Happy Late Anniversary

This is a post I should have been making last Friday, but unforeseen circumstances kept that from happening. On that day, the very lucky 11/11/11, my parents celebrated their 50th anniversary. Aren't they a happy looking couple?

Never a pair to slow down, they have added regular biking to their busy schedule in the last couple of years. Its probably not a traditional gift, but thanks to the efforts of one of my brothers, we were able to provide them with some fine new bikes for their anniversary.

Well, I guess my Dad's bike could be called "gold".

 

And, you can see how happy my Mom is with her new ride. They've already been putting the miles on these wheels. I'm so glad they are enjoying their gifts, and so happy that they are my parents. Mom, Dad, I hope you enjoy many more anniversaries together. What do you think, snowboards for the 60th?

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day, to my amazing mother. I'm so glad that we have become such good friends, and I'm looking forward to all the good times yet to come.




Mom and Me, Circa I'm not telling you when.....

And Happy Mother's Day to all the other wonderful Mothers out there, too. The world wouldn't be the same without you.

Friday In The Garden

Since I was away last week, it's been two weeks since I've done a Friday Garden post, and it's amazing how things have changed. Spring has burst out of every corner. I missed some of my tulips while I was gone, but there are a sprinkling of them still around.

I walked around the corner, and the Neighborhood Lion pounced on me from out of the parsley patch. He didn't stick around long, though. He just used my leg as a scratching post, and went off to do his daily rounds. 

The old apple tree is completely covered with these sweet-smelling beauties. 

But, the pear tree does not have very many blossoms this year. Looks like the pear harvest will be small. Some years are like that.

The birch trees are heavily in bloom. Even though they make my head hurt, I still find them beautiful, in a strange way.

The first of the iris are in bloom. These miniature dark purple flowers are a gorgeous color, but they are always here and gone too quickly. They don't stand up very well to rain, and we've been having a lot of that, like everyone else.We'll enjoy them while they last.

We'll also enjoy these, probably grilled, which we like best, although the husband is lobbying for soup. Usually I wait on making soup until we almost can't stand any more asparagus. And I switch back to grilling it when we get to the "Oh, No! It's almost gone! phase". Asparagus season is never long enough.

Back around front, we have the most beautiful sight of all.

These robin's did not choose a v ery safe place to nest, so I'm keeping my finger's crossed that the Lion doesn't find them. Send some prayers and positive thoughts the way of this Mama and her babies this weekend. And while you are thinking about mothering in difficult circumstances, check out this post by Christine Mason Miller. I plan to learn more about this project. I can't even begin to imagine what it would be like to be a woman and a Mother in Afghanastan today.

Enjoy your weekend, everybun!

It Started Off With The Coffee Pot Overflowing

So 2011 isn't off to the greatest start around here. It started out with the coffee pot pulling it's favorite trick of overflowing the pot, and depositing grounds into the coffee, bright and early on January 1st. And then the whirlpool tub wouldn't work, because of some unusual wiring that was uncovered during the work on the house. Work to fix that now has both bathrooms in a semi-functional state, and there is a hole in the Second Daughter's closet. And we discovered we have mice. And the bats are back. And Ginny has a new round of lumps on her muzzle, which hopefully won't get as big as that earlier one that kept her from eating. Yeah, 2011! 

So for today's List-it-Tuesday (yes, I finally figured out that it is Tuesday), I decided to go back to a happy list from just after Christmas. This had to have been one of the weirdest lists I have ever gone to the grocery store with.

My Sister-In-Law had declared that we all had to partake in a Cupcake War. Each family group had to make some, as well as my parents, and some of her neighbors, too! This is one of my youngest nieces, in her new chef's hat, working hard.

And her sister, also hard at work. They took their cupcakes seriously, and did not make even one gray-brown mash as their father might have done (that's the color he always made his Easter eggs).

My Mom, with her contribution. Technically, it was also my father's, but he was busy farther down the table. 

And here he is with my Daughters, supervising (OK, doing Sudoku) as they make their Ladybugs. 

I didn't get any photos of the Big Competition, but all the cupcakes tasted great. Well; maybe not all, but the bacon ones really weren't that bad. And there was a lot of laughter, so that means it was a definite success.

Over the rest of the Holiday Break, I couldn't get near the computer at any time of day when my brain was functional (too much homework/long-term project work going on), but it's good to be back now. I hope everyone out there is having a great start to their New Year. I'm stocking up on rabbit treats, and hoping for the best. 

As always,  for more fun check out Artseyville for Aimee's list, and links to many more. 

I'm So Proud Of My Girl

We are just about recovered from a weekend of this.

Our First Daughter graduated from Massachusetts College of Liberal Art, Magna Cum Laude.  Both sets of grandparents were there, and her two best friends from college (soon to be graduates themselves) came back from summer vacation to witness the event.

Aren't they a beautiful bunch? During the ceremony she received this:

A piece of paper that says you will soon get your diploma, but only if you have no outstanding bills!

She received many graduation gifts, including this skirt from The Birdlady of Wool on the Brain who is the mother of one of her friends. The colors are perfect, and it feels so nice.

And, it twirls really well!

With all this excitement, she might almost have been excused if she had forgotten Second Daughter's birthday this week, but she didn't. She had these for her. Yet another reason to be proud of her.

This is my mother, admiring the flowers. The next day, I took her  to the playground (First Daughter, that is, although Mom was there, too!).

Still a kid at heart. Next stop, grad school.

Congratulations, Sweetheart! We are ALL very proud of you.

Creative Cue: Mother

This week's Creative Cue over at Three Creative Studios was Mother. Here is a sketch that I made of mine when she was down on Sandbridge Beach in Virginia in October of last year. I had tailed along on a vacation that she and my father, and another couple take each year.

I'm sure she will be thrilled to see this here, especially if I tell you that the rag in her pocket is covered with squid juice from cutting bait! This crew does love to fish.

I also made another stamp, more in the earth-mother vein. It still needs some work, but here it is as it stands now.

And on a silly note, some graffiti art by my Second Daughter. She "tagged" the thawing blackberries as she left the house this morning for a Marching Band event.

She was quite happy about it. The "tagging". and the band event, both.