3:45am: January. . .

I love the light on a moonlit night. .

pink hued sky. .

branch shadows. .

whispering air. .

starless. .

gleaming snow,

vivid white. .

visuals beckoning me. .

Oh, how I love the light on a moonlit night.

from Neighborhood to Nam. . .and back.

My husband Jerry and his friends are considering collaborating on a book about their experiences in Vietnam and the memories of the neighborhood that they grew up in. There are quite a few guys involved, but this photo is of Jerry in Vietnam.

The following is an excerpt that I wrote for the introduction to that book:

Growing up in a close knit neighborhood during the '50s and '60s was not unusual, it was the norm. Friendships were long and the bonds were tight. Friends walked to school together; joined Scouts together; played sports together; grew up together. They dated and married girls from the neighborhood. . .And, most of them went to war together, not as a group, but as single individuals. . .and those same friends parted ways for a time. Each moving on to a new phase of their life.

The neighborhood was 'Kaisertown', a Polish-American community on the far east side of Buffalo, New York. . .the war was Vietnam.

This book is a collaboration of stories and experiences from this group of men, childhood buddies, all now in their sixties, whose friendships have lasted a lifetime.

These are also recollections from those young men who stayed behind. . .'caretakers', as you will, of the old neighborhood that was a part of them. . .keeping the memories alive until all returned.

willow beach. . .

White rubber bathing caps with straps, to keep our hair dry, which they really didn't do since they never fit all that well; cousins, lined up like bathing beauties, all dressed alike in purple plaid swim suits. . .Aunt Jenny never forgot any of us. . .these are the visions that I remember of Willow Beach, one of the fondest memories I have of my childhood.

Willow Beach was a small swimming quarry in the middle of farmland in Lancaster, New York. Being there, for us, was like being at the ocean. . .this was our summer. Thanks to my Aunt Jenny, we got to enjoy it on a regular basis.

The smells are unforgettable as well. . .hamburgers grilling at the concession stand; Coppertone suntan lotion; and a multi-stall outhouse that we all dreaded using.

We always parked our blankets on the north side of the beach (opposite of the outhouse). Directly behind us was a hill with a railroad track. When we heard the train whistle, we all waved in delight to the conductor, who always waved back to us.

My Aunt Florence tells me that my cousin Karen (the smallest bathing beauty), lost her plaid suit right after this photo was taken. . .I think that maybe Karen lost it on purpose.

Now, this quarry is home to a housing development, where each home backs up to the water. I figure that the house that's built where the outhouse once was, must have the greenest grass!!

the pleasure of your company. . .

A delicate summery sketch adorns'Hydrangea Blue'. This invitation is 7"x7" and comes in blue, violet, and sepia. The perfect choice for a spring or summer wedding.

'Alyssum' is an elegant design which comes in either 5"x5" or 5"x7", with soft flowers in a taupe hue. The color can be changed to fit your needs.

Monogram 'Engaged' is the essence of classic design. This invitation is 7"x7" and can be mounted on the color of your choosing. It works for any season wedding.

the last leaf. . .

Single leaves, hanging on to

bending branches,

swaying in the wind.

Fragile twigs, snapping,

like a leather whip.

Lonely clusters of leaves,

waving violently. . .

pushed to the limit before

becoming airborn in a swirl.

A last red leaf, vivid in hue,

bounces bravely from

it's stem, waiting for it's turn

to venture skyward in a

blustery autumn dance. . .

then to slumber on a gold and

orange mound. . .

finally at rest.

It leaves behind a naked tree.

Beach Hunter. . .

In my never ending hunt for beach glass, my husband Jerry and I stumbled upon a small inlet on Lake Erie. After scouring the two shorlines for a few days, I have come to the conclusion that we have found a place where geese go to shit, and dishes go to die!

My usual beach finds are pieces of weathered glass...in an array of colors; aqua, green, brown, lavender, and the elusive tiny pieces of deep blue. Some pieces are not weathered, and I have found the occasional shards of pottery and dishes. My collection has grown to filled glass jars and bags of beach glass, and other interesting finds.

This inlet, which also boasts a nature trail, was more than I could ever imagine...'damn, I've hit the mother load!'!!! There, on the dirt, in the dirt, in the water, were pieces of all sorts of dishes with patterns and writing, embossed pieces, colored pottery, cup handles, jar bottoms, jar tops. I wandered the beach area with my bucket and pickup stick in hand...and my jaw dropped down in disbelief. The glass that I found was vivid...lavender, red, yellow, orange, opaque violet, lime green, deep turquoise, and the coveted cobalt blue! Not to mention, pieces of old restaurant china with patterns, and even better, logos.

How did this glorious place come to be???? My thoughts are that it was once a dump site for discarded restaurant ware. When the inlet was being made, all that was dumped, was scooped out onto the beach around it, and the lake water was then allowed in. Regardless, I get to play archeologist!

Wedding prelude. . .

'Summer Flowers' is a 7"x7" design with an airy and simple look. The color of the flowers can reflect your wedding color scheme.


Monogram 'Olho de boi' is a classic and elegant 7"x7" design that is mounted on black with black text.

'Snowflakes 2' is the perfect invitation for an elegant winter wedding, or a casual venue on the ski slopes. It is mounted on Icy Blue with black text.

'Embossed Floral 1' captures true simplicity. This invitation is 5"x7".