In celebration of her 60th birthday, my dear friend Kelly held a croning ceremony and invited friends to her home in the mountains outside of Connifer, Colorado, which she shares with Susan, her partner of over 30 years. For this event, The SC wore a vintage teal feather Eurona hat from Fabulous Fanny's NYC, a large reversible shawl with floral embroidery and skirt with drape, both sale items from Mieko Mintz, and estate sale vintage green gloves, all on black background. The ceremony was held on the anniversary of Nelson's death, which allowed The SC to focus on the continuation
My scarf installation gives me much pleasure, and was completed just in time for the party. I had a vision of how I wanted my scarves displayed and it took many months of talking with friends, artists and builders for this project to come to fruition. After the structure was built and painted, Rachel and Brittni, the students from the Art Institute of Colorado who have been creating magic in my home, arranged the scarves with perfection. My vision has become reality! I have been collecting scarves since the 70's (almost 40 years), mostly from estate sales, flea markets, thrift shops,
A week ago Sunday took me to the Wynkoop Brewing Company to an art exhibit by Lindy Lyman HERE. Flourishing Forth, The Colorado Years 1974-2013 is a retrospective of her work in painting, mixed media and sculputre. I was informed of this colorful and uplifting exhibition by Carol Markel, the remarkable blogger, milliner and artist of Femme et Fleur HERE. Lindy was a student of Carol's husband Richard Cramer at Elmira College, graduating in the class of 1967. However, as the week unfolded, I was overcome by an unexpected force that grabbed me with a now unfamiliar strength that was surprising
The SC enjoyed the April storm that arrived this week, giving momentary relief to the parched earth. Though the daffodils were covered with the softness of white snow, I welcomed any relief to the shortage of moisture, bringing water restrictions and encouraging the planting of drought resistant gardens. The back garden finds itself in a state of confusion, as tufts of green peek forth between the flagstone pathway and snow covers the juniper in the background. New life is emerging despite the dry soil, and dreams of the renewal of my garden float through my thoughts. I remembered wearing most
Last week after a routine visit to my physician, I was sent to the lab for a series of tests. Health is my number one priority and thankfully all of my test results were within normal limits. However, in the process of having my blood drawn, the phlebotomist noticed on my paperwork that I had recently turned 70. He commented on my age in a respectful and bantering manner, and I responded with, 'Well, how old are you?' He quipped, '52.' 'In reality, you're young enough to be my son,' I replied, throwing caution to the wind. And he said,
As I reflect on the party and the past year of renovation, I feel a touch of disorientation. I was so focused on one point in time, and now I feel adrift or unsettled. It's not that I don't have things to do. Although I had promised myself to sort through everything I owned, I wasn't able to complete the magnitude of that task. Time ran out as other projects took priority. And I have designated this summer to be the season of the garden, which needs its own renovation. And the headwrap project is waiting for my attention. But
Camille gave The SC the gift of photos by her friend Charli White HERE, a talented photographer who documented the first half of the event. It's difficult to choose the images that I love the most, but I'll give it a try, starting on the front porch as the party began. Who is Diana? Now you know, as she allows a reveal, radiating in all her glory on the staircase, dressed to the nines and ready for a party. Diana makes blogging a less solitary endeavor; without her weekly visits and our photo sessions over the past year, that bring
Photo by Sally My party was all that I could have hoped for as I danced through the evening with feathers and 30's silk chiffon, surrounded by friend old and new. I have so much to integrate as I continue to visit with friends who came from out of town and gaze with wonder at completed projects in my home. Having a goal was what I needed to catapult myself into a new decade. I have no idea who took this photo, which I received from Camille the day after the party. She has a 'sparkle' on her forehead, placed
Time is flying by as I enter the week of my celebration and the opening of my home. My hat provides the elevation that is symbolic of how I feel. One of the magical qualities of hats is that they sometimes indicate one's state of mind before that awareness becomes conscious. It feels as though an energy has entered my body that has a life of its own. All focused temporarily on one goal with little room for other parts of my life, as now it's all about the details. I will be taking a break from blogging until after
To celebrate the much needed snow, which provided moisture to relieve our dry winter, I wore black velvet, accessorized by a vintage lace apron that was found in a box during my excavation. There have been many treasures that have revealed themselves over the past months, and within two weeks (I have promised myself) I will have gone through everything in my inventory. But today it was time to take a few minutes to play in the snow. Without the help of dear and generous friends, Camille and the two young women from the Art Institute of Colorado, I would
A swirl of activity escalates as I check off the items on my long to-do list. Just as I put together a renovation ensemble last summer, now is the time for errand outfits. This is one of the compositions that's been rushing around the city this week. Not nearly as glamorous as Vix of the Vintage Vixen's outfit HERE ,which she wore as she shopped for wine a few days ago. The SC has been eyeing this metal structure in my neighbors' back yard for some time, thinking it could serve as a great background for photos. Today my request for access was
The SC has been swept away by the projects that are in process which will complete, at least for now, her home renovations. This festive broom was found during a visit to Tuesday Morning, a shopping experience that can feel like an estate sale with its unpredictable selection of items that are at times extremely inexpensive but of high quality (if I get lucky). A polka dot broom? Not only is it inspiration for an outfit, but my broom of many years came to its demise two weeks ago (a much smaller version of my furnace and car). It was
The SC has been undertaking her own personal excavation over the past month. I'm finally to the point of going through every item in my inventory, and choosing whether a piece stays or goes. I seldom look back on previous posts and enjoy the process of moving forward. However, in preparation for this post I recalled that last year at this time I was going through Nelson's belongings HERE. It took a year to get serious about my own. It must be something about this time of year that encourages new beginnings. After the holidays. After the beginning of the
"Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you." ...Carl Sandburg I've been thinking a lot about time recently, as my 70th birthday approaches in March. "Decade" birthdays have always brought new revelations and insights, related to the passages of life. My thoughts about aging are much different now than those that I entertained 10, 20, 30 years ago. I decided to break the coins down in numbers to give me a feel for
In celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King's Birthday, The SC attended a play with dear friends at the Vintage Theatre. A remarkable one man show, RFK HERE was directed by Terry Dodd, a friend of many years. For the occasion, I chose to wear the helmet collage cloche designed and created by the talented and gorgeous artist/milliner/blogger Carol Markel of Femme et Fleur HERE. I purchased this beauty from Carol during my last trip to NYC and it has been calling to me ever since. Because of the many vibrant colors in this hat, it was fun to pull just
The passing of the holidays appears to have released palpable energy and I find myself motivated to finish organizing my home, which I would do in one day if humanly possible. I have enlisted the help of two young and vibrant students from the Art Institute of Colorado who have brought new life to my projects. I hear them laughing together in a room close by and it makes me smile as I receive the effects of playful enthusiasm. After they leave I find little gifts of creative display in the rooms where they worked their magic. How can I
On the veranda in the winter in the midst of a cold snap, The SC ponders the similarities of physical and emotional healing, as relating to my recent fall and rib injury and the experience of loss. The initial shock of disbelief and numbed emotions, but then the realization of pain. Learning how to move in the world and navigate with certain limitations. Slowly going with the process and plateaus of recovery, fearing that it will never change and allow life to return to full range of motion. An awareness of uncertainty and vulnerability, and the ability to choose a
The SC was thrilled to spend New Year's Eve with Jean of Dross Into Gold HERE and her multi-talented husband Joey HERE. Jean informed me several months ago that Joey would be traveling from Atlanta to perform in Denver, so I immediately put it on my schedule and when the evening arrived, I was totally enthralled with the jazz performance that entertained for hours. Joey's red trumpet dazzled on stage, as did the friendly and vibrant crowd and the energy in the room. Toasting with champagne at midnight brought an end to a New Year's Eve to remember always. It
I fell in the park the day before the Winter Solstice. A hidden patch of ice under the newly fallen snow captured my osteoporotic bones, and I rolled into a bundled ball to the ground beneath my feet. I instantly felt a dull pain in my right rib area. Slowly I got up, relieved that I hadn't fractured a hip or something equally horrifying. The discomfort from my fall did not stop me from walking home, but I had not totally escaped injury. Early the next morning I was off to yoga and grateful that I was able to complete
Snow fell to greet the holiday season just in time for the Winter Solstice. The sun in the back garden announced the possibilities of the light soon to come. Tis the season of boots and gloves and all things warm and comforting. Happy Holidays and special greetings, however you celebrate or spend time this season, to all who follow and comment on SC. I am grateful for the radiance that you bring to my life.