This is our little Gracie. She was Olie’s little sister and what a handful she was. Today her face is getting as white as can be. She came to us as a puppy- a large puppy who was too much for her elderly owner. Here on the farm she could use up some of that supernatural puppy superpower. Oliver was patient and kind and taught her the boundaries. She was always over the top- joyful. I frequently thought that she was joy-puppified.

This is Gracie helping in the garden.

This is gracie looking for her keys in the snow.

This is gracie playing in the mud.

This is gracie in her happiest of places- the middle of the pond next door. Oh, how this dog loves to swim.

I have never had a dog that likes vegetables as she does. She picks cherries off of the tree….

she picks peas off the vine…

and she pulls carrots out of the garden before I get to them!

She was kind when Olie got older and finally respected his space. Much to her chagrin after Oliver passed away Theo came along and he was all the puppy that she was- stealing toys, herding, nipping and basically being a pesky younger sibling.

Now she’s the grandma to Lil Roux- a Weimaraner/German Shepherd mix.

She is patient when Roux wants to chew on her ears and steals her bone. She is sweet and loving but still a bull in a china shop. She doesn’t bound across the yard like the joyful gazelle she once was when we drive up the driveway. Now she just walks slowly out of the garage with her tail wagging and stalls in front of the car. Her happiest days are filled with riding up or down the driveway in the UPS truck or waiting for a treat from the mailman. She was my model for the Yellow Lab design. She is truly a love and ever so joyful.

Many of you know that I am an animal person. Since this blog started we have lost and gained a share of lifetimes. Each with a special place for us. What joy I have known to host and love these souls for this short time. Thank you to everyone who has shared their loves and their losses with me over the years. I consider it a great honor.

Update: This was written in January but not posted. Since then we have had to say good-bye to this sweet girl. Her presence in our family is greatly missed…

it’s an understatement but I don’t have the words…

Loved by moms everywhere… chickadees, flowers and topiary! How can you go wrong? Both of these designs are perfect for Mother’s Day! Each design has a corresponding Card, Soap, Lavender Sachet and Linen Guest Towel!

For both MOM Topiary or Lilac Bouquet ordering information click here.

Oh little blog… I have missed visiting you. I love the history that you hold. At times I have thought that it was time to end but I’m not ready to close that door. Let’s pretend that it hasn’t been so long and that the ups and downs of life don’t keep us from writing or using our creative voice. Let’s just do a little recap and catch up…

Last year was a bit of a challenge. We had to say goodbye to our sweet Oliver and it absolutely broke my heart. I had his companionship for 14 years- in the studio, in the kitchen, at the barn, in the garden, in my lap on the couch. His passing left such a void in our home and in my heart. The sadness that I felt overtook my creative voice for a while. I suppose that is a natural part of grieving.

After the Philadelphia Flower show last March, my ongoing issue of tendonitis progressed and placed limitations on what I could do physically. Simple, everyday things like brushing my teeth, picking up my coffee cup and washing my hair were very painful- not to mention packing, shipping and doing the most basic tasks for my business. My creative voice got quieter and quieter.

Don’t get me started on politics. Drama and uncertainty has played in the background noise of daily life.

On a happy note, my sweet husband and son fashioned beautiful cedar raised beds for me over the winter and what a difference they have made! Our potager has been going for a number of years but this is the first year that I have gotten to enjoy it more than feeling the burden of the work that is needed to do digging and weeding. The boxes and the stone walkways have been so easy to manage this year. I hope to do a blog post about that process!

Did I mention that we got a puppy? In confusing fashion for the family, I cried all of the way home from seeing the precious, squirmy puppy-breath puppies. I am a “both/and” person. Both happy (about puppies) and sad (about Olie) – at the same time. It is beautiful and abundant but sometimes confusing and overwhelming.

Oh, I do love dogs and one day I want a whole herd of them… or pack, or gaggle. Oliver’s little sister Gracie was adjusting pretty well but we wanted to introduce a puppy while she was young enough to play with him and teach him the boundaries here at the farm. We knew a puppy would be easier to acclimate to the chickens, cats, horses and Lily- the guinea pig.

We couldn’t decide on a name for the puppy so we settled on two derivitives of and including Theodore- Theo and Teddy. He really doesn’t seem significantly confused. He politely ignores or responds to all three names.

Having teenagers makes life busy. Really??? Some of us weren’t prepared. I thought those toddler years were pretty dang extreme. What was I thinking?

Where do I give my list of 10 things to do or not to do??!! Here I am rambling on and on and not giving any advice/tips to hold your attention. If you are reading thus far, bless your heart.

Speaking of “bless your heart” – we went to MS to celebrate my grandmother’s 100^th birthday! It was a trip down memory lane to share with my family the many places and family that were a part of my growing up. My grandmother is something else. I wish that you could hear her voice and see her hands that I have known all of my life. I think I could draw her hands by heart. It was lovely to hold them again.

I’ve been going to PT for a while now and I’m happy to report that my arm/elbow has gotten much better!  What a difference. The puppy graduated first in his puppy school class. As shown above- he has out grown his older sister in only 8 short months. There were 4H presentations and horse shows, track, Young Life camp, Horse camp and the Newport Flower show over the summer. So many good things…

Fullness. It’s hard to sum up. My cup runneth over.

I am beginning to find my footing, my rhythm and my voice again. It was a bumpy year.

I think that we are caught up Little Blog. I hope to come back more often. You are such a good listener. ; )

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Oh my, what a busy couple of months it’s been!! I have so much to blog about! How will I ever have time? I haven’t even mentioned my latest Fabulous Find. I spent the summer testing it out to see if it worked the way that I had hoped (teaser).

The Clothesline Festival was a complete washout for me this year. : (  I think that it was my last outdoor festival. (Never say never, I know.) It rained buckets and my new tent leaked. I had quite a bit of damage. Lots of cards to throw out and many prints to reframe. It was very discouraging.

On the happiest of notes… please meet Onyx- the newest member of the family. Maybe HE is actually my BEST FIND EVER… besides Farmboy, of course! Onyx is a sweetheart… a big, still growing 3 yr old draft cross- 1/2 Percheron and 1/2 Quarter Horse. The picture below hooked me… what a sporty, handsome guy!

He came from Corner Haven Farm in Trumansburg, New York. The owner Michelle Debell is known for her schooling, training, horse shows and turning out some wonderful mounts. Queenie, Lala, Onyx and I have been out for a hack a number of times since he’s come to the farm and I have found him to be fun, brave and willing. I hope to have many years with this guy and lots of fun riding with my girl and with Junebug. How fortunate I am to be able to share a great passion with my mother and my daughter. What a gift.

” Tonight’s performance immerses us in the world of opera, and, at Brook Farm, opera is immersed in the world of nature.” (From the evening’s program.) How fortunate we are to have world class music here in the little village of Skaneateles.  Seventy-five artist from around the country and the world will be showcasing their talents during this year’s Festival.

The evening of the performance- A Night at the Met/opera was featured. Last year Gypsy music from Eastern Europe was the highlight. Nearly every year since the kids were tiny we have brought the summer to a close on the lawn at Brook Farm. Built in 1902, the home is on the National Register of Historic Places. The Metropolitan Opera sprano, Lisette Oropesa, the MET Opera Orchestra Musicians and the evening cricket accompaniment brought a lovely surreal quality to the close of the day. A special moment in time.

The festival will continue through early September. We have heard that this may be the last year that Brook Farm will be hosting Picnic Saturdays and the evening concert- so if you’ve never been and wanted to go… now is the time! You will love it. For more information go to Skanfest.org.

Lights, Camera, Bloom! The theme this year was Celebrating the Movies and well, the world’s #1 event did not disappoint. The partnership of PHS with Disney/Pixar produced quite a spectacle with a lot of WOW factor. I was very happy to see so many young families walking through the show… starting the tradition. Many customers that I spoke with had grown up attending the show and this year had brought along their own children.

Now, the whole princess thing can be a bit much I know and I was concerned when I heard all of the movies represented were Disney… but the displays were so creative, sophisicated and artful.

Cinderella’s Banquet Table  Loved the colors in the Alladin themed design

Cinderella’s Glass Slipper is back there under the glass dome…

I thought the interpretation of the Disney Princesses was so creative! Above is Merida from Brave…

Pochantas

Ariel

Loved this take on Rapunzel!

A little Remey’s Bistro from Rataoullie

An interpretation of Frozen 

Enjoyed Burke Brothers design… they incorporated real chickens who where quite a hit.

This garden was my favorite, I think. The Mulan inspired garden.

It was sublime.

  Loved the ceramic fish swimming above the pond and in and out of the irises.

  How gorgeous is that?! Can’t I do something like this on my deck?

Mustn’t forget Never Never Land and the Lost Boys.

Do you see Hook’s hat? Tinkerbell was in there too!

Lots of orchids.

This design was so creative and the photos won’t do it justice. Imagine that the rope line in the photo is the line from a boat with an anchor at the other end. The vertical beams are a dock and we have an underwater view with the fish swimming by. Clever, right? J Downend Landscaping did the design based on the movie Nemo.

Do you see the fishing boat at the top with the oar?

A Winnie-the-Pooh inspired landscape. Very sweet. Made me think of the Bean.

This landscape was based on the original Parent Trap movie. Loved that film.

And my MOST favorite highlight of the 2015 Flower Show was working with my two favorite girls- Junebug and Lala. Three generations of gardeners… what a joy!

Oh, my… such a beautiful day- sunny and warm. Junebug was here visiting before her trip back to Florida. The kiddos were home working on their schoolwork. I was busy in the kitchen making carnitas for dinner. We all heard the strange, distinct sound of a propane burner in the distance.

The hot air balloon on the horizon was a welcome sight for those of us needing inspiration, distraction or reason to procrastinate. Once we realized that it was landing in the backyard, there was much squealing, dog barking, rooster crowing and horses running around the pasture with their tails straight up in the air, snorting mightily at the colorful, heavenly apparition.

It really was quite surreal. I’ve only seen them from a distance. We received the customary bottle of champagne from the balloon pilot- a 200 year old French tradition. We were happy to oblige.

If you are in the Finger Lakes call Dave Longeill (315-252-2495) for a trip. He takes off from Skaneateles Airport. This landing was something like his 1,820th landing! I’m thinking if I were going on a balloon ride LOTS of experience for a pilot would pretty attractive. That being said, if you land here at the farm you’d better be sporting a bottle of bubbly.

Hopefully I will be able to ride North sometime this month… after he calms down. He was pretty excited about the whole affair.

Junebug is thinking a hot air balloon ride would be a great birthday present. Note to self… : )