We have arrived safely back in the USA after our 6 day Spring break trip to Vancouver, Canada. It was a spectacular mother/daughter adventure with my youngest child and college freshman, Elisabeth.

Traveling was very enjoyable. I felt as if the planes were the cleanest I have ever seen, plus nearly all passengers were happily wiping down their individual seats with disinfectant wipes. People were sharing their wipes and everyone was cordial and polite. We made sure we were feeling healthy and robust before the trip, so I had no qualms at all about traveling or going out of the country.

Vancouver is a beautiful city. I have never been there before. We were expecting rain every day, but the weather surprised us with 5 days of sunshine and blue skies

Vancouver has limited real estate, therefore has been forced to build up and not out. There is a great deal of new high-rise construction and development. It was so nice to see another booming economy, like we have in our vibrant Phoenix.

The streets were filled with people walking and the restaurant scene was lively and fun. Clean air and tasty water were additional pleasant surprises. Residents are clearly outdoor advocates as there are many places to bike, walk, boat and ski nearby.

It was all VERY normal and refreshing, albeit chilly and windy.

Coming home 6 days later, I was so surprised to see the changes in the yard and garden. We have had a lot of rain here in Phoenix, which is just lovely. My bulb garden was bursting with hyacinths last week and this week the tulips are beginning to bloom.

There were enough fresh snap peas from the garden to make this as an appetizer last night.

The 14 baby chicks that arrived from McMurray Hatchery via mail last week have nearly doubled in size.

The Lady Banks roses that line the front of our property have bloomed and created a wall of pale yellow blossoms.

The first of the hollyhocks are bursting with flowers…..already!

We have had lots of storms and rain here….which is an absolute delight in our dry desert environment. I can almost hear the plants in the garden slurping up the additional water.

Today will be a day of baking bread and making more Meyer Lemon marmalade (see recipe here). A generous neighbor shared his lemons on Nextdoor and I took several from the bag in his driveway. As a thank you, I will deliver a jar of marmalade. Just one of the benefits of living in this wonderful neighborhood.

Which reminds me, my last post was about the impact of smiling. I hope you read it, if not click here. I put my smile experiment into action at the airport and I can honestly say, the results were miraculous. Everyone responded to a smile and several times, it started a wonderful spontaneous conversations, even with the serious Customs employees.

Now, more than ever, we need to lift each other up. I believe that we are a strong, kind and a civilized society. There is much we can personally do to minimize the feeling of helplessness. This is a perfect time to build your immune system. Don’t create your own stress~~it weakens your health and your spirit. Earlier I posted the top 10 things I do to keep healthy (see it here). Knock on wood, but it is working for me. I feel healthy and resilient.

Wishing you a relaxing Saturday. Do something wonderful for yourself and your family. Turn off negative messaging~~you can do without it for a weekend! Sending virtual hugs to all of you.

Learning something new later in life can be a bit of a challenge. After my 2nd child went off to college, I decided to try my hand at painting. A dear gardening friend/art teacher began giving classes rather close to my home and I thought, “Why not try this?”

My first art classes involved acrylic paints. The paints dry quickly on the canvas and clean up is easy with soap and water. The very first class we learned about shapes and shadows. The teacher, Joann Augur, provides thumbnails of paintings as inspiration. You pick one and then attempt to paint it in your own style.

I remember that first class. I literally knew nothing. Gesso? What is that? Alizarin red? It was all so foreign to me. Putting the brush to the canvas was intimidating. Where do I start? What colors to choose? What do I paint first? But Joann’s kind and gentle guidance, made the experience less painful.

Here is my very first acrylic painting done in the August 2015. The purpose of this lesson was to train our eye to look at shapes not the object. Where is the light coming from? What is the shape of the shadow? Though it’s hard to tell, but this is an abstract version of an apple. I recall being so proud of this!

Here are some details about the class I take. The session typically last 4-6 weeks and we focus on a topic~~color, perspective, landscape, faces, values. The class is held on either Tuesday or Wednesday for 3 hours; 1-4 p.m. or 2-5 p.m. The cost is usually around $225.00 or so.

Here are some other earlier paintings from 2015. Joann told us to paint our shoe. My shoe is gray and splattered with paint and stains. I took artistic license and changed the colors.

What I love about the class is that people with different levels of experience are welcomed. Some have never even picked up a brush and others have been painting for years. Joann is such a good teacher she is able to provide challenges for the more experienced students, while taking time with the newbies.

On to 2016. This landscape was a happy accident. I failed to completely paint the background before I added the trees. Sometimes mistakes can be a good thing as it looks like the sun is peaking through the dark sky.

Feeling a little more confident after a few months of classes, I decided to try a seasonal Valentine painting for my home and it was the first one I framed. I display it every February and it makes me happy!

One of my favorite classes was learning about the Masters and trying to replicate their paintings.

In 2017, our Winter class focused on color and we learned how to paint flowers. At this point, my fears of painting have subsided and I have relaxed the death grip on my brush.

In the Spring of 2018, we focused on painting faces and people.

In addition to acrylic painting classes, I branch out to try oil painting. A few of my master painter friends are students at the Scottsdale Artist School. Talk about getting out of my comfort zone! Oil paints are so different from acrylics~~they are much more expensive, don’t dry quickly and require a different set of blending skills. Instead of painting from an image, you paint from a real life set up. That first class I felt like a deer in headlights.

This was my 3rd oil painting attempt. Both workshops were given by Nancy Chaboun, a fabulous artist and teacher. I highly recommend taking a class from her. She is delightful and very talented.

Since each student has a different perspective on the still life set up, each painting is a bit different.

During this time, I continued to take acrylic classes, which are much closer to home. Below are a few I completed in 2018. You can see my progress, I hope!

Last year, I spent some time finally finishing some paintings that were incomplete. During the 3 hour class, I rarely finish a painting in class. If I like where the painting is heading, I tend to finish it at home. If not, it sits for months until I decided to either paint over it or finish it.

This is one of my favorites, inspired by Romona Youngquist. Not only is she a talented painter, but she also bakes beautiful breads. To see more of her work, click here. I would love to copy everything she paints.

Last summer was the first time I took my supplies and easel on vacation. It was a relaxing way to paint. The flowers below were inspired by Cecilia Rosslee. You can purchase her paintings on Etsy. Click here for the link.

As I start a new art session, I look forward to getting better at this. Painting is a bit like golf. One day, you play a spectacular game and the next day you can’t even hit the ball. I have only taken two classes so far this year and neither painting is even close to being finished.

If you live in Phoenix and want to start painting, Joann Augur is located at the Studio for Creative Development at 12th Street and Glendale.

I hope this post inspires you to try something new. I find as we get older, it is so easy to get stuck in the same routine. Our paths to learn are not as available and we must continue to stretch ourselves, or we will become old and boring. Maybe someday, I will be able to sell my work.

Wishing you a creative Wednesday!

I can’t recall the last time we took a week and just went meandering. A perfect place for this is New England in the fall and it appears we timed leaf peeping just right. Thanks for joining me today and I hope you love these glimpses into autumn back East.

Our first spontaneous hotel selection was the Simsbury 1820 house in Simsbury, Connecticut. Even though I was born and raised in this state, there are many parts of it I have never visited.

While in Simsbury, we hiked up Talcott Mountain and toured the Heublein tower located at the top. Thankfully the State of Connecticut saved it from developers and it is now a state park for all to enjoy.

From Simsbury we drove to Kent, CT and stayed at the Starbuck Inn, which was right in town and walking distance to shops and restaurants.

The innkeeper, Peter Starbuck provided a delicious breakfast and a view of these gorgeous hydrangeas in his backyard.

From there, we drove to Kent Falls and hiked the path to the top of the falls.

Stockbridge, Massachusetts provided a photo of an exceeding large pumpkin (over 1000 lbs.) and a stay at the Red Lion Inn.

This sweet town was home to illustrator and artist, Norman Rockwell and has a museum in his honor (that is certainly worth visiting).

Our last stop was in Old Saybrook, Connecticut which was home base for 4 days. The Saybrook Point Inn & Spa is located right on the water (my favorite) and here is a morning view from our room.

From here we were able to see family and friends; attend my high school reunion and go for bike rides and long walks.

Here are a few more of my favorite photos!

Thanks for tagging along with me on my week off. Happy Tuesday, my friends!

Hello, my friends! It feels so good to be back and writing to you. My friend, Lisa, recently sent me this.

This summer I have made a concerted effort to reduce my use of technology and screen time. I can honestly say that it is so joyful not to be tethered to a device, plus I have so much more time to get things done. Unfortunately a side effect is that I haven’t been blogging as much.

It’s hard to believe that August is upon us.

Unlike most parts of the country in the summer, Phoenix is the last place you want to be in July and August. Not only is it hot, but it is often the beginning of monsoon season so we get to enjoy high heat AND humidity. The upside is that there is no traffic, no lines, no congestion, but escaping to cooler locations is what most people do.

We just returned from our annual 2 week summer vacation in Newport Beach, California.

Staring at the Pacific Ocean allowed me time to contemplate the possible next steps in life. We’ve been vacationing in Newport and going to the same places for YEARS but now the children are heading off in their own directions. It is bittersweet but re-inventing travel destinations will provide new opportunities and flexibility that we really haven’t had being previously tied to school holidays or vacations.

While in Newport, I was able to paint and got a good start on two new projects. One Sunday morning I had the luxury of painting outside, in my pajamas overlooking the Pacific. The only thing missing was a mimosa!

This painting was inspired by a photo my husband loved of Texas blue bonnets.

I follow Cecilia Rosslee, a painter on Etsy and love her use of color. Her style is fun and loose, which is a very difficult technique for me. Her painting is SO much better but here is my interpretation. Neither paintings are done yet, but I feel like I’m getting closer.

I still haven’t found my over the top fabulous book of the summer yet, but I have had some good reads. I would rate these 4 out of 5 mostly because they were a bit predictable, but pleasant nonetheless.

The Unbreakables by Lisa Barr is “a delicious, sharp novel about a woman who jets off to France after her perfect marriage collapses, putting the broken pieces of herself back together while rediscovering her own joie de vivre”.

The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware is a suspenseful novel set at sea on a luxury cruise ship.

Goodnight Nobody by Jennifer Weiner is set in a postcard perfect suburban Connecticut town and then there’s a murder. I do enjoy the way Jennifer Weiner writes~~she does have a way with words!

I connected with Riley Costello as she was teaching outdoor exercises classes at our hotel in Newport. She, in addition to being fit, is also an author. This is her first book, Waiting at Hayden’s. When I finished it, I pictured it being made into a Hallmark movie. Riley has trademarked an interesting concept called ShopFiction. In the book, when she describes a character’s outfit, for example, you can click on the link, see the dress and then purchase it. Obviously you need a Kindle or other electronic format, but it’s rather clever to see the characters come to life.

Do you have any good books to share? Hoping you are having a fabulous summer! Stay cool! I become an official empty nester in a few weeks and I’m trying to embrace the new life stage with grace……yikes.

I cannot believe it has been nearly a month since I last posted. But as you know from my previous post, I’m in a bit of a transition and taking a step back for re-evaluation. Thank you so much for your kind words of support and encouragement!!

However, I’ve missed you! I thought I would send you a note today to let you know what I’ve been up to.

The general rule of thumb is when the temperature reaches 100 degrees, it is officially summer here. Due to the long, cool and rainy Spring we had, the garden is so abundant!

My tomatoes are FABULOUS! Every day, I go and collect a basketful of various ones-from cherry to pear, to Early Girl and am still waiting for the beefsteaks to ripen.

The peaches this year were so good, we had to fight the birds for them.

A few years back we planted two apricot trees and finally have the best apricots ever! They are small but so flavorful.

The garden has been providing daily gifts of zucchini, spaghetti squash, grapes and fresh herbs.

If you are looking for the easiest salad EVER, please try this one. Simple ingredients consist of fresh tomatoes, apricots, mint, feta cheese, olive oil and salt and pepper. I did drizzle some thick aged balsamic on the top. I have been making and eating this salad every day. Click here for the recipe from Serious Eats.

On a personal note, my youngest daughter graduated from high school at the end of May. As a celebration gift, we took the whole family (plus friends) to St. Kitts for a vacation. St. Kitts is located in the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean. One side of St. Kitts is on the Atlantic; the other on the Caribbean. It was after high season and before hurricane season so we had timed it perfectly!

One of the highlights of the trip was TURNING OFF MY PHONE FOR A WEEK. It was glorious. My whole family was together and I was able to be focused on them and not be distracted with technology. Truly fabulous.

When I returned, I spent one week painting everyday. I was able to finish “my girl” and started on 2 new paintings. I will continue to doodle until they feel “done”.

I am trying to master an easy cherry pie recipe this summer (as it is my husband’s favorite). I attempted one but failed miserably (don’t use Trader Joe’s frozen cherries). The crust was good though! Once I achieve it, I will definitely share!

Coming soon: My summer reading and movie list are taking shape and will share with you next time!

Happy Summer my friends!

My husband and I spent the weekend in the mountains of Arizona.  It was SO peaceful and quiet.  Since my life is rather frenetic and busy, there is not much down time. It wasn’t until I was the midst of serenity and stillness that I realized how much I miss the absence of noise.

For me, the mornings there are the best. With the dawn, the sun light streams through the trees and the day starts anew.

There has been so much rain lately.  The 3.5 hour car drive was glorious~~lots of green and plenty of wildflowers along the way. Thank goodness for all the precipitation as it has helped reduce the threats of forest fires.

One of my favorite places to have my morning coffee is the small screened in porch off the kitchen.

I purchased the day bed a few years back and it was in sad shape-chipped white paint with rust spots. Chippy, shabby chic paint is all the rage, but back then it looked decrepit to me.  I spray painted it a mossy/sage green.  The day bed actually pulls out to a full double bed, hence the two base cushions.

Cushions were made by the experts and I. through trial and error, made all the other pillows.

I found this rattan chair in a local second hand store. I do need to create a lumbar pillow for it, but it’s the perfect place to read on a chilly day.

The small bistro table and two chairs was made by a New Mexico artisan passing through who sold it to a local store.  I’ve never seen another one like it.

Beyond the porch you can see our wood sculpture in the driveway. We lost a very large Ponderosa pine tree due to beetle infestation. Instead of cutting it to the ground, we had a local artisan turn it into this.

The lantern in his left hand is solar powered and lights up at night. The ball at the top of his wand is a globe that changes different colors. It, too, is solar powered.

The weekend wasn’t all R& R and we completed a small project while we were there.

There is a side porch that has been unused for a few years.  I had purchased an old pine table many moons ago and brought it up to the cabin envisioning fabulous dinner parties.  Guess how many dinner parties I have had so far? One! Yep, just one…during the 4th of July weekend this year.

Here is a before picture of the porch…..truly underutilized.

And here is what it looks like now! It needs some other elements (rugs, art?) but this is a good start.

My husband hung outdoor lights over the table.  The furniture is protected with an overhang, which is perfect during those mountain thunder storms.

I am finally able to use these fun bistro chairs and outdoor furniture I purchased to stage my last remodel (the Willetta house).

Now it’s time to entertain!  Unfortunately we just don’t get up to the mountains as much as we would like.  Maybe Labor Day????

I am still feeling the after effects of the weekend’s solitude. Sending you some peace and quiet.  I certainly need more of that in my life.

Tree Carving Artist- Trent from the Burly Bear, Pinetop, AZ

Chairs from Wayfair

Coffee Cup- Anthropology

Red Outdoor Furniture: Lowe’s