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Bees with Rose Spice on Their Feet

6/27/2017

June is the month of roses and therefore the month of bees in my gardens. You really can’t have one without the other. When we moved into our current house there was a wonderful line of wild roses that survived years of neglect. I could replace them with some modern hybrid species, but I look upon them as deserving of a place in the yard because they are survivors. Hardy, aromatic and beautiful when they bloom once a year, I love watching how attractive they are to the large variety of bees that still frequent our yard.

Early one morning I spent a long time watching the bees collecting pollen and buzzing in and out of the just opening roses. It is said that the hum of bees is the voice of a garden. And this garden was doing a lot of talking. “Busy busy. Growing growing. I am beautiful. Smell me. It is summer.” The bees had their pollen. I had my coffee cup. The sun was shining and the air was full of the scent of roses. I wanted to stay.

As I watched the bees dancing in and out of the blossoms I thought of one of my favorite quotes about bees. “Bees do have a smell, you know, and if they don’t they should, for their feet are dusted with spices from a million flowers” - Ray Bradbury. These bees had rose spice on their feet. And so I was glad that we had kept that old line of roses. I will be back to spend more moments with the roses and the bees next year. And for that one day, at least, I felt like there was some rose spice on my feet too.

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I'm the Pilot

6/20/2017

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Summer always goes so fast. I always want to do so many fun activities and it seems in the blink of an eye the summer is gone and I’m wondering where the time went. So this year I am determined to not let the time slip past. I have spent time with friends and family purposefully scheduling time together so that as I rip the summer months off the calendar I won’t feel as if the summer has passed me by.

I read an interesting quote the other day which kind of summed up how I feel: “The bad news is that time flies. The good news is you are the pilot.” (Michael Altshuler) And that really is the truth. I can’t do much about the passage of time. It’s going to fly by especially when it’s summer and I’m having fun. But I can plan, rearrange and facilitate how I want that time to be occupied. I’m not just a passenger. I want to be the pilot.

So hop on your own plane this summer. Pilot yourself to what you want to do with the people you want to be with. And time will still fly. But so will you!

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Potential and Process

6/6/2017

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As a crafter I am forever making things. Sometimes for myself but more often to sell or for gifts. If I were to answer the question of " How did you come up with that?" I'm not sure how to respond. Ideas are forever coming in and out of my head. My eyes are always looking at colors and shapes. There are pictures in my mind of lovely items in the corners of my booth space and wrapped in boxes waiting to bring a smile to the face of someone special. But before this happens there is also the love of the process of creating. So let me share a little of that process with you.

The simple keyhole shape in the dolls above came from a desire to make a smaller character doll. I've been collecting garments made of 100% linen for many years. I love the natural feel and the look of linens and the beautiful colors I can find. I wanted to make a doll with a small positive message, like a greeting card in 3D form. So the pairing of the linen and the small doll form came together. A kind fellow vendor gave me the balls of vintage material strips and I've been looking for a good use for them. They naturally fit as an embellishment to the dolls' outfit and make wonderful hair. Simple facial features and eyes scrounged out of my sewing box make up the faces. An added message finishes the project. Perhaps I'll leave some of those message papers blank so they can hold a personal greeting. A day of experimenting and putting it all together. So fun. And a new Wistful Grandma item is born.

My autumn lineup of craft shows is all set. For now I have the task of spending my days doing more creating, expanding inventory, getting lost in the process and realizing the potential. I'll be in my craft room - if you can find me in the piles of material, embellishments and quirky odds and ends that only I understand. Potential and process. It doesn't get any better than that!

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Nature's Daycare

6/2/2017

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Last week as I pulled up the window shade I discovered I had a new job for the day. There was a small fawn tucked into the bushes under our bedroom window. As does will with their young, she had deposited her fawn in what she considered a safe place for the day while she went out to forage. For whatever reason the chosen spot was beneath our bedroom window.

I was now running a fawn daycare! I had so much enjoyment stopping my work every half an hour or so to peek at my small visitor. Curled up with two parallel spot lines running head to tail the fawn looked safe and comfy. Occasionally the fawn stood up to stretch. Looking up at me with a shiny wet nose on wobbly legs it looked tiny and vulnerable. I have no idea why its mother chose to leave it so close to my view. Certainly under my window was not the most wild or out of the way spot as far as human contact was concerned. But we spent the day peacefully taking each other in.

I did not see the moment when mom returned to pick the fawn up. But late in the afternoon on one of my checks the fawn was gone. I felt disappointed. It's not often living in a town that I get such prolonged contact with young wildlife. I felt oddly happy that I had been entrusted with the safety of one of nature's young things for a day. And I just want to tell all the wild things out there that my daycare is open anytime!

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Bees with Rose Spice on Their Feet

I'm the Pilot

Potential and Process

Nature's Daycare

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