Card April 2014

Card created for Gloria's Design Challenge Blogspot.

Pretty Potions and Poisons Apothecary Cabinet

After reading about and looking at the samples for the Pretty Potions and Poisons and Apothecary event, my friend Ginger and I decided we both wanted to take part in this event and make our own apothecary cabinets.  We set about collecting items to use and ordering the digital labels, etc. as well as some of the other suggested supplies.  When the first tutorial was posted, we both got to work.  I need to mention here that I live in Sharon, Connecticut and my friend Ginger lives in Greenwood, Indiana.  But via phone and email, we were able to communicate about our plans and post photos to each other of the progress we were making with our cabinets.

I finished mine and am so pleased with it.  It was such a fun project - detailed and took lots of hours but not so big and overwhelming that I felt like I'd never be able to finish it.  Ginger finished her's as well and I hope she will post some photos because her's turned out awesome!

So thank you thank you for such a fun project.  I will carefully pack mine away when Halloween is over so I can bring it out next fall and display it again!

Kayaking with Ian

Last year for Ian's birthday, Jamie asked if I would accompany him on a hot air balloon ride.  It sounded like fun, so we took off at 4 AM to drive an hour to the site where we loaded into the balloon and took off.  Best time to go is in the early morning, thus the early hour.  It was the most fun and fantastic experience and a great thing to share with my son on his 38th birthday.

This year he told me not to get him anything - "just take me out to dinner, Mom".  Well, fine, if that's what you want.  But I happened to pick up this little magazine called "The Ramble" that described all these hiking, canoeing, kayaking, etc. adventures you could take in our area.  I found a sunset kayak tour on the Hudson that was a 3 hour trip.  I have only kayaked once, but really liked it.  Ian had been kayaking across the Hudson with his friend James this summer.  Bingo - perfect gift!  So I signed us up.

Last Saturday afternoon was our appointed time so we drove about an hour south of here to a little town called Cornwall-on-Hudson to Storm King Adventures.  We met our guide, Mike, who showed us how to put on our life vests, use our paddles, and adjust our seats and foot rests in our kayaks.  There were only 7 of us, so it was a good sized group.

We loaded into our kayaks, Mike pushed us all off, and we were on the move.  The water was muddy and lots of debris floating in it - most from the heavy rains and Hurricane Irene.  But it was calm and easy paddling.  

We stayed on the water for about 3 hours.  We saw two bald eagles as well as one of their nests.  We also saw a great blue heron and several white egrets.  But the eagles were the highlight.  It was overcast when we took off but by the time the sun was setting, it had cleared some along the horizon and it was great to sit there calmly and watch the sun set. 

After we finished, we had dinner at "the best restaurant in Orange County" - at least that's what the sign said!  Good dinner, fun evening, great kayaking, and a happy 39th birthday to Ian!  

What should we do next birthday???  He suggested skydiving!  I don't think so...

Road Trip to Vermont

We only had about a two hour drive from Sharon to North Bennington, VT which is where our B&B was located (southwest corner of Vermont).  First time ever for each of us to be in Vermont!

Our home for two nights was the Eddington House.  It has three guest rooms and we were upstairs.  The owner, Patti, was very welcoming and made us a wonderful breakfast each morning.  She is from Bennington so was a great help in getting about and around.

In 2005 they had a contest and artists from the area decorated moose figures.  We saw them everywhere around Bennington - even on top of buildings!  This one is Benn and he is outside our B&B.  Local citizens got together and purchased him so he would always stay in Bennington.

This is the Paper Mill covered bridge.  It was really beautiful and in amazing condition.  There are two other covered bridges within a mile of this one.  You can drive through it and walk down a little path in the woods to stand beside the river.

Grandma Moses is from the area and the Bennington Museum has a large collection of her paintings.  She went to school in this one room schoolhouse and they have since moved it right beside the museum. She did not start painting until she was in her 70's but was very prolific once she got going.  She was born in 1860 and died in 1961.  Her real name was Anna Mary Robertson Moses.  She completed over 3600 canvasses in 30 years - sold small ones for $2 and large ones for $3!

Hanging with Casey and Elliott

Dave had to go to NYC for the week for work, so Casey asked if I'd come spend some time with her and the little guy.  Of course, I said yeah!  Dave is gone all week, but I can only stay until Wednesday.  But it's fun being able to spend time with my daughter and her baby - just the 3 of us.  It rained all day here today, but we still got out and about.  Went to my favorite Concord antique store, Thoreauly Antiques and found a new place in Concord called Nesting on Main which was really great - old stuff, new stuff, interesting stuff - could have spent a good hour in there just looking around.  The off to take Wee Wee to the vet.  Poor Wee Wee, she's having to wear a lampshade on her head cause of an eye infection so she's not a happy kitty.  But we survived.  Tomorrow we are off to Dedham for shopping and some good eats.  Rain or no rain, we shall prevail!  Love spending time with my kids and my grandkids.  

Casey's birthday dinner in Sharon

Casey, Dave, Elliott, Ian and Emmett came to Sharon on Sunday for a belated family birthday dinner for Casey's 30th birthday.  Jamie was committed to a baby shower so she didn't get to join us, and we missed her!  Before we ate, Dave took Elliott in the pool for his first ever swim, and Elliott seemed to like it.  Emmett, Dave and Ian then went swimming and apparently Emmett took a header into the pool while trying to push his Dad in, but all was well.

 Emmett showed up with shorts, a t shirt, and a bow tie!  I'd watch him and he would look down at it every so often to make sure it was still on straight!  He wanted to ride his tricycle, so we went out to the drive and he told me we were to race and when I was racing I had to put on a "mean" face.  We had about 5 or 6 races, and if he didn't beat me every time!

 Emmett decided he wanted to hold Elliott, and he was so good with him!  The first time they met Emmett did not seem too impressed with Elliott, but he really got into it this time.  When Elliott was making some fussy noises, Emmett patted his belly and said "It's all right!"  And it was cute to hear Emmett call him "Baby Elliott".

 Group shot!!  Ian took this of the 5 of us.

 Casey helps to cook the roasted red pepper risotto for our dinner.  I roasted 3 red peppers - my first time to try that, and she is the old hand at making risotto so took over and stirred and added broth and stirred some more and it turned out fantastic.

 Sharing birthday dinner.  Roasted red pepper risotto, roasted asparagus, salad with Martha Stewart's favorite viniagrette dressing, ciabatta bread, steak for David, and peach crisp with ice cream for dessert.

 Blowing out the candles on her birthday peach crisp!  She had cake and cupcakes last weekend, so it was time for something different.

 The two cousins get to spend some time together.  Elliott will be passing Emmett up in height and weight before you know it at the rate he is growing!

Elliott's first swim!  We just need to make sure that when it comes time for him to learn to do a handstand underwater, that his father does not teach him how!!

 Cute baby award!  Laughing, sticking out his tongue, trying to roll over - cute, cute, and cuter!

 Roasted asparagus

Peach crisp with fresh organic peaches - yum!  Casey had the leftovers for breakfast this morning!

Uncle Tyler meets Elliott for the first time!

During Tyler's recent visit, we drove to Maynard to visit Casey and Dave and so Tyler could meet Elliott for the first time.  We spent the night and had a great visit.  Elliott smiled and laughed for us - Tyler asked "does he ever cry?"  Hoping they will get to meet again at Christmas time???