Happy Halloween!

I may very well live in another culture with a whole different way but, that doesn't mean I don't think about my own cultural going-ons. Here we are on Halloween and I have so many fond memories of dressing up going trick or treating and I will cherish those forevs. I wonder what the most popular costumes will be this year?? However, as an adult I don't exactly miss Halloween but, I do wish everyone especially all the kiddos and my friend and family with kiddos a huge safe and Happy Halloween!!

guate rigs rule!

Let me just start by saying that it is a crying shame that I only captured 2 of the many amazing rigs I saw in Guatemala. It's not surprising there are these fantastic genius rigs everywhere you look. Everywhere your eye lands in Guate you see handicrafts and handmade stuffs galoure! It's just a dreamland for critters like me.

I think the use of this bottle is pure genius as a drainage spout!!




Whoa!! One of those big ol' rectangle plastic water bottles as a lamp shade! SWEET!

I love Guatemala and will be going back asap.

a freebie from the thrift store

This beauty was given to me for free as I was admiring her in a thrift store....the owner of the shoppe was by me and said if you like that junk you can have it! After I gasped at that comment, I was all, ok! Even though I noticed that one of her hands was broken off I really wanted to keep her and put her somewhere nice. So, here she is in a plant in front of my casita!

Sunny Park Day in Seattle

If you look very closely, across the pond to the right up near the tree line you can see a wooden sign thingy. Well, we had the bright idea to take a 'timer' photo of us. Todd was put on duty!

Below is our first attempt and the 2nd photo is our successful one! (Erin and I counted down the 10 seconds out loud! I love how chill hanging out we look!!!)

What a perfect park day!! 

And they say it's always crappy & overcast in Seattle. Pssshaw!

flora

I love plants. I have quite a few, nothing out of hand. It's interesting though, most of my favourite plants are plants that my Grandmothers had. My Orange Grove Granny always had a 'Lipstick' plant on her front porch & lots of Christmas Cacti. My other Granny had Staghorns, Rabbits Foot and a big Hydrangea bush [she would toy with the colour of the blooms by putting different acidic things around the base of the bush!]. 

Here are pictures of my Stag!

I love my Stag and hope it grows to be gigantic like my neighbour, Beverly's! Her biggest one is bigger than my Volkswagen, seriously. And she has two others that are almost as big that have 'broken off' of her main plant and then a few other ones ranging in size. She waters hers and throws overripe bananas in the top for food! It must be really good for them because she has the biggest most gorgeous Stags I've ever seen and being from the South, I've seen my share of them!
Last summer I was in Beverly's backyard one day chit chatting as she was watering her plants and as she squirted the hose into the top of her Mama Stag a whole family of possums cam tumbling out!!! That's how big it is! AND.....that's what had been driving my dogs bonkers the previous week!

Valentine's Day 1974

Valentine's Day (my first real one).

I wish I still had this stuffed animal, wait, I think I'd rather have that chair!

a memoir: Orange Grove Granny

I've lost my last living grandparent. My Paternal Grandmother whom I've called my Orange Grove Granny most of my life. The story goes that I distinctly started calling her Granny in the Trees at a very early age. Orange Grove Granny lived in the middle of the orange grove that my Poppy farmed (as opposed to my Granny that lived in town). It was his parents land that they bought when they landed in the States from Poland.

My Orange Grove Granny was Ruth Hendry Odowski. 
Born in 1919, she lived to be 89.

Eating watermelon on the shore of Lake Alfred in July 1956.

  She survived her husband (my Poppy) Narcys Odowski.

And her 3 children survived her!

Pictured here from left to right: Aunt Judy (Judith Novack) holding 'the baby', 

Aunt Ellie (Eleanor Miles) and my dad, David Narcys Odowski.

I particularly love this picture of her. ...the caption on the back written by
Aunt Judy reads, 'Mom didn't spill her Eggnogg even though she looks
like she did!'....so cute!!! My Orange Grove Granny has always reminded
me of Julia Childs (perhaps a reason of my utter love for Julia??).

Valentine's Day 1974. 

A wee me in the lap of my Orange Grove Granny.