Joyful Purpose

Saturday Morn

Ah Saturday morning and a BIG steaming bowl of caramel latte - YUMMO!  My favorite that I make every morning but today just a wee bit bigger - 4 shots of espresso, 2 tbs of caramel syrup, lots of steamed milk and foam on top.  What is your morning wake up - beverage that is!  As of course the boys get up willingly and extra early on the weekends as they don't have to be anywhere%^%& - rats I tell ya - why don't they do that during the week when they need to get up for school? 

Short and Sassy

  Short and Sassy - well, I am short 5' 2 1/2" and I am sassy and so is the new hair cut.  Whadda ya think?

  

Reverence Jewelry

I have been working on a jewelry collection lately which I have called the Reverence Collection for the fact that these are my intentions while creating each piece.  I have used vintage rosaries, my own photos of special images such as the Guardian Angel Statue at Maryvale, The woods and meadow at Priest Lake, Turkish Evil Eye beads ( to ward off evil).  I have decided to sell some of these pieces on my Etsy shop.




You Belong



Wished for Haven



Hands and Heart



For Grace

French Laundry

This is for all the foodies out there - A run down of my dinner at the famous French Laundry -

The Menu - yes we ate all of this and more

Saboyon of pearl tapioca with island creek oysters and white sturgeon cavier


 

salad of compressed cucumber, green apples, radish, perilla and whipped yogurt

moulard duck foie gras en terrine with white peach relish, corichons, ramp bulbs and dijon
fillet of kanpachi, turnips, pine nuts, mizuna and salted plum coulis

sea urchin tongues, buckwheat cappelinni and black truffle vinigrette

sweet butter poached maine lobster tail and sweet golden corn, bacon, lovage infused potato mousseline

aiguillette of pkin duck breast, morel mushrooms, english peas, and bearnaise reduction

chateaubriand of veal, globe artichokes, tomatoe compote and sauce gremolata


beef saucisson en croute, asparagus, onions and frisee







goat's leap  hyku cheesecake with brooks cherries, and cherrywood balsamic

buttermilk sherbet with kumquats and spiced streusal

lingot de chocolat en mousse with candied peanuts and popcorn glace and caramel

fraisier aux pistaches - licorice bavrois, strawberry sorbet and blis elixir

the wines

Pierre Gimennot Blanc de Blanc - champagne

Scincoll Gubelibling
Grunner Vertiner Steinsetz

Meursault Les Tillets - white burgandy (incredible)

Modicum - cab (delicious)

20 year old tawny port



 

PB and J

This is my best friend of 30 yrs Denise.  I just have spent the past 4 days with her and her family.  We celebrated her 40th bday by going to Napa for 2 days - just the two of us wine tasting, eating at the famed French Laundry for her bday dinner - quite a gastronomic experience and laughing and having fun.  It was just what we both needed.

French Laundry



and some shots I took of her "ugly" children ;)

Farewell my dear friend

Farewell my sweet sweet girl.  She was my best friend for 19 years without fail she was there for me with unconditional love, a nicker, a soft nose to kiss, and a sure and steady presence.  Ebony turned 28 on May 10 and on May 12 she moved on to a place that I believe has endless green pastures, no pain, and an endless supply of carrots.  She was a constant strength in my life and I cannot imagine it without her.  I will miss her every day  without question.  My husband Mark bought her for me on our first Christmas together.  There has not been too many days since then that I haven't seen her.  Yesterday, after weeks of trying to get her well and pain free - I let her go.  It was the hardest goodbye I have ever made and my heart feels like there is a huge hole in it.  I know I did the right thing, the unselfish thing, the kind thing - I let her go when she had a perfect morning - she went out to graze in her favorite pasture with he buddy Spot eating grass in the sunshine, I gave her a bag of carrots for them to share and I told her how much I loved her and I thanked her for all she had given me.  And I said goodbye and that I would see her on the other side when my time comes.  My heart is broken and I miss you beyond measure.  I love you my sweet, sweet girl - my rose smelling horse.

Mothering Sunday

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

I am an admitted OCP -Organized Clutter Person

This is the painting studio, as a functioning one that is - I wish someone would put a book out on artist studios - AS THEY REALLY LOOK- for me I want a glimpse into the essence of how people work and create - sure I love looking at all the neat and pretty pictures of a cleaned up studio - but come on folks if you are really doing some mad work - it ain't pretty - I want to see the nitty gritty.  So here is mine after I have done some mad work in it - as is

And hey I am all for being organized as it leads to being productive thus the ...

Tote-ally Cool! Tote2 - that is actually the name - I know it is a cheeseball name but I didn't do it!  However, the tote is actually great - and it has a magnetic spinning plate on the bottom - so it spins - very cool - I have a mini one for my jewelry tools and a large for my journaling tools - I actually saw these at my friend Carol's studio ,as she uses them - bought the mini from her and got the large one at Target.

I realized that I am an OCP - Organized Clutter Person (yes, of course I made this up) and you can't make a leopard change his spots or hers in this case.  I am a nester - like lots of stuff but like to know where it is. 

I showed you mine now show me yours ....

Mama's gotta brand new car

  This is my new love.  Isn't she cute!  I had owned a Ford Expedition for the past 8 years and I loved it and it served me well and it would have run another 200,000 miles and it was paid off .... and it cost 100.00 to fill the tank every week.  I just couldn't justify giving that much money to support the oil companies - so after a labor intensive search and a grueling negotiation with the dealership - I am now the proud owner of a silver Prius!  48 miles to the gallon and good well as good as can be for the environment.  need to name her - any suggestions?  The boys like Trixie (they wanted the Mach 5 as being fans of Speed Racer but I told them she was a girl so they settled on the gal character- aka Trixie)  and I thought of Penelope as in Penelope Pitstop = that was vetoed - so I am open for your suggestions.

Guardian angel my guardian dear

This is a series of paintings that I finished based on photos I took of a guardian angel and child statue that resides at Maryvale along with blessings from J O'Donohue.

May we discover beneath our fear embers of anger to kindle justice

May our eyes be worn but have the kindness of reverence

May you have courage to listen

May a secret providence guide your thoughts

These are in my Etsy shop as well.