July at Hillcrest Cottage

Summer is supposed to be slow and easy... especially in Arkansas where the heat and humidity can become quite oppressive. When humidity levels go down, every one's spirits brighten.

This summer has been anything but slow and easy. Stuart unexpectedly fell into an "everyday" job doing odd chores on a friend's horse farm. Being the breakfast maker and packer of lunches means no sleeping in for either of us. Davis, too, has been trying to make an appearance at early morning football work-outs.

My West Point Cadet being home for three weeks was a very pleasant routine breaker. Now, a new puppy has me tip-toeing around the house at puppy nap time and making frequent trips outside for housebreak training (which is going quite well, BTW!)



Meet Goldendoodle Lucy!

Last weekend I hosted an Art Sale of my own creating. I invited 15 artists to display and sell their work. Soon my Hillcrest Cottage was torn up and full of oil paintings and photography... everywhere. It was great fun but not enough of a financial return for the hours of preparation to ever repeat. It was wild. Use the imagination.



Closest moment to an "I Love Lucy" episode was when a 90 year old grandmother sporting three inch heels and a matching Queen Elizabeth-style handbag on her arm was found descending my very uneven and steep side-garden stairs. Unfortunately for her, she had come to see her grandson's work which, I had the unpleasant task of informing her, was... UP my also very steep and uneven basement stairs.

Jeff simply gave me "the look".



When all the furniture was back in place and the empty Coke bottles from the vintage coolers were taken to the trash. (I was even too tired to recycle or save the bottle caps as requested by one guest artist.), I told myself with a Thomas Edison-like confidence, " I just discovered one more way NOT to tell my art."



I've never been the type to parade myself and children to the pool each day. But, I do allow myself the summer luxury of wearing colorful flip flops, running shorts, and a t-shirt. It's the closest I will get to the Redneck Riviera... or any other vacation... this season.

So... I will sip some more coffee and treat myself to a few extra minutes under the front porch fan. Tonight I will celebrate the symphony of crickets and dream of the screened-in sleeping porch I will have one day.