"Happy Celebration"

❤Let us all celebrate whenever possible. My mom did at 85 and enjoyed every moment!
Her smile said it all! She was definitely the "Queen" for the day! She also looked like a million bucks and then some! We ate at mom's favorite restaurant and had a birthday cake back at the house. It was a lovely day, so we extended the celebration for as long as we could. SO mom had two desserts, one at the restaurant, so everyone could sing H.B. to her and then, again, back home. You can never sing and eat cake to many times!!!

Take a look at the "Queen Bee" on her Birthday!

                                                Just love this little lady.......always smiling!

                                       The hat was a gift and just perfect for the occasion.

                                    Delicious Strawberry creme cake with almonds and glaze.








Now I am back home and in the garden. I brought some outdoors in with these flowers from the garden. How nice to be able to cut flowers and enjoy the sweet aromas! I love this time of year.
Don't you?

Thanks for all the birthday wishes for my mom, she was thrilled that she was thought of!
Happy day to everyone, I will be back with some sewing and knitting WiP in my next post  :  )

Anyone reading any good summer books? I just finished "The Thirteenth Tale" by Diane Setterfield, it was good, a little unusual, bit of a mystery with twists and turns.



xoRobin❤

Update and Weekend

Hi Everyone,
Thank you so much for all your comments on the bird nest dilemma. They were all so helpful and such wonderful ideas, unfortunately I did not get a chance to do any of them. I hate to report but an animal must have gotten the eggs during the night of my post because they were gone. Not a trace of cracked eggs or anything.....I think something ate them whole. The nest was so low, I guess they didn't have much of a chance.  :  (
I'm not going to post a picture of the empty nest.  (

On a happier note we are off to Pennsylvania to visit my mom. It is her 85th Birthday. So I will see you all right after we get back. In the mean time I hope everyone has a nice weekend.


                                                                     Jack in the Wild

You may wonder where Jack goes with all my visits. Well, he goes to doggy day care of course. He loves it, it is called "The Ranch"!


Thanks again my friends and I thank you for popping into my world.

xoRobin❤

"Not Again"!

Hello my friends thank you for stopping in, its great to see that you are visiting!

Do you remember this time last year when we had a guest visiting us and stayed for quite some time. Really was quite bold I must say. Well, it has happened again.....and in the most inconvenient residence.



Here take a look

                                     See this deck chair? Well, wait till you see the next picture.

Right on the chair seat! What are we going to do? We have waited so long to have nice weather to be outside and now this. I don't know how it could have happened so quickly.

                     First there were 2 eggs and then the next day 3. (didn't get photo of that)

                                          Today there were 4 eggs. What am I going to do??
                                                          What would you do? Help!!!!!!!

I was able to get a photo of the mommy bird seating on her nest from inside the house looking out.
Oh, forgot to mention, it is a Robin again.



Here are some home photos of some gardening and straighten up over the weekend. We had such beautiful weather. It could not have been any nicer.

                                         Flower basket with nasturtiums, lobelia, and daisies

                        Small herb container, more to come.     curly parsley, rosemary, basil

                                                                              Pansies

                                                          Cosy spot, great reading spot

                                                         Another cosy spot for rocking




But back to my dilemma, what to do, do I move the chair, anything else would make the mother never come back. I am sad because I think if we want to use our deck, the nest has to go. But I don't want to do that............suggestions please, what would you do?

Mr. Owl and I and Jack, of course, say good bye. Hope you have some comments for me and my predicament.


Thanks for stopping in, xoRobin❤

2 Trips to the Vineyard and Back

Oh my, it's been a whirly wind! Excellent, but fatiguing. Two trips to Martha's Vineyard, one on the weekend and one two days later. "Trouble in the Vineyard". First trip great until I discovered washing machine tank 2mm from overflowing. Believe me that would have been a disaster, if I hadn't gone to open up the house. It would have flooded until Memorial Day, our next time down!!!! BUT I found it, panicked a little, and then got to work solving the situation. Spin cycle every 4 hours for the rest of the weekend, purchasing a new stackable W/D and back down 2 days later for installation! Meanwhile plumber came and put in a valve to turn off water just for the washer! Hurray, problem taken care of, until the next.....hope there is not a next : )            (we all know that won't happen, there is always a next)



1st trip down pictures

The NEW huge Martha's Vineyard Ferry. It has a double decker car lift inside. I was on the second level for the first time ever. It was a little scary, but completely safe.

                                                        Jack didn't know what to think!

                         Arranged some fresh cut flowers from the yard, in my test tube vases

My heart stone collection, mantel with my bunting for the 4th, my sea glass collection, and my newest blocks

These are the only flowering plants at the moment, more to come as the weather continues to get warm and stay warm!





Second trip

I don't know why you would want to see my old and new washer and dryer, but for my record I've decided to document it.   Sorry to bore you.





And then for the scariest part.........look what I had to drive home in for some of the 4+ hour drive.


                                                           


                                                               "Such threatening sky's".

It was so dark and it was daylight!!!!! (soon to be dusk) 

There was thunder and lightening almost at the same time, which means I was in the heart of the storm. I called my husband to let him know.........in case anything happened. Yes, I was scared and timid to be driving. But I'm hear to tell the story.

Thanks for reading my story and mostly for visiting my blog. I love, the fact, that I have so many friends that have gathered here and continue to visit. I have such fun visiting all of you and seeing what you have been up to. Have a wonderful weekend and see you next week.

xoRobin❤

More fun Part 2

I'm back and excited to share Day #2 in the BIG APPLE. So a good night's sleep was had by all. Our weary feet got rested and now ready to go. I wanted to wear my ballet style shoes because we were going to be going to Lincoln Center, yes we did, for a play. I wanted to feel metropolitan with the rest and not a Vermont bumpkin.
Off to a fabulous Sunday Brunch at Prime Meats in Brooklyn. Yes, I know not the title of what you would except for a breakfast spot, but by night it is an upscale restaurant. I had french toast with such sweetness and crispiness and of course real maple syrup, probably from Vermont!!! Fresh squeezed OJ, fruit and coffee. Oh, how I love my morning coffee. Everyone loved their meals....bacon was on everyone plates too!

Then off to Manhattan by car. We parked somewhere and walked and took the "T" (subway) for the rest of the day.
Well, now I have to tell you I was like a little kid because we were headed to TIME SQUARE. It has been a dream of mind to stand in Time Square and look up and see the lights and billboards and people and just become one with the whole experience. That is just what I did!! I have to be honest with you as we approached TS and as I was walking up the last stretch of sidewalk, I felt my legs go weak! I know that sounds so lame, but I told you in advance, I was like a child on Christmas Morning!

Here we go some photos of all this and me with my favorite Morning Show, GOOD MORNING AMERICA!!!!! (of which I am obsessed with Robin Roberts, I love them all but she is my favorite next to Diane Sawyer who is now doing the 6 o'clock Evening News.

                                                               There I am in my Glory





Here are some shots of Time Square and the tall buildings, lights and bill boards

                              The 2012 is the picture of the ball in TS that drops at midnight!!





                                                                             Next up

Bubba Gump Restaurant famous from Forest Gump movie and Sprimp, Statue of Libery person/stature and to think I could have had my picture taken (I passed that up), Shows in town, Lion King, Old Memphis Theater, Hard Rock NYC, and the Phantom of the Opera (one of my favorites, I think I have seen it 4 times)

We also went to an Exhiblt in Time Square featuring The Terracotta Warriors, defenders of the China's First Emperor. These were life-size soldiers, 6 feet tall, 2,000 years old and the First Emperor's Legacy. It came direct from China with the terracotta warriors, other treasures and artifacts from ancient China.

We were able to squeeze this in before our real surprise!!!

                                                             Next our Special Treat

We travelled down to Lincoln Center where Juilliard School is and the Theater District. We saw "War Horse" the play. It was fabulous!!! The set was so well done and the horse(s) were full size and so realistic. Three actors worked the horse puppets each. They galloped, snorted, swished their tails and had personalities with their movement. If you don't know the story, it takes place with WW1, where the Royal horses had to go to war and the love of one particular horse named "Joey" who we all wanted to come home safely. Much more involved, but that is the main idea. We so enjoyed the story and the acting. Our seats were superb!

                                               Lovely shots from the Streets of Manhattan

Everything was so stunning and a real treat to see. I wanted to stay longer.....so much more to see and do. It just means we will have to visit again and more often. 

I wanted to leave you with a special picture of "The New Freedom" building being built to replace one of the Twin Towers on that horrible day 9/11. The first one is officially the tallest building in NYC now, but is not finished. There will then be another skyscraper built beside it also.

Can you believe I can't identify the photo and I don't want to put the wrong one up soooo, I will end with a skyline view of NYC.

Thanks so much for sticking with me on my journey. It was so much fun to share and relive it  again through my blog. 

Be back soon with a sewing project and book review!

Be well, stay positive and be kind

xoRobin❤

I ❤ Vacations Part 1

Well, I have been back a week from the Big Apple, New York City vacation and it was so much fun. We had a lovely time with our daughter and her boyfriend. We stayed in Brooklyn and travelled and walked all over Brooklyn and Manhattan! We ate all our meals out and had the best time trying all new places. We had Thai, Italian, and American Fusion, yummy breakfasts and brunches. It was all so delicious. We had fabulous weather, sun and a little breeze, especially by the water and between the tall city buildings. It is so wonderful to go to a city where someone else knows all the places to see and all the best restaurants and how to get there. That is how it was for us, we had the perfect tour guides and company.

So after we got there on Friday after a five hour drive that really went quite well. The only trouble we had was in finding the hotel. Our GPS did not recalculate the detour and we went round and round in city traffic, but we made it and then all was fine. We meet up with the kids and I had a great fish dinner of hake with kale and beans and wow was it good. I love to eat out because quite honestly I don't really like to cook that much any more. I hate to admit it, but I think it's true. Sometimes its fun like around holidays!!!
So anyway, sorry for the side note, we parted ways so we could all get a good nights sleep for our full day on Saturday. Bed felt great!


Woke up Saturday morning to the sun rise right from our hotel window. It was beautiful, take a look. I think it was 6am.

                               It doesn't get much better then this. I'm so happy I woke up!

                                                         I watched it rise and it was fast!



We got ready for our day and soon met up with the kids and Betty. Remember Betty!?!

We went to this fantastic park in Brooklyn where between 8 and 9am it is a dog park and the dogs do not have to be leashed. Well, let me tell you it was so much fun to see so many dogs in one place playing and romping and just being happy. I didn't see or hear any major fights maybe just a few scruffels. Look at some of these dogs and scenery, you wouldn't even know you were in a city.

                             As you can see it was a beautiful day and a Spring was sprung!


From there we had a delightful breakfast at this small restaurant near L and M's apartment in Brooklyn. It was so good, I think I had eggs, homemade toast, bacon and warm potato salad with great favor from sesame oil. It was just right for the next bit of walking and touring around the neighborhood.

From here we walked down by the water and saw L's studio.

Her studio is on the 3rd floor of this awesome brick building and artists dream.

Her space above and below the corridor of some of the other studios (oops---blurry)

Next to the water which was right here and look what we got to look at!

                                           Yes, the Statue of Liberty!! What a beautiful sight.

More walking to see Red Hook by the Channel which is the part of Brooklyn that L and M live.

                                                                     Fancy painting        

                                                          Scene from pier at Red Hook


Next we had a walk to see Dumbo a part of Brooklyn and Brooklyn Heights and the Brooklyn Bridge, which we will actually walk over to go to a mystery dinner in Manhattan that night.

                                                                  Park near Dumbo

                                                 View of the Brooklyn Bridge from Dumbo

                                           Jane's Carousel constructed in Philadelphia 1922

                                                                  Carousel in action

So beautiful and detailed

B Bridge from Dumbo

Now we are approaching the Bridge, after a quick rest in our hotel to get ready, for our mystery evening

The boardwalk is above the car traffic and is meant for foot and bicycles. Honey and I had our feet in sync.

Such iron work and beautiful stone work

                    View from top......Yes sire that is the Empire State Building, the tallest

                                 The American Flag as we are approaching the end! Just breathtaking

                                                    Archway to Manhattan a lovely sight

                                                               Some of the sights
                           Statues, City Hall, Flowers everywhere, Brownstones everywhere too

Just look at this plain Jane exterior, but no it was our Mystery surprise. NO SIGN, just simple, on a corner, no frills, door didn't open......

BUT you turn the corner and there was this lovely red brick, some plantings, then a small garden room and an entrance.....still no sign

You walk into this quaint and upscale two room restaurant. It was just so unique and lovely. The menu was so beautiful and delish. 

We had the best time. You couldn't help but feel like a celebrity for the night. I have to admit I did scan the room a few times for the rich and famous. I felt like the rich and famous.

IT was a memorable day and night.

The end of a perfect Day! Yes, all this in one day.......soooooo there will have to be a Part 2!!!

I hope you enjoyed our Brooklyn/Manhattan day. There is so much more to follow, Sunday was an award winner. I promise to get back soon, I think on Wednesday.

Much love and well wishes to all who visit. Stay well, keep positive and be kind❤

xoRobin❤