Today is a travel day for me.  I’m heading to Minnesota, back to our old hometown.  Marshall has been able to make a couple of trips to visit friends, and now it’s Calvin’s turn, so I’m taking him for a few days.  I’m planning to meet up with a friend or two, but I’ll use this downtime as a mini creative retreat.  It will be nice to step away from home projects and my studio to spend some time on enrichment.  I’m bringing my paints and a book or two.  While I don’t love flying, I do enjoy time at an airport.  I don’t want to sleep on the floor overnight because of a delay (done that), but I like having a couple of hours to sit, just be, people watch, read, and sometimes write. Here are my four things for this week: Home Again, a new season of my

The summer is just flying by.  I can’t believe the start of school is just around the corner.  I always look forward to the return of routine, but I also miss the slower mornings and more relaxed schedule.  This year will be different, though, because Marshall is officially in college and Calvin will be taking all of his classes at the local community college for his senior year, except for one.  Marshall is already driving, and Calvin will be within a few weeks.  There will be no more pick-up lines and making lunches for me, and their schedules are not typical 8-3 school days.  It’s a whole new season of life. Despite the fact that we won’t have the return of the school year routine, I intend to bring back some of my routines, like getting out of bed early, going on walks, and having a bit more structure to

Despite another allergic reaction happening on one of my arms (what in the world is happening), I spent time working on the side garden bed again this week.  The weather has just been too much of a gift not to be outside.  I also did some mowing, trimming, cleaning up along the curb, and helping Marshall with power washing.  I’m starting to enjoy keeping up with the little things that make a house look sharp, especially when the weather is nice. I’ve also been working on my usual daily to-dos…  writing, painting, and photography.  Sometimes running my own business can be stressful, and I wistfully remember the days when I showed up, did my job, went home, and collected a regular paycheck.  But then I remember that I get to earn a living writing, painting, and taking pictures, and I’m happy with my choices! So, here are my four things

It has been a quiet week, but a busy one!  We had new windows installed yesterday, and while I wasn’t the one doing the work, I lingered around to see the progress and take pictures.  I can’t wait to show you the results.  The back side of the house is looking amazing! And, thank you so much to everyone who has asked how I’m doing.  I’m doing well.  My arms are still red and splotchy in places, and a little itchy, but the allergic reaction is so much better.  I have bought gardening sleeves to wear when I’m back working in the garden, hoping to avoid whatever caused the problem in the future.  I’m also finding a new rhythm without Sebastian shadowing me all day.  Some days I’m fine, and then other days I cry when I get out a block of cheese!  I just roll with it, knowing it

I decided I would take a few days off from posting here on the blog next week to be gentle with myself.  I have some due dates for other work projects fast approaching, and I need to acknowledge that it’s okay to set a few things aside so I can get the work done while still having margin.  I knew losing Sebastian would be sad, but it’s affected me more than I anticipated.  I think a part of it is that I’ve had a lot of other small personal things pop up from strange symptoms that required a biopsy and ultrasound (everything is normal), a summer cold that had me in bed for a few days, followed by an allergic reaction from either insect bites or a toxic plant on my arms that are now infected.  It’s like the old balancing game, Block Head.  I kept stacking oddly-shaped pieces, trying

It was a slower week for me, but sometimes we need those slow weeks.  Life can be a constant flurry of work and activities.  Sometimes I enjoy those slower weeks, but this week of forced rest felt like an interruption.  My body appreciated it, though, and I’m ready to hit the projects again. My four things this week – Thatched Roofs, pondering, the beautiful idea, and little things. what I’m reading I got a new book in the mail last week – The Collected English Cottage.  It is such a sweet book with lots of great ideas to bring the feel of English cottages into your home.  It’s filled with patterns, antiques, collections, and even recipes. We just booked a thatched cottage in the Cotswolds for our visit to England this fall, and this book is whetting my appetite for the quintessential English countryside. what I’m watching I’ve been thinking

As I type this blog post, new LED panel lights are being installed in our basement!  I can’t wait to see that space properly lit and bright.  I put off my painting until the new lights were installed so I could see better.  I hope to have that done next week. My four things this week – Restoring Williamsburg, Alone Africa, regret & gardening overalls, and hiring out annoying jobs. what I’m reading My research of Thomas Jefferson’s gardens at Monticello led me to Williamsburg.  Jefferson was educated there and was influenced by the architecture, but departed from their formal English-style gardens when designing his garden.   I have a couple of books on Williamsburg, but poked around to see if there were any good ones I was missing.  This led me to Restoring Williamsburg, and it’s been an interesting read so far with lots of great images.  Would you believe

I usually enjoy the summer because of the slower pace, but this week has been busy!  We’ve just had a lot on the schedule.  Things should quiet down next week.  In all of the busyness (and the suffocating heat), I’ve still managed to get some good things done. Here are my four things – My Jeffersonian period, borrowed light, toning down the crazy what I’m reading I’ve been enjoying my book on Monticello’s garden so much (A Rich Spot of Earth) that I pulled out my favorite book on Monticello, Thomas Jefferson at Monticello, to read along with it. It is a gorgeous book with wonderful photography and great information.  If you can’t take a tour of the estate (or you just want to spend more time looking around and learning), this book is excellent. what I’m watching I’m currently in my Jeffersonian period, so Jeff and I watched the