creative life

A New Visitor to Our Backyard. Come See!

Posted by Barbara Techel

It was perfect last night in the low 70s for a fire in the chiminea. The humidity that had been upon us for quite some time, now gone, and a welcome relief.

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It was so quiet and still in our backyard with just a wee hint of fall in the air. The geese have started their nightly routine of flying overhead from the field behind our house, like runners gearing up for a marathon. There was also a Sandhill Crane family that graced us with their presence as they glided above our heads, too.

The sun, high in the west during the early summer, now shifting further down on the horizon. All this life of nature around me is such a comfort and feels like a warm security blanket wrapping itself around me. And cue my favorite song  I play over and over as fall begins to gracefully ebb it’s way to us…and which I’m playing over and over as I write this to you today.

…And we had a new visitor last night. One we’d never had before… A hummingbird moth! They are one what they call one of natures incredible mimics. They are fascinating to watch and not so afraid as hummingbirds tend to be. He was a busy, fast, little fellow so I had a hard time capturing him through the lens. But here is what I got for you to see and enjoy along with me!

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If this photo would have been a wee bit clearer, I think it would have been a much better shot.

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Here you can see the little guy suckling up the nectar inside this petunia which is hanging over the end of my wrought iron dachshund that sits outside my writing cottage door. It looks to me like the doxie statue is enjoying our new friend, too!

The hummingbird moth stayed around for quite some time and if anyone would have taken a picture of John and I it would have surely shown two smiles grinning from ear to ear as we enjoyed each moment with our new visitor.

Such are these simple moments that make my heart expand that I give thanks for. And I do hope that our new friend will come again. But for now, here is a short video I found on Youtube that I thought you might enjoy of the miracle that is the hummingbird moth.

And a quick update on the second batch of baby Robins in the hydrangea tree right outside my writing cottage window…they have spread their wings and flown the nest. I was a bit melancholy  this morning when I went out to water and they weren’t there. But I noticed one of the branches of the tree had broken, so I cut the hydrangea blossoms hanging from the limb, placed them in a vase, and I’m enjoying them on my writing desk behind the photo of a woman I greatly admire for living by the beat of her own creative and meaningful drum, Tasha Tudor.

Both serve as a reminder of how nature is always changing around us, the lessons of living a creative and meaningful life, and that life marches on…and that I need to get on with it too.

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Happy Monday to you!

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Miss Marie and Her One-of-a-Kind Pillows, Handbags, and Purses Now on Etsy

Posted by Barbara Techel
Miss Marie and Her One-of-a-Kind Pillows, Handbags, and Purses Now on Etsy
Marie with her dog Indy surrounded by her pillows and tons of fun fabric in her home

My artistic and lovely friend, Miss Marie, who lives in the big two-story white house on the corner, one block down from the post office in our quaint town of 947, shared some exciting news with me today.

I like to think I had a little to do with this as I bugged her gently on and off about this for awhile now. But over tea for me and coffee for her, she told me she finally has an Etsy shop. I’m so excited for her!

And I’m excited for so many others who can now buy her beautiful handmade one-of-a-kind pillows, handbags and purses. She has just a few things up in her store right now at Marie Monica Designs. But I’m sure she will be adding to it as she can. And I was lucky because I got to see her new style of handbags this morning which are very, very fun!

You might recall that last year I shared a photo of my gorgeous dragonfly pillow that I just had to have. It resides in honor on my peach wicker chair in my writing cottage where Gidget often keeps it company like she is today.

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If Gigets looks a bit tired here it’s because when I got home from tea with Marie I found the rug in the kitchen chewed up with a long fiber thread trailing it. I’m not sure what all went on when I was gone, which isn’t like her or Kylie. I don’t know if they were in this together or what in the world happened.

I’m praying like all heck though that none of the chewed up rug fiber ended up in her belly! Please say a little prayer. I’d hate to have a repeat of this as this very similar thing happened to Frankie ten years ago. She ended up having to have emergency surgery… and just in the nick of time.

Holding my breath here this won’t be the case for Gidget, while also trying not to worry as that does not help anything. No sense worrying unless there is truly something to worry about, right?  At least I know the signs to watch for.

But I digress… back to Marie’s exquisite, whimsical, finely sewn works for art…

This is a new design on Marie’s Etsy site of a bee hive pillow. What I especially love is that all her piece’s are one of a kind, so you won’t see it anywhere else and it means it’s the only one like it she will make.

It’s always such a treat to spend time with Miss Marie. To be surrounded by all her art, petting her dog Indy, and catching up on what’s new for each of us always leaves me inspired…and grateful to call her friend.

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My Zen Writing Cottage. Phase Two Begins – Nine Years Later.

Posted by Barbara Techel

My Zen Writing Cottage. Phase Two Begins - Nine Years Later.

You know the saying, “Good things come to those who wait?”

It was late summer 2007 when my dear John built me my writing cottage. A place of my own, off the corner of our deck. My private sanctuary to listen to the birds, write, feel connected to the world, or just a quiet place where I can think or just be.

The world turned upside down in 2008 when the economy sunk to an all time low. We were so scared, like many, that we may lose so many of the things we worked so hard for – John’s construction business or our home, or both.

We had to make some difficult decisions regarding our retirement savings, but we couldn’t risk losing the home we had come to love so dearly- our safe haven.

This also meant any landscaping we wanted to do, plus a white picket fence I wanted around my writing cottage, had to be put on hold.

It didn’t matter. We had a roof over our heads. We learned to cut even more from our personal overhead expense and from the construction business overhead. And we knew we were so much better off than many. We had nothing to complain about. We would do what we needed to survive.

Though there was much uncertainty and at times scary, we grew by leaps and bounds. Our determination and love grew stronger. We were a team and planned to stay one, no matter what.

And today as I sit in my writing cottage, the Pandora radio station playing Tuscany instrumental music, the wind blowing a brisk breeze for May, the sun shining, and the birds a flutter outside my window, Gidget curled up on the wicker chair next to me, I give thanks for the life I have.

Just outside the long five foot windows of my writing cottage, my heart smiles as John puts skirting around the bottom of my cottage. And this week if all goes as scheduled, the landscaping with an English garden theme will begin.

The long wait, though frustrating at times, has made it all the sweeter. And oh, how I look forward to the warm days ahead to see the flowers blooming all around me as a warm breeze will soon blow through the open windows too– and I shall be sitting here in complete bliss inside this sacred space that means the world to me.

And I picture myself a bit like Tasha Tudor, who loved to walk around her flowers for a little break in her day, a corgi or two in the lead.

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I do believe I just might think I’ve died and gone to heaven!

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