Recovery

This wedding was almost more work than my own.  I kid you not.  I have to admit that I'm very glad it's finally over and done with as is my mom, my dad and pretty much most of my immediate family.  It was a ridiculous amount of work even after the wedding was over.  So now we're in recovery and enjoying the peace and respite that comes after working one's ass off.

Finally having the wedding over means I can work on Tumus more, who by the way is having it's annual Christmas in July sale from now until July 31st.  If you have a specific breed or ornament in mind now is the time to order!

Pinpinn Sale

I've been giving Pinpinn alot of thought lately.  Mostly that it's not really "doing it" for me anymore. And if I've learned anything after selling online these past few years it's that you have to learn to cut your losses and run.

 So Pinpinn, will be liquidating it's remaining inventory and closing up by the end August.  While this hurts, supply-wise I'll be able to use a good majority of my leftover felt for new ornaments in Tumus.  It also means I can focus all of my attention on that shop.  To be a business person you just have to realize that some ideas just aren't as grand as you once thought they were and to be frank I have not been investing any time into Pinpinn like I used to when it first opened. 

It's been fun while it lasted, but I think I've found my true calling with the personalized ornaments and that's a comfort if nothing else :)

Lost?

This week has been one of creative turmoil.  I've been so mentally stagnant.  It's been like that all week. So in an attempt to be productive I bought a few more hostas to add to the "dead bed" which is on the north side of the house. I had been digging most of the afternoon with a small band of robins following me.  They tend to appear when I'm out. I have robin stalkers. I was taking a breather when I noticed a baby robin and it's mama hopping around.  The mom flew off and the baby was left nested in the grass chirping wildly.

(mom, mom, mom, mom, moooooooooooooom)

 It hopped around for a good 10 minutes before I eventually ran inside to grab my camera. It took a mini adventure around 3 different back yards and 2 fence lines before it stopped, probably exhausted.

(look at it's tufts!!!)

Then out of nowhere mama reappeared with a much needed snack and several indignant skwaks at me.  This was all the motivation the baby needed to find it's way back to the nest.

I guess if I find myself lost and unmotivated this next week I should probably just eat a couple of snacks and visit my mom.  Mom's are good for lighting fires under ones butt.

A Snip, Snap Will Make Ya Pop!

I have too many beans for just two people to eat.  The last time I checked the cats didn't eat beans either so it's up to us to consume the bounty ourselves.  Silly cats, they should eat beans.  They don't know what they're missing...maybe they do, but cats certainly can not make beanstaches.

p.s. Nothing says summer more than the middle afternoon buzzing of cicadas in full force...that and the humidity.

My "Extra" Thanksgiving Day

Traditionally Thanksgiving is in the Fall, November to be exact, and it's a day filled with relatives, overeating, football, homemade rolls and catnaps.  But for a lot of folks the 4th of July is like a mini-Thanksgiving in the middle of summer.  There's no turkey and probably not too many homemade rolls or pumpkin pies, but there's still a lot of overeating, football and  "thank yous" that happen.

Sometimes the thanks comes more as a bear hug, an upward "sup" nod or in this case an early Easter egg hunt.

And sometimes they're said to people who've already paid their dues and moved on. 

Really though to me the 4th isn't always about freedom or our country's history. It's about knowing that you can go out and enjoy a few hotdogs and watch fireworks with one hell of a hard working brother and know that he's safe and you're safe because everyone's sacrifice, no matter the size, is equal.