A treasured gift

This year friends gave me a gorgeous sundial for my little garden. Here are a few pix of the plants around it as the seasons passed. Thanks to all of you who contributed. It brought me much joy.

Ansomia "blue ice" as they begin to bloom. Variegated weigela behind.      

With daffodils, tulips and grape hyacynth

Pale purple irises, ansomia blue ice, yellow yarrow, petunias, pale pink soapwort and hot pink dianthus, and purple salvia.

Russian Sage takes center stage, with pansies, rose of Sharon and balloon flowers.

A quiet moment in September

            

Chrysanthemum "Hillside Sheffield Pink" going nuts in October
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Catching up with 2014!

©illustration by Cheryl Kirk Noll

Book Dummy 2014

2014 is gone! How did that happen?
It was a great year, and here are just a few of the highlights since my last post.

My Book Dummy class was small this past fall, but the creative energy from the stellar students lit up the room.

As the holiday season neared, I was honored to receive printed books from students I've had in other book dummy classes.  What a thrill!

My Mom, Uncle Bud (the birthday boy @ 90) and Aunt Dot

I missed my Uncle Bud's 90th birthday party celebration, but I celebrated with him from afar. Here he is flanked by his two sisters, my mom on the left and Aunt Dot on the right.

Dave and I began the holiday season with a rousing concert at Beneficent Congregational Church with RPM Concert.

Judith Moffatt adding a festive air to the RISD party

Lori, Cheryl and Judith

Among many holiday festivities, I especially enjoyed a party for RISD folks at Wood-Gerry in Providence, where I met fellow instructors Judith Moffatt, Lori Surdat Weinberg and Sandy Valpey Cordts.

Story Spinners and friends (and Willow)

Another holiday highlight was a dinner party with my writer's group, Story Spinners, and an extended group of talented writers that have connections to the group. This year's get-together, complete with goal-setting for the coming year, was particularly meaningful.

I took the train to spend a week visiting my mom for Christmas. (a loooooong ride) Unfortunately, she came down with pneumonia! We celebrated anyway, and the family was very understanding about me preparing Christmas dinner... the first one I've ever done!!!

I got to visit with old friends Lydia and Merrie, went shopping with my sister-in-law, Steph, and tried to take care of my mom with a fraction of the TLC she's shown me over the years. I'm happy to report that the doctor declared her lungs to be clear, and she is feeling much better.

Family gathering at my Mom's with brother, hubby, sister-in-law and nieces.

I feel very blessed that 2014 was filled with loving family, caring friends, talented and hard-working students, gratifying work and much more.

Warm wishes to each of you for a happy, healthy, creative and satisfying year in 2015. 

Catching Up With Summer

Dave and me

How can it be the last day of summer already??? What a wonderful summer it was, too.
The weather was incredible. Only a few of those hot, humid "dog days," and literally weeks of perfection... 70's and low 80's, breezy, sunny and dry. This was MY kind of summer, for sure!

I didn't blog for months, so here's a "once over lightly" of summer 2014. 

I've been working on a few freelance illustration jobs. Sadly, I can't show them until they're published, so no pictures yet... but they've been fun to work on.

In the meantime, four wonderful students graduated from the RISD children's book certificate program this June. I'm such a proud mama hen. (Our fourth graduate, Clare, was on a plane to England, and couldn't attend.)

Bob with his family.

Sarita with her husband and mom-in-law

Marcela and Sarita bookended by two of our very fine instructors, Emilie Boon and Judith Moffatt.

I taught a summer class at RISD, with 10 talented students. It was 6 weeks, 2 days a week... a whirlwind class that I always enjoy.

Dave built a patio for our tiny back yard, and we ate dinners outside in the garden all summer. Our pear tree, which was old when we moved in 24 years ago, had it's best year ever. We estimated that it had about 300 pears, and they were delicious. Dave made his famous pear pies, and cooked them in our NEW oven!!!

One of Dave's pear pies!

Dave enjoying the view on the other side of Beavertail Point.

We took a few day trips, one to the island of Jamestown. Always a beautiful place to visit, we especially enjoy Beavertail, with the lighthouse, and a little cove over in Fort Weatherhill.

An idyllic view of Castle Hill from Fort Weatherhill

The spectacular rocks of Beavertail, on the island of Jamestown in RI.

My friend Judy celebrated her birthday in style, as Queen Judith with her court of ladies-in-waiting.  Tea, talk, great food and great weather... a wonderful day for a special friend.

The library in downtown Westerly

Dave and I took another day trip to Westerly, a town in the southwestern corner of RI, right before you cross into Stonington, CT.  Westerly's border on the north and west is the winding Pawcatuck River. The town is historic, and stately homes grace tree-lined State Street. To the south are beaches... East beach, Misquamiquit, Westerly town beach, and some shore-type food and shopping. There is also Watch Hill, filled with gorgeous shingled homes with manicured gardens.

Just one of the spectacular seaside  homes in Watch Hill, Westerly RI.

My ageless mom, and my brothers, John and Andy.

We also had a great family get-together in August. My niece, Cassie, had a party to celebrate graduating from high school. (wasn't she a baby just last year???)

We had several outings with Phil and his girlfriend Jess, and her 5-year old son Conner.

We celebrated my mother's birthday... last I heard she was 65.
;  )





Of course, there was much more... pool parties at Dot's and Linda's, dinners with Jeff and Mel, many repairs to the house done by Dave... FAN meetings...

It was a great summer. Have a great fall!

My lovely niece.

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Enough of Winter

It's hard to remember winter, now that summer has hit RI. But I was almost afraid to admit that I was in sunny Florida in February, since it was such a tough winter here.

I had a great time with my husband and mom, visiting relatives and friends, watching the sun set over the Gulf, strolling through parks and botanical gardens in 77 degree weather. Now I'm enjoying the 77 degree weather here at home!

Here are a few pictures from the trip.

leaving Mom's in PA... yuck!

We met a pet turtle on the beach... Louie, I think

We saw orchids at Marie Selby Botanical gardens

...and bamboo

... and koi

I had a craving for a strawberry milkshake, and couldn't have been happier to find this great retro ice-cream shop in Bradenton.

Susquehanna Sojourn

Lake Hopatcong

For over ten years now, I've been getting together annually with three friends from my college days at Lebanon Valley in Annville, PA. This year we stayed at a cottage in an old Evangelical United Brethern summer church camp near the Susquehanna River. The EUB merged with the Methodist Church in 1968, and the camp is now privately owned. Two of our group had dads who were ministers, and they stayed there as kids.

The first leg of the trip was four hours to Lake Hopatcong, the largest lake in New Jersey, where my friend reigns as Queen of the Castle, overlooking her realm. 

Lyd on the porch

We met our friends at the cottage, where it was quiet and peaceful (except for us. I'm afraid a few of us are raucous laughers, and we were all having a good time!) 

We took a trip to an overlook to see where the East and West branches of the Susquehanna converge. You can tell the East branch by it's muddy color!

Kim, Bert and Lyd in front of the cottage.

Another adorable cottage.

Bert, Kim, Lyd and me, with the Susquehanna

You can see where the east and west branches merge by the color change.

A Visit with Mom

It's a long drive to visit my mom, but I make sure to do it at least a few times every year. It's wonderful to stay at her farm, sit on the porch swing, and just hang out!

We had an extra treat this year. A lifelong friend flew up from Florida for her 40th high school reunion and stayed with Mom, too.  My son and husband came along, and we got to see my niece perform with a cast of talented school children in Newark United Methodist's church camp "Music Factory." We also enjoyed a great chicken dinner at my brother's Meeting House.

It was a visit I'll remember fondly.

Judy Heck Lowry and my  mom

Geese

An alpaca from "Alpaca Fields." Love the way he eats!

My brother and his wife. Could these tomatoes look any fresher?

It was a treat to gather with most of my family, as well as our family friend, Judy.

The coat id's this Biblical favorite.

My niece played Eve.

My mom's favorite tenant, who calls her "Early." It's a mutual love affair with these two!