Merry fishmas!

I thought the fish were for me but kiko seems to have become attached
to them. He tries to pet them through the glass.
Weather has been spectacular although I did come in after the second
mosquito landed on me .

Tomatoes and lettuce are planted.

A long way from chinook snow!

Neighbors sure look different. . .

Screamer saw his first deer. He is now wandering in and out, but it's pretty cold, so he doesn't stay out long. Quiet day today, no real plans which is a delight along with the sun.

Today the sun came out! Flowers are beautiful. Roses along the fence are starting to get blooms, the rock roses are mounds of flowers and the wild roses at the edge of the cliff smell wonderful. Mom, Marjorie and I went out for lunch yesterday, hit the nursery, then walked the yard to see what needs to be done. . .bought some cool grasses to try along the driveway.

painting like crazy.. .

Green room is done, like the stripes a lot better in green than baby blue. It houses gator #1. The front bedroom is now yellow and blue. Started out yellow, changed my mind and went out in search of the perfect new colors. . .brought home a cool blue and a warm blue to be water and sky, but by the time I got the "water" on, I liked it with the yellow. The bathroom is lavendar which elicited an "oh, my gooooodddddd" from Jonathan on first view, but I think it is growing on him! He is such a good sport!..


In the midst of expecting company for mother's day, we elected to move the dining room table (with computers) to the glass sliding doors in the living room. We have been spending a lot of time working on the porch, but temps and winds sent us inside, might as well have the same view!!!!! Moved the little couch to the dining room which is now a sitting/napping room. . .never a dull moment.

Low tides brought us roseate spoonbills, warmer water is bringing us manatees, don't know why we have been blessed with mallards in the pool.

Chamber of Commerce weather makes it hard to . . .

stay in and work on the computer, or for that matter, anything else. Lizards are running around, have my laptop plugged in and taking the time out here (have to get used to the laptop, I forget sometimes that it is moveable!)

Have painted the upstairs bedroom and bath. One more bedroom to go (the studio just has too much stuff to move to bother painting. . . Middle bedroom had blue stripes. . .they are now green. Bill's cutout alligator got painted and hung, and I like it. Bold and fun. Shell mirror reflect the room.




Put up curtains in the master bedroom and brought in some tropical bedding to go with the Hawaiian wall-hanging. Love the bright and cheery feel, makes me smile when I walk in the room


Have been working on my website, a few glitches still, but http://suzestewart.com should work. It wont work right now with the www in front. Next trip to 1-to-1 apple class should get it finished up right!!! The pearls are background for the "pearls and wisdom jewelry" site.

newsy

Hotel Huie is in full season swing. . .the Peabody has nothing on us!!!!

Spent 4 days at Investment U last week. Lots of interesting information, but my brain is so full it seems to be oozing out my ears. . .they fed us well, too and the brain isn't the only thing that got full. Was great to have Brenda and Rock added to the Hotel Huie guest list.

Hannah and Emily came down to visit, so we met in Sarasota with Gary. Turtle Beach was "chamber of commerce" beautiful, dinner at Gary's new digs was delightful.





Bill and Martha came over for Bill's birthday and he brought his new toy and cleaned our deck. . .what a deal! To top that off, he also cut our 2 giant alligators and primed them for painting. Can't wait to get to those. We also took a trip (actually 2) to Tarpon Springs and the sponge docks. . .the best part is the food, although I got turned on to Japanese eggplant from a veggie guy on the street. . .it has spoiled me for eggplant. Have put in the "mom's garden request". . .just a reminder, mom!!! love you all

storm coming in!

This time of year in Florida is wonderful. Weather still cool at night, warm in the day, but mother nature reminds us fairly often that she has a wild streak. One day she gives us a pot of gold on the skyway bridge and another time, her fury is released. . . This storm took about 15 minutes to cross from the skyway to here. The striations in the clouds were awesome. . .pink to rain to light again. Just a spat!

he stretched his wings and flew. . .

Good morning all,

It has been a crazy week. Our bird, Yacky, flew the coop. Something to do with spring and freedom and probably just sheer butt-headedness (it was one of his charms. . .) Couldn't believe we were so close and yet so far from getting him back. He left on thursday, we saw him friday (a short ladder reach away until wings took to the wind) and again saturday morning when he thumbed his nose from the top of a 40' palm tree, resisting even potato chips. . .The neighborhood really pulled together, close neighbors, dog walkers, joggers, everyone kept an eye out for him. Jonathan put signs up and walked several times a day and kayaked in hopes of catching a glimpse or a meoooooow.

Saturday night was a hard rain and little did we know he had found shelter and a soul mate in a young man, son of some neighbors across the pond in east shores (we didn't look there, thinking he would stay on our island), but he found their oak trees and walked onto their porch) yet another family to love him. Yacky traveled around on his shoulders, took a tub bath (he would never do that for me), peeled bananas on their kitchen table and made himself at home. The next day while the young man was building a cage for him (until they located his owners), since he didnt like staying in the bathroom by himself, he had yet another opportunity to spread those wings and headed for the trees. Unfortunately, sunday night it got down into the 40's and the family found him the next morning in a permanent sleep. They were heartbroken, as were many of the people who came into contact with him and tried to will him back alive, but no luck. We are grateful for their giving him a great last weekend, but in truth, Yacky had a strong will and made choices that came from his bird nature, he just didn't explain them to us. We probably would have understood.


He touched lives more deeply than I had imagined. Jonathan is really missing him, it is so quiet. Others, family and strangers have called and expressed sorrow and sadness mixed with great stories of his influence.

From Maryanne, my great friend said. . . " that bird stole my heart...instantly. remember the first time i met him? after it got through to me that i didn't need to be fussy* or afraid of him ... i sat by his cage for hours talking with him...touching his sternum through his cage. and finally - when i had to get up and stretch he was SO annoyed with me. how DARE i entertain the thought of being anywhere but adoring him. he is a lifetime model of self possession and personal esteem".

I think spring probably did have something to do with it. . .Annie, the dog walker, lost hers 2 weeks before ours and Pat and Herb lost theirs a year ago at this time (they were lucky and got theirs back the next day), mating seasons affect even ones that aren't around others. . .Quite a community of animal/bird lovers. John, the mailman, even carried potato chips in the mail truck. Thanks to all who helped and supported. Yacky would have just considered it his due. . .being the center of the universe and all. May you blow your siren at the boats going by from your resting place near the sea wall where you can keep tabs on the world. . .. .we miss you.

Good morning

Weather has been really windy. Not able to get out on the deck, much less the dock. Has brought the water levels to the highest I've seen. Veggie garden in pots has taken a beating. Time to trim the bushes and trees in the yard.


Back to the computer. Have been transitioning to a laptop and still haven't quite gotten the hang of it. I'm taking "one to one" classes every week at the mac store thanks to Sandra and have been learning to do without a mouse, change camera videos to ones I can edit in my movie program, set up a website, and the more I learn, the less I know. . .

Yacky, our african gray, has made an escape. He left thursday night, but we saw him yesterday and last night (he didn't end up in the bay!) and almost got him to come for a potato chip, but not quite. Hopefully he will still be around today and be hungrier! Keep your fingers crossed!

Violets have been going crazy. They are so spectacular right now. Hard to resist taking pictures.


Have been painting again. It has triggered a push for a real website, have been playing with domain names. The whole website thing is new territory, thankfully Jonathan has been a wealth of information and patience! Will keep you posted with news!!! Screamer keeps my feet warm while I work.

Empty nest, again!

Click here to create your own painting. This was a fun thing that LeeAnna sent to me, try your own personality painting. . .

Sandra was here for a great week. Gasparilla Art Show, dock time, Momix at the Performing Arts Center, dolphin visits, but mostly just quiet time. Martha and I left Sandra and Jonathan to go to a Angela's bridal shower in Bradenton while they went to the aquarium. Their new best friend is the puffer fish!

Went to retirement party for Judy and the ESE Department from Monroe. Of the dozen of us there, only 2 still at Monroe. Good to see everyone, glad to be retired!!!!!


Click here to create your own painting.

Halloween in february!!!

LeeAnna, my longtime friend and part of our "bitchery" group, made a halloween quilt (10?) years ago and I expressed an interest in one for me. Gave her fabrics and drove her crazy. Lo, these many years later, what should appear on my doorstep but. . . a manifestation. My totally unreasonable request for a king-size quilt produced an incredible work of art!!!! I am so excited. The kitty face with green button eyes, candy corn and the skeleton are amazing.

First pic shows process and the next the finished front. Will send to Kyra in Austin to do the quilting. Wheeeee. So much fun.
THANK YOU, SISTER LEEANNA!!! I LOVE YOU. The pic appears right-side up in my view. . .guess the spirits are having their fun!

2/25/08

This is not my photo, but was trying out the new mac.
I am at the Apple store getting my new laptop set up. The new operating system is going to make working on the blog easier because it will give me easier access to my photos. The new keyboard however will take some getting used to!!! Computer still has 2+ hours to finish the transfer so I can't access it yet, but since I was here, I will try to catch up with written stuff and add photos later. Jonathan has been in denver for a workshop and I have been home sick. I have a bit of a voice today, last night none and the day before. . . ifffy. So things have basically been pretty quiet.

Cindy came friday night for girls night in and went out saturday looking for houses. Nothing is ever easy. Snag on selling their house and she is missing Mike.

Dock getting cleaned and sealed tomorrow and wednesday. Life is good.

Wind finally settled down and water is smooth for a change.

3 weeks away from the computer. . .

janet, miss you already, left your coffee cup on the table until way past dinner. . .in case you might come back for more. . .your gladiolas were beautiful, thanks. . .


exciting 3 weeks. jannie has been here and we have been exploring. (in no particular order of events) went to see the "full monty" at hudson dinner theater with rock and bren, better than the movie, easier to understand the dialog and lots of cute butts. food was good as was the company



tried out waverunners, jannie and I went by ourselves one day and just puttered around the canals. . .water was pretty choppy and it was my first time to drive one in the last 20 yrs! Rock and Bren came down and we had a picture perfect day, water was glassy, not too hot or cold, so we scooted out from pass-a-grille pass out along the beaches, past ft. desoto park all the way to egmont key then the skyway was looming in the distance so we actually went under and around the bridge.



went to see the "jersey boys" at the performing arts center. was the story of frankie valli and the 4 seasons. music was delightful and had side balcony seats that were chairs instead of theater seats, much more flexible arrangement.

superbowl party (with superbowl sundaes!), Got some great dolphin videos that weekend (thanks jake, yours were terrific). party was great fun and lots of food, jannie set up a board and we all picked squares, jake and lindsay were the big winners. got to see long missed friends!


the floating dock went in, have been looking at them since Christmas time, Quite a procedure to get them from truck to water and it was a windy day. Cliff and helper used a water jet to dig hole to sink 4-21'steel poles to anchor it. Now we can sit and stick our feet in the water or swim without having to get in on the channel side. Easy to launch kayaks or sit with a book!








but the biggest news is probably that the tampa house is sold!!!!!


new owner excited about moving in. may put in french doors to replace the awful sliders!




started my 1 on 1 apple training, learning lots, go once a week. . .finally figured out how to get the video from the new camera past iphoto (it's an mpeg and had to change to dv with downloaded software called VLC player) to work on my movie software.

apple store

busy week!

On the go! Don't know where all the time goes!



Went to Orlando to a computer conference. Learned a lot about photoshop and had a great time with Susan. We don't get enough talk time usually. Was like old times, we couldn't tell which pile of money,change and cards came out of whose pockets and were not surprised to be wearing the same brand and style of shoe (different color, though). The hotel had great patterns in their rugs.



Went from Orlando to Gainesville to see a documentary that her daughter-in-law was involved with. Her grandson, Bo, is adorable and so grown up at 3.


Home saturday in time to do some stuff with the tampa house (keep fingers crossed) and then home to switch cars and go get Jannie at the airport. Her plane got in 45 minutes early!!! Pilot must have had a hot date or something. We've been busy catching up since then.

Quiet times here. Weather nice enough for some dock time. Lindsay came by sunday and we cracked open two coconuts and made pina coladas with fresh coconut and the milk. Coconuts looked like they had faces! Jonathan cooked us a fabulous dinner.


Monday was quiet, painted this morning. Finally rousted us out for dinner at the Hurricane and to the grocery store. Planning a super bowl party!

Garden gave us a bunch of arugula yesterday, tomatoes will be awhile.