My Beautiful Kristina ...

... my oldest daughter, the one who to this day is suffering because I have never treated her the same as I have treated her younger sister. Kristi's pain is tearing me apart.

... some of you might ask why I'm having such a hard time right now ...

My beautiful Kristina is in a lot of pain, and there is your answer. It's my fault and I don't know what to do about it. How to repair it.

How's THAT for the honest-to-God truth? -- D.

is this my life? is this my brother?!

okay, so who is this guy? anyone recognize him? every since I got up yesterday, I feel like I'm living in an episode (if it hadn't been a full-length movie) of 'Napoleon Dynamite' - which is, in turns, the stupidest - funniest - wierdest - zaniest - out of left field - MOVIE - I may have ever seen. I mean - the first time I saw it, I thought "that was just DUM dumb". You know? But within 2 days, lines from the movie kept repeating themselves in my head (first sign of mental illness?) and I could not stop laughing.

Who really says to their prom dance partner, "I like your sleeves. they're really big" COME ON. Yet, that is my fave line from the movie. It's just so - out there. LIKE MY LIFE.

So ... I post this photo today, because he could be MY brother (glad he's not, but still ... you know what I mean). He could be YOUR brother. And in the end, what the hell would be wrong with that!? NOTHING. It just would be what it would be.

life has just thrown me for a big fat loop this weekend, and for today, I am adopting KIP as my new family member. -- D.

In the Garden

" Gardening is an instrument of grace. "

-- May Sarton

I am ever-grateful for the devoted caretaking that Mark lavishes on our property -- the wild and the tame spaces alike thrive under his watchful eye, under his tender care.

It can look ... thrown together by nature ... planned by man ... neither, or both ... on any given day.

One thing it ALWAYS is: beautiful. restorative. peaceful. charming. free-spirited. a haven, for wildlife and humans alike.

We are -- I am -- truly blessed.

-- Davielle
9-4-08

Housework can be SO Overwhelming

Honestly, is there anyone who can truly say they "adore" housework? I didn't think so. Some may enjoy the feeling of satisfaction after it's done, they can appreciate "a job well done". But does ANYONE really LOVE the cleaning itself? That's what I thought.

For all of us who really are ALLERGIC TO HOUSEWORK (myself included), I decided to get REEEEEAAAALLLLY honest and post a photo of just one corner of my desk at home. Yes, that's right: I try to sit at THIS MESSY DESK, surrounded by more piles that look very much like THIS one, and I try to be - clever, creative, communicative, productive.

And it's not just about CLEANLINESS - in my case, it's about SLOPPINESS. MESSINESS. CLUTTEREDNESS. Basically, our home is clean. It's just MESSY. Yikes!

It does not make any good sense. Does it? Really, how can I be free to create and produce, when I am totally overwhelmed by - my messy ways?

SO back to committing (again!) to HOME AS MY HOBBY. It's like I need a 12-step program for perpetual MESSY-MONGERS or something. Aaaarrggghhhh!

This will improve - I'll show you. Really, I will.

-- D.

MY GRATEFUL HEART ...

... praise God, my brother had a successful surgery this morning at Tri-City Hospital. His prognosis is good, he should be back home tomorrow, and our family is much relieved this evening. We all thank you for your love, support, and continued prayers. With gratitude to you all -- Davi

My Brother's Heart ...

Thank you, everyone, for your kind thoughts and sweet prayers on behalf of my brother, who will have heart surgery tomorrow, 9-2-08, so that they can "install" a defibrillator. Your continued good thoughts are much appreciated by our family. LOVE to you all -- Davi

DRAW SOMETHING EVERY DAY

Some / most of you know that I am an interior designer; and some of you know that I am the first to confess: I couldn't draw my way out of a paper bag (as they say, whoever "they" are!).

I was content (honestly, I was THRILLED) to get those "C" grades in my drafting classes. I'm not kidding.

So a little over a year ago, when my friend Ann suggested I re-connect with an acquaintance who teaches WATERCOLOR JOURNALING, I think I replied along the lines of "ME? ha! no way - I can't do that". Then I checked out my friend's blogspot, http://janeville.blogspot.com/ and I was so taken with the beautiful watercolor journaling that Jane LaFazio does - that I was tempted. Sorely tempted. REALLY tempted.

Tempted enough, in the end, that I signed up with another friend, Cynthia, to take Jane's fantastic Watercolor Journaling workshop - which was held on a full day at a beautiful Retreat in Cardiff. WOW. I did it!

It was due in large part because just before I committed to the class, I heard that "ONE SHOULD DO SOMETHING SCARY - EVERY DAY".

Step outside your comfort zone, take on your fears, tackle something that you're afraid won't turn out right - just so you can say "I tried" and heck, you'll probably succeed in the end -- so with that new mantra in my head, I signed up.

I am so glad I did.

Just after that Workshop in 2007, Mark and I headed to Mexico for ten days - Mark was in a week-long stage race (bicycle) and we had a blast with our friends ... and for those who know me, just GOING ON THAT TRIP was a HUGE STEP outside my comfort zone. It was mind-blowing!

So to add to whatever fears I might have traveled with, throughout Mexico, I chose to take along my watercolor journaling supplies - and yes, I watercolor-journaled my thru the trip. Yes, I did.

I have posted a photo of a page I did with my grandson, Trevor, last year ...

Back to my being an interior designer who cannot (really) draw so well ... taking that workshop opened my eyes and my heart and my mind to -- all the terrific possibilities there are out there for us to TAKE ON SOMETHING SCARY -- for me, that was drawing.

For now, I leave you with THIS wonderful quote, which I found today in an architectural-forum brochure that I receive:

"Do not fail as you go on, to draw something every day, for no matter how little it is, it will be well worthwhile, and it will do you a world of good." -- Cennino Cennini