Wonder Woman👠

 

Taken from Davidavocado Wolfe on Facebook

 

 

A busy woman’s day, rushing here and there to work.

 

She leaves work but in her mind she thinks

 

she must not forget

 

to pack the sunscreen

 

folding chairs

 

and her son’s Gatorade

 

and then head to the baseball game until 6:00.

 

Leave the game

 

charge home

 

to serve a full course meal served at 6:30.

 

Soon after scrub dishes until they shine

 

do a load or two of laundry

 

go to bed and get up to repeat over again.

 

Does this sound familiar?

 

 

Women and moms multi task throughout the day, doing laundry while gabbing on the phone and paying bills and writing grocery lists. Then it’s time to feed our families while laundry thumps in the dryer, as well as feeding the cats with crunchy dry food. All the while  we are trying to remember what is next on the to do list!

 

 

Because of the scurrying rush of constant chores, women start to wonder.This is a true story! I know because it happens to me! I’ve heard women chatting about this absent mindness.  They wonder where the keys are and oh, where is their purse? Why did they walk into the next room? They wonder when that appointment is that they didn’t jot down? Was that bill paid last week?

 

 

Women race through their to do list, not always knowing what they are doing or what’s next. All in all, everything gets done in a wild frenzy of hurry , yet everyone seems content in the home. ADHD kicks in and so many chores remain that we really don’t know what to do next! But we know in our hearts that we must do something, such is a woman’s busy life of go-go-go!

 

 

Do you ever take a day off and luxuriously settle into a comfty chair just to think….I wonder what I do now? This doesn’t feel right… I better get up to do something important! A woman’s job is never done and I wonder if it ever was, what I would do then?

 

 

 

The wondering game of being a busy woman and the hysterics of it all crack me up! I wonder if…

All My Best,

Heart and Soul❤️

 

 

The Solidarity of Moms

 

This is so true, once a mom, always one! Taken from Facebook Joyofmom page.

 

 

Just the other day I became sappy and emotional when my mom and I dropped off my son to college orientation for an overnight. Of course it was after we said goodbye to Branden and he joined the freshman group. Up stepped a well dressed and classy looking college staff member. She  saw my slight distress and encouraged me, even though she was a  total stranger. Yet, we shared a common bond that united us right away…we are moms!

 

 

Moms share a bond at soccer or baseball games, on busy playgrounds,at school academic events and proud Graduations. In neighboring kitchens they vent about difficulties of child rearing. These essential connections brings peace , resolution and friendship during times of wondering what the  rights and wrongs of parenting are.  If you are a mom and have experienced beautiful and difficult times, you are a staunch member of the club.

 

 

 

If you’re in the mom club you want to share your birth story first and  then update other moms on the current crisis. You yearn to talk to moms  and give motherly advice on current behaviors but most important, listen to others! Most moms encourage each other and give never ending love and support to those who need it.  That firm sticking together is the solidarity that presents itself everywhere. That’s what moms do!

 

 

 

Most moms care and love with a genuine heart. Their desire is to have their offspring deeply loved, taken care of, accepted and happy. A labor of love exists, always caring and tending to the children to be fine young adults and then mature adults. I am no different than this, the mom legacy runs through my veins and I’m a proud member of this club and will be until the day I die.This club is a way of life, putting others before you and with hope and staunch prayers, guiding our children and someday grandchildren to a good life. There will be ups and downs, coasting here and there but one thing will remain true, a mother’s love .

 

From the time mothers plunge into childbirth( with passionate and loyal feelings) to the day our young reach 18, we dutifully raise them in preparation for the day. All the years of saying yes or no and trying preparations leads to a finish line.The grand finale of all finish lines…when the joyful teens feel free! Our little boys and girls grow up overnight and fly like wandering butterflies to new places, to college or work with a desire to start anew! We moms may cry behind closed doors and those salty tears may be a goodbye to child rearing but also a content cleansing of renewal. When my young men start their new life, I will continue to pray for them from the sidelines and dry my tears.

 

 

 

 

 

As a new naive mom I didn’t have the confidence or knowledge to be perfect, but I grew. Like other moms, I made mistakes, tried different things and found my niche. Most moms are doing the best they can with what they know. There will be times of screwing up but they move on and learn from it.

 

 

 

As I enter this new exciting chapter of motherhood, I thank God for the solidarity that got me through!  I am grateful for all the wonderful support of family and some friends who guided me throughout! Someone said it takes a village to raise a child and so is the same for moms and their growth.  It takes a family, friends and network of devout moms to support a healthy mom. We all know a healthy mom creates centered children!

 

 

Do you have or had a strong network of moms while child raising? I do hope so!

 

All My Best,

Heart and Soul ❤️

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Growing Garden

This year and last I’ve skipped using newspapers and grass mulch. Without the mulch I have to rake between rows to eliminate weeds. Although I miss mulching and the garden is dry like and sandy, I do like its earthy look and feel.

As of yet we are still lugging pitchers of water to irrigate, which is a lot of time and can be back breaking towards the end of the day. Tom promises he will set up a system hooked up to our water. We get our water from our spring fed well hundreds of feet away in the woods. It’s gravity fed through endless plastic pipes to our water tank in the basement. I can’t wait until this is done and I can actually turn on an outside faucet and water with a hose.

All my plants look good, except my tomatoes. I think from the start they seemed doomed. The leaves are crinkly and some brown, possibly indicating too much water or disease! I hope they kick back to life soon so during harvest time we can indulge in juicy red tomatoes!

 

Happy Gardening to all you fellow gardeners out there!

All My Best,

Heart and Soul❤️

An update on my tomatoes, I’ve let them be for a few days without watering and most are coming back.

Crafty Ideas

A present made by beautiful Alexis, a true special soul and artist

Use twine or burlap to dress up glass bottles, jars or containers. I use this in my bathroom.

One of my favorites that Dad made years ago. Can you see the love he puts into his work?

A wood working project that my Dad made me of our home state, New Hampshire. Dad makes many states too.

 

 

My favorite made by my mom

 

 

 

I found this craft on Pinterest. I had an old ruler and a welcome sign with  strawberries and Welcome friends wording. Alongside one of my mom’s paintings. She’s an artist too and I have a few of her paintings.

 

 

 

 

 

Lately my crafty side has surfaced….I think it all started when I made graduation centerpieces. During the process I shopped for materials, twine, craft paper, and raffia. Isn’t it so much fun to shop for materials and then bring them to life in a special piece of art? What I want to share with you is all the art around me in my family, art from my son’s girlfriend Alexis, my mom’s paintings, my dad’s wood projects, and mine.

 

 

 

The materials needed for the ruler cork board project are wine corks, an old ruler, little wooden signs are optional, a glue gun and glue sticks. When you approach the ruler picture holder, it may take a half hour to an hour. The real time is gluing the corks on the ruler. First, I added little signs that said welcome…I took these off a decrepit decoration I had, recycling it and giving it new life. I glued the signs on how I wanted them. You don’t need these but if you like them, buy little wood decorations at a craft to store to paint. Next I laid my ruler on my kitchen bar to operate with the corks. It can be tricky to adhere the corks, especially plastic ones. I was determined to do it and it took a few times for them to really stay! Let glued corks set for a day with heavy weights on them. After that, I was ready to hang up favorite photos with decorative push pins on it.

 

 

 

My husband drove a small nail on the top to the wall I chose. A word of advice, don’t  display it in a heavy traffic area because it jostle the corks off….this happened to mine. In the end I decided to hang it in a quiet corner of the kitchen. It’s the perfect spot and no one has upset it yet.

 

Crafting is fun and a chance to practice  your creative side! Check out the site Pinterest for thousands of crafts. Choose your project. Write down a list of needed materials and go shopping for them. Allow yourself enough time to work and if you concentrate with soft music playing, do this. Lastly have fun and enjoy yourself!

 

All My Best,

Heart and Soul ❤️

The Power of Music🎶

Def Leppard took the US by storm in the 80’s by exposure on MTV

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Music channels people to past moments, a time to reflect . It moves the soul, and stirs the memories up within you. It evokes deep emotions such as a lost sadness or happiness that penetrates your every being, suffocating any other emotion at that moment. When listening to old favorites, I find myself remembering when I was  a young soul with much to learn.

 

 

 

 

My music interest is an eclectic mix of rock,80’s and current pop,  some rap, some country, and classical. I play whatever I’m in the mood for…sometimes it may be Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Nicks,Tim McGraw, Toby Keith, Dan Fogelburg or James Taylor. When excited and full of energy, it’s Def Leppard, AC Dc, Aerosmith, Bad Company or Boston. Rock music makes me feel like Im alive and importantly, young again. Because of this, it remains my favorite music genre. I listen to Spotify music while cooking or doing dishes. I have created different playlists for different occasions, such as mom’s current songs for an upbeat mood, old favorites for a blast of the past , classic and quirky for a somber mood and so on. The sound and beat of music has to match my mood and then everything is right with the world at that moment!

 

 

Music is an artistic medium that speaks to my soul and as I reach milestones in life, a song can explain each one! Listening to a mere melody from younger days brings me right back to that moment! I relive those memories through a song. Whenever I hear ” I swear” from Muchael Montgomery, visions of our wedding day rushes in. Our first dance was to that honky tonk tune. If I hear the energetic “Photograph” by Def Leppard, my heart skips a beat even thirty years later! It transforms me into a young and innocent 16 year old.

 

 

 

 

My high school craze was passionately listening to a hair band in the 80’s, the British rockers Def Leppard.I remember seeing their video on Music Television. MTV was a way of life then. Watching and absorbing rock videos and all these years later, I still love the music and let it guide me through life.

 

 

 

 

Imagine this middle aged mom and wife transformed at a Def Leppard concert in New Hampshire last summer. Standing in an outside venue with my husband and son with his girlfriend, the oh so familiar songs magically brought me back to the age of 16. I sang my heart out, danced and laughed and I can honestly say it was one of the best nights I’ve ever had! That memorizing bug bit me and I fell in love with the music all over again! I sang every lyric, all close to my heart and soul.

 

 

 

 

 

Do you have certain songs that resonate memories and milestones in your life? Think about this, write them down and access them through CDs, Pandora, ITunes or Spotify. Try compiling your favorites into a playlist. You can skip around and choose songs or just listen to it straight through.

 

 

Until next time listen to the music and let it take you away!🎶

 

 

All My Best,

Heart and Soul ❤️

Who’s that Kitty in the Window?

Beautiful Smokey

 

 

This peaceful kitty with a sleek coat of ebony, enjoying his perch.

 

 

 

 

 

A lazy afternoon of walking the yard and visiting my flowers coaxed my kitty Smokey out of his daily slumber.I have three window boxes in front of the livingroom and one in my kitchen. This black cat with gray stripes started at one end and curiously shadowed my every move, window to window.

 

 

 

 

Smokey’s thinking its time to water these posies!

 

It was quite comical because as I nursed my flowers on the outside, he talked to me through the screen on the inside.  This lovely mister encouraged me with his perpetual meows.Smokey continued to meow with a whining cry and smell the fragrance wafting from the box. He made sure I knew of his presence and kept talking to me the only way he could.

 

 

 

 

 

Im not sure if many cats like leafy greens, but Smokey does! He’s a true garden lover and would snatch any leaf or flower bud, if he could. His favorite snacks  are spinach and lettuce. Maybe that’s why he has a keen interest in the window boxes, unless he’s downright nosy! Either way I truly enjoy his company and this cat amuses me!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Until next time, simply watch your pets and relish in their presence.  They are special and should be cherished for their unique personalities!

 

All My Best,

Heart and Soul ❤️

Wacky Gardening Weather

Proud pumpkin patch in the early days

 

 

 

 

A Gardeners’ nemesis is the uncontrollable weather. I would imagine southerners fight the blazing heat, while we New Englanders get a mixed bag. Here, one never knows if it will be sunny or snowy, even in June. As most years, planting my garden requires close attention to the weather forecast and a little prayer doesn’t hurt!

 

 

 

 

Every year, after planting I tend to the fragile saplings as if they are baby cubs and I am the mama bear. I rush to defend them against the wind, cold or terrific sunshine. The first few weeks are touch and go, definitely not a good time to vacation. I keep a close eye on the plants, water everyday the first few days ( unless it rains) and fight the war of thriving weeds. A couple of weeks in, the seeds sprout and tiny green plants emerge and reach up to the sun in the heavens.

 

 

 

 

Once I decided to plant the trusty plot, our weather became hot with temperatures reaching the 80’s. Anyone in northern New Hampshire will tell you that spring sometimes skips the cool and pleasant weather and plunges into the heat of summer. With scorching sunshine and humidity, the plants need a good watering every day. My tomatoes weren’t looking the best and I secretly wished for ideal conditions for their growth, a mix of pleasant weather with rain a few times a week.

 

 

 

 

A couple of weeks later, torrents of rain and cold temperatures in the 40’s at night visited us. One extreme to the other…that’s how it is here and a gardener must be patient! So I tended the plot the best I could and didn’t bother to cover it, since it wasn’t freezing yet.

 

Now on June 21st, it is officially summer as of yesterday. The majestic sun and valuable warmth is upon us once again. As I water every evening and see slow progress, I can’t help wondering what wacky weather we will receive next. The blankets and sheets await in the shed, if needed.

 

Heres a shout out to all gardeners and their patience with Mother Nature! We certainly can’t control the weather but we can perform miracles despite it all!

 

All My Best,

Heart and Soul❤️

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Uncovering Pieces From the Past

 

 

 

As most of my readers know, I love a good garden dig. I enthusiastically indulge in this summer activity. Besides digging in Mother Earth and growing vegetables to eat, I also uncover treasures from the past. Let me explain this. When I first started vegetable gardening I would come across clam shells and wonder about them. I figured out that they were good for the soil and learned that years ago that’s what New Englanders did. After a seafood bake it was a tradition for gardeners to dump the clam shells in the soil for the Calcium benefits as well as warding off fungi.

 

 

 

Soon after, I found a cow tooth while digging up weeds. It took a little bit of cleaning and questioning, but it was definitely that. There was a cow farm there years ago, so that would make sense.

 

 

 

 

 

The early days of the garden, a few weeks in. I’ve already found a pile of treasures.

 

 

 

My first year gardening at our house, I discovered a glassy knob to a bureau, probably dating back to the 1940’s or 1950’s. The archeologist in me came alive. Where did this come from? Why did someone bury it in the yard? My husband enlightened me on this, that years ago people buried their trash and broken belongings. Sometimes old tractors or pieces of furniture would be buried. Therefore a unique treasure trove lies beneath my plot of plants!

 

 

 

 

 

 

My intense interest in ancestry is similar to my love for discovering artifacts from the past.  ( the ancestry piece will surface on another post sometime) Each item that becomes unearthed holds a story. As I dig them up, I question , What time period does  it hail from? Who owned it? It’s like a time capsule buried away for me to find decades later.

 

 

 

 

Just yesterday my husband and his friend started digging to start his garage. While working the tractor and coping with 80 degree heat, Tom and Mike found many pieces from the past. A fifty gallon drum ( all rusty and flattened), an old tire from the 40’s or 50’s, a rubber milker tube, pieces of twisted and rusty metal,a chain with a sharp hook on it and glass shards surfaced. A barn sat a few yards away long ago and Tom surmises it either burned down or was torn down. In the process all the junk items were buried, turning the yard into a makeshift landfill.

 

The site for Tom’s garage

 

These are some of the milk bottles I’ve found in the bottle dump in the woods.

 

 

 

 

A couple of years ago Tom and I went on a hike locally, when we came across an old bottle dump. Old mik bottles of various sizes lay askew in the dirt, discarded long ago. Tin cans, bean kettles, old wine bottles all were treasures lying in this site in the New England woods. If you discover such a place, my suggestion is to bring gloves, as sometimes the glass is chipped or broken. Bring a duster or something to clean off the dirt and something to hold your treasures. You never know what items you will find there.It’s a fascinating hobby to find old items from long ago and sometimes you can clean them up and add to your antique collection.

 

 

 

If you keep a garden or excavate a new site, you may discover pieces from the past. These artifacts are a bridge to another time. They are a valid piece of history, worth investigating. Have you found items digging in your garden?

 

All My Best,

Heart and Soul ❤️

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Dad

My dad is a pretty remarkable man. I’ve never spoken these words or told him this but it’s certainly true! As a young child my dad worked a lot, supporting his family .I have precious memories that warm my heart. Poker chips on the picnic table and his firing up of the pungent charcoal grill are vivid memories ( to this day a whiff of this brings me back to my childhood and visions of my dad cooking upon it).  I remember tickling my dad when he took naps and he would pretend he was asleep and then wake up and laugh. I wonder if he remembers it or if he knows that meant a lot.

 

 

As this Fathers’s Day dawns upon us, I can’t help but think that my dad deserves staunch recognition for what he’s done. No, he hasn’t solved world hunger or climbed Mount Everest but these things  are just as valuable in society. He’s been a hard worker all his life, owning several grocery stores and then moved on to being a manager in an IGA store. He has always loved his family and did his best for us.

 

 

 

When I was young and starting out in my first apartment I got behind on bills and boldly chose to ask my dad for money. He flatly told me no without hesitation. Dad told me to get a second job to be able to swing it. I was hurt that he wouldn’t help me and my nose was disjointed for a bit. But as time marched on and I matured and looked back on his words, he taught me a valuable lesson. Clearly he wanted me to be independent and pass on his staunch work ethic. Needless to say, since that day I’ve never asked either of my folks for money. I’ve learned that budgeting comes into play and that paying your bills comes before play funds. This lesson I’ve passed down to my children. Encouraging them to work hard, save their money and paying bills is a lesson I had to learn

 

 

 

 

 

Another spectacular quality my dad sports is his positive attitude. Years ago, he earned the nickname, Top shelf. It was an easy fit as his answer to any question of how he us doing is, top shelf. He faces his diabetes with courage and it doesn’t get him down. When he and Corinne couldn’t go to Florida in winters anymore because of the financial burden, he still was on the top shelf. Although he missed the warm weather and golfing, he made it work. Instead of complaining, he developed his wood working projects and sold them to many people.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Doyle family of West Fairlee, Vermont. Back row my Uncle Jim, my grandfather William, grandmother Irene, my dad David. Front row my Aunt Joan, Uncle Pete, Aunt Pat and Uncle Larry.

My dad and an example of his work

 

 

 

 

As a grown woman and mom myself, I stay in awe of my dad’s strength and passion for life. He maintains a beautiful garden, builds fascinating wood products, goes golfing, but most of all he loves his family. Maybe he doesn’t always say it, but the conversations, phone calls, time spent with him says it all.

 

 

On this day I pay a profound tribute to my dad because he has grown into an even better dad than ever. I cherish the times with him and I continue to learn about life from him.

Happy Father’s Day to all the hard working and family loving men, including my amazing husband, Tom.

All My Best,

Heart and Soul ❤️

Change Can…

This past weekend our family attended and celebrated my son’s Graduation from high school. During the ceremony his good friend, Nolan spoke eloquently about change. That’s a true theme for graduations because if students like or not, change will happen. Most of the graduates plan to attend college and many away from their home state. Not only are their addresses changing, but life as they know it. No more mamas doing their dirty laundry or living in their oh so familiar bed. No more familiar faces they’ve spent their lives with.

 

 

 

 

 

The graduating class of 2016 facing change. My son in the front row, second man in.

 

 

 

 

Listening to Nolan intently, it inspired me to ponder over change. Over the last year our family has experienced it and will travel through the tunnel of transformation even more. In the summer months our son Dylan started living with his girlfriend, leaving an empty room but happy hearts for all. October rolled around and Tom’s sister and her husband sold their house, a mile away from ours. They moved to far away Florida , including my mother in law, to a new exciting life. Talk about drastic change, but I say this with a happy heart for them. Now Branden has graduated and will attend college 2 1/2 hours away from home. I predict that an empty house will remain, without busy teenagers and the ring of laughter…More change.

 

 

 

Yet, when we experience change great things happen! I believe that we grow to be better people and reach for successes we wouldn’t obtain without changing. When Dylan moved out, we all grew closer together. When Pam and Jim and Theo moved, they found a new thrilling life in sunny Florida, and we started living ” independently” without family. What I mean is that for so long I relied on my mother in law for advice, a partner on road trips, and many other events. With her moving away,although I have truly missed her, I started relying on myself. There was no crutch here for me to lean on, and I’ve grown because of this. I also made my first Thanksgiving meal by myself, something I never would have done otherwise. Lastly, during Branden’s big move I know my husband and I will have more time to spend together and grow closer. It won’t be about the boys anymore, my life focus for so long, because that’s what moms do. No, my focus  intent will be on our new life, after kids. Tom mentions that we may travel. We’ve always wanted to see Montana, Alaska, and I wish to explore the Carribbean islands. We may eat dinner in front of the tv because we can.

 

 

 

 

As change occurs, it feels like a powerful Mac truck hitting you with full force. But if you embrace life’s changes and go with the flow, you won’t regret it. Opportunities, friendships and out of the box ideas will surface and enhance your life! Without change, you won’t grow or strive for better. If you stand still and buck it, life will just be stagnant.

 

Consider this…

 

Change can….

 

liberate you,

 

inspire you,

 

bring people closer together,

 

create confidence,

 

and increase personal growth.

 

 

As high school graduates embrace this transformation, so can you. Do you have a big change in your life? If you are in dread of it, think about the positive outcomes instead of the negatives.

All My Best,

Heart and Soul ❤️