Day zero

Does time restart the day you learn your 1 month old baby boy has cystic fibrosis? Peter and I have just left Royal Brompton Hospital in London and the diagnosis has been confirmed.  We are every emotion - scared, resolute, angry, sad, self-pitying, hopeful, but mostly just determined to give Charlie and George the best life we can. And maybe along the way we can inspire another family with our story. 

Garden pix!

So long time, no blog.  Short version: I got married, had a baby, left the State Department and moved into a 600 year old cottage in England.

Now on to the good stuff: what is happening in garden?

These irises are the most amazing color.  Vigorous old clematis thriving in the back.

 The climbing hydrangea will be in full bloom in the next few weeks.  I am working hard to keep it under control so it doesn't pull the house down.  There is a lovely honeysuckle the color of a Pacific sunset on the right.  The perfume is heaven in the evening.

Happy poppies and columbine galore.

 The wisteria is in full bloom in the front and we just planted a bunch of roses along the front wall and around the door.

 View from the garden bench in the back.  One of my favorite places to hide.

 Columbine bouquet from yesterday.

 Detail of the honeysuckle.

 Lovely flowering sedum as seen from the sidewalk.

This peony is enormous.

****

For the next entry, details of ritual markings pointed out to me by a local conservation officer yesterday.  Apparently beams over doorways and chimneys were marked with symbols to keep away evil spirits.  Paradoxically, this "white magic" invokes the Virgin Mary for protection.  We found these markings in the beams all over the house as well as taper burns from candles (before candles were invented) leaned against a beam.   Since most of the beams are painted, you can see them best in the side of the house where there are a few unpainted beams.

It is so exciting to be living in a house of this age.  And trying when you are constantly knocking your head:).

Halloween!

new life, and living

peter gets into the emotion of the song.

i think i can dance AND sing. delusion is sweet and ignorance is bliss

there you go simon, you look much more awake this time.

and more

outside walls of the medina
the spice vendor. i was looking for herbs to do a foot soak in my bidet. what else are you supposed to do with those things? i soak my feet in them.

photo op with ginger. styled by the spice guy.

abdellah and i. he is wiring my lamps. he even took me to the hardware stand and discutered my wires and whatnot.

courtyard where abdellah's shop is located

abdellah's shop

all the shops here are in a hidden courtyard around a fig tree. the men all work on the crafts they sell all day. abdellah became my friend and seriously hooked me up wiring stuff for the lamps i got.

more medina

Medina!

too many treasures
this is an old moroccan menorah. there used to be a significant jewish minority here for thousands of years. people say they were the best craftsmen. you still see stars of david used as a motif. the little divets are for oil and wicks used for hannukah instead of candles. there are lots and they are BEAUTIFUL

too much to choose from. . .

you just turn and turn in the medina and get lost. the doors are amazing.

antique door and furniture store. keith, you would freak out.

look up, look around, there are treasures and nooks everywhere

the carving is incredible

jammed with goodness. anthropologie heaven.

doors galore.