Mantra

Drama swirls. 

Remembering this ... again.

Trying to infuse it into my bones this morning.

I so miss posting here on my blog. I simply don't have the extra energy. Surgerys (minor). Chemo. Doctor visits and visits and visits. Packing. Bankers, lawyers, CPAs, real estate agents, mortgage lenders, endless emails. 

So much got squeezed out of our charmed life ... to build the next chapter, the next season, the next adventure.

Thus, the mantra:

Life is good. 

Life is good.

Life is good.

Vibrant Owl at Night

I took Tuesday and Wednesday off work around the house to make strides toward a couple of my 26 in 2026 Goals. I put a puzzle together while starting to binge listen to the podcast The Best People.

This is a small puzzle, only 350 pieces and a finished size of 12" x 20". It's small in size but has an enormous impact!

Wow! Just look at this illustration close up!

It's another cheapie puzzle from Dollar Tree. This just proves that hours and hours of puzzling enjoyment can be had for less than two dollars (tariffs be damned!)

The setting sun.

The galaxy.

Gorgeous!

Solving a Problem

My problem? I have a pegboard over my Studio worktable which holds some of my frequently-used sewing and craft tools. I'd hung it on the wall with some Command Wire Toggle Hooks, which worked well for a number of years. But last year, the adhesive failed and I wasn't sure how I wanted to re-hang the pegboard. 

Then I learned about these double-headed picture hangers. Best described as fancy push pins, they're great for hanging light framed pieces on the wall. They leave a very small hole behind. (Rather renter friendly, I'd say). The bottom "head" is flat and lies flush against the wall. The top head is spaced about 1/4 inch above. This way your frame can rest on the post between the two heads.

I highly doubt this is a new invention, but I only learned about it a month ago.

I was able to put a line of five or six of these pins in the wall. It's as easy as pushing in a thumb tack. No tools needed. With Dale's help, I lifted the pegboard onto the hangers. The frame surrounding the pegboard rests easily on the little posts. The weight of the pegboard is evenly distributed across the line of pins, so it feels secure.

Getting this pegboard back on the wall was the exact incentive I needed to clear my work table. That, in turn, helps clear some of the clutter in my head and is a first step toward helping my creative spirit to return. My creativity has taken a nose dive ever since we received Dale's difficult health diagnosis at the end of January.

I still haven't been able to latch onto a craft or sewing project to work on. But I did put my cleared work table to use by constructing a small jigsaw puzzle for the first time in months.

Charmed Life: An Anniversary Stroll

On Monday, Dale and I will celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary. We wanted to do something a little special -- like go to Cannon Beach to see Haystack Rock or maybe check out the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival just south of Portland. Unfortunately, at this point in his treatment, Dale is easily fatigued. Even driving on day trips becomes too strenuous. 

So today between visiting the oncologist and having lunch, we stopped by Eugene's Owen Rose Garden. It's still a park. It's still admiring flowers. But it's a lot closer to home and has paved paths that allow for steady walking.

The roses, of course, are not yet in bloom. Some of them are trying, though! Bundles of buds are beginning to form.

The early Spring flowers are already fading, like the narcissus and magnolias.

The gigantic Owen Cherry Tree, designated as an Oregon Heritage Tree, is barely beginning to bloom.

The tulips and bluebells and violets are in their full glory

And wildlife is making itself comfortable in the shade.

Dale and I plan to treat ourselves to a few more simple pleasures over the weekend for our anniversary. He'll need plenty of time to rest, though. His fourth chemo infusion begins on Monday.

Charmed Life: Tuesday Flowers

Yesterday we received a surprise delivery - a huge bouquet of flowers!

Collogues from Dale's former workplace sent them! They are total surprise and so appreciated.

We set them on the dining room table where the late afternoon light made them glow.

I also received another flower surprise in my backyard. It turns out that different colors of tulips bloom at different times. First the red tulips appeared, then the whites. A few days later the red-and-yellow color and the frilly edged ones bloomed. Yesterday? Purple!

Dale and I still find beauty in our world  every day in the midst of this challenging time.

Charmed Life: Egg Hunt

Dale and I spent Easter morning with Jodie's family. Ken made a wonderful yummy brunch of French toast, homemade berry compote, bacon, scrambled eggs, and sausage. Afterwards,  two year old Abby opened her Easter basket. That was followed by an Easter egg hunt in the backyard.

She found over two dozen eggs! (Isn't that the cutest sweater? Jodie crocheted it for her!)

It's a chemo week for Dale, so he tired out after a few hours and we headed home early. 

But look what our sweet neighbor boy left for us on our threshold!

We still live a charmed life! ❤️

Charmed Life: Tulips

Last Fall I decided to try growing tulips in six of the planters that line our patio. They're growing!

Saturday Scenes: Shotgun Creek

Guest blogger Jodie here!

Some days are harder than others. Unfortunately, I've been having a string of harder days. Last week I had a morning that was tough enough that I got stuck. Mom and Dad asked what they could do to help, and all I could think was, "I just want to go for a long drive."

They said, "We can make that happen!"

The three of us drove north of Springfield on one of my favorite country drives. Something you should know about me: I'm a sucker for brown road signs. Those are the ones that point you to recreation areas and scenic views. I remembered that one of my favorite brown signs on this road points to Shotgun Creek Recreation Site.

This area is mostly designed for people to have thrill rides on their ATVs. But our adventure was up, up, up into the mountains to Cascade View.

For a slow five miles we drove through forest in all its states: lush with ferns, burnt from wildfire, logged, and regrowing. As we climbed, we even passed through a dense cloud. Finally, we made it up as high as we could go, and our reward was an incredible view point.

We marveled at how far we could see - at least eight ridges deep. I joked that even Bob Ross wouldn't dare to paint a mountain scene with that many ridges. I've been there before, but I never get tired of it. And the journey was all the more special because I got to share it with my parents.

Some days are harder than others... but this long drive and distance vision gave me the perspective I needed to press on.

* Note from Margaret:

            It helped Dale and me, too! Time with Jodie is time well spent. 

            Jodie plus wilderness? Bonus points!

Puzzle Season - 10

A few months ago Dale and I bought a dozen used Wysocki puzzles from someone in town. I think they were decluttering after the Covid years when jigsaw puzzles were all the rage. So over the weekend we put another one together.

It's unusual for a Wysocki image because it's primarily a single building rather than an entire town. It's called Pickwick Cottage. Dale did the original sort, put the border together, and constructed most of the cottage.

I jumped in then and concentrated on the sky and water. I enjoy doing the gradients.  Then we both put the road and greenery together. This illustration has many of Wysocki's charming details, including an American flag, of course.

This artist usually has neighbors greeting one another, and a dog, and a cat. This puzzle was not an exception.

Wysocki added in a random gal sitting alone in a rocking chair on the front lawn, watching the world go by. (And look! No cell phone in her hand!)

It wouldn't be a Wysocki without at least one prancing horse pulling a carriage.

Dale said he'd like to do one puzzle per week during these wet months, so expect many more Wysocki's - and other puzzles - to come.

Play Like a Two Year Old

Our granddaughter received some Play Doh for her 2nd birthday. With her encouragement, I started playing.

I even bought myself my own set of dough and some implements. I never had a set like this as a kid. I figured it was about time.

On my own, I only played for a few minutes while backing up my computer. Predictably, I made a heart

with some details:

It's good for me to stretch this "creative play with no specific end in mind" muscle. I rarely engage in messy, unstructured play. Even before I started, I checked Pinterest for some ideas and a jumping off point. Confession: I literally had to mess up my tools before I took this photo because I tend to line things up in rows.

Somehow, little Abby doesn't need to do that.