Home Sweet Home

Song - Home by Jack Johnson

 

A friend recently wrote to me saying that I left you all hanging back in Paris!  And that would be almost two months ago!  Yikes - sorry about that. But I have truly had my arms full......

 

 Our new grandson Charlie arrived on May 20th to the delight of all! And...

 

Just a few days later Mr. B flew to Colorado to pick up our new Westie puppy - Maggie!

 

 

 

 

So I am now painting in a "puppy safe" zone!!!

The deer recently discovered how to get into our backyard and destroyed my newly planted veggie garden as well as most of my rose bushes. We put in some extra fencing around our property and I moved some of my veggie garden into our old chicken coop area. That area has been a garden dumping place for years now and it's so nice to have it all cleaned out......

 

 

...well, I still have a few pots to clean before putting them back in place.

 

Hope to see you again soon!  I've missed you all.....J

 

 “Life takes you unexpected places, love brings you home.”

 

 

 

 

Missing You

 Song - Time to Say Goodbye by Andrea Bocelli & Sarah Brightman

 

I have been waiting for the day to share with you about what has been going on in my life lately.....beside Covid.....beside California wildfires.....and smoke.....beside 100+ degree weather.

 

My last post was July 1st. 

 

The very next day we got the unexpected news that my mom Betty was very ill and in just three short weeks she passed away. 

 

A few days ago her home and the house that my family have lived in since 1956 sold. For the last few weeks my brother and I have gone through our family belongings.  Nothing of real monetary value, mostly fond memories.......the best.  

 

It brought us closer working through the grief, remembering fun times, giving items to family members and getting rid of the rest, laughing and crying. Her faithful little dog Buddy was re-homed to a loving family in Sacramento and they are all so happy to be together.  

 

The birds that mom fed have missed her as well as they keep coming to the feeders and the windows wondering where she is.  

I struggled with posting about this as it felt to dear to me and I was still too tender.  

 

I trusted myself to wait until the right time came.  I even thought about just starting up again with a happy post about a flower and act like nothing had happened.  But in the last few days it came to me.....YOU know exactly how this place feels.  You have been here at some point in your life so you know. And that is why I needed to share with you so that you know you are not alone.

 

 

"The reality is that you will grieve forever.  

You will not 'get over' the loss of a loved one; 

you will learn to live with it. 

You will heal and you will rebuild yourself 

around the loss you have suffered.  

You will be whole again 

but you will never be the same.  

Nor should you be the same 

nor should you want to."

                                            --Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

The Figurative Storm

Song - The Way We Were by Gladys Knight

Mt. Diablo from Kaiser Hospital in Antioch

Yes, I have been out of commission for the last few weeks as I have been helping my parents out.  My mom had hip replacement surgery and my dad needed some support.  Luckily I have a wonderful brother, sister-in-law & Mr. B to help out.

All went well and I brought mom home from the nursing facility this morning! 

So the figurative storm is passing......

It filled my heart with joy to see the two of them sitting in their beautiful backyard today, in the warm sun, holding hands!


"Life is better than death, I believe, if only because it is less boring, and because it has fresh peaches in it."  --Alice Walker

Daniel

Song - Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd 

Life is short
and oh so fragile.

Hold it softly

Treasure it dearly.

Daniel...

The world feels a little quieter 

and very empty with out you here.

You will be missed. 



"We all shine on...." - John Lennon

Pause

My friends and family are going through a lot right now. Life is precious and sometimes I am reminded of that when there is a little bump in my daily routine, like when one of my boys gets the flu or the dog gets an ear infection that won't go away.
But lately there have been big life changing events for loved ones. At times it's frightening but when I pause and re-center myself, I am reminded that the universe has bigger plans.

Even a tiny insect causes me to pause now and wonder as to it's purpose in this world.  Everything works together in tiny microsystems and at times I forget how important these beings are. Right now I am pumping Morphine into my friend while she sleeps. She just had emergency surgery last night but she will be fine. This I feel deep in my soul. My cousin however had to make a heart retching decision yesterday that I just don't know how or where to hold. She had to make the decision to take her husband off of life support system after only 48 hours of finding out he was sick.  No time to deal.... or talk..... or dream..... or think before you lose your life's best friend.  I'm am so sad for her incredible loss. 

"Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude."-Denis Waitley

Giving Thanks

Mentors maybe our parents, spouse, children or friends.  Certainly we glean much about life from them but my true mentors have been two incredible women who came into my life during a personal struggle.  Both have taught me to see life in a new and exciting way.  Gayle has taken me on a journey to discover my deeper self and my strength.  Marcy has helped me see the light in life through painting and how to find my true passion.  And both have taught me to laugh!

"More than mere teachers, mentors are often emancipators, freeing artists from poor technique, clouded vision and personal uncertainty."  - Paul Soderberg 

"In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit." - Albert Schweitzer