Swans and Cygnets

This happens to be a Spring of discoveries for me.  First it was the robin's nest with its one perfect egg.  Then it was the trip back to discover three more egg companions!  And then, sadly, on our third trip we found an empty nest with a few shards of egg shell on the ground.  I held on with the hope that they had hatched and flown away.  An internet search shut that door; baby robins spend about two weeks in the nest after hatching.

Yesterday we found these beauties floating gracefully in the marshes near my sister's home.  Hope stirs again.  

Wedding Weekend

My sweet friend and former roommate got married on Saturday.  Laura is a true original and her wedding was a testament to her creativity and thoughtfulness.  I was so happy to play a small part in it.  

I hope you all had a great Memorial Day weekend.  We had to pull out our layers one last time here in Boston.  Maybe it was warmer where you were!  

Marigold Landscape

This past weekend I planted a small, earnest crop of vegetables in our backyard.  Tomatoes, of course, pickling cucumbers, basil and rosemary.  This was gratifying in so many ways.  For one, I found my favorite hole-y jeans that have been tossed into, removed from, and re-tossed into the Salvation Army pile.  Fortunately for them that pile is a permanent fixture in my room.  They are now happily back in the wardrobe rotation.  And two, I found my garden gloves before I started planting!  More often than not, I find such luxurious necessities directly following the completion of such a task.

I realize this picture is mostly of dirt and bark and marigolds.  But take note of the zinnias in the forefront and the robust tomato plant yonder.

Word Problem

A bridal party consists of 1 bride and groom, 5 bridesmaids, and 7 groomsmen.  The bridal bouquet must be ten inches across.  The bridesmaid bouquets must be eight inches across.  White peonies come in bunches of 5.  Queen Anne's Lace and Thistle come in bunches of 10.  Succulents are sold individually.   How many bundles of flowers must be purchased to complete the order?

Last fall, I happily yet casually agreed to arrange the bridal party bouquets for a friend's Memorial Day weekend wedding.  At the time, it sounded like a lovely opportunity for creativity. And after the last song is sung, I think it will have been a good idea. But the calendar reads t-minus five days, and with mathematical equations like the one above, I am beginning to question my judgement.

Dear Diary

I wish I could buy one of these journals for each and every one of you.  This was one of the best things that happened to me this past weekend.  Its rival -the mimosa I had bright and early Sunday morning.

No less than three and no more than five journals circulate through my bags at any given point in time.  One for grocery lists, one for To Do lists, one for jotting down thoughts and writing down important numbers, and one is for being lost.  This makes all of them relatively the same journal with one having a few more grocery lists than another and one with the random address I am always hunting down.   It is a great way to stay unorganized while trying very hard not to be.  I have high hopes for this 5 Year Diary.  It will be the rhyme to my reason, I am telling you me.  This way I can finally start recording what I make for dinner (snooze) or record a memorable quote and it won't get lost among nonsensical To Do lists that include the same underlined and circled items on it week after week.  Pure bliss.  Get back to me in five years.  :) 

robin's egg lift

I made this small but mighty chocolate cake today with the hand blender I brought back from my grandmother's house.  The beast that is my kitchen aid sat idle.  It was like driving stick shift after years of automatic gear changes.  I thought this was my allotted high for the day, until we stepped outside.    

On our walk, we found this bird's nest.  

In that nest we found one perfect robin's egg.  It felt as if we had won spring's lottery.  And it was prettier than any paint swatch I have ever seen.  :)

bonnet blues

Yes, someone is still making bonnets a sweet as this one,  

with a chew ribbon.

I have a great many things to share with you, some of them interesting, some of them not.  These pictures are the happiest by far.  My friend Marissa makes these bonnets with her own two hands.  I'll get you the link in just a moment.  

The fog that was a simple and utterly sleepless night this past weekend due to a shared bed with Naomi (never again) turned into the fog of losing my sweet grandmother today.  She was 89.  Isn't life just the shortest thing?