Whew....

Whew, I am done. I closed up the garage sale early today because of lack of business. Two days of dealing with people makes me want to hide in my closet and go to sleep!! We did pretty well considering the rain we had. Mother Nature really did not cooperate but I don't think it stopped the people at all. I got rid of A LOT of stuff, TG!!!

Now, I am off to take a shower and relax before I head to Hodge Podge's house for dinner!! Thank you MBT for feeding us over the last two days!!! I greatly appreciate it!!!!!!!!!!

Hoarding????

OK, I admit!! I am a complete hoarder. I have saved stuff throughout my life and now I find myself completely engorged with "THINGS". Big things, little things, crafty things, boy things, toys things, book things...JUST THINGS!!! Stuff and more stuff is filling my life and I feel like I am in a need for an overhaul. I am not bad as those people you see on TV where you can't find their bed because of clothes and stuff is all over it or there is a tiny path throughout their house because newspapers and magazines are piled to the ceiling.

So, what do you say??? Why yes, I am getting rid of STUFF and THINGS!!! This Friday and Saturday from 8-5, my life will be consumed with a garage sale. I have been in our barn or shall I say the staging area for a while now, sorting, pricing and organizing. I do hope we will have GREAT WEATHER for it. Did you hear that Mother Nature!!

I have even saved all of Graydons stuff from when he was a baby. It makes me sad to go through it because he is getting so old. 9 is creeping right around the corner!! He and his friend Brad are in the other room right now playing on the PS2. Their laughter is cracking ME up!!

Well, needless to say I am embarrassed by the pile of stuff I have to sell. I was going to take a pic of it but.....we'll see. Maybe I'll post one or maybe you can just use your imagination. Anyways it's as bad as you think :)

A week in review...

Todd and Graydon on Father's Day

Never too old to swing on a swing!

2nd Grade play on Tuesday...

Graydon was a member of the sloth family

Graydon and Miss Olsen celebrating his
birthday at school on Thursday

Last game of the season and he hits a home run!!

Ait Show from a friends yard on Saturday

Same show...check out the pilot!

3 amigos!! Connor, Graydon and Sean on Saturday

at Connors house for the Air Show

Cookies and cake for an order.

The girl graduated from radiology...cute huh!

Happy Father's Day, Dad!

Dear Dad,

Happy Father's Day in Heaven!

I know you are celebrating with family and friends...

I miss you each and every day!

Thank you for being my Dad!!!

I love you!

Great Grandma Girello

Here she is, my Great Grandma Girello. I found the photo before I left so I scanned it while I was gone. I remember the lemon cookies with sprinkles she made, delicious Easter bread that I try to make every year but for some reason it just doesn't taste the same, vats of pasta for dinner, and her Eagle soda pop that she use to go downstairs in the cellar to get every time we came over. Every flavor from orange (my favorite) to lemon lime, grape, etc. Funny thing is, right now in my basement is an empty bottle on my shelf. I think it came with the house but when I head to the basement to make pottery, I look on the shelf and see it and remember her. She was amazing at pretty much everything. She could pick up a crochet hook and make anything!! I have a beautiful doily on my kitchen island she made, along with a Christmas stocking for Graydon.

So, thank you Grandma Girello for fond memories I have of you!!

I'm melting...

Good grief...can't we ever just ease into the summer without it being 60's and then jumping into the high 90's-100's. Per "the Rabbit Muse", yesterday was 102 degrees. I never looked at the thermometer but I worked in the vegetable garden for only an hour (right at peak day, I know) and thought I was going to have a heat stroke!! But I needed to get it planted...the poor plants were growing outside their pots.

We spent the whole morning on Sunday cleaning out the veggie garden. Quite the feet I must say. Darn field grass. Todd made the garden smaller for me. It is just so hard to keep up with the weeds and I guess for right now it makes sense. I still have about 1/3 to go weeding, rototilling etc...but at least I got some veggies in. I have been thinking about my great grandma during all of this. The woman was amazing at gardening. She started her tomato plants inside on her window stills in her basement and upstairs. Her garden was very compact but full to the brim with HUGE tomato plants and other wonderful veggies. She had an enormous pear tree in her back yard that produced so many pears. Her peonies were so beautiful in her front yard....I wish I had a photo of her in her garden. I know there is one around of her and my great grandfather standing in back of her peonies all dressed up. I need to get a hold of a copy of that. I was going to try and find a photo of her that I have but it was just too darn hot yesterday to look. I'll try and post one later...

Busy, Busy and more Busy!!

Wednesday night was spent cutting individual flowers for the Garden Clubs annual flower show. I was asked to do an arrangement featuring the theme of "Boo at the Zoo". Boo at the Zoo is an event that takes place close to Halloween. We personally have not gone but this is my idea for it. The marbled brown and white vase (I made) resembles a tiger and the flowers, branches and leaves are a little on the scary side.

Who doesn't love these blood red/purple (the color was more red) calla lilies? The twiggy things are called Kangaroo Paws...fitting for the zoo huh?

This photo op is such a treat. Today we went to a Law Firm in downtown Binghamton to set up for First Friday. First Friday is an event in downtown Binghamton that features many different artists. This particular firm asked for a select few from the pottery studio to display their work during their grand opening for their firm. When we got there and started to unpack everything, a very nice older gentleman told me about the falcons that were roosting on the next building. Thankfully I had my camera and caught glimpses of the new babies. So fuzzy and cute!!

A zoomed in photo of the beautiful falcons. When I went out to my car to put some more money in the meter, one was circling over head. A incredible sight to see.

You can just pin point them in the very top of the building just before the yellow corners...

can you see them??

A view you don't get a chance to see everyday. The courthouse's peak...normally you have to crane your neck to see it but being on the 12th floor was great. Up close and personal!

My pottery displayed on one of the window sills with a beautiful backdrop. How luck am I?? Now lets just hope stuff sells!!

Fingers crossed...please!

A close up pick of just a couple of pieces I put in the opening. Not very many but just a

little sampler.
My friend Nancys work. Her pottery in on the right side of the credenza. Her beautiful necklaces and pottery were framed by a large peace lily. Check out her work at ...
http://www.roundrabbit.etsy.com/

Just a thought...

Upon reading a blog post from http://www.hollyhocks.typepad.com/ , I took this idea.

1. What were you doing ten years ago:
Same house, same husband, we had Shelby and Scuba (yellow and black lab), I was working at Universal Instruments Corp. in software distribution, trying to have a baby, doing lots of gardening...

2. 5 things on my to do list:
a. Create art full time supporting myself and family (long shot)
b. Re-roof the garage
c. Organize all my stuff for a garage sale I am having in the next couple of weeks.
d. Prepare end of the year gifts for the teacher
e. Weed, weed and more weeding, oh yeah and planting too!

3. Snacks I enjoy: chips, salsa and beer; grapes and soft pretzels

4. 4 things I'd do if I was a millionaire:
a. Pay off our house and all our debts
b. Set aside money for Graydon as a trust fund (school, car, house)
c. Travel to Italy and just rent a car and explore
d. Create a sanctuary for abused horses on our farm

5. 4 Places I've lived:
a. Kirkwood, New York
b. Utica, New York
c. Endicott, New York
d. Binghamton, New York

Boy I strayed far from New York huh....

Nature's Candy...

Thought I would post images that I have taken over the last week...

Our beautiful old barn...

Lilies of the Valley showing themselves to the rays of the sun...

Beautiful Allium after a morning rain...

Mama and newborn baby trotting through a field of green...

Mid-flight bumblebee looking for the sweet pollen of the geranium...

Happy looking...