July report

 If you click on the picture, you might see Skye and Mark walking over on the other side of the pond.  Our new Canada Garden is still waiting for a fence, so we walk the park several times a day.

 We went to St Louis and Mark got fitted for a backpack!  I'm excited for him to get to hike the Appalachian Trail. 

Rachel and our Betsy girl.  Love love

 And more beautiful wedding pictures

San Antonio Botanical Garden

Our third Keto Con trip!  We went a few days early and visited San Antonio.  They have a beautiful botanical garden.  I loved these little vignettes of home landscapes:

Cottage Garden

 Texas Homestead (I didn't catch the name of this one, but it looks Texas!)

Spanish Courtyard 

A lawn of English ivy.

They also featured lots of plants that I've never seen growing before.  And while they aren't in their natural habitat, it was fun seeing these:

Avocado

Cashew

Coffee.  I've always wanted to see coffee growing!

Macadamia

Pineapple

 

And somehow I lost track of the shot of the olive trees!

 

 

 

Moving Canada Garden

After 27 years,  we left our sweet home in Laketown with the beautiful garden and are starting over again here in Chatham just a few miles down the road.  We have thought about moving for years.  And somehow this was the right house at the right time.

I learned a couple  things during this move: 
--When the moving company says you'll need two trucks, believe them. 
--Put all your keys in a place where you'll know where to find them.   If you do lose your keys in a move,  just call a locksmith.  They save the day when you need them.

I still don't know the answer to this question:   How did I get so much stuff and now what do I do with it??

So while I'm unpacking boxes and trying to figure out where to put everything and then trying to remember where I put the one thing I need in the moment, here are a few pictures of the new view of Canada Garden.

The first time I stood at the kitchen sink and looked out this window, I was hooked.

We walk around the park a couple times a day with our Skye girl.  

A fence is coming soon, and I've already bought a couple of new shrubs for the new Canada Garden. 

More in May

 We had a happy birthday dinner at Mark's favorite Mexican restaurant. 

and we went to Jacob and Lindsay's beautiful wedding

May Report

Remembering Judson every day, but especially on his May 1st birthday.  It was beautiful weather this year and the dogwoods were blooming exactly as I remember them when he was born.

 

The yard is as pretty as I've ever seen it. 

The front door garden, red hibiscus, yellow petunia and portulaca, and crotons for this early spring.

We had a lovely trip to Kentucky Lake, lots of fishing for Mark. 

I had never seen other birds at hummingbird feeders, but the orioles loved these.  We also got to watch a little bluebird pair coming and going, although they didn't seem interested in the sugar water.

Sunset from the boat.

Isaac and Jennifer are out in California where they are enjoying beautiful scenery too.

Daffodil Season

Tahiti daffodil bulbs are going in the shopping cart for this fall:  big double yellows with splashes of orange. They were everywhere at the botanical garden. 

 

We went to St Louis last week just to have something to do, something to think about. A lot of thinking has been  going on around here as we passed the six month mark since Judson's been gone. 

We've been thinking about buying a new house.  Mark is thinking about walking the Appalachian Trail next summer.  I'm thinking about writing a keto book--actually this is supposed to be a committed project but I have to confess I've been thinking more than writing lately!  Anyway, we're getting by as best we can and finding projects along the way.   We planted sweet peas in the garden today.  

And I'm going to add some of these Lightening Fire bulbs to the fall order too 💗

 

March 2019

 Mama and PJ came to see us last weekend :)

I stopped asking for a "nice" picture because the the laughter from clowning around was so sweet <3 p="">

Love these pictures of mama from their sedum sphere class at Mrs. Grae's.  And she gave me the one she made!  I hope I can keep it going, keeping my fingers crossed.

Isaac and Jennifer still in Costa Rica on their adventure.

It was good to meet one of Judson's co-workers last week. She shared this photo taken of Judson in early October, a couple of weeks before he left.  I so appreciate her kindness and support and the chance to hear her memories.

 I've been reading quite a bit about grief and life after life and that's been helpful.

The weather is getting warmer, the days are getting a little longer, 

and the daffodils are up in the back yard. 

I seem to have found a few more wrinkles, but life is still good and I am thankful for so much.

Birthday Card

Our Betsy's hand-made drawing of me, Mark and Skye on my birthday card.  I love their cards! You can see she got my hair color just right :)

Another Birthday

We went to Sgt Pepper's for a late lunch on my birthday.   We all miss Judson terribly, but it was good to be together.   I had a call from Isaac who is on his annual Costa Rica adventure, also phone calls and messages and lots of facebook birthday wishes.

 Mother Nature sent snow. 

Mark gave me Ninna Ricci perfume.  I haven't had any in years and I never see it in the stores anymore.  It was Nan's favorite and it makes me think of her.

I can't resist picking up another pot of bulbs every time we go to the grocery!

Keto birthday desserts-cheesecake and chocolate peanut butter pie.  Next time the pie is just going to be peanut butter cups.  Why bother with pie when you can have peanut butter cups?

Feb 28