Saturday, March 31, 2012

April Gathering


Spent a few hours playing 
in the studio this week and 
created a nest for the porch.
Tucked in bits of moss, feathers and 
textures and dangled a wee primitive bird
 from the top to swing in the breeze.
I had so much fun I thought a few
of you might want to join me to make one 
of your own.

 Gathering at my house:
April 21st from 10 am - 2 pm
All supplies included
A light brunch will be served.
$45.00
Email to register
Only 8 seats available this time.
Hope to see you.


Tomorrow I choose the 2 winners 
of my 8 Away Giveaway! WoOt!

Good luck and thank you my friends
for always supporting me.
z


Thursday, March 29, 2012

My Two Boys


Life gives us unexpected gifts.
I was hoping Dearest Son
would be able to visit a few days this week and 
  a text came at work Wednesday around 11 saying, "I'm leaving now."

He arrived late afternoon and grabbed a coffee 
with his Dad and 
then we were going to dinner.
While waiting for him to return, 
my phone rang and my "other surrogate" son Ivan
called saying. "I'm in town for a few hours,
can we get together?"
I squealed "Guess who else is here!!!"
So last night at around 6:30 I had both boys here on my porch
sipping wine and chowing down some great 
Capriotti's sandwiches and laughing and catching up.

Heaven.
Ben and Ivan became best friends in jr high
and the two spent nearly every school weekend
and summer day here at my house,
because, well, Ivan needed to be here 
with us and we wanted him here.
So birthed by someone else but
a part of this family forever nonetheless.

Insert big contented sigh here
________
now, if only baby girl could be here.
This distance crap sucks, 
sorry,
but it does.
I want to be 3" tall and be able to
 travel along in their pockets
now and then. Not forever,
just a little bit,
just to fill me up with that goopey
oh I love them so feelings to tide me over
until the real big hugs come.

Mom? Dad? I am so sorry I lived so far away,
even though it was beyond my control.
I am so sorry that I never came home enough.
This distance crap has always sucked.
I get it now.

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Additions

Still stuffing the 1st Giveaway Box
(just about full).
Made a bunch of tags and threw in some fun 
crafting ephemera.
A weekly planner, address book, paper craft kit,
felted balls and roses etc.....

The 2nd Giveaway gift has unfortunately sold out.
Seems the word got out somehow about
"the bucket"
Did I cause that?
Am I the all powerful OZ of cleaning choices?
An alternate gift will be sent instead since they 
could not determine when the bucket will return.
Equally cool and equally a favorite of mine.

So I added a couple more mags to this group
(I know can you believe it? and yes
that is the WWC Cookbook under the pile)
and all the stuff in the first pic
and that should do it.

I passed the follower milestone, thank you my friends,
 and now have 6 more posts until the big 500.
So 2 names will be drawn on April 1st.
Will yours be one of them?
enter HERE

Also Tanya sent me this link and I am 
passing it on to those interested in the whole
Pinterest discussion.
VERY interesting reading.

Dearest son coming in this week for a quick visit from LA,
WOOT to the 10th power,
and the garden is being tended bit by bit,
in between work and everything else
so it is busy here at OGM.

Seems everyone is busy with all the early
luxurious Spring weather.
makes me a mite nervous though..
What is our planet up to now?

and my final musing:
Is anyone else as thrilled as I am to have Mad Men back on?
jeez louise..about damn time!

Sunday, March 18, 2012

8 AWAY GIVEAWAY

So the deal is..
I am 8 away from 2 milestones.
In 8 posts (now 7 posts I guess),
I will have posted 500 times.
NO WAY - NO HOW
nuh uh!
Yeppir, I've done it.


So I'm gonna stuff a box with goodies
and mail it off to one of you gals.
I already have a few items...
but plan to add soooooooo much more, so stay tuned.


The other milestone is another big bunch of followers,
so I am also going to 
order and send one of these beauties. 


to one of you beauties. 
If you missed my love affair with 
the blue bucket read here.

You know the routine:
Leave me a comment on this post for one entry.

Post about it, link back to me, or use this pic and link it to 
old grey mare in your sidebar and let me know in a second comment for another entry.


WHOOPS someone just reminded me...
Follow me or remind me that you follow
 in a third comment for a third entry.
You'd think I'd know by now how this works : D


Two winners will be picked on April 1st.

Now, what else to add to the box?

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Green and Yellow St Pat's


Supposed to be windy tonight and tomorrow.


Wanted to snap a few before the nasty 
winds empty the branches.
They've already put the rooster askew.


These Banks Roses all burst out in the last two days.
Every year without fail, they put on their best show
just for me.


All so fleeting though... it is sad..
and I am always careful.....


Alas, they vanish quickly but
 they give me such joy for a few days...

I have been out on the porch restringing lights and 
washing all the furniture and shutters down.
Another simple pleasure that 
just brings me joy.
I also popped into the library yesterday after work 
 and grabbed a tote full of novels.
Finished an Elizabeth Berg last night.
What more could a gal want?

johnny depp
ice cream
to be a size 2
to be 3" inches taller
jude law
a new purse
a maid
robert downey jr
a cook
new shoes
johnny depp
ice cream...
ahem
focus z focus

Friday, March 16, 2012

It Is Friday


It is Friday
I am Happy
I am Tired
I am digging the Spring Weather
I will be Digging in the Garden
this weekend in between Raindrops.
Until then, store Tulips will have to do.
They do, just fine.

Happy weekend everyone!

Z

Saturday, March 10, 2012

I'm In Love

Tall
Gorgeous
Broad Shouldered
All the "parts" work
Hot

Cold
Clean
Shiny
White
Blue
huh?




This might seem silly,
but to me, this is a banner day.
After 16 years my badly working fridge died.
After an hour of negotiating at Sears last week,
 I purchased this new beauty at a great price, 
and it was delivered today.
The ice and water work (after 8 years without) 
and it's all bright and shiny inside 
with so much more room!
I cannot even fill it today.


I am beyond thrilled!
it's not sub zero, it's not stainless, etc
but to me it is gorgeous and I feel so fortunate.


Then there is this baby.
I waited till it was a "today's special" on HSN
 with free shipping
and then I snapped it up after 
watching it for about a year.
My budget is such that spending $40.00 
has to be carefully considered,
so know that I thought awhile on 
this amount for a bucket.

But it is worth every penny.
Go to the link up there
and it will explain how it works,
how you spin it clean, and spin it dry....
you can even watch the video,
but I've got to tell you
I love this thing, 
and enjoy mopping.
Seriously!

So nothing profound or inspiring today,
just a Saturday at Z's house.
I am mopping and listening to my new ice 
dropping down... I know I have to toss the first dispensings,
but a few hours from now you can bet
I'll be enjoying a great iced tea,
checking my reflection in the fridge door 
and shiny clean, tiled floors.
again...
 simple pleasures....

happy weekend all.

I have two blog milestones approaching soon,
so I am collecting a box of goodies
for two winners..
Stay tuned

Z

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Poofy Pinterest

Not quite "poof" I'm gone,
but only a faint shadow of my former Pinterest self.
Here is the conclusion I came to
 that works for me, for now, time allowing.
I kept the two boards of my stuff, because I
 have my permission, and so do any of you.
I also kept tutorials and recipes because duh...
people do want us to 
use them ( I hope) and (hopefully share).
 I still have some
residual guilt about these two,
 but for now this is where I am. 
I removed my link from my sidebar 
so as not to promote Pinterest.

Eventually when I have time to go through the DIY
and libations and bookmark it all I will be able
 to remove it all, and THEN "poof".
But it is Sunday afternoon, and I have scads to do
 including tax stuff and I'm just too cranky to 
worry anymore about this, but there are things I do 
want to be able to locate, so only 3/4 's poofed.

Everyone do what you 
think is best for you. 
I can now stop fretting about 
hurting anyone in any way.
whew!
now shall we talk politics?
just kidding....

Friday, March 2, 2012

Seeing The Light

I awakened long before sun up this morning,
and was not a happy gal....
figured I might as well haul my
keister out of bed and make some coffee.
As I came down the stairs,


I saw this.

No retouch, this is exactly how the 
light was coming through the transom window.

My photographer friends keep talking about
"the light" and I listen with one ear but it flies right back
out the other side, and I never seem to focus on 
conditions, or grab the camera like I should.

Today, I saw the light...

Happy weekend all,
and to my dear friends in the path 
of the storms, please be careful, I
need you in my life.

much love,
z