I saw these zip up, fabric clothes closets at Ikea. I immediately thought that they would make a nice cozy cocoon to hide away in every once in a while, especially during world news broadcasts. 🦊❤️
Today we had a very entertaining stroll through Ikea after lunch. There were lots of interesting people and sights. My particular favorite was a woman camped out in the easy chair section scrolling through her phone!! The smoked salmon platter was delicious and Yulan enjoyed her Swedish meatball platter. It was a fun day. 🦊❤️
The last piles of frozen plowed snow have finally melted around the edges of the parking lot. The weeds have won the battle of out lasting the plowed icebergs and are showing the battle scars of their will to win. Soon their bleached out stems will be gloriously green. 🦊❤️
I frequently sit just staring at Mikey as she just sits and stares ahead. I find it quite comforting to imagine that she isn’t thinking a single thought as she looks at whatever it is that she is staring at. How wonderful it must be to just take in the scenery with a quiet mind that is not cluttered with thoughts….🦊❤️
I just finished “Willow”. She belonged to my friends Rob and Andrea. Willow only had one eye and that one eye was totally without sight. She lived to a ripe old age and died last year. When I showed Yulan a picture of them together she immediately said, “They have a thing going on! Just like in the song “Me and Mrs. Jones” Thanks for the idea for my post sweetie! Can’t wait to give it to Rob and Andrea. 🦊❤️
I felt a quiet eeriness as I stood and stared at an ancient fallout shelter sign on the wall of small local post office. I could almost smell the aroma of Thursday spaghetti lunch wafting from my grade school cafeteria. 🦊❤️
Today we made our way back into the woods. The aftermath of a spell of harsh winter weather was all around us. Yet the magic of impending springtime more than made up for the fallen trees and eroded trails. 🦊❤️
This morning we systematically peeled off our layers of unnecessary winter clothing as we walked in the suddenly warm temperatures. All of the layers of accumulated snow were also suddenly gone. All that remained were the dirty piles of plowed snow that most certainly will shrink in the coming days. The morning sun was smiling and it felt good as it shined on us. 🦊❤️
I was sitting in the living room easing into the start of another day. Suddenly a flash of red caught my eye. A plump cardinal perched right outside my window to brighten the gloomy dawn sky. 🦊❤️
Yulan asked that I make her a paper mache edition of her beloved cat Willey like the one I made of Tommy as a remembrance for her. Of course I was more than eager to bring Willey back to life for her. And the best part is that Tommy and Willey are now “Best Friends Forever”. (BFF). 🦊❤️
We recently visited the Woodmere Museum to see an exhibit of very large ceramic sculptures. The sculptures were beautiful and their shadows provided tons of added value to the show. 🦊❤️
Birds perching on crosses way up in the air always catch my attention. I immediately think it is the Holy Ghost keeping an eye on things. One never knows… 🦊❤️
During our evening walk at Chestnut Hill College we the noticed that all of the snow on the women’s softball field had melted snd the enormous plastic tarp was fully exposed. The setting sun made appear like it was a wave filled surf. Was a very cool sight. 🦊❤️
As we left the movie theater, the once bustling restaurants were closed and cleaning up from a long day’s work. It was a lonely sort of sight to see. 🦊❤️
In my younger days I prided myself on being the first one in the neighborhood to shovel out my driveway, and the driveways of older neighbors. Not much has changed in my old age… 🦊❤️
Upon waking up I looked out of my window and was awestruck by the branches of a tree billowing with snow. Such strength by the tree. Such balance and grace by the snow. What excitement by the wind bouncing the snow covered branches. What a show. 🦊❤️
Well Tommy ala paper mache is done. I swear he was purring as he sat near my faux wood stove as we watched weather reports on tomorrow’s impending snow. He certainly had many years of contending with bitter snowy weather… no longer. 🦊❤️
We spent our First Anniversary enjoying the whimsical work of Eric Carle at the Michener Museum in Doylestown The perfect antidote for a day of low hanging clouds and dampness. Then to keep it real, we went out and bought anti-fatigue carpets for the kitchen so that cooking would be comfy on the feet. 🦊❤️
Today on our walk I loved seeing the local basketball court that had been shoveled out by some impatient hoopsters. As I looked, I immediately thought of my high school friend Ed Tabish and his stellar basketball days way back when. This ones for you Ed. 🦊❤️
I sat in the car waiting for the heater’s warmth to permeate my car’s interior and my bones. Slowly the icy globs encrusted on my windows started to ever so slowly melt and drift down the window. My mind started to also drift as I pondered the never ending drifting of the earth’s continents across the globe. Never ending plate tectonics…🦊❤️
All of the beautiful newsprint from the Korean Newspaper has been slathered over by a coating of messy paper machet clay. A couple more coats will be applied after this coat is hardened. Someday I will have to make one with the newsprint remaining visible. 🦊❤️
I snapped a photo of a woman’s mouth displayed in her rearview mirror in a MacDonald’s drive through line. It sometimes amazes me what scenes catch my attention in pursuit of having a photo for this daily blog post. I hope she didn’t see me taking her photo…🦊❤️
The other day while shopping at our local Asian supermarket with Yulan, I picked up a free Korean newspaper. It was fortuitous because the newsprint added a beautiful flair to the second phase of my new adventure into paper mache. Sadly it will be covered up soon when phase three begins. 🦊❤️
I’ve been looking for something new to do artistically for a while. I finally decided on trying paper mache. Today I built my first armature to apply the paper mache onto. Of course it will be a statue of Tommy. 🦊❤️
Yulan and I talk alot about all of the animals that are outside in this bitter cold. She says that when we think kind and protective thoughts about them we send them a blessing and energy to persevere on. I will definitely think a lot more about them in that case. You should too!!!🦊❤️
I have become fascinated by the shadows of trees on the smooth, brilliant snow. While their shadows seem to be standing still, they are in constant motion, ever so slightly, because of the earths movement around the sun. Every shadow is a sundial… 🦊❤️
I stood watching white snow darkening and a black shadow fading to gray as the sun descended in the sky. Soon they will be the same. A real meditation… 🦊❤️
We stood and stared at two bright red Adirondack chairs that were stranded in the snow. We both said simultaneously, “That’s a great picture!” Then we went on our way to get out of the freezing wind. 🦊❤️
Below my balcony is a mountainous tundra of crumpled snowbergs. I’ve been throwing handfuls of birdseed down for the hungry birds to munch on. Watching them scramble for the food makes me all the more grateful for my warm apartment and full cabinets. 🦊❤️
Yulan’s cat Mikey, like most cats can become invisible when she is right in front of us. I got a kick out of her more obvious attempt at blending in as she sat placidly on a black and white striped pillow. 🦊❤️
We visited the newly opened Woodmere McGuire Art Museum near our home. It was a wonderful way to escape the frigid temperatures. The art work was great and so were the views from the windows of the amazing building. 🦊❤️
Whenever there is harsh weather, Yulan and I inevitably talk about all of the animals that are left to their own devices and instincts to persevere and survive. As I looked down into the valley behind my apartment, I saw orderly deer trails traversing the landscape. The trails seemed luminous. They spoke of the masterful way that deer live their lives - not by accident but by design. 🦊❤️