My Quiet Corner

I live with my 2 adorable cats and my husband of 23 years, in our first home in western CT, not very far from the red dot. In this part of the state, there are many long, winding roads, barns & farms, covered bridges as well as a rich Native American history (Chief Waramaug, the great sachem, lived nearby) with lots of trees and still wild areas, where the houses are fairly spread apart. Not being able to see neighbors, was in our top 5 criteria when we were looking to buy and.. meeting all 5 and THEN SOME, is most likely why we're still here, 21 years later and still in love with the location.

Last night on the porch and today (forecast, above) were perfect examples, of the peace and the rejuvenation that we find here in the solitude of living on a dead end street in beautiful New England: quiet except for the tree toads and cicadas, taking naps, watching a Red Sox baseball game and having to put on sweats before dinner! Nature is all around us and we enjoyed the show that the "battling hummingbirds" were putting on for us at the 2 feeders and even heard the Barred Owl pair screeching deep in the woods.

I am ever grateful that we both count the simple things as blessings, because we have SO MUCH to be thankful for! Living in a quiet corner of our town, being surrounded by trees and having privacy from the neighbors, being perched on the edge of a large, protected nature preserve for hiking and snowshoeing and having so many back roads for biking and long walks with little traffic.. oh, yes, and our health and each other!

April in Boston. At a ballgame, of course!

Why I Blog

Blogging, for me, is like keeping a diary. It's also an exciting way to keep in touch with friends and family, a chance to practice the art of expression through the written word and through photography..   maybe even to inspire another person in some small way.

I also believe that the only way to find kindred spirits, is to take the time and make the effort and i've been happily blogging my life story for almost 6 years. Thank you for stopping by to share my journey and I will work even harder at keeping in touch!

Scroll down to see a few of the highlights from the last 2 weeks.

Good times with good friends

Random quick-sketch during live-stream with Dede Inkwell

Scanned more CLASSIC family photos (ca. 1960, lower left) and shared them with cousins!

 Hung out with mom, while she visited for 4 days

Went out for pear/gorgonzola pizza, sushi & a movie date!

Made a rubberband journal/notebook for a friend

 Started...

played...

finished... & now shipping off some happy mail!

Still arranging all of the elements & probing the accompanying thoughts/feelings that come up when asking "what am i doing here?" Self-work is always rewarding & even cathartic! Amen.

 

So, back to my joy, working in my art journal ~ but 1st, a caramel latte!

Letting Go

Yesterday we had a DELUGE (6-plus hours) of heavy rain, flooding, gusty winds and thunderstorms that may have caused power outages/downed trees. As our little "cabin in the woods" is surrounded on all sides by 80-100 foot oaks, we tend to be prepared! (candles lit, our lights flickered twice, but it wasn't to be!)

Listening to the constant downpour reminded me of the long list of weather extremes we've been experiencing lately. Brown winters, cold springs, ridiculously cool summers, therefore... as much i love you fall... I worry that I'm not prepared to move on from the way that the warm summer sun on my bare shoulders relaxes me, the meditative joy and sense of calm that washes over me while tending my flowers and the peace I've discovered while listening to the night sounds of crickets, Barred Owls and "peepers" from the candle-lit screened porch.

But, alas, it's time to let go!   



One of the reasons I'm able to concede, is that I am learning to live in the present, not worrying about what tomorrow will bring. Open, willing, trusting and letting go. And enjoying the rain!

"I should like to enjoy

this summer

flower by flower

as if it were to be 

the last one for me." 

~ André Gide

This favorite quotation describes it to a "T!"

Art Journal Page 18APR2012

I had such a blast making my Month of March page!

Inspired by a new feature on Dawn DeVries Sokol's blog, called 10-minute-journaling, it was her first prompt called Time for a Quickie. She suggested we journal a LIST, highlight some of the words, the page could already have a doodle on it (it did, at the top), doodle some more, slap on a favorite photo and just re-LAX!



Flea Haul

Some great finds from my first sunday this year at the "Elephant's Trunk" flea market!

Open since the 1970's and spread out over 55 acres, i think that one of the best features, besides being local, is that the merchandise is made up of more than 60% antiques and collectibles. If you plan to attend, the hours are 7AM to 2PM, cost: $2 and I recommend sun protection and comfortable shoes ~ since you will quickly lose track of time wandering aisle after aisle, chatting with all of the knowledgeable dealers & slipping into a time warp!   

1966 kitch-y calendar, 1972 farmer's almanac, california postcards-1953, old photos, sewing machine manual, mini "photo folders," hand-tied book of poetry, children's watercolor set, a bio of Marie Antoinette, some old books to alter and my two major coups: 1874 accountants journal with over 500 pages of meticulous writing and a bright orange astrology-themed metal tray ca. 1968! Link to flea market

Pinching Myself ~ I Get To Live Here!

MY VALHALLA! The first three photos were taken in New Milford, CT around mid-day yesterday, on a "birthday road trip" with a very dear friend. The last shot was taken at an old favorite fishin hole at Hatch Pond in Kent, CT just before sundown on june 25th. All are less than 6 miles from home.

a message just for me!

a message just for me!, a photo by cookievf on Flickr.

Last week I took a short drive with my mother while visiting her in Vermont (following some garage sale signs, actually), came around the bend to a very special "spot" that I shared with my dad in the late 1990's and was greeted by this beautiful tree!

It's located at the base of a long, dirt driveway and at the top is a VERY old, stately home, usually vacant, with a wrap-around porch, orchards, fields of wildflowers, a 180 degree view... and sunsets that would take your BREATH AWAY.

...thanks, dad. xo

Art Journal page 10Jun11

From an earlier blog post about counting my blessings with 3 of my flower photos, I was inspired to write a little "poem" in my written journal. Next, a prompt from Tee Thompson of green isles crafts inspired me to re-create this on a page in my ART journal and it felt like a FULL CIRCLE moment to me! Maybe YOU'LL be inspired by a word or an image here so that I can "pay it forward."

artist date photos

folder journal BEGINNINGS

I thought it would be fun to share the first steps of how I made my
special VALENTINE and what the table looked like, with two people working on the same project!

Take a look at Part II here and Part III here.

April in Boston

"stately" beacon hill, boston MA
Originally uploaded by cookievf

The first of four trips this year, April 2010 clearly rates as one of the TOP FIVE ALL TIME (out of 50) trips to this fine city in the last 15 years!

Following any day game, no matter what the weather, it's a tradition to walk from fenway park to dinner in the north end by way of our favorite martini bar! That afternoon we decided to take a new route through kenmore square, down comm ave through the neighborhoods of back bay and beacon hill across the top of the commons and on through faneuil hall to hanover street.

We had to slow our pace to take in all the history and fine architecture, courtyards in bloom and vintage facades that surrounded us on this rainy day under a leaden, overcast sky!

Umbrellas or not, the air was crisp and fresh, the walk and the company invigorating and the lighting perfect for my photo shoot. Truly memorable!

Ice Cold and Dee-lish!

And don't forget to look down!

Summer Workspace ~

Here is a SMALL PORTION, approximately 25%, of my "summer" workspace on our screened porch. Showing only one corner.. I am spread out over the entire table!! And it's all packed up in time for dinner =D


A little peek at a WIP: "Moon Goddess"


Here are a few of my latest creations (available on Etsy) and since all are one-of-a-kind, when they're gone... they're GONE!

...thanks for stopping by!!!!