Happy Snow Day!

Wow time flies. I did not realize that I had not posted in a while. It's February already  and I can describe it with one word SNOW and lots of it. Yet because of Gods wisdom he blessed us to live in a community that has a excellent snow removal team. So when it snows we can just really enjoy it. It is very enjoyable this time around for my kids since it is winter break and they don't have to catch a school bus but just rest. Snow today is our happy snow day. 

Hope you who stopped by have a Happy day as we'll.

 

Who was Miriam Carey?

I saw the footage. The frantic car chase, the chaos on the capital. I thought with many other viewers what is going on again in DC? But then my paradigm shifted. She was not a terroist. She was not a disgruntled citizen effected by the furlough. She was a sick mom suffering from postpartum depression.
Wow, enough is enough. Mental health is an issue that must be addressed. Their must be a new more detailed protocol when a love ones seeks help for their family/friend member who is mentally ill. Their must be new resources. Better records need to be kept and more folks need to be notified immediately.

 I graduated with a bachelor degree in psychology and had the pleasure of working for the county mental health department in 2 states for over 7 years. My clients had ranges of mental health issues from schizophrenia to depression. My most memorable client was almost 70 years old. She was a beautiful, tall, strong and proud African American woman. Her home was immaculate. I enjoyed my home visit with her. She was compliant with her medication and had a great supportive family. One day I came for a scheduled visit. She did not answer the door. This had never happened with her visits. I called and hung around before I left. I told my supervisor and noted this visit in my chart. I attempted phone calls to her children and to my clients. Before the week was up her son called me. "My mother is dead. She shot herself". That moment took my breath away. You see even thou I had other clients that had died over the years from health issues. She was the 1st one to kill herself. This woman had the diagnosis of unresolved postpartum deppression. Her son ended the call with my mom continued to suffer with postpartum depression even thou my sister (the clients youngest child) was over 40 years old.

My hearts and prayers go to the family of Miriam Carey, to her baby girl and to those closets to her. Miriam appears to have been a beautiful woman, mother, worker with a mental health issue that handicapped her moment. But defined our moment and given many of us a new voice and direction.
We can change and better the needs of many effected with mental health illness. The time to begin is today!

21 annual Great Falls ballon festival

The 21 annual Great Falls ballon festival was AMaineZing!! It was held last weekend August 16-18 in Lewiston, ME. My favorite part was to watch the balloons cross the Androscoggin river as we stood along the bridge. The colors of the ballon were bright & vibrant. Even thou it was a large crowd of people you had space to move and stop and gaze. I was glad to attend this event. We came at a perfect time. There were two ballon launches each day, one at 6:00am and 6:00pm. We chose the pm. The sky was clear and the weather perfect. Truly another perfect day in AMainezing Maine!

Casco Bay Lines: Bailey Island Cruise

Sheer delight is how I would describe our cruise last Saturday. I have had the pleasure of living in Maine since last September and I must say that summer is turning out to be my favorite season. I now know why the summer swells from 1million inhabitants to 6 million.  It is the natrual beauty of this state that is so enchanting.

last Saturday I did one of my favorite things and that is to take a boat ride. I took the Casco Bay lines Bailey island cruise with a group of Mainer friends.  The cruise is  narrated by the captain as it departs Cook's landing on Bailey Island at noon and cruises through Potts Harbor past Eagle Island and Haskell Island with a peek at Mackerel Cove.

The day was beautiful. Many boats dotted the bay. I enjoyed seeing and hearing the description of Admiral Peary's house. It was said that his dogs were so loud and wild that he purchased a island across the bay for the dogs to stay. Neighbors say that you would hear Admiral Peary whistle and command the dogs across the bay to settle down.

The 1 hour and 45 minute tour ended to quickly. After our tour we explored a area mainly known by Mainers called the "Giant Steps'.  This is a untouched beach area that natural stones over years have created a staircase down to the Atlantic Ocean. We could have sat on that  beach for hours listening to the ocean as it pounded the rocks.

Living in Maine remains AMaineZing!!!

Our neighbors!!!

Ducks are abundant in this community even in the off season. A neighbor was telling me that the ducks leave in May and return the 1st of November. I guess this family did not know about the travel arrangements.

Bowdoin College Reunion weekend

My hubby and I took our furry friend for a walk down Maine st in Brunswick. We enjoyed a unusually queit moment on Bowdoin campus during Reunion weekend.

Spring is alive

Spring is beautiful in Maine. The color green is bright & light all over. I was delighted this morning as I walked with my furry friend to see patches of young fiddlehead sprouting along the trail. Happy Spring!!!!!

Spring has finally arrived!!!

Maine is beautiful any season. This is truly a state that you will be moved by the trees, water, trails, animals & so much more. I've lived in southern states for the past 15 years. I did not realize how much I missed the distinct change of the season that you experience in most northern season. I don't know how long are season will be in Maine but I plan to embrace each moment.

Sping is arriving tomorrow!

I cant believe that tomorrow will be the 1st day of spring. Yesterday was beautiful. I enjoyed seeing dirt, dry lawns and deep green needles emerging from the Pine trees. I accompanied my son to his physical exam today. He was home because his school was closed today due to the snow that begin this morning, yes a day before spring. I can honestly say that I was not disappointed. When it snows in Maine it is so beautiful. To drive down a street with tall pines covered in snow on both sides of the road is picturesque.

Time has flown

Wow I can't believe that I missed most of Jan and all of Feb. All is well here in Maine. The ground has been covered with snow since Christmas day. At this very moment it is snowing. A lot of Mainers ask me often how am I and my family handling the winter. I let them know I grew up and attended college in Michigan. I know that having the proper clothing makes the winter bearable and enjoyable. I must say so far it has been a beautiful winter wonderland.

Wordless Wednesday!

The weather outside is frightful!

Let it snow!

The weather outside is frightful.... It actually is not bad. Especially when we are properly dressed for it. Christmas Day we received a wonderful gift of snow. Today another gift of snow. I have a feeling we will be unwrapping the gift of snow until at least March. I've been in TN for the past 6 years and enjoyed the very light snow. Yet I grew up & attended college in Michigan so I know snow & ice. Yes Let it snow, let it snow!!!

A wonderful snowy 1st Christmas in Maine

Wow! This is probably the first time I did not hope for snow and it came anyway. Oh how beautiful it is. It truly made our 1st Christmas here in Maine special. My hubby showered the whole family with special gifts including a meaty bone for our furry friend. We prepared tasty dishes from the Food Network's Christmas issue. We sat down by candle light and Christmas music to feast. The children finished the evening gaming and texting. My hubby and I played a game of cribbage on his new board. Since he is such a awesome teacher, I won the 1st match. Merry Christmas babe! Thankyou Lord for your son's Amazing birth and because of Him everyday is a gift to celebrate!

My 1st scented soap bar!!!!

Today I prepared my 4th batch of soap using the Hot Process method and a basic recipe of olive oil, coconut oil, and castor oil. I also added lavender essential oil & lavender buds for texture. The soap actually traced. It looked exactly like vanilla pudding. I enjoyed the whole process but I took special delight in pouring my lovely batch into my perfect soap mold that my husband handmade for me. I had another A-Maine-zing day!

My 1st wooden mold

I am to excited. My precious husband spent all Saturday working on my 1st wooden soap mold. He did a A-Maine- zing job. Thanks babe!

Discovered the masters of wood

I cant explain it but living in Maine inspires you to create. Every town has art galleries, craft shows, theater, musems and other venues that pull you in to discover your creative side. This is what has happen to my husband and I. My current art medium is soap. I spend most of my day reading and watching videos on the subject and I enjoy each moment. My husband is embraceing the art of woodworking. His current interest is woodframing. We were shopping for some tools and a cashier at a craftstore reccommended we stop in to Rockler. We did and we were blown away. The service awesome and the products premier. Molly was are sales clerk. She had such passion and knowledge well beyond her years. She also showed us a picture of a rocking chair she made. It was stunning. We stayed a while browsing asking question and getting instruction. When we returned home I took my soap out of the Pringles mold.

My 1st round soap!!

3rd batch of soap

I am excited about soap making. Today was my 1st attempt at Hot process soap making using a crock pot. It did not go as plan. I did not cook the soap long enough and I stirred the soap to soon. I salvaged the results and used a Pringles can for the mold. I will unveil tomorrow.

Exploring Maine

Today was another day of discovery in Maine. I have really taken on to learning the craft of soap making and needed to find some supplies. I figured this should be easy but it was not. I tried several stores and came up with nothing. I know there are many online resources but I wanted to search in the area I live in. One of the merchants did not have the supplies I was looking for but told me about the Long Branch School & General Store. I looked them up immediately when I returned home. I was nicely surprised to see what they are doing. The school teaches traditional skills that are almost loss in this century from blacksmith to soap making. I know that Maine is big and there are more places to search but I found much more then supplies today.

The land to create

I have always enjoyed working with my hands. Learning how to write was fun. To use a tool to create something had me smitten. When I was a adolescence my grandmother paid a lady to teach me to knit. I can't remember her name but I remember how patient and nice she was. Time stood still in that moment with her. Teaching me the knit stitch was her only agenda. I don't remember practicing that much on my own but I happily anticipated our knitting session.

In my junior year in high school I volunteered to answer phones for the special Olympics in my city. I shared a cubicle space with a kind elderly lady who was doing a technique with a canvas and needle. I enjoyed watching her. She noticed my interest and she told me about the cross stitch technique she was doing. It was beautiful and intricate, yet easy to learn. She begin to teach me. I learned the cross stitch technique easily. I continued cross stitching thru out college. It was soothing to cross stitch while watching a movie, talking with a friend or listening to music.  I stopped cross stitching the year our daughter was born. I was afraid that I would forget a needle was not put away and she would get accidentally pricked.

The following year we welcomed our second child a son into the world. By the time  both children were toddlers I felt more comfortable to try cross stiching again. The children did not bother my needles or canvas but they kept my so busy it was hard to complete a stitch. By the time I put them to bed I would be so exhausted from the day I would fall to sleep on my knees after praying with the children.

Parenting small children almost solo because my husband was in his residency didnot  allow much time to sit and think.  But time and change can bring new opportunities. I had cut my hair when our daughter was one and I wanted to learn more about managing African American hair in its natural state. I heard about a technique called Sisterlocks. I found a book and online information about classes to learn the technique. I began to pray about it. There was a 3 day class offered in Atlanta and the fee was over $600.00. My life to this point had proven that I have a spiritual gift of big faith and this was needed to get me to the class. A miracle did happen and I went to the training. John was on break and was able to care for the children. I went eager and ready to learn. What moved me the most was that the technique reminded me of cross stitching. I got excited to think that I would be paid to "cross stitch" someones hair. I ended up having a great business at home for almost 10 years.

This recent move to Maine has brought me to a new place of discovery. There are so many crafters ( or those who work with their hands) that I have been working on finding my nitch. I live in a community of writer, woodcrafters, artist, knitters, soap makers and the list goes on. Every time I am out for a walk  I run into a neighbor who is either starting or finishing a project. This has truly inspired me to find a craft. So in my search I connected to soap making. I love baking
(not cooking) and this craft mimicks the actions of a baker.  I enjoy spending hours reading and researching. I have made 2 batches of soap and preparing for my 3rd batch. Wow maine has been a unique place to live. It is a land to be creative. It's A-Maine-zing!!

This is my 2nd batch of soap!

My 1st soap bars!!!!

I have been anxiously waiting for today to unveil my 1st molded soap bars. They came out easy but they are soft to the touch. I am enjoying this soap journey. I am learning so much from online research and you tube videos on soap making. I never thought about it as a art form but it is. I am preparing to do my 1st hot process soap. It is a different process that does not need a 4 week time frame to age the soap. I day dream about the different products that I can come up with. Wow, this time last year I was not having soap dream, but what a difference a year can make.