If you can start the day without caffeine,

If you can always be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains,

If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles,

If you can eat the same food every day and be grateful for it,

If you can understand when your loved ones are too busy to give you any time,

If you can take criticism and blame without resentment,

If you can conquer tension without medical help,

If you can relax without alcohol,

If you can sleep without the aid of drugs,

Then You Are Probably the Family Dog!

Yesterday I woke up to the soft sound of rain on the roof and it was a deluge by the time the girls and I were ready to go out, then cleared just in time for a walk. Sure enough, the rain brought out the leaves.

 Here is what keeps the chill away when the rain and fog lurk just outside. Sweet!

so true . . .

* * * * 

Early on I decided not to make any major decisions and to go easy on myself until two years post-divorce so now I am once again trying to wean myself from the antidepressants. It's going pretty good but can I just ask, is it appropriate to cry during Call the Midwife?

Addendum:  My sister-friend Sarah wrote to me and said for the record:  I cried during almost every episode of call the midwife. 

Well, that's a relief.

Apologizing to Road Kill

So, I was thinking that if I were ever to write a book, I'd call it, "Apologizing to Road Kill" because A. you need a catchy title and B. I really do that. Apologize to road kill that is. Not because I feel guilty but because I feel sorry.  So when I pass some dead critter on the road, my thinking goes, sorry you poor little thing that you are dead and hope you didn't suffer. That's all.  Just ruminating after I passed a dead porcupine on the highway this morning.
In other news . . .
I've been working like mad in the lawn and garden in the early hours before the sun is fully up so as to avoid the black flies. And can I just say, what the heck is the point of having these little bastards on the planet? Oh, I despise them. My elbow is swollen to three times its normal size from a bite. And here's the thing, when they bite you they inject their toxic saliva into you, which is why it hurts and itches so much. How gross is that?
So, when they chase me inside, I've been cutting out and sewing some oilcloth bags which I'll share with you later on AND working on my newest garden art thingys. Here's the latest:

It's supposed to rain in the next few days (finally) so I'll find out how waterproof the stuff I've been using for glue is. And, it should make the leaves pop out and my perennials take over. Spring has sprung in my garden, the lawn is starting to green  up and I have jumped the gun and planted most of my planters. Don't you just feel better when there are flowers around?

 Look at this fabulous fuscia - gorgeous!

I was inspired by some of the art I saw when I was in Frederick, MD, and this has been percolating in the back of my mind so I took myself off to Goodwill - shout out! I LOVE Goodwill! where I found vases and cups and pitchers and saucers, etc. 

And, then I went to the Home Despot and got some rebar and a variety of glues and epoxies to experiment with. So, here is my first garden art attempt. Fun! I've got a couple more in the works.

And, here is where I found little Miss Sophie who seems to be thinking, when in the name of Dog are they going to put my dock back in the water??  sigh . . .

Sitting at my window on the world, well the Lake anyway, watching the pink fog dissipate as the sun rises.

Five things I'm loving this morning:

-Two loons paddle by and take a dive in perfect harmony.
-Two honking geese come cruising through the fog, skidding across the water. They dip their beaks to drink over and over and then float over to the front of my cottage to look in at me. Really!
-Two doggies fast asleep after an early morning run.
-The perfect silence here.
-And my pink fuzzy bathrobe.

No leaves yet but these buds are ready to pop and the hosta and bleeding hearts are pushing up towards the sun. We're having beautiful sunny days in the 60's and cold nights in the 40's and for all of us who are pushing the season and planting, frost tonight! Honestly! It's May! No black flies yet so the girls and I are enjoying some nice long walks in the woods.

view from my window

I've been nose to the grindstone, cleaning up my house and my yard and (finally) finishing up my taxes. I did make a brief trip with my friend, Maine Sue, up to Rockland to restock my olive oil and balsamics. Fiore! Represent! Oh, I have missed you, my Portuguese, Spanish and Greek friends! I love when the northern hemisphere olive oils are here. I think I ran out at the end of January, however, the owner visits the Keys every winter and has promised to make a special delivery next year if need be. Thanks, Pat!

So, in celebration of being all moved in and taxes done, I felt I deserved a treat and off we went to Reds Eats. Now, I would not be caught dead there in summer and here is why:
 check out the line!!
Here is what it looked like yesterday  :)
 so I had their fabulous lobster roll and Sue had . . . wait for it . . . a cheeseburger! Seriously, go figure.
 Now THAT is a lobster roll!