Windy on the River

Most of the Spanish moss that Darlene gave me blew off the tree today. I think I got it all back up! lol Despite the wind, the temp was perfect. No painters today. No call from them either. Hmmmmmmmmm.

Palm Sunday, 2010

It's been a wonderfully lazy Sunday--Palm Sunday--on the river. The hub is back on U.S. soil, amen! He's at home with the kid who seems to be needing a lot of DK time (dad/kid) right about now. Oy. To be a 16 year-old boy. No thank you. Not even a 16 year-old girl, that I somehow remember oh-so-well--even more so. Ooooof. Palm Sunday.

There was a time when I would have spent Palm Sunday, first thing, in Church with all the boys. Hub, teenager and kid. Growing up, I attended a Baptist church through my best friends. While, we, as a family--three boys and girl respectively--were brought up more spiritually, my brothers and I, by my parents. Yes, we believed in God and Jesus, but we weren't expected to attend church to prove it. As a teenager, I knew I would find my perfect partner and convert to his religion--if, in fact, he were religious. Never dwelled on it--just seemed the course. Low and behold, I met the hub. My one-and-only. I began the process of becoming a Catholic. I was baptised in the Church, having never being baptised. Go figure. Amy was my "sponsor," and I still think of her as my Godmother sent to me from Heaven above way before I was baptised. The hub was my "sponsor" when I was Confirmed into the Catholic Church. And, so, we brought the boys up Catholic. Went to church every Sunday with them. Well, almost. Once they were confirmed, it was their decision to go to church or not. Today? Me? I dunno. I still SO believe in God and Jesus, as I was brought up to do. But church? Hmmm. I have seen so much hatred and bad coming from organized religion these days in the United States, I just don't know. . . . . How can people call themselves a child of God and push so much hate? I just don't understand. And it breaks my heart. Today? I seem to be more in being with the river.

K, off my soapbox.

Yesterday, I went into town and was in the mood for finding something "fresh" for the house, Riverside. Coming home, I took the "scenic" route and had to stop off at the park and take a few snaps. It is absolutely breathtaking from the top of the bluffs. The sailboats, in the distance, were mesmerizing. I love the views from here. It is absolutely gorgeous on and off of Mobile Bay.

Everything is popping here. And I have the pollen all over the place to prove it, including the bedroom. I had, mistakenly, left all the windows open for the weekend. Oy. (Painter coming in the morning so all is closed up tight now!)

Beautiful, in spite of having to take extra Zyrtec. Well worth it. Of course.

At home, at 8:30 pm., it was lights' out. Earth hour. I did it. I thought I would forget--after all, I'm on the river and quite riversorry, in truth. But alas, I remembered.

And, what did I do for an hour? lol. Once a photog, always a photog. Or should I say phot-hog? What in the world did I do all those years when I gave it up? Oh yea, raised my boys. Heart heart.

I do so enjoy it--trying to get that snap that relays your feelings at the moment. Notice the word snap. No longer do I spend hours in the darkroom.

Bella, trying to be a tough-ass in the candle-lit room. This, Riverside, is her first and absolute home, btw.

She does love it here; and, thus, another OMMMMM moment by the Bell. Bad girl.

K, moving forward to Sunday, Palm Sunday. Dar called from a couple of houses down and said that she and Linda were painting--NOT the kind of painting going on down here on the river, mind you. Nope, that girl is an artist. She was artistically painting--painting several signs for a local studio in Magnolia River. So talented that woman. Brought my camera. Did I take a photo??? Nope. In the short time I have known her, I already call her a dear friend. And a talented one, to boot!

MmmmmkK (as Jacq would say), here's our inspiration. Actually, Darlene's inspiration. Mine was blue for the back door--and I'm not a blue person. NIXED! We went into her front yard and she picked a few azaleas. This is it! The back-door color! Knowing that I am THE most "fuchsia" person ever, I knew it right then that it was the correct color. Then, as if that weren't good enough, Dar, being the perfect person she is, whips out a paint-color fan? How many people do you know has one of those, easily accessible, Sherwin Williams' fans???? Now, how awesome is that? Darlene rocks the river! Not only is fuchsia my all-time favorite color way back from childhood (60s Crayola land) , but the azalea's in her front yard? These are the SAME old-fashioned color of azaleas from my childhood. Sniffle. The ones from our front yard growing up on Fox Street in Arlington, VA. Sniffle. Sniffle. Sniffle.

I am meant to be here. Right now.

Wow.

Blissful Existence

This is not the most lady-like position, but I had to capture the pure peacefulness that Riverside exudes.

Did I tell you how much I love the late afternoons when the water stills, the locals fish for the evening's supper, and quietness sets in? I think I did, but I'll tell you again.

A lot of the trim got painted today. Wow, I forgot what white looked liked. The house is beginning to look very fresh again.

Rain, Rain Go Away

Not that I mind the rain on most days; but today was painting day. Not the best day to rain.

As soon as I arrived yesterday, I tested the yellow with a quick coat. I know it will look much better with a couple of coats, so I think I'll love it. Changing the exterior color is a big deal! Fingers' crossed.

Who's looking happy?

Tomorrow is supposed to be gorgeous. Hopefully I'll have some better pictures of the new color tomorrow!

River Bound

Bella and I are just about ready for our road trip tomorrow. Heading South in the a.m.!

Photog

A dear friend from my childhood has discovered photography.

And he's brilliant!

And you can now see his work on Etsy.

Please visit Jon Cross Photography and show him the love, if you can. I just ordered two sepia prints for my guest room.

I am so excited for him. Congrats Juano!

xo
ro

Spring is Springing

It's been a wonderful weekend full of fantastic weather and an unexpected visit. The teenager came home (to see a girl, mind you) for the weekend; and it was great having him two weekends in a row.

We were unable to see Alice in Wonderful last weekend, so it was high on the agenda for Saturday. We decided to drive out to Opry Mills where the iMax theatre is.

Of course, we had to eat at Johnny Rockets, a retro-hamburger joint.

I had never witnessed iMax or 3-D. I know, I'm living under a rock somewhere. It was a lot of fun. So much fun being with my boys. (The kid went also.)

This morning, we all woke up to hard rain.

And a lot of the pretty bulbs that are blooming were pushed to the ground by the heavy rain.

We've all, including Dave here, have decided it's a great day to stay in and nap.

Perhaps read a little.

I found this book while cleaning out last week. I don't remember buying it, but it is one I definitely would have. I'm just beginning it, but it looks wonderful so far.

Hope this day finds you warm and dry.

Oh Dreary Me

Seems I'm going from bad to worse in my blogging lately. It's not that I haven't been up to anything. I'm puttering about, that's for sure. The fact is, I've been working on this post for over a week now. I think my brain is just a tad scattered these days. The phone rings, I get up to answer it and just forget to come back to what I was doing. Pretty soon, I'll be lost altogether! You'll find me wandering around aimlessly at all hours of the day.

It's been really dreary here in Nashville for what seems like forever. I don't know when the last time we saw the sun. And so, I thought I'd just make my own spring by buying flowers in that pretty spring green tint.

Then I went out to our corkscrew willow which is just now budding.

Cut me some branches.

And put them in some old sap buckets to force.

I've moved them all about the place. Now they stink so I'm throwing them out. lol Oh well.

Last weekend, I finally got down to painting the boys' old nursery dresser. I first sanded it slightly.

Then primed it.

Finished it off in an old paint I found under the sink. This may be the color in my bedroom. Who knows. I'm not wise enough to mark my cans. Doy.

Went to Anthropologie and picked up some nifty drawer knows and added them. Mom's room looks finished once more. Perty. It only took me like a year to do this! Ooooof.

Wednesday, I went to a painting class. Beth and her mom were supposed to come out but momma was feeling bad so they stayed home to nurse the cold. I missed them. Pout.

Red.

Who doesn't love playing in paint?

Fleurs.

Three little kitties.

Locked in the laundry room with a Harrods bag. Kitty-proofing 1-2-3. (Dave gorges then purges, so I leave them in there to do their stuff. YUK!)

And pretty new flowers that light up! Sweet.

The teenager is home for the weekend and we're going to see Alice in Wonderland, I hope. We tried to see it last weekend and just ran out of time! Hub is in China then off to Vietnam. Hmmmmm.

Ok, pressing PUBLISH now before I forget and walk away!!!

xo
ro

Time to Nest

I took the better part of today de-cluttering and nesting.

Ha. Well, I tried, anyway.

And I made some little spring settings under glass

and elsewhere.

Here's where some of my orchids ended up.

I took five rows of book shelves and bagged all the books up for the hub to do what he may with them. They've been sitting up there since we moved in. That along with other junk as you can see in the before shot.

The finished project doesn't look a whole lot different, but I have at least six bags full of books to prove it is. I like it. (I won't tell you what's hiding behind Door No. 2 on the right there. That's for another day.

Yesterday was a hard day. I woke up with a deep funk which lasted the entire day. I am feeling so much better today. Thank goodness. :-) Hope you're all doing well on this gorgeous spring day!

xo
ro