And Then the Rest

Where to even begin? April, May and the first part of June passed in a blur of obligations written in my planner. Some enjoyable, some not, most running together in my memory at this point. I am the type of girl who prefers a lot of white space on my calendar or I tend to feel overwhelmed.  We celebrated an anniversary (18), had a dance recital, orchestra concert, trip to Missouri, went to a play, enjoyed several dinners out, celebrated the graduation of our "adopted" daughter, celebrated Mother's Day, planted so many flowers, had our first official college visit at Butler University and lost a beloved member of our family, my sweet kitty boy, Tummy (Mr. Tumnus).

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. But really it was just life. Simple every day life- the good, the bad, the chaotic, the beautiful. Life looked a lot different last year than it does this year and I don't think I will complain about the current situation for a moment. Except for my beloved kitters who was my constant companion and the kitty love of my life.

Life with Clover has improved. I can't believe we are 6 months in. Hang on there puppy mommas! It does get better. She has calmed down considerably but of course still has a ways to go, she is after all, an 8 month old Golden Retriever,  but we have learned how to manage things pretty well. TG for the park in my backyard and the occasional day at puppy camp! I have now reclaimed Sacred Day although not quite in it's previous form. I will get there eventually.

I've been tweaking a few things around the house and am about to embark on The Life Changing Magic of Tidying up. I just crave simplicity. I even gave my yarn stash a good sort recently.  We ditched our cable and home phone this week which I thought was going to be stressful but ended up feeling like a relief. I've been reading a ton, thanks in large part to the Kindle my guy got me for Mother's Day. I have been anti E-reader forever but this allows me to easily read while knitting and makes for much easier night time reading. It's been a game changer for me. I still love the feel of a book in my hands, the smell of ink on paper and I will never stop buying real, hold in your hands and sniff, page flipping books, but I love checking books out from the library, electronically. It's like some kind of voodoo witchcraft. Don't ask me how it works. I actually had to call up there and have them walk me through it due to my lack of technological abilities. If you'd like, you can keep up with what I'm reading here.

I've been cooking a lot of simple, fresh meals. I've been doing weight watchers since the beginning of February and while it's a slow process for me, I've made progress and am down about 20 pounds. All the dog walking and puppy tug of war dance parties haven't hurt either. I'm not sure how much longer I will do it but every time I put on old clothes that haven't fit in years and they fit comfortably, I get a thrill and am filled with disbelief. And you know what? The last four months would have passed the same whether I was eating healthy or not. As a bonus, I have more energy and feel better than I have in years!

 Even though I have more energy than ever, it seems 24 hours still isn't enough time in a day to do all the things I would like to do. I dream of all the new things I want to learn and try or the old favorites that I don't have enough time to enjoy. I try to pack in as much as I can in a day but I could surely use more time for play and less time for the not nearly as fun things. This is not revolutionary, I imagine we all feel this way.

I'm sure there is more to tell but I'm drawing a blank. Here's to a summer full of goodness and adventure. Emma and I have plans to get in the car and drive with no plan of where we might end up. It was our favorite thing about last summer- Mommy, Emma adventures. I love that she has inherited my love of photography which will make it even more fun this year.

It always feels so nice to come back to this little corner and record the events of life. Thank you for coming by and always offering such lovely support. I truly come here to record our lives so that we can look back at it and remember. It's a gift to myself and my family but you lot are the icing on the cake! I hope you are well and if you feel like it, leave me a note telling me what's new with you.

Junior Prom

Emma's junior prom was the weekend after her birthday party. It was absolutely the perfect spring day in the Village. She chose a victorian style vintage wedding dress to wear to prom. A unique choice that I wasn't altogether sure of in the beginning but honestly it was the right one for her. It was just so uniquely her. I actually also wore a vintage prom dress to my senior prom. It was my mom's high school prom dress. It barely survived that evening, which is a shame because I'm sure she would have loved to wear it.

Em's favorite tree is this ancient magnolia tree in our favorite little park. I expected this spot to be crammed full of people taking prom pictures and was so relieved to find it empty. Our little hidden gem, although to be fair, the Village has an endless number of picturesque spots to take a photograph.

Honestly. How did we get here? This was her about 5 seconds ago. Right? You guys remember.

Now she's traipsing off to Europe without us, dreaming about going off to college and rarely is spotted at home or at the very least, outside of her room.

It's enough to send a momma spiraling. This spring has been a whirlwind and I'm just trying to catch my breath.

While she would have much preferred a ball and waltzing, I think in the long run she is glad she went.

I wish we could slow down time before she swan dives into her future. Next year is bound to pass even quicker than this year did.

Sunday Afternoon

Here in the studio I sit, the cat who could barely tolerate me for all of her life, pawing at my legs to move the laptop and let her up in it's stead. More than likely what she really wants is for me to move so she can have my spot. I would be embarrassed to admit to you how often her endeavor is successful. But not today. It is a Sunday afternoon, the tail end of a weekend that felt productive. I think I am finally, slowly, maybe finding my pace. I would be very happy to have that be the case.

Last week was a week of finishing things: a book, a magazine, a pair of socks, a shawl, the filing for the last 2+ years. It feels so good to finish but for some reason I don't seem to be very good at it. I am very good at starting. At doing. My finishing seems to take more concentration and effort than I can sustain, most days, but always gives me the best feelings of accomplishment.

Spring truly is settling in here in the Village. Those walks with Clover have become much more pleasant although there have been a few days when the downpours make it a challenge. I will actually miss walking her in the snow, though not single digit temperatures. Behind our cottage there is a public green space with a path that leads through woods, alongside a small river. It is one of the most peaceful places I've ever been. I'll be walking along the part of the path that is wide open, surrounded by tall grasses and flowers (or what last summer was tall grasses and flowers) and as soon as I walk under that canopy of trees, I feel a shift in myself, and then as I keep walking I get my first view of the water... JOY! A peace that can only be found for me, in nature perhaps.

See?

Zen, isn't it?

I'm looking forward to the week ahead. This weekend I got a head start which has me feeling ready to tackle some spring cleaning, sewing, casting on a new knitting project, getting moreyoga into my daily schedule and spending some quality time with a book.

October

First, I want to say thank you all so much for your kind words on my last post. I appreciate you taking the time to leave your lovely comments and they all meant so very much to me! The randomly drawn winner was Shelly Haynes who I've emailed but if you haven't received it Shelly, send me an email with your address!

I feel like this past month was a blur. One of my favorite things about this October was finally getting our porch floor painted! I have had that paint in my possession for over a year.

I can't believe what a difference it makes both visually and mentally. As much I loved the porch before, not having the guilt of that unfinished project hanging over me while I lounge on it, has made the lounging that much sweeter! Also, can you see that ceiling color peeking out in the picture above? A nod to my souther roots.

This Village is spectacular in the autumn. Why must it be so fleeting? I could happily live in a world of eternal Octobers.

The girls were kind enough to decorate the porch for Halloween. I'm more of a Christmas lover and so is Maddie (if you look closely, you can see that she's wearing a fox tail in this photo) but Emma is all about Halloween.

While they decorated, I was compelled to grab my camera and capture the day.

Do you ever have those moments, full of such contentment, that while you are in the midst of it, you know you want to memorize it? That was this day. The girls decorated, the leaves were dropping all around us, the neighbors were raking leaves and carving pumpkins and my heart was so full from it all, that I thought I might burst. This. This is the life I spent a lifetime dreaming about.

We wrapped up the month with Halloween. Emma started the day dressed as Dorothy for school, the 2nd of her 3 Halloween costumes this year. Here she is posing before school with her cowardly lion and her newly glittered shoes. Believe me she was not smiling like that by the end of the day when she had glitter in her blisters.

After soaking her feet in Epsom Salts she was ready to trick or treat with her friend Grace (the Tardis from Doctor Who). Emmy went as Medusa, complete with a headful of snakes woven into her hair.

The weather was perfect and those leaves! It's like something from a movie set!

Hands down the spookiest thing we saw all night was this. I don't know if I've ever mentioned that a certain member of our family has a fear of animals that act like humans? Well, this may have been too much for him to take. So of course I took a photo to forever commemorate it for him. Also, to torture him with it.

And because I know your lives will not be complete without the yearly photo of my Sweet Man dressed in his dog suit, here you go. The three dogs playing ball. One of them is very well trained and I assure you that it isn't one of the dogs from my house. That suit only stayed on for a few blocks this year before he got overheated and had to run home to change. This from the man who has suffered through Memphis and Miami Halloweens in his dog suit. Every year I hope that the dog suit will get retired but it will apparently never happen and I'm starting to realize that I'm secretly glad. Also, I'm amazed at the amount of people who look for it every year!

With the chaos of October behind us, I'm looking forward to slowing things down a bit for the rest of the year. I feel my introverting nature kicking into high gear and the season of jammies and snuggling will soon be upon us. I've got my yarn, tea, blankets and candles and I'm ready.

SaveSaveSaveSave

A Leap of Faith

Following your dreams can be overwhelming and frightening but living the life you dream about makes it all worth it. Up until 6 years ago I was living in the suburbs feeling lost and disconnected, a fish out of water. I had a couple of friends in the neighborhood (who remain very special to me) but I didn't feel like I was where I belonged.  It was a comfortable life to be sure, just not the one I was supposed to be living. At first I didn't really know what I wanted. I just knew I wanted something else. If I sound like I wasn't grateful for what I had, I truly was. It wasn't that it wasn't a good life, it was just not the right one for me. I felt a yearning and restlessness that was impossible to ignore, growing stronger as time passed. After a lot of soul searching we took a leap of faith and changed everything. I'd say most people in our lives thought we were crazy. Maybe we agreed with them a little. I would also say that most people in our lives, now couldn't imagine us anywhere else.

Life in the Village is so very good. We finally have roots, a place to call home. We are just as in love with it now as we were in the beginning, maybe more so. We can sit outside on our porches and hear the little league announcers calling the games in the park, the high school marching band practicing and occasionally music from celebrations on Main Street. Neighbors stop by for a glass of wine or invite themselves over for tea on the porch. Our friends think nothing of knocking on the door unannounced or popping in the back gate. That sort of thing used to unnerve me in my old life but is now just expected. We walk to dinner on Main Street, to the Farmers Market, to yoga, to the library, to shops and antique stores, to buy a bottle of wine at the winery or steaks to grill that night from the butcher. We borrow tools from our neighbors, help carry heavy things and get advice on renovation projects. As a Villager, I will happily bring you freshly baked cookies or bread, bring you a dinner when you are in need, watch your little ones in an emergency, invite your kids over to give you a break and in turn you help me with my garden, shovel my walk in the winter, share vegetables out of your garden, take care of my pets when I'm out of town or even offer to sleep on my sofa when my husband is out of town and something has happened to make me feel nervous about being home alone.

This is a community. This is our community, our people. This is home. This is the kind of place you don't ever want to leave. I have lived in more places than you can imagine and I have never experienced anything like it. I truly thought it didn't exist in real life. I have always been drawn to books about quirky people living in small towns.  I often feel like I moved right into the setting of one of those novels. From the man who power walks while smoking his cigars and the one who takes his morning stroll with his mug of coffee to the chickens randomly walking down the street behind our house and the deer bounding down the street in front of the library. This magical wonderland is my home. I repeat that to myself in awe more often than you can imagine and the thought is always followed by the question in my mind...but what if we hadn't been brave and made that leap of faith? It honestly brings tears to my eyes to imagine living any other life than the one I am living right now. Sometimes a leap of faith is the only choice you have.

The Day After

Halloween is Emma's favorite holiday and has been for as long as I can remember. When I was pregnant with her we had our ultrasound on Halloween day. Who knew it was a sign? She has decided that if she is going to continue to trick or treat as a high schooler, she is going to have to go all out every year. Mission accomplished.

She could not have done it without the help of Maddie, who has from the day Emma was born, considered herself Momma jr. The process of becoming green was a long one and her big sister did a masterful job.

Emma has been Wicked obsessed ever since seeing the musical and is usually performing the songs around the house. At top volume. As a matter of fact her idea of a good time is encouraging us to leave the house so she can sing as loudly as she wants.

Her sweet friend Brooke came trick or treating with us dressed as candy corn. Unfortunately but hilariously, everyone thought they coordinated their outfits and assumed Brooke was a munchkin! She is a great sport and played along.

In the Village even puppers get treats!

Our annual photo of the best natured dads in the Village. This was his 16th year in that dog suit. He even wore it when we lived in Miami. Trust me he prefers wearing it for an Indiana Halloween! It's so funny because in our old neighborhood, adults did NOT dress in costume. As a matter of fact, he got made fun of for it. My guy knew when we moved to the Village that he had found his people when almost every adult you see is in costume. We take our Halloween seriously here.

There is nothing better than walking through the crunching leaves as you trick or treat.

This morning we woke up to this beautiful scene out our back door. Now we welcome November and the month when we count our blessings. And our candy.

Autumn in the Village

Autumn in the Village. Sigh. It is truly one of the best things I have ever experienced in my life. This is my view as I wash dishes. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my neighbors for giving me this view.

This is Maple Street in all it's glory. We happen to be one of the few houses without a maple tree in front of it. I'm currently scheming to correct that, probably as I do each and every autumn.

On Sunday morning my Sweet Man and I had a little Village adventure so I could capture all this beauty. First stop Main Street.

Our Main Street is amazing, brick lined and filled with charming businesses. We make the choice to support them as much as possible. It almost causes me physical pain to go out for dinner anywhere else. Walking to dinner is one of my greatest pleasures in life.

I have lived in so many places, 6 states and nearly 20 cities and I can tell you that I have never lived any place as charming. The people here care about their town and each other.

It has been pointed out to me that even when I go on vacation, I search out towns like the one I already live in. And then I can't wait to get back from my vacation. I think that says it all. I'm boring. And I really love my town.

I know I've shown you the Mouth before. When Main Street dead ends and you look up the hill, this will be your view. It's a little embarrassing how excited I get each fall when it goes up. It's the official sign of the season for me.

Turn left off of Main Street and you will be on Ash St. One of my favorite views during the peak of Autumn.

I love that our town has signs pointing to the library. Because what could be more important than knowing where the books are?

This Italianate house is one of my all time favorites.

I'm a sucker for iron fences.

And picket fences. Also, I see that yellow door and think I would totally be friends with the people living there.

We took a left on 5th off of Ash and followed the signs to the library. The library is like my vacation home.

I love living in a town that can support a library this large. Some of the librarians live in the Village. Take a moment and try to imagine anything better than walking through the Village on your way to work in the library. I've got nothing.

This lamp post is not located in Narnia, but in Lincoln park where Maddie will be getting married next October. There is a beautiful white gazebo that will be perfect for saying her vows.

I'm always a sucker for white houses.

But this log house could not be any prettier putting on a show for autumn!

I hope you enjoyed getting a peek into my life. I am so deep down grateful for this Village life I'm living. It's a life I never could have dreamed I would have. Someone left a comment on my last post saying how lucky I am and that not everyone will have their own home and she was so right. It made me think back on my path to get here and I wanted to give you a little insight into why I am so beyond thankful to have this life, in this home, in this town. I already shared with you how many different places I've lived but what I didn't say is that I grew up with no stability, security or money. I have lived in all kinds of situations including in a trailer, on and off with my grandparents, in an uncle's basement, in rental after rental, in apartments and for one particularly traumatic period, in a motel. So, more than most people, I understand that comment but I am also a testament to the fact that anything is possible in life and you should never stop dreaming and working to make those dreams come true.