a perfectly nothing kind of weekend...

you know, the kind of weekend where there's not much going on...I spent a few hours wandering around in a favorite used bookshop where I found some really lovely, very old, crumbly, tattered books - the kind I love so much...I went to the library and checked out a stack of poetry books and on Sunday when it was snowy and I didn't want to go out in the cold, I sat on the couch and read some...I created a pretty flower with some old lace that I found in our cellar when we moved in...I gathered this coffee-dyed cheesecloth and string and thought about what to make with it next...yes, a perfectly nothing kind of weekend...

whispers...

in the pale grey light of dusk,

as the velvet blush petals dropped,

so too did the shadow of her fear,

and she heard a whisper,

a whisper of hope,

a whisper of possibility,

a whisper of a dream of what might be

itsy bitsy spider...

I was applying my very last piece of spiderweb lace to a project earlier, when my eye landed on this pearl and some wire. I made a little spider just for fun. I'm like Miss Muffett when it comes to spiders, so this cute imitation spider is just perfect.

a spring day...

...feeling inspired today by this sweet little bunch of flowers my daughter picked for me...

love and luck and fine tricks...

love and luck to you this St. Patrick's day...I was hanging out in my studio this morning, wearing my most favorite necklace - which was brought to me straight from Ireland by my most lovely and very irish mother-in-law, contemplating leprechauns and other such nonsensical creatures, when I heard a clatter in the living room. Could it be? My youngest set a trap this morning before he set off to school, because in previous years a silly little leprechaun did break into our home and fashioned this little rope ladder, leading to high places, to leave little surprises of gold and chocolate. So I ran out to see...But alas, no migraine this week. Our little trickster left us...a sack of potatoes? But upon further investigation I discovered these are no ordinary potatoes, these potatoes are actually sweet little morsels of sugary goodness. Now that was a fine trick indeed!

after the rain...

I just love the forest after a nice rain. I love how the water clings to everything and then the sun comes out and gives it a nice sparkle. It has a very magical feel to it. Like fairies might be frolicking nearby...

DO NOT RIP LIBRARY BOOKS...

...you know I would never rip a library book! But all other books in my studio are fair game...

in case you were wondering...

If you've been reading my blog at all the past week, you already know I've been eating cupcakes on rainy days and picking you flowers; that I was sad, but after a gift of ice cream, I am now happy; that I've been listening to music and attempting to write poetry. But in case in were wondering what I'm doing now...I made myself a lovely journal this morning, it's cover pieced together with bits of this and that and a whole lot of glue stick and tape. I'm making some cool things out of some old leather handbags. Eating some candy. Always eating some candy. Working on a collage or two. Painstakingly hand sewing bits of lovely lovely fabrics and laces together...Of course I will show you when I am done. I think you will like it. Oh, and I've been wondering...what have you been doing lately?

a rainy day pick me up...

I could really go for a steaming hot mug of tea right now...

here...i picked you a flower...

how do you spell love...

...love is sometimes spelled h-a-a-g-e-n-d-a-z-s...

Last week on a day I was feeling sad, my teenage daughter surprised me with this cute little Haagen-Dazs treat. It even comes with its' own spoon in the lid, for eating right out of the container in times of necessity. And it's virtually guilt free in this tiny size. Anyways, it really cheered me up. Not the ice cream, but the fact that my teenager noticed I was sad and that she put some thought into cheering me up. The teenage years, I'm finding out, are quite challenging. But not always in a bad way. And she's a really great kid. I chased her around with my camera all weekend trying to get a nice picture of her, because teens are often camera shy, but no luck. But this morning, the morning after a day of gloom and rain, as she walked to her bus stop, I caught this picture of her out the window. And I thought, wow - she is like the rainbow that comes after the rain, like a bright yellow butterfly on a black and white background, the sweet daisy found in a field of grass...

feeling the music...

i closed my eyes for a moment...

and allowed the music to seep...

into the deepest place in my soul...

where my heart lies...

where my truth lives...

where sadness and hope coincide...

where sadness is nurtured and healed...

where hope takes flight...

because simple is good...

This granola is my favorite. The recipe is in this book and the reason I like it is that it is simple. And simple is good. You can eat it as is with milk - very good. But I like it sprinkled on top of some vanilla yogurt and fresh strawberries. In a pretty little dish, because everything tastes better in a pretty little dish. With a silver spoon.

Great Granola - Makes 1 Quart

2 cups old-fashioned oats

1/2 cup wheat germ if you have it, tastes fine without

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup of whatever you have around - any kind of nuts, coconut, raisins, dried cranberries or other dried fruit, sunflower seeds, banana chips...

1/4 cup maple syrup

3 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil

2 tablespoons warm water

1/2 teaspoon of flavoring - optional - you could use cinnamon, ginger, vanilla...

Adjust oven rack to middle position. Heat oven to 275. Spray 13x9 pan with cooking spray.

Mix oats, wheat germ, salt and 1 cup of whatever - except dried fruit - in a bowl. Heat syrup, oil, water and flavoring in a small saucepan until simmering. Drizzle over oat mixture and stir to combine.

Pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Stir in dried fruit. Bake until golden brown, 20 - 25 minutes longer. Let cool and eat or store in an airtight container.