Beauty in the Storm

 Hello friends~

I'm not going to say how long it's been since I last posted.

I'm starting to sound like a broken record.

All I can say is that I miss you all

and I am trying.

And it seems that I'm not the only one absent.

As you can see by most of my photos, I am a country girl.

So at least that explains WHERE I am and what I'm DOING

 much of the time. 

You'll often find me

wandering about in the beautiful outdoors working

or taking in as much beauty as I possibly can.

Is there anyone else out there that feels the draw of that

magical and wondrous place

outside your four walls?

The other day my daughter and I saw a T-I-N-Y

fawn hopping through the field with it's mother!

So sweet.

Makes hanging around outside so very worth it.

If someone told me that I was part gypsy,
I would nod my head and say,

"I knew it all along!"
;)

And then there are the storms...

 This photo made me think of the song

 Gentle on My Mind,

 sung by the amazingly talented guitarist and singer,

Mr. Glen Campbell.

He will be greatly missed.

"You're moving on the backroads by the rivers of my memory and 

for hours you're just gentle on my mind."

Such sad days when we lose one more of the great artists.

I had just learned that song in the last week and I'm so happy that I did.

It will be a honor to sing it and I will always think of him when I do.

 It's always nice to have a friend nearby during stormy times.

 The beauty of it all just calls my name.

It feeds my soul and brings me peace in times 

when chaos is looming and threatening.

While it's pouring rain,

 the lightning electrifies the air and the thunder 

is rolling through the mountains,

it's a good time to jot down what's been happening 

and send some letters off to friends and family

  in  far away places.

Do you like writing others and making handmade cards?

After the rain stops, it's fun to wander around outside.

There are usually some little surprises just waiting to be spotted!

Here, a Cicada has just some out of it's shell.

Hmmmm..

Kind of ugly...

But sort of miraculous.

How DO they do that?!

I have a time lapse video of the one above coming out. 

I had to watch it for twenty minutes. 

I got impatient toward the end and almost missed it!

Are those raindrops on my wings?

During my wanderings, I often find little treasures to create with.

What have you been doing?

I know everyone has such interesting lives and this time of year

is full to overflowing with work and play and 

special outings with family and friends!

I'd love to hear about some of your adventures!

I do hope that you are well and that 

life is treating you kind.

As always...

Thank you so very much for coming by and visiting my

little online world. 

Blessings and happy summer days to you!

Tamara xoxo

Back Home Happenings~

Hello Everyone!

It brings tears to my eyes as I think how long I have been away!

How I have missed all of my lovely friends and visitors.

I had no intention of being unplugged for so long and it has just confirmed

that we are making the right, but very difficult decision, to 

cut back on our travels back east. 

It has gotten to be too much .

It's interesting that I was gone for 3 1/2 weeks and it's taken me almost 

exactly that long to get back up to speed. 

(It's possible that I could be doing more but have

lost the motivation to try to be Super Woman 

and I'd rather enjoy

making more of every experience.)

We won't be selling our Sugartree cabin but will be renting 

to our niece and youngest daughter.

I have mixed feelings about that but I believe it's a good thing

and the right time.

Fly away little bird.

So, I have been planting and gardening 

like a crazy plant lady.

Spending hours every day out side 

trying to water, mulch, plant and arrange. 

I haven't taken many pictures but will share some soon!

It takes a while to get things looking pretty and our temperatures 

have been in the mid-90s. 

We have been spending so much time with our kids having 

cookouts, going to the movies, eating out, 

birthday parties and other family celebrations!

Whew! It has been lovely so far and  it seems it's just beginning.

Our singing engagements are up to at least two a week and though 

it's work we find it to be great fun as well.

Not only do I say FLOWERS always FLOWERS!

I say MUSIC always MUSIC :)

I'm not sure if I ever made it clear that I'm on a quest to 

know my self better and to find my true authentic self. 

Anyway, I am and  have begun by being more

 honest with myself and others.

I want to live in a place where I am more real and free to be me.

It's not easy but worth it. I see it as a kind of refining and what 

I have in the end will be more pure.

My masks have been removed.

I am so happy to be back and can hardly wait to come and visit.

 I apologize to those who left comments and I never got back to you

and to those whose emails that I haven't answered yet! 

I am slow but will get it done.. 

Thank you all so much for your patience and for coming by to visit!

Please, please do tell me what you've been doing!

I hope you're enjoying your summer so far and

 that life is being kind to you.

Tamara

XO

travel photos

Hello! 

And Happy Memorial Day Weekend

I hope this finds you all doing well.

I am still away from home and am roaming in the gorgeous 

rolling hills of southeastern Ohio.

I'm visiting family and some friends.

And we've been working on the details

of readying our little cottage for winter living

so our youngest daughter and my niece can 

rent it from us.

We were planning to sell which was a very sad thought.

It's a gorgeous spot which affords us much beauty and

 a place to stay when I get a chance to visit family and friends

and journey down the lane of girlhood memories.

I moved away technically but a big piece 

of my heart has remained here for many reasons.

Here are some photos of our trip that began on

May 11th. On the first day, 45 miles out of town, 

we blew a tire. I was driving. 

We were thankful that we were safe.

The steel belts were showing but as 

I stopped, the tire was slowly

deflating as I got out of the van.

It's still a mystery how that happened...

 We see it as God's protection.

What a beautiful view of New Mexico skies!

 Driving through The Narrows of New Mexico.

 This is Cadillac Ranch near Amarillo.

We've driven by for 30 years

and decided it was time to stop!

If you venture by here on eastbound

I-40, bring a can of spray paint and you can 

add your artistic grafitti to the cars.

 Here are Jeff and I with our OK grand babies.

We had a sweet visit and very special to be there on

Mother's Day.

This unique bridge spans the Ohio River 

between Kentucky and Ohio.

 We saw kids in Oklahoma, Mo, Indiana

 and my brother who resides in the 

Ohio Veteran's Home near Cincinnati.  

I was so happy to see him. He used to be 

near our cottage but has now 

re-located to the Veteran's home which is

four hours from here.

 Wild Irises

 Raspberry Vanilla swirl, waffle cone with...

S*p*R*i*N*k*L*e*S*! 

Very tasty :)

 Hearts...

I love to find them everywhere.

 one of my favorite things...

{WILDFLOWERS}

I will be remembering our veterans this 

weekend and those who are

currently serving. 

I wish you the best as you gather with

family and friends this weekend to be together

and to remember those who have died and 

those who live still

to protect our country and

to help others.

Wishing you 

magical, harmonious days

 filled with blessings.

Thank you so much

 for coming by to say hello.

I will be back home on the 3rd of June and

  back in touch~

Tamara 

XO

Just Add Color ~

What a wonderful day it is.

Everything is not perfect but that just adds color.

How would would I know what was good if I didn't 

have anything to compare it to?

I can be among the... 

happy people

 by changing my focus which

changes my perspective which in turn, 

changes my thinking.

Sometimes, it takes some creative doing but if it

changes the color of my world, it's worth it.

Oh, I love this!

Color in a picture is like enthusiasm in life.

Vincent Van Gogh

Color! 

What a deep and mysterious language. 

The color of dreams~

Paul Guaguin

  Since the patina that occurs in our life is from our own

handprints, we wouldn't want to alter it.

But everyone needs a little splash of color now and then.

It sometimes comes through change. 

From external circumstances or something

of our own choosing.

It charges us and can re-fire our creativity.

It can be subtle or like a huge watercolor painting

that takes up a lot of room in your heart or home.

 I add color to my life every day by listening to

and playing music. Music is full of color!

Every color that you could possibly imagine.

People experiences and gratitude can add such rich

color to our lives. 

Color evokes emotions that move us and touch

in so many ways. It can inspire and encourage

or take our breath away with it's beauty.

Yesterday, we visited our daughter that lives 

in a group home. We had a lovely, long visit with her. 

When we left, the blues of missing her were splashed

over with the cheery colors of bright pinks, yellows, and

oranges with a mix of white!

~HAPPINESS~

Soon, I'll be leaving to see some of our 

children and grandchildren. Being with them

will brush vibrant, magical colors 

onto the mural of my life, adding yet 

another layer to my story!

The beautiful greens of the east will

take me back to my childhood days 

and will warm my heart with the memories

of my past.

What will you be doing to add color to your life?

I wish you joyous times filled 

with rich, colorful memories.

Thank you for coming by~

Please let me know that you were here and I'll

come by and say hello!

Tamara

XO

How to Decorate and Re-Purpose a Mason Jar... or any Jar

Hello and Happy Friday!

It's a good day for working outside so that's what I did this morning.

I am in watering gear. It's a little early this year by about two to three weeks.

Spring here in the mountains is not the loveliest place but one has much hope 

when you add water and wait on the sun to work it's magic.

 Soon you see green wonders popping up everywhere!

I want to go out every morning to check on them all.

Today I wanted to show you an easy project. If you have mason jars or any 

other kind of jar sitting around, you may not want to get rid of them.

They can easily be used to make a vase or they can be used in place of gift bags

to hold those special items that you want to give to someone!

They can also be used as desk top containers for 

paint brushes, markers, pens, or cooking utensils in the kitchen.

I'm sure you could come up with other uses as well.

Acrylic paint works really well!

Choose your color and then apply two coats as you follow

the directions on the container for drying time. 

If you like the distressed look, take a piece of sand paper and

gently go over the places you would like to distress.

Then comes the fun part of embellishing in any style 

or theme that you want!

You could use sea shells, paper crafting cutouts or paper flowers. 

The possibilities are endless. 

Just have fun being creative! The materials for this 

project are very inexpensive and it's a simple project.
******************


What have you been doing?

Besides, working on cleaning up and de-cluttering, I made 

some whole wheat bread.

I will share my recipe sometime.

 We've had some very beautiful sunrises lately!

 This is over looking our little town in the early morning hours.

Jeff and I have been watching the crown. A very inspirational and interesting

series on Netflix. It's about the life of the current Queen Elizabeth. 

I highly recommend it if you enjoy history.




Thank you so much for coming by.

I appreciate you all so much.

 I wish you a very lovely weekend~

Tamara xo

Vintage Suitcases, Books and the Mysteries of the Past ~

It was a cloudy morning that has turned into a sunny 

Monday here at our mountain home. 

And there are little surprises popping up in my flower gardens.

Hyacinths... Poppies and Lilies 

are peeking out to see if it's safe to 

come out and say a proper hello! 

It's all very exciting.

And there is talk about

additions to the gypsy camp.

It's one of my places to dream. 

It's there that I play

so much music and even make believe. 

Even though.....

 I love the winter months and

 the magic and beauty of snow is one 

of my favorite things!

 The handsome and lively elk and deer visitors 

come to call, too and it's so fun

 to watch the young ones 

run down the pond hill and 

play chase around the field!

And then to watch that herd of fifty 

run all together as one is a beautiful sight, indeed!

Even though ... 

all of that will have to wait until

another time,

I do hear the gypsy camp beckoning...

Such excitement in the air!

_________

Today, I have a couple of photos of a decor change that 

I made with some thrifted, vintage suitcases and some of my favorite books. It was a much needed change as I hadn't changed it

for several years. 

(I won't tell you how long.. I'm too embarrassed!)

Suitcases!

They sort of embody that adventurous, wanderlust spirit that

stirs up the gypsy in me. 

Do you ever look at them and wonder?

Who packed them?

Where they travelled and why?

Was it their honeymoon...

a business trip?

Were they traveling with the circus?

Oh my.. Don't you just love the mystery?

My husband and I really like the change. 

I like using what I already have and I'm learning to

just switch things around. 

I like the neutrals here with just a splash of color.

I'm starting to hang some of my art around the house.

I also really like plants blended in with neutral colors.

Wooden boxes and crates are another favorite to use in

my home. I love the history that they represent.

I am not very good at decorating but 

I'm learning. I use to think that I had to be loyal to one

color palette but my gypsy soul loves 

it all! So I'm learning to create

small places with groupings of colors that I love.

It usually has some sort of quirky twist.

That's just me. 

Books are not just for reading.

They can be such lovely things to decorate with. 

I have stacks of them all around my house. 

Do you like books?

What are some of your favorites?

I hope the beginning of your week is off to a 

good start. Thank you for coming by.

I hope your week is lovely with an 

element of enchantment and beauty.

Blessings,

Tamara 

Another Year Has Begun...And Some Random Art

 Hello everyone!

How I've missed you.

What an amazing holiday it was..

It seems that we're still partying with family every chance we get.

Celebrating life every day is what I often talk about

and I think I'm finally getting the hang of it.

Last evening, two of my daughters and myself stayed up late watching

Persuasion. It's a Jane Austen classic, period drama and one of our favorites!

If you're interested, you can watch the trailer here. 

(I have yet to get my pictures together for our December trip. The cord to the camera

was lost and though one has been ordered, it's coming from overseas and must be on a slow boat!

I still have a few more holiday pictures to share besides our Nutcracker holiday.)

***************

I hope your new year is off to a wonderful start with many promises

of good things! I find the HOPE that a new beginning offers is

 such a treasure. And the possibilities of 

achieving the dreams that sometimes lie obscured by cares and responsibilities,

seem to make themselves known as I reflect and search for deeper meaning.

Do new beginnings bring you to that place too?

Here is one of my favorite quotes by Mary Oliver.

 I wrote this out for our New Year's party.

  POM POMS!

 They are fun, easy to make and so festive for special occasions.

The white ones edges weren't trimmed. I forgot but I loved that it

 turned out like a beautiful rose! It was made of crepe paper while the others

  of tissue paper.

If you'd like to try them, there's a tutorial here on the 

beautiful blog White and Vintage. Christine is very sweet and

and very talented! 

The shy one... Burliose~

or.. SIR or Mr. Dainty Paws.

Have you been doing any baking in the New Year?

My granddaughters, AKA, the GIGGLES..

helped me make pizza dough last week.

There was a little leftover and so I made some

little cinnamon sugar monkey breads...

We all enjoyed those with some hot cocoa!

They are the hot cocoa princesses! Oh my..

Here we are working on phonics. It's 

one of the things that I do when my grand daughters come.

I help them with their school. 

We homeschooled our kiddoes and now our kids are 

doing the same. 

 I have mentioned my winter canvas that I'm working on.

Here's a small part of it.

It's my first attempt at drawing and painting, so I'm a bit timid.

Like my little mouse.

It's coming along though and I should be done in a couple of weeks.

It would be sooner but I'm going with my husband on his business trip 

to San Diego and I will leave my friends and all the glitter behind.

Do you ever have a word for the New Year?

I don't every year but sometimes a word just keeps coming to me. 

Right now it's CONTENTMENT. 

This is a page from my journal..

I had done this a few weeks back. Then after the new year, Fox shared the word flourish 

 for a good word. I liked it. A lot! I was envious and thought, Oh! I'll change my word.

But I told myself no.. That's cheating. Haha!

And then I read my journal and I had actually attached the

word FLOURISH to contentment.

I had forgotten. So I'm excited to see how the year will go and what

loveliness God will allow to flourish in my 

"one wild and precious life" 

as I seek to learn more about being content.

I do wish you Happiest of New Years, my friends.

(I'm sorry I am tardy.)

Filled with love peace happiness and fulfillment.

Thank you so very much for supporting me and being my friends.

You are all such jewels and I feel so blessed!

Hugs and blessings to you

Tamara~