... a bouquet from my garden.

"People from a planet without flowers would think
we must be mad with joy the whole time
to have such things about us."
- Iris Murdoch, A Fairly Honourable Defeat

...a quiet breakdown.

It was inevitable. Bound to happen sooner or later. All the signs were there. Late nights talking to friends, too much shopping, searching for information he just had to have, hardly ever taking a break, rarely sleeping. He'd gone for a whole year without a cough or a sniffle. Holding my memories for me, keeping my secret passwords. He had such a photographic mind, he could bring up visions for me long forgotten and would help me to open up that creative place no one else could reach. I hope it's not serious. "Just exploratory", they said when I signed his entrance papers. They would call me if they had to open him up to have a closer look. It was harder than I'd thought, leaving him. Just a week they thought. I week would seem like a year without him. I lingered for awhile, tempted to take him back home, denying that there was anything wrong. After all, he is my voice. Oh sure, his friend "Dell" is letting me speak through him, but it's just not the same...I miss my MAC.

...a glimpse through my window.

In order to see birds, it is necessary to become part of the silence.
- Robert Lynd

I woke up on Saturday morning knowing I needed to make a Birthday card for a dear friend who loves all things "bird". I had been trying unsuccessfully for months to sit quietly in my back yard and capture some fluttering friends to add to my photo collection. With three finch feeders and a forest of trees and flowers, you would think this would be easy. Absolutely not!
What elusive little creatures!
Well, as luck would have it that Saturday morn, I woke to an unusual amount of chirpy chatter coming from outside my bedroom window. There on the bush outside, were dozens of tiny little birds, scurrying for their breakfast. They seemed to be enjoying an avian gourmet feast. I ran to get my camera, and of course when I got back, not a feather in sight. There I stood for what seemed like eternity, camera to window pane, waiting patiently for their return. As you can see, I was rewarded by one little fellow who landed on a piece of garden art and turned, almost posed, in my direction. Maybe he knew just how wonderful he would look on a card, and what pleasure he would bring to the Birthday Girl.
Thank you little bird, I am very grateful.

...my return from a break.

Mother's Day in the garden. My birthday cake.

Birthday bouquet, peony's and tulips. Greg.
Lexie in the meadow. My nephew Daniel.

Wow! It's amazing how fast time fly's. It wasn't intentional, I didn't plan it, and most of all didn't realize how long it would be, but I took a break. So much has gone on in since my last post... I celebrated my 49th birthday (yes the last year of my 40's), had a Mother's Day lunch in my garden; At Mom's request, had a wonderful Indian dinner for her Birthday; Greg, my friend/brother/partner in crime has returned from his home in Panama and is now staying with me. I have worked on a couple of custom card projects for clients, and watched my youngest nephew graduate from High School (where did the years go?) I cleared my head (which needs a lot of clearing these days) on the trails and meadows with my dog Lexie. She tends to benefit from my de-stressing aids. Somehow a dog in full motion in an open field tends to relax the human mind. Thank you to those who e-mailed and asked about my whereabouts and if all was OK.
It's so warming to know that there are those out there who care.
I'm back, all is good, and will post often.