Two Mile . . .

Clicking those steps off . . .
Walking each day . . . yesterday I walked in the grocery store . . .
Bunches of things going on and no time to take off for a walk at home.
So I clicked off a few steps at the store . . . first I found my items . . .
Then I started walking the edges . . . looked at my fit bit and it wasn’t working.
Scrolled through. . . everything else was registering. . . date, time, goal, etc.
Ah Hah . . . fit bit on my left arm, on grocery cart, NO REGISTER!
I think I walked double yesterday . . .

Today I took off early in bright sunshine . . . looking for some green kept me focused!
Blue Green shoes for my first green . . .

Cedar with red berries, #2 . . .

Ireland fleece with me in it #3-4 . . .

Final stretch home . . .a bit of a green blush . . . #5 . . .

Around the corner and home . . . #6

Final green . . . the green in the all year around ground cover . . . #7

Beautiful day for a walk . . .
(Still like a cold winter, snowy, walk more than any . . . I think it is the challenge!)

look for some green in your world . . .
till tomorrow or after . . .
love
lynne

Hearty . . .

A friend asked me for one of my recipes . . .
I sent the recipe her way and then decided to make the soup myself.

It is one of our favorites . . .
Here it is cooking away before I added the cream and cheese . . .

Recipe originated from Joan, Knit one, Raised 4, http://marmepurl.blogspot.com/
It hit the spot . . .

until next time . . .
love
lynne

Sticks and Twigs . . .

One more afternoon of watercolor card bliss . . .
and then . . .

Tucked the paints away for a few days . . .
Mother Nature has left us with bunches of “sticks and twigs” . . .
Time to play “Pick Up Sticks!”

See you in a few . . .
love
lynne

The Painting Place #2 . . .

I recently did a post called
The Painting Place . . .
I needed to make a correction on Barbie’s surgery . . . I did so, but on my end it isn’t showing up.
If you can’t find me . . . Click on this below and it should take you to the orginal and the correction.

http://irishgardenhouse.blogspot.com/2018/02/the-painting-place.html

The Painting Place . . .

We enjoyed another day of watercolor as the rain poured down in buckets.
It rained so hard all day long and into the night . . . most of our snow has been washed away.
Flooding is happening here and there in the creeks, streams, rivers . . .
I hope everyone can stay safe and dry . . .

Once again the kitchen island was set up as the Paint Studio . . .
I added a few munchies and sweets in amongst the paints.

Friend Barbie who had just returned home from a week in Florida was not “feeling in the paint mood.”
She stayed for the visit and some sweets though . . .
Once she arrived home she whipped up these cards . . . aren’t they just the best . . .

Barbie is amazing . . . there isn’t anything that she won’t try . . .
she creates, knits, crochets, crafts, gardens, decorates, volunteers . . .
If she doesn’t know how to do something, she digs in and finds out how! You Tube visitor indeed.
She is the best in the kitchen too . . . I call her “Our Ina Garten!”

One would never know that just a few months ago Barb had to have a kidney removed . . .
A large malignant tumor cyst, soft ball size, was found in one of her kidneys. by her local urologist.
It was a routine urology visit, her keen urologist scheduled a cat scan and the tumor was found . . .
Barb’s surgery was at University of Michigan Hospitals on the east side of the state.
She was hours away from family, friends here in Western Michigan.
Surgery went well, malignant tumor, kidney were removed . . .
Tests following have been very good news . . . no other cancer.
A blessing indeed . . .

Friend Donna came up with some fun paint/card ideas . . .
It is delightful to watch Donna paint . . . she is a natural, very talented . . .
Humble to her core . . . she doesn’t like all the kudos . . . so true though . . . she is a talent!
Each time we paint we glean a bit more from her . . . she teaches without teaching.
I love the cards she created . . .

Here Donna is with grandsons Sawyer and Avery . . . her loves!

I started off trying to do “a paint of myself on a snowy day” . . .
Suffice to say . . . the vision in my head wasn’t what ended up on the paper . . .
Scratched that idea and set off doing some shamrocks and then some flowers.
A day of paint energizes me like no other . . .
So much so, after my walk in the morning, I am going to be back at it again . . .

Or you might find me with my head in a book or two.
Already into jojo moyes’ . . . Still Me . . .

enjoy each life moment . . .
love
lynne

Being True To Myself . . .

I would not be true to myself if I didn’t say something. My heart is breaking for mothers, fathers, grandparents, families, children, teens, friends . . . in the most recent Parkland school tragedy.
Listen to those words, “most recent.” My heart breaks with a fury of how this keeps happening again and again and again and again. Looking the other way won’t help. Saying it won’t happen here, won’t help.

I think of children, young people, my beautiful, precious grandchildren, great grandchildren.

I can not bear to even fathon it all . . .

It is apparent to me that a mental health issue was part of this tragedy BUT so was an atomatic assault weapon. Need I say more . . . I don't even know how to talk about it. I am disappointed, frustrated and raw with grief . . .

In one second, minute, hour, day . . . It is going to take WE to change this path . . .
love
lynne

*****

We have had bunches of snow on the ground around here . . . over night the rains came.
And we have gone from white snow to puddles and mud . . . and dreary . . .
Temperatures below 32 degrees to 55 degrees F when i looked early this morning.

I need some cheer, how about you . . .

We have been thinking green, Doolin, upper west coast, Giant’s Causeway the past few weeks . . .
Just sayin’ . . . we’ve been thinkin’ . . .

And today my two watercolor painting friends will be here for a painting afternoon . . .
We will be thinking green and pink, maybe yellow . . . bunnies, flowers, plantings and things . . .
This adorable watercolor bunny was painted by an artist, not sure who . . . isn’t he/she yummy!

I baked some cookies too . . .

I am giving you a giggle . . . look at my grip on the phone as I took my picture.
Taking a picture of myself is not my thing . . . but it was a sunny day last friday so I gave it a try..
My son said, why didn’t you use the selfie stick . . . duh . . . never thought of it!

I promise more “paint day” pictures later in the week . . . you know . . . when the paint dries . . .
love
lynne

Share A Sunset . . .

Mister Irish Guy of mine told me 20 years ago . . .
“I don’t do flowers!”
Well . . . “first time flowers” arrived yesterday from my
Mister Irish . . . (Never say Never!)

And the best part, fun part, my guy who is a
recycle guru made the vase from “shingles.”

(I wondered what he was “putzin” with downstairs the day before . . .
He ordered the flowers, took his vase to the florist and there you have it!)

And then my “Share A Sunset” theme happened too.
Off we went to see the setting sun at the Lakeshore and dinner after . . .

Gorgeous view . . .
We counted . . . 1 2 3 4 5 . . . as the sun slipped away . . .
Remember . . . “It’s the little things . . .”

(I think he knew I needed a smile and his “shingle vase” did just that!
I had the shingle shot ten years ago but guess I am one of the unlucky ones . . . because
I have the “Yucky Shingles!!”
FYI . . . the newer Shingle Shot is supposed to be more affective than the older shot.
Protect yourself . . . they are not fun!)

A Wonderful Happy ❤️ Day!
love
lynne

We Brought Dessert . . .

Dinner invite for BBQ ribs at the Treppa’s . . .
Delicious . . . potato bites, roasted brussel sprouts, caeser salad and Chuck’s Ribs . . . oh my!
We enjoyed being together . . . visiting about our families, upcoming watercolor painting days,
Jack’s Navy days living through a few hurricanes and watching “new pup” Abbey . . .

Oh my . . . she is a love . . .
And look at her, she is three months . . .
and she is already trained to sit for a treat and give her master a paw shake.
Mister Irish was enjoying Abbey too . . .

Wish I had thought to take food pics . . .
Playing with Abbey took center stage I guess . . .
We brought dessert . . . and I did manage to click a picture of the “Hearts” at home
Raspberry Bars, Donna’s recipe and my favorite Brownie recipe . . .

Tried a couple recipes for the Raspberry Bars . . .
This one and Ina Garten’s recipe are both delicious . . .
Wonderful Sweet Treat . . .

Happy Valentines Day . . . a day for Sweetness . . . Give some . . . Enjoy some . . .
love
lynne