Happy Birthday Hannah ...

Hannah

 Hannah
You Rock!
so

have the best 

12th

Birthday EVER!

Releasing my inner van Gogh ....

One of the staples in my life since moving to Washington state in 1989 has been my friendship with Dana.

We have been close friends for over 20 years now.  Wow, where does the time go.

We met through our husbands who worked together and as fate would have it, we lived 3 doors down the street from each other.

We both had kids.  We both had little kids.  We both had daughters.  Neither of us worked or had a car.

Dana is from Oregon and so neither of us our immediate family nearby.

In other words ... we were a PERFECT fit.

Last Thursday, August 4th - for an overdue get together.  It was so nice to visit with her because we hadn't seen each other for over a month.

- Dana -

Dana & I like to get together, drink some wine, chat & catch-up & make a mess painting.  

It is fun & we get to release our inner Van Gogh.

It's a step up from finger painting, more creative than paint.by.number and quite relaxing after you splash on that first bit of color.

- Nancy -

This is our 3rd trip to Palettes & Pairings.  It's in Kirkland which is about 1/2 way between Dana's house & mine.

  

I've decided that I don't need to be a van Gogh or Picasso to grab a paint brush and have fun.  It's not about the painting - the painting is just something to do while spending time with an dear old friend.

I used to be so hung up on the... 'If I couldn't do it perfectly or at least very well then I just wouldn't do it at all' philosophy of life.

WHAT A WASTE OF A LIFE ....

My new philosophy is -

'just love life, have fun & enjoy yourself silly'

Have a great day everyone

Thanks Dana for getting your 'van Gogh' on with me, it was fun.

Let's do it again soon.

Walkabout No. 45 ...

Walkabout No. 45

Lakewold Gardens

August 03, 2011

- Therese & I -

Therese & I went on our 1st Walkabout in quite a while.  The sun was out in full force, there was a slight breeze in the air so off we went off exploring.

- Back Terrace of the Wagner House -

We went to see the Lakewold Gardens down in Tacoma, WA.  I have been there before on several times before with different people - it is one of my favorite gardens to visit.   This was Therese's first visit to the gardens.

- Rose Gardens -

Lakewold gardens (a Middle English term meaning 'lake-woods') sit on 10 acres of trails, garden rooms, a pool, lake frontage and a Georgian-style mansion when has been designated a 'state historic landmark' .

- Pool & Rose Gardens -

The estate had several owners throughout the years with the last being George Corydon & Eulalie Wagner.  The Wagner family occupied the estate until 1987 when Mrs. Wagner then donated it to the non-profit organization called, "The Friends of Lakewold" who have managed it ever since.

- South Border -

The weather was perfect for a Walkabout.  The sun was shining and the sky, as you can see, was an amazing blue and all but cloud free.   A rare sight this summer. 

- A Beautiful Canopy of Japanese Maples -

- The garden is filled with grand old trees -

 I love to wander through these old estate gardens and just imagine what it must have been like to live there and design these magnificent gardens.  We are lucky because the Seattle area has several of these large - once grand estate-now public gardens.

- Gravely Lake -

 After our disappointing weather this summer if felt so good to get out and go for walk and feel the heat of the sun.   We had, as always, a great walkabout.

Captured Memories No.1 ...

Captured Memories 
a

 I love pictures. 

Photographs, Snapshots, Polaroids

 Slides, Digitals, Kodachromes 

Whatever.

 It doesn't matter what you call them

a rose is a rose

and

They make me happy.

.........

Yellowed, torn, technicolor or orphaned

I love photographs

Some are wrapped in a story 

date stamped & easy to read

but others 

arrive tattered, clothed in black&white 

 dateless & without a story

the quiet souls of another generation

.........

- Captured Memory No. 1  -

- Captured Memory No. 2  -

- Captured Memory No. 3 -

- Captured Memory No. 4 -

- Captured Memory No. 5 -

- Captured Memory No. 6 -

- Captured Memory No. 7 -

- Captured Memory No. 8 -

- Captured Memory No. 9 -

- Captured Memory No. 10 -

Enjoy a look back at Captured Memories from the past.

If you have any information about one or all of these photos' please share because I really don't know much about many of these photo's except who is in them.

Happy BDay Wayne

Happy BDay Wayne

I hope you have a wonderfully fun 

& exciting Birthday 

Wayne

(and remember, you're only as old as you feel)