And, We're Off!!

Team Lawson is off on a mini-vacation to Chicago. We're all pretty excited about the things we have planned. Thanks again to those of you who passed along tips and suggestions. I'll be back on Friday Sunday. Have a wonderful week!

This picture of Navy Pier was taken by Stuck in Customs.

Hello, Young Lovers

Hello young lovers, whoever you are,
I hope your troubles are few.
All my good wishes go with you tonight,
I've been in love like you.

Be brave, young lovers, and follow your star,
Be brave and faithful and true,
Cling very close to each other tonight.
I've been in love like you.

I know how it feels to have wings on your heels,
And to fly down the street in a trance.
You fly down a street on the chance that you meet,
And you meet -- not really by chance.

~ Rogers & Hammerstein

Happy weekend, my friends.

We'll Always Have Paris photographed by Doc Tony.

Good Things Thursday, Week 11

This week's Good Thing is just a quick and easy tip. It's so easy it seems a little silly to post about it. But, then I think of Martha's Good Things. I frequently slap my head and give a mental "Duh! Why didn't I think of that?" when I read her tips. This post comes to you in the same forehead-slapping spirit.

Have you ever noticed that Target has an amazing book section? Unless I really have time to browse, I often find more that I want to read there than I do at my local Border's. I am also cheap and refuse to purchase a book I haven't read yet. What if it isn't good? Too big a risk. I am a girl with a limited book budget. I am also a girl with limited time, and I don't intend to spend it in Target with a paper and pen writing down every title I think looks interesting. I never go anywhere without my cell phone or my digital camera. This means that I have two cameras in my pocket at all times.

You see where I'm going here don't you? Your camera isn't only a tool for preserving memories and capturing special moments. It can also be a memory device. I snapped a ton of pictures in the book section of Target, came home, and went request-happy on my library website.
Now, that's a good thing!

Bloggy Love

The picture above is of a stack of gifts from dear and thoughtful friends.

Each one of the gifts was given for no particular reason - just love.

Nothing makes my day like a present. But, a gift just because?

That really makes my day. I love you Dulcy, Dad,

Tangobaby and Margaret. Thank you again and again!

I've been thinking about how we all have to do lists, even if we don't write them down. Being a list maker, I have several to do lists. One of them should be titled, the I-know-it's-not-pressing-but-get-on-with-it-will-ya? list. Today is my day to get on with it. I am going to finally catch up on note writing, bloggy love, goodie mailing, and sunglasses shopping. By the end of today, I will no longer be behind. Let's hope this lasts for at least a day. I have been to the post office for stamps and to finally mail out little gifts to several friends. I've been to the library for books on CD and guidebooks for our Chicago trip. I've been on a hunt for great sunglasses. I settled for good, but cheap. Oh well. This post is part of getting on with it. Today I'll attempt to catch up on all bloggy love I need to send out into the world. Please bear with me - it won't be as dull as errand running. Really.

Book For Summer & A Contest

I regularly read The Longstockings blog, which is a must-read if you are a fan of young adult literature. A recent post about a contest prompted me to tell you about this wonderful young adult novel, just in time for summer. If you love baseball and love stories, this book is for you. If you know what it is like to be a fan or to love something bigger than yourself, this book is for you. If you remember what teen-aged love is like, this book is for you. If you want a chance to win two tickets to see the Cubs at Wrigley Field, this book is for you.


Arte y Pico Award

My dear friend Katie gave this award to me. It gave me a thrill because I have never thought of myself as particularly creative. I have always been an art lover with hands that just don't work very well. (Not kidding about that. I have fine motor skill issues.) Blogging has given me my first real creative outlet and has helped me feel creative instead of just hearing the teacher-voice in my head saying, "You know there are as many ways of being creative as there are birds in the sky." Katie makes me feel creative. In passing along this award, I'd like to honor those who are creative in ways I can never be; people who create with their hands, imagination, and a few craft supplies. Here are the winners in alphabetical order. (Winners, please click here for award guidelines.)

~ Art Tea Life ~ Sandy is a woman who can do it all: drawing, photo shopping, bead work, altered art... You name it, and I am fairly certain she can do it.

~ Dulcy's Doorstep ~ My friend Dulcy is a hooker, rug hooker that is. Each rug she creates is her own design. They are simple and evocative; a modern piece of Americana. They are beautiful.

~ Feathered Nest ~ Dawn is one of the most creative women I know. Everything she touches turns to beauty.

~ Maude and Mozart ~ Laura is a wonderful collage/stamp artist whose work has been featured in Sommerset magazine. Her blog is always full of vintage goodness plus movies and books that are sure to please.

~ Scrumdilly-do! ~ There's nobody like JEK. Her blog is nothing short of craftylicious!

Brillante Weblog Award

Sweet Yoli, of the wondrous eye and gentle heart, chose to pass this terrific award along to me. I feel honored, pleased, and slightly giddy. When you have a blog you are continually opening your heart and life; placing yourself on display and hoping that you will find people who "get" you. To be given an award like this makes me feel that I have found kindred spirits. With that in mind, I would like to pass this award along to some of those kindred spirits. Please click here for award guidelines.)

~ Bird Tweets ~ Robin is a woman of many talents: photographer, writer, computer collage artist, cook, people-lover, but most of all - questioner. More than any other blog, Robin's posts trigger quiet contemplation. My comments to her have often been the start of posts for my own blog. Always, her questions help me to know myself better.

~ Books I Love In A Cozy Spot ~ Yes, this is my daughter's blog. Obviously, she is a kindred spirit. I also think it takes an amazing kid to have her own blog at six. The blog really is all her own. All I do is type and upload pictures.

~ Blue Yonder ~ Some days Stefani makes me laugh. Some days I nod in agreement. Some days I grin in rueful acknowledgement. Some days I cry because she has expressed mother-love so well.

~ Doors Are Everywhere. Open Them ~ Beth is a wife, a mother, a philosopher, an artist, a poet. Spending time in her world will expand your own. You will be glad you stopped by.

~ Gypsy Girl's Guide ~ When I think of Alex, I think of courage. Alex is a brave wanderer. She is a woman who knows what she wants from life and reaches for it with grace and generosity.

~ My Little Life ~ Jerusalem is one talented lady. Every time I visit her, I am inspired by something new she is trying, creating, doing. She lives with passion and creativity while raising two delightful little boys.

~ Rhayne ~ Jaime is a poet. With her camera. With her pen. Spending time with her is like wading in a creek on a scorching summer day; peaceful and soothing and just what you needed.

I hope you will enjoy visiting all these wonderful blogs. I know there are many, many more amazing blogs out in blog land. I can't wait to discover them. Blessings to you and yours.

That Old Momma Magic

Momma Magic.

There's nothing quite like it in the world. There is Momma Magic in a healing kiss and in the way a mom often knows when something is on her child's mind. It's the dad-gum-eyes-in-the-back-of-her-head and the way she always knew when you were up to no good. There is magic in a momma's hands. This is why her cookies are the sweetest and why only her cool hands on your feverish forehead will do. Momma Magic explains all your perfectly perfect birthday parties and how the Christmas gift you longed for but never requested ended up under the tree. It is why we can believe in magic past childhood, long after Santa and the Tooth Fairy are memories.

My favorite Momma Magic is the wish-granting kind. Oh, yes. I perform that kind of magic as often as possible. It takes some practice at first and some effort to get into the wish-granting habit. It requires a strong sense of play and being open to unlimited possibility. Wish-granting requires a busy momma to be willing to toss aside her to do list and just be. It requires a sense of wonder and a good memory for all the magic of childhood. I think it's a purposeful kind of magic to chose to say, "Yes!" instead of "Maybe later." Wish granting means that you listen, really listen, and when your child idly says, "Wouldn't it be fun if we ______________?", you say, "Well, let's go!"

That's powerful magic indeed. Strong enough to create a foundation of love that will carry a little one through all the storms of this earth. Real Magic.

Right now Sloane is in the backyard in the dark in a hammock, covered in bug spray and blankets, enjoying sleeping outside - all alone. Here's how it happened.

Earlier tonight Sloane and I were outside enjoying the magic hour. We were swinging in the hammock, catching fireflies, playing on the swing set, and singing. Oh my! How we did sing. After it was dark we snuggled together on the hammock for Bible story and prayers. After that, we lay there together just being quiet.

After a bit, Sloane said, "Momma, I wish I could spend the night in the hammock."

I said, "Me too. Maybe we can do that one night this week."

"No. Not us. Just me. All by myself."

"Tonight? All by yourself?"

"Yes. All by myself. It would be so cool."

Bibibity Bobbity Boo! ...Wish granted.

The first image created by andrea.b. I took all the rest tonight. For more photo magic click here and here.

F is for...

* family * flowers * fiction * flax golden tales * faded old barns * floating * Flickr * foal * friends * fjord * fervent good wishes * fairy rings * filters on email * French kissing* fairy tales * fields: baseball, soccer, of poppies * finials * feet in sexy shoes * freedom * Fantasia * fascination * far away lands where books begin * finger sandwiches * fresh fruit: plums, peaches, pears, strawberries * fluffy bunnies * fantasy genre * flags * Fourth of July * filigree * flexibility * faces in the flickering firelight * finales * faith * figure-flattering dresses * fondue* French cuffs * foodie writing * folk tales * fudge * finger puppets * Fibonacci sequences * film * French fries * fauns * fiddles * fireworks * fuzzy dice * far-off places * foghorns * Fluffernutter sandwiches * finger paints * freshwater pearls * Firefly * friendships that last for decades * fireplaces * figure eights * fundamental truths * freeze tag * fleur-de-lis * frozen grapes * Foggy Bottom * failure you’re willing to learn from * festivals * Flamenco dancers * facts * flirting * fuddy-duddy * fresco * fingernails, painted pink * feathers * flying squirrels * footpath through the woods * fireflies on a summer evening * flights of fancy *

Don't you just love the alphabet?

To see more work from these excellent photographers, click the individual links. F by John Roberts. Festival by Dr. Vivek M. Fresco by Telzey. Flamenco Dancer by CameraOne. To find out more about the Alphabetica project, see the sidebar. To see the entire project so far, click on the Alphabetica label at the end of this post.

Picture yourself in a boat on a river,

With tangerine trees and marmalade skies

Somebody calls you,

you answer quite slowly,

A girl with kaleidoscope eyes.

~ Beatles- 'Lucy in the sky with diamonds'

Whether or not your weekend includes a boat on a river, may it be filled with dreams of tangerine trees, marmalade skies, and girls with kaleidoscope eyes. May you experience a weekend full of wild imaginings and peaceful sleep.


Happy weekend, dear ones.

This is especially for Jaime with special thanks to Jeffrey. The two images above were created by antpix. You can see many more kaleidoscope images here.

Retail Therapy

I was recently corresponding with my dear friend, Dutchbaby, and a few of her lines really caught my imagination. This is what she said, "I got my hair cut and bought a packable, travel sun hat today - I feel very "au courant". I ate at the Popover Cafe and ate a Chicken "Pop" Pie - it was so good, I forgot my name. I resisted buying the art deco retro jewelry and handbag---so far. Retail therapy - it's a potent drug."

Isn't it just?



I've been taking pictures lately in the little gift shops I've been visiting during my lovely, girlfriend play dates. In honor of that most potent of drugs, retail therapy, here are a few peeks at some my favorite shops in this corner of Missouri.



Until I started teaching at 31, I always had two jobs. One, for an income, and one for love. I never made any money at the job I had for love alone because I always picked a perfect little gift shop. My Dad described them as, "carrying everything you don't need, but really, really want." I would always spend more than my salary right there in the shop. I learned so much working with all the talented woman who owned those lovely shops. Most of all, I learned to do what you love and to create beauty in every environment.



I also learned firsthand how much heart and soul goes into even the simplest of things. I learned never to take some one's talent for granted and to pay be willing to pay a person for their skill. I began to cringe at the too-frequently-muttered phrase, "That's so simple, I could make that myself." Maybe you could, but don't say it out loud. Please.



I learned that if you admire a person's shop, their art, their personal style, speak up - tell them. We often think that the people we admire are a breed apart. That they are different from us in some significant way. We think that if we can recognize their talent, they surely must have abundant confidence in it themselves. That is not always true.



Even in the cases when it is true, people need compliments. We all do. Honest compliments are one of the essentials of the Good Life. Right up there with hugs and a great lipstick. Yes, we could live without them, but why would be want to?



Browsing in a gift shop is one of life's great joys. Time spent in the right shop is a perfect way to pass the time in a dreamy, pleasant sort of way. I love the chance to touch, hold, smell all the goodies someone else has chosen. I love to see how someone else chooses to display merchandise. I love to shop in tiny stores with amazing vignettes. It is inspiring to observe how someone talented can tell a story with just a few objects. I love the chance to let my imagination play and have free reign to recreate my own home. I enjoy chatting with the shop keeper and having the opportunity to make new friends.



What about you? Where do you spend your retail therapy hours?

Happy weekend, my friends. May you have plenty of retail therapy opportunities, just when you need them.

What's Your Story?

This post should probably contain a warning label. Thanks to Paper Schmaper, I found the most wonderful treasure trove. When you have some free time on your hands, you simply must check out Waterstone's What's Your Story? project. It is incredible!

Four thousand, five hundred twenty two people wrote their own story on a postcard in celebration of the UK's National Year of Reading. J.K. Rowling, Neil Gaiman, Lauren Child, and other noted authors wrote their own postcards, which were auctioned and raised over £47,000 for literacy charities. Now that's my kind of fund-raising event! Neil Gaiman is one of my favorite living authors and you absolutely must check out his story. Just follow the links starting here.

I have spent several hours reading the postcards. One of the things I enjoyed most was the glimpse into so many different lives. There is a huge variety of stories. Several are funny. A few of them are real works of art. There are sweet, sad, poignant, and downright wonderful stories. There are quite a few entries that are mediocre and even boring. But, I love even those because the authors had the guts to attempt something. They dared put pen to paper and send a small piece of themseves out in the world.

Here are a few of my favorites:

"The Nature Of The Soul" by Zoe Badowska

"Flying" by Rachel Kolman

"Owen's Instinct" by Phillip Arthur

"Things" by Heidi Hanns

If you go to the What's Your Story gallery you can search by surname. You might want to check out the authors listed below.

~ Susan Ishida (a real favorite) ~ Kasem Ghannam ~ Teresa Celsi ~ Anton Russell ~ James Kelly ~ Peter Scott (this is for you, Girl Hula) ~ Stephen Durrant ~ Josephine Ager (another big fave) ~ Hannah Walker ~ Christopher Davenport ~ Ems Forristal ~

So, my friends, what's your story? I'm writing mine right here - one post at a time.

You might want to pre-order the postcard book featuring all the contest winners. You'll find the pre-ordering information on the main website. The gorgeous opening image comes from a Flickr photographer. However, I accidentally closed the window and lost the Flickrstream. I have just spent more than a half hour looking for that image and can't find it again. My apologizes to the photographer. If anybody recognizes this image, please let me know so I can give credit. Thanks.

Finding My Equilibrium

Lately I have been tempted to start avoiding people I know. Instead of a friendly wave or a chat with an acquaintance, I can just picture myself ducking behind pool toy displays and darting around corners in the local Wal-Mart. My reason for this crazy longing? Everyone I know keeps asking me, "So what are you doing with yourself this summer?"


Picture me scratching my head. What have I been doing this summer? Hmmm. Um.... Nothing?


I do know that the question I dread is not pointed, nor does it carry expectations with it. People are just making conversation. The problem is me. I'll explain with an email I wrote this afternoon. This is what I said,

I can relate to your "returning to equilibrium." That is how I've felt this summer. On the one hand, I struggle with feeling guilty for squandering all this precious, precious time I've been given this summer. Every day I have a niggling feeling at the back of my mind that I should be DOING something - accomplishing something. But, my more protective inner-self rears up and yells, "Back off! She needs a break!"

I know we all feel this way at times. Overwhelmed. Exhausted. Frustrated. Not yourself. That's how I felt at the end of the school year. Tired. So very tired. I love teaching. I really do. But, to do it well takes a lot of time, a lot of passion, a huge commitment not only of energy, but of heart. By June, I was just plain beat.


I'm better now. I feel refreshed. Energized. Excited. Myself.

Here's why:

This summer, I've been

cloud watching

taking family walks after dinner

waiting anxiously for the tomatoes to grow

enjoying weekly girl-friend dates

crafting with Sloane

visiting our home away from home

doing lots of movie watching

playing with my new toy

treasuring a special treat from Jeffrey

Oh what a summer!

My plan this week is to remember that taking care of myself is not wasting time. I am trying to remember that every day does not have to end with a completed to do list in order to have been a productive day. I am really trying to remember that every day doesn't need to be productive; it just needs to be lived.


So now I have my answer to the dreaded question. And, I am going to share it with you. Play along, won't you?


"Hi, Relyn. How are you? What have you been up to this summer?"


"Hi, __________. It's good to see you. What have I been doing this summer? Well, I've been taking care of myself. I've been reading, writing, blogging, and just being. I've been enjoying my family and my friends. And, I plan to travel a little before it's over. I've had a terrific summer. What about you? Tell me about your summer."


Much better.

What about you? How are you taking care of yourself this summer?

E is for...

* Ex Libris * enigma * Egypt *Ella Fitzgerald, singer * eggs: devilled, brown, farm, with cheese * eggs: Benedict, green with ham * eggs: robin’s, hummingbird, ostrich * Elizabeth Berg, author * Eeyore * elegance * Enchanted April * exotic animals * eerie stories * exuberance * Ennio Morricone, composer * experiments * eagles’ aeries * elevation maps * Ethel Lawson, mother-in-law extraordinaire * earmuffs * eye candy * elephants * equinox: vernal & autumnal * ephemera * early bird special * emeralds * esprit de corps * elementary school * Easter * elaborations * etc. * enduring love * evensong * escalators * Éclairs * egg rolls * elevenses * equality * Eva Cassidy, singer * encyclopedias * Ender’s Game * eclipse: lunar, solar * eyes: blue, hazel, green, brown, grey, kaleidoscope * elevators * empathy * Enterprise NC 1701-D * earrings * eloquence * ethereal images * Edgar Degas, painter & sculptor * excellence * eager young readers * Emerald City * embarking on new endeavors * electricity * excitement * eyeliner * effervescence * Emma Woodhouse * equatorial destinations * elves * Edith Piaf * entomologists * epaulets * Elmer’s glue * eternity in a grain of sand * Edgar Allen Poe, author * escape hatches * engagement rings * express mail * enticing invitations * each other *

Don't you just love the alphabet?

To see more work from these excellent photographers, click the individual links. E, monceau. Ex Libris, Michael de Oz. Egypt, Xavier Fargas. Egg, Crazy**RN. To find out more about the Alphabetica project, see the sidebar. To see the entire project so far, click on the Alphabetica label at the end of this post.

Squirming, Fleeting Moments

I have learned how to grab these blessings

and hold them squirming

before kissing them goodbye.

~ Madelyn Mulvaney

May the blessings of this weekend bring you laughter. May you enjoy the squirming, fleeting moments. May you kiss them goodbye with much gratitude. May you start the new week refreshed. Happy weekend, my friends.








Visit Madelyn's blog to discover lovely images and poetic thoughts. Visit ucumari's flickrstream for more wonderful wildlife photos.