SA-TUR- DAY Night!

Probably one of my all-time favorite songs and a nostalgic one at that!  It also helps that the Bay City Rollers were a favorite of my older siblings and I remember well looking at the album cover while rocking out to this song as a very young child!  I dug the plaid!

I'm sitting here on a Saturday night working on a few things online when my inbox starts filling up with Facebook notifications: " tagged you a photo of you on Facebook."  I know well where this could lead, but I'm not exactly sure where this trip down memory lane will begin.  You see, I met this FB friend at age 6 and remained good friends with her all the way through to grade 12, the possibilities are endless, I toggle over a tab or two to my Facebook page. 

The photos are classic, some are blurry, but as I find my face in each image, my mind is flooded with reflections of the way life used to be.  Yes, that was an intentional reference to a song lyric and yes, I intentionally chose the China Beach intro as my representation for the classic song by The Supremes.   I am no fool, I knew this song on its own before its use as a theme song, but you see for me memories are as closely linked to music as they are to photographs.  And where these photos leave off and this lyric kicks in is about the time that one of my favorite television show debuted.

It has been an odd memory week.  I was scrolling through some of my Facebook photos earlier in the week and a photo that I took of driftwood on the shoreline in 2010 led me to scroll through an album with much older photos. 

I was on the hunt for one from 1979 also taken at the shore, but more specifically on the steps of my grandparents' home.  It is a photo of me sitting with my Pop-Pop in 1979, mere months before he passed away.  I was 4 and intensely aware of how much I was loved - you can see it in the way I am sitting next to him, his arm around my waist, pulling me in closer.  He is seen in profile, so engaged in the moment with me, but I can imagine the smile on his face and the twinkle in his kind eyes.  I remember all of this, but there is no song with this photo or any of my memories of him, just a song in my heart that remembers well how loved I was by him...

Blog Clearing House

Letters I wrote never meaning to send...well in this case they are blog posts that were started and left as drafts.  If you see a flurry of posts in the next few days and topics don't seems to match the date, it is because I am polishing up some of those drafts and sharing them with you.  So Father's Day flower conversation on March 6 is just the beginning of this clearing house! 

Pineapples too Cute to Eat

Flowers for Fathers?  Yes.  When your Dad is the biggest teddy bear you know and your Father-in-Law is an avid gardener, it makes perfect sense to pull together fragrant bouquets in their honor.

As hostess of breakfast for my Dad and a guest at my in-law's table for dinner on Father's Day, I wanted to create  centerpieces to dress the tables at which meals would be shared to honor the Dads in my life.


The selection of flowers at my local Produce Junction was limited, but inspiration struck when I reconsidered the plastic tubs nearest the entrance that were bursting with tall, proud sunflowers!  The sunflowers triggered memories of flowers and arrangements I had seen while visiting my Father-in-Law's South American birthplace, Colombia, in the Fall of 2005.

With inspiration from that trip, I made a second lap around the fresh flower section and selected some tropical accompaniments for the sunflowers, ginger blossoms and birds-of-paradise.  Perfect.  It seemed my vision was complete, but then I spotted the cutest floral fillers ever - dwarf pineapples! 

Have you ever seen them?  They were the perfect finishing touch and both Dads were pleased as punch with their Father's Day flowers!

Oh Brother, "P" is for Packing

So we decided to use the plane tickets from the trip that we had to cancel last fall to go and visit my brother and sister-in-law in sunny California.  And while this decision in and of itself is wonderful, the task of PACKING is upon me once again!  Which means the chore of planning my wardrobe for days of sightseeing, afternoons by the pool or ocean, and evenings of fun, frolic, and delicious meals is all mine! 

Hello, Space Age, where are you?  I could totally use the Jetson's closet that I believed was my future when I was a wee lass watching cartoons. 

Space Age Ladies

Dear Wilma, 

That's my life, not yours.  Back to suitcases and the Stone Age! 
Hearts and flowers,
Jane Jetson

Modern Stone Age

Speaking of Fred and Wilma, for my husband, the task of packing is one that takes less than an hour and can be completed on the morning of departure.  To appease me, he tries to complete the task before David Letterman ends the night before we fly.  For me, it is as grueling process that includes days of laundry - sorting, washing, drying, folding - that culminates with an elementary school gym class team choosing event.   

Vacation Team takes, dressy denim walking shorts.

Home Team chooses preppy navy polo dress.  

Suddenly, my wardrobe develops feelings and a standard black flip flop cowers in the corner while Little Miss Cheerleader - a natural "shoe-in", metallic sandal, jumps into the suitcase.

And so the drama continues until my suitcase looks like this...

The Reality

long before it ever looks ANYTHING like this.

The Dream

And in a moment of clarity, I consider that I may have been approaching this in the wrong way all along.  And it was Samantha's magic that I needed to conjure up...

Girl with a Magical Plan

And with a snap of my fingers

And a twitch of my nose
I'll find my suitcase filled
With vacation-ready clothes!

When I Hear Music...

it makes me dance, sway, sing, daydream, imagine, hum, clap, close my eyes and just live in the moment.  All the more when this music is being played live in front of me.


Last night, one of my favorite bands, Iron and Wine, was in town for a concert at the Electric Factory  to promote their new album, "Kiss Each Other Clean". The show was the levity that this week needed.  It had been a long time since I had seen them during the 2005 tour with Calexico in support of the album, "In the Reins", so I was so excited and although my favorite song, Sixteen, Maybe Less, was not played last night, I was enchanted once more with Iron and Wine.

The Low Anthem opened with an incredible set that knocked my socks off.  I had not heard of them, but what an introduction! A well-mixed crowd of faces young and old showed warm appreciation towards both acts.  Personal affection and appreciation for well written words, music, and the showmanship of lead singer Sam Beam.  You know it is good when you feel 18 again just because you have closed your eyes and let the music carry you away!  Sam's lyrics are poetic and wistful and his voice is pure; he surrounds himself with talented and versatile musicians.

After a wonderful set, Sam returned to the stage for the encore featuring "The Trapeze Swinger" and the music was stripped down to the simple beauty of a poet and his guitar.

Grapes in the Grass

Old Navy Beaded Cluster Ring

Bursts of color are everywhere in the early blooming days of Spring.  The yellow, white, and purple of crocuses are soon followed by the yellow-white-orange shades of daffodils.  Tulips delight with their many colors, shapes, and varieties and the purple and pink hyacinths resemble brightly dyed Easter eggs.  While talking a walk a few days ago, I was reminded of another beauty and today a picture of a ring on an Old Navy post reminded me to sit down and look for its name.  I noticed the Grape Hyacinth first in a flower bed near the entrance to the walking trail, but then saw shoots of them during my walk in among the grass, weeds, and other vegetation.  I figured it was a hardy flower and was surprised by its "hyacinth" name.  I was further intrigued to discover it is a member of the Lily family, but I know that it is something to add to the Fall planting list and the ring, well that is something to add to the Spring shopping list! 

The Silly Pearl {Handmade}: Craft Tutorial: Party Blower Birthday Wreath

This craft idea "blew" me away! Great idea, looks truly adorable, and the instructions are straightforward! I'm keeping this one in my bag of tricks, waiting for the right occasion to pull it out and give it a try! Would be great with holiday themed prints, thinking of Halloween!

A tip of my hat to you Silly Pearl!

The Silly Pearl {Handmade}: Craft Tutorial: Party Blower Birthday Wreath