fire like at e.b.’s but my sunny studio worked in a pinch.

Hearts abound – looks like early Valentine’s day pieces !

3. Having chosen my Word of the Year!

Drum roll…..

 

My

 

Word of the Year for 2013

 

is

present.

As in be present,

live life in the present tense,

and I am present.

I also love that the word has the second meaning of “a gift”.

Being present is a gift for me. It offers me comfort when I get overwhelmed with crazy life, and brings me back to what is the only thing we know for sure.

This present moment…

 

I made myself a little rock with my word.

It is actually a special rock given to me by my sister Kristina. It came in a bag with a few friends that had a note in it that read “Some rocks from the Rockies for the Rock Fairy” ! Love that !!! She thought about her crazy rock collecting sister when she was on her trip to Alberta last fall and brought home some rocks for me, and gave them to me as part of my Christmas gift ! May sound weird, but I think this was my very favorite gift this Christmas. Thanks, Sister !

I have the rock in one of my little Word of The Year boxes as well.

They are still available in my etsy shop if you would like a rock and a box for yourself.

So far, the joy has been easy to find in this new 2013 year.

May it continue that way for all of us !

Big Love, Beautiful Ones !

 

Check out Meri’s Musing for more joy sharing.