Views From the Lee Side

Halloween Paper Mache

2011-10-27T17:37:00.000-04:00

I've been up to me elbows in paper mache all this week. I'm trying to make some spooky Halloween paper mache goblins to hang from our new porch and I'm finishing up a new article about the same topic for my Squidoo library. Got the article published on Tuesday and the goblin heads are drying ... hoping all comes together by Friday night. If so, three spooky ghouls will be floating around the front door to greet the Trick or Treat crowd.

Mel and Sean - on Vimeo

2011-10-07T21:04:00.000-04:00

Nearness of You is a music vid starring my talented niece Melanie Peltier and her equally talented partner Sean Hill.

These 2 will be famous ... make a note.

Good Night, Irene

2011-09-14T12:11:00.000-04:00

Our area of south central Vermont was hit very hard by Hurricane Irene (actually, this was only Tropical Storm Irene by the time she reached Rutland county because the winds died down to below 50mph).

Although we didn't get nailed with high winds and downed trees, the torrential rains created the worst natural disaster in Vermont since 1927. Roads and homes washed away, farmland acreage was stripped of topsoil along with crops and livestock that washed away downstream; people's lives and livelihood and history were ripped away by peaceful streams and wading creeks that became raging rivers. We were very fortunate and suffered no damage, as this video taken during the final hours of the rain demonstrates.

Just a mile or so away from our house, on lower ground closer to Rutland, Otter Creek and the Cold River, things are still in a state of disaster and just this week our community water supply was tested and it's contaminated with e-coli so we must boil all water and cannot use it to wash or bathe until further notice.

What a difference a month makes ...

2011-08-23T16:40:00.000-04:00

Just a month ago I was lamenting the lack of red tomatoes. Today I'm struggling to stay ahead of the fast ripening harvest of tomatoes and squash from our small but productive gardens at both homes.

I've already made 2 big batches of dried tomatoes from the sweet Roma and jumbo pink cherry fruits; I've cooked lots of zucchini and tomatoes into pasta sauce for the freezer, and I whipped up some zucchini parmesan for dinner last week with enough to tuck a few meals into the freezer.

We've been eating squash and tomatoes for every dinner and sometimes for lunch, too. The cucumbers went crazy with fruit after the drought ended, so we made fresh dill pickles ... but those disappear almost as quickly as I can get them into the brine.

We harvested a giant zuke from the Vermont garden last week. It must have weighed about 20 pounds. In fact, it was so big it scared Anya ... and she loves veggies. Last night Doug baked it into a chocolate zucchini cake ... to celebrate our 9th anniversary. Yummy!

Garden Goodies in 2 States

2011-07-24T09:28:00.002-04:00

Our organic gardens are growing wonderfully this year despite some challenging weather and animal raiders. The PA veggie garden is producing lots of green and yellow squash. There are plenty of green tomatoes but no red fruits in sight yet.

That garden is totally fenced in but it hasn't stopped groundhogs from finding their way into the veggie patch to munch down the beans. So far Doug's trapped and relocated 3 ground hogs from that fenced vegetable patch. He also captured a couple confused raccoons - on separate occasions. One didn't want to leave the trap after the door was opened up to set him free. Perhaps he thought it was his personal dining car and was waiting for more melon.

In Vermont we have a raised bed planter outside the kitchen door where we planted 3 tomato plants, 2 pepper plants, a row of carrots, one squash and one cucumber. So far the tomato plants are 7 feet tall and loaded with green fruits.

I'll be picking a yellow squash for dinner and I ate the first cucumber for lunch yesterday. I planted a test garden in one area of the back yard where we had trees removed, and sowed a small row of pole beans along the back of the house. The test garden is doing very well; it survived a wind and hail storm last week with only a few broken leaves.

We gave the soil mounds some lime along with organic cow manure and the small garden area is producing green and yellow squash now. I discovered 2 small cucumber plants hidden under the foliage, so I may get more cucumbers, too.

The bean plants died or got eaten the first time I planted, so I planted beans again in the same spot a couple weeks ago. The second sowing is up and starting grow tendrils, but there's a rabbit that sneaks in to nibble on the plants so I don't know if I'll get anywhere with beans this year. Today I'm going to make sapling stick teepee trellises for the beans to climb up. If the roofers don't smash the plants next week I may get some fresh beans from the back yard by mid-August.

Nature Girl

2011-06-17T14:04:00.000-04:00

The wildlife count at the Vermont house is growing. This week I spotted two new visitors in the yard: a rose-breasted grosbeak landed on the front porch railing and a wild rabbit hopped across the driveway in front of my car as I returned home from a day trip to Burlington with A and B.

The established non-human residents here include several fat chipmunks, a few grey squirrels (one with a white tipped tail), a couple red squirrels, lots of salamanders, toads, spring peepers and frogs, plus all these birds: cardinals, sparrows, chickadees, crows, juncos, titmice, robins, red-winged blackbirds, finches, woodpeckers (downy and pileated) and the usual flies, mosquitoes, ants, spiders and other crawly and flying bug types that live in dirt, water, grass, and woodsy areas but love to try to live in your home.

So far none of the wild things have created much of a nuisance except a pack of hornets who wanted to build a nest hanging off the rear soffit and that's just not gonna happen.

The chipmunks and cardinal are quite friendly and come close even when I'm outside. They regularly show up perched on the porch railing (separately, never together) to get a snack.

We can't really feed the birds here past April (bear hazard) so when there's no sunflower seed sprinkled out on the railing my pals peek into the living room window to see if I'm home. The cardinal turns his head side to side and chirps at the window like he's requesting service, and the chipmunk whistles and chips away until the cat jumps onto the window sill for a closer look.

I think the chubby chipmunk and his/her friend live underneath the rickety front steps (see above, photo with the flag). They're gonna have to relocate in a couple weeks when we tear it off (before it falls off) to replace it with a full-width real front porch.

No worries - they can just move to the back steps ... until we replace those next year or the year after with a mudroom.

If all goes as planned, this is how the front of the house will look by mid-summer, with a new porch that includes a roof and a Nantucket stairway off the center front.

Back to Nature in 2 States

2011-05-16T08:23:00.001-04:00

Having 2 homes with slightly different garden environments offers us many opportunities to experience nature up close and personal. Last week I was exploring our Vermont yard to learn more about the critters and plants that live there.

So far I've discovered our small piece of the Green Mountain state is home to native wildflowers (colts foot, trout lily and a few not yet showing their identities), salamanders (LOTS) under the front walk marble stepping stones, squirrels (red and grey), many birds (flickers, cardinals, crows, robins, chickadees, titmice, snow birds, woodpeckers - downy and pileated) and far too many pine trees (more on that in a future post).

This week we're working on garden cleanup in Pennsylvania while the birds - cardinals, robins, orioles, scarlet tanagers, sparrows, chickadees, gold finches, hummingbirds, a few starlings, doves, hawks, mallard ducks and wild turkeys (I can hear them in the woods but haven't spotted them in the garden this year ... yet) and plenty of wild critters (squirrels, chipmunks, deer, rabbits) are busily establishing their homes in and around our garden.

We were working on weeding the natural (read: somewhat overgrown and wild) borders on Sunday when Doug discovered a new creature from the reptile/amphibian clan who's moved into our wildlife habitat: a snapping turtle made a home in the brook that runs alongside our property line between our garden border and the neighboring field. It's a younger one, but it's fiesty. He's probably planning to feast on the crayfish, salamanders, toads, snakes and frogs that are already living here.

All this wildlife is food for creative expression with the result being new amphibian coloring pages. Check out my new salamander coloring page. More are on the drawing board.

It's going to be an interesting nature photo spring and summer. Watch for more photos and more artwork!

Baby Chat - Twin Boys Having a Conversation

2011-03-30T10:30:00.002-04:00

DIY Spin Art for Kids and Kids-at-Heart

2011-03-26T11:22:00.002-04:00

Giant Spin Art

Remembering Japan and Hope for the Future

2011-03-14T15:29:00.001-04:00

The natural disasters in northern Japan have captured most of my attention this week. Although I could avoid watching news media on the television or bypassing stories online, I find myself drawn to the images and feeling so powerless, shocked, and very sad.

The devastation is overwhelming; I sit here watching from thousands of miles away, in the northeastern USA. I can't begin to imagine what it must be like for people who are in the midst of the situation - in shock, hungry, cold, terrified - surrounded by destruction and death.

In a former life and career more than 15 years ago I traveled to Japan twice on business as part of small e-publishing consultancy team. Our travels landed us at Narita airport where we took a train into Yokohama and then walked to our hotel. We stayed in a hotel that was not far from the sports arena and main shopping district; it was also not far from the busy Chinatown neighborhood.

All our local travel was by train, tram, subway, or on foot and I had many opportunities to see how ordinary people lived, worked, went to school and spent leisure time. On both trips I spent much of my free time (after dinner and on the weekends) exploring the busy streets of Yokohama shopping, touring the waterfront and parks, jogging and people watching. I made one trip to Tokyo with another team member where we toured the Royal Garden where we caught a glimpse of the Royal family as they passed by, and we visited the peace shrine and outdoor market in the city center. It was a beautiful place filled with history, culture and families.

As days go by there seems to be no end to the human suffering from Friday's earthquake and tsunami and the ongoing danger this week from the damaged nuclear power stations. The Japanese were very prepared for earthquakes, but no amount of planning or preventative action could have kept the wall of water from doing its damage. It's sobering and sad; I spend time every day just thinking about Japan and saying a prayer.

I took lots of photos; I'll try to share here or on Facebook in the next few weeks.

NHK World Television (English)

Just Eat Organic - A Rap With Real Information

2011-03-13T13:26:00.000-04:00

No need to panic - just eat organic. And support your local farmer!

Cut out unnecessary chemicals - change the stuff you eat and protect your health and the health of your children, and theirs.

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle Mantra

2011-03-12T22:19:00.000-05:00

I just finished this book - a gift from daughter #2 at Christmas. It's a good read, but it's more than that. The story of one family's year of eating locally and growing much of their own food is powerful. The information that's also included on just what's happening to our farms, foods, agriculture and health is even more compelling - and alarming.

I have always been a bit of a food snob, and I'm certainly aware that what I eat has a direct affect on my health. I made my own baby food and bread decades before it was trendy. I cook from scratch - no mixes for me, and I don't buy processed foods. I was a vegetarian for more than 10 years, and even now I don't eat much meat except for poultry. I garden organically. And I refuse to eat food additives, colors and flavor enhancers.

What I learned from this book is how much more is going on behind the scenes than I ever imagined. I had a good idea that agribusiness was king and putting pressure on sustainable farms and organic operations, but I learned a lot more about the "new" way of farming and the tie in to chemical companies ... and it's not pretty.

Vandana Shiva: The Future of Food-Part 1

2011-03-12T21:56:00.002-05:00

You are what you eat ... in the case of GE foods, Frankenstein looks tame.
Who the heck gave Monsanto the right to own and control seed as a patented commodity?

Study: Reading Could Bounce Back - Regional News - Berks Story - WFMZ Allentown

2011-03-06T15:42:00.000-05:00

This week Reading, PA made television news ... on the regional station, with this profile (including a family member who was interviewed after her appearance on a panel discussion) and by NBC News, profiled in a feature with Tom Brokaw.

Study: Reading Could Bounce Back - Regional News - Berks Story - WFMZ Allentown

M is for March, Maple, Mud Season and Musing ...

2011-03-06T12:16:00.000-05:00

So many things happening, so much to do. March always catches me a bit unprepared for the chores and changes it brings. There are taxes to finish and file, gardens to clean up and mulch, holidays to celebrate and new art to be made before the official first day of Spring.

In Pennsylvania, the weather at the beginning of the month might still be wintry, but by St. Patrick's Day the grass is green and the snow piles are long gone. The garden is ready for the first peas to be planted, crocus flowers are blooming and daffodils are almost bursting with their welcome bright cheer. Overwintering birds are looking for love, claiming spots to build nests and singing from the tops of the trees. The first of the returning south-migrating flocks are passing through the yard on their way to back Canada and New England.

Life's not so different at the house in Vermont, except that early March is the season of major snow and ice melt, just before Vermont's fifth season - mud season. In Vermont if you don't drive a 4WD truck or a car with high clearance (and a come-along in the trunk) your best bet is to avoid back roads until everything dries out. Of course if you do live on a dirt road that's prone to becoming a quagmire in early spring you probably own the right type of vehicle and you know how to drive in and out without a problem, no matter how much mud and snow might be hiding around the bend.

Today as I write it's been raining steadily in Rutland county for 12 hours. The icy driveway that trapped me at home for two days last week along with sub-zero temperatures is clear again down to the gravel. The huge snow banks along the driveway are starting to retreat and the thermometer says it's 50 degrees - nearly the same weather as at home in Pennsylvania today. As the next few weeks go by, the differences in the weather will diminish until it's tomato planting time at both houses.

For now, I can see bare ground at the base of the trees in the front yard. There's snow forecast for the north country tonight, with a mix expected here, then above freezing weather all week during the day. Maple season is starting. No more need for my roof rake this year ... welcome Spring.

Double Trouble

2011-03-04T17:19:00.001-05:00

When Oma and Anya visit the Coop, sometimes there are bennies.

Signs of Spring in Pennsylvania

2011-03-04T17:10:00.000-05:00

New Friends at the Alpaca Farm

2011-02-28T12:40:00.001-05:00

Saturday's overnight snowfall ended before noon on Sunday, so we were able to get out to Brandon for Art in the Snow. We made a very special trip to the Alpaca Farm to introduce Anya to these furry cuties. She has a small alpaca finger puppet she loves to play with, so we brought him along to meet his lifesize cousins, too.

Boot Girl, Just Like Her Oma ... and Her Mama

2011-02-28T12:26:00.000-05:00

Anya has finally outgrown the soft soled elfin shoes she's been wearing since fall. She's now walking tall in her very special Timberland boots - a gift for her birthday in November. Just perfect for Vermont hikes in winter, spring, summer or fall.

Piano Fun - Another Reason to Take the Stairs!

2011-02-15T09:17:00.000-05:00

I almost always choose the stairs over the escalator or elevator. Here's just one more reason to use the steps.

Second Stop of Winter Dew Tour Kicks Off In Killington

2011-01-21T14:25:00.000-05:00

Second Stop of Winter Dew Tour Kicks Off In Killington

Best boarders are in town this weekend ... tune in for the live NBC broadcast on Saturday for the freeski pipe finals from 4:30-6 p.m. ET and Sunday from 4-6 p.m. for the snowboard slope finals.

HOMEGROWN REVOLUTION - Radical Change Taking Root

2011-01-21T11:09:00.001-05:00

Another person who advocates my mantra: rip out the lawn and plant food and flowers!

Better yet, build an Eco-Friendly Tiny Home, save $$ and keep your carbon footprint small.

Another Talented Nephew

2010-12-18T11:22:00.000-05:00

White Christmas Guarantee

2010-12-14T15:46:00.000-05:00

The local news in Vermont has an advert running about a White Christmas Guarantee. I haven't paid enough attention to get the details, but last night's weather and the forecast for the next 10 days pretty much supports that guarantee up here in central Vermont. I woke before dawn to a nice 7 inch snowfall today. The thermometer, which was flirting with mid-fifties over the weekend, dropped back overnight in the other direction. It's now struggling to get to 20 and there's not much hope that it will rise above the freezing mark until - yes, you guessed it - the weekend.

Today I'm thankful for a few basics:

1) Lining up a great local snow plow service and high speed internet in early November right after we bought this home in Vermont.

2) Finding my driveway and steps totally cleared of snow before 7am today.

3) Being a work-at-home freelancer, so I don't need to go out in the cold except to pick up the mail and clean off the car. I don't need to drive anywhere, but if I did, the roads are completely clear. Hey, this is New England, not Pennsylvania.

I've got the Christmas tree up and mostly decorated - I saved the best ornaments for Doug. Today and tomorrow I'm expecting delivery of the gifts I ordered online, so all that I need to do now for the holidays is wrap gifts and spend time with family. Assorted family members will be driving here from a few hours away, so let's hope for no more snow for a few days - after the New Year would be ideal.

I Hate Mondays

2010-11-08T10:17:00.003-05:00

Hate Mondays

Newborn Babies - Picture Perfect Portraits

2010-10-29T09:26:00.001-04:00

I have a friend on Squidoo.com who's a talented photographer, writer and blogger - Heather Dunham Katsoulis.

She's got a flair for capturing portraits that's touching and appealing. Her professional photos of newborn babies are particularly beautiful and sensitive. Have a look at some of Heather's latest newborn baby portraits ... you'll be saying "Awwwww ..."

Newborn Babies - HLKphoto.com

Halloween Costumes for Kids - Baby Halloween Costumes - Easy Halloween Costume Ideas

2010-10-26T16:02:00.005-04:00

BOO Baby Halloween Fashion by imagefactory
Shop Zazzle for a different t shirt zazzle

Been thinking about what the kids will be dressed up like this year for Halloween. It's Bella's 9th, Sawyers 3rd and Anya's 1st Halloween.
Halloween Costumes for Kids

NASCAR Fever

2010-10-22T17:18:00.000-04:00

Mum and I had a whirlwind vacation week in late September. We took a bus trip to Savannah, GA and Charleston, SC by way of Charlotte, NC. On the way down we toured Shelton Vineyards and I stocked up on the harvest wine duo plus a bottle of estate Charonnay.

On our trip home we took a tour of Andy Griffith's Mayberry (Mt. Airy, NC) and then made a stop at Charlotte Raceway. We got a guided tour of the pit and track area and even got a ride around the track in a rally van.

I made this race car clip art sheet awhile ago ... it seems like the right time to dust it off to share (personal use only) for scrapbooks and paper crafts.

Almost Time to Change Clocks Back to Standard Time

2010-10-20T14:11:00.002-04:00

I remember when Daylight Saving Time ended before Halloween. Not so these days. Thanks to a 2007 update to the original law, if your US state observes Daylight Saving Time all clocks return to standard time at 2am on the first Sunday in November.

I guess that leaves more daylight hours for Halloween and safer door-to-door Trick or Treating, but when I was a kid, we LIKED it when the early evening hours were dark and scary for Halloween. But life for kids was simpler then.

Snag this Turn Clocks Back clip art button to add to your calendar with the reminder to Fall back. Free for personal use on your blog or personal page, too, if you link back to this post.

It's Not Just Black and White

2010-10-15T16:46:00.001-04:00

Graphic design training includes at least one foundation course in Color and Design. You learn all the nuances of color and how it works - and doesn't - to catch the eye, hold attention, and convey an impression without a single word. There's work with the visible spectrum in both pigment and light. There's study of color temperatures, psychology of color, complements and hues plus much more. These days, a good instructor may even throw in a bit of cultural color training so one can intelligently design products for a global market.

To get a sense of how color and branding go together like PB&J, check out this post that includes a visual diagram of the world's most powerful brand marks and logos. You'll see what I mean.

kiss my black ads: The Most Powerful Colors in the World

Peace - add your own colors

2010-10-09T09:00:00.000-04:00

God Rest Ye, John Lennon

2010-10-08T16:04:00.001-04:00

Click to play ...

About that black cloud behind us ...

2010-10-07T10:55:00.000-04:00

When I was a kid we had a family joke about a rain cloud that followed my Dad all around when we went on vacation. We always had our vacation in August, and no matter how sunny, hot and dry the summer weather had been up to that point, on the week all 6 of us piled into the car with Mum and Dad we'd have rain. Six kids on vacation in the mountains or at the beach when it's raining can be trying for even the most nonchalant adult. We always managed to find fun on our vacation, even on the rainy days.

On one vacation in August that I took without Dad but with Mum at Hampton Beach the cloud still managed to find us. We were camping - yes, camping in tents at a campground near a salt marsh in the piney woods - and a hurricane brushed New England. After 3 days of rain and warnings of flooding and high winds we packed up the tents and camping gear and drove home with the kids and Trish (who was about 2 and a half then). The sun, of course, returned the next day but we abandoned the beach vacation for the rest of the week and stayed close to home. Curses on the black cloud - it must have been atracted to the car, not to Daddy.

Mum and I got a reminder of the black cloud syndrome this past week when we took a bus tour vacation through the sunny South - to Charleston, SC and Savannah, GA with stops in Charlotte, NC. On the first day as we were enroute to Charleston, our tour stopped for an overnight stay and afternoon of shopping in Charlotte, NC. All 50 of us got dropped off from the tour bus at Broadway at the Beach in Myrtle Beach . We were nowhere in view of the beach, but we had plenty of water to contend with because we were smack in the midst of a tropical storm that dumped 11 inches on that area and then moved up the eastern seaboard to New England. There was so much rain that many of the folks on the trip had to buy new shoes because they got so wet. We had rain gear and umbrellas; others improvised with makeshift protection - one lady even good-naturedly put a plastic bag on her head to keep dry! Nothing stopped the determined shoppers that day, and we all managed to find humor in our stormy Monday situation. As we left the next day we saw news reports that parts of Charlotte were disaster areas. Sorry for that ...

We proceeded south the next morning, heading into more rainy weather enroute to Charleston. Although we slogged through intermittent showers and clouds the sun came out on Wednesday and we had lovely weather for the rest of the trip.

We're About to Declare Success

2010-09-17T16:57:00.000-04:00

After several go-rounds of negotiation between seller and potential buyers (us), it looks like we'll be able to come to agreement on a retirement property in Vermont. If all goes as planned, I'll be attending the engineering inspection next week and finalizing the rest of the endless paperwork. Might even be able to close before the birthday twins celebrate their 1 year old and 10 years old special days in November.

Another Northern Trek, Another Step Closer to a Vermont Home

2010-09-10T09:23:00.002-04:00

We just returned from our second house-hunting trip to Vermont. We really thought we'd found the right home this time - we even made a formal offer to the seller. Unfortunately, the deal is off because the owner wants full price and the house is just not worth that much in this housing market.

There's a bright side to this. Even though we spent a good part of our time looking over the home, the lot, talking with town officials about lot lines and easements and figuring out if we could add a garage to the home at some future date only to have the deal fall through, we discovered how much we like West Rutland so we're now putting more focus on that community to find our retirement home.

West Rutland's located just outside the city of Rutland (county seat) but close enough to get downtown to services, shopping and medical offices within a few minutes. West Rutland's a town that's embraced the arts, particularly sculpture, as a way to rejuvenate the community and energize the small downtown area. At one time West Rutland was home to a marble production center and several world-famous marble quarries. These days the quarries are closed and most marble business operations have almost disappeared. But marble is everywhere in this small town, and it's a big part of the town's history.

We visited with the Town Manager and the Town Clerk, then drove a bit further down Marble Street to The Carving Studio where Doug had a chance to meet with artists and the executive director. We took a walk around the grounds and studio areas and had an opportunity to view massive marble sculptures in process ... it was truly impressive and exciting.

We'll be back up north soon, looking more intently at West Rutland homes or vacant land for our Vermont home. Send me email if you know of a newer home (built after 1980) for sale with at least an acre of land within a half mile of West Rutland center.

A Bloodhound Bit Me in the UI - MySpace, I'm Outta Here

2010-09-03T09:15:00.002-04:00

I've just killed my account on MySpace. I didn't use it all that much and my latest visit proved to be my last. I got into my profile to adjust my privacy settings and as I tried to save them my computer froze up ... yes, within the secure (?) MySpace UI. I believe it was running Java. I was able to complete the task, but I was on alert right away. When prompted by MySpace to give a reason for cancelling, I was upfront and honest about the experience I'd just had and my disgust about it.

So, I suspected something was going on because of how the PC was behaving. It seems I was right. Norton nailed a nasty virus within a few minutes ... a virus that exploits Java vulnerabilities - it's called Bloodhound - and it goes after personal information. Norton took care of cleaning it out, and I took a few more steps to ensure it didn't get into my backup sets or system restore file and I also manually updated my Java software to make sure I had the latest version running.

If I got that virus while using the MySpace UI and working on my personal data, I can only imagine what's going on with other member accounts and personal information. I don't need the headaches or the snooping, thank-you.

I can't prove that MySpace was the source of the virus, but I don't visit unknown sites, and it was the only place I visited that day that I don't surf to every day. I use updated Norton live protection and a couple other tools to keep my computer free from crap .. nothing else adds up except that visit to MySpace and the problems I had when I tried to tighten up my privacy settings.

Pondering Reupholstery

2010-08-19T11:04:00.000-04:00

Let me begin with this: I have been sewing, crafting and wielding tools since I was a kid. I've made slipcovers for sofas, chairs and love seats. I've designed and built decks, furniture, toys and additions to my home(s). I've renovated antique houses - right down to a complete bathroom gutting and remake. And I have done some upholstery. I've just never tackled a sofa.

Well, it's coming down to do or die with our old sofa and chair. They're family heirlooms, passed to us from my mother-in-law, who purchased them new in 1931. They need new covers, springs, padding - the works. I've only done the new padding and covers parts in my past adventures. Undaunted, though, hubs wants to tackle this, so here's a time lapse video of what to expect if we tackle this.

I have no idea where we'll be able to do the work other than in the living room, but I know it MUST be done in less than a week once we begin. We absolutely cannot live with a giant craft project taking up most of the space inside our existing giant craft project - our home is a WIP!

Thanks to Freshly Picked for sharing this video of what it takes to reupholster an old sofa.

Extreme Makover: Home Edition Berks County

2010-08-04T10:01:00.000-04:00

The biggest thing to happen around here this summer is the big construction project going on just up the road apiece (about 20 miles north) in Tilden township. ABC and crew plus a huge contingent of volunteers are building a new home for Trisha and Cora Urban. It's been a whirlwiind week of press, work and wondrous accomplishment - read about it here.

No- Sew Ballerina Tutu - Green Crafts for Kids

2010-07-28T10:36:00.002-04:00

My friend Michelle on Squidoo, lensmaster a_willow, is a frugal creative mom with a young daughter. She reminds me of my own daughters quite a bit.

Michelle recently posted a simple but brilliant recycling craft project - how to make a ballet tutu from plastic shopping bags. I sent the idea along to my daughter Bekah, who knits shopping bags from those nasty plastic sacks - she can save the idea for her wee one (as soon as Anya's walking and dancing, that is).

Find more Toys for Toddlers ideas here

Unschooling - Dayna Martin

2010-07-21T12:22:00.000-04:00

A few decades ago we explored the idea of pulling our child (the only one at the time) out of public school and becoming part of the Milford Free School. If we had the resources then that are available today, I would have definitely gone with non-public education.

At that time (mid-1970s), alternate education plans needed approval by the state of NH and the local community school board. We decided to keep our daughter in the public system but to make sure she got plenty of additional opportunities for learning in an unstructured manner. When her sister came along a couple years later we needed two incomes, but we ensured that our day care provider followed the same philosophy. Both girls did well in school as well as with their independent learning experiences, so I think we gave them the best of both options available within our means.

Today, many forms of alternative education including alternative public school curricula, home school arrangements, cyber-schools and unschooling have been endorsed and even embraced by the worldwide community of parents and educators. Hooray!

Here's a brief interview of Dayna Martin of Madison, NH - her family of 4 gets a great unschooling experience at home from Dayna and her husband Joe. I wonder how my grandkids would enjoy the unschooling experience? I know I would have loved it ... both as a child and as a parent!

Are You Rushing Through Life?

2010-07-14T14:00:00.002-04:00

How often in your daily life do you need to catch your breath - to slow down, take time to consider the beauty around you or just take in your surroundings?

In my mid-forties I was completely enveloped and controlled by the events in my life, so much so that I felt as though I had no life ... and I made a drastic but wonderful career change that I have never regretted. I left my high tech job, went back to school and finished a long-delayed degree program, and learned to use my computer to create art and market my work. I make new friends online through the communities I've joined on Facebook and Squidoo.

I no longer commute for an hour each way through horrendous traffic at 80mph to work at a job in another state. My chest isn't tight; my heart beat is slower; I don't get migraine headaches; I have time to knit, sew; try my hand at new crafts and cook - really cook - again.

Fifteen years later, I don't rush to the airport several times a week to catch a yet another flight to a far-away state or foreign country. I don't need to agonize over uncomfortable ethical decisions that conflict with personal values. I am free of office politics, the pursuit of a bigger paycheck and the never-ending career treadmill that seemed like a grindstone for the grim reaper.

I work for myself; I do what I love; I take time to take time, every single day. And I earn more money than I ever did before when I worked for someone else ... but that's really secondary to having my life back.

Are You Rushing Through Life?

Happy July 4th!

2010-07-04T10:25:00.000-04:00

We're having an all-American 4th of July weekend - we went to a Reading Phillies baseball game last night and enjoyed a bang-up free fireworks show after the R-Phils victory over the Altoona Curve.

Our US flag is flying ... Let Freedom Ring!

Holla Holla by Two From The Zoo

2010-07-04T09:29:00.001-04:00

Holla Holla by Two From The Zoo

Melanie and Sean ...

USA Flag Graphic Tee from Zazzle.com

2010-07-01T10:58:00.001-04:00

Just released - available for adults, kids and even pets!

USA Flag Graphic Tee from Zazzle.com

It's Berry Picking Time

2010-06-29T09:14:00.000-04:00

I've made 3 quarts of black raspberry jam with our organic wild berries this year.

Pa. stops company’s drilling after accident | The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, PA

2010-06-15T15:56:00.005-04:00

Stop the drilling ... or tax these carpetbaggers heavily for mining gas deposits and polluting northeast PA and western NY all for the sake of $$$$$$$$$.

Pa. stops company’s drilling after accident | The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, PA

More info here - check out GASLAND, the movie.

The Early Bird Gets the Berries

2010-06-12T09:00:00.048-04:00

We feed the birds and wildlife on our small patch of earth all winter long. They stick around because there's plenty of fresh water year round from our ponds and flowing stream, plus they find shelter and natural food all over the garden.

We plant flowers that attract butterflies and birds all summer, then leave the seed pods for the birds, chipmunks and other critters to gather as forage during the cold weather months. We have a HUGE walnut tree in our yard that drops nuts that destroy our garden and lawn but it feeds the squirrels and makes really cool shade during our sweltering summer days ...

When Spring rolls around the bird treats aren't needed (except for the hummingbird feeder) and keeping the feeders full only attracts starlings, deer and (in some places) bears, so we stop filling and let the critters eat from the plants and shrubs in the gardens. That's when the challenge begins, because the birds and wild critters think we plant our vegetable garden just for them, too. We solved that battle by fencing in all the food except for the wild berries. Once the berries begin to ripen in June each morning becomes a race with the birds. I try to gather the fruit in the morning and late afternoon. They get to pick what's left during the middle of the day.

Today I won the berry picking race - or at least I think I so. I gathered all these beautiful wild organic fruits - black raspberries and strawberries - on the second day I spotted ripe berries in the yard. But perhaps I just got the leftovers. The birds were up at dawn today so they probably left these few for me and chuckled at my frantic picking from high up in the trees. We'll see tomorrow ... hot sunny weather ripens the berries and our forecast for the next week is fair and dry with temperatures in the 80s.

Peas on Earth

2010-06-11T11:41:00.001-04:00

Last night we dined on the first peas from our garden (we snagged some early pea pods a couple weeks ago, too). YUM! Our seeds were planted in succession, with multiple sowings between March 17 and May 3 ... the vines are taller than 5 feet now!

DIY - seedling plant pots made from newspaper

2010-05-24T13:32:00.004-04:00

Fire and Tools - Dad's BBQ Weapons

2010-05-13T08:47:00.000-04:00

Get this cool design printed on a tee shirt, BBQ apron, button badge or trucker hat for that special man in your life - customize it with his name or whatever you like. Many styles, sizes and colors available for your King of the Grill.

King of the Grill by imagefactory
Browse more Dad T-Shirts

Babies - the Movie

2010-04-28T11:03:00.000-04:00

Happy Earth Day - It's Been 40 Years!

2010-04-22T15:40:00.001-04:00

It's been a tough go but I think the nation has finally grasped the concepts put forth in 1970 and taken them to heart. Reduce, reuse, recycle - and while you're at it, buy organic/fair trade/sustainably produced foods and goods.

When you shop, BYOB - bring your own bags. If you don't have enough and don't want to buy canvas bags then stitch, crochet or knit up a few extras and keep them in your trunk or back seat.

I'm saving big birdseed bags to cut apart to make sturdy tote bags. If you enjoy working with fibers, knit or crochet a reusable shopping bag - this one's easy to knit from cotton yarn.Or get out the sewing machine and turn old clothes or sheets into new shopping totes.

For you diehard recyclers there's another tried and true nifty way to use up those plastic grocery bags the stores keep handing out. Cut up your old plastic shopping sacks to make plastic strips (sometimes called "plarn") then knit yourself a reusable shopping bag from those nasty plastic bags.

Zazzle Award for My T-Shirt Design

2010-04-21T15:58:00.001-04:00

I just got word from Zazzle that one of my designs, First Time DAD T Shirt, won a Zazzle Artist Award for creativity. It's being featured in the New Dad Gifts collection for the next 2 weeks at Zazzle

First Time DAD by imagefactory
Browse other Dad T-Shirts

Censored by Facebook - And then, Not Censored

2010-04-19T11:33:00.003-04:00

Minutes after I first posted this, the link on Facebook returned. I still think my comments here are valid, and worth keeping. But rest assured, Facebook's editorial team found at least one member with a brain who could actually read and must have followed the link to review the content.

If you use Facebook, have you ever had one of your posts removed? It happened to me today - and I don't understand the reason. I posted a link to a video on CNN.com, an interview with young adults who survived the Oklahoma City bombings 15 years ago today.

According to recent news reports, that horrific event has been nearly obliterated from the history books used by our schools; ask high school or eaven some college students about it and they'll give you a blank stare. They know about the WTC attack, but they don't know about the attack by US citizens that killed so many innocent people.

I'm not a conspiracy theorist - I just think it's strange that a bombing on home soil is fading from memory and Facebook found my reference offensive ( or one of those who reads my page objected to it ) and took down the post. This is clearly censorship. The post was an interview video on a respected television news station.

Do we have anarchists working at Facebook? Or did someone think I was in support of that act of cowardice and mayhem? Perhaps the complainer sympathizes with the terrorists, or the editor who blanked out the link didn't follow through to see it was not at all in support, but is a solid piece of journalism that explores the aftermath on the kids who survived the blast that destroyed their day care center in the federal building. They, like most of the kids in high school today, were babies and toddlers when the bombing attack occurred.

We're Going to Have to Put Her Down

2010-04-12T11:41:00.001-04:00

Easter Bonnets, Bunnies and Bibs

2010-03-31T12:15:00.001-04:00

Every little girl (and especially babies going to church for the first time) needs a special Easter bonnet. Rebekah asked me to whip one up for Anya this year to go along with her special Easter dress.

I'd already been working secretly on a soft knit rabbit pillow and a cotton knit bib, so I had to work double time to get this little lady's chapeau sewn up and into the post on its way to Vermont earlier this week. Bunny makes a fine model, don't you think?

Earth Hour - March 27 - Go Dark

2010-03-26T14:27:00.006-04:00

Celebrate Worldwide Earth Hour by turning off your lights for an hour at 8:30pm local time on Saturday, March 27, 2010.

It's Official - Spring Has Arrived

2010-03-22T10:03:00.002-04:00

Spring arrived on Saturday afternoon and we were blessed with a simply gorgeous sunny weekend in the 70's. We ate lunch outdoors on Saturday, then all 3 meals on the deck Sunday. I'm raring to go with our vegetable garden and raised bed boxes - we're planning an even bigger crop of organic veggies this year, just like these carrots from last season:

I'm still not 100% following the gallbladder episode, but I simply had to get out to work in the garden and enjoy the weather. I managed to clean up most of the garden beds and walk ways: I trimmed off dead stalks from the perennials, fluffed up the mulch, removed the winter leaf covers, cleaned off the brick patios and swept the deck and cabana.

Doug dug up the vegetable patch and planted the peas and spinach, plus he hauled all my debris piles away. Mind you he did all this in between sanding and varnishing our bedroom floor and painting the ceiling in there, too.

All in all we had a very productive weekend - now we're ready to get the hot tub opened up by end of the month!

Are You an Organ Donor?

2010-03-15T16:33:00.004-04:00

I had an unexpected detour on my recent long-distance grandma trip to New England. My plan was to visit DD#2 and her family in Vermont for a few days, then travel down to southern New Hampshire for a few days with DD#1 and the two older grandkids. Well ... as day 2 was winding down, I started to feel not so well. In fact, I wondered if I might be having a heart attack. Two days of rest and a raging fever along with pain worse than childbirth convinced me it was not just something I ate.

Okay, so I got to the ER at the crack of dawn on Tuesday and the docs examined and tested and determined my gallbladder had to come out. I was feeling a bit better by that time, thanks to the pain meds and kind staff when it was time to answer the "standard" patient admission form questions. Some made me laugh, others were more sobering. The one that made me think twice was, "Are you an organ donor? "

It struck me a bit hilarious ... but also slightly ominous. I was, after all, about to have the first "real" surgery of my life, and yes, I am a registered donor - it's on my license. I felt compelled to make it very clear when answering this question (3 different times) that I am an organ donor but I'm ONLY planning to give away my gallbladder at this time.

Get Ready to Spring Forward

2010-02-21T16:31:00.004-05:00

Daylight Savings Time is coming (to most US states) March 14, 2010.

Here's a reminder graphic to help you remember to change your clocks to one hour AHEAD when you go to bed on Saturday, March 13, 2010.

You can find lots more of my original clip art, coloring pages and paper crafts printables at LeeHansen.com. All are free for personal or classroom use.

Daylight Savings Time clip art

Spring is Coming - the Craft Fairs are Calling

2010-02-20T17:19:00.001-05:00

This time of year is the hardest for me. I get tired of the cold and want the weather to start getting warmer. I look for little signals from Mother Nature every day - birds start to sing a bit instead of silently looking for food; maple tree buds begin to swell ever so slightly as the sap starts rising (and in New England I see the spiles and sap buckets hanging to capture the excess); and finally the snow starts to look like grey sand as it compacts and gets hard just before finally giving up its grip on the road side.

Another harbinger of spring is starting to appear: calls for artists and crafters for this season's upcoming fairs, festivals and art shows. The first one to arrive in my email is from the Bizarre Bazaar Boston folks, who kindly sent along news and a call for artists and performers for ArtBeat 2010, presented by Somerville (MA) Arts Council. "During the heat of summer (held on the third weekend in July), artists and festival goers converge on Davis Square, transforming it into one of the area's largest and most innovative arts festivals. ArtBeat includes music, performance art, craft vendors, dance, theater, food, and a whole more."

Bite Me, and Happy New Year, too

2010-02-12T14:43:00.001-05:00

Okay, I love to draw, and humor is a major element in my illustrations. Every now and then I come across another artist's work that makes me LOL - and here's the one that did it for me today.

Gingerbread Man "Bite Me"

SnowPocalypse Live in Southeastern PA - February 10, 2010

2010-02-12T08:55:00.002-05:00

We got 22 inches according to the measuring stick on our deck. Here's a shot of Mother Nature working hard to deliver the second punch of heavy snow to our area in 4 days - in a region where they don't generally know how to handle snow, and usually just wait for it to stop before plowing (or not - they like, just let it melt). I'd rather be in New England.

This storm arrived for dinner on Tuesday, just a few hours after I finished clearing the leftover ice and snow on the walks, steps, roof edges and deck from a weekend storm that dumped 12 inches at our house (much more just miles south of us).

I hear that Vermont has no snow - and the Olympics is also suffering a snow drought. You can have ours ...

Bird Buddies in the Blizzard

2010-02-10T20:12:00.000-05:00

Got a chance to snap some new bird photographs during the blizzard today. We feed the birds all winter and today they were practically knocking on the door for breakfast, lunch and dinner as snow fell fast and heavy - an inch or more an hour. Lucky for them, we stocked up on black oil sunflower seeds before the snow storm.

In Honor of Today's Weather - Let It Snow!

2010-02-10T19:54:00.000-05:00

Snow Day Penguin Magnet

Are we in Florida?

2010-02-10T14:15:00.002-05:00

Once again, Pennsylvania has fallen down and can't get up because it's snowing. The governor has closed all the interstate highways, roads are all but impassable, and we're waiting for the power to go out. This is a heavy snowfall but it was well forecast and there was plenty of time to prepare. Most citizens did just that, but if you don't actually plow the snow when it falls, guess what happens? Cars and trucks get stuck, have accidents, and all hell breaks loose until you clear the roads.

Oh, did I mention this isn't the first time? Happy Anniversary PADOT. Pennsylvania Valentine's Snowstorm Disaster of 2007 has returned ...

Gads, I miss New Hampshire and Vermont!

This Weather's for the Birds

2010-02-03T10:41:00.000-05:00

Every year at about this time my patience with ol' man Winter runs thin. I get tired of the cold days and chillier nights. I long for warmer days, more sunshine, and time to dig in the garden soil. Thank God for the birds. They brighten our days all year long, but in the dead of winter they're out there in the garden and visiting the bird feeders we keep filled with their favorite foods.

Here's to the birds who visit our gardens and bird feeders all year long. They're willing to let me get close enough to take lots of bird photographs and videos. They brighten up dreary days, and in the worst of weather - cold, snowy sleet or rainy days - they're chirping, and hopping about, and stopping by for a snack and a pose.

New Year, More Frequent Driver Miles

2010-01-20T10:09:00.001-05:00

Just returned from my first 2010 LDG (long distance grandma) trip to New England. Our holiday visit with the kids and grandkids in NH and VT got delayed due to Doug's heart procedure (he's fine now that the stents are in place) and the weather (snow in PA and NJ on my twice-delayed departure date).

When I finally got to share Christmas gifts with both daughters and their families it was actually more relaxed than during the holiday rush season.

Needless to say I drove the truck to New England, feeling almost immortal armed with the stick shift and trusty FWD. Good thing - my nice shiny new 2010 Corolla has already accumulated 2 recalls, not yet repaired: 1 for a sticking gas pedal (it actually did this to Doug while I was away) and serious loss of braking capability if you drive in cold states like, oh, Vermont.

Terra the Hat Cat Says, "Have You Been Nice ... or Naughty ... This Year?"

2009-12-20T16:25:00.001-05:00

My cat Terra Catta loves me so much she lets me take silly photos of her.This picture of her wearing a Santa hat is from last Christmas.

Caption This Silly Pet Photo at Squidoo

Christmas Wishes List

2009-12-14T13:17:00.003-05:00

All I want for Christmas is more pictures of my grandkids ... and a cool way to display them.

Birthday Twins

2009-12-02T09:43:00.001-05:00

My two grand daughters Bella and Anya are cousins who share the same birthday - November 3 - with a span of 9 years between them.

Bella is pleased that she got her birthday wish - a girl cousin. Happy birthday, ladies!

Thanksgiving in Vermont - Eagle Rock, Lake Beebe

2009-12-02T09:13:00.000-05:00

We spent Thanksgiving weekend in Vermont this year - the weather cooperated and we enjoyed some outdoor time without traffic, billboards and nighttime light pollution.

Black Friday Sale - Starts Today at Tiny Prints

2009-11-25T15:01:00.001-05:00

I'm a Tiny Prints fan - they have the coolest cards, invites, announcements, note paper and stationery for every occasion. I like their style and products so much I'm also an affiliate. They're running a Thanksgiving offer of $10 off $49+, $20 off $99+ or $40 off $199+ starting today, running through 11/28/09.

If you love Tiny Prints printed invites, custom photo cards and oh-so-special papers for weddings, birthdays, graduation, holidays and parties, then snag a great Black Friday deal while the offer lasts - just follow the links in this post. You'll also find some cool discount coupon codes on the Tiny Prints site also ... good for a limited time only!

Tiny Prints Holiday Collections
Tiny Prints Homepage

Gift Ideas - Personalized!

2009-11-25T08:22:00.000-05:00

Ready, Set, Print and Craft!

2009-11-24T16:26:00.003-05:00

Christmas Printables - stickers, cards, bookmarks, gift tags, wrap, activity pages and much more.

Baby's First Christmas

2009-11-23T08:23:00.003-05:00

One of my favorite things to create is kids clothing. I'll be sharing some of my customizable designs for children over the next few weeks, starting with these two cute Christmas shirts for kids (or adults). You can change the style, color and add your own personalization to these ... shirt sizes from newborn to adult.

Christmas 2009 Tee Shirt - Christmas Tree Design by imagefactory
Browse Baby T-Shirts

Babys First Christmas by imagefactory
View more Babyshirt T-Shirts

Squidoo Celebrity

2009-11-22T11:43:00.004-05:00

I'm a behind the scenes achiever. I don't toot my own horn much. But I have to share my claim to fame with you this week - and it's all because I'm a Squidoo lensmaster. One of my fellow lensmasters analyzed my Squidoo lens statistics and then blogged about my work in Profile of a Successful Squidoo Lensmaster (blush, that's ME she's writing about!). Another lensmaster featured two of my peace-related lenses on her blog post about the International Day of Peace.

Thank you kab and GreekGeek - you made my day, and then some!

Chanukah Fun

2009-11-16T08:53:00.002-05:00

My Zazzle designs are fun for me to draw and make nice gifts for all occasions. I recently got word that one of my favorites - the Chocolate Hanukkah Moose - is featured on a Squidoo Chanukah humor lens: Make Me Laugh- Funny Chanukah Gift Items. The moose character is available on tee shirts, stickers, greeting cards and even US postage stamps ...

Hanukkah Moose Baby Shirt by imagefactory
Browse Menorah T-Shirts

Happy Face - Day 6

2009-11-10T09:50:00.004-05:00

First Time Dad Pocket Tee Shirt

2009-10-27T12:38:00.000-04:00

First Time Dad Pocket Tee Shirt

Big and Small Apples in Vermont

2009-10-17T15:11:00.003-04:00

The big and small of it - apple varieties at Champlain Orchards. We snagged two bags of Macs to take home to Pennsylvania. I've already used up one bag just from snacking and making Apple Crisp.

Next recipe on the apple baked goodies agenda: Fresh Apple Cake

Vermont Fall Festival

2009-10-14T10:18:00.006-04:00

Although Friday was rainy, the rest of the Columbus Day weekend was classic Vermont autumn weather.

We took a short drive after the shower to view the foliage around Hubbardton Battlefield.

On Sunday we had a big breakfast at The Wheel in Benson, then enjoyed a visit to Champlain Orchards in Shoreham where we loaded up the car with organic apples, cider syrup and winter squash to take back home to Pennsylvania. This was the first visit to Bekah and Keith's house for great-grandma (my Mom).

Baby Shower, October 10 2009

2009-10-14T10:07:00.006-04:00

A good time was had by all at Keith and Rebekah's baby shower over the Columbus Day weekend. Sawyer and Isabella helped out with gifts; Bella selected which presents to open, and Sawyer took the toys and books for a test drive.

Autumn Harvest

2009-09-18T15:53:00.004-04:00

I love this time of year. The flowers and grass are still beautiful, the leaves are just beginning to change color, and the gardens and farm stands are loaded with fresh local fruits and veggies. I make a point of loading up on fresh apples in the fall so I can make batches of applesauce, apple crisp, apple pies and my favorite Fresh Apple Cake.

This year I'm planning to try something new with the apples that fall from the old tree in our yard: apple head dolls. I'm waiting for the first apples to fall; I think the deer may have beat me to a few already.

Remembering 9-11-01

2009-09-10T12:40:00.003-04:00

Patriot Day

Flatlanders on the Move

2009-08-31T15:16:00.025-04:00

We had a fantastic vacation this summer to mark our 7th anniversary.

We started out driving to Northeastern Pennsylvania on Friday night to visit Jocelyn and Forrest at Ebb & Flow Organic Farm. After a fun night in the guest house (the newest Tiny House at Ebb and Flow Farm), and packing a load of fresh organic veggies, herbal olive oil and fresh honey from the farm into our cooler the next day we were off on the next leg of our vacation trip.

We drove through upstate New York and along the Mass Pike from the Berkshires to north of Boston on our way to Cape Ann in Massachusetts. We arrived at the seacoast on Saturday afternoon with Hurricane Bill ... and left as Hurricane Danny passed by the following weekend. Although no damaging surf or wind came through, the waves at Good Harbor Beach were 12 feet high on Sunday. The surf was amazing and lifeguards were keeping most swimmers away from the rocks.

We spent a sunny seaport week in Gloucester, where we both enjoyed more local flavor than I did when I lived on Cape Ann 10 years ago. Every day was a beach day and we visited Good Harbor Beach, Long Beach, Bearskin Neck, Folly Cove, plus spent some time climbing the rocks at Stage Fort park and walking down Main Street in Gloucester. We had our bikes in the back of the truck, so we rode all around Rocky Neck where we met a fun artist at Imagine studio and got photos of her colorful art car.
We bought and cooked local Gloucester lobsters - fresh and lively right off the boat just a short walk from our vacation rental - for our anniversary dinner. We enjoyed the meal at sunset from the deck at our apartment overlooking East Gloucester's working harbor. We even bought 6 extra lobsters later in the week. Doug cooked, shelled and froze them to take back home to flatlandville.
Trish, Jim and the grandkids drove in from New Hampshire for a beach day on Tuesday. The tidal pools were full of fish, crabs, snails, starfish and seaweed - Bella had a blast looking for crabs and starfish and shells with her friend Olivia; when the tide came in the girls grabbed the boogie board and rode the incoming lazy river current under the footbridge at Good Harbor beach.
On his first trip to the ocean, Sawyer built sand castles and moats with Doug and explored the tide pools.Doug and I feasted on absolutely delicious gourmet dinners at The Franklin, The Rudder, The Studio and Thai Cuisine plus I had real fried FRESH seafood and home made onion rings at Charlie's place (twice!).
Living away from the beach and far from New England makes a native long for fresh haddock, scallops, lobstahs and clams. You cannot get the same thing elsewhere in the Northeast. Believe me, I've tasted and tried in PA, NJ, DE and MD. The other seaside spots can't touch the taste, freshness and quality of New England seafood restaurants. And to make this trip really foodie perfect: no MSG, no food service prepack meals and no additives and preservatives to make me sick!!!
We enjoyed 10 days of grand and glorious food despite Gloucester's public water system problems that added extra work and sanitation steps to all restaurants and households in the area.
Thursday night was extra special - we visited the Cape Ann Farmer's Market at Harbor Loop in downtown Gloucester then took a sunset sail on the Thomas E. Lannon masted schooner. Captain Tom Ellis and his family and friends and talented team constructed her about 10 years ago from local timber.
Our sunset sail aboard the Thomas E. Lannon included acoustic entertainment from "Fly" Amero and Allen Estes. The entertainment was a lucky coincidence ... we wanted to sail on Wednesday but the boat was booked for a private charter.
Thursday's sunset sail was a once-annual event with the musical duo, and it was a kind of old-home event for me. When I lived in downtown Newburyport back in the mid 1990's I was a regular at The Grog whenever Fly's band hosted a special blues event in the downstairs club. I also went to other bars to dance to the Allen Estes Band in and around northern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire. So it was truly a treat to discover both these musicians on board as the acoustic entertainment for our sunset cruise around Gloucester harbor.
We wrapped up our vacation trip to New England with a stop on Saturday afternoon in Brandon, Vermont on our way back home to Pennsylvania. We picked autumn raspberries with Keith and Bekah on Sunday morning at Champlain Orchards, then made the drive home to Pennsylvania in just 6 hours.
The cats were happy to see us although old man Sparkey took awhile to forgive us for leaving him home with Terra for 10 days. The two of them must have driven each other nuts - she's been sleeping in the fruit bowl on the dining room table instead of on our bed
and he claimed my suitcase as his personal napping spot this morning.

Update - I guess our two cats actually got along quite nicely while Doug and I were on vacation. I caught them sleeping together today (they almost NEVER get cozy and are usually very possessive of their personal space) so they must have had a pleasant time at home while we were away, thanks to our wonderful neighbor who fed them and gave them love and outdoor play time every day.

Back to School - Lunch Box Notes

2009-08-18T10:52:00.006-04:00

It's Back to School Time!

I was a working mom, and so is my older daughter - in fact, she's a school bus driver in her community. I packed healthy lunches for the kids, and often would draw a picture on the paper sack or tuck a special note into a lunch box to remind them I was thinking of them. This was more than 30 years ago - I didn't have a computer then, and I had a tight budget. I still have the budget, but now I also have a computer so I can print out nifty free printables like note cards, stickers, bookmarks and labels.

I like these little animal cubbie labels to use for writing lunch box notes or to make stickers for younger children. You could even use these little square printables as book labels ... or bus tags for preschool and kindergarten age kiddos.

Woodstock as a Commodity

2009-08-16T13:05:00.007-04:00

Did you ever think anyone could trademark a phrase that's been used for 40 years? Well, apparently Summer of Love is (according to Zazzle) the intellectual property of Live Nation - the corporate moneybag for Woodstock 2009 ... at least that's the excuse they gave me recently for pulling one of my original nostalgia designs. I was a member of the graduation class of 1969.

This design was approved and offered for sale at the Zazzle site for at least a year or more. So, out of the clear blue I got email telling me my design violated Zazzle policies and was being pulled. I tried to get a straight answer about why the design was yanked, and I just got robotic responses regarding "intellectual property" ... I'm still not sure what they consider is the actual violation on my design. It must be the words, because the art is mine.

I created the artwork used on this tee shirt more than 2 years ago. Thousands of writers and artists have used the phrase "summer of love" for at least 4 decades. It wasn't originally about Woodstock; it was actually used to describe summer/1967 in San Francisco. Perhaps someone from Live Nation can elucidate.

Sick 2 Death of J-K+8

2009-08-11T10:29:00.003-04:00

Are you still following the Gosselin show (the off-screen version, not the TLC show)? I can't help but stumble over tabloid news about Jon and his blondes or Kate and her pain - this stuff belongs in private life, not on page 1 of every celeb site. I finally succumbed to my distaste and made a comment on one fancast posting - I'll probably get banned in Berks.

It's a GIRL

2009-08-06T15:28:00.003-04:00

Ultrasound prediction is that the next grandbaby - due in November - is a baby girl ...

Poetry Time

2009-08-04T13:10:00.001-04:00

Why I Boycott Wal-Mart

2009-07-30T14:10:00.008-04:00

The closest store to my home is a Super Wal-Mart. It has just about anything I might need at a distance of just over 1 mile away from my driveway. I make every effort to NEVER shop at Wal-Mart.

I drive to shop at other stores in our area instead of leaving my money at Wal-Mart.

Why? Because although I am price-concious - as are most folks who aren't independently wealthy - I have issues with how they treat employees, customers and neighboring businesses.

You can learn more about how Wal-Mart Employees Work for Change.

Connecting with Grandkids

2009-07-30T11:46:00.004-04:00

It's not easy living 400 miles from your grandchildren. I'm still trying to figure out a way to connect with them until I'm living closer. I'm hoping this book might offer some fresh ideas.

Arlo Guthrie, Woodstock Video

2009-07-30T10:40:00.002-04:00

Arlo Guthrie performed the controversial Coming Into Los Angeles at Woodstock in August, 1969.

Drink Up for Peace

2009-07-25T08:10:00.004-04:00

Get ready for Woodstock anniversary (August, 2009) and 60s parties this summer.

Peace Rainbow by imagefactory
Create mugs with pictures at www.Zazzle.com

Class of 69 Frosted Mug by imagefactory
Design custom coffee mugs on Zazzle.com

Life is Stranger Than Fiction

2009-07-24T14:03:00.006-04:00

I recently ran across some fairly odd baby care products for expectant and new parents, and a few for parents of young children. Being past the having-a-baby stage and well into grannie-hood, baby stuff intrigues me in a different way. I marvel at how we boomer parents and our parents survived at all with glass bottles, cotton diapers and giving kids a bath in the kitchen sink.

A few newfangled gadgets and thingies sort of gross me out, but maybe someone younger might find them cool, hip or at least amusing.

Now, one of these 21st century items might actually be handy for older boys and men who just can't seem to hit the target: Tinkle Tube Toilet Aid

Billboardom: funny billboards and billboard creativity

2009-07-15T16:40:00.001-04:00

Billboardom: funny billboards and billboard creativity

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More Minutes of Fame

2009-07-03T15:06:00.001-04:00

Sometimes you don't even know you have fans. I have a Squidoo friend named MiMi (GrowWear) and she publishes a blog about lenses and lensmasters. I happened to visit it today and found this.

Ahhhh, food glorious food

2009-06-26T11:57:00.005-04:00

I admit it. I'm a food snob. I've been "poisoned" by food additives at so-called fine restaurants all over the world so many times that I don't eat out much. When I find a place that prepares fresh food well and doesn't add sulfites, MSG and other nasties, I'm a loyal fan. If it's got ambiance, and great prices so much the better.

One of my favorite places to eat in Reading, Pennsylvania is Judy's on Cherry where you can get a delicious lunch or dinner from Tuesday through Saturday. I've never had a disappointing dish or beverage at Judy's. Any occasion is the right one - a birthday, a celebration or just lunch with friends.

I just returned home after a week in New England, so we opted for an impromptu dinner on Thursday night; we managed to grab a booth for 2 before 7pm. We lucked into Judy's 5 for 5 special deal with tapas-style tidbits and drinks all priced at $5 each. Judy's has an ever-changing menu and specials on Wednesday and Thursday; be sure to get a reservation if you plan to go on the weekend.

Castle in the Clouds

2009-06-09T10:57:00.003-04:00

If you chance to visit New Hampshire's Lakes Region, be sure to take a day trip to the Castle in the Clouds (Lucknow Estate) in Moultonborough. This preserved historic estate is not far from Lake Winnipesaukee. The building and its furnishings are open for tours, plus you can also visit the former stable (now a cafe and gift shop) and the nearby water bottling plant.

You can drive up to the top of the mountain, then take a shuttle to door of the castle and its gardens. Along the easy drive up the mountain are scenic spots where you can park and enjoy the breathtaking views. There are many riding and walking trails on the 5500 acre grounds - bring your hiking shoes or take a trail ride and enjoy a picnic lunch.

The former Lucknow Estate is a beautiful place eve in the mist and fog of an autumn rain - it's truly New Hampshire's Castle in the Clouds. The photo above is Lake Winnipesaukee, shot from one of the front bedroom windows on a rainy day in mid-October.