Artist Daniel Merriam a head trip for your eyes.

A couple of weeks ago I was reading a post on Beth's blog "The Best Hearts are Crunchy" she had posted a card that reminded her of a fairytale by the Brother's Grimm called "Snow White & Rose Red". This was one of my very favorite stories as a little girl, and I always looked for it in storybook collections and could never find it.

Well I decided to look for it as a single book and sure enough there were several versions on Amazon.com. It arrived today along with a Cauldacott Award winning version of "Rapunzel" another favorite. They are delightful and I thoroughly enjoyed reading them. I am excited to be able to share stories I loved with my granddaughters.

Now I have a question for you all my lovely blog friends and neighbors;

What is your favorite fairytale story from your childhood???

Today is a music day....Do you have music days? (am I the only one with loose screws??) Generally I love listening to music everyday but some days, like today are special. A music day is when you hear music and it becomes part of you and your whole body is filled with it. Your instantly attuned to the music playing any place you go. It feels like your heart is riding on the melody and your spirit is sailing with it. Right now I feel like sitting here all day just listening to my blog music I am so in tune with it. (weird)
Time to grab a radio and head outside!!!!

SPRING AT LAST!!!!!!!!!

This morning is gorgeous!!! I went out in my garden and work like a dervish. The weeds have taken over and the list of tasks is endless but I don't care it is just soooo nice to have some sunshine and beautiful weather that I'm doing the happy dance.

Hallelujah!!!

Where ever you are I hope the sun is shining on you too..........Literally or figuratively.

I found this little treasure today while going through a box of my Dad's saved things. It belonged to his mother, my Grandma Hilda, and is about one hundred years old. It is extra special because my Grandma wrote in pencil on the hats, her name on the girl in red and her sisters name on the girl in yellow.
My Grandma Hilda and her sister Laura were born 14 months apart they were best friends and very close throughout their long lives. Helping each other through the hard times and celebrating the good times. I have many happy memories of both of them. I am thrilled to have this reminder of them.

Death is such a strange thing, loved ones who have shared your life, suddenly gone. Yet all their things are left behind, their shoes, their hats, their voice on the answering machine, all the little life mementos that they saved in a shoebox, now meaningless. And the world spins on without them just like they never existed. I once heard it said that death was like pulling your hand out of water, you can't tell you were ever there, so true. And for those who do remember all those discarded things take on a new meaning. They become a last link to a loved one who has suddenly disappeared. All his insignificant possessions take on new celebrity because he touched them. As if we needed physical proof that he did indeed exist, or that we could somehow reach him by holding them. In moments of clarity I realize that all I really have left is my memory of him and what he taught me, which fortunately for me was a great deal.

Spring has sprung

the grass has ris

I wonder where

the sunshine is?

The sun will come out tomorrow, Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Tomorrow.............................forget it, I'll just have my picnic inside!

What better week to follow the death of a loved one, then one in which we celebrate the rebirth and resurrection of all things.

For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God ~ Job 19: 25
Unspeakable gratitude to my Father in Heaven for giving us his Son, and to my Savior Jesus Christ our Lord for his sacrifice, suffered in behalf of us all. May I always show that gratitude by living the loving example he has set.
Wishing you all a beautiful and Happy Easter Holiday and may His spirit watch over, protect and guide each one of us.

If you were to search the world for true friendship for women who know how to love and lift and share their hearts, you would have to travel no farther then the sisters of my heart who follow this humble blog. They brighten my day by sharing their wit and humor and when it becomes necessary their love and prayers. They are wonderful artists and wonderful friends. If that were not enough Clytie & Beth have bestowed on me this beautiful award. Thank you so much to all of you, as my son would say "You are the Mac Daddy!"

And to Clytie & Beth, dear sisters you honor me and own a piece of my heart.

This is my little mommy and five of her seven great granddaughters just before we took her out for her birthday party. Heck of a time to have to celebrate your birthday a day after your husbands funeral. But we had a good time anyway, lots of love and hugs all round.
Today I brought her over to read all the wonderful tributes on my blog. We had a good cry together and she said to tell you all thank you so much for your prayers and beautiful thoughts.

So, I send this note to say

My morning prayer included you.

You might be braver if you knew.

And so I send this note to say,

I took your grief to God today.

Your troubled heart,

Your load of sorrow.

Asked Him for strength for your tomorrow.

Because I am your friend, I share

Your pain as well as joy. I care.

So earnestly I give you more

Than love's own gift. At heaven's door,

I lay your broken heart, and He

Leans down to comfort you, for me.

This beautiful tribute was created just for me by my sister of the heart Beth Niquette.

Thank you Beth from the bottom of my heart.

My dear old Dad lost his fight for life today, and slipped quietly away while I watched at his side. It was a very loving, peaceful and spiritual experience.
He was a gifted, and proud man with great wit and a wonderful sense of humor. He created a legacy that will provide for his family for generations to come. He was the founder of our feast. I will miss him dearly, but I am glad his suffering is over.

My friends thank you for your kind thoughts and loving support, I will return to terrorize your comment boxes in a while. In the mean time talk amongst yourselves.

NOTES FROM THE E.R.

It’s funny how every once in awhile life has to teach us who is really in charge. By taking our carefully scheduled life and all our well laid plans and obliterating them in a matter of seconds.
I had one of those, life altering seconds Monday. I was busy painting my granddaughters mural when my phone rang,
“ This is IMC Emergency, your father has suffered a cardiac arrest during his chemotherapy session, he is not doing well, and we can’t locate your mother.”
One phone call, one moment and my whole life is suddenly completely different, and not in a way that I would ever have chosen. It has become an hour to hour roller coaster ride of blips on a heart monitor and the honking of the respirator.
Awe but isn't life is suppose to be a learning experience. I pray that I take away every single bit of knowledge I am suppose to glean from this experience so I don’t have to repeat it.
I know the most important lesson is, if you love someone tell them now because you may never have another chance. ("see you later" has taken on a whole new meaning)
The biggest conclusion I have come to after watching all the doctors and nurses with their endless paraphernalia try to drag my Dad back from the brink; Is that there are far worse things then death. And I'm heading to the nearest tattoo parlor and have D.N.R. tattooed on my chest, that’s Do Not Resuscitate.

P.S. My Dad is finally out of his coma and doing much better today, it is still touch and go and he is still terminal. (aren't we all?) But I thank God for everyday, even if we have to do it His way sometimes.

APRIL FOOL!!!!!!!!!!!

April fools has come to call and I'm the biggest fool of all!!!!

SONG FOR THE ASKING

Here is my song for the asking,

ask me and I will play,

so sweetly I'll make you smile.

This is my tune for the taking,

take it don't turn away,

I've been waiting all my life.

Thinking over I've been sad.

Thinking it over I'd be more then glad to change my ways for the asking.

Ask me and I will play all the love that I hold inside.

Paul Simon

Isn't this all anyone really wants, to be listened to and heard. A verse so simple so profound.

Okay sisters of my heart. These three gorgeous paintings are all entitled "Clytie" I'm sure you already know that not only is she a great photographer of hearts, she was also a water nymph in Greek Mythology that fell in love with the sun god Apollo. Sad story but the illustrations are wonderful. (I just love the sunflowers in the top painting.)

Sorry Beth, I googled Beth & Deann and all that came up was a bunch of funny looking girls named Beth & Deann, I'm jealous. :-)

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL MY BLOG FRIENDS!!!

I found this card, I loved it and I wanted to send it to you for your Birthday. Unfortunately I don't know when your Birthday is...so take this card and when your Birthday arrives look it up and know that I wish for you all the best and a very Happy Day!!!

Do you believe in the power of attraction? (no not that kind) I love genealogy and I have recovered and compiled histories for close to a hundred ancestors. The thing that I find amazing is, that when I start writing, information starts to gather. People call, books show up, new Internet sites pop up, pictures arrive on Google and disappear after. For example a few years ago I was writing a history for my Great,great,great grandfather, out of the blue I was struck with the idea of Googling the last name on image, and up pops this beautiful photo of him. I'm ecstatic! (it's the only picture I have of him by the way) But what is even more amazing is that on the same page is this headstone which is in a private inaccessible graveyard in Iowa. The inscription reads "Iris daughter of J & M Shelledy died 1850." Let me just say that I am possibly the only person on earth who would look at this and know who J & M Shelledy were. I had all their records and information about their 9 children, except for their 10th and oldest child Iris. I love it, it's like finding lost angels.

Just a word at the close of the day. About a the people I am descended from for the most part. I love the whimsy, the enchantment, the magic that is Ireland. I love the humor and the wee idiosyncrasy's of the Irish people. But I also want to pause and remember the privation and hardships they have suffered through history especially the women, and celebrate their stubborn will to make better lives for themselves and their families the pride they have in their heritage. I celebrate every drop of Irish blood that is me…Aye even if it means I’m totally whacked most of the time.

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY

ME LOVELIES!!!