Annapolis, Baltimore, Family, Amish Country, FUN!

"It takes a long time to become young." Pablo Picasso



First stop ~ Annapolis, Maryland to meet up with my family and treat a special birthday boy to a special birth day.






My Uncle Jack being his silly self and wearing my glasses.

This touched me ~ my brother James (fresh from Bagdad) is helping my Grama walk to the car.

Baltimore, Maryland ~ Inner Harbor
And here is the birthday boy Frank (otherwise known as Pop,Dad and Pop's ) taking the wheel of this beautiful sailboat. A 2 hour cruise in the Baltimore Harbor was my brother and my gift to him.

You can smell a scent of carmel corn in the air from time to time ~ it was really Domino Sugar factory making the brown sugar!

He makes 70 look really good ~ doesn't he?!?

The clouds did not interfere in this special day!

Time for a 70th Birthday Dinner!

Aunt Bonnie, Grama, Frank, James, Mom, Uncle Jack, and me ~ so happy to be together!

Saturday September 13th 2008 Family Reunion, Chestertown, Maryland.

They surprised those of us turning a decade this year with a cake!

My cousin Millard is a master woodworking craftsman. He had a shop along Fells Point in Baltimore for most of his career. He created this plaque to record the names of our loved ones that have passed away since we started having the reunions 21 years ago. In this picture he is adding the name of my 41 year old cousin Kris who was promoted to Glory this past summer.

We released a balloon for each one of our loved ones that has passed away. As you can imagine ~ there wasn't a dry eye.

Sunday Afternoon,
Baltimore Harbor

After saying good-bye to my family I started off on an adventure all my own.

My birthplace ~ Johns Hopkins ~is after all just down the road.
It just felt right to get to know my city again.

I bought a $9.00 ticket on the water taxi which is good for endless rides around the Harbor ALL day!

I found a treasure across the street from the Harbor ~ The American Visionary Art Museum!!!

Located RIGHT HERE to be exact.

This is the side of the building ~ mind blowing glass mosaic!

How about a glass covered bus with cute little critters dancing on the top!

This angel hangs from the ceiling ~ no photos were allowed inside of the gallery rooms :(

This is what you see when you look down the stairs from the third floor!

This is what you see when you look UP!

The outdoor garden...

Spitting is okay in this garden...

A GIANT bird nest...

Sculptures come alive...

The trees have bark of glass....

and flowers of sparkly prisms. ..

And no one steals the artwork that grows on the trees.

What a wondrous place!

Back on the Harbor I pay a visit to the largest Barnes and Noble I have ever seen! I bought some wonderful books on Baltimore history that I will read in my hotel tonight.

A nice lobster dinner before I head to Amish Country in Pa. for the night. As I left Baltimore ~ I tryed to get a photo as I was driving of the row houses ~ so much a part of life there. If you look closley ~ you can see a few to the left.

Sunday night I arrive at my beautiful room in Intercourse, Pa. This is what greeted me as I walked in the door.The rooms are located over a quilt shop! They leave the key for you in a desk in the hallway.

This is the loveliest room I have EVER stayed in.

Notice you can see right into the shop. They used glass doors and everything is lit up so beautifully inside!

Isn't my room beautiful! Handmade Amish quilts cover the bed and wall behind the sofa.

I was greeted with two stainless steel mugs and a lovely gift basket to bring home.

The water in the fridge ~ free!

A warm cozy chair and inviting bathroom ~ spotless ~ what you can't feel in the photo is the love that surrounds every special touch.

I fell asleep to the click clock, click clock of the Amish horse drawn carts going by : )

Monday Morning ~ Intercourse, Pa.

I opened all 5 shades that covered the windows so I would wake to the sunrise. I called my son who was driving to work in Conn. and we enjoyed the sunrise together!

My room was right above the Quilt sign.

I was sitting on a bench facing this breathtaking corn field. It was 7:30 am so I crazy quilted until the breakfast shop opened. This was at the end of the parking lot behind my room!

Yummy breakfast ~ included with the room.

The wonderful Quilt Museum located across the street. Feast Your Eyes!

I wish I had had some treats to feed the Koui fish ~ they came right to me!

Yummy fudge shop ~ YUM!

OKAY ~ this display GOT me! I walked in "just to look" and walked out with a quilt. The dear meninite lady knew what she was doing when she hung my two top choices on her clothes line. It was a wedding ring quilt so I told my husband it was his anniversary gift!

On my way home from Pa. ~ I found this wonderful candy shop and bakery. That happens to be a clock made entirely of chocolate! http://www.premisemaid.com/

YUM! Pumpkin Ice Cream! Isn't the building amazing!

My last look at the breathtaking Pa. cornfields. I came across this fancy lady at my last stop of my adventure ~ dinner in Milford, Pa in the Pocannos.

I enjoyed a nice meal of salmon and greens and then headed 1 1/2 hours to home sweet home.

Just 30 minutes from home ~ I was in a 45 minute long traffic jam.

This trip was one of the nicest ever! I am far away from all of my family so these special moments with them are tresured jewels. Being with them ignites the child in me.

As I enjoyed my time alone in Baltimore and Amish Country ~ I felt like a kid who knew how to drive!

I let my heart tell me where to go, I laughed out loud as I hung my head outside the window in Pa. and watched the sun rise.

I sat crossed legged in front of a corn field and played with my thread and fabric.

I took backroads home and stopped whenever I wanted to.

Let me encourage you to take adventures all alone.

The adult inside of you will set up the rules and then the child in you will feel safe to come out and play.

"Fairies, come take me out of this dull world,

For I would ride with you upon the wind,

Run on top of the dishevelled tide,

And dance upon the mountains like a flame." William Yates

"Look and you will find it ~ what is unsought will go undetected." Sophocles

In Memory of 9-11

"Nothing defeats HOPE."

Dr. Norman Vincent Peale

Update of Yesterdays Post

Here is my beautiful tattoo I promised to post today. I am still so excited about it ~ I am probably driving everyone around me CRAZY!

This is the Sea Glass the seagull dropped on the beach next to me.(you'll have to read the post before this one for the full story :)
I have it taped in my journal but wanted to share it with you.

Okay ~ I promise no more tattoo talk! No matter HOW Giddy about it I still am!!!!

ME??? A Tattoo?

Where do I begin?
I have never been a fan of tattoos. I think what has always turned me off are the young girls I see on the beach with what appears to be a black blob on their adorable figures. For that reason I always encouraged my own kids not to get one. (3 of my 4 listened ~ soooo far)
Then a few months ago I felt so driven to get the name of my dear Jesus tattooed somewhere on this almost 50 year old body. All of my life ~ folks would ask me "Why are you SO happy?" Usually strangers. I never want to appear preachy but it is my Dear Lord that has given me joy unspeakable and peace in times of such darkness.
Last year I put a quote about the Lord on my checks thinking when I pay ~ they would know the source of my joy ~ but I felt a longing for something more.
I asked the Lord to be specific with me about this tattoo. Then I waited to hear from Him.
About a month ago ~ I was in a completely mindless state on the beach when suddenly the verse from
Isaiah 49:16 went rolling through my mind ~
" See I have engraved you on the palms of my hands ...." (New International Version).I remembered sending the verse to my sister in law when she got her tattoo many years ago.
I jumped up and knew that I KNEW that was it! At first I thought I would have JESUS tattooed on my hand but then choose my right wrist. I could picture it clear as day , I was filled with such excitement it is hard for me to explain.
As I sat there on the beach ~ a seagull landed beside me ~ dropped what appeared to be a piece of green sea glass down and flew away. NO ~ it just couldn't be! There on the bone dry beach was a tiny puddle of water with a piece of green sea glass sitting there.
I was STUNNED! Say what you will but my Lord KNOWS his child! Green is the color of my eyes and one of my fave colors ~ sea glass has been my obsession lately.
TONIGHT ~ I got my tattoo! I can't tell you the joy I feel! I have thin bony wrist and it felt like razors slicing every which way. I thought of what our Lord went through on the cross. This was nothing!
I knew as I drove home that this was the beginning of a new season in my life. Old thing's are quickly slipping behind me ~ all things are becoming new.
Thanks to my sweet kid's who were so supportive of me and my Father in Heaven who has always celebrated me for who I am!
He celebrates YOU too!



This was the font I choose from the computer at the tattoo shop. They make a template and print it.

It was then placed in position and tattooed right over.

Notice I was squeezing the artist hand the whole time!

I somehow managed to take these pictures JUST for my blogging friends!

Filling in the letters with ink. When the bandage comes off tomorrow ~ I will an "After" pic to show you.

" One will say , "I belong to the Lord; another will call himself by the name of Jacob; still another will write the name on his hand,

"The Lord's", and will take the name of Israel." Isaiah 44:5

It's Country Fair Time In Conn!

BEAUTIFUL Farm fresh tomatoes ~ YUMMMMY!

Just look what $16.50 will buy at our local church fair on the Naugatuck,Ct Green!
Hand made doily's, heavy vintage glass pitcher, very old wooden rulers,

Vintage Barber's barbicide glass jar for combs and brushes,

Cut glass juice glasses with crochet cozy's ~ aren't they sweet!

Lu-ray periwinkle blue platter without a single chip ~

Not pictured is the hot cinnamon donut I ate that would make your teeth droll!

We have the BEST fairs here in the Northeast! From now until November ~ they run the gamut from large state fairs to local church fairs.

They are loaded with treasures and prices that can't be beat! The weather is crisp and delightful and the warm fall colors are everywhere!

Teddi just loves laying in the basket of clean socks!

Some people, like flowers, give pleasure just by being .

Thanks for taking time from your day to read my blog ~ you are a treasure to me : )

A Little Something I Am Working On

I have been working on this little pouch on this rainy afternoon. The cigg silk, hand dyed ribbon, and fabric are all from my sweet friend Pat Winter who happens to be a Birthday Girl this month! She carries various supplies on her Etsy site.

I am not crazy about the Perle cotton thread on this. I have to spend some time on line looking for some different threads or heaven help me ~ maybe it's time for another trip to New York!

I LOVE Cleaning Day!!!!!

"Housework ~ if it is done correctly ~
can kill you." J. Show

But ohhhh how I LOVE it!

Last Friday was an all out rip the joint apart and put it all back together clean and spotless!
With my fave cleaning products in hand ~ I got to work!


Loads of dirty dishes to wash ~ ~ ~

Dirty clothes baskets overflowing ~ ~ ~

Cushion and pillow covers are in the wash and will soon be hanging on the line ~ ~ ~

Along with the sheets and duvet.

And OHHHH the sweet reward ~ a sparkling clean home ~ Ole' blue eyes playing ~ ~ ~ candles lit ~

and FLOWERS , FLOWERS , FLOWERS EVERYWHERE!!!!
I reward myself after a good clean by putting fresh flowers from my garden in each room.

Hydrangea's in the living room .......

And bedroom .........

Black eye Susan for the bathroom.......

More hydrangea for the kitchen......

And loveliest of ALL ~ This Gorgeous vision of beauty given to me from my friend Dave.

"A place for everything and everything in it's place."

Taking care of my home and making it feel like a warm and loving place to be is my gift to my family and friends. I do it with all the love and energy that is within me. Modest as my home may be ~ I have tryed to injected it with all that is good. It is filled with books of encouragement and warm blankets and cozy spots to sit and feel loved.

I am so thankful for my home and garden. And no matter what your income ~ it hardly cost a penny to keep a clean and well organized home : )