A Garden Path

Today I woke up and saw this in my email. I can't wait, I get to go along on this 34West adventure. I've never been to Charleston SC before, we're staying close to the beach even. I've been packing sort of gradually this week and trying to leave my family in good shape, you know clean clothes, food, cookies, all the stuff they need to survive. Taryn will miss me the most, she's teared up a lot this week already and will not like it that I'm not here in the morning. She's a mommas girl that is for sure. But daddy will have to do this week, he has a lot of fun stuff planned so they will have loads of fun without me. You all have loads of fun without me to, as I'm not sure I'll be able to blog during the trip, I might be able to, just not sure. I don't have a computer of my own. I usually steal Deer Slayers when he's out slaying things. My colleagues are techies though so I'm guessing they might fix me up. But not to worry I will have my trusty, stolen, uhem, borrowed camera along with me. Here's hoping I don't loose it. Not that I would, I don't have a history of that, I'm just saying. So today, I got my hair colored and cut, tweaked the show set a little and worked in the yard for three hours, what? I don't have time for that? But once we got started we couldn't stop, you know how it is. The mulch, the weeding, the transplanting, it just went on and on. But now it is finished and looks much better. I even cleaned out my perennial bed. I've been needing to do that for quite some time now. And while I was at it, I added a little garden path.

I sat on the deck and had a cup of coffee and admired all that was accomplished...... then I ran around like a chicken with my head cut off for the next..... well I still am and it's 1 am. I have to leave at 5 am. Somebody is sleeping all the way to SC. I was going to try to find this book that Flower Patch Farmgirl read, but alas didn't have a chance to find it. Maybe when I'm in Charleston. I bet they have bookstores there. I bet they have a lot of great stuff there. I just have to survive the 12 hour trip first. See ya on the flip side.

Fun, and Some Dinner

I've been taking pictures for a long time. Back in the day I could blow through a roll of film in minutes, depending on the muse. The digital age has brought with it so many more advantages. Time being one. Instant gratification being another.

Add photo editing technology and you've got one good time. I don't know when taking a picture of dinner got so exciting but.....it has. Many of the people who read this blog don't really read a lot of blogs as a general rule, at least probably not as many as I do. So I have taken some ribbing for posting food pictures. At every event we happen to be at I hear a constant, "Are you gonna take a picture of that?... ha, ha, ha". Well ha, ha, ha, -yes I am.

My poor family is used to grabbing a fork then.....hold it, hold it, almost done, turn it, back up your in my light,.......OK, got it! So that's the drill here at the Scott house, they are programmed very well I think. So I bring you last nights dinner. Exciting stuff, you got it here first.

Growing Up

Lately I've been feeling like a have a smidgen more time on my hands. In the last two weeks I've made two dresses, which is two more than I've made in about 7 years. I sew costumes regularly, but just plain old sew for the heck of it sewing has been scarce for awhile now. I sewed almost all of my dresses in High School, and then again after college, BK (before kids). I always thought I would sew for my girls, but alas this just hasn't happened. But lately I've had a new and very welcomed flood of ideas that much to my surprise have come to fruition. I'm not sure exactly what to attribute this to, other than the kids are growing up. Yes, they still need me, but they are getting much more independent. They play in the neighborhood now with other little girls. They read more, have an easier time getting into a solo craft project and can even find themselves a snack and drinks without my help (thank goodness for frozen yogurt sticks and step stools). The chores they do now actually do help instead of create more work. I have more time to bake and cook too. I'm so sorry if you are reading this and want to smack me, I completely understand. I would never say these things to a new mom in person or a mom with multiple toddlers, you can even scream at me through the screen if you want to. I hear ya. But you just have to know that your brain will come back, the things you used to do you'll do again, I promise. I do miss a lot of the things that come with babies, believe me no one loves a baby more than me, but I am enjoying all the new opportunities I'm having. So the pictures today are a little walk down memory lane, I hope you like them.

Move over Muzzy

As you may already know, my camera is on it's last leg. My friend has been letting me borrow his very nice camera and I've had it for at least two months now. The old camera has been sitting around the house and I tried to use it today as the battery on the borrowed camera is dead and I don't have the charger yet. Well as I started downloading pics off the old camera I realized that I didn't recognize any of the pictures, she's been using it unbeknownst to me, again. So here is what I found, move over Muzzy, there's a new beagle in town.

Singing and Dancing

Last night I took the night off from 34West shows to attend a different show. A show that included Legally Blonde, West Side Story, Toy Story, The Wiz and Phantom Of The Opera. It had dancing, tumbling, jazz, tap and ballet. Sounds like a big undertaking? It is to me, I normally work with a cast of 2 or 5 at the most, adults. This cast had about a hundred or more girls and boys from the ages of 3-17.

They performed like pros. It was really fun to watch. Their teacher was in the wings directing them and was no doubt very proud of them. She is set apart in my mind from many other instructors. She puts an emphasis on conquering fears, gaining self confidence, and just plain old having fun among other things. The older girls really are good role models and care about the younger ones. Size and shape really don't matter, no cookie cutter dancers.

Singing and dancing is something we should do from birth till death Miss Kim says. I would have to agree.

Saturday Morning

This is just a little glimpse of my Saturday morning. We did a show in 'Donutland' at one of the inns Thursday night and Friday, so i snagged a little somethin' to bring home. My family misses me when I'm gone but they sure do like the donut box I always bring home with me. It always makes for a great Saturday morning reunion. A special bonus awaited me, my Country Living. A great rainy Saturday morning treat. The tulips are probably on their last day, they will be missed. Fresh flowers, coffee in my favorite cup, my favorite magazine and my favorite donut in the whole world, ahhhhh.... it's a good day so far. Sometimes it's the little things, it has to be.

Birthday Pie

Here is the much anticipated Rhubarb Custard pie. When deer slayer (a.k.a. birthday boy) and I went to the Farm Market on Monday I picked up some rhubarb, along with my donuts of course...when he saw it he immediately started talking about rhubarb custard pie, how it was his favorite in all the world and he wanted it for his birthday. No pressure. I was pretty sure I had never made that before and me not being a very confidant pie baker started getting a little nervous. And then he said "Make the crust just like the one that we won the other night at the Gala"... right. That pie was baked by Aunt Velma, who's middle name is probably pie crust. You can do it he said. So I cut up my rhubarb and did what any good pie baker would do, I googled it. I found this. The description was amazing, all the raving, very inspiring. So I put it together and camped out by the oven till it was done. I accidently put another egg in, not sure how that happened and I didn't quite have four cups of rhubarb, but no matter, it worked anyway. I think I might even post this picture on their website. But the most important thing, birthday boy loved it and so did our guests. And no, I didn't make the crust, chickened out, I guess my middle name is pillsbury. Oh, and I can't forget a note about the china, it is Le Parc by Noritake, it is our wedding china. And since we just celebrated 18 years on Sunday, I thought it appropriate.

Birthday Boy

Now, you might be a red-neck if you have one of these 'pillows' on every couch, bed and chair.

You might even be one if your hat choice for the day includes tail feathers.

A Poem for Steve

Your camo patterns are vast and carefully chosen,

You can speak the language of any woodland animal,

Your truck smells earthy, organic really...

You get up at unspeakably early to sit in the quiet of the woods for hours.

You know who you are, and the One who made you,

You take care of your family and love those around you,

Your passion for life spills over and over,

You've made a difference in life after life.

Happy Birthday crazy husband of mine, I'm looking forward to everything.

It was a big week around here, so big I don't even know where to begin. Banquets, school programs, a gala and a show. I met new friends, caught up with old friends, and won a pie! Very exciting all of it. I am exhausted, but happy. I can't even keep my eyes open but I just wanted to stop in and say hi. Hi. I promise more details this week. Did I tell you I won a pie, it was cherry, it was good, very good. I wish you were all here in person to share it. Oh and I must give a shout out to my friends, the Q's, rest, recuperate and I love all four of you, and the fifth Q too:)

Finally

You have been elusive, temper mental,

frustrating and completely ungrateful,

But I forgive you.

My Room

Yesterday was a nice, warm, beautiful spring day. I spent the day catching up on yard work, pulled out some bushes, weeding and mowing. Today is quite different. It is rainy, windy and cold. A good day to do a project in here, my sewing room. I'm supposed to be working on a something for an art auction on Friday, but inspiration just hasn't struck yet. It will....I think.

If I don't get inspired, it will not be for lack of creative space. I love this room. It was a guest room once upon a time, but when I started working with the theatre company something had to give. I was constantly taking over the dining room for weeks at a time and with little kid hands always present, it just wasn't safe. One cannot endanger the lives of little people with pins, scissors and hot glue guns and irons. So I did what any respectable mother would do, take over a whole bedroom all for me. The safety, you understand. The kids like sharing a room, they really do. And they do have a double loft bed, just like Mary and Laura, how many kids would love that, huh? This room, even though small, just 11x10 I think, is really functional. It houses all my craft supplies, fabrics, magazines and my clothes and jewelry. There is a closet to the right of the little dress form that deerslayer outfitted for me. It looks like a little boutique, with purses and shoes and a mirror inside it. It is very small mind you, but I don't have that many clothes, I would not be considered a hoarder by any means, unless you are talking about magazines, then...... maybe. The interior wall has this great Ikea storage unit. As you can see it is the workhorse of the room.

But beyond the practicality of this space, it also has healing properties. You see, my older brother was tragically killed in an apartment fire 5 years ago. His picture is below, inside a large antique shadow box in the room. The picture behind my head is a self portrait he did of himself many years ago. We used it as the invitation to a gallery showing of his life and work. He was a great artist and a great person. The correlation you ask, well he always had great spaces to work in, sometimes they were abandoned buildings, sometimes cool city lofts, where ever he happened to be at the time. But the spaces were always undeniably him. Filled with the creative things he loved. I guess after he died, I just started filling this room with me. Things I love, things that are important to my creative process. He would have liked this room, it would have made him proud, he would have poured over every little thing, asking me questions and making me feel like somebody special. He had a great way of doing that for everyone, not just his little sister.

So there you have it, life and art hand in hand. You can see some of my other favorite things in these pictures. If you study them you will see a dream house, a charm bracelet, an antique pin cushion, a fawn (you may have guessed already I heart fawns, a post for another day), special photos, jewelry. Under all of these things is a purple tea towel, a towel my brother had in his art studio when he died. It was the inspiration for this room. He was and is my inspiration for this room. What things inspire you? Where do you do your best work, your life work? I'd love to know.

New Shoes

Friday Morning Muffins

Taryn and I had a craving. So we took care of it.

These are Chocolate chip muffins, recipe here, I used a mixture of whole wheat and white flour. This is my Shenango China, from New Castle P.A. I have a complete set for six, my lovely mother-in-law bought them for my birthday a few years back, she then searched ebay for months to add some pieces to the set. Yes, I know how lucky I am. Have a great Friday everyone, mine's starting out pretty good.

Contest Winner

Hi, and welcome to Two Donut Thursday. I have picked the winner of the Donut photo contest, I know you all have been anxiously waiting the results, so here is the winning photo.

This photo was entered by Stephen Baldwin and entitled 'Earth, Wind and Donut'.

I have to admit It was the title that got me. Leave it to a Writer to come up with that one. Well done Mr. Baldwin. I will hand deliver your Dunkin Donut gift card. But I will have to prompt you to share it with your associate and second place winner....Jeff Querin.

Those donuts look good enough to eat, I know, I know what your thinkin...but not good enough to win. Well it was close..... and there were hundreds of submissions, and somebody has to win right? So there you have it, thanks everyone for participating, I wish I could have given something to everyone, but you know how it is. (she says, dripping with sarcasm)

So in other non-donut related news, we haven't sold the house yet. We have had one offer, low offer. And not much action since. No worries, we don't actually have anywhere to go yet anyways. We are all still missing the World Help girls, we found one of their books they left behind, sad. I watched some video footage today, sad again. I'm trying to figure out how to buy a well and give a village somewhere clean drinking water for the next 20 years. Anybody got an extra 15,000 laying around, yeah, me neither, but we'll think of something. Read the last post if you don't know what I'm talking about. It's all I can think about these days. I'm even considering buying a 5th wheel, R.V. type of think to live in after the house sells, or if the house sells. Or maybe a yurt, then we could buy a well and still have a roof over our heads till we found land to put the yurt or R.V. on. Then we could gradually build a small dwelling in the country. Sound crazy? I'm not thinkin' so. We just might do it people, so prepare yourselves.

The Day After

I know you aren't supposed to connect food to emotion, but I just went through the Dunkin drive-thru to console an inconsolable 6 year old. You see today we said good-bye to our two little World Help choir girls. I'm not allowed to post pictures, but I don't really need to to tell you what a wonderful, experience this was. Not only did they perform like real pros, they gave us a challenge and an opportunity to feel compassion, not just pity, but real gut wrenching compassion, the kind Jesus has. They tour and perform to raise awareness and funds for plain old everyday water. The kind that won't kill your family members one by one, the kind that makes it possibly for you to go to school, not spend your day walking hours to retrieve something that looks like mud, the kind we go directly to one of the many faucets in our homes any time we want to. The children leave whatever is left of their families, or orphanages or schools to tour our land of plenty for one year. They keep a grueling show schedule, sleep in a hundred or more beds, meet many, many, clueless little american kids and they do it all gladly, smiling, and grateful for the opportunity. Their chaperones and directors love them. They first have to teach some of them about unconditional love, because some have no concept to begin with, can you imagine having to teach someone about love, so they can feel it for the first time at 8, 9, or 10 years old? Yes, this was an eye-opening experience for many people. I'm so proud of my girls and all the host families who entered in to this experience with zero trepidation. Most had no idea what to expect, all had life changing experiences. We will never know the impact a few days made here in our town, we won't see the money given, the prayers offered, the tears shed, we won't even see these beautiful children again this side of heaven but we know that God sees it all, feels it all, and loves our compassionate souls because He is the maker of the most compassionate soul. And incase you were wandering, this is what it looks like, when God breaks your heart, you'll know it when it happens, it changes your perspective, makes you feel, compels you to love like He loves. May this happen to us all, amen?

Shows and After Shows

This weekend we've been at one of our out of town venues. I love coming here. The country air, slower pace, antiques, and donuts might have something to do with it. Antiques and donuts sound strange in the same sentence, don't they? True we work when we are here (some of us work a little harder that others:), but we do have our fair share of fun. I'll start with 34 West after show hang out in the country.

Yes, this is where the cool kids hang out, unfortunately the cool kids are about 20 years younger than us. This is a safe place where the youth of the surrounding communities can come and have a great time, they have a huge TV, games, pool tables and everything else you could ever want in a great youth center. Why do they let us in you ask? Well fortunately for us they don't discriminate. I think during the week they probably offer lots of things just for kids, but their weekend nights draw a few 'older patrons'. And we eat, a lot, so we are effectively supporting the ministry.

This makes us very happy after a long day of loading up, driving, setting up, and of course doing the show. The food here is beyond fantastic and this guy......

well what else do I need to say, this is Jason. He always welcomes us warmly and based on this picture, enthusiastically. He lets us stay way past our welcome and never kicks us out. He is passionate about this ministry and he is perfect for the job. So thanks for everything Jason, your place is truly one our happiest places.

See how happy this guy is?