Heart Session No. 4

Praise the bridge that carried you over.
~George Colman

For my mother and father.

Heart Session No. 3

One hand has surely worked throughout the universe...

Charles Darwin

For my own heart.

Heart Session No. 2

Be like the bird that, passing on her flight awhile on boughs too slight, feels them give way beneath her, and yet sings, knowing that she hath wings.

Victor Hugo

To my bird...

Heart Session No. 1

Above all things, I hope I have given you a nest and wings...

Robin Thomas

For my precious giggly sparkle belle fairy girl.

Mimosa Neck Cuff for Haiti

This Mimosa Neck Cuff is available on Haiti by Hand the Etsy site by Rebecca Sower where proceeds from all items go to the relief effort in Haiti so near and dear to Ms. Sower. Her efforts go to training Haitians to make and create, produce and sell their own art.

Dear Brigid

I am feeling all kinda prickly and like pretty bad company. Gosh, aren't you glad you stopped by? Since I moved mother in and have been caring for her, I have these times where I am kind of blue. I can't put my finger on anything in particular. I don't really mind preparing meals or dispensing meds. Checking on her, repeating myself many times. Well, some of it makes me roll my eyes. There isn't really anything else I want to do, or where I would want to be. I am a little bored maybe, a little lonely. Like after you bury someone, people are there and checking on you, then within a couple of weeks they just want to move on and not bring it up to you. I get that. I do that. I mean, ultimately it is just you and that's how it is supposed to be. So, I am in the eye of the storm. Initially there was lots of attention and there will be again when things are worse. But we are coasting right now, and I am glad for it, but, yawn. Blech. Yuck.

Since I defined for myself the need to receive the love there is and not shut it out, I thought I would chose an act of kindness bestowed on me and see if that doesn't turn things around.

This one is about Brigid.

Since I have the task of cleaning out the house I grew up in and where my mother lived for 50 years, I have felt the need to get rid of things from my own home. I put a message on my FaceBook page that I had some knitting magazines and would anyone want them. Brigid claimed them and sent her address. I know Brigid from the Oklahomans on Etsy. We have crossed paths at a few craft shows. I have even met her mother, who is a hoot and a doll. Like mother, like daughter. I was quite happy to ship my stack to Tulsa. She sent a 'got it and thanks' message, all was happy and complete.

Then I received a box.

I was in shock. Just delighted. Brigid sent a cute note of thanks. She FOUR of her handmade scrubs. All of this was just to be nice and say thanks. But the part that was just on another level was the necklace.

It has two birds and my favorite blue. So personal. She spent her time and energy on me. Beyond that, she personalized this necklace just for me.

Interestingly, Brigid's grandmother is in a bad way. I hope this makes you feel better, dear girl. I am near tears writing this. Thank you, Brigid. I feel the love. I receive that. And it did file those prickles right off me.

Tennessee Magpie

In keeping with a recent  post where I talked about my admiration for Rebecca Sower, I continue, in a sense, here with a recent trip to Tennessee. My husband's mother lives there and we've visited a few times. I absolutely love Tennessee. It is familar to Oklahomans in that the pace is like home and the people are friendly. However, it is greener and rockier. I just love it.

Three things were nice about this trip. First we got to see the new house that Phyllis and her boyfriend built. Boyfriend? Partner? Husband-ish? Gorgeous place with sunrise over the ridge. Phyllis is really a pleasure to be around. We just don't see each other often enough, not even every year. If I didn't like her we would see her constantly right? She has such great personal style as well, especially when it comes to jewelry. She isn't afraid to wear big artistic pieces. Lovely.

Second good thing is that when we got there I was just coming off my Silver Bella experience and two Rebecca Sower classes. Knowing that she lives in Tennessee, I kept thinking we were traveling the same roads she does. I love Tennessee. She loves Tennessee. It does explain her sweet, clean ways, really, to see her home state. I looked in all her windows, but she never answered the door...

The third great thing about this trip was going to antique stores I'd never been too. Also, it was good to be flying with the concomitant limited space for purchases. That helps inhibit my impulse control issue and limits how much I drag home. While there, I started buying buttons. Like jewelry, you can collect many, many buttons and they do not take up much space. A brilliant new obsession. Here is a calendar plate, another obsession, with earrings, another obession, and buttons that I found on our day. Look, travel size!

Phyllis gave me some buttons once she saw what a freak I was being for them. She let me look through hers and take what I wanted. I had to use such restraint not to just take the whole box.

I mean, I liked Phyllis before, but now...are you kidding me?

Finally, I did realize there was a fourth good thing. The taffy. Also, I did not go to nor look in the windows of the Sower home. She won't tell me where she lives...odd.