Happy Day

Today is my 29th birthday. Siiigh. Where did the time go?

It has been a lovely day - a lovely week...a lovely year - truly, a lovely life. I am so grateful for so many people, so many opportunities, so many gifts.

We cleaned up Jefferson Memorial Forest this morning as part of a community-wide clean up day. Then, the Kellers met us for lunch - a freezing-cold, chapped-hands, is-it-really-spring sort of lunch. Then Eric got some things planted in the yard and we had a lovely dinner, walking to Amici's here in Old Louisville.

Thanks to everyone for the happy birthday wishes - it truly was a perfect day.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter to you, if you celebrate this holiday. Happy Spring to everyone - it's more welcome to me than those things I gave up for Lent. Now, if it would JUST get warmer....

Some quotes that have struck chords with me lately (from my workbook for the class on Deep Ecology I'm taking):

"Art is the elimination of the unnecessary." -Pablo Picasso
"If what we have we receive as a gift, and if what we have is to be cared for by God, and if what we have is available to others, then we will possess freedom from anxiety." -Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline
"...we have come to define progress as the degree to which our lives become more artificial, the degree to which we surround ourselves with man-made systems." -Theodore Roszak
"I think a deeper feeling of care begins with allowing ourselves to move into awe -- with all of the different creatures, no matter which ones we've picked." -Brian Swimme
"How can you buy or sell the sky, the warmth of the land?...If we do not own the freshness of the air and the sparkle of the water, how can you buy them?" -Chief Seattle

The last one was interesting, because they used it in the documentary, "F.L.O.W.: For Love Of Water" that they're showing at Baxter Avenue this week. I feel connected when I hear sentiments repeated from one life aspect to another. It makes me think I'm onto something, good or bad.

I hope this Spring will find me riding my bike more, creating healthier and yummier meals for friends and family, and really getting stuff growing in my yard and in paint. What are your spring goals?

Almost-Spring Fun

The connect-the-dot patterns of the tree limbs against the sky indicate (as if my stuffy nose needed a clue) that Spring is indeed upon us. It's sneaking around and jumping out when you least expect it - in green shoots scattered across the ground, in sunlit afternoons, in the robins eying you suspiciously. Then, if you live in Louisville, it slides back into hiding and, oh, decides to snow on Easter.

We were able to take advantage of the lovely weather on Good Friday as some of the Kathman clan (Sam, Will, Grace and Clara) came into town. The boys got haircuts while the girls walked around the Douglass Loop. Then came lunch and some fun times at Incredible Dave's with our Keller cousins. Afterwards, we hiked around E.P. Tom Sawyer Park, and then it was home for the Kellers and church for the rest of us. We wanted to replicate that outdoor fun on Saturday, and we made a noble attempt. But, alas, the temperature had dropped (in true Ohio Valley fashion) to several dozen degrees lower than the previous day.

Here are a few photos from this weekend. Enjoy!

BONUS VIDEOS:
> Sam flipping at Incredible Dave's
> Grace's wiggly tooth

Sledding Down Dog Hill

So you wake up and think, "My! I've lost an hour and my to do list hasn't gotten much shorter. Hmm. I think I'll go SLEDDING!" This is logical, right?

Need more of a fix? Check these out:
> Our friend Mike and me avoiding the ramp
> Eric avoiding the ramp
> Me very slowly NOT avoiding the ramp (lame dash O)

Now, back to work!

Thunder, thunder, thunder, thunderSNOW!

I didn't witness any thundersnow, but I snicker every time I hear the term. I love it.

Here are more snowy day pictures. Eric and I waded out this morning to the corner grocery store to get milk and eggs. It's nice to know we didn't need to plow the car out.

Keep warm and snuggly today!

March in Kentucky

Come on little plants! Stick it out!

It will be a busy weekend; conferences are next week and I'm volunteering to do a side-by-side art project with two middle schoolers tomorrow. Then, after that...

Gotta get on the paintings! I hope my next post will be filled with productivity and well-thought-out brush strokes.

On a separate note: OPEN HOUSE WEDNESDAYS are still on! We've so enjoyed catching up with friends and family on a weekly basis. The house has never been so consistently clean. Please e-mail me by Tuesday morning if you can make it (Meeb1@aol.com) so I know how much food to buy and how many wine glasses to set out. :)

Hope to see you soon!