Catching Up

The above photos are from yesterday morning at work at the Merrymeeting Boat Ramp. Love em.

Tree ripped by the tonado the other day. I'm not really a gawker, but I like to look. This was at the upper river boat ramp, as seen on the sign below. Would love to see some photos of the damage on the lake. I took these FRiday morning when I went up to visit Katie working the ramp.


Some busy days behind me. Wanted to show these photos- but lots of other things happening. Made a bunch of cards...(why don't I have more art photos?) the last couple of days, FRiday after Katie got home from work she and I buzzed down to the south shore (meaning south of Boston)-hit IKEA (What a blast) and went to an ABBA tribute band concert at the south shore music circus-what a blast too. They were excellent and we had a great adventure. Saturday was humid and I was plain old tired sicne we got home LATE from the concert Friday night. We went up to the lake and relaxed in the sun. Sunday started ok but we had wicked thunderstorms again (way too many this summer)-one stayed over the house for what seemed like a long long time- and we chilled and Dave restacked our biobricks so now I have the garage again. Took a good old nap too. Had a good eBAy selling weekend again too -$82 this weekend and $95 last weekend. Its fun selling on eBay and a good way to clean out a bit of the overstcok in the studio. And of course yesterday-worked in the morning-but then could never really get myself into anything in the afternoon- was tired, but cleaned a bit since tonight am having bookclub at my house, got my hair done last night. And today its gorgeous-went walking this morning already...
Oh yeah- finished Agatha Christie's Nemasis- that is a really good book and now am going to start People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks.
LOVE IT!

Exciting Day and I never left the house!

Ok, was a day of RAIN, thunder, storms, phone calls and loss of the power.
Started with my mother-in-law calling to say we were in a tornado watch and severe storm watch around noon. Storm came through here-but not a lot of wind. We did lose power though for about 90 minutes.
When we got our power back ( and had 2 great games of UNO while we were in the DARK) the phone started ringing and put the news on to see that tornados hit a lot of this area- and we don't usually get tornados, and there was flooding in some spots, and someone even died as a result of one of the tornados in Deerfield...and we got more rain...and the phone kept ringing. Wish I could find a photo to post here since we were very lucky here and it was all very calm.
I cleaned out my bookshelves and PURGED! feels good but my studio is still looking like nothing got done in there.
And-I found out I'm published again-this time in Somerset Studio's HOME edition. Its my mail holders. Wow-I am really excited and very honored!
Looking forward to Samantha Brown's Passport to Great Weekends as tonight she goes to LONDON and BACK TO NH. Curious what she shows of our great state!

Great Concert

Last night was an EXCELLENT concert for CSN at Meadowbrook!
I haven't seent hem perform for like 5 years, and when they walked on stage (pardeon this-but they looked like 5 old guys) it was a bit disconcerning but BOY THEY STILL HAVE IT!
Our House, teach Your Children (and David Crosby's comment about doubling all teacher's pay), Wooden Ships, Deja-Vous, LOve the One You're With, Marrakesh Express, Gueniveve, Helplessly Hoping, Southern Cross, Almost Cut my Hair, Wasted on the Way, Cathedral (that song gives me chills),ETC.
Wow. Lots of anti-war songs, great vibes, fun crowd (less sedate than last time)
A+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

And tomorrow night with Katie-we're on to the 70's with an Abba tribute Band!

More rain

Wednesday-
Well I worked on reorganizing stamps AGAIN- well put the heavy boxes into the bottom shelf and so its easier for me. Seems to be more of a mess every time I try to organize. I JUST HAVE TOO MUCH STUFF! And I love my stuff-forget about really cleaning out. I just can't bare to part with a lot of it.
Tonight going to see Crosby, Stills and Nash at Meadowbrook-in the RAIN most likely. And a bit raw too., but Lynnie called from NC and it was great to hear from her-seems like everyone moves away eventually. Am I moving forward or just sitting in my piles of clutter?
Love this seller I found on eBay who is cleaning out from his former stamp store. Great great items I am finding. I love it- but talk about adding to the collection and filling up the bins...
This week has been kind of a minor wash-out-not tons of rain but clouds and unsettled weather...Katie and I went to Tilton shopping yesterday-and I bought underwear-nothing sexy-just good honest sensible stuff...oh listen to me.

Not much of an ART blog, is it?

Not that I've been avoiding art, just not photographing it. So today, another icky grey wettish day I will post photos from Wallis Sands State Park last Tuesday. Oh, it was sooooooooooooooooooooooo nice that day on the beach!
Went to see the Dark Knight today. Great flick, I really liked it. Wondering what they left as nibblers for another batman movie in the future. Also wonder if they'll post humerous (is that what they call it?) nominate Heath Ledger for aan Academy award? he did a great job.
So been making some kind of Celtic-ish designs on Kunin felt and then using my heat gun on them. Wow. Really cool.
And yesterday I got invited to my friend's Vicky's for lunch. I haven't seen her in AGES and it was sooo great to sit and chat all afternoon. I missed her company.
Maybe we'll see sun tomorrow. I hope since I work in the morning.
Love looking on-line for all new items coming out from CHA and for fall. Wow. Need to start saving up some cash for some of them I think. Tim Holtz has some great new products (what an inventive guy), Hero Arts some new stuff that's got a few good things, there's new INksdinkado, wowseee.

FRIDAY already!

Boy that's a little picture-but this week's movie was Mama Mia- fun- like the musical.

Can't believe its Friday night already. This week flew- lots of sun and beach and lake time. Cleaned out some of craft books. Have a knitting book on on eBay that's gone sky high. Have a kitty with an infection. Car didn't work out for Katie. Did some stamp scape style stamping on some photos of water and sky and they are REALLY cool. Did some more LONDON scrap booking and I pulled a muscle in my hip which kind of made me not bend really much...but am doing better!

Hope your week was as FANTASTIC.

Monday's photos

Here's photos I tried to post Monday. The beauty is that the weather has cleared out and it is gorgeous, sunny, warm, NO humidity. Yesterday Katie and Iw ent to Wallis Sands beach, and the ocean was fantastic. Took some photos but need to download them. Today went to the lake. Had a car for Katie week too, thought today we took it to a VW dealer and discovered it would cost too much to fix up, so still, no car for Katie.




Am loving this book- The Nature of Monsters by Clare Clark. A great eerie gothic story.
And tonight- less than 1 hour, new season of Project Runway- I can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What a day

Ok, so was reading a blog called bookgirl's nighstand (http://www.bookgirl.net/), and she's read 48 books so far this year. Wow! I am impressed. So I counted for me. 12 novels and non-fiction books, several tour books for London (like 6) , 4 new cookbooks and those I pull out to look through for recipes and more than I can keep track of art/craft books since I look through them when they're new and then I pull them out here and there-in fact, today I did phase one of my book cleaning in my studio. I am proud and happy with that! Still have phase 2 and 3 to go through-phase 3 being the big shelves and phase 2 the pile next to the closet. Also got our bio-bricks today-an alternative to wood to help try to ease the cost of heating out house this winter. I was very impressed with the guy who sold/delivered them. I also worked 90 minutes this morning before the rain got so hard I was getting wet under the tree, so I came home and it really POURED-so glad I left when I did. But the bird watching this morning was FANTASTIC. There was a family of geese at the marina, and there was Baltimore oriels and a kingfisher eating a fish, and some type of fresh water sandpiperish bird, and the sapsucker whose always in the trees at the boat ramp and goldfinches and chickadees. Did I mention all the great blue herons we saw kayaking last Friday? Anyhow, am trying to upload images from where I work at merrymeeting this I took this morning but blogger isn't letting me, and my lower back is killing me because I have this pulled muscle in my bottom and moving books today in phase one agrevated it even though sitting in my cars heated seat helped...and I have more items to put up on eBay tonight...which I am going to go do since I can't upload...happy Monday!

Movies, movies and more movies

The last few days have been movie afternoons-Katie, me and DVD. We watched 2 Harry Potter films, George of the Jungle, The Other Bolyn Girl and Fool's Gold. Love it!

Started a new book- The Nature of Monsters by Clare Clark. A nice truly Gothic story-so far am loving it.

Did you see the new Tim Holtz Stamper's Anonymous stamps on Tim Holtz wbsite? Love them.

Today I also did some assorted art (scrap pages, ATC's for my 7gypsies spinning thing, did the last pages of my cherry book. Also went to the lake, took a walk, talked with mom. Relaxing day- but I am in summer mode.

I switched into summer mode

Went kayaking in Merrymeeting Marsh today with my friend Joanne. I love kayaking in the marsh, and today was especially fantastic. It was warm but a bit overcast, so it was comfortable was our 2 1/2 hour trip. Saw tons of blue herons, damselflies, red winged blackbirds...just amazing. The pickerel weed was in full purple bloom and the white lilly pads as you can see. And we only passed 1 boat, a guy in a canoe fishing near the boat ramp. I was SOOOOOOOO relaxed when I got through, and it really felt like I'd switched over to summer mode. Was one of those unexpectedly magical trips. (Although the marsh is my favorite place to kayak-I love to meander in there!) Stopped for lunch at Johnson's afterwards- had a small fried oyster dinner (although there is no R in July and we're not suppose to eat oysters then, are we?) and in one there was this hard piece and I pulled it out of my mouth and it ended up being a tiny pearl. Pretty cool actually. Never has happened to me before, and probably never will again.

Permission to stay home

You know, its obvious I work. When at work, I'm desperate to stay home and do art. When I don't need to work, I think about how I should go out for the day and not just sit home. How sitting home is bad, what my mother's generation did and how I'm so different. But down deep, I want to stay home. I want to play in my studio. Its ok not do something wow and crazy-its summer, dewind time. Especially after a busy week. (Work Monday, Tires,movie and shopping Tuesday, Yesterday afternoon Katie and I met up with 2 friends- saw Hancock (love that movie), shopped at TJ Maxx-and I actually bought clothes- and did dinner. Granted I hung out all morning...) So today, I will stay home and putter. Bake some brownies. Play some more in my studio, sit ont he screen porch and read more of the 4 letter countries (I'm in Chad). Tonight I have to go out to drawing anyhow- but haven't been in 3 weeks and am excited to be back.
So its ok to play. Its ok to do nothing, it doesn't make me my mother who never goes out (how can she do that).
And especially enjoy this FANTASTIC weather today since the humidity dropped.

Stay Home Mom

What a face!
Well Katie and I went and got the Passat some new front tires today and saw Wanted. Anything to escape from the HEAT and HUMIDITY! What was it like before AC. Also shopped a bit, and had a big fight this morning as we couldn't find her paycheck-which Dave had stuck on a shelf by the door but the shelf was over our heads. I made poor Katie cry, and I still feel guilty and like I'm quite wicked. No Mom wants to make their baby cry-even if they're baby is 16. She;s moving away fast enough at this age as it is, and I just want time to freeze her so she'll be around longer.
Speaking of babies, got to love Leo's face above.

After the weekend!

Love these great wildflower photos I took on the side of the road (and embarassed my family when I laid down in the grass to take them) a week or so ago. Flowers are the fantastic part of summer I think!

Now the holiday weekend is over, and it was perfect weather. Spent all 3 days at the lake, or at least part of those days at the lake, reading and enjoying some sunshine. Katie worked the 4th and 5th and then did a carwash for her class yesterday-and she had a blast. I also finally got the kayaks out and washed them and did a bunch of gardening and Dave got the garage ready for our biobrick delivery.

Today was work day at the boat ramp- I finally got to finish my Fine Balance book and then made a huge jump into the 4 Letter Countries book which I've shown up above the flower photos. Pretty interesting- he's not a writer with super finesse, but I am enjoying the book a lot anyhow. Not that I want to travel to Mali, Togo, but Peru sounds pretty good. Am in the middle of Loas right now...can you do the rest-let's see: Oman (read that chapter too), Chad , Cuba, Fiji, Iran and Iraq. That's the 10 he does, which are the only 10 unless you go by non-English names like Eire for Ireland. Anyhow, is a fun read and although I enjoyed a Fine Balance and didn't want to just put aside, what those poor people had to go through. Makes me very grateful for what I have-definately!

Having a Fantastic July 4th Weekend

The girls out in the sailboat and the speedboat. Having a blast being teenagers-life is grand!

The margarita cruise! Dave, my mother-in-law Barbara and my sister-law-Deb's hand! I'm taking the picture!
Some great fireworks in Wolfeboro last night.

Dave got me some yummy donuts for breakfast this morning. I shared with him and Katie! But you can see where I started the chocolate with chocolate frosting and chocolate jimmies. No sharing that one!

A Great Summer Holiday

Hopefully we'll have a goreous summer day tomorrow-and not the afternoon clouds, showers and gray we have been having the last couple of days. Enjoy your cook-outs, parades and fireworks! I hope to enjoy the ones in Wolfeboro, NH where my mother-in-law lives.
Tonight had fun, went to see Get Smart-was enjoyable, and had an ice cream at Sawyer's (it is original from the 11950's-looks like it) with my 2 favorite people.
Enjoy your holiday with your favorite people.
Happy Birthday USA!

Holiday is rolling in

You can see from the photos summer is here! I just love it-though I must admit we clouded in today and had rumbles of thunder and light rain- once again. But you can tell the big holiday weekend is almost here-the out of state liscense plates are popping up...when you live in tourist area you get to see a lot of them. Stopped to get groceries today- and the store was pretty crowded, but tomorrow will be worse, I'm sure. I'm excited, feeling very patriotic this year. Dave is taking tomorrow off too, which will be nice.
Finishing up Bourne #3, really like these movies I must say.

Tuesday Tuesday

Here's a couple of more of my Casablanca cards.

So its been a very busy last couple of days. Yesterday morning was day 1 at Merrymeeting Lake being a lake host-checking boats of obnoxious weeds that could contaminate the lake. I made some ATC's yesterday afternoon- doing one of those 7Gypsies ATC stands. I was planning on making it a romp through the year, but it may be just a summer set. I was having too much fun doing summer ATCs, and I still have lots of ideas. Last night was bookclub, dragged Katie with me. Went to this great Mexican restaurant over in Kittery, Maine- CocoLoco's. YUMMY! Then Katie and I went to the outlets, didn't buy much (nothing for me but you know 16 year olds). Had a good eBay night too-made a little over $48.

Today I went to school to do curriculum work, had a nice little lunch in Prescott Park with Dee, then went to the lake for a swim and some sun, and a few light sprinkles of rain, but nothing that drove us off the dock. School work went really well and I'll get paid for a day come fall- nice for holiday shopping which will be tight this year with the cost of heating oil/gas (pretty scary when people talk about that in June when summer hasn't even started yet).

And now I need to address packages to send out from my eBay selling. Should be fun!

Sunday

Took a few photos today. Here's 2 of my recent cards-these are from the Casablanca series I did. I love the one right above here-with the Africa map and the plane flying over it. I also like using the blue florets on the top card. I mostly used the Casablanca Techniques Tuesday clear stamps and the Casablanca sheet by Oxford Impressions stamps. I thought it was an interesting mix of design on retro images from one of my favorite movies.
Today we had a couple of hours of sun but more clouds and rain-although at least its not as cold as yesterday-more humid though. The race at Loudon just ended because of rain- very undramtic and anticlimactic-they pulled into the pits and then they called the race. Blah. I spent my Sunday morning cleaning and doing laundry- then I made a bunch of clay tiles which I really enjoyed. Not a very exciting Sunday I'd guess, but nice to be home. Tomorrow I'm up for my first day at the lake and supposedly curriculum work at school-which I have yet to hear details about and if it rains, like they're saying, I won't be at the lake. Also book club is suppose to be tomorrow night but I haven't heard about that either. So maybe tomorrow will be busy or maybe it'll be quiet. Who knows?
Tomorrow is the last day of June-already. But its only week 2 of vacation! Yahoo!

A long nap

I took a 3 hours nap when I wasn't even tired this evening, so now its 9:37, pouring rain and I am wide awake. Katie is sound asleep in bed, Dave just went to bed as he's falling asleep, and I'm going to try to watch All About Eve. Had the movie sitting around for awhile, and I'd figure I'd try it, instead of Casablanca...I'll let you know.
Dave picked up a BIG AC unit to cool off the downstairs (meant for today when they said 90 degrees instead its been in the 60's and dark all day) and we need to decide whether to keep it. It doesn't fit the window very well, either blocks the printer or sticks out in the room. Dave and I also went vanity shopping for the downstairs bathroom-what to do? White country (my love) or something narrow with an overhanging sink-so sophisticated- for my ugly downstairs bathroom-not very big with the icky drop ceiling...wish we could strip down to the bones the whole room and redo it. Wish!

I'm out of control

I have bought so many stamps in the last 6 weeks...I am out of control. I need to stop-but can I? I need willpower, but do I have it?
Took a trip to AE today to use my 40% coupon. Only bought a couple of stamps- actually only bought 1 I had never seen or thought of before, but did by a couple I planned on buying.
Went to the stamp store in Laconia yesterday and bought the couple I wanted, plus a small Technique Tuesday set I wanted...
Today Ma Vinci put up her new stamps and I ordered 2 sheets...
I am BAD! Its an addiction!

Thursday ahead

Wednesday was absolute delight! High 70's, sunny, white puffy clouds. Cleaned the hottub in the morning (2 of my chores done!) and then beached it at the lake all afternoon-and it was the best lake weather...not too hot, not too cold...Love it!
Put some items up on eBay if you want to chck them out. Its that annual clean out time. Heard I'm going to be published in next month's Stamper's Sampler. I am excited. Another first for me- published 2 issues in a row in the same magazine.
Must get my cards out in the mail for this months submissions. They have a Casablanca theme. Fun.
Today we are going to Laconia to look at a car then going to see Sex and the City. I never really saw much of the show since we don't get HBO that it ran on, but hopefully it will still be enjoyable.
Thinking about my first week off. Got the stamps cleaned up and reorganized, the hottub cleaned, some of my gardens weeded, made a bunch of cards, got some stuff up on eBay, enjoyed the lake, got my haircut, been to visit Mom and had my Costco/Trader Joe's stop, throw a graduation party in-what a great start to the summer. Think tomorrow a.m. I will got to my craft store in MA (Absolutely Everything) as I have a 40% off coupon and Kate's working in the morning which means I'm home alone and can get an early start down there.
Shown below my latest 3 craft books I got off Amazon. I really like all 3 of these books. Sometimes I get craft books and they just are ok-not to sound like an expert but sometimes they aren't much new to me or not really exciting-but these I give 5 stars to. Another great way to start the summer I guess.
Also check out Artistic Outpost rubber stamps. Got an email this morning they have a new plate on fishing. Really like it too! Think I might order it-though man I have been stamp buying like crazy lately-there's a guy selling stuff from an old stor he had on eBay and I am getting these sets of older stamps that are new and great! Think more people are catching on though and competition might get a bit tighter...well, you win some and lose some on eBay, don't you? But that is the fun too.

Tuesday

Ok, funny story. Our wonderful mail woman has been putting packages (all my eBay stamps) into the truck so I won't have to drive to the PO, so last night after coming home from my mom's I checked the truck since there was no mail in box, and the mail was in the truck...but it took a garbage bag to hold it all. Did Katie and I laugh. There were 2 boxes from Amazon with my latest 2 craft books and then a box with some Hero Arts Summer stamps I had pre-ordered. Plus the Monday mail which is always a bit more...I felt like Santa lugging it upstairs over my shoulder.
Had a nice visit with Mom-though it RAINED big time down in Mass. Today it was gorgeous pefect 76 degrees until we went up to Barbara's to enjoy the afternoon at the lake, and a cold storm blew through with the wind and white caps and some light rain. No sun. So much for trying to enjoy a bit of summer beach...

My latest read-pictured above.

Sunday evening, its raining

Just woke up from a nap. About 3 a major thunderstorm came through, and its still raining now at 5:15. So much for the beautiful day it started as. Anyhow, watched PS I Love You with Katie and her friend Nick- that was one SAD movie! Then took a great nap...even though I slept in until 9 this morning.
Did some scrapping and made some cards- working on a Casablanca theme. Want to send some out to Stampers Sampler since I have yet to send out my June stuff- and this is in keeping with my resolution this year- to send out 1 thing per month or do something different. Also have started the make a pile of similar cards- made 5 of my last card-saving some for the to sell pile. Really trying to get my art off the ground, since Mom said this morning this is just a hobby- No, I corrected her. Not a hobby, my second profession. I would miss parts of teaching but I could leave it. Tomorrow thinking of going down to Mom's- its suppose to be rainy and Katie's going to be home, so might as well down and get the visit over- isn't that sad? Well, I have never been the wanted child in my mother's world- though she does love me- she doesn't understand me at all, she and I are SOOOOOOOOO different! I'm too sensitive when it comes to her- but she is my mom- and I love her- and though visits are hard as first of all it gets boring and second of all I always am waiting for the big lead ball to crash down on me- the verbal crunch.
Yesterday went to a graduation party for Dave's cousin's twins- it was down in Mass. My mother-in-law rode with Dave and myself (Katie was working), and it was a nice party-lots of food, lots of sun- I am red in the neck and shoulders right now still. Stopped at Costco on the way home and got a big pack of 360 sheets of scrap paper for under $10. Wow. And its really nice!
Yes, I have to take photos of my work, don't I? Don't need to remind me...haven't taken any photos for a few weeks-wow-unusual for me. The ones I'm showing you of eggs- if last night dinner- I got some of that 5 layer dip at Trader Joes (a stop after Costco) and I love it mixed in with scrambled eggs. YUMMY!

First Full Day Off

Only a bit of sun- but I cleaned out my stamps and put things away, reorganized my boxes, now I can actually find things and not trip over stamps on the floor! I know cleaning up stamps may not excite some people- but I love going through my stamps, refreshing my memory, cleaning out a few items to sell on eBay. Looking at my stamps gives me some great ideas too.
Took a nap, made some Egyptian tiles out of clay, went to Pizza Hut for dinner, took a great morning power walk.
Best of all, it was just so nice not to have to do anything, move at my own pace, putter about, shower at noontime...
Ah, summer.

The kiddies are GONE!

Yahoo! This morning the kids finished their finals and school was truly in the wind down.
I got my grades finished, tomorrow morning a couple of short meetings and finish cleaning my room up.
Then it is officially SUMMER.
The very first day of vacation is one of the best days of the year- the feeling is soooooooo wonderful!

The final stretch

Yes that's right- only 1 1/2 more days with the kiddies.
We love summer. Sleeping later, morning walks, reading lots of book, doing lots of art, playing outside...resting, relaxing, putting the brain and body right!
Speaking of summer reading...

Friday night was a great Dr. Who about Agatha Christie. I also had recently read that book about her and her husband's time at the archeology digs in the Middle East- Come Tell me How You Live- a month or so ago. Both of those have got me ready to reread some of her mysteries. I've got a big box of them sitting up in the attic-they're old, some from the 70's when I was a teenager. And Katie had borrowed 3 which were in her room and which I grabbed. Last night I started reading: Endless Night. Can't say I remember a lot of it from whenever I read it before but 60 pages into it (read for 30ish minutes before lights out)I am hooked. Maybe this needs to be an Agatha Christie summer. We'll see as I read more of this book and maybe a few others to curb my appetite from some good old fashioned British Mysteries. Plus, its so much fun to reread and take a trip back in time-both my memory lane type thing and also decades past in England.

I'm Beat.

Oh to roll in the green grass on a warm day! Heaven!

I'm beat. This past week was the last full week of school. Thursday night I had drawing class. Last night was graduation at PHS and then I went for a margarita with some co-workers- was home at 10 which I know isn't super late but was out today since it was City employee freebie day at Water Country in Portsmouth. Had fun but am stiff from all the twisting and jerking on the water "slide" rides and have a sunburn on my shoulders and got really cold as there was a seabreeze. Time for bed!

6 Days and Counting

Five more days of kids (actually 4 1/2 to be specific). I more day (or at least a few hours) of teacher work time...then its summer vacation! I am soooo ready-have I mentioned that already in the last few weeks? We are back to cooler weather-oh it is really beautiful right now. I just need to get myself up and moving and back exercising which has been sorely lacking the last couple of weeks (along with a few ice creams).As you can see, the lupine and iris are in bloom. My lupines are from Orono, Maine- home of my alma mater. My friend Vicky dug them up while working there one summer and when she cleaned out her garden I took some. I love lupines. Ever read the book Miss Rumphius? Its about Maine and wild lupines.

Right now there is a pollen deluge-yellow, yellow everywhere. But at least its not a kind of pollen that bothers me, so you just dust it off and wait for everything to turn yellow again.

Finished reading the Principals of Uncertaincy- really enjoyed that book. Now is a fun moment, picking out the next book to read. Ah, what will let me escape?

Only kidding

Although its still sooooo hot and humid today- uncomfortable if you're not in AC and if you still have to go to school and can't go swimming for the day, I'm still not ready for more snow. But the image does make you think cool!

Cool shadows!

Noticed these the other day just by chance. They're the flowers in my pots on the deck, and the sun was hitting them just right. I've had flowers in these same spots for years and never noticed such great shadows, but I love these! Stay cool-they tell us 1 more day of HEAT and HUMIDITY!

the sun has returned

With the sun has come summer weather! 90-hot-humid-I went for my first swim yesterday in Rust Pond after the big sale at Keepsake Quilting in Center Harbor, NH. I dug through the boxes of fabric scraps and filled 7 bags for $4.99 a bag and now have a huge pile of scraps. Bought some pre-cut pieces (packs are $5 rather than the usual $15), 6 skeins of wool yarn from their Patternworks yarn store for like $4 a skein, some books (5 total-2 knitting-2 quilting/stitch and 1 embroidery for the designs), and they were closing out their scrap inventory so I got a few things for 75% off. What a day! Its so much fun to go! Chatting with all the other people- watching the die-hards at the bolt of fabric auction and bringing their lawn chairs to dig through their scraps...I spent $202.22 but got so much stuff-lots of my scraps were 1/3 yard pieces (all my scraps were about $35) and some of my books were like $5. Can't go wrong. Also got 2 sets of Gel-a-tins stamps- one was a letter set- for 75% off. As Dave joked- it should be a national holiday!
Then went over to the lake- took my first swim in the COLD refreshing lake-Dave and Katie put the boat in and we went for a cruise...a great day!

Some photos are from the sale and some of my flowers yesterday morning with the dew from the FRiday night rain.

Counting down

Harley is wishing to go out, only it's been raining for the last 3 days. ( And Harl does the quick run out but he HATES being wet) We really need to rain, and I don't mind it when I'm at school, trying to teach to the kids who want to be on summer vacation-just like us teachers too. I'm down to 9 days- 8 with kids. Yahoo! Graduation is next Friday, and then we're into exams with the other kids. June 18th is a half day and I need to go in the 19th for a few hours to wrap up. Then its summer vacation- the most wonderful time of the year!