Thank yous are in order~

Oh dear..

How on earth did this happen? Lucas turning 12 in August and he entering high school in September?
Well it did..he graduated..and so next yr he will wear a blazer and tie..and play High School football..

I will never ever forget the thrill of Lucas.

He was our first Little and Caroline worked..and she would hand him over..this treasure..just hand him over w/ no rules..no regulations..just..here He is..

She didn't work every day..at that time it was just hrs at a time..
our best hours.
A sweet thank you for having shared so generously ♥

The hours of adoration we spent looking at him..reveling in EVERYTHING he did..
you have much more time as a grandparent..
you see that life goes faster later and you want these moments to last..

in the course of 5 yrs we had 4 grandsons..but for a while Lucas was the only one.

I get tears in my eyes looking at our grandsons photos younger.
I miss those days I do..when I could hold them in my arms and rub their heads..tickle their arms..and kiss their face time after time after time..and they would smile.
I can still kiss them..but they are no longer in my arms..and will soon be taller and bigger than me.
I am so very grateful to have been lent these beautiful God given gifts.


And so I made my first naked cake ,for his graduation..

I finally caved in and bought the Wilton 6 inch ,deep cake pans..on sale..3..
I made this recipe..
and it was good.
I did add vanilla sugar to the cake  and butter flavor;)to the icing.

So don't be wary of trying it and it filled the 3 pans perfectly.I love this smaller cake..3 layers mind you cake size.

Some parts of the gardens never change ..except get bigger..like this area by the pond(very small..picture a small small bathtub size black from filled w/ water and a small pump fountain))..I planted a garden all around it yrs ago..
The BIG Daddy hostas..I love..they have blue in them..the lady's mantle and geraniums and look beautiful w/..it's the fairy garden pond:)

I recommend those big different hostas..my others are fine..but these leaves are like seersucker dresses..and the colors are magnificent♥

I have so many thank yous to say this post..

A huge thank you to my crocheting friends/bloggers..that inspired me to try.
I have to tell you that it was no small feat.
I can usually pick up things..in a reasonable amount of time..not physics nor calculus nor the real fine art of watercolors..which I keep trying..:)..you know what I mean..

For some reason..this ..just kept escaping me..while away..I had my earplugs in at night w/ a crochet hook and wool and various youtube videos..and yikes..it was NOT sinking in..at all..
I swear 50 plus attemps..and NADA..maybe even more:(
I was relentless though..
and one day parts started clicking..
and now I can..
I cannot call myself a crocheter..I still have to start off watching a video sometimes and I have yet to actually read a pattern..but I can pretty much granny square on call:)With multiple errors..why?:)

So I am stockpiling dishcloths and look..facecloths♥ How cute w/ a soap to go with..as a gift..Lavande ..Savon De Marseilles♥

Susan..:) Who has sent me her beautiful handiwork through the years..so many unfaliable years..
Linda..who sent me the dishcloths I showed you..
To me there can not be any other dishcloths now:)LOL..
Marie..who even did a tutorial on her blog..

these girls have fairy fingers....♥

Tanna ..makes the most superb shawls..etc..
I am sticking to dishcloths..but still GRATEFUL..
and so grateful to have a MICHAEL's..a Jo Ann's etc would be welcomed too:)Hobby Lobby ..;)

But I can live w/ just Michael's for these projects..like painting shoes..;)

So thank you ladies!!THANK YOU!

Gail is a wonderful Hamptons/NYC artist..

I love to see photos of Gail and her husband Hugh plein air painting:)

How cool is that? To share the same passion as your hubby?

They love fine art..photography..history..it's all so refined:)

Gail started designing clothing,bags etc..on Redbubble and she sent me a wonderful tote bag and scarf ..designed from the photos she took..here..

Merci!

And if you can spot them..there are some fresh calendula flowers in the last photo..they were home grown here..started from seed..that came from..Terry:)

Thank you Gardenbuddy:).



When it rains..it rains..and frequently this year! And windy!!


I bake and paint....lol and now simili crochet;)

my girls..Caramelle and Bécassine..my chickens..


once in a while one will skip a day..and the next day I get a huge 
dinosaur egg..

I tried painting both on a rainy day..and made 2 mini mini pies..one using GoodyWoody's pin.
One..of the ones I am grateful to have.
I LOVE her pins.

Have a nice weekend..it's Canada Day weekend here and Noah's 9th birthday weekend♥
Thank you..everyone who shares everything that I have not mentioned today.:)

The Lands Of Plenty~MV and home sweet home~

This is the Cape to me ..seaside..sand,marshes..sailboats, boats ,ferries,,docks,rocks,shells ..rosa rugosa roses..blue skies,cedar shake grey homes with quaint coastal gardens  ,unique adorable  gingerbread homes..stately compounds,pristine residences ,lighthouses,charm,elegance,preservation,the Kennedys ,the arts, friendly people,lobster rolls,fish and chips,harbours,and Susan Branch♥

Meanwhile back home..

And in the kitchen..these were being baked..  see my notes below.. 

It feels like we have been home from the Cape..for months..yet it was just the beginning of June~

For our last day there I had wanted to go back to Martha's Vineyard..last time we went was our 25 th anniversary..this was the 43rd..  we didn't go to Nantucket like last time..just MV..and we did not take tours this time..
We did not go to Provincetown like last time either..I think I would like to stay a few more days if we return~


This time..instead of the Hyannis ferry..we took The Island Queen from Falmouth..and we would do it again..  less busy..parking was ample..smaller everything..and 100% charming..I had a better photo of the entrance but I had not noticed 2 people were in it in plain view..so this one will give you a bit of an idea..

it's lovely..we waited..and while we waited I aksed one of the Island Queen gentlemen(GQ..!!)..Todd..where he would eat a lobster roll on MV..and he said Nancy's..  Oak Bluffs ..where we arrive..he asked where we were from and said he honeymooned in Montreal and loved it..so European..etc..♥
Quite the charming beautiful young gentleman.

The ferry ride was so nice..but windy and chilly..there was still that darn nip in the air..but look at the scenery leaving the harbour..ohmygoodness..ohmygoodness..OMG.

Upon arriving  on MV..  Oak Bluffs..you are just taken in by the charm of it all..

I first wanted to return to the Gingerbread Village..over 300 homes..all simply storybook fare..I asked the gentleman at the kiosque..where it was again and he told both Jacques and I..I told him I loved those homes..he lives in one..in his family over 70 yrs..many are passed down this way..but he said it gets harder and harder as children make their lives elsewhere..sometimes..too too far..

A short walk and we are there..last time I had a film camera..  and the streets were so busy..this time we wandered on our own..it was heavenly.
Some look out onto the water..

The details are extraordinary..you have to look above..many have one small balcony on top in storybook fashion..

you have to look in the windows..the treatments..what they put..you have to look on the galleries..you may find a dollhouse..flower boxes abound..everything is so colorful.

I love it..but then I love details ..having been a realtor almost 30 yrs..details of homes are of such interest to me..and these are the types of homes I love..like these..or the seashore ones..the stately impeccably manicured homes of Edgartown etc..

Well worth a visit for charm and shell seekers..people who love water..and architecture..in the most delightful way.

At the top of my post you see Edgartown Lighthouse..

How on earth did we get there?

Listen to this anecdote..


We were sitting at a picnic table overlooking the harbor..for a lobster roll at Nancy's..chilly..nippy etc..

a lady was sitting at the next picnic table..both our spouses had gone to get our meals..we chatted about how cold it had been..to watch out for my sunglasses( I had put mine on the table) because hers had blown off..

all 4 of us eventually staring chatting about this and that..and at one point V said..:"You have  to see the beach etc"..our time was so limited by then ..the ferry returning was 3.45..I wanted to get a few souvenirs..I had vowed to get a Nantucket or MV beach bag..a few other things..a Black Dog something lol..so ..to make a long story short..

V and R (I am amazed at how small the world is and I don't know if I should name names..) The book signing of Susan's made me realize it even more..so I am just going to say V and R:)
Yes..so V and R said:"You must let us show you..our car is here parked just   beyond ..come with us..we will show you the beach..my immediate reaction was :"Yes!  Yes..let's"..Jacques is more resrved..and I must admit this was a bit impetuous of me..but something in the back of my head that day was saying:"Live a little"..
So he aquiesced..and off we were..jumping into a sparkling Jeep..for a tour that is now a whirlwind to me..a real one.."  so much talk..so much to see..a drive through Edgartown...very quick..oh so gorgeous..and a hop off to take a photo of the Lighthouse..

They shared a lot of history..and I am livid I forget many parts..I was listening and looking and I was excited inside to be doing something so out of the ordinary..
in my defense lol..you have to remember I did this for almost 30 yrs..got into strangers cars..had strangers come into my car..for full days..showing them towns and homes..no supervisors..ever..

open houses in empty homes..so there is a programmed  part of  my brain..that is conditioned to being ok with this..

I named that lighthouse KINDNESS in my photos..because..

how kind was that ? Of V and R to offer to take us around..

and to take us even to their home..

where we met Bella:)

The kindness of strangers..♥ I love it..and what a fond fond memory of MV.

Thank s again V and R..:)

I came home to peonies and poppies and foxglove..I spread seed of my few apricot foxgloves last yr and look what happend.what a gift..rare..

the girls were fine..Oli and Lucsa had made sure they had clean water..I have a feeder there..

the clematis had grown leaps and bounds..and some did not return:(
The boys have started football..Oli and Noah are on the same team..Max is in an older team..and Lucas can only play w/ one team so it will be his high school team..HIGH SCHOOL..remember Lucas?:(Our first Little..?
I look at those pics above and am just filled with this great love.

I promise you our Littles..seem to grow up so fast when we are older..

I copied MV..and put one of the girls doll houses on our porch..I kept the..they had painted trees and things..I kept what was left of the furniture..I love it out there..
see my fondness of canopy beds? From when I was a child? LOL

the sewing machine..the Holly Hobbie wallpaper? The wall to wall carpeting?
Jacques built the kits in 1978 I think and I bought the wallpaper..etc..I had a BALL decorating those for one of their Christmases..♥
They have sons..I am keeping them in case we are lucky enough to see a great grandaughter..you never know..

I had also ordered some rolling pins from GoodyWoody..
Fantastic Etsy seller..5 stars..for her and 5 stars for her pins..

I made THIS RECIPE..
I had read that she found them a bit bland..I added almost 1 tsp of instant espresso powder..and I rolled out the dough w/ cocoa..I never roll choco cookies w/ flour..
I did what I always do..chill chill and chill:)
Perfecto..they were gone at our Father's Day get together.
I am thinking the recipe I used for these would be good..and these..

I still miss Downton Abbey!!

So I am finishing up my little souvenir journal of our 3 day stay..and crocheting is coming along..

all some of my fave small pleasures..

I know this post is long..but it's summer..we went away..my garden is blooming..

Winter is looooooong.
My posts shorter;)

Bon Weekend~!