My little buddy found one of my bonsai trees a few weeks ago and has been moving between the many trees effortlessly now. Today’s update shows how much he has grown, now over 1” long.
Little Guy Mantis Update
Category / Mike
The right tool for the Job.
I always tell my wife Brandi, “You have to have the right tool for the job”, I think I nailed for this one. P. S. the Honda is 22 years old and in top notch condition , single pull start, used once a month for our lagoon bank.
Sunset at Windmill Harbour – Hilton Head Island
The Talmadge’s enjoying a beautiful May sunset .
Micro Mantis
The Smallest Praying Mantis
While trimming my bonsai trees today I came across this bug that I thought was a mosquito, some say the state bird of South Carolina. After further investigation I noticed it was the smallest Praying Mantis I have ever seen! It was not even 3/8”. Watch the video and tell me what you think.
Dog, Crows, Eagle
This morning Ryker with his with crows was letting us know he heard them. It was a strange time in the day to hear that, so I looked to see what was going on and there were five crows chattering around a bald eagle across the lagoon from our backyard. It was a sight to see, thinking I’d miss getting a photo opportunity I went and grab the camera anyway. I managed to get some decent shots. What do you think?
Manning Up with Flowers
It has been awhile since I posted to our site, so I figured I would man it up with a “Flower & Garden Show” that we are going to today, however I would rather call it a “Landscape & Garden Show”.
With our new home we had zero landscaping let alone grass. The grass we did get was contractor mix seed which basically grows the first year and dies the next. Compound that with a hard compact dirt, rock and sand mix as topsoil it has be a challenge this last second year with the lawn, but we survived quite well.
On the landscaping side we planted 12 trees and I don’t know how many shrubs, bushes and plants but we where busy.
All in all I have enjoyed the heavy amount of “landscaping and gardening” this last year very much and I think today’s venture should be helpful.
I am going to try and post a few things from the iPhone as we go.
Please post a comment below.
It’s Been Awhile . . .
Our lives have been such a whirlwind the last year that this blog came in very last place. Mike and I started this blog as a way to share our lives with family and friends and personally for me it’s a nice way to journal our lives in a non-daunting format.
With the purchase of our new home and the ever expediently growing business we run, it’s left very little time for other things in our lives. I’m always amazed at how God changes things in our lives when we least expect them and always for the better, even if you don’t think so at first. With this preface, the following two major changes in our lives was the work of our creator of which both I personally put a fight up against at first.
OUR HOME
The final choice of our home is interesting in the way of it’s location within Shelton. You see, there are four sections within the City of Shelton and the section this house resides in is the furthest away from any sort of ease of convenience and because of that, White Hills was the last area in which we were willing to purchase (at first). We actually drove past the home we now own in our early days of looking and we both said “hmmm….nope, it’s too plain and it’s too far away from everything. I say that loosely speaking in the sense that we’re really “only” 15 minutes from many conveniences. Well after months of looking and the timing coming right down to the last minute to find a home because our other home had sold, we reluctantly decided to look in the “ever so far away” White Hills section of Shelton. We drove down our street to this home that we declined so many months before and on this day it was perfect in so many ways! Our eyes and hearts had been opened this time around and I know for me that I really didn’t know what I wanted in a home or which location I wanted until that very day we walked back onto this property. My, can I tell you what a perfect location this home is for us! We’ve quickly come to love living this far out from the daily hub bub, beeping car horns and loudness that comes with busy downtown areas. Instead of pesky cars and loud noises we now have beautiful deer, wild turkey and so many species of birds to look at and listen to. On many days, I look around and am amazed that we actually own all of this abundance. I never thought I’d actually own “woods” and it’s gorgeous walkable woods with a running brook, gigantic Connecticut rocks, and wild ferns. We’ve been hard at work all this year too with landscaping the land around our home.
MY PERSONAL CAREER
Thought Out Company is doing so well that it requires both Michael and I full time. Within the last year or so I was given the “clearance” by Michael to go full time for our business but I had such a struggle in actually leaving “my” career, the thing I’ve advanced at and have done so well with for my entire adult working life. It has always been there for me, I depended on it, it kept my head above water and supported me through thick and thin, when I was alone and had noone but myself to depend on. It was extremely hard for me to find it in my heart to actually “want” to leave my personal career. I had fear of what will I do if if if if…..UGH well let me tell you it took this last year for me to go through my own internal process of finding my way through this huge career move. I woke up one day over a month ago and finally realized and actually felt in my heart that I really am an essential part of the success of our personal business and with that exact moment I knew it was time to leave the medical field “my career” and take on this exciting move to assist in the advancement and full success of our business. And so it was still with a heavy heart that I gave my notice to Orthopaedic Surgeons and not long after my position was filled by another body and I formally went full time for Thought Out on Friday, November 19th. Within one weeks time of this change my personal whirl wind days have already changed, I have more time for things that have gotten pushed aside for far too long (years!). I get giddy just thinking about it all, even sitting here typing to our blog is something I haven’t had time for in the last year. I love waking up, getting ready for work at the Thought Out office knowing that every single thing I do is to benefit our family. It’s truly an act of God, the patience of a supporting husband, and the flexibility of my heart that has allowed this abundant change in my personal career. I owe a great deal of gratitude to my husband for allowing all of this to unfold and come to reality. He is one of a kind and a man that will make anything happen once he’s set his mind to it. Love that man of mine!!!
The pictures featured today are from a family walk on Oct 30th at East Village Park. This is a great park for all of us living in the White Hills section of Shelton. I had interrupted him during one of his outdoor wood chipping or tree planting excursions to tag along with Scottie and I to the park for some play time. Love him for being so tolerant of my spontaneous requests. It’s a rarity that he says no to me which makes me love him even more.
Vintage Jewelry Class
Calling all jewelry loving girls! I’m hosting my very first class where you’ll be making your very own vintage necklace to take home and wear. They’re easy and include everything you need to complete a beautiful eclectic necklace from the fun and funky pendants to the jump rings, clasps, and chains.
SIGN-UP DEADLINE: Monday, May 17
WHEN: Saturday, June 5 @ 1PM
WHERE: My House (Email me if you need my address)
WHAT TO BRING: Jewelry Making Kit (round nose pliers, chain nose pliers, and a side cutter).
If you don’t already own a fancy jewelry making kit you may either purchase one for $10 below or you may share my set with everyone else that selects the sharing option. No fighting or hitting each other when sharing though :). I hope to host more of these classes so it may be in your best interest to have one of these kits on your hip and who knows you may leave this class loving how easy it is to make your own trendy jewelry that you’ll be whipping them up in your own home.
You may select from a choice of five different necklaces all of which must be pre-purchased by Monday 5/17. Just select the one you want, click the buy now button and you’ll be directed to PayPal where you can pay with any credit card. The kit will be waiting for you when you arrive at my home for the class. If you’re feeling like you’re all that, you may purchase as many kits as you’d like and show us all up in class. Think of all the trendy outfits you have just screaming for one of these vintage pieces. I’m so excited and can’t wait to see everyone in class!
$18 Pendant Findings Kit
The Studio and Kitchen
This Thursday is the big day! Our first moving day and it’s been a long time coming. We’ve been at this sell and purchase since April so I can hardly believe it’s just a couple days away. We were up at the new house yesterday to do a few things so I took a couple pics of my two favorite rooms and wanted to share.
This is the view from my new studio. We had the builder punch out the wall and install the french doors which I’ve always wanted. It opens the house up and looks right at the fire place into the living room. The home has an open floor plan allowing an airy feel.
In this picture I’m standing in the mudroom area and you’re looking at part of the kitchen right into the living room. Nice!
We’re so excited to get the move under way and get our lives back in order. Everything has been so ascue through this whole experience but well worth it.
The Smallest of Gifts = The Soul of One’s Heart
Memorial Day on our boat this year was indeed special! Bridget & Jeremy blessed us with their presence and in tow was one of the cutest little girls on the planet, Isabella. And to my surprise she anxiously awaited my return to give me this special surprise she had made especially for mua. One doesn’t “need” their own children to experience the compassion, love and thoughtfullness only a child can give. I find it straight through my nieces and nephews whom are some of the most loving children I know!
Along with the beautiful flower Isabella so graciously picked out of her dance rehearsal bouquet she wrote a letter with a picture of our boat and how much she loves visiting us on the boat. My sister allowed her to sound out and spell the words by herself. By the way, I think the now dead flower looks just as lovely as it was alive, it’s just a different color now. hehe
It says “Aunt Brandi I Love it” with an arrow pointing at her drawing of the boat. The part that looks like the sun is the wheel of the boat and I believe the two little lines to the left of the wheel is the captains seat.
This is the backside of her letter saying she loves me and loves being at our boat. Don’t you love how she spells “at Brade” meaning “aunt Brandi”. Then she writes “I love you at Bran” . . . the “bran” cracks me up because I’ve always despised being called Bran for short. Sounds like a box of cereal or something. What a sweet thought to give a gift to her auntie that usually only mom’s experience. From the soul of my heart, Thank you Miss Bella you make me smile! You’re so sweet I could put you in my coffee.
Picture was taken of Isabella and I sitting on the bow of the boat. I didn’t know Mike had taken this picture until I uploaded to find it amongst all the others. She was telling me stories about a mouse of which I now forget how the story goes. I do recall her saying “he was the sweeeeeetest mouse!”
Talmadge House 