Well, it is full on summer here at the Lake and as of yesterday, all of my neighbors are in residence. I stopped myself from being resentful of the loss of my privacy when I walked the dogs last night around 9:00 and there was not a sound, except for a loon. Can't really complain about that. In a couple of hours, I'll hear the sounds of screen doors slamming, and boats buzzing up and down pulling water skiers and the kids will be swimming and splashing and laughing and screaming. But for now, this morning is quiet, just the lapping of the waves.

The woman who used to own my house was a spinster, never married, antisocial, alone here with her little dog. Her name was Elizabeth. (Cue spooky twilight zone music here)

Whereas, the Salt Shed, my former home, was owned by a divorced man, someone the neighbors did not like, and who by all accounts and our own observation, was a deceitful, arrogant person unable to finish anything and incapable of telling the truth. (Sound familiar?)

Destiny? You be the judge!  Weird, right?

So, when Gloria was here, I asked her to smudge my cottage and we did it together one night. I wanted the presence of my husband gone forever and politely asked Elizabeth to move out as well. Smudging is Native American medicine, a way of purifying a location by burning a sacred plant like Sage (I got mine from the Miccosukee Indian Village last winter and brought it back with me.) The cleansing, among other things, is said to be an aid to healing.
Sounds good to me.

Such a fun day yesterday. I went to Portland with my friend, Sue. We stopped at JoAnn's for a few necessities, went to the sewing center in Portland to see what was new, then to Marden's (best kept secret for cheap fabric), lunch and Trader Joe's. Fave thing at TJ's? Toasted pine nuts! yum. Here is what Sophie was up to while I was gone. Abe was over hauling brush and snapped this pic. The dog loves to be in or on the water.

Last night was cool and breezy and drizzly and we had a fire. Lovely . . .

Until the early hours when I was awakened by the unmistakable sound of a dog vomiting. Nothing like it. It amazes me how a dog will drag herself to a carpet even if she's at death's door, in order to puke on a rug, especially if it is an oriental rug. Just thought I'd share that with you.
 Have a great day!

So, I know you've been waiting with bated breath to find out which painting is mine and here it is. The lineup from left to right is Gloria's, mine, Lu's and Tom's. I love that Stacy thinks there is an animal in Tom's. We had such a laugh. He painted a rock. Gloria thought it looked like a whale and I thought it was an owl!  hahahaha

I got email from my mom saying, "The painting I like best is the one on the left - not voting whether or not it is yours, just the one I like best." So I wrote back and said yeah but which one do you think I painted? She says your dad says the one second to the right, I say the one second to the left. Correct! (She is my mom after all.) So, I tell her and she writes back and says, "So, do I get the picture? I will put it in a frame - Don't forget to sign it." Now, only a mom would tell me she likes the other one better but she wants mine.
Well, as life gets back to normal after all of the packing and moving and financial crap, I finally actually sat down and sewed a bag. A little backpack for a friend of mine. Here it is. Cute, right?

I've already starting another project which shall remain secret for now as it is a gift. It is so wonderful to be sewing again. It is the only time when I can be wholly in the present, living in the moment. It's what I strive for always but it seems this is the only time I am really successful.

And finally, I can't help it, I have to show you the view from my windows last night at sunset. The little handprint in the foreground is Seth's. Wow, just in this one shot, so much to be grateful for.

Ok, this is what a bonce I am. I get all emotionally geared up, I mean like weeks ago, for the big anniversary. July 24th. Two years since my husband took a nutty (seriously, can you believe it's been that long?)  Oh poor me, pity party time, you get the picture. I'm thinking ok, what will I do to mark this anniversary, because it's the last time I plan to remember it, ever. I'm thinking maybe the ferry to Monhegan (tragic lone figure leaning on the rail gazing into the fog . . . ) You get the idea. Puhleeeze.

So, here's the funny part, I am looking back at my blog this morning, back to last year and  . . . wait for it . . . the anniversary was JULY 14th!  Not today, the 24th. Holy crapoli! I did not remember it. It was a day like any other. I looked at my blog for this year. Passed a totally uneventful day. Wow!
This is HUGE.
I am in the home stretch. Yess!

So, let me just be real for a minute. Yes, I still wake up thinking about him every single dam day but the hurt is fading and I don't cry anymore. And, yes I miss him, my husband, but know in my heart of hearts, that person no longer exists, and really, the person I was isn't hanging around any longer either.

I've done some back sliding since I've come to Maine. Moving out of my home and my studio and saying good-bye to my neighbors, Sophie's cancer, blah blah blah. So, how about this: Since I missed that sad anniversary, maybe this can be a new day to celebrate each year. The day I turned the corner without even knowing it.

Lizzie Alone

. . . . . . . . . and liking it.

A visit from the ex-pats

So, Lu and I cooked breakfast and then we got down to business. Gloria led our annual art class and this day's lesson was watercolors, starting with a wash for the sky and then adding a hill and two trees.

 I think Tom laughed the entire time. And, may I just say that Gloria has the patience of a SAINT. Especially when it comes to she who shall remain nameless - and it's not me.

Here are our pictures. Can you guess which of us did which? If you guess mine right, I'll send it to you. Woohoo!

We trooped off to Damariscotta afterwards to check out a couple of galleries and look at their tree pictures. V. educational. Then, lunch at King Eider. But of course. 

More friends arrived for the afternoon and we swam and talked and talked and swam. Happy days.

There was one rather large glitch in the whole visit but I am sworn to secrecy and as the saying goes, all's well that ends well.

I'm a happy camper today because my dear friends, Gloria, Lu and Tom are visiting me. Gloria came yesterday afternoon and we swam and swam and swam and then had dinner while we watched the sun set. Look at the spectacular show it put on for us.

Tom and Lu showed up during the evening and we caught up before I headed out to my hammock for the night.

Quite comfy and now for another lovely day spent with good friends. 

So, I have been without internet for four days now. Thanks alot, Fairpoint. You suck. However, when it works, it's great, so can't complain too much.

I am sitting in my car outside the bookstore, having just had lunch at my fave pub, King Eider - yay! Represent!

I took Sophie on Tuesday to be shaved and she looks like the cutest little lamb ever!  Jillian  in Cushing did it and she left her tail and head alone and I think she looks adorable (only a mother's love . . . )

And not to play favorites, here is little Lu as well. Getting sooo gray...

We had an afternoon of swimming to get some relief from the humidity. For two days, it was decidedly the anti-Maine. Yuk. Beautiful now and for the foreseeable future - 75 to 80 with low humidity.

More later as the parking cop just marked my tire and gave me the hairy eyeball.

Couple of shout outs

First of all happy birthday to my fabulous niecie, Annie! Many happy returns, my love.

Second, here's to the newest great-nephew, whose birthday won't occur for a few months. We haven't met, but Zia loves you already!

I am back at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, driving the shuttle. Gone are the six seater open air golf carts. Just look what they are letting me drive!! Are they crazy??
  It's like driving a bus. Only on dirt paths. And, it's quiet (electric). Too much fun, baby! If you haven't been to the gardens this year, you are in for a treat. You can look at their website here:  http://www.mainegardens.org/

Well, I cleaned out my shed and, after a bit of organizing and a few trips to the dump, I've managed to fit almost everything in here:

almost everything

Any guesses how many trips it took in my Prius to move most of my studio into my shed? Because I lost count. I've spent hours unpacking and trying to find a place for everything and I'm feeling pretty happy about it so far. I will sew in the house but at least I can see my fabric and can do my cutting out here. Charlie came over and ran power so I have a light and a fan as well. 

SWEEEEET!!

 AND, check this out! I've strung a hammock and voila! Instant bedroom. I actually took a nap out here yesterday afternoon.

And finally, the piece de resistance . . . 

Yes, it's the Luggable Loo. Just in case . . . 

TMI?

I also want to show you this gorgeous plant: It is wild tobacco with some impatiens tucked in around it. 

Putting things into perspective

An afternoon with my BFF

And, a gorgeous sunset . . .

No room for hate in my house.

Nothing like a solid 5 hours of sleep to center you, right? I was thinking about my niece, Anna, when she was a little girl, and I said something like, don't you hate it when that happens? And, she replied, hate doesn't live in our house. We should all aspire to be like my precious niece. I am trying, I really am.  Happy Independence Day - On a purely selfish note, I am nothing if not independent.

Post removed on the advice of a friend...

Scram for Dogs

So, I listen to the Paul Parent Garden Club on Sunday mornings, and he was going on and on about Scram for Dogs. Highly recommend, guaranteed, etc.
I've been trying to make a walkway of flat stones and every time I come home Sophie has dug them up. And, she likes to roll on her back on the lawn when she gets out of the Lake, making big dirt spots.
I've been reseeding constantly and using mulch hay and she digs that up as well. I know the problem is that I'm not here when she does it and she's acting out but what am I going to do other than get a dog nanny. And, that's not happening.
Anyhoo, this Scram for Dogs, is organic, natural, non-toxic, blah blah blah and is made out of some kind of urine - hyena or coyote or something - and you spread it on the spots you don't want your dog to be. So, on my way to work last week, I sprinkled the stuff on the spots she has been trashing. O.M.G. the smell. Horrendous!! Disgusting. Gork factor 100! Well, when I got home that night, rocks were dug up as usual, bare spots in the lawn, no sign of the granules. Huh? I poured some more out there. Yuck. I could smell the stuff out my bedroom window all night. But hey, if it works . . .
The next morning I let the dogs out and when I went to let them in, they weren't there. They were EATING the Scram for Dogs. Having a little feast in the yard. Yummy yum yum. And, if that wasn't bad enough, Sophie decided it would be fun to ROLL in the stuff. So, now she smelled to high heaven.
I can not win.