Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Irene Casualty

For many of the twenty years that we have lived here on Broad Creek we have watched various birds come and go - building nests and raising their young.  One of our favorites has been the woodpecker.  We would hear him pecking in several different trees around the yard, and then watch him (or her) hop in and out of a hole high in one of the locust trees.

This past weekend hurricane Irene swept through our area.  Remembering past storms - particularly Isabelle eight years ago - we decided to evacuate to higher ground.  After 'battening down' whatever hatches we could, we left.  We returned home Sunday afternoon to find - amazingly... no flooding!  However, there were limbs down everywhere.  And, there in the garden, was the top of the woodpecker locust tree.

We could now see up close what we had looked at for so many years.  George got out his chain saw and cut up the rest of the tree top, but neither of us could imagine cutting up this piece.  Don't know yet just what we will do with it, but we'll keep it around for awhile.



Thursday, August 18, 2011

Sharing the sketchbook

Last April my daughter invited us to join her family for a week in Florida.  One morning I went out with my sketchbook and began drawing.  After just a few minutes, the youngest granddaughter (age 4) appeared, "What are you doing, Gramma Jo?"  I showed her what I was doing and she asked if she could paint, too.

We went to the table to set up some some paints for her  - I went to get her some paper. When I returned she was happily painting away in my sketchbook!  Well, why not?  She had a wonderful time.  When her sisters returned from a walk on the beach, everyone got involved... and each one did a page of her own special painting. When we returned from Florida I posted them on my facebook page - but I have not blogged about them.

So, then a few weeks ago we went to Vermont to see my other grandchildren... and of course, they needed to be in the sketchbook, too.  I am proudly including all the pages  - how blessed I am to have all these young people in my life.

This is the first one - done by Hildry, age 4. (She's now 5)  She named everything in her picture:  a house, palm tree, striped towel, rainbow, sun. water...  actually she spread her picture over two pages.

Here is Winnie's - at age 6 (she's now 7)  She loved the hammock and you can also see the people on the beach.

Leighton, age 9, also liked the hammock.  She added an alligator after we had visited the Everglades.  I love his expression!


Graeme, then age 11 (now 12) drew the morning coffee and a flower.  Not bad for a girl with a broken wrist!



This was done by Maizie - age 12.  Her Drama Queen and Drama King.  We googled drama masks and then she came up with her own.
Kieran, age 8 - and the only boy...  very creative - needs to be with all those girls.  I had brought him a couple rolls of fancy duct tape.  He chose to use the tape and cut out this figure which he taped to his page.  He is also going to paint something and send it to me... someday.

WIth treasures this wonderful, how can I not share!

Friday, August 12, 2011

The New House!

We have recently returned from a lovely vacation in Vermont.  Leaving our hot, humid mid-Atlantic weather behind, we arrived at our 'camp' on Nelson Pond.  (I do not know why they call a 'cabin' a 'camp' but that's what it is)

The week we were there we had temps in the 50-60 range at night and 70-80 during the day.  Perfect for being with the grandchildren (and their parents).  Our routine has been to have adult time in the morning and then get the kids for the afternoon - swim, arts & crafts, games, tubing...

A couple of mornings I spent time with my sketch book looking around at the things that had changed since our last visit.  There were new planters of flowers on the steps and around the yard.



 I particularly liked the one in the yellow chair!


But, the best thing was to look up the hill that overlooks Nelson Pond and see my son's NEW HOUSE peeking through the trees.  No, it's not nearly finished yet, but finally it is no longer a big hole in the ground.

In the early morning, I would get up and listen to the loons... and hear the distant sounds of hammering - my heart sang.


OK, I know this is way out of proportion - actually, the new house was a speck on the hill, but the image is much larger in my mind - a very important event in the life of the family.