goodbye, june

I honestly don't know how June zoomed by so fast, it is as if there were less days in the month this year. Today was a day of reinventing the walls, still more to finish but I was so very happy to get some artwork framed and move things around a bit.

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: : : "live what you love" is from hijirik studio on etsy : : :

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: : : thank you for all the feel betters, feeling much more myself today : : :

caught

a flu bug . . .

1 + 2 days

6.28 . . A sunny, hot, eating lunch in La Jolla, singing Michael Jackson songs, sweating while just sitting, licking a lemonade popsicle, relaxing in the jacuzzi sort of day.

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6.27 . . rub a dub dub, Hermie in the tub (he smells like oatmeal cookies and feels like a newborn chick now)

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6.26 . . Stelabird, thank you for the "thank you," from the sewn up envelope to the personal note to the lime green earrings!

man in the mirror

In a moment from the phone ringing and me turning on the tv, the sounds and sites of my 80's childhood came flooding back to me via CNN and various news stations, reporting the passing of Michael Jackson, whilst showing a collage of him during some of his best public times... in concert, making videos, accepting awards... I grew up with Thriller, sparkly white socks, a cat named "Annie" (after one of his songs), memories from seeing him live in concert and an admiration for his talent, his gift. I love thinking back on my childhood, it literally makes me warm and fuzzy it was so good, and Michael Jackson's music was a huge part of that, I feel fortunate to be able to pop in a cd and go back to that time, thank you, Michael. I don't know what happens to us when we die, but it is comforting to think it just might be a magical, warm and fuzzy place free of judgements and insecurities.

teacup critters

: : : new items to be added to the shop this week : : :

yarden

yard●en

noun

1 a piece of ground that was originally designated as the yard but then began to sprout after putting not-completey-composted-compost in the yard for laying sod.

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We are growing spaghetti squash, which is wonderful since I love to eat that instead of pasta. It is pretty much taking over the yard, the spirally tentacles stretch and grasp onto blades of grass to allow the vine to go further and further out. Case and I are new to gardening, snails gobbled up what we intentionally planted, but we were quite pleased to figure out what was growing successfully in the yard, safe from critters snacking and getting plenty of sunshine and water.

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Thank you to Just Something I Made for posting about me here as a "Great Blog," I'm smiling right now as I type this.

to do:

start a new book

make s'mores regularly

paint my toenails

take Hermie to the park

get a fresh haircut (or maybe just a trim)

go to the movies

sit under the stars

dig my feet into the sand

list new items

squeeze lemons

eat outside

watch Jaws

. . .

sundays

Sunday mornings are something special for Dad and me. Usually we take Hermie on a walk nearby, and occasionally take a new path or a trip out the Wild Animal Park to see the animals waking up and getting fed. With today being Father's Day and the first day of Summer we ventured out to the new Lake Hodges Bridge and trail. Along the path we stopped to watch the swallows squeezing in and out of their nests while bikers and joggers passed by, we were mesmerized by the bees ducking into the purple bursts of color, ducks disappeared beneath the water, a lone fisherman waited patiently for a tug, and we talked and walked as the cloudy sky became one of blue decorated in billowy clouds.

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6.20 Something new I learned . . . Ladybug loves, chewing into the rind loves, cantaloupe! After a quick check online I found out it is okay for cats to eat, of course in small quantities, so there aren't any other sorts of surprises.

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6.19 Oh, Trader Joe's you do have the most beautiful array of flowers, it is almost too difficult to choose, I would like to take them all home with me.

peek-a-boo

This little fella (and others) will be listed in the shop very soon as prints, cards and pendants.

a good morning

The neighbor's morning glory peeking over the fence at me was one of the first beautiful sights of the day . . . followed by Tiny Dancer's pink nose, my best friend's smile at the thought of her little boy graduating kindergarten today, the wild daisies I passed on my run, my freshly made bed, three baskets of local strawberries, Dad sharing popcorn with me, Hermie's face when I got home, Mom packing up vintage critters for me to photograph, Case relaxing after a busy three days, and my pink flowered pillow as I snuggle up to sleep.

babycakes

. . . chocolate raspberry, mocha, pb&j (that one was  for me), and red velvet . . . to go, please!

one million

 . . . giraffes, that is the goal of Pam's friend Ola from Norway. To find out the details go here and submit your own, it is quite nice to sit down and draw a giraffe.  

the days before summer

6.13 to 6.14  Case is making german chocolate pancakes as I post this . . . mmmmm. If I have the energy I have a couple new projects I'd like to start today, but then again doing nothing is sounding really appealing right now. 

fetch?

okay . . .♥ 

once upon a time

. . . we received homemade baked goods from our dear friends, dressed little girls in 

flouncy bows, sat out on the porch for hours, loved only one special stuffed toy, and sent handwritten notes . . . I may not write a note as often as I'd like, and I sit by a firepit instead of on a porch, but it is nice to see bits of days gone by in my daily life. 

*thank you, Candy, the zucchini bread was delicious!*

gloom

June droplets were still in the garden long after the sun came up this morning.

a bowl for sugar

Mom said she found something she thought I would like so I closed my eyes, and when I opened them I saw the blue dandelions dancing across the vintage dishes. I immediately started to think about what cupcakes to make that would look best sitting atop such a sweet design. I think it will either be coconut or chocolate with chocolate frosting, maybe both.

* thank you, Mom!* 

flying      6.04 to 6.08

I had a dream that I hopped on a plane, wished Kadee 'happy birthday' in a beautiful park in San Francisco with honey lavender ice cream in hand, then I saw Up, unexpectedly cried a little, rode Muni, then BART, slept in, bought fresh cherries, walked through the park with turtles and a waterfall, ate the very best vegan pho, shared strawberry shortcake, roller skated to 70's music and disco lights, then just as the dream started it ended, much too soon, but my heart was full of all that had happened that one weekend in June. 

birthday wishes

Happy Birthday my dear sister, Kadee!

lover of the sunshine, chai tea, the ocean, tiny green aliens, Tootsie, knowledge, strawberry Poptarts, Arcade Fire, jacuzzi, swimming, chocolate covered cherries, writing, black kitties, traveling . . . a year of new adventures awaits you!

happy

A front yard I pass on my walks was decorated in balloons this morning. What a cheerful greeting to the day for someone (...and me!). It was so cute I think I'd like to do that for somebody I love on their birthday. 

curry mustard

Perfectly soft lightweight JCrew corduroy pants in just my size found while out shopping for vintage goods with Mom this morning. They were singing "summer evenings" to me. 

Hermie

. . . just looking around on a Monday afternoon in the backyard, hoping to maybe come across a squirrel or bird friend to play with