Dear Ones, The World Is Waking To The Sunshine...

Hope you don't mind that I've taken some poetic license with my title - but these days the sun is coming out more often and it seems the whole world is responding with a blush of green!



Let me tell you it's very difficult to work inside right now when the air is so balmy and the blue peeks out. However, I've been having some very lovely walks lately and am pleasantly startled by the change in the landscape! Previously grey and somber paths are now velvety with grass and wee white flowers amongst the cactus...



The critters are much more active as well, and the air is filled with birdsong and the ground is alive with rabbits and squirrels - which delights Saki aka 'The Great Hunter' no end! I'll spare you pictures of the 'gift' he brought me the other other morning, but here he is on the job and happy as can be - not bad for 14 years old!

Particularly charming to my ears are the 'wheet! wheet' calls of the Gentleman Cardinal who is nesting near the house with his demure little mate - here is what they look like in Arizona, courtesy of the Sonoran Desert Museum (mine won't sit still long enough for my camera)



So with that, let me share this lovely song with you by the very charming Les Paul and Mary Ford - which I find myself humming rather frequently right now...

And my heart is caaalling you!

Will You Be Mine...?

Hello, Lovelies!

Here's my Valentine from me to You:

Show Love With No Remorse...

Abjure Pandemonium...

Well, Kids, it's not exactly big news, but the first thing I did when I got to work today was make an industrial sized ladder in my stocking. How do you like them apples??

So what does that tell me? It means it's time to 'Accentuate the Positive' my Dears! Plus, it gives me a great opportunity to wish you well no matter how *your* day started!

Here's wishing you all a wonderful day with no 'ladders' in it!!

May I Have This Dance?

Well, tonight was another new 'first' for me - I just had my
very first dance lesson!

So, I decided I should wear some red for confidence:

Then I bravely drove past Table Mesa Road, Moore's Gulch and Deadman's Wash to the FatCat Ballroom, where I had several minutes to calm my nerves before meeting my instructor.

Happily, Ren is the type of gentleman who made me comfortable right from the start and honestly, I felt lighter than expected and less clumsy than I expected, too. Although my left leg seems to learn slower than my right leg, we seem to have gotten off to a pretty decent start, and I can hardly wait to learn more!

I just can't tell you how lovely it is to finally be learning at least some basic foxtrot, and how to *follow* on the dance floor - it's better than whipped cream, I tell you! Delicious!


Well, I'll never be Ginger Rogers, but I sort of felt like this for a few brief moments - whee!

A Perfect Day To Be Sure...

Oh, glorious skies singing in my heart like a mandolin!

Bright golden light and mysterious dancing clouds, with the velvet black shadows on the canyon and the sharp bite of snow in the air, and the mist hanging on the mountains like a woman's hair falling softly on her shoulders...and the smell.

The smell of the desert after the rain - I wish you you were here.

It's sheer poetry, my Dears.





And it isn't over yet....

A Visit From Some of the Home Folks

Earlier this week, I was blessed with a visit from some dear friends who drove all the way from the San Francisco area to my humble little homestead - Jim and Annie, you are so lovely!


We had a little tour of the place, and particularly the Library - here are some shots of my favorite place to work:



The children's room is so nice - this is where we have story time each week!



The outdoor sculpture is by a local artist who recycled a fuel storage tank and used a plasma torch to cut in the images of from Native American Southwest tales - I love the mix of old and new ideas and of course the sky peeking through!



After some good meals and lots of 'catching up' it was time for them to 'hit the trail' to Tuscon.

Happy Trails, Dear Ones, and thanks again for the fresh veggies!!

You've Got Me in Stitches!

A very big 'Thank You' to Jenny for inviting me to her vintage gals' Sewing Circle this week! this lovely lady just made me so welcome the first time we met at the Orpheum's Silent Saturday, and then this Monday I was quite chuffed to be her guest in her adorable little house and have a good 'girl chat' and do some sewing related things.

Patterns were traded, linens were pressed, and I cut out this 1940's mail order jumper dress from a piece of navy linen blend fabric. I don't know yet whether I can bring myself to cut up the piece of 'V for Victory' feedsack for the blouse - perhaps I'll see if I can find a patriotic looking rayon print instead...



If all goes well, I plan to take a few dance lessons and wear the new outfit to the upcoming 'Night in the 40's Dance'held March 20th at the CAF (Commemorative Air Force) Museum - I hear this event is not to be missed! Looking forward to seeing you swingin' Phoenix Folks out there!!


(If the sewing works out as planned, I promise to post pictures of myself in the aforementioned outfit. If not, you'll get pictures of me in something else. C'est la vie!)