signs of spring

take a train to somewhere i have never been
buy a spring coat in a pretty color
buy a bird feeder
photograph a bird
walk on the concrete after or during a spring rain
read myself to sleep
work on creating with other bloggers
send spring love in the mail... are you?
buy fruity lip gloss
take longer walks
smiling for my friend susanna the links change daily- 
but i appreciate the love, for my work. palms clasped ; ) xo 
buy tulips and place them beside our lady
slower mornings for prayer
cookout
find a used film camera since mine broke
shoot more ttv style
loving on my friend bee's post. and thank you for the "rumor" c.d -
you have me addicted to "slow". ; ) xo
read
wait for raspberries
and strawberries
get a book on birds and bird watching
get all the dead weeds out of the garden
place the wire thingys around the beginnings of the peonies
keep a garden journal
place photos inside journal
open my windows
get those good kind of jelly beans
buy a bouquet of balloons
wear more pink
make raspberry jam
strawberry jam
wear my wellies
dig in dirt
listen to birds sing
drink out of old jelly jars
send spring cards
find my espadrilles
head to the farmers market 
xoxo

"Hello, sun in my face. Hello you who made the morning and spread it over the fields...Watch, now, how I start the day in happiness, in kindness."
— Mary Oliver

on books and such

i have written many times, that books saved my life. and still, today, i believe this to be true.
my memories easily take me, to the neighborhood i grew up in. an upstairs flat, where my family lived. a bedroom of my own, with pale colored walls, and a window that faced the street. this window, where cold air seeped through, it's raggedy ass shade, that swung back and forth, to the tune of the wind. to me this little corner, was my castle, high in the sky, piled with blankets.
and surely, i had to be the princess, of this castle ; )

outside this window, the ghetto and it's street life, grew strong. education or a way through these streets, grew weak. somewhere along the way, i had to find my weapon of choice. books helped me find my way, they allowed me to travel, anywhere in the world.
i'd sit for hours in this corner of mine, and read. it's where great books like nancy drew, and the box car children, could hold me, for only so long. i longed to sneak through pages, with a flash light and find out...
why a caged bird sings
who this native son was
i remember the night i cried myself to sleep, in my castle, while following malcolm x, on his pilgrimage and reading his words-

"in my 39 years on this earth The Holy City Of Mecca had been the first time i stood in front of The Holy Creator Of All and felt like a human being."


just a few books that i love~

to kill mocking bird by harper lee
down these mean streets - piri thomas
fall on your knees by anne- marie mcdonald
in the time of butterflies- julia alverez
einstein's dreams- alan lightman
the prisoners wife - asha bandele
a hungry heart - gordon parks
bird by bird - anne lamott
the autobiography of malcolm x- alex haley
the red tent - diane diamont
the giver - lowis lowry
boricuas: influential puerto rican writings- roberto santiago
the brooklyn follies - paul auster
through painted deserts - donald miller
catcher in the rye - j.d. salinger *
pride and prejudist - jane austen *
jayne eyre - charlotte bronte *
the boxcar children - gurtrude chandler warner
gift of the sea - anne morrow lindbergh
invisible man- ralph ellison
wind, sand and stars- antoine de saint exupury
the crying heart tatoo- david martin

reeve lindbergh once wrote, of her mother, anne morrow lindbergh's book-

"at whatever point one opens gift from the sea, to any chapter or page, the author's words offer a chance to breathe and live more slowly. the book makes it possible to quiet down and rest in the present, no matter what the circumstances may be. just to read it- a little bit of it or in it's entirety- it is to exist for a while in a different and more peaceful tempo."

xo

happy days my friends. i am enjoying a bit of a spring break, with the kiddos. shuffling around the house, enjoying the moments.
you are loved~

* books the sweetest boy in the world, gave me as a young girl. i am so glad i grew up and married this sweetheart. ; )

making sunshine

making my own sunshine over here today.
glue
glitter
pens
paper
and a damn nice fort built in the living room ; )
take that rainy day 3 or is it #4.

there will be glitter in this home, for years to come.
i won't mention who Miles but someone licked the glitter
and then got it on his back paws. ; )

"When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last, "what's the first thing you say to yourself?"
"What's for breakfast? said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?"
"I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet.
Pooh nodded thoughtfully.
"It's the same thing," he said.
the tao of pooh~


xoxo

a spark of color

a spark of color here today. another gray day for us. the rain + wind is blowing and it's a cold one.
as you can see there are still m&m's in the jar, from valentines day. that's a good thing. ; )

a spicy arroz con pollo is on the menu here. already in the crock pot.

we're looking to pick another read for the semester. i am hoping to get a few more in, before the end of the  school year. any suggestions on a high school level book?

my daffodils are still smiling
letters are being written
jotting down a list of favorite books to share here. deep sigh for love ; )
packages ready to be sent
and i am working on some cards for my shop~ oh yes i am ; )

it's pouring rain
im claiming the first cup of afternoon tea
and the heater is humming
i am grateful

"Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are.  Let me learn from you, love you, bless you before you depart.  Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow.  Let me hold you while I may, for it may not always be so.  One day I shall dig my nails into the earth, or bury my face in the pillow, or stretch myself taut, or raise my hands to the sky and want, more than all the world, your return."  
~Mary Jean Iron

happy day, dear friends.

on a sunday

oh the rain. it started this morning, and it hasn't stopped. the rain inspired me to grab a bunch of yellow, daffodils at the store- along with wine and the ingredients for cheddar, broccoli soup.
a stop to the book shop for my favorite magazines. and home i went.
grey days are needed- they slow the day down, leaving room for poetry about
rain drops
puddles
the first day of spring
and cold afternoons
spent under quilts with books
on a sunday~
xoxo

granola

Granola Recipe

4-5 cups rolled oats (not quick cooking)

1 cup cup cashews rough chop or whole

1 cup pecans rough chop or whole

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup flax seed

1/4 cup canola oil or sunflower oil

1/2 cup honey

1 cup shredded sweet coconut

1/2tsp salt

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla extract

*1 cup dried fruit -i use cranberries, golden raisins, blueberries

*pinch of brown sugar

preheat oven to 350. 

in large bowl mix oats, seeds and nuts. 

in a smaller bowl mix together oil, honey, coconut, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla. mix well.

add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and mix. 

line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper and divide granola mix on to sheets.

bake 10-15 minutes or so until golden on the top. turning twice with spatula during baking. 

bake for another 5-7 minutes or so until a golden brown through. 

Don’t walk away this can burn in an instant.

Mixture will be damp out of oven, as it cools it will dry.  Mix it to help cool and clump free.

*while still warm add dried fruit and mix.

* if you prefer a sweeter granola sprinkle brown sugar over top while still warm and mix.

i love my granola chunky- so i leave my cashews and pecans whole. have fun with the recipe, a bit of this, a bit of that.  just don't burn it! i know all too much about this. ; )
email me with any questions.
enjoy!


happy weekend, my friends. 

a walk

after it was all said and done yesterday, we headed out for a walk, in the park.
i can honestly say, it was one of the best decisions we made, all day.
that fresh, crisp air really makes a difference, to the soul.
xoxo

"I stroll along serenely, with my eyes, my shoes
my rage, forgetting everything."

pablo neruda

yarn along

the snow is melting + for the first time in months, i can see almost all of our lawn.
it's the small things, that mean the most ; )
there was prayer this morning
a long moment of graciousness
then stillness
and tea
bickering teenagers headed to the table
smile
and after taking turns of being down with colds
"little women" was finished, by all. thank you~ L.M.A

my friend amanda ; ) showed me the way to ~ yarn along.  and i thrilled.
i am still new to knitting, but i am making a throw for our bed or well used, reading chair in the corner.
there is something about the motion of the needles in my hands... it's meditation for me.

im reading shug, with my daughter~ taking turns, reading chapters, and smiling at the innocent words.  and of course, i am studying up on my jam making skills. i had such a good season of canning, last year.
shh...secretly i want to have - award winning jam maker, beside my name.
life is good~

"Knitting is very conducive to thought. It is nice to knit a while, put down the needles, write a while, then take up the sock again."
dorothy day

how is your day going, my friends?
you are loved~

for a while

for a while our home is just going to be a mess. that's okay with us.
mixed matched socks
bed head
banana bread in the oven
a chapter on greek gods
words
words
trader joes coffee creamer~ vanilla or hazelnut. both rock.
a shower at 1pm is better than no shower at all ; )
water gives me strength
parsnips in the stew tonight
these times~ i so dig them.

just stopping in to say hello~ see how you are doing. are ya good??
hmm... where was i going with this post. oh yes~ here is where i was going. so beautiful + the years, they can be with anyone, you love. no?
a deep ass sigh for love.  ; )

blessings~

girls day

i stayed in my pj's yesterday. all day. ; )
there was a bit of cleaning, i read, took a nap, and went with the day, as it came.
i made the orange chicken, from trader joe's. so many people love it, but i was just okay, with it. it left me with a bitter palate. i purchased the frozen jasmine rice, as well. that was a hit! i loved it! a box of that in the freezer, is dinner half way done.

today i ventured out, for a girls day. my daughter wanted me to go see "beastly", with her. it was SO good! wow, i am so glad i kept an open mind, and went. neil patrick harris, was adorable in there and lisa gay hamilton, i mean she can do no wrong, in my book. loved the accent too. ; ) i enjoyed my time, so very much.
afterwards, we headed to a sweet coffee shop. ... lattes, soda bread and a few irish tunes. i love irish music, but you know that already~ ; )

oh we chose shug to read together, this week. have you read it?

homemade granola is on the menu tomorrow.

japan you are in our prayers.

xoxo

small things

today is doing the small things.
cleaning that top junk drawer out
throwing those old pens away, that work sometimes, but not always.
buying a new bra and socks and one of those thin tees, that can go under my cardigans~  cause there are things mama needs too. ; )
by the way~ cardigans rock. and when they get old, it's sheer love, i tell you.
throwing the pillow cases in the wash
sewing the button back on my sons jacket
refilling the soap dispenser in the bathroom
and that smudge on the ceiling~ that i only notice, when i get cozy in bed at night and start reading...
well hell, that can wait til hubby gets home, but it's on the list. eh naw!
father of the bride movies 1 and 2 are on the list, for this weekend. oh how i love that house, especially the kitchen. ; )
tomato, avacado and havarti sandwiches for lunch
mailed packages
a warm thank you to this sister/friend. this class is SO what i need. xoxo

have you ever just planned/needed a weekend at home? while we were walking through the grocery store last night, we started putting a few things in the cart, that showed we needed a weekend at home, of shuffling and family time. french toast makings, pears, cinnamon tea, creamer, hash browns for dinner, ginger for chinese broth. the signs were there and we are looking forward to following them.

"There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort."
 ~Jane Austen

signing off early~
happy weekend!

with her

i remember playing dolls and dress up with my daughter, when she was little. it's snowing and cold + raining here, while these reflections, dance within me.
today we play with pink scarves, cake stands, books and cameras. i love growing, with her. ; )
and tea
there is grown up tea, and real tea cups, on the menu. oh, how the years, fly by. ; )
staying warm~

"I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles."
— Audrey Hepburn
xoxo

home

this morning there was that time.
that alone time, that was just for me.
a gift to myself
silence
prayer
becoming less afraid to stumble or fall with His goodness in my life
a long hot shower
releasing that breath i tend to hold deep inside
allowing the drain to swallow the water, unimportant reflection and yesterday
because yesterday is gone
understanding from a long distant friend
grasping on to the rope that has been thrown my way for so long
the feeling of home
loving the warmth of you beside me. yes, you. you are such good people ; )
and waffles.
there were warm waffles with burnt edges, butter and powdered sugar
then the feet running down the stairs
and the sliding down the banister
laughter and goofing off
yes
the arrival of true love
xoxo

"I had rather be on my farm than be emperor of the world."  
~George Washington

the light

while waiting for our reservation, saturday night. i did a little window shopping along the street, with my camera.
oh, how pretty, everything was. all the twinkling lights, the lofts, the shop windows.
i adore dining downtown.
do you see the hug?.. the sign of affection, nestled into the photo? ; ) i hope you do. it warmed my heart.

There are two ways of spreading light; to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it. ~Edith Wharton

happy monday, my friends.

sunday in a bowl and an update

i forgot the parsley, for the chicken and dumplings. i suppose that's okay, since i use dill, in my dumplings. ; ) a warm bowl of comfort, on this lazy + cold sunday.

laundry is swirling around the dryer and beds are stripped, waiting for clean sheets.
fresh flowers are place beside Our Lady
the news paper and books await me
warm quilts call my name
the teenagers are bickering over checkers
doggie miles is perched on the sofa with a stomach ache
***
i am wondering what to do about some things pertaining my blog. i seek your advice. sometimes certain things freak me out a bit. may i ask you, how do you feel about private blogs? you know, needing the password or invite to visit a blog. have you ever thought of going private with your blog? did you? didn't you? what swayed your decision? will you share your thoughts here? as a mother... a writer who hates holding back... it's a question, i have asked myself, over the years. the question has come to my heart, once again. ya know.
it's sunday

thanks my friends. you all had such wonderful advice. i just can't see myself, missing out on meeting new people. it would be like blocking my blessings. i won't allow a few bad apples, to ruin it for us here. big hugs!! goodnight.
you are loved~


i should probably make this clear~ the questions and thoughts i had about private blogs, stemmed from comments that were left on my blog. these comments were fine, but when going to say hello, and following the links to these comments, they took me to blogs that were pornographic. there were a few emails that were sent to me, that were a bit disturbing, on the same level. after speaking to other bloggers, who have had this same problem. i feel better and have appropriately handled the issue. as a mother, and a blogger, who is aware that i have some "young" readers. it's just what i felt was the best way to approach this. 
today is a new day
bless~

to just be

we've had it in our appointment books, for weeks... that we would make a day for coffee, a stroll and conversation. taking a day off, to just be, none of the serious stuff.

we slipped in a cranberry, lemon scone, and an apple dumpling.
the coffee shop, garnished the plates, with homemade whipped cream, isn't that something? ; ) my scone was amazing. cranberry is my favorite, outside of a classic creme. a good day, with the one, i love.

it's cold here, the rain is falling, the snow is falling. so i decided to pick up the fixings, for chicken and dumplings. how did winter get away, without me making, my grandmothers dumplings?! i will make a go of it tomorrow, as we expect more snow.

some knitting, it's a perfect time to knit. i really want to try my hand, at a pair of socks. i can do it, right? lol

and you know what? life... the shit i used to worry about, all the small stuff that i carried, before i was rocked by fear... nah, not so much on my mind anymore. all that unimportant stuff, no place for it. faith, health, family, good people. those things are important. i'm still standing, and i am so grateful for that. easily a zen story comes to mind, i read years ago in a eckhart tolle, book...
"Two traveling monks reached a river where they met a young woman. 
Wary of the current, she asked if they could carry her across. 

One of the monks hesitated, but the other quickly picked her up onto his shoulders, transported her across the water, and put her down on the other bank. She thanked him and departed. 

As the monks continued on their way, the one was brooding and preoccupied. Unable to hold his silence, he spoke out. "Brother, our spiritual training teaches us to avoid any contact with women, but you picked that one up on your shoulders and carried her!" 

"Brother," the second monk replied, "I set her down on the other side, while you are still carrying her." 

Zen Story

happy weekend, my friends.
you are loved~

exactly

"Sometimes me think what is love, and then me think love is what last cookie is for. Me give up the last cookie for you."
~cookie monster

have a most lovely day, my friends.
xoxo

and raspberries

the sun is shinning
leftover pasta and broccoli for lunch
and raspberries
in the home stretch with reading "little women", for school.
oh and journal writing, we are all over that.
letters have been mailed
"santana" is on the ipod
art is waiting to be made.

happy day!