A boy so nice...

 

We named him twice..Jon Jon! 

 No longer this sweet little boy, but a man. 

 Strong and hard working, loving and kind. 

Talented and funny.

So proud to call him my Son. 

 Happy Birthday dear Jon. 

I love you so!

 May all your dreams come true! 

aka MOM

From My Window

 

SNOW

 

Out my front door...
SNOW


 

So beautiful, so ephemeral, so pure...magical!

Enjoy this beautiful day my friends.

Walking the Mall

 

When the streets are too slippery and the sidewalks are not cleared,
we drive to the mall for our walk.
The inspiration is free, and I do find so many great ideas.
My budget does not include any actual shopping right now,
 but I sure love to window shop!

Isn't this art beautiful?  A die or punch is all you need,
 and the patience to line up all these hearts

 

Pottery Barn, be still my heart.
This giant basket with the egg shaped plates, swoon.
I do have egg shaped bowls, and a big basket...
My finger is on my temple as I think, think, think...
(It works for Winnie the Pooh.)

 

Where would I put brunch with a basket this size on the table?

 

I love the pops of green...

 

This was Willams Sonoma's window.  Love the large hanging...
Which reminds me, I have a large hanging with flowers and a watering can.
Years ago, there was a home on another block, just like ours.
Every year, for the spring, they hung a large banner, and I always admired it.
I told them so at a garage sale once.
One day, years later, I found the banner and one other at my front door.
The kindness of strangers!  They were moving and remembered that I admired them
 and wanted me to have the hangings. (They were store displays from Pier One.)
I need to hang it this year!

 

Eggs are a motif that I use year round.  I little modge podge and I could make a tray like this...

Anyway, that's what happens on our walks at the fancy pants mall.  Inspiring...

Another snowstorm is supposed to arrive about noon.  I've got soup in the fridge, projects to work on, and books that were never read on our trip to NY.  Hope that you are safe and snug where ever you are reading this. Thank you so very much for stopping by, and for your sweet comments.  They make my day.

What are you up to these last days of February?

Small Changes

 

I found a few things in the past weeks...random things.  Two ironstone sugar bowls.


 

This potted wreath, and the low fluted bowl.

 

My cloche is filled with crochet thread.


 

A bunch of curly willow from the grocer.
Somewhere between Winter and Spring,
my buffet has a fresh new look.




 

I picked this door (well, actually my sweetheart put it in the car for me) out of my neighbors trash.
It needs a sanding, but has some possibilities!  The wreath a gift from my friend Kathy.

 

It was sooo good to see the sunshine this weekend. 

I love how the light traversed the room,

 spotlighting my butterfly print. 

Cleaned the house, baked and cooked for the family. Sunday dinner, I love when we are all together.  Jon and Charlotte...Mike was home too.  (In New York they were having company too and a pot roast!)

Watched the Oscars...we all laughed really hard.  Life is good my friends...life is good! 

Happy Happy birthday to our dear Doug.  Great daddy to our sweet p. and sweet partner to Kris.  Thanks for taking care of our girls.  We love you!

Thanks for all of my birthday love. It was so great to see all of your dear messages. Preparing for yet another snowstorm, making up for all the snow we missed early on this winter.  I'm ready...be safe my friends.  Enjoy this beautiful day.

Turning 58

 

This is what was waiting for me when I returned from NY.
I turned 58, oh my goodness!


 

My sons Jon and Mike got me the sweetest cards and gift cards and licorice.
 I'd rather have black licorice than chocolate!
The hugs I got, now that was the best!
These guys... we are closerthanthis!
Thank you my sons my sons! 

 

My pal Jean, too generous and thoughtful any day of the week.
Look at these fun spools of twine.  I had to ask her where she got them...I knew people would ask...gardeners.com.

 

This oh so cool wind chime. I'll find a better place to hang it.
 Thank you Jean, for the gift of you in my life everyday! 
Love you!


The Sisters on this post it are wearing the habit of the Sisters of the Holy Family,
 the order that taught me in grade school.

There are only two people who call me Penka, (my Polish name my Buscia used to call me) my brother Tony and my dear friend Kathy.  I have a story about Kathy and Poland that I need to share one day, but look at this bowl.  I've always admired this Polish pottery.

Thank you Kath, you are so special.  You keep me young by calling me my childhood nick name,
and I love you for it.


 

Jane my friend.  Thank you so much for this pretty stepping stone.
Another one of my friends that is always there for me. Love you pal!

 

From the land of falling snow, my bosom buddy Lynne.  We met through our blogs, but she is my friend, just as sweet and kind as you can imagine.  Valentine sweets and these air dry clay hearts.

 Love to you too Lynne!

I love that cards from the dearest people in my life fill the mantle.

I almost forgot, a sweet Valentine from Charlotte. Love you sweetie!

Then my answering machine was full of greetings...brothers, my niece, dear friends...

An embarrassment of riches, an overflowing of the heart. Thank you all for making my life so sweet.
If this is 58, bring on 59, 60, 61...




Thanks for visiting my dear friends.  Enjoy this beautiful day!

The Long Way Home

 

To say it was hard leaving this little one would be an understatement.  I kissed her a hundred times, and she let me.  I really think that she was sad too.  She has velvet soft cheeks, and the bluest eyes that are wise beyond her months.  Kris and Doug are great parents, but for the most part are on their own.  I'll never be happy with them there in NY so far away from us.  When I am there I miss everyone I have to leave here, our sons, the little bird and baby bug, Elizabeth, my bro Greg and family, all my my brothers and their families, my friends. My hope (and prayer) is that...well you know what it is.  Until then...

 

It was a long, long way home...I cried in every state.

 

Saw this sign on the way home...on the other side of the road.

 

I was still weepy when the sun set...

 

as the distance between sweet Penny and me became greater and greater.  I stopped  crying when we hit bad weather in Indiana, and prayed for a safe return before the rain turned to snow.  We drove all the way through...13+ hours.  It was great to be home!  My sweet boys were there to greet us...with big hugs, cards and gifts for my birthday.  There's no place like home.  That night, we slept like teenagers. (Have you ever tried to wake a sleeping teenager?)

Now that the car is unpacked, the laundry is done and the dishes are done, so to speak, I want to tell you about what awaited me when I got home...  More tomorrow!

Thank you so much for stopping by.  Enjoy this beautiful day!

The Littlest New Yorker

 

See that scowl, that's our granddaughter Penny, the littlest New Yorker.
On the day we arrived we went for a walk in Kris and Doug's Brooklyn neighborhood.
They took the day off for our arrival, thanks guys!
We ended up at a small  Italian restaurant.  Penny is a very good baby, so patient, but she has a New York attitude.    She lightened up when they brought the food.  Grandma shared her just baked bread with Penny.  She just popped two new teeth, now the total is four, and she can officially bite.
We shared my chicken Parmesan with spaghetti.  It was a first for her and she loved it.  In fact I got some looks when I tried to eat some!  Luckily there was plenty and even Grandpa got to share.
It was a small place, not too many patrons.  The music was good, so Penny and I stood next to the table and we rocked to the music.  I have never been more comfortable in a restaurant...a proud grandma holding her sweet p.
My worries about if she would know me were for naught.  She just woke from her nap when Doug brought her out to me.  She looked shocked to see me, but came right to me...sigh ;-)
 

On my birthday, Kris wanted to take me to Tinsel Trading...Martha Stewart's favorite store in NY.
This was the traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge.  Yikes!  Kris thought since it was the weekend we would have no problem parking...well, 2 hours later we had not found a single space or a garage that would take our over sized SUV. It was Fashion Week and the store is in the garment district.  I did see Tinsel Trading, I was this close...but it was not to be.  There was no way we could leave my dearest, or a safe place to exit the car with the baby in tow.  Another time Kris, but thanks for trying!

 

Bridges, bridges everywhere.  This is the Manhattan Bridge.

 

This is the Williamsburg Bridge...how'd I do Kris?

 

I've been in downtown Chicago a hundred times, nothing compares to traffic in Manhattan.
And not to be snarky, but it's nowhere near as beautiful or clean as Chicago.
.
 

We capped the day with a trip to Ikea.  Taking advantage of having our large truck at their disposal, Kris and Doug purchased a new area rug for their living room.  More comfortable crawling space for this little one.  She looks so serious in these photos, but this girl loves to laugh.  She loved watching all the children who were shopping with their parents.  Penny laughed out loud at one family's kids.  She gets so excited just to hear a child's voice.  We waited a good 45 minutes in line...if there were a well behaved child award at Ikea, Penny would have been the recipient.

More to come.  Thanks for stopping by, and have a great day my friends.