A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song. ~ Maya Angelou On one of the coldest, greyest days of winter, You can be surprised. M& I were out for a ride and were almost back home when I spotted something in a Bush by our house. There they were, a large flock of big fat Robins flying in and out of a Firethorn bush. I had read that they will sometimes do this and actually get drunk if the berries are fermented, and that is exactly what we had going on here.... Continue reading

Art is the window to man's soul. Without it, he would never be able to see beyond his immediate world; nor could the world see the man within. ~ Lady Bird Johnson I'm so lucky to have this beautiful studio space in my home. I'm going to spend some time there because today is the first day of an online art class I'm taking with Misty Mawn. She is one of my Muses. Actually, I would call her my "art hero" because her ability to inspire so many people to do art is beautiful in itself. M & I spent... Continue reading

Have you ever watched a rose as it fades away; the color becomes deeper as the petals dry. That's how my love for you deepens as the days go by. ~Unknown Our little garden by the creek that flows into the bay holds treasures if you take the time to look. I love how even in the bitter cold the rose bush holds onto some of the late blossoms so you can dream about spring..... Nature has undoubtedly mastered the art of winter gardening and even the most experienced gardener can learn from the unrestrained beauty around them. ~ Vincent... Continue reading

Those who wish to sing.... always find a Song. ~ Swedish Proverb It is a cold grey day on the edge of the bay,,,, finding something to sing about must be hard for the poor birds that winter over here. But, I just have to look around my home and something always brings a smile to my face. Stay warm everyone and put some food in your bird feeders today! Use the talents you possess, for the woods would be a very silent place if no birds sang except for the best. ~ Henry Van Dyke Continue reading

You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. ~ C. S. Lewis It's beginning to really feel like the holidays have ended. My little guy Weasley has put away his Christmas outfit and the cookies on the counter have been replaced with fruits and vegetables. I still have my lights up and pretty things on the table and I'm not going to give it up just yet. There is a lot of debate about when one takes down their Christmas decorations but religion and politics will have to wait until the end of... Continue reading

Change is the law of life. ~ J.F.K. I was tempted to call the day moody. Then I got scared that the entire new year would be moody so I chose to call it wild, exciting, and ever-changing. The sky was either beautiful blue or menacing black-gray. The wind blew in hard from the southwest and the ice began to crack. M & I took a drive to the peninsula to see the results as the bay was opening fast. The ice was crushed and heaving on the North shore of the bay. In places it looked like you had... Continue reading

"New Year's Day is everyman's birthday." ~ Charles Lamb I hope everyone had a great holiday this year, as you can see my family had a bit to much fun decorating the gingerbread people. My arms are wide open and i'm ready to embrace 2011. I hope you will come along for the fun and craziness that comes with living on the bay. Everyone stay safe on your travels this New Years Day! See you soon! Love, L "New year's..... in the echo of fog horns another voyage starts" ~ Keiko Izawa Continue reading

Smooth seas do not make skilful sailors. ~ African Proverb It has finally quit raining, it amazes me how sometimes things can just look black and white out my window. I was really fascinated by the wake and lines in the water around the new sailboat in our little bay. Today was a totally different vibe the sunshine was glorious and I have to say I am very thankful for this spot of warmth. Already the boats are being put away for the winter and the view of the sunset will be changing. Clouds come floating into my life, no... Continue reading

The true measure of a man is not how he behaves in moments of comfort and convenience but how he stands at times of controversy and challenges. ~ Martin Luther King Jr. We see all sorts of things out in the front yard. Life on the bay means you are part of a dynamic panorama that is unpredictable and ever changing. Today brought some excitement and a near disaster. I was waiting for M to come back from work for a late lunch and saw two people launching a small sailboat. I could hardly believe they were doing it because... Continue reading

Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn. ~Elizabeth Lawrence Today is a good day to go pick out the Mums for the front planter and get a few pumpkins to carve. It is unseasonably warm here this morning, but I know it can't last. Hmmm, maybe M will make an apple pie. LIVE IN EACH SEASON AS IT PASSES; BREATHE THE AIR, DRINK THE DRINK, TASTE THE FRUIT, AND RESIGN YOURSELF TO THE INFLUENCES OF EACH. ~ THOREAU Continue reading

Try to be like the turtle, at ease in your own shell. ~ B. Copland It's the first day of Fall and some of us just want to hide in our shell till spring... But this pretty boy has the right idea and was sunning himself on a log in the Lagoons. Happy First Day of Fall! Watch the turtle. He only moves forward by sticking his neck out. ~ L. Gerstner Continue reading

Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather. ~ John Ruskin Hmmm,,, I'm not so sure, I'll take the sunshine please! Continue reading

If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it. ~Mary Engelbreit The petals of the flowers are tattered. The leaves of the milkweed have been eaten by caterpillars. The bay is not so full of boaters, and the shots of the hunters are just beginning to be heard. The birds are literally flying south . It is the beginning of fall and it is a time for me to adjust the slower, peaceful pace of the village. It's time to find new ways to explore my creative self expression. I... Continue reading

Autumn is a second spring where every leaf is a flower. ~ Albert Camus I went out stalking wildlife with the determination not to leave the village. I discovered that things are happening both large and small. The Garden is in Fall turmoil with most things fading and a few things thriving. The frail skeletons of some of the flowers and weeds intrigue me with their structures and beauty. Then I see a patch of moving orange and can only wonder "what kind of bug festival is this on the milkweed? Then,,,,,I got a tip-off from Barb that the Osprey... Continue reading

Be like a duck. Calm on the surface, but always paddling like the dickens underneath. ~ Michael Cain The Sun was setting last night in Golden colors. We were grateful to see it because it's been overcast and gray for a couple of days. A group of ducks came over as we sat on the boat and they splashed and played as they have all summer. Every year we get "Village Ducks". Sooner or later a Mama comes by with the little ones chirping behind her and we follow their progress as they grow up throughout the summer. When we... Continue reading

The world is round and the place which may seem like the end may also be only the beginning. ~ Ivy Baker It's not always about the giant adventure. M & I chose many years ago to make our house a sanctuary against evil, gray weather, and anything that we thought was negative. When I glance across my kitchen, how could I be other than intrigued as I see computer projects and wiring, my newest bugs yet to hatch, my latest art project drying , ripening pears, and the water of the bay in it's ever changing persona. I am... Continue reading

It was with a happy heart that the good Odysseus spread his sail to catch the wind. ~ Homer It seems like half the city came out to see the arrival of the Tall ships. Some of our family and friends gathered at the house thinking we would have front row seats as they turned on the marks in our little bay. Well, nature had a different plan and the skies were gray and gusting. Only Five of the seven ships made it on schedule and it was the worst day and conditions to take photos that I could think... Continue reading

'Tis the set of the sail that decides the goal, and not the storm of life. ~ E.W. Wilcox Everyone needs a quiet spot to sit and just reflect on life. This is a hidden little piece of my garden that looks out to the east overlooking the bay. To me the change in seasons from Summer to Fall comes hard. It's probably the result of the shorter days and less sunshine. Change it will though and I will just need to put on a sweatshirt and enjoy the last of the warm summer rays..... It's time to start my... Continue reading

Tones sound, and roar and storm about me until I have set them down in notes. ~ Ludwig van Beethoven The holiday week-end is here, parties are planned and people are excited, but the weather has a different idea. While those on the coast are getting the after effects of the hurricane, we are getting high winds and a surge that's bringing high water. Here in the village, we know what to do. Secure and tarp the boats. Pick up the loose things on the seawall. Get a nice bottle of wine and settle in for some artwork, rest, and... Continue reading

The many memories I will forever treasure. ~ K. Hooton On the shore of the bay I collect my treasures. Each new discovery of beach glass still makes me excited and I save them in bowls in my kitchen. Sometimes I find bits of china and pottery. I always wonder about the women who owned them. Am I looking for treasure, cleaning the beach or discovering a small bit of the time before us? I read this about Isaac Newton and realize I am not alone. "I do not know what I may appear to the world; but to myself... Continue reading

Where Did Summer Go????? Where did summer go??? M & I are a bit sad because one by one our summer buddies go south at this time of year. Some go to warmer climates and some go back to school. I wonder who's going to go fishing with M after work every night or more important who's going to pick the flavor of ice cream we all are going to enjoy? When next summer comes you will have some little buddy's waiting for you. So......... Study in school,,,, learn how to drive,,, win some hockey and come back soon because... Continue reading

Butterflies, they are like dream flowers, childhood dreams, which have broken loose from their stalks and escaped into the sunshine. Air and angels. ~ Miriam Rothschild Continue reading

Kick up your wings and fly.... ~unknown The rain had just started when I walked out on the sea wall to watch The EYC sailboat race. The sky changed as I watched and the rain made everything lose its color and almost appear in black and white. This race was gonna be different because right after the start they got hit by a monster storm from the North. What caught my attention next was the unbelievably loud sounds of the sails flapping and stretching in the wind. The wind had hit the boats before it hit me and it carried... Continue reading

A life without dreams is like a garden without flowers. ~ Author Unknown I love gardening, but this year I took a little bit of a break. For me the thing about gardening is that it's like a journey. But then again, I tend to relate everything to travel. Just like the preparations for a trip, the planting of the seeds can be exciting because you know thing are going to happen. The process is just as important as the final product. I find it amazing that things can regenerate on their own after our harsh winters. I was more... Continue reading

Happiness is a warm puppy. ~Charles M. Schulz This is Molly as a puppy in a sailor suit that my Mother made for her. She has long outgrown the suit but not her love of boating. She is the first one to run out the door and fly onto the boat. She sits quietly like the queen that she is and reviews her neighborhood. M & I are home and getting back to our work routine. The weather here has been gray and windy...so no boating today! I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For... Continue reading