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Wednesday, July 6, 2011

CATCHING UP.....

I have been trying to catch up, more like catch my breath this past month that I have been away from blogging. It has been far longer than I thought it would be since my last post. I have missed you all dearly. In my last missive I told you I was taking time off to enjoy all the preparations for my daughters wedding and that is just what I did!

My two dearest friends, who my daughter calls her " other mothers" , hosted a beautiful brunch for her, intimate and informal, just she and all her " mothers" hanging out. It was wonderful!I took a brief break from making wedding decorations one sunny afternoon for a quick stroll around the lake...I sat for a while on this little red bench letting the wedding stress float away on the waves of the wind brushing across the waters surface...Birthdays have come and gone, my grandson turned five and I have crossed into my 48th year. His came and went with much fanfare, mine slipped by quietly under a changing sky hovering over the farm...Handy Hubby took me on the best date ever!!! A drive into the mountains to a now defunct amusement park, we were allowed to tour the entire property at our leisure and met an awesome artist who is the care taker there. What can I say, I am a cheap date and easily amused (it was free and so much fun)...We had a family shower for my daughter and her intended at the farm. A big lunch was followed by gifts, cake, and fresh seasonal fruit. I noticed the absence of the bride-to-be. I saw a flash of sunlight glinting off her bouncing curls as she sprinted past the kitchen window. Curious I stepped closer to see where she was going. Barefoot and wearing a vintage dress she glanced over her shoulder to see if she was being observed. I stepped back not wanting her to see me. I stepped back into view just in time to see a dress hem and two bare feet absorbed into the lush foliage of the apple tree...I had to swallow a lump the size of one of the small apples greening on the tree. I knew what she was doing. She was saying good-bye to childhood. One last time climbing up to her favorite spot, nestling there for a quite private moment, one last act of wild abandon and freedom that belongs to being a child. I saw the branches shiver as she settled herself and I left her to her private thoughts and dreams...When she returned the house the only tell-tale sign that anything was amiss was a small twig and leaf that had intertwined itself into a curl just above her left ear. I plucked it from its nesting place as she grinned at me knowing that I knew. I placed it in a book to press it for safe keeping, a tiny treasured moment.

I spent the night before the shower up until 1 AM finishing upholstering vintage chairs from The Old House so we would have seating around the farm table Handy Hubby built (I'll tell you more about that project later)...The wedding has come and gone, we had all the bases covered, something old (her great grandmothers hanky tucked into the pocket of her wedding dress) and something new (her earrings)...Something borrowed (a bracelet that was an anniversary gift from Handy Hubby to me)...
And something blue (Cinderella blue wedding shoes)...Everything was just perfect! (More on this subject later too.)...
Somewhere in between all the planning, making decorations, and the actual execution of the big event, there was caring for my mother and doing all the daily stuff that needed doing, I found myself crumbling physically and emotionally. I held up well until after the big day and then I found it necessary to go into hibernation, that is why it has been so long between posts, I just needed to rest and give myself a break and time to catch up and catch my breath.I am up and running again after a quite long 4th of July weekend at the farm with Handy Hubby. Plans are being made to make some small modifications to the kitchen there and I have been collecting furniture to refurbish and furnish the farmhouse with (More on this later too, it seems I have a lot to post about!) The color scheme for the living room is looking something like this (I'll save the story of the color choices for yet another post. Yeah! I have blog fodder!)...To borrow a phrase from my sweet friend Bonita, I have been " living my story" . To me people and their lives are the most fascinating reads. Our lives really are like books, we all have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Our stories are written with every imaginable genera - drama, comedy, romance, history, intrigue, action and adventure, and you can't forget the current popular - reality. Since I have caught you up on my story, I would love to hear a page from yours, let me know what you have been up to in the comments section.

I hope you all enjoy a beauty filled weekend!

P.S. Posts may be sparse until after the middle of the month while I wrap up a few more commitments. Know that I am thinking of you and I will slowly be making my way around to visit and leave comments.

19 comments:

Vee said...

So there you are! No, no, I was not calling you back. I'd never, ever be so selfish. No, not I.

Why do you have the power to make me weep with the turn of a phrase? Describing your daughter's climb into the apple tree...oh.dear.me. Well, I, for one, hope that she has many more climbs into the apple tree before she's old and gray.

Happy birthday, too. A little late, but it can be your birthday summer. What a sweet outing to an old amusement park. There must be stories to the moon there.

Take care and keep that running list of blog fodder going. You write like on one else.

Hugs...

Vee said...

and now I'm dyslexic, too? Crikey.

Trying again...like no one else.

Vickie said...

Aw, so good to see you again, Miss Sandy. I enjoyed this post and feel a little of what you're feeling. My son just got married, too, and I've been doing lots of reminiscing and remembering - especially as we sold our house. I've been going through baby things and toys and his little vacuum cleaner that he got when he was two. He loved it! His little smocked outfits that I made for him - well, I had to smell of them and put them away - I will save them and see if he wants them for his kids. We are now living full-time at the farm. My little dining table is so like yours and I am letting it go to make room for a bigger wooden farm table. I love those flour sack covers! I can't wait to see what you do with YOUR little farmhouse!

Vickie said...

AND my son and daughter in law used Cinderella blue at their wedding, too!

Tina said...

Hi there Miss Sandy - there you were. Have missed you.
I´m so happy everything went well with the wedding - no wonder you had to take some time of.
Sounds like a wonderful trip you had with your hubby to the park.
Glad to see you back ;o)
Have a wonderful day
xo Tina

Claudia said...

So good to hear from you, Sandy. Your life has been very full! The description of your daughter stealing away to climb her favorite tree touched my heart. You wrote about it beautifully.

I've been away for 7 weeks doing a theater job and returned in time for my husband's 60th birthday. I promptly became ill and had to be admitted to the hospital. A gall stone was blocking a bile duct. I'm still pretty tired and now have to think about gall bladder surgery in the next few weeks.

xo
Claudia

Ceekay-THINKIN of HOME said...

Good to hear from you! Wow, you have been busy!!

Sonya Badgley said...

Hello dear friend! I'm SO glad you are back! I have missed you!! I can't wait to see all your posts of what you've been up to. If you visit my blog, you will see what I've been doing.
I can see why you needed a much needed rest. Welcome back dear girl!
Happy hugs to you,
Sonya

Unknown said...

Hello there!

glad to see you back dear, and to start, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! :) Nice to see youve kept busy. :) That wedding was a special and beautiful affair indeed, its obvious that you gave it so much heart and caring. Your daughter couldnt ask for better. Thank you for the memoirs and sweet thoughts, they made me smile! Till we meet again,

Hugs,

Dorthe said...

Dear Sandy,
I can tell you all had a most beautiful wedding- and looks forward to seing a bit more from the wonderful day.Ofcourse it have taken strengh to be a very importent part of this -and also taking care ,I guess almost dayli, of your mother. But so wonderful you are back here,-I enjoyed all your lovely photoes, and am happy for you ,you had a lovely 4 of july day with your husbond.
Love and hugs, Dorthe

Robin said...

Welcome back! Looking forward to seeing you more often. Have a relaxing time off.

Hugs,
Robin

Unknown said...

Welcome back , I recognize Dog Patch in your pictures . It was such a fun park in it's day . The settings around here are so pretty , ( The reason I moved here ).

Anonymous said...

Sandy - You moved me to tears as you described your daughter's farewell to childhood. So touching. As a mother of a beautiful daughter myself, I often wonder about my own emotions when this day comes for me. Right now, there is no young man. She waits in the place of prayer for the Lord's choice. So do I. May you be blessed as you slowly tie up your lose ends, and re-group from the varied stresses of such hallmark moments in life. I have missed your gentle posts - so glad you're returning soon with so many newsie items to share.
Congratulations and be ye blessed!
Joy!
Miss Kathy

Barbara H. said...

I am so glad your daughter's wedding went so well and that you got a chance for some R&R afterward. Her saying good-bye to her childhood was so touching.

A belated happy birthday to you!

Vicki said...

We've missed you! I've been wondering how the wedding went. You made me cry with your story of your daughter and the apple tree. What a sweet story. I am glad you are feeling like you can breath again. We look forward to hearing more from you again soon. Until then..xoxo

Anonymous said...

Dear Sandy....your family is so blessed to have YOU for a mom! I can't add anything to your comments with comments of my own other than to say that.

I've also been somewhat absent from blogging this summer. It's been a busy one for me, painting. Also, since I work on our porch all summer, dragging craft supplies out is such a hassle. So...crafting and more blogging will resume in the fall. In the meantime...I hope life is serene for you as summer progresses. You've earned it!

Hugs and love,
Diane

Bonita said...

Sandy, your story, all of it, is absolutely beautiful!

I'm so glad you took time to just be after all of the extreme busyness.

I'm wiping away tears from your daughter's last moments of childhood. She must be a lot like you. The way you expressed what happened was utterly perfect.

Blessings to you, my sweet friend, and I'm so glad you're back! XXOO

Unknown said...

Sandy,
I am so happy to hear you are back. You sure have been busy with life indeed. I look forward to more posts of what you have been doing. Happy birthday to you.
Hugs
Michele

The Rustic Victorian said...

Oh Sandy,
I can barely see to type through the tears of your story,,,your daughter and the apple tree....just beautiful.
I am glad life is good, you have a good man too....soon grandbabies. Congratulations to the happy couple!

Marcie

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