Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Don't forget to Be Happy!

     This year has slipped away so quickly and so quietly that it is alarming! It seems we are working so much harder than ever before...without the return on investment that we would like to see. But we know we are in the best of company and that the fact that we have managed to stay in business during this economic downturn is a victory in itself. We do not mind the hard work...it is life affirming in its own way. What is harder about today than a few years ago is that the mental stress level seems to have gone up disproportionately to the work load. I find this hard to explain except maybe some of it may be mid life physical changes , along with empty nesting, layered with the economic downturn and finished off with lot of  media  and political propaganda  that's only goal seems to be  to keep all of us off balance at all costs. I will continue to navigate through it the best that I can trying to focus on all that is positive in the world. I  know that I will not find the positive things on the TV, radio, or in the newspapers...I try to take care of myself physically, remember to take lots of deep breaths every day, and try to get outside everyday and appreciate my physical world...look at the stars...dig in the dirt...feel the heat and the cold of our planet  instead of living  always in the  temperature controlled world that we have created for ourselves...disconnect from my devices as often as I can....It is so hard though!  It is a shame that we have to consciously be aware of and combat the mental stress and fatigue that has become ingrained in our life style... There does have to be a way to simplify and appreciate and be happy....I will keep searching...let me know if you figure out how to do it!
   Back to my Santas...they are a good source of stress relief....they make me Happy!
Thanks for reading...
Lynn
www.chesapeakebaychristmas.com
Bringing the Chesapeake into you Home and Holidays!

Sunday, July 24, 2011

King Ingjald the Evil Advisor!!??

   Ten days of silence...I should be ashamed. I am going to have to admit that it was not for any noble reason like being too busy with Santa production or marketing or shows ( although that does continue at an escalating pace!) but because I discovered Ancestry.com! Wow...now I am sure I could not be trusted with a personal facebook page or an i phone or anything that cyber connects my life anymore than it already is. I am now a genealogy addict! I cannot stay away from my family tree...I have to say to myself...paint for 2 hours then you can have a 30 minute break to do a couple more generations....!  When I got a hold of one of my great grandmothers lines that took me all the way back  to the Roman Emperor Constantine I... I was done! Could it be possible that Royalty, and Vikings with names like Svedi the Sea King, King Ingjald the Evil Advisor, and  and even a Saint or too have passed on their genes to me...well according to ancestry .com it is so ( I will say that many of the connections are not totally beyond question!) but even if a few did  prove to be true I am feeling way better about myself that I did before I delved into  my pretty interesting  past! I have  ...a 10th great grandfather who bought Marthas Vineyard and Nantucket from the Indians...I am a 1st cousin to Benjamin Franklin 7 generations removed, my 11th great grandfather  was a sea captain that sailed the second ship Speedwell that originally accompanied the Mayflower on its voyage over here but had to turn back because it was taking on water...he then later came to Virginia on the ship America in 1634 and was given a land grant right here in Charles City, VA!!! And it goes on and on...I even share a common 18th great grandfather with the British royals...should have gotten a wedding  invitation! Anyway it is fascinating and I have only just begun...if only one small bit of it turns out to be true it has given me a new interest in the past...in mine and that which is all of ours...history...an amazing story that defines us, inspires us, prepares us and teaches us...happy ancestry....give it a try...its addicting!
Thanks for reading
Lynn
www.chesapeakebaychristmas.com

Bring a little bit of the Chesapeake into your Home and Holidays!

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

I love Mac... who knew how much!

   Sorry for the lack of new posts but I have had an unexpected illness that I have been dealing with. My son's dog Mac started feeling puny over the weekend. By the time I took him to the vet at 7 am Monday he was at death's door! His condition went downhill so fast on Sunday that by Monday morning he could barely walk and was so very ill...  I felt so guilty that we originally did not give it much thought when he stopped eating on Saturday and just wanted to sleep. We thought it was just a digestive issue or a bug or something....
     It was something!....a massive systemic infection that we will never know how he got it.. The vet is at a loss and he has been on IV's and antibiotics since Monday.  I spent most of Monday in tears....fearful that we were going to lose him. I had no idea how deep my emotional attachment  was or is. I cried uncontrollably in front of other people....I don't do that! I love my Mac...more than I ever knew! I promised him if he gets better I will take him on his walks faithfully everyday and throw his ball whenever he wants and stop complaining about all of his hair on my carpet and in the corners of every room.  I know he heard me because he wagged his tail when I made these proclamations! I have been visiting him 2-3 time a day and am hoping we will be able to bring him home to his spot on the sofa tomorrow. This has been one of those experiences that I never want to have again... but lets me know how much I really love my pets and how important they are in my life. I love my Mac and my Gizmo...they give their love unconditionally... humans are not so good at the unconditional thing...but  heaven help me if one of my kids ever got this ill...! Keep on loving,  keeping on feeling, keep on giving...
Thanks for reading,
Lynn
www.chesapeakebaychristmas.com
Bringing  the Chesapeake into you Home and Holidays!

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Yorktown Market a Wash Out!

   Today's Yorktown Market Days was cancelled due to the heavy rain that continued to fall last night and into this morning. I had just walked out to the car to head that way when Maydel called to tell me it was going to be cancelled. I am thinking about going back to bed but thought I would get this post out first while I enjoy a cup of coffee...which will keep me up so I will probably get in some early morning painting. I have a bag of spiral shells right next to my painting table begging to be transformed into college snowmen! Hmmm...Blue... I think...ODU, CNU, Virginia, WVU,....
   Catch up with us in Williamsburg on Prince George St. from 3pm until 6pm tomorrow at the 2nd Sunday Visual and Performing Arts Show. We will have free T shirts!

Thanks for reading...
Lynn
www.chesapeakebaychristmas.com

Friday, July 8, 2011

This Weekend... Yorktown and Colonial Williamsburg

   We have two markets scheduled this weekend! Saturday morning we will be in Yorktown at their market days on The Riverwalk. We love this market. It is so scenic and invigorating sitting on the Bank of the grand York River in such a historical setting as Colonial Yorktown. The farmers market is always fabulous...at least 5 produce vendors to choose from... along with live music, great food and a great array of artists! We are hoping that it will not rain!
    On Sunday afternoon we are going to participate in a new event that just came on to our radar a couple of weeks ago. It is called 2nd Sundays and it is in the heart of Colonial Williamsburg! It is a visual and performing arts event with about 20-30 vendors, live music and great food on the 400 block of Prince George Street from 3pm-6pm. (at the same time on the 2nd Sunday of each month)  We are excited to do this event because we LOVE Colonial Williamsburg and have not ever done an event there! It looks like it will be a perfect weather day...so come down everyone we would love to see you...and we have some free T-shirts for all of you who come by and mention this Blog or our facebook page! Come by and say hi...
Thanks for reading...

Lynn

ww.chesapeakebaychristmas.com

bringing the Chesapeake into you Home and Holidays!

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Is it Wednesday??

   It is already Wednesday! A short week always wreaks havoc with our production schedule. Oh...that's right we don't have a production schedule! Just multiple lists that we scratch off and add onto with gusto. But it is still a challenge to get it all done and have everything we need in the right place to get it done. My house is ground zero. It is where all the Chesapeake Bay Christmas inventory is either stored or distributed. I have an office ( Ha!) a large shed and two large trailers filled with stuff! then I also rent a storage unit about 2 miles from my home that is usually full. Shawnette has half of her shed full in addition to one spare bedroom and overflow into the kitchen...oh I forgot to mention that every room on the first floor of my house has got Santa or painting projects going on. Kitchen table, dining room table, painting table, dining room buffet, front hall desk....all covered with CBCC stuff! I know it drives my husband and kids crazy! ( It has gotten worse since all the kids have left...I have stopped trying so hard to contain it and have let it creep into every room like a spring time wisteria vine!) Sorry guys thank you for your patience!
   Everyday my friends and fellow artists who help me get everything done come by to pick up and or drop off what they need to work on and what they have been working on. So my front door is is rather like a revolving door most days along with a phone that never stops ringing! Now that is is summertime  some of the kids ( 20 somethings) are home..or coming home...or leaving and then coming back with friends....or who knows where they are? What day is it?
   Yesterday Shawnette came  to pick up a few things she needed to work on some Vintage Virginia Santas. She had a small mental list of what she needed ( first mistake) so we went to the shed to get the first few things, then back to our storage trailer that sits in my side yard to get the  rest. We first thought the wine bottles were in a drawer in my office but soon found they were not....they must be in the trailer.
so out we went to get them....where we immediately started looking for the cardinals ...remembered she needed boxes so got those and then sent her on her way....without the wine bottles! This would not have happened 5 years ago...but somehow we have both entered that new realm of middle age short term memory impairment! I have been relying on Shawnette for years to protect me from myself and now she has dared to join me in my disability! Heaven help us!
   So organization is key ...and disorganization is our nature...it is a miracle that we get anything done! But we do! ...and we will...and we will continue to manage to meet our goals.   We will keep fighting the battle with our disorganized selves and now that we have added memory impairment to the equation... prayer is a wonderful thing....just another bump in the road...a small one at that!
Thanks for reading,
Lynn

www.chesapeakebaychristmas.com
Bringing the Chesapeake into your home and holidays!

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

July 4th Recriminations

Scolding Ourselves!

America drives me crazy...letting all of our smart selves grow fat and lazy
TV's never  ever turning off...talking heads spewing vitriolic  stuff
Nobody even knows their neighbor, except when they wanna be a blamer
Manners are all out the window ,  been acting like we all star on  Bravo!

Kids are new heads of  households, only need their parents for the bankrolls
Where is the country we were taught, was born for a freedom so hard fought
What about our fore fathers dreams, lost somewhere between the  left and right extremes
Let's all  stop! ... look around,  game on time!  get the...  rebound!

Get our noses out of all our devices and look around for a cause that will entice us
we still have the blue print there, a constitution that screams for laissez faire
So on this our 4th of July celebration, let's remember what a strong amazing nation
That we were, think we are, that we can still be by far

Cause there's one thing that is true,  for us all, for  me and you
In this country there's still  choice... certainly  all have a voice
It can be soft,  it can be loud, it can be pissed off,  hopeful,  proud 
But ...if we don't  all decide to friggin  use it,
we  will G*#  d#*m  more than likely  freaking  lose it!

(C) Lynn McPherson July 4 2011

Lynn
Thanks for reading!










Friday, July 1, 2011

On the Road Again

   We are off to the Nations Capital today. (Actually MD) for a two day show at the National Harbor. We are very excited to do this venue as it is the new hot spot in the DC area! It is like a mini-NYC sitting on the shore of the Potomac river right on the MD side of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. Unbelievable high end shopping and eating and the choice of amazing accommodations. There are water Taxis to take you up river to Alexandria and the Nations Capital that depart from a state of the art Marina which is the focal point of National Harbor! They have a huge July 4th weekend planned (Concerts, fireworks, food and the Market!) and we are happy to be a part of it! We have some special July 4th pins for the occasion! Come and see us and mention this blog or our facebook page and get your free ornament!
    Then on Monday we move back down 1-95 to Fredericksburg to be a part of their July 4th celebration. We have been part of this event for the past 5 years and continue to enjoy it.They have it all for a family 4th of July celebration....food, music, lots of kids activities, car show, and tons of high quality art and craft booths!  As always it will be hot... but isn't that what we all expect on this National Birthday Celebration. We can't wait to see all of our loyal Fredericksburg customers...we have a free ornament for you too just mention....you know!
   By the time we get back home we should be exhausted...hopefully still functional. We will be setting up our booth and tearing it down three times in three days! A marathon of work, sales, fun, and sun! Just like we plan to do, remember to drink lots of water!!! Stay hydrated and have a wonderful Holiday weekend. Happy Birthday to all...remember to celebrate the human rights and freedoms we all enjoy in our beloved USA!
Thanks for reading!
Lynn
www.chesapeakebaychristmas.com
Bringing the Chesapeake into your Home and Holidays!