Artful Journey

T stands for time together with my sister in one of our favorite neighborhood bistros. Cibo Cibo translates to uncomplicated, unpretentious casual food and drink, which describes our weekly get together perfectly. Raspberry lemonade prosecco and bruschetta I love these moments, a great chance to catch up and talk about all sorts of fun things. We both love fashion, reading, psychology, classic movies, and family.  I have been reading Writing with Quiet Hands. The book is inspirational, full of wonderful tips and quotes, and a great book for self reflection. I have been thinking about what I like to read, and consequently my voice in writing. I have also been thinking about word choice. I find haiku really challenging, but when I read it, I think it can be simple and beautiful. Part of my transformation challenge is to bring poetry into the moment. Here's my haiku for today's special moment with Nish. Camaraderie Sisters, memories Reminiscing and laughing em...

Fun mail came in this past week. The pushing the envelope challenge always gives me something to look forward to. from the two Jeans! Jean R. had lettered a quote from Mary Oliver, one of my favorite poets. Her copperplate was exquisite..and the love stamp worked perfectly. White lettering on the love stamp and white lettering on the blue envelope, very clever.  Jean W., who organizes, runs and masterminds the Pushing the Envelope exchange sent me a lovely envelope, lettered in white, and accented with colored pencils. I loved the owl stamps she used. Basketball Susan used my name to expand the basketball stamp to the edge of the envelope (right in time for the NBA draft). As a basketball/Celtics/Kevin Garnett, AB, IT Brad Stevens fan, this was perfect for me. Janet's envelope is underneath, love the gold accents on the blue lettering. Even more special was the card she enclosed of her painting, Boat on a Beach in Ireland. Janet's watercolor This could rank with...

Thank goodness for Friday flowers, you can be assured that changes are always happening in the garden. knockout pink! Looking around and seeing that pop of color always lifts my spirit. knock out red! Since starting to blog, I have seen some fantastic photos, and I am inspired. The shape and color are stunning, so I have taken the time to get up close and personal. If only I could do their beauty justice. Onz has suggested I take it to a different level, and practice sketching or painting. I've put that in my planner for next week's to do list. Roses for inspiration. Another part of my transformation Thursday is to do something creative everyday. Also not just to read and admire blogs, but to incorporate some of what I see into my journey. Karen creates some simple, elegant, beautiful cards, so I wanted to incorporate some of that into my card/envelope exchange this month. A group of zebras is called a dazzle, but even in a group of zebras you...

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of listening to Hallie Ephron give a talk on her new book, You'll Never Know Dear. Hallie's latest. Hallie spoke a little bit about her personal life. She grew up in Hollywood. You may be familiar with her sisters Nora and Delia Ephron, responsible for such gems as Heartburn, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Silkwood,  Sleepless in Seattle, Julie and Julia, When Harry Met Sally, You've got Mail, the list goes on and on. Her parents were collaborating writers, responsible for writing the screenplays for Carousel and Daddy Long legs, among others. Hallie also has the writing gene, and has been a finalist for the Edgar Award and four time finalist for the Mary Higgins Clark award. Talented story teller, a dose of Hollywood glamour and after her talk, I can add engaging and funny! Hallie's new book centers on a porcelain doll which may hold the key to a disappearance of a little girl years before. Hallie came up with the idea f...

The tall ships are in Boston this weekend. They arrived Saturday, and it was foggy.  Luckily, we had been invited to a party on Sunday... on a chartered yacht. I think I missed my calling.. Seas the day! I's a birthday party! Sunday proved to have fantastic weather, with quite a breeze to keep us comfortable. Boston Harbor Wind in our hair This was the perfect occasion to pull out my Lilly Pulitzer you gotta regatta dress! And boy did we regatta! The crew circulated with all sorts of appetizers and I had  a spiked cranberry seltzer... Boston with a twist and a little kick. Here are some of the ships we saw on our voyage Seen in Boston... Fi and me We cruised down as far as Hull and then it was back to City. Boston skyline Zakim Bridge Docked and back on dry land, we will remember our birthday bash on the water for quite a while. Smooth sailing to you.

Friday flowers follows that transformation Thursday theme. I love this time of the year; to look out in my garden seeing new things coming to life, and some old mainstays lingering on. The pansies seem to be lasting a long time. Since I am a sentimentalist at heart, I can't bear to get rid of them while they are still flowering, even if a bit straggly. So cut back, they remain in their spot, with a few white petunias to offset them. Side garden in transition And of course, there is a rose bush in the flower bed. Copacabana The back garden is filled with roses. It seems every time I look another bud has bloomed.  And talk about a climbing rose bush... Over 10 feet in the air through the lilac tree reaching for the sun up close and beautiful! Nature...showing the heights we can reach if we have the support. As for me, getting loads of support here and keeping up with my contentment and transformation challenge. No unnecessary s...

Susan Branch....yay! she signed them for us! Before we went to Ireland, Fi and I attended a Love of Literature luncheon hosted by South Shore Stars.  It is their annual fundraiser for RISE... Reading is so Exciting.  For me, this couldn't be more accurate. As my local librarian recently told my daughter, " I love your mom, she is open to anything." So true, but being a cautious person, my adventures are limited to between the pages of a book.   Still, I would say it's a great way to experience adventures, get a taste of other cultures,  gain a different perspective, be entertained while learning, and expand your world. If you haven't picked up on it, I am a life long lover of books.  And sometimes, I have had the chance to meet an amazing, interesting, kind, heartwarming author/artist. Tea with Susan Branch. I love Susan's style and whimsical illustrations, recipes and books, so I was excited to attend this tea.  Even though Susan said she is reall...

Whew! The heat is on, with a fury....all of a sudden, it's gotten hot, hot, hot. In a week, it has gone from rainy and cold to hot and humid. Vacation and last week's weather have put the planting a little behind schedule but I am on it.  Hopefully, those tender roots will survive this heat and thrive. ...with a little help from the angels. Have a good start on the front garden...and I have hung my summer basket on the door. Summer color! Roses are in bloom... and the portulaca (or moss roses) have been planted. But there is still alot to do.  All this gardening has left little time for mail creation, but some of my favorite magazines came. I will be browsing through them tonight while enjoying iced tea in the back garden. Time to sit sit back and relax. And of course, temptation came through the mail slot... oh no, these must go... As part of my contentment challenge with no unnecessary purchases for 90 days, these had to be ...