A Fanciful Twist

The Mad Tea Party 2010 {An Invitation & Surprise}

A curious letter was delivered to me this week, via winged pony. I opened it up, and all it said was, "I shall arrive under the glisten of the full moon, when all the flowers are twinkling in bloom..."

    

This is certainly an odd note, I thought.  And then shrugged, and went about my enchanted garden business...

    

That was until I heard the unmistakable cackle of the mad-man himself...

    

He rode his tiny tricycle like a speed demon, as the dirt crunched beneath the little wheels.  Of course, the flowers were blooming, and the moon was indeed glistening, so I should have known to expect him ;)

He rode right past me as he hollered "Hurry on dearie, we must get to the secret garden before night falls..."  And so, I quickly followed, as I tripped on my hem...

    

Why are we in such a hurry? I asked.  

He replied, "Why why?  You dare ask such a silly question???  We have a Mad Tea Party to plan, of course!"

(Can you believe that it was almost one year ago, that we found ourselves amongst madness, twirling in our gowns and swirling our tea?  Last year, as the party came to a close, a secret key was left for us.  The key that would unlock the door to this year's festivities...)

As we approached the secret garden, I saw a key hanging.  But not just any key.  It was "thee" key.  The key to this year's party, yipppppeeee!!

    

We were just in time, for as we unlocked the gate, the secret garden telephone started ringing as loud as it could...

Who could it be?

    

"It was London calling" said the Mad Hatter.  "We have received two great pieces of information, you darling troll's wart..." he said.

"Ummm, okay?" I said...

"First, the Mad Tea Party date has been set.  And second, there is a super scrumdillyumptious, surprise guest......." said he.

Oh do telllllll, pleeeeeease!

So, he pondered for a moment, because he knew I might faint from curiosity, and then...

   

He reminded me of that day in the garden, when I took a trip into wonderland, and read Jenny Woolf's fascinating book, The Mystery of Lewis Carroll...

Then he said, "You must have had a super secret chat with said author, because she has accepted your invitation..."

So, with that I am beyond delighted to reveal that, author of The Mystery of Lewis Carroll, Jenny Woolf herself, will be our honorary guest at this year's Mad Tea Party!

Hip hip hooooray!!!

   

And guess what?  Her publishing house sent over some treats to gift during the party, how wonderful is that???

This year's party is already showing its enchanted grin.  Won't you join us??

The Mad Hatter has taken his bow...

    

And, while lighting the magical tea party candle, has proclaimed that we are to begin this year's Mad Tea Season...

    

I can't wait, I just can't wait!!

   

The date, Saturday June 26th.  Plenty of time to prepare, YAY!

The season of madness 2010, has been sealed with moonbeam glow...

    

And now, the sparkles are being sent off to you, so that you might be inspired to join in the Festivity of Madness...

Please do join us, won't you?

Below is this year's flyer and button (click, to copy and save).  Share them, use them on your blog, spread the word to your friends, because everyone is invited, and anything goes...

    

 

 Wondering what to do if you sign up?

If you are signing up to participate in the Virtual Mad Tea Party, all you have to do are three things. (To sign-up, simply leave a comment saying you are joining in & leave your blog link. Thank you ;)

1) Share the flyer or the button on your blog as soon as possible.  Link to this blog post, and I will add your name to the "Mad Tea Partier" list in my left hand side bar. 

2)  On the day of the tea party, June 26th 2010, please make sure to post a Mad Tea Party post of your own, on your blog, linking to me.  Other partiers will be visiting you on that date. 

3)  Blog hop with the other partiers on the day of the event and have a mad blast!!  Again, the list of Mad Tea Party Participants will be in my left hand sidebar.

Note:  Please make sure you post a tea party post on June 26th if you signed up.  Last year several people did not do this, and lots of partiers e-mailed me to ask why they were finding some blogs without a Mad Tea Party post.  I didn't have an answer.

Don't forget, this event is supposed to be pure fun.  Don't stress out about it, and do let yourself go positively mad ;)

If you need some, there are oodles of Mad Tea Party inspirations out there.  You can even order a copy of Winter 2010 Artful Blogging, where last year's tea party, along with a handful of other participating Mad Tea Parties were featured. 

   

Below are also some more tips and ideas for your own tea party, as featured in the Staten Island, New York Advance Newspaper....

    

And, even a few more Mad Tea Party Inspirations right here... if you scroll through that link...

If you have any questions e-mail me.  I am catching up on my e-mails today -I got behind during my deadline, sorry ;) - so that I can be totally available for any of your questions.

Remember, if you would like to sign-up,simply leave a comment saying you are joining in & leave your blog link. Thank you ;)

And with that, the Mad Tea Party season begins.  All of us over here at "A Fanciful Twist" would be more than overjoyed if you could join us ;)

I am sooo excited! Lots more fun to come...

 

 

♥  ,V

 

 

ps:  If you signed up and you don't see your name on the list, please don't hesitate to e-mail me (VanessaValencia@aol.com).  It is most certainly, a non-intentional mistake  ;)

pss:  I have oodles of Mad Tea Party treats in my shop, and two new sets of cards that I am excited to share...

Tea Party, Sweet Party

    

And, Avant Garden Wonderland...

    

See you very sooooon ;)

Psssst, Guess Who's Back? {With a Few Silly Stories}

I am done, Yippppeeeee YAY!!  The hugest part of my deadline is complete, and on an airplane.  I just have a few loose ends to wrap up.  But, I am basically done, and sooo happy to be making my way back through the looking glass...

   

I have made more art in two months, than I have in two years.  I have packaged, stepped out, organized and sorted through bits and pieces, until all I could do was stare into space...

   

I challenged myself with this project (which I will reveal in detail, as soon as I know that a peek will be possible).  I am sooo happy that it is on its voyage, and I can finally breathe a sigh of relief...

        

        

You can only imagine what my work spaces look like.  Oh heck, who am I kidding?  The whole house looks like an explosion went off... ;) 

I am not joking...

So many funny things happened over this last incredibly intense week.  I started going a bit mad. Or perhaps, a lot mad.  Mister Lovee truly deserves some sort of huge award.  Although he gets lots of massages, even when I need one myself, so maybe that is good payment?

He was on hand, working from his home office all week, so that he could make sure I didn't get lost under piles of paint and paper.  

One day this past week, a storm blew in.  It has been 80'F +, for two weeks, and then it dropped to 50' with rain, for two days.  A huge treat.

        

So, I decided we needed to bake a pumpkin pie...

        

And cover it with whipped cream from the can :)

       
 

I frankly, don't think I have even had whipped cream from the can in my home, ever...

So Mister went to the store.

        

We baked our pie, and it was yummy.  It made the house smell like fall, and stirred such wonderful feelings in my heart. 

Then I pulled an all nighter.

In the morning, as I was having my daily grapefruit and making coffee, I decided that I need to shake the Reddi Whip can, open my mouth, and press that magic Reddi Whip button nozzle thingamajig...

So, I did.

        

Because really, I had wanted to do that my whole life, or at least ever since watching Goonies 500 times, in junior high...

As I did this, I made sure Mister got a good look at my antics. 

He looked up from his newspaper, saw me shooting Reddi Whip into my mouth from the can, and then kept reading. 

        

He totally blew me off.  He really didn't care, and/or wasn't amused.

So, I shrugged and went on with my day.

In the afternoon, we were set to have steamed healthy tacos for dinner.  But, I decided I needed a pizza.  And, most of you know, I don't even like pizza that much.  Because, I don't really like cheese, and red sauce is only growing on me as I get older and make it from scratch...

Anyhow, I wanted Pizza and wings :)

So, Mister said, place the order and I will go get it.

I proceeded to call the pizza place down the road, 3 times, and no one answered.

Mister Lovee then goes looking for me and asks, "how much time before the pizza is done?"

And I tell him----  with quite a somber look on my face...

"No one answered...and I called three times..." 

Sigh... (we both agreed that, that was quite strange)

Now, keep in mind that Mister Lovee is of the Mother Nature, health food, Yoga Master persuasion, born Jewish.  And, I am of the Loud Latino Catholic upbringing (with a bit of French swirled in).

So, I jokingly (with a quirky smile on my face) say-

"I think God doesn't want me to eat pizza...." 

And Mister Lovee says - (in his hilariously cheeky way)

"Oh ya?  And where was God this morning when you were shooting Whipped Cream straight out of the can, right down your throat?"

Hahhaaaaaaaa!!!  I laughed and laughed and laughed.....  Isn't he funny?

   

(Oh and, that night we had healthy steamed tacos, as originally planned :)

And with that hearty laugh, I was catapulted straight back here, through the looking glass...

        

Done with my project deadline, and ready for some serious fun!!

It's time to play.

I mean, really play.

The creatures are already showing up...

   

Stay tuned, won't you?  We are finally mere moments away, from revealing the madness, I promise.

I'll be back ever so soooooooon ~

 

♥ ,V

ps:  Baby is doing well, she seems comfortable, but may have to go back to the vet for some other weird thing her meds may be causing.  I made Mister cry this morning by telling him that your prayers seem to be doing wonders for her.  I am not kidding.  She has moments where she is so herself, that I forget about that retched thing in her head.  I wish it would disappear.

Thank you soooo much for being so kind to us, truly...

Art Alchemy, From the Soil & Deadlines

A little art alchemy is what my world is infused with, as my deadline looms, and I hit the 72 hour crunch...

        

I had hoped to share some most magical squeal worthy excitement with you today.  Alas, I must finish my work.  And then, we will plan to party like its 1865.  Sound good?

I have been so busy.  I mean, busy (albeit, an exciting creative vibe busy).  Below is a little more than half of my deadline (all completed art pieces on the front).  I say half, as there is also clay involved.  (I removed the color of the canvases, to surprise a little later)

        

My behind the scenes is truly, Mad ;)

I can't even begin to tell you what my checklist looks like.  

And yet, I have this habit, that goes like this - 

Whenever I am really busy, I also throw extra projects into the mix.  Like tilling a small parcel of land, and starting my first lawn from seed :)  (we'll see what happens)

When I was in college, and I had HUGE papers due, I would decide that during the paper writing, I was going to do such things as reorganize every cabinet in the entire house.  It is almost like, the more I have to do, the more I get done...

Do you find yourself doing the same thing?  I wonder what it means...?

   

I do know this much - My sanity is in the garden.  I will tell you a tale one day, about how I discovered my passionate love of soil in 1994.

        

The Milk Thistle I spoke of a few days ago, is blooming...

   

Isn't it amazing?

   

I don't know what is happening to me?  I am hyper-nature-sensitive these days.  And moved profoundly, by all of the little details...

  

I can't get enough of the beautiful and strong leathery roses.  I watched, as the 40 year old rose bush changed from winter to spring.  Then buds emerged, then petals peaked out.  And now, I am crazy in love...

Can't get enough...

        

When I take breaks from my work (of the art variety), I roam our property.  Yesterday, I found wonderful sights. 

The garden has been ever so kind to me this year.  My first 4 years I tried planting seeds here, to no avail (although my sunflowers always grow).  Wrong timing, animals nibbling, and I didn't understand the soil. 

But, it got better and better as the years went by.  And maybe this year, everything I have learned about successfully growing here, will come to fruition? (beets, carrots, pumpkins etc.)  We'll patiently wait and see...  (okay, maybe not so patiently, but we don't have a choice ;)

I stood in front of a giant dumpster that Mister Lovee ordered (to fill with winter brush), and snapped a photo of a precious nature finding...

        

I stood there, just totally dumbfounded at the tender complexity of this little guy.

Then, I said to Mister Lovee - 

"I don't know what is wrong with Me this year, I am so super hyper sensitive to everything that is growing.  I don't remember being this crazy over every little detail.  Where was I before?"

   

This was his answer - (as he made a graceful filigree movement into the sky, with his hands)

"Bing bing bing, out in the stratosphere somewhere......who the heck knows......"

I laughed and laughed at his answer, and then went back to work...

Which is just what I am off to do now.

Wish me luck ;) 

The superb news is that, in 72 hours, my intense deadline will be on an airplane, and I will be party planning, and having a ball here with you!!

♥ ,V

ps:  Here is a photo of a voluptuous blonde, hanging out by the pool, in the simulated tropics ;)

 

She gets in the pool, off and on, all day.  I change her water, and fill it to the top constantly.  She is hanging in there, doing okay.  She feels your love.  I know this much, to be true...

Cuz, we are Living in a Hummingbird World, and I am a Hummingbird Girl?

I am still spending 70% of my days outside, big hat and billowing gowns a plenty.  I am painting a ton, planting hundreds of seeds, and even watching dozens of re-planted sunflowers sprout (the birds got them the first time around).  All of this occurs, while the 40 year old giant rose bushes silently bloom, and pups lollygag in the pool...

    

But wait, I left out the most amazing part.  There are a handful of hummingbirds living in my garden.  Usually there are 3 - 4, but this year there are more.

   

And let me tell you, they are friendly as can be.  (I think they might be babies)

   

All the photos I will share were taken with a regular lense, not a telefoto lense. 

   

This is because, these little guys not only come up to me and flutter right in front of my face, but they let me walk up to them so close that I can ever so gently touch a feather, and thank them for visiting my garden...

   

This morning, one even came up to my screen door and chattered and chattered.  I am floored at their behavior.  Last year a tiny guy sat on my toe and I was floored.  But, these little creatures this year, are actually following us around and chattering up a storm... 

   

I will tell you this.  8 years ago I found a beautiful hummingbird that had lost its life, in a bed of green vines in the garden.  So, I put it in a glass case and buried it.  Then I painted little bird houses with hummingbirds on them, and nailed them to the tree in the sanctuary, and started a hummingbird cemetery.

Perhaps they know that we want them to be safe?  And, they are drawn here.  Possibly, maybe?

    

Mister Lovee makes them an all natural beverage for their feeder several times a week.  And, when it gets low, they fly up to the window Mister sits at, and flutter in front of him...

    

If I see them, and Mister doesn't, I always say, "Oh Lovee, your little friends are looking for you..."

    

Oh and, they LOVE flying through my water hose when I am watering the pumpkin sprouts. 

    

They think that is the funnest thing ever.  They all come out and play...

   

I don't know, I find it completely enchanting.  They just take my breath away, I love them...

    

When I am out in the garden planting seeds and checking on growing seeds, I always say to the pups (as they are always by my side watching me), "We have big dreams, big dreams..."

Our big dreams are that all the seeds that I planted, grow.  Or at least some of them.  I have created 8 little seed planted areas.  And, I have planted hundreds and hundreds of seeds.  From flowers to herbs to vegetables.  Fingers crossed...

   

There is a lot of lovely natural vegetation that is already growing here, but I so love seeing sunflowers, and pumpkins, and beets, and radishes, and all sorts of extra things grow as well.  In my opinion, there is nothing like watching your tender little seeds grow...

  

Baby's anti-inflammatory medication for her tumor (don't you loathe that word? makes my stomach flip inside out) seems to be helping.  She is sneezing less, and has not had regular bloody noses.  She is trying so hard to play, and run a little.  Of course, we can't cure her, but we just want her to be as comfortable as possible.  And perhaps a miracle might cure her.  One can hope for a miracle...

We have found her sitting at the fence way out back, looking out onto the never ending green, quite pensively.

I have also found her in the sanctuary.  Where the sight of her there, has left me quite speechless...

    

She is an amazing gal.

Sometimes, when she feels like she can't breathe, she gets scared and starts to gasp.  So, I get on ground with her, and tell her, "I love you, everything is okay, breathe and feel calm, I am here, you will be okay..." while gently petting her.  And it works.  She instantly calms down.

I have been composing a song for her, for a couple of months, and I add more to it every day.  Maybe I can share it soon...

    

I have a lot of peace in my soul these days.  Baby shows me that I need to be strong for her.  And, I know that I am learning great lessons for the future as well.  For experiences to come with other loved ones...

    

When I am gardening, she always comes up to me, puts her paw on me, and nuzzles her head on to my lap.  She would sit on top of me if she could.  And, she shamelessly urges you to rub her belly.  So I giggle, and do it.  I always have.  She knows she can find love right here, any time, day or night...

   

Part of the reason that I feel such peace is that, I realized that I have always loved her 100%.  So I don't feel like I am grasping for time with her, I feel like I am enjoying time with her, as we always have.

  

Yet another lesson.  To appreciate loved ones all the time.  I personally don't like regrets, and try to live my life in a way where I won't say "I wish I had done this, or said that..."

Oh oh, we received a scrumptious care package this week from a wonderful, genuine fairy ;)

   

Baby looooved it, and she shared with little brother too...

   

Fancy puppy cookies (amongst oodles of other treats), yummmy!  Matty chose his...

   

While Baby adored her yogurt treat...

  

Treats for Mister and I filled the box as well.  Dear wonderful fairy (you know who you are), Mister ate "his" jelly sugar candies in one day.  I snagged 3;)  (needless to say, the entire family was delighted and thankful to the core)

As for creativity, I have been up to my neck in paint.  I am having a wonderful time creating some fun pieces and finishing up my deadline...

   

And guess what?  I have a secret that includes you.  A secret fantastical world to share.  It is almost ready for you to begin to enter...

    

And, I needn't even say the words about what I am speaking of, right?...

    

All I can tell you is that, in a few days, something wickedly wonderful, this way comes...

    

Oh yes....

   

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeee, I can't wait...

    

With a surprise too!  Or should I say, A Fanciful, Twist....

Oh by the way, several folks have asked me if the name of my little art production, shop and blog is "Fanciful Twist" or "A Fanciful Twist."  It is "A Fanciful Twist" 

Without the "A" it isn't me ;)

Anyhow, there is soooooo much fun to come, dress-up and madness abound!  I can't wait.  I bet you thought I was only going to talk about nature from here on ;) (although, I am pretty nature obsessed, I can't lie)

  

Don't throw out your teal and fuchsia striped stockings just yet - we have so much more wacky work to do ;)

   

But, for now, I will leave you with Dave Matthews.  (Am I the most random blog post writer or what?  I even freak myself out, don't worry.  Sometimes I go back and say, I wrote that?  Oh my gooodnessss... tee heee...)

Anyhow, Dave Matthews has been over for tea everyday this week.  Okay okay, he doesn't know he was here.  But I can pretend really good you know ;)

The thing is, I found this beloved cd in my old player (I forgot it was in there), and was delighted.  So, I have been listening to this album on repeat for days (including now).  We love Dave.

Now, I must bribe myself into getting back to work...  

♥,V

ps:  Ages ago I made some fun banners for some dear friends (and graphics etc.), who have wonderful blogs to boot.  I also recently made a few others, and have been hired to work on yet others in the near future. Take a peek ;)

- http://aforestfrolic.typepad.com/a-forest-frolic/ (Made Jamie's in Early Feb.)

- http://roostreehouse.typepad.com/ (I made Roo's in January)

- http://parisparfait.typepad.com/photography_adventures/ (Most Recent)

Finding the Words...

Normally I sit down to type, and the words just pour off my fingertips.  I never have to think of what I want to say, because I usually have ten million things to say.  And normally, all ten million things I have to say, want to make an appearance at the same time...

    

I have an abundance of thoughts, but I don't quite know how to appropriately express the depth of thankfulness I am feeling.  Thankfulness for your, ever so kind sharing of tender words and emotions, over the last few days.  With every word, there was a huge wave of peace that washed over me. 

    

So many of you totally understand how I feel.  And, as I read your words, it was clear that I too understand, how many of you feel...

There are no words that can convey the feeling of someone saying, I understand and I care.

  

Baby and I have had the most precious life together, and will continue to, for as long as she is with us.  She is so kind and loyal, and I will miss her with a vast profoundness.  But, I wouldn't give up any of my experiences and memories with her, for anything in the world.

   

It may sound silly and cliché, even trite, but it is important to live each day to the fullest.  To absorb moments.  I learned the importance of that in my early twenties, with an experience that moved me into grabbing my life and making a pact with it, to truly live and feel.  And, to treat my life and myself as sacred, to be nurtured and protected.

   

There will be love and there will be loss.  There will be overflowing joy, and lakes of tears.  There is beauty in all feeling, if you embrace it, especially while you are healing...

    

The other day, I hammered a nail right through my finger, and to the other side (by accident, of course).  And, I didn't feel pain, I just looked at my finger, stunned.  And I thought, the fairies planned this so that I would be knocked out of my sadness.

And it worked.  I have so much peace right now.  Of course, I still get a deep pang in my heart when I think of Baby not feeling well.  But, I just want to live in the moment...

If I sulk, she sulks.  If I skip around, she follows.

So, skip around it is... (she has a big tear on the side of her face with the problem, poor beloved gal)

    

We have had such marvelous walks this weekend.  And, you wouldn't believe this but, there are plants flowering in our garden that have never flowered before.  Such curious little happenings are taking place.  Like a trio of Hummingbirds dancing around my head, and little yellow birds coming right up to me, and sitting right beside me.

   

   

And, to my complete delightment, my carnations are blooming...

  

I can't tell you what planting seeds and flowers does for my heart.  I wake up in the morning with so much gusto to get outside, and see what is going on out there.  I even like the weeds :)

The other day, Baby and I came upon the most scary little plant we have ever seen.  I had never ever seen one of these, and I thought, what an odd creature.  It wasn't a cactus, but it had huge thorns...

   

    

So I called Mister Lovee over, and he said, Oh ya, that's just a Milk Thistle... 

    

I went inside, and read about all the healing properties of Milk Thistle.  And, I smiled to myself, thinking about how something I thought looked so scary, is actually healing and wonderful.

It's a funny little life...

    

So, we are taking it day by day, and embracing happiness and peace.  There is nothing to do, but let go and ride the wave...

   

We will have a Mad Tea Party (details soon, like really soon), and we will dress up.  We will laugh and we will play.  We will cry if we feel like crying, and perhaps even dance at the same time.  We will hug, and hug, and hug some more.  

Life can change in an instant.  It is so much more fragile than we realize.  So many of us waste so much of it, for no reason at all.

The reminder in all of this - don't waste one precious moment...

    

Thank you.  Than you for being a kind soul.  Thank you for feeling with me.  Thank you for being here, through all sorts of things.  From nonsense, to magic, to real life and heart strings...

It's a marvelous curious life, isn't it?

♥,V

ps:  Have you seen this puppy?

   

    

It seems, he has been replaced with a verrry smoool and verrry strooong furry MAN.

   

   

I don't know how you human baby Mommies do it!  Now I know why my Dad squeezes my face and tells me how cute and cuddly and loveable I was, and then he makes baby sounds as he squeezes my cheeks and lips and over-squeezes in hugs.  

My puppy puppy poopsie pups..... Growed up...
 

Art.Life.Heart.Love.

I have so much to say, that I don't know what to say.  Has that ever happened to you?  I have been painting, drawing, crying, laughing, loving, hugging, sculpting, moving furniture, growing seeds and talking to the heavens...

   

I have been painting words that comfort my heart...

   

Creating a little sign, with thoughts and ideas that fill my soul...

   

Full of stars and glitter and delightment. 

I have also been drawing my Original Art Card girls again...  

    

I used to make these for all of my shows, as well as for a beautiful local shoppe (I also used to draw them onto plates I made). 

   

But, other things popped into my life, and I stopped drawing these gals for a little while...

    

But, now they are back visiting me.  I missed them so much.  Oh and, I have actually put 14 of these originals art card drawings in my shop, a few seconds ago...

    

As for life...

   

I have moved outside.  Created a little studio right outside the Gypsy Wagon.  Why have I done this?  Well you see, there is a reason.  Although, I am having a really hard time typing what I have to say...

   

Throughout the last few years, that I left my job to do art full time (and started this blog journey), people have asked why I talk about my life so much here.  Why not just share art and nothing more? 

The answer.  I have no idea.  All I know is that, I go with my heart's flow.  I do and say whatever comes naturally to me.  I left a super stressful job (where even the phone ringing put my stomach into anxiety knots) and followed my path to this place.  A world that lets us all travel anywhere, and meet people everywhere.

   

A virtual place that makes it incredibly easy to share art and life.  My everyday life, and my journey making art, are intertwined.  So, I suppose that is why I share such personal things with you.

Leaving my job 3 years ago has allowed me to bond with a quiet life, a life where I am totally enchanted while watching seeds grow.  Where all the little things in life, have become big things in my life...

   

But most of all, I have bonded with my furry babies.  I have found a love in myself, for them, that I had no idea existed. 

Such a profound love.  I just, absolutely, had no idea...

   

And so - Yesterday was a beautiful sunny day, and it was also one of the saddest for me.

We found out something that we were dreading.

That Baby is very ill...........

   

Sigh...  She has a large growth in her head.  It can not be removed.  It is in the front of her head, between her left eye and her nose, and it is causing many problems, as well as causing her face to slowly shift.

I have a pain so deep in my heart...... 

Her doctor gave her some medication to make her more comfortable, but as you can imagine... 

We don't know how much longer she will be with us.  All we can do now is watch her, and love her, and hug her, and feel blessed to have her in our lives, for however much longer she will be a part of our family.

We adore her beyond words, truly. 

Her little brother is so sweet to us.  He helps to ease the pain with his outpouring of love and his silly antics.  You can't help but cry and smile, at the same time.  Sadness and joy...

   

And soooo, that is why I have moved outside.  The pups play outside all day, and I want to be with them.  I felt like I was suffocating in the house.  I want to be with Baby as much as possible.

So, outside I went.  And, here we are...

   

The fact is, my pups are not "just dogs" or pets to me.  They are my beloveds.  Working from home and being with them all day has created an extra closeness, that I could not have imagined.

I know it is hard to understand, if you are not a pet person.  I used to be one of those people, who didn't understand fur baby love.  And now - I have been touched by a furry gal, beyond words...

So, I am working outside, and all around me the garden is in full bloom.  I marvel at a volunteer tree that we did not plant.  When I look at it, it brings me such peace.  There is a depth, a vast tale about this curious life, living in that little tree...

  

   

And so, in the garden we continue to paint, and make memories. 

   

While, having faith in life's little unraveling path - and the journey it holds.

  

And while on this journey, trying to live each day to the fullest, and not take anything for granted...

    

Hug those you love.  Squeeze them tight.  Make a memory of how they smell.  How their eyes sparkle... 

Tell them you love them, again and again, no matter how annoying they might think you are...

♥ ,V