Lovely February

Hello friends!

An update from my crazy little world.

Land of wild puppy, and a combination of super chilly and oddly warm days.

I'm not sure why my photos are uploading fuzzy, when they are clear, but hopefully if you click on any one you will see it more clearly.

How has your February been?

I have been itching madly to get back here.

I somehow misplaced my fancy camera charger, and I simply could not find it anywhere.

It might be under my bed or in Teddy's pile of everything under the sun.

He's such a pack rat, it's beyond amusing.

My charger is the one thing I always have at the ready, so that was a nutty misplace (I looked everywhere possible), and it took forever to receive a replacement, but now here I am again, hooray!

February is proving to be lovely.

We've spent most of our time in the country whilst training Teddy and such.

It's been lovely to roam the open spaces and garden paths without a care in the world.

Enjoying the fresh air of winter, and letting the boys run around with wild abandon.

It is citrus season, and we've had little picnics in the garden.

I put a little table in what I've always called the fairy bower part of the garden path.

Such delightful little times.

I've been planning a mural behind the wall of my other secret garden for two years.

I'm now painting some paintings to determine what I'd like my mural to look like.

I have a fairy tale landscape in mind, we'll see how that goes.

In the meantime, I've been painting my mural ideas and then doing what I like to do often, just abstract expressions of colors.

One of my favorite things to do really, which I rarely share.

But it's such a release of emotions and wildly fun.

I've been doing this sort of painting since I was a child, one of the very best things that ever has happened in my life.

Painting my emotions as I like to call it.

Nonsense paintings, wonderful for the soul.

I was dusting my country house room, and piled a bunch of my beloved junk on my shelf above the bed so Teddy could not reach it, and then I sort of liked it all lumped up together, so I took some photos.

I just love having my happy junk around me 🙂

Matty is doing well also, just tolerating his new little brother really.

He was handsomely looking towards me and turned just as I snapped his photo.

As you know, he does not like cameras.

I am not sure Matty will ever play with Teddy, but we'll see.

I still spoil him tons, and he has the front seat of my car always.

Still scaring UPS drivers, acting 4 years old instead of 12.

There is also a little spring-time flutter in the air, with baby birds here and there.

Mama dove is not amused with our garden activity.

She had gone out to get breakfast when I snuck a little photo of her children.

Don't worry, I zoomed in from far away.

The days have been idyllic.

Our garden paths fill my soul in ways I cannot describe.

Bunnies scampering away from the pitter patter of paws.

Perfect warm light on a cool day.

My trees and shrubs are so big, I planted some of them, Mister Lovee the older ones.

To see them all grown up is beyond wonderful, they so feel like home to me.

They are home.

The sunshine, the comfort of trees…

A puppy discovering his own home.

Just warms my heart to no end.

But I should tell you…

About our dear Theodore Laurence.

The wildest child we've had to date.

Rambunctious beyond compare.

He's got a big attitude, but he's a lovely cuddler too.

Just beware because his biting is off the charts, haha!

He's brave and utterly self-assured, can you tell?

Matty wants no part of this.

Haha!

He just wants to nap, fight danger, and enjoy the scenery from the top of the porch stairs.

But they do run around the garden happily together, he and Teddy.

They just don't tumble and wrestle like the Matty and Miles team did.

Of course, Matty is much older now, and he stopped wrestling with Miles after that time her nearly died from valley fever years ago.

Maybe you could lift a little hopeful wish into the starry night sky that, perhaps that might still happen.

Matty and Teddy playing together a little.

Teddy would love that so much.

And so would all of us who are all bitten and scratched up, haha!

Truth be told though, Teddy is smart and adorable, and is learning all the tricks and commands.

He's the most different of all my kids, and I can't wait to see how his personality develops as teething subsides, and he starts to get a bit older.

But for now, I am enjoying his wild puppy days, as they are so short lived.

So, here is where you will find us…

Under canopies of trees with grapefruit-orange juice, freshly squeezed by me.

And a loaf of Italian rustic bread.

Where the trees sway and whisper…

And dreams still swirl about, inspiring me to do this and that.

In the fairy bower of my heart.

I feel lucky to enjoy these days.

With my boys, hidden away in our little parcel of earth.

Just as content as can be.

I'm fully aware of the importance of appreciating such times.

As the apple blossoms are just beginning to unfurl.

Bees are awakening from their slumber.

And it might even snow a tiny bit this week.

It was 78'F and then 58' – crazy I know.

And day after tomorrow there might be said snow flurry.

I've received some ridiculously enormous canvases to paint on by freight truck.

Sort of lavish for just a bit of amusement I feel.

But you only live once, and I intend to enjoy every second of painting on them.

I hope you are doing just lovely out there.

Thank you for coming to visit us here.

 

Lots of love, 

Vanessa