Thursday, March 8, 2018

I Like/Love #13

February was a blink, and I did not write my monthly gratitude post, the first Thursday in March was Throwback Thursday on my blog, and so here we are today.

1. I like the sound of the vacuum.
Especially when I'm not the one running it. 😂 My darling husband is, without even being asked. He knows I've got a couple of irons in the fire, pots on the stove, quilts in the works. Besides, he does often vacuum anyhow.

2. I love my friends, my family, and Mama Nature.
(common theme in these posts, no?)
This has been a bit of a tough past couple of days... Remember this photo I took on December 23 and wrote about in my December I like/love post?

I mused about this making a great Christmas card, photoshopping out the patio chairs legs of course, and how I recalled cardinals being messengers from loved ones... Naala had just passed away. March 4 would have been her 11 birthday, so she's been more on our minds/hearts again. My dear friend Helen, of Word Weaver Art, (please go check out her wonderful blog and stunning pieces of art) delivered on my musings.

Not only did she 'photoshop out' the patio chairs, she zoomed in on the 'Glimpse of Red' and she added Naala's paw prints, symbolizing she's just outside of view for now... It hung in Florida, was carefully bubblewrapped back up and transported to one side of my feet in the SUV ride back home, where it now hangs in our kitchen, which is where I first took the photo. This blog has changed and enriched my life in unimaginable and numerous ways. I thank the Universe for bringing Helen and me together. IRL aka In Real Life, very soon, we both hope, and visualize.

More friend time of the IRL kind was had in Florida, with family time in Nashville a couple of weeks ago.


The first photo is of a wonderful canal-side restaurant, Farlow's On the Water in Englewood, FL where we met up with John, Janette and Eddie, friends from the Catskills in New York. We had a wonderful day, walking dogs, visiting and enjoying the warm sunshine. The Tabebuia trees were in full bloom when we left, both pink (not pictured) and yellow. Glorious! Also glorious was a weekend in Nashville, courtesy of Dayna's fiancé and his sister, for Dayna to shop for a wedding dress, which, if you read a prior post, was a successful venture. That is me in Franklin, just outside of Nashville, under a gorgeous... um cherry? tree. Ahh!! the magnolias too, which were just opening, one of my favourite trees. The southern magnolias weren't out yet, those with the fragrant dinner-plate-sized blooms. It was so strange, in a good way, to leave hot steamy summer weather in Florida, go to mild spring weather in Nashville, back to Florida for a bit, and now in early chilly spring here in southern Ontario!

3. I love teaching yoga.
I'm so glad to be home, despite the flurries we had yesterday (nothing stuck) and again today, as I type, (stuff is sticking...not a fan). My self-esteem got quite the massage at yoga on Sunday, and again in my 6 am Tues/Thursday classes, as my students showered me with hugs and words of love, and 'missed you so much', upon my return. 🙏

4. I love dessert.
I don't let myself eat it daily since I passed 40...which was a while back. Once or twice a week, though, dessert of the home-baked kind especially is welcome! This, however...
in Nashville, in the district known as 12 South, was the stuff of dreams! A cupcake ATM?! Best. Cupcake. Ever. No lie. Wonderful weekend as well.

5. I love reading.
I finished a great book out of the library, Weekends With Daisy by Sharron Luttrell. If you love dogs, and even if you don't consider yourself a doglover, you will love this book as it is about so much more than looking after a puppy-in-training for a service dog. Daisy lives Monday to Friday with Keith, a prisoner who was selected to be a puppy trainer, quite the privilege in prison. He and Sharron share the raising of Daisy, where Sharron learns as much about herself, and about how to approach life in general, as she does about being a dog trainer. I also read two more No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency books, and am currently engrossed in two books, The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham, fulfilling a personal goal to read at least one classic this year, and Voyager by Diana Gabaldon, re-reading it as I watch season 3.

6. I love water.
I am blessed to live less than two minutes' walk to Lake Erie.
You've seen plenty of photos of her on my blog, and I don't plan to stop anytime soon. This was a couple of days ago. There was a bad snowstorm a few days prior to us getting home, and me taking this photo. You can see some of the wet stuff still plastered, ha, like icing, (see what I did there) on the side of that tree. It does something to my soul, my spirit, seeing, gazing upon, listening to, smelling, water. The birds were busy, both flying and fishing.

7. I like water, and kayaking.
We always make time for a couple or more beach walks. Below is the one along the midway point of Manasota Key. Beside it is a photo of a sea urchin I spotted on the shore of Bird Key, which is across from Sarasota where we were walking dogs, a certain one swimming his heart out, with one of the best men in my life, John.

The bottom two photos are from our kayak outing this year. I hope one day we can get either a tandem kayak or two individual ones. For now we rent. This year we kayaked in the intracoastal water between Englewood and Manasota Key, through Lemon Bay and down to Stump Pass, about a 3-mile round trip. Those are the bottom two photos.

8. I like chain-piecing.
These two projects are my Island Batik project for February (I know....rather ashamed that it's late, but IRL took over QBL much to my annoyance) which is blues and violets, and Postcard from Sweden, the large HST Kona Thistle I believe, going through the machine. Let's see if I can do both without reverse-sewing...so far so good.

9. I like learning.
This week sees the start of the New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop, with us behind the scenes getting to know each other, working on blogs, doing 'homework'. As a first-time co-host, I'll admit I'm nervous, but excited, because it always has a positive outcome when I try something new, when I face a challenge. In April and May we will be doing some hopping to new blogs in QBL, with some pretty attractive prizes up for grabs for readers of those new blogs!

Linking up with LeeAnna at Not Afraid of Color where you can visit several other people who regularly write these I Like/Love posts.
SaveSave

20 comments:

  1. I was all ready to moan over the cupcake, and talk about flowers, but Diana Gabaldon? Outlander? LOVE LOVE LOVE. Read them all, watching season 2 now on disc from library. Do you think Jamie looks right in the show? Not how I pictured him... Taller and thicker and craggy-er in my mind. That's why I love books. But I do like the show too.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The artwork is beautiful. So thoughtful to include paw prints...awwww.... That reminds me to get back to reading the No. 1 Ladies Detective series.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Artwork with Naala's little paws leaving a trail, thoughtful and
    given with love and more. Helen, you are a dream-girl to deliver this to our wonderful Sandra in blog or real life friendship. I like your likes so much.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Such a lovely, gently post...please accept my condolences on the loss of Naala...I'm with you in your grief as we also lost Sammy recently. What a thoughtful friend to make that beautiful Christmas card for you! Blessings to you!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hubbies vacuuming, mine does too. To a beautiful gift and gorgeous flowering trees to water a lovely heartwarming post.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love the painting - so perfect for you, and so generous of your friend! I am like you with being by the water. Since we live in a landlocked state, our vacations almost always involve going to the coast to be near the ocean. I always enjoy your views of Lake Erie!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I hope the blog hop is off to a great start! That cupcake ATM looks very interesting, and it was that good??

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love so many of the same things, Sandra. Reading your post makes me stop to think of how sweet life really is when we appreciate what we've got. Your friend, Helen, gave you such a gift with her painting and remembering to add Naala's paw prints was an added bonus. Enjoy every day and you'll always be a blessing to those around you!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Your friend Helen is a very special person! I hope you have a wonderful week! I enjoyed your post so much!

    ReplyDelete
  10. My heart is full. There's something absolutely priceless about giving a gift, no matter how small, and knowing that it was the just-right thing. It was a pleasure to do the little painting for you, my dear.

    ReplyDelete
  11. What a sweet friend to make you that lovely print! I can see why you fell in love with it. It's priceless.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Oh, Sandra, that painting...I had just blipped by it on Instragram on my phone, and now seeing it bigger on the computer screen and knowing the bit about Naala's footprints, what a sweet remembrance and sweet gift for you. Keep those lake photos coming--just can't get enough of them.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Enjoyable like : live : love post sandra . I love all your photos . They say that of Robins in the uk . If you do make Christmas cards , you know my address !

    ReplyDelete
  14. Naala's footprints leading just out of view? Oh, I've got something in my eye here...

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hi Sandra,
    I'm a little late but better late than never! OMG - that picture that Helen made for you! Oh so wonderful, and I am thrilled (as I'm sure she is as well) that it is hanging where you can gaze upon it often. I love cardinals, and those paw prints - so touching and perfect. That cherry ? tree is just gorgeous! WOWEE - nature is just a miracle to behold. Don't be nervous about hosting us bloggers - we're the fun group so we'll all have fun and learn lots and making great friendships. And Postcard . . . I just came to see where I'm suppose to be by now . . . I'm freaking out because I'm just trimming, trimming, trimming. And that's only to row three. EEEK. ~smile~ Roseanne

    ReplyDelete
  16. Now I want a cupcake ATM! Thank goodness one is not near here. That painting from your friend Helen is just priceless. What a fun post. Glad you're home safe and sound. mary in Az

    ReplyDelete
  17. Lovely post Sandra... and what a beautiful gift from Helen - and a lovely post she did on it too. Gorgeous photos throughout - but a cupcake atm - now that really takes the cake!

    ReplyDelete
  18. A cupcake ATM! That would be popular here. Beautiful new piece of art. Thanks for the link, Sandra. I'll go visit Helen.

    ReplyDelete
  19. A very lovely post! You and I love so many of the same things. I am so glad to hear the precious painting is back home with you now. I am so sorry, Sandra, hopefully the painting helps you imagine her playing just outside.

    -Soma xx

    ReplyDelete

I wholeheartedly appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment, as they make my day! I answer every one by personal email. :-) Unless... you are a "no-reply" blogger, which can occur for a few reasons. You can get around that by writing out your email within your comment so that I can answer you.