Moments With Molly - Traveling again!

Mutt enjoyed traveling by car, but he was an unquiet passenger. He suffered from the delusion, common to dogs and small boys, that when he was looking out the right-hand side, he was probably missing something far more interesting on the left-hand side.

                                                                                        ~Farley Mowat

 

We just returned a little over a month ago from our long trip back from Florida.  If you remember, I posted photos of Molly sitting in the back seat and watching our white cargo trailer that followed us the entire trip.  It really was quite hilarious.  So this time as we drove to Virginia, there wasn't any trailer that followed us.  We made the back seat quite comfortable for her so naturally I was quite amazed when I turned around and saw how she was positioned...

 

I know it's a bit hard to really see, but we have a special pet sling in our back seat.  I had her pillow pet, dog bed with toys and a regular pillow.  When I took this photo, she was actually in a standing up position and was leaning into her dog bed, with her feet planted on the pet sling.  I swear, at times I wonder where her brain is!  Mr. Cottage said she must be comfortable or she would change to another position. 

Anyways, I don't really know how much of the outside world she really watched...

The scenery in West Virginia and Virginia really was beautiful...

The only traveling that she'll be doing now will be back and forth to our cottage...

 

Just So Proud!

Great achievement is usually born of great sacrifice, and is never the result of selfishness
                                                                                   ~Napoleon Hill


Where is the time going to?  It seems like we just returned from Virginia and I see it's been almost a week since I last wrote a blog posting.  Our house is officially on the market and we had to leave for a few showings.  Then we had Mother's Day and a few other appointments thrown in.   I'll share other happenings with everyone later, but before time flies too much further, I really want to share with you a few photos of our trip to Virginia and of our son's retirement...

His wife, Lisa, planned a great retirement party for him.  He even had some of his army buddies fly in from other parts of our great country.  These are a few of the awards and gifts he was given...

This is a photo that was actually taken prior to his retirement where he's assisting VP Biden in presenting a medal to another soldier.  The matting around this photo had lots of sayings and signatures from fellow WHCA members (White House Communications Agency)...

I was especially proud of him after reading this letter that he received, along with the Order of Mercury medal, shown below...

Even more surprising, I discovered that in addition to actually flying with Vice-President Biden on Air Force 2 and Marine 2 helicopter, our son actually worked in a wing of the White House when he wasn't traveling.  See, even mothers aren't told everything...

This is the cake that Lisa ordered.  It tasted as great as it looked...

Around the edges were all the posts where he's been in his 20 years of service...

One of the Marine military aides for the Vice-President, gave our son a select number of tickets to attend the Marine Barracks 1 performance in DC.  We had choice seating for this and felt very honored to attend.  We later found out that these tickets are hard to come by.  The Marine Barracks 1 was the first ever Marine barracks.  Stationed there are the members of the various Marine bands, as well as those who work in Arlington National Cemetery...

We listened to the Marine Drum and Bugle Corps play, as well as the President's own band...

To see the Marines perform with their rifles was amazing.  It was done in complete silence and was better than watching it on television or in the movie theatre...

At one point, Lisa had her video camera at the party and was asking some of his friends if they had any advice for our son.  I couldn't help but yell out "Now, get a job"!  If you looked at any of the awards and letters, you might have seen where he officially leaves the military on August 31, 2013.  All that means is he's finished working and can use the time from now until then to look for a job while receiving his full pay from the military.  Not bad!

Our Gift To Our Son

“America without her Soldiers would be like God without His angels.”
                                                               ~Claudia Pemberton

I can finally reveal what I've been going crazy over in making for our son, who just retired after serving his country for 20 years.   I first have to explain that my daughter-in-law messaged me and asked if I could make "this" for our son.  I told her I could and that it would be our gift to him.  I never copy things as they are, so I tweaked some words, added some and deleted a few.  Then I painstakingly painted this 12"x12" canvas by hand, using no stencils.  Talk about blood, sweat and tears!  Here's what I made...

I used lettered alphabet stamping on the edges.  The top edge...

The bottom edge...

The sides...

I have decided that I'll make prints of this and I might possibly paint one more canvas (if I get crazy enough to do so) and omit "Daddy" and "Husband".   What do you think?

A Stop In Marseilles, Illinois Before Heading Home

The shortest distance between new friends is a smile.
                                                                          ~Unknown


I first connected with Amy Cavaness in an online class and through the private facebook group that was set up for all of us...

 

This is the sign that hangs above the doorway that leads into her studio...

Amy and her family live on a wonderful piece of property.  This is just a glimpse of their beautiful house...

And of the woods and nature that surround them...

There's even a creek and a small lake...

Sunday morning, I really enjoyed watching all the beautiful birds that came to all their different bird feeders hanging by their windows and on their deck...

There was a lot of flooding going on at the time I visited her and we drove down to the Illinois River.  If you look off in the distance, that's the dam and all the water rushing from it...

I had a wonderful time with Amy and her family, but I finally had to leave to go home and get our house ready to sell.  So glad we were finally able to meet each other!

Oh My Gauze!

There are some days when I think I'm going to die from an overdose of satisfaction. 
                                                                                   ~Salvador Dali

Just before I was to leave for the art retreat in Lake Geneva, WI, someone in one of my private facebook groups was asking where to find really artsy clothes.  One of the responders mentioned that Oh My Gauze has a great selection and that she always got hers in Sarasota, FL.  Just where we've been for the last 8 winters!  I can remember going in it once, and that was about 8 years ago.  I went online and there are only three in the country, Sarasota, Naples and Lake Geneva.  Seriously!  I couldn't believe there was also one right where I was going; so I knew I had to go to their shop and check it out.  You see, I applied for two art shows for this coming winter.  I'm hoping I get into at least one of them and it would be nice to have something artsy to wear.  This is the top I ended up buying and what it looks like in their catalog...

My actual top in a nice sage green...

And the back...

Without a doubt, I really love how it looks on me and how I'll be able to layer it in cooler weather.  This is the shop in downtown Lake Geneva...

The evening before I left, someone mentioned an antique shop that was going out of business.  I discovered it was right where I would be going by on my way into Lake Geneva.  The name of the place was called Tickled Pink and the owner was moving back to California...

I found this great metal vintage tray for only $1.50...

And because the owner was moving away, she was also getting rid of her displays, including this wonderful lattice screen.  I figured if I can get into an art show, I can put some fabric behind the lattice and hang some of my art on it.  Thank goodness my backseats folded down for me to haul this back home... 

Another great suitcase...

I found this frame at the Marketplace for our art retreat...

Everything I purchased will be used in the art shows that I do.  Now, fingers crossed and a prayer that I'll get accepted into one of these art shows.  And if not, there's always next year!