Times they are a' changing...



Sweltering heat, wooden floors that feel as if they had a fever. Long lazy days that melt and disappear into glorious golden sunsets. Fireflies that come out and guide my footsteps round the darkened garden paths. The crickets' lullaby, the fluttering of wings, the sound of flowers bursting wide open. The smell of earth after a brief and fierce thunderstorm... I have succumbed. Helpless. Intoxicated. I don't want to move, am afraid to break the spell... 

But the spell has been broken and life as we know it has changed. The last of our children, our sweet daughter Adriana is moving out. We are now part of that group called "The Empty Nesters." As I help her pack, organize, shop, and decide, I can't help but wonder: where has time gone?! Already the house is permeated by that peculiar scent of change, of closing chapters. The spirit of Melancholy hides behind the boxes, playing hide and go seek with Excitement. There's confusion when they collide, bewildered, they stare at each other only to turn around and run again.

I am very happy for her, proud to see her making the right choices. I have  no doubt she and Mitch will be fine together...and yet, she has not even left and I already miss her... our morning chats, our late evening glasses of wine, our silly tears over a movie or a song, our "fighting" over the bathroom mirror :0) Those carefree moments of everyday life when kids still live at home, and while I'm ready for the new special ones to come, I can't help but mourn for those that will stop. This feeling reminds me of  a book I once read (The Other Side of the Fire). My children were still very young and the empty nester years seemed very far away, but even back then these words caught my attention: "Sometimes she wondered whether it was her own childhood she mourned, or the childhood of her children."  Amazing.

I am back until Monday, then I will return to the country. The porch is done except for the floor, which will be painted sometime next week before bringing in some pieces of furniture. I want to keep it simple and just allow the surrounding beauty be the focal point.

Abby knows I'm busy so she keeps a look out for unexpected visitors

 such as this one.

She also lets me know when the Clematis bloom

My dear sweet Abby :0)

The guest room is finished

There's still a lot to do but for now I need to slow down, try to take it all in, re-adjust and go along with the changes.

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"We live...for moments...minutes, fractions of an hour...for these intervals are timeless. While they last, we have complete understanding, happiness and strength.  We live in a true sense and we perceive the meaning of life." 

 British Butterflies (an antique butterfly book)

May all your moments be wonderful,

Welcome Summer!

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"This is June, the month of grass and leaves...already the aspens are trembling again, and a new summer is offered me."

Henry David Thoreau

Hello Everyone,

How I've missed you all! Can't wait to have a chance and stop by to see what you've been up to :0) I am back for just two days then will return to the country. These past few weeks have been a blur of paint, brushes, and trips to the local hardware store. The porch is almost finished. I still need to paint somethings here and there, but the bigger part is done. I am so looking forward to hanging the curtains, and pay attention to the garden. Days go by too quickly, don't you think?

Remember what it looked like?





This is now...





It was a happy moment when I was able to hang the butterfly that had been sitting in the attic for the past three years waiting for the "right spot" 

Abby has also been hard at work. She's discovered the joy of digging huge holes in the ground :0) 



Some puppies have all the luck!

I must get going but before I do, I just want to wish you all a wonderful Summer filled with joy, magic, and cotton candy fun.

See you soon! XO

Rainy Thursday

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There is something special about rainy days. One walks about the house lulled by the sound of raindrops softly falling on the windows and roof. A perfect soundtrack for a morning meditation.

But...meditating is tricky. There you are, eyes closed, sitting perfectly still, trying to free the mind from anything mundane, breathing gets slower, you float away, your soul travels to a distant shore and you arrive at the Rithang Monastery when suddenly, leaping out of nowhere, uninvited thoughts arrive.  Loud-mouthed ruffians clad in black leather pants...frightful! The lovely vision shatters and you rush about trying to pick up and hold on to the remaining pieces...sigh...

Those horrid ruffians refuse to go away, so for now I'll just stand by the window and listen to the rain... 

Wishing you all a "ruffian free" day :0)

Love and light...

Bedtime wishes

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It's bedtime, the quiet, silent hour when the house finally settles. The shimmering fairy lights guide my way as I make my "rounds" to make sure everything is right.







One last cup of tea, plumping a cushion on the sofa, making sure all candles are out, running a warm, bubbly bath. These rituals, performed almost absentmindedly comfort and reassure me. They are the very essence of being home and fill my heart with peace.

I love to open a window and look up to the sky, whisper a prayer, make a wish or two, and listen to the beat of my own heart. Worries are shed as the peaceful darkness wraps around me like a soft, magical Mantra, and I feel a Divine presence stand right by my side...

Love and light always,



PS. Been back since Thursday but have been suffering with SEVERE allergies. I've missed you all and can't wait to visit and catch up on your latest news. Progress on the screened porch has been made, will be sharing Before and After photos quite soon. Here's a sneak preview of one of the doors :0)



XO

From England with love

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A wet and windy day was magically transformed into a sunny, bright one when I received a most special gift from my dear friend Olive.

All the way from England (land of  my dreams :0)

A beautiful bag and a photograph of Penny Lane's sign!

"Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes..."

Abby refused to be left out :0)

The fact that Olive thought of me when she saw the bag and that she remembered my huge love for The Beatles fill my heart. Thank you Olive, you are the best! XO!

I can't wait to use my gorgeous bag this weekend when we finally return to our Purple Caravan. My husband went out this past week and with the help of our friends pulled out the wall to wall carpet. We now must decide on the type of wood flooring to be installed. I  love the wider planks (but they are so much more expensive)

The caravan came with one bigger bedroom and two small sleeping quarters furnished with two bunk beds each. They were way too small (even for someone as short as me :0) so we decided to knock down the dividing wall and make just one room.

A platform was built to place mattresses and big fluffly pillows.

It's now a cozier, more private area in which our friends can actually sleep and stretch their legs.

Needless to say my mind is just swimming in pools of colors. I lay awake at night planning and imagining how it will look once it's done.



We will be building a screened porch (hopefully soon) and then I will be able to garden and decorate to my heart's content. I will, of course, keep you posted and would love to hear your thoughts and ideas.

And speaking of ideas, I am totally obssessed with this butterfly bench I saw on the Internet. I can't stop thinking about it!

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Wedding plans are moving along. We have already made arrangements for the venue and photographer, but best of all, the gown has been selected! It was quite a moment to see my little girl stand in front of me with her cheeks aglow with excitement and a sparkle in her eyes. She really took my breath away! I promised her not to show any photos of her gown until "the big day" but it looks somewhat like this...oh, to be young and slim and have all our body parts in their proper places... sigh

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And so, life goes on, another week is about to close, another month has started. Tiny buds are getting bigger and stronger, the cycle continues. Hope you are full of exciting plans and innovative ideas!

Love and light, always...

A month to remember

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March did turn out to be quite an interesting month, not only weather wise (we've had very warm days as well as snow)  but also full of important events. My mother's passing, an incredible full moon,  frantic planning to re-open the Purple Caravan and begin the renovations/additions, and now to make this month even more memorable, our dear, sweet daughter Adriana is engaged! 

Adriana met Mitch while they were both attending the university. After five years of being inseparable he finally "popped" the question. The wedding will be October 7, 2012. We couldn't be happier for them, we truly believe they are great together.

A wedding on the horizon and already our home's energy has changed. Tons of magazines are already piling up, lists and plans are being made. We are hoping to find (soon) what we feel are the most difficult: the banquet hall and of course, the gown. Needless to say, we will be busy for a while.

My dear Abby can feel the excitement and is acting "nuttier" than usual, but she is a good girl and has patiently allowed me to take this photo sporting her new Spring bonnet :0) I love her!

Due to all these events I had been unable to thank my dear friend Rosa Phoenix for giving me this:

Thank you Rosa!!

According to the rules of this Award I must share seven things about myself.

Here they go:

1- I can't stand people who constantly praise themselves.

2- When amongst strangers, I may seem a bit aloof.

3- I never really knew the love one can feel for a dog until I got Abby. I had heard about it but the actual experience can't be described!

4- I love the sound of water, whether it's a fountain, a bubbling brook, or rain falling on a tin roof.

5- I adore foggy days. Give me fog and all at once I feel am a mystical creature, mysterious and elusive :0)

6- I love, love Peter Sellers. No matter how many times I watch his movies I will laugh until my sides hurt.

7- I am not interested in celebrities or their lifestyle, nor do I care about designer names or tags at all.

 Answering seven questions is easy, the tricky part is choosing who will get it next! So, as I've done in the past, I dedicate this Award to everyone. Your Blogs are not only Stylish, but they are simply perfect. So, please don't be shy, just grab the button, have fun, and pass it on! After all, that's what Blogging is all about, right?

I must go now, have a hairdresser's appointment  (I hate sitting there but one must pay the price of beauty :=)

Love and light, always...