Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Reminder

My computer mentors are my daughter and my daughter in law.  They teach me much about the computer and blogging, searches and sites.  Thank goodness I have them to help me!  
So, I was visiting my DD's blog and her post was titled "project."  This reminded me of my mother.  It still amazes me that my parents come back to me through funny little things in the general run of life like a word.  Anyway, one of my mother's ways whenever you went to her with something difficult to deal with was to tell you to "get a project, get your mind on something else, get your hands busy."  I am sure I solved many of my problems through the acts of "projects" of cleaning, sewing, cooking, reading, crafts, painting, gardening, etc. etc.  If I didn't seem to be able to come up with a project, she would find one for me.  Many times, I think I hemmed pants, or shortened sleeves on a blouse, or straightened and cleaned something "high" up that she couldn't reach, not because she wanted it done so much as that she wanted to give me an active outlet for my problems.  I think this works well still... I still tell myself at times... find a project.  My projects, my life, my way of dealing with things.  LOL

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Bird Music?

Our visiting waxwings have been giving us a percussion concert on a daily basis.  The seem to not be able to tell the reflections of trees in the windows from the real thing.  So, when they are hanging around the trees close to the house, we hear thunk, ping, boing quite often.  
We are gloomy and a bit foggy today, but not snowy as predicted.  

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Survived

I survived another year of company party.  I really have to give myself pep talks before I go.  I think these things are way overrated socially and otherwise.  This year's was bearable, the food I  good, at least.  I, however, cringed at the waste of food, that wasn't eaten.  What a great expense to be thrown in the garbage!  Then people always win gifts they don't really like.  I gave two of mine to bird and wife because they didn't win anything and I didn't really want what I won.  

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Health Maintenence

Today I had some moles, warts, skin yuckies, removed, frozen, scrapped off from varies spots on my eye, nose, neck, hands, and ear.  One sampling sent off for biopsy.  I should look lovely to go out to dinner/company party, lol.  Not much going on around here.  We definitely have settled into a routine now.  DH goes to work, fixes dinner, watches TV.  I art most of the day in between reading in the afternoon, playing on the net, and a few chores around the house.  Today, DH plowed the road, I went to clinic, and I will do some snow shoveling sometime today.  High-lites of lacasa, lol.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Cold

It is so cold, burrrrr.  I have had to jack the heat up a bit even during the day.  It is a good thing it is getting towards the end of this month.  The winters get long when it is this cold.  I just stay in, except when I have to shovel a path, and play with my art.  I baked brownies the other day.  They are very unusual and I won't do the recipe again.  Kinda a brownie-cheesecake hybrid. LOL.  

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Health Maintenence

My dh and I both went for yearly physicals today.  I always come home wondering why I bother.  I will probably end up paying gobs of money to a Dr. who asked me how I have been doing, if anything has changed, then listening to my heart beat and breathing. ???? Is that a physical???  Oh well, I am not known for being too swift in my thinking.  

I should be posting some new pictures but haven't really taken many.  But, I will, I will!  Soon!

Monday, December 8, 2008

Are You Tired of Doing Nothing Yet?

NO!  Nothing to everyone else is something to me.  I spend my days "playing."  It has been a long time since I really played, and I am loving it now.  I can collage, paint, draw, journal, create, all day long.  It makes me happy, and I forget all the other daily "drudges" when I am doing that.  Now how could you get tired of that?

Today is a rather overcast gray looking day.  I thought about baking something.  I will have to think about it.  Brownies were on my mind.  MMmmmmmm

No new pictures yet.  But I did try to send a video email to S&J.  Wonder if they got it?

The littlest car girl will be coming up to hang with me after noon.  We will enjoy each others company!

I have to figure out how to get in touch with D&M...  If you guys see this call me and tell me how!

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Deer

I got to snap a couple of shots at a nice big young looking doe that popped up from below into our yard north of the house, trying out the new camera, again.  I haven't really looked at the results, but it was fun to watch her in real time, as she mosied off towards the little forest above us.  I don't know if she was the tail end of the small herd that hangs around up here, and the others had already gone on about their business by the time I noticed her.  We have had a teenie little squirrel playing on the rock wall and running out into the buffalo grass.  We hope the cats don't discover it, as they are fun to watch with their jerky movements and flipping tails.  I have been learning about making mini videos.  Supposedly, you can make a video and email it to someone.  I did manage to make a video, but it would not send.  I think I might need to edit it and make it smaller.  Or learn to make one of those little pop up screens that let you play a video on blogs.  I was thinking about buying a flip video of some kind but they are rather limited in how you can publish videos from them.  I did discover that my camcorder uses a memory card, so I think I can download that using my memory card flashreader.   Will have to keep playing with this.  

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Success!

The new windows are so clear!  The waxwings took flight from the red cedars and flew right into the front room window.  It sounded horrendous!  The cat, of course, took advantage of the gift from nature, lol.  Most survived, one or two did not.  My dh and I are rather amazed at how much more clear these windows are.  I guess, over time, because of a factory goof up, the windows have been getting a haze from the silver coating tarnishing inside the sandwich.  Because it occurred so slowly, we did not realize how bad it was until the new windows were installed.  Our views, ever so beautiful, are much more so now!  
Yesterday, we had a visit from the car girls walking up.  They, much like the waxwings, flitted in, enjoyed a few minutes with the dress up chests, enjoyed the marshmallows from cups of hot chocolate, rode a few yards on the bikes, packaged up their leftovers from their snacks, and flew away home, but not through the windows! lol

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Black Friday

My dh loves to go shopping.  He used to go do black friday with our daughter-in-law but now he works.  But, he did leave work, and ran to the local Ace store to pick up a special gift... 
for my best friend Bubba.  Bubba loves it.  It is a round padded pet bed and I think it must feel good on Bubba's old bones.  He spent last evening in it in the great room, then all night in it in the bedroom at the foot of the bed, then today, out in the great room again.  Who knew???

Friday, November 28, 2008

Windows

The window replacement people have been here all day replacing our windows with bright new CLEAR window.  It is so nice to look out on our beautiful views and not have diagonal lines and other distracting things embedded within the window sandwich.  They did not get finished.  All is done except in the great room, so will have to wait a week for them to come back.  They seemed to be really responsible workers, and cleaned up the debris and polished the windows before they left.  I would recommend them based on what I know of them today.  

Foggy Foggy Dew

We are sort of fogged in this morning.  It looks like my world goes to the rock wall and then all I see is a grayish wall.  Sometimes a misty valley appears as if in a shroud.  Some people (I used to) might find the fog depressing.  For some reason, it doesn't bother me anymore.  I have been working on some twinchies, (2"X 2" squares) collages focusing on different themes.  One was our gifts from nature.  If you can look at fog as a gift of nature it helps. I know the pines need the moisture and the fog makes everything outdoors damp.  Makes the fireplace seem more cheery too, lol.  On another thread, the waxwings are still here enjoying daily, actually minute by minute snacks on the red cedars.  They are so interesting to watch.  Their colors are subtle greys with yellowish breasts, and have a white circle around their eyes.  Gifts from nature!

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Pimping Blogs

My kids have been up grading their blogs.  I naturally, wanted to do that too.  What I wanted to do on my art blog was upload some of my own art for the background, but haven't been able to figure that one out.  The site the kids are using tells me it is not compatible with Macs.  GRRRR.  But, today, I found some backgrounds I like so you see my bitty upgrade along the sides.  :~D  Next, some cute "placards" or boxes if you will to frame the other things on my blogs.  

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Retirement...Yeah Right

Tomorrow morning bright and early (6:45 am) I have to be to my dh's work to teach a workshop to his crew dealing with hazardous material.  Once a teacher always a teacher, evidently.   Well, it is only for one day so I guess I can live with that. LOL  I had to make rewards and study up on some vocabulary, and study an outline, make booklets for the crew, gather up pencils,   hmmmmmm...  did I leave anything out,  it has been a while since I've done this!  The last time was my own art workshop in September.  I am deciding whether to try that again in January or February.  I want to hold workshops, but I have also really dived into this retirement freedom mode and am loving it.




Saturday, November 15, 2008

New Toy!





Here is my very first pictures taken with my new 14.7 mp camera.  Of course I grabbed it and took these with no pre reading of instructions.  But couldn't miss the rainbow!  I think I am gonna love this new little digital elph!  We had a double rainbow right over our "awesome place"!  If I had read the instruction booklet, I would have been able to set it for taking this sort of special shot, and maybe the glowing colors of the rainbow would have shown up better.  But, I still like these snaps.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Retirement?

I guess we have this mental image after working for so many years, that when we quit working life will be a "dream." Everything will just fall into place, right?   In many ways the peace of not having the pressure of work is lovely, but I have found that the paper work etc. trying to get to the "dream" is obnoxious!  I had to deal with my work about my retirement stuff, and that was weird.  I still had to call them last month, about something.  Maybe, it will finally be set up as I want it!!  Then there is insurances, :-(  Grrrrrrr!  And my retirement fund, now that was a maze of financial wanderings.  I, again, just maybe have that finally settled although I had to call about it today, again.  Social Security seemed to be the easiest to set up and get going... who knew?  You hear all this stuff about government agencies being slow and cumbersome, but nope, that was fairly easy, compared to the other things I had to take care of.  I actually started last January to "arrange" everything so when I finally officially retired, everything would be ready.  Yeah, right!   Anyway, after the first of the year, we have to start learning about Medicare, and again Grrrrrrr!  I do not like having to study up on anything and it makes me real crabby when I have to do so.  At our age... we just want simplicity... it's all we can remember!  LOL 

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Bits of Rain

We have had quiet little showers of rain today.  Most times when it rains we know it because the wind pelts our windows with the raindrops, and it makes quite a concert.  Today, the only way we knew it was raining was to see the wet decks when we look out, or if we let one of our animals out the doors.  We have a guy coming to replace our windows, finally.  I hope he comes soon.  We have a couple windows that we cannot even see out of because the silver inner coating (low e windows) has tarnished.  I hope this is not the norm for e windows.  Guess we will find out in another five years. 

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

More Visitors

Visitors recently have been the fox.  He or she trotted across the sage field north of us giving me a very nice chance to admire it, and went down over the edge on this side of the cliffs.  Very reddish colored with white neck scruff and large bushy white ended tail.  Another time,  an unidentified flock of large grayish short tailed birds with bright yellow breasts popped up into view from behind the rock wall to the west.  They sat on the rocks for some time, seemingly like they were discussing something rather grave.  As quickly as they came, after their rest, they all left together, heading to the north.  This morning a little salt and pepper colored dog, I think may have been a medium sized poodle growing out its summer hair cut, was out on the buffalo grass, wandering around. He/she too, left after snooping around our wooden deck.  I am actually always surprised when stray dogs (or cats) show up around here as we are so far from the road, and other people.    The black birds assemble and pick and flutter around every morning to the east, using the apricot tree as their main roost.  This morning, they seemed to be entranced with the snow, and would swoosh down from the tree almost as one, to strut around in the the circle covered in very wet snow pecking into it for whatever it is that blackbirds would want...  perhaps just a nice cold icy drink?  It's  a good thing they took advantage of the snow,  as it is gone now and they will have to go back to the stale watering pan.  
I was supposed to go into town for a flu shot today, but talked myself out of it.  Maybe next week I will make it.  Driving into town seems like such a waste of precious time!

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Awesome Place

Mother Nature gave us a great show today.  The sunrise to the east was red red red as the sun attempted to shine through the early morning cloud cover.  Then we had a lovely sunny morning.  Right after noon, the clouds moved over us and it rained, a nice calm rain.  Then we had another couple of hours of sun.  Then more clouds, this time with "tater wagon" thunder and making us feel like it was evening, the atmosphere was so darkish.  Heavy rain again.  Then, sun, with the most amazing full rainbow that was sooo bright and glowing, along with a second one not so vibrant.  Of course, as the sun was setting, the evening clouds glowed in beautiful pinks, with turquoise pieces of sky patch worked into the mix.  We have been busy looking out as often as we could to see what what new.  The mountains shrouded in clouds, the rain enhanced  brighter than usual yellow leaves, and the darkened branches and shrubs from the rain.  The highlight of the day was an anticipated visit of migrating robins, a group swooping and flitting down onto the red ceder trees to feast on the blue cedar berries, their lovely orangy breast feathers complimenting the blues and greens of the trees.  Wow, we really was reminded of what an awesome place we live in, here on our red dirt hill.
In the morning, before the rain,  dh got the garden area tilled.  I worked on some art dolls, tongue in cheek named "the first ever meeting of the Carolville garden club."  Hopefully, there will be a photo of the lovely ladies in the future.  

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Friday, October 31, 2008

Boo!






Here are the car girls and friends enjoying all the Hallowballoo.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Life



Today I have the littlest car girl here for a visit.  She is a cutie!  Her and I and Bubba went for a walk out back.  She seemed entranced with her shoes and mostly watched her feet while walking.  She is going to be another artist, I think, as she heads for the pencils and paper as soon as she gets here.  I am not up on development stages but is that normal for a 1 1/2 yr old?

Life never ceases to surprise.  You can never tell what will pop up.  Yesterday, I had a lovely surprise in the form of an email from a nephew I haven't seen nor heard from in so many years, I could not say when.  Ben!  He sent pictures of his family, said hello, and that he would keep in touch.  How nice to have family connections.  I hope he stays in touch, now that we have re-connected.  You will, won't you Ben?  Also, a couple of weeks ago, Adria, connected with me through face book.  We have been playing games there, together.  Whee!

I have found a link I thought was interesting.  A young woman, following some advice from an old person from maybe Africa, started this site to give 29 gifts in 29 days.  This was supposed to help her heal from something.  This intrigues me.  I don't know why, but I have thought about it quite a lot.  Hmmmm...

  


Monday, October 27, 2008

Monday Morning NOTs

I guess I haven't had much going on around here, my happy home.  I think I am starting to settle in to a routine, and that concerns me.  Routines are for the "working class".  I am retired!  I do NOT have to get up at a certain time.  I do NOT have to perform activities based on someone else's timetable.  I do NOT have to eat on an assigned lunch schedule.  I do NOT have to dress.  So, today, Monday, I am NOT doing anything except just exactly what I want to do when I want to do it!  I did finally empty the dishwasher this morning, since the clean dishes in it were washed, I think last Thursday, LOL.  Now, whatever comes next is strictly MY call!.  Yaaa Hooo.  (I think I better listen to my biological clock and go do something NOW.)

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

October Creepy Crawlies

Today, I decided to vacuum under my sofa.  If I had shrunk down to about 2 inches, I would have been in a major environment of creepy crawlies.   I waded through "stuff" I cannot even describe!  Wads, yes wads, of old grey shed hair! From who, I would not try to pin point as we are all grey!  A fruit loop... ?  Toothpicks, beads, pen, chips, a dog bone, a needle, a hairy ball, bottle cap, foody things (I think), a screw, a broken nylon washer, a pile of black looking stuff that I assume is from the metal rubbing together where the washer should have been and lots of stuff that I just did not recognize!  So, my ten minute vacuum job, turned into a major clean up.  I had to shampoo the carpet even though I really wanted to just shove the sofa back into it's usual place and act like I never saw those October creepy crawlies!  LOL  Life is good......

Monday, October 20, 2008

Addiction?

Every morning I get me a cup of tea, sit down and pick up my lap top.  Like this morning.  I listened to the rain falling, sipped my tea, looked out over the valley and the village.  I used to check my email first thing in the morning, while I had tea.  Now, I check my emailS.  Then I check my groups.  Then I check out some blogs.  And, if you are a blog reader, you know one blog leads to another blog leads to another blog and so on.  This can use up lots of time.  So, (or should I say but?) you get addicted.  I have found this to be so especially since getting a laptop.  It is just so handy to grab the laptop and start looking at something.  After a while you look up and zip, all that time is gone, while you were in cyber space.  Well, I am fighting my addiction today...  I am off to do a bit of housework.  I will be back, when I need a break, checking on stuff............

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Class?

Today (Wednesday) I go to a class at the UBATC trying to learn Photoshop Elements program.  I am not very proficient yet.  The teacher seems to be focusing on portrait type photography, like wedding pictures, family pictures, stuff like that.  I want to be able to start with a background photo, one I have taken of landscape or something, then add some other elements to it like web pictures or scanned pictures and words.  So, far, we have not done anything close to that.  I do think, I have a better understanding of some of the tools in the program.  Hope I can remember them later!
Life is very quiet around here at this time.  I am very quiet. LOL
I do spend some time almost everyday, arting.  That is good for me.  I get antsy if I don't do something creative.  
I read everyday too.  I read a book once that said if you write three or more pages of just whatever pops into your mind every morning, you would get rid of all the junk in your brain and you would have more space for important matters.  The problem is, she said it had to be handwritten with a pen or pencil.  Well, how many of us are gonna do that when we have a keyboard??  Not me!


Saturday, October 11, 2008

The Final Results



Here is our little Statue of Liberty

Fall Season

Today, the forecast is for rain turning to snow by this evening.  We have had a few sprinkles this morning.  The mountains are blotted out by dark clouds so I think they are getting snow already.  The furnace has been active all morning.  We had the electric fireplace on while we had our morning visit and cups.  I went out to my garage area studio, but it is too cold to work there.  I am going to have to make the switch back to my indoor room for the cold months very soon, but want to wait to see if Indian Summer will let me stretch the work time out there.  My projects will take a different turn once I have to move inside.  Smaller, more paper oriented, like ATCs etc.  
I have been up and down the ladder in my kitchen the last two or three days, cleaning the light fixtures,  taking my green depression glass down and into the dishwasher, painting the platforms they set on,
putting the glass back up,  and generally rearranging things.  Everything on the kitchen side looks bright and sparkly now.   It was fun to re discover some things I have collected since moving on to our hill.  I had forgotten I had three green chickens, each a different size.  Next week, I will start on the cat collection, I guess.  I know I pared the cats down a few years back.  Perhaps I will again.  How odd it seems that I collected cats for so many years, and now, I don't really care about them.  I always thought cats were so cute.  I really do have some interesting collectible ones but, what does one my age want with them? And, if I didn't have them, what would I put on the beam they set on?  
Today, too, the car girls and I are starting to design some costumes.  The Statue of Liberty is on the table.  We will work on the torch and the crown.  Should be an interesting challenge. LOL 
   

Thursday, October 9, 2008

The Greatest Gift...

The other day I was thinking about how my knowledge and creativity came about.  I thought about my father.  He was for the most part a silent force in his kids life.  But, when I was very small, he fell for a door to door salesman's sale pitch and bought a set of "New Standard Encyclopedias".  I now realize this was because he valued knowledge so much.  He and my mother were children of their time, and only went through possibly an 8th grade education.  Good enough for their generation.  The Encyclopedias were given a place of honor on a shelf in a built in cupboard with doors.  Whenever any member of the family, or visitors had a question, the first thing my father would say is "get the book."  This meant one of us had to go get the encyclopedia dealing with the subject, look up the topic, read aloud for all to hear, whatever it was we were curious about or needed to know for school.  I can not remember not having that resource in our home, along with a dictionary, and the Bible.  All were used as needed to answer whatever questions we had as we grew up.  What a remarkable gift my father gave to me, without me really realizing that he was giving me a gift!  I have used it on a daily basis!  The source of gaining knowledge has changed now to more technology but the concept is the same.  I don't know if I ever thanked him for this...  probably not... wish I could now.

Monday, October 6, 2008

MORE!


I have to figure out what to do with yesterday's harvest of tomatoes!  I canned whole tomatoes, made quarts of tomato juice, we have made spagetti sauce to freeze, we made macaroni and tomatoes, eaten them fresh off the vine, sectioned with onions, sliced with mayonese topping, and now, I have all these tomatoes to do something with again.  Let me see...  I could make salsa, or chili sauce, or more juice, I could dry some but I still have dried ones from last year in the freezer.  We have given some to, well, almost everyone who wants some.  Who knew planting 12 tomato plants would turn into such a dilemma?  LOL  I love fresh tomatoes.  Aren't they beautiful?

Friday, October 3, 2008

Another Strange Visitor

I saw a dog at the corner of my street and the Highway with a long rope dragging from it's collar this morning.  So, being 4 dogs, I stopped and it was friendly and I got it in the car and I brought it home so she would not get run over on that busy road.  She was friendly, and nervous.  Animal control came and took her away.  I am glad she did not get hurt what with dragging around a big, I think, bull riding rope.  She got tangled up with the rope around here several times while we waited for the officer to come get her.  She looked liked she had a mangy tail, I hope Bubba doesn't get it.   She also looked like she had had a litter of puppies not too long ago.  I hope her owner finds her and takes her home and gives her a bath and treats her balding tail!

Yesterday, I had two sweet visitors, one of the car girls and her friend, who walked up the hill. We painted some rubber doll heads, which, they are going to put next to a gravestone in what LuLu calls the graveyard?  Holloween is such a pleasant holiday, right? lol




Thursday, October 2, 2008

Whoops!

Okay, I have tried to figure out how to remove one of the mantis pictures but so far no luck.  
These guys are really fascinating to look at so I guess we will just have double exposure! LOL

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Yellow Mountains



Today, when we look up north towards the mountains we can see they are patched with yellow.  The aspens are showing their fall colors!  Down here, below the mountains, on our hilltop we are having a fall mini resurgence of wild flowers.  The yellow buttercup looking ones are blooming around in our buffalo grass patch.  The blanket flowers are blooming along the back sidewalk.  The huge white primroses are showing up here and there.  Even the sagebrushes are blooming in their unique manner... they have a kazillion tiny berry-looking sprigs in the most lushious (sp?) sage green ever.  I love the sages, I love their smell, how they look.  Our rabbit brushes are also blooming profusely in their golden yellow displays.  There are a few purpley colored flowers here and there too.  The berries on the cedar trees are turning more blueish.  How lucky we are to have such a beautiful and natural place! Besides the flowers, and some birds, we have had some interesting insect visitors lately.  On the screens of the windows of the porch we had several large flat looking beetles hanging out for a week or so.  Then a couple of days ago I got the picture of the mantis! 

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Sweet Green Sunday


Today,  I am relaxing for the most part, getting up and once in a while and doing a couple of housekeeping chores.  I wanted to post pictures of some of my collections, just because I photo boothed a couple for another reason and so if the pics are on the computer already, they are easier to download to blog.  I love green.  It has been my favorite color for years.  Green gives me a warm, summery kind of feeling.  I like to wear green because it makes my hazel eyes look green.  Now all the talk about we need to be green seems right to me!  
We have our littlest car girl today.  What a character she is.  She is really talking lots.  
My DH gathered tomatoes this morning and is putting them into the crock pot to make a sauce...  perhaps spagetti or mexican.  Whatever, made from fresh tomatoes, it will be fabulous.

Monday, September 15, 2008

On The Hill

We live on a hill.   A rocky, red sandy, desert type hill.  It is at the bottom of a small but high mountain range.  On our hill grows a few sagebrush, rabbit brush, what I think I definitely identified as horse brush (very stickery), and a few grease woods, some wild grasses, prickly pear catcus, several different weedy looking unidentified plants and some other minor desert fauna that looks like curly thyme, and mosses.  I am sure there are others I missed but you get the idea.  We can see isolated red "hills" from our perch, and we look down on what we call the village whose night lights are lovely too.  We can look out over what we call the badlands to the south, the mountains to the north, red pinon and cedar covered hills to the east, and the village and some of its activities, like fireworks and traffic,  to the west.  We watch beautiful and colorful sunsets each evening, sunrises that surprise us at times, and the wildlife.  
In the last week, our "special" visitors have been, (I think) some migrating hawks.  The hawks and buzzards like to play on the wind currents, and we have them almost at eye level where our house sets.  Three, small sized, light colored with sort of half circled black lines on their tail decided to put on an arial show for us.  At times, it was as if they were suspended just off the side of the hill, really not moving.  Other times they would dive out of sight below the edge of our hill and view.  Suddenly, they might pop straight up and back into our sight.  They stayed for most of one day.  It seems like our summer residents, the buzzards, have left on their journey to where ever they go during the winter as I have not seen them flying by our windows of late.  Also, the big black noisy crows seem to be gone now, along with the humming birds, black birds, wrens, and finches.  We have had, at times what I call the "bobbin birds" which are possibly rock wrens, that run up and down a low rock wall we built from excess rocks from the foundation of the house, bobbing and hunting, but they seem to be gone too. The swallows left early this year, possibly due to no rain for nest building.   We think that soon, however, the robins and mountain bluebirds will converge on our red cedars and strip them of their showy blue berries and entertain us with their quarreling.  We have had one really huge robin that comes back each fall and wants all the berries to herself.  
As Bubba and I walked out to the back of our property this morning, we paused to watch a small herd of six or seven deer.  One, a doe, seemed to be parenting twins.  They did not seem to be concerned that we walked so close to  them , and simply kept munching their way along what ever path they were taking, checking on us often to make sure we did not venture too close to the half grown babies.  We stood still and enjoyed watching for some time.  
Last night, the most lovely of all creatures, the car girls and their mother plus two dogs walked up our dug way for a short visit.  They had a small treat of watermelon and cantaloupe, gave us much needed hugs and kisses then left us happier for the visit.  We are blessed!
 

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Addicted Shopping

I was thinking about all the fuss everyone is making about being green because of a radio ad that talked about "cheap" people who re gift and buy at thrift shops and yard sales as being smart people because they are careful with their money, and how that is good for the environment (green.)  I drifted back through my life as a "thrift shopper."  I have been doing yard sales, and thrift stores since the very early 60's.  My kids had all kinds of fun things, because I bought stuff at yard sales.  The had every kind of camping equipment, sports equipment, toys, and high dollar clothing.  I was considered the yard sale queen in my family, because every time someone would compliment me on some decor in my house, most of the time my reply was "I found it at a yard sale."  I built up awe inspiring collections of depression glass for myself and my sisters, and even some of my nieces, cat figurines, one of a kind pieces of furniture, dishes, unusual kitchen helpers, camping supplies, yard decor, and the list could go on forever.  My kids, however, did not appreciate that someone might know our stuff came from yard sales.  So, one day as we were doing an activity that is now forgotten we started playing with the name ZCMI....saying ZCMeyes.  Most people would know that ZCMI was/is a high end department store started by the Morman church, and the church also manages the Desert Industries, which is a thrift shop.  So, to save my poor children from embarrassment, we started telling them we got whatever "treasure" we brought them, came from ZCMeyes.  They were happy, we were happy.  Nowadays, finding treasures in this way is considered chic and smart.  I know people who have plenty of money, are very careful on how they spend it, so I see lots of high end shoppers arrive at the yard sales in high end autos.  I still get a thrill at finding the wonderful bargain at these sales.  I am forever addicted.  It seems like whatever it is that I have been thinking about wanting or needing, bwa la... it shows up at a yard sale.  Serendipity!
My latest treasures?  Rolls of paper, knitting needles, crochet needles, and a journal! 

Monday, September 8, 2008

Mrs. Clean

Do you know how much cleaner your house becomes when you are full time "at home?"  I don't even feel like I actually "clean" but I do do at least one cleaning task each day, and bwa la, the place is looking much more cared for.  Today, I put Bubba's bedding and a couple of area rugs in through the laundry,  then mopped the garage floor on my side of the garage, and wiped a few black finger prints off the door jams.  I just kinda do whatever catches my eye as needed.  I feel like I am living in a much cleaner environment now!  It makes me happier. 

Thursday, August 28, 2008

My Friend



My friend Bubba

Bubba's hearing and sight continually goes downhill. I am so glad I am here for him. He gets underfoot, as he wants to be close to someone. I had to scoot him out of the kitchen several times this morning as I tried to mop the floor. He screams at me if I step too close as he thinks I am going to hurt him, and his horrible yell makes me jump. A couple of times, I have thought I have stepped on his toes so I guess he is only protecting himself. Finally, he pouted on the carpet edge and let me mop in peace. Sometimes, he seems to be confused and lost as to where he is, where he is going, that sort of thing. I stop to pet him, and evidently he can't see anything above him now so he jumps and ducks when I touch his head or back. He forgets that he just went outside for a stroll, and sometimes wants right back out and he repeats his little circle. I think he has been operating on his smell facilities for quite sometime. I am not sure if that is working anymore, so we worry about him getting lost. He does some funny things at times and we laugh at him, but we are so sad about his senility and know his life is not long here.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Tomatoes

Finally! Our tomatoes started to produce. So, last Saturday, when we picked, we had so many, I had to put them in jars. I ended up canning eleven quarts. We will be happy to have those to add to soupy style recipes next winter. We are planning to make stuffed peppers and tomatoes soon too.

We had the car girls over the week end. Needless to say, we are still recovering, they take so much energy. We have non stop eating, and non stop activity when they are here. I laughed cuz when I changed the baby, she had a little blue dolphin stuck on her belly button. LOL

It seems nice to have the weather temperature down a notch or two. I hardly turn on the AC now.

There must be two dozen hummers flying around the feeder now. We found a dead one on the big rock over the week end and the car girls got to get a close up of the tiny wings and body. They also got to watch a preying mantis which was on DH's chair on the deck. They took the littlest car around the circle in the wagon, pulling her and running with her, until she laughed so loudly we could hear her from the other side of the orchard while we sat on the deck. I kept noticing wasps flying around one of the cedar trees while they were playing. It made me remember their Dad riding in the same wagon when he was little and he was so cute too. The wagon is so old and rickety, but it was still fun for them. Then they brought the wagon back and parked by the tree to rest, but little one did not want out. Then, while she sat there and as I watched, I saw wasps going under the wagon. So I told the big girls to look, and sure enough, there was a wasps nest under the wagon. So we got baby out and they took it up the road so DH could spray the wasp nest which was located in the area where the tongue hooks to the wagon. We were so amazed that one of the girls did not get stung.

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Apricot Nectar


Don't the apricots look beautiful! After making jam, I still had sooo many apricots left, so, I made apricot nectar. My first effort at this. It looks beautiful in the jars. Hope it will taste as good later this winter.

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Apricot Jam!

Yep, I made fresh apricot jam this morning. Yum. It is my favorite. I am so thrilled, after seven years to have such a good crop of apricots this year. Actually, too many. What will I do with them all? I had fresh jam on bread and butter with my tea this morning. I have been missing having any apricot jam around for the last year. Now, I have a new supply to get me through til the next time the weather, wind, rain, and sun decides to allow me the privilege of having "cots" to harvest.
I am trying to figure out a good place to have a one day art retreat of my own. I originally thought I could have it here, in my garage studio area, but, you guessed it, I would have to clean it and de clutter it. The cleaning would not be so bad maybe, but getting rid of the clutter...heart rendering, evidently. So, plan B is to find a place I could hold one. I have three people already signed on, if I can get one together. I am going ahead with plans for packets and food, just as if I had a place ready to go. I am sure I will be able to get a place, once I get to the phone and start calling a couple of places.
I spent a couple of hours in the village, doing some business, and boy was I glad to get back on the hill. The traffic just gets worse and worse.
So...I think I will go have a late afternoon snack. How does bread and butter and APRICOT JAM sound?

Monday, August 4, 2008

Dog Days of Summer

It seems like my life has switched suddenly into slo mo mode. Not much going on around me. The garden is growing but nothing much is ripe enough to harvest. The sun just shines down, the bugs and birds fly about, Bubba and Blueberry sleeps, and I, I just putter. I had so many plans to do to the house and such, but I have been so busy doing artsy things, they all fell to the wayside. Now, I guess I am just sorta resting up from all the motion of traveling, and creating. And, heck, I can always paint walls, or whatever tomorrow, or the next day, right? Here is a list of major things that NEED to be done: House painting-inside and out. Windows replaced. Carpet replaced. New sofa. New bed for DH. Curtains laundered. New shower curtain and rugs in small bath.
etc. etc. I don't know what it is, that makes me just think about this stuff instead of doing something about it, except I am just enjoying the fact that I can take as long as I want to do it. I told myself all week end that I would do something on Monday. Now today, I am saying well, what does it matter if I wait a day or two (or more)? Instead, I have watered in the yard and worked on a ZINE about drawing, and now I am blogging and in a minute I will be dyeing wool with Kool aid. How Kool is that? Hope it turns out as lovely as I see it in my head. What will I do with it? Make art of course! What else? I guess I will start searching the net for another art workshop to go to. I admit it, I AM HOOKED!

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Hot Sunday

We spent another hot hot hot and I mean hot day. I worked on creations to take to the street festival on Thurs. evening. I hope I sell something. It has been a long time since I tried selling my stuff. I have not a clue on how much to charge for things. I just gave them a pot shot price and will have to hope for the best. I can always bargain, I suppose. I was thinking I needed a canopy to use for my booth. DH bought me one but even he had hell setting it up so he took it back. LOL. I need one that almost sets itself up, after watching the gymnastics he went through to get one up. I decided if it gets too hot I will just leave.
On another line, the oldest car girl is in the UBIC Little Miss Pageant on Monday at 6:00. I think i will go, as Mom needs help with dress changes and picture taking etc. It will be fun to watch her sing.
Bubba found a deer in the yard this morning. He can smell things but can't see so he barked and ran towards the tree she was under. She moved north a bit but he didn't seem to know that. He just went to the tree where she was originally. He makes us laugh with his senility, even though it is so sad to know he is getting so old.
DH got stung by some wasps on his hand this morning and it is all swelled up. He says it doesn't hurt. Maybe it doesn't. I am so allergic to bites that I know I would be hurting and feeling terrible.
I am still campaigning for a new camera. Mine seems to be sickly. The pictures look misty or something. It probably is just the settings but it is supposed to be automatic. I think it has to do with pixels.
Well, off to wash my long beautiful luxurous hair....

Friday, July 25, 2008

Pictures



Here are some of the "promised" pictures. The one on the right I shot over the hood of the truck...it was the only way I could hold steady with all the excitement!

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Moose Story

I know, I know, everyone has a "vacation" story or two to tell. This is mine: DH and I were sitting outside the camper in Grand Lake campgrounds. I had my back to the camper, he was sitting about 6 feet away facing me. Behind him there is a small tiny stream, a hill, a few trees, and some willows. I was busy with a box of "finds" on my lap, dismantling stuff, so I could use it later. We were visiting about whatever, but I had my eyes on my junk. I finally did look up though. Right behind my DH, about six feet stood a MOOSE! I threw my box on the table, jumped up and yelled "stand up!" DH just looked at me, and saw I was very agitated but just said, "is it a bear?" I yelled again as I dashed behind the truck, "stand up!" Finally DH did stand up but the moose just looked at us, turned and went over to some willows and started munching out on them. He was big, beautiful, black, and his horns were in velvet. He hung for a few minutes then moseyed off across the road and disappeared into a forest of willows. I stlll can't believe he walked right up to us and we didn't even hear him until he was breathing down DH's neck! It did frighten me to have him right in our camp and to have him so close. I like to look at them but I have heard they can be very aggressive and dangerous. This guy didn't seem to mind us at all. I will post a picture if it turned out and when I get my camera in from the camper.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Ft Collins to Estes to Littleton to Grand Lake to Grandby

We moved from Fort Collins to Estes Park on Friday evening. We stayed in a KOA park that is a night mare. We will not go back nor will we recommend it. The parking spots are not good and way too close together. We had one person on our left with three large dogs that barked constantly when they left them alone which was every meal time, wouldn't you know. Then someone across the very narrow road had two small bicycler boys that wanted to cut doughnuts right in front of my front door, and of course, that filled my house with dust from the unpaved very narrow road. Plus we had to park at the end of the very narrow road as there was not room to park next to the camper. :(
On the up side, they had some wonderful yard and garage sales in Estes Park. I picked up a bunch of stuff to use in my art.
And, the weather was much cooler than here on our hill.
On Saturaday, we drove down to south of Denver to Littleton to see DH's old Uncle and wife. It was rather amazing to see how much he resembled this old guy. I always thought he looked more like his father's family. This is the first relative of his I have met from his mother's side. They were very nice, but elderly. I am sure DH will be glad he visited them. Probably his last chance.
On Sunday, we drove though the Rocky Mountain National Park. What views! We camped just outside Grand Lake. As we was pulling into the RV park a guy was hanging a sign out that said sale. I yelled at him where and he pointed up the road above the RV park, so after we got the trailer parked and hooked up, we drove up the road into the timber where there were cabins here, there, and everywhere. We finally found this guys place and he had lots of art and antiques he was selling so he could move to Arizona...or so he says. I found a few bargains there too.
On Monday we drove from Grand Lake over to Grandby. It is a cute little town and DH found his old house he lived in as a kid. He was nostalgic about that too, especially after visiting his Uncle in Littleton who lived in Grandby at the same time.
So, on Tuesday we got up and drove all the way home saying whee whee whee.

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Fort Collins

I am enjoying a lovely and cool evening outside of camper watching the geese fly in and out to leave or arrive at a small pond here at the KOA. We spent the Thursday traveling and the first night of our journey at the very top of Rabbit Ears Pass where the temperature dropped down into the 30's during the night, and it was really a thrill when I stuck my feet onto the cold cold floor on Wednesday morning. We drove through Walden and stopped to take pictures of a moose and her baby, and down Poudre (pronounced poo der) river canyon almost all day. The canyon and the river is a really pretty drive. Fort Collins is a lively city with lots of artsy and antique stores. The workshop started by meeting at an antique mall...(consignments from like I think they said like 139 people consigned, it was divided off into like 10 by 10 ft spaces) Thursday morning. Mike, the teacher gave us a speel on what to shop for, then we all went shopping looking for things we could take back to the classroom to use in a piece of art. At one we started designing our pieces of art. Everyones look so different. Interesting artists. One lady named Ann from Florida, very nice. I think the rest are from around this area and they are nice too. We learned how to mount elements onto a back ground and the types of adhesives to use. It is pretty intuitive kind of art and I like it. I will eventually post a picture on my art blog when I get it completed. When we leave here tomorrow after the 2nd day of class we are going to Estes Park. Then we will drive from there down to visit Larry's uncle, I guess then into the Rocky Mt. National Park for a day or two. Then mosey on home. Larry stays busy on the phone with his people making sure they know he is still boss. LOL

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Good Bye Teeth-Hello Toothless Wonder

Had a very long visit with the Dentist today who spent most of our time together grunting and grinding to remove two teeth on my upper left side of my mouth. I ended up with of course, a very big gap, a very big bill, right now a swollen cheek, some pain, and because of pain pills, a woozy sleepy demeanor, and hopefully, after recovery no more hitting the ceiling when I take cold or hot food. Who could ask for anything more?

Grandma...you make me drive up the wall....

Have you noticed how your vocabulary changes as you "adopt" new words and terminology from your kids? I was thinking about some special to us things that we still say that remind us of how cute our kids were when they were children. Our son, for instance referred to the TV show My Three Sons as "My Two Sons", for whatever reason. We now, always refer to that as "My Two Sons". He had a booster seat that was kept on the sewing machine. Eventually we all referred to that as his "sing ma show". We tell people still, if we are feeling crowded to "scoop over." an inherited term from him also. We really have improved our vocabulary! Our granddaughter, angry about something we can't remember said to her Grandpa, "come on Grandpa, lets go beat up em." so we say "lets go beat up em" in an effort to lighten up a situation that we are a bit angry about. Our Grandson, however, gave us the ultimate solution to things that bother us. Evidently he listened to the popular and general use of the term, "that makes me climb the walls. " So as we teased and visited about something he told me one day, " Grandma...you make me drive up the walls." We still use that term whenever something bothers us.

Sunday, July 6, 2008

New Sink



I have a new badly needed sink and fausett in the kitchen today. Yaaaaeee! The installation seemed to go relatively smooth. Only a few @$#%^& emitting over the bar from the man in the picture who was/is my installation of everything expert. Of course, it did take most of the day to install, but only one trip to town for parts. It looks so much better. The gear shift type of handle will take awhile to adjust to. I love the soap dispenser...cuts down on messy plunger bottles on counter. What I am really happy about is that I am hoping this sink will not show the water stains and scratches like the original did. Man, I hated that sink! I am not the most wonderful housekeeper in the world but when you looked at that old sink, you would probably thought I was one of the worst.

Friday, July 4, 2008

Shopping

I spent all day Thursday in the Village shopping. My friend and I went to the sewing shop where I bought some embroidery needles, I picked the ones with the largest eyes so I can thread them (maybe). Then we went to the freight damaged place where I found a spool of string I think will work in my book binding, some hooks for hanging jackets etc. that I hope will help me get organized, a roll of tissue kinda looking paper that intrigued me because it looks like I might be able to use it in my collages, and I bought (how dumb is this) a broom and a mop which means I will have to do some house work and a large plastic trey to put under the cat litter box which I hope will help contain the tracking of the litter out onto the floor. Then we went to lunch at the China Star. Then we visited Alco, and finally went to the Emerald Gardens where I bought the car girls rings and hair decorations. Now, today, hubby and I went to Lowes and bought a new stainless steel kitchen sink, fausetts, some dremel tools, and a new rug for the dining room door to help contain the tracking in of many little particles. I am sick of shopping. Doing it online is much easier on the feet!

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Wild Flowers/Tame Flowers



Okay, I am so proud! I actually got the pictures off my camera and into my new program Photoshop Elements. I am still learning! Anyone have any great tips for me?

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Busy Work

I have been busy for several days trying to get ready to go to an art retreat. Organizing the supplies for the workshops have taken up much of the time. Deciding how to get all the stuff from here to there was a problem for me. I finally bought a new set of luggage. The largest and smallest piece I will use to pack my clothing. The second largest will carry items I have been busy with the rest of my time-making art items for the artists sale on Friday night. Having not attended a retreat before, I have no idea what to take to sell. I will have to see how the things I made sells. I might be rather out of touch with what will sell, since we have been out of the Gallery seven years. I will have a better idea after this retreat. I bought a tool bag on wheels to take the stuff I need for the amazing quilt workshop. It is big enough to carry everything I am hoping, even my sewing machine. If not, I will just pare down. I put all the tools and supplies I need for the silversmithing workshop in my bag I have used for years to carry stuff back and forth from work. So, so far, I will have five bags full of stuff to load into the car. Won't that be fun? At least three of them have wheels so that should help. All of this has been therapeutic for me, giving me something to focus on besides the same oh same oh. Only four more days till I leave!

Bubba and I took pictures of the wild flowers on one of our morning strolls. I will have to download them as soon as I get some time. I am campaigning for a new camera. I can't believe mine is outdated already. I want one that can take better pictures with more pixels, but is still a point and shoot easy to use camera.

Tomorrow, I am going to make a carrying case for my laptop. I have this idea in mind so I hope it works for me and will keep my laptop safe when I am traveling. That will make one more bag for me to load! Plus, I have a small camera bag too. Whew!

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Hanging Out

I am not doing anything responsible this whole week. I had assumed I would be on vacation now. But, life has a way of interfering with plans. So I am at home. I decided to take a "home vacation." So I am not doing one single required thing. I have read, and read, and read. I have hung out on the net. I have organized some supplies for an art retreat I am going to at the end of June. Bubba and I have taken some walks. I actually got to use my new scanner and am delightfully surprised at how easy it is to use. I am doing a bit of artwork. I do miss my family though. Not the vacation I had planned on, but better than nothing. I am getting geared up to start my own happiness project. Having a happy vacation is a step in the right direction.

I do have plans once my vacation is over. I need to spring clean a few areas. I might try to sell some stuff on the net. Not on ebay but there are other places, like ksl.com classifieds. I want to make some art pieces I can sell. I wish I had some now, as I could take them to my art retreat for sellers night. I want to bake cinnamon rolls! Yum! I want to go "junking" in the second-hand stores for stuff to use in my art. I want to straighten up my end of the garage. This is just a partial list of my want to's. I will surely have more to follow. Oh, yes, I want to journal a bit more. I will continue to read and compute. I am thinking seriously of buying a new camera with more pixals. Mine is only 2.5 and now they have cameras up in the double digit range. I need to learn to use my photoshop elements program first, maybe. Well, I am off to enjoy my vacation again...a good read is coming up!

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Happiness Projects

I think I need to start a new happiness project of some sort. I have researched some on the net. They all have to do with positive attitudes and positive thinking and all that stuff. I have practiced some of that on an off for years. It is kinda like exercising, you have to do more and more and more in order for it to work. Eventually, you are spending all your time on it. I think feelings have much to do with how you behave. I know I cannot be creative when I am tired. Nor can I be as creative when I am experiencing sadness. However, when I think about it, most of my poems have been written while in the throes of dealing with sadness. So maybe it is that certain areas of creativity are disabled by certain types of feelings. Disappointments also affect a persons happiness and creativity.
My happiness project needs to focus on not allowing outside influences like negative feelings to affect how I feel and so not affect my creativity. Being visually creative is what makes me happy. I will need to work on this some more.
Here's a start:

I see the many wild flowers
Here and there on my wild and untouched rocky land.
Deeply purple sage types growing by the rock wall.
Bright hot yellow buttercup looking flowers sweeping across the sage flats
And bouncing cheerily in the breezes.
Brilliant orange blooms on sage green stems of the mallow plants can be seen at random.
Tiny mounds of the desert daisies, like blobs of pale, pale pink dot the desert pavement here and there.
The glowing white beauty of the primroses and the pink tinges they turn into as they die at random are within view.
Ah, what are these majestic looking pinkish purple flowers and those white bushy looking ones over there?
And where do they come from, all these beauties, that light up the environment with such sweeps of color
Set off by the great clumps of dull green sage bushes, wild clumps of grasses, and of course, the cactus' that will soon bloom.
Too, there is the wild onions delicate globes of white blooms on tiny stems.
The beauty of these wild flowers are unmatched, are given by nature freely, are a true source of happiness for those who want to see.
Happiness might be encouraged with simple things like wildflowers accepted gratefully.

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Free Woman and Happy Artist!

Well, it is official! I am retired. Only 15 more days to work and I will be a free woman and happy artist. I have a full schedule already. Camping with family for Memorial weekend, then a road trip with family starting on June 6, and then an art retreat starting on June 25th. I think there will probably be a camp out for 4th of July too. Then I want to do a couple of one or two day road trips if I can get a roady partner lined up. Then there is the July 24th camping and who knows what other week ends of camping. Hows that for easing out of the work environment? It doesn't sound like I will have much time to be artsy but that will come when everyone settles back into life after school starts. I also have an idea to make a giant maze around the acreage somewhere...quite a ambitious project so I may not get to it too soon. And I have to do some painting ON and IN the house...it is screaming at me to do something to make it feel and look better! And cooking! It has been so very long since I have had the time or energy to cook...I am actually looking forward to that! And sewing...just some artsy efforts there. Is there such a thing as free/intuitive sewing? I am hoping one of the workshops at the art retreat will get me going with this. I thought I would also do some gardening, but since I have all these trips planned, I don't think so, as keeping it watered when we are gone is a problem. Then, when it cools down in the fall, I have to learn how to do some digital art on the computer!
Whew! Hope my energy holds up for all of this wishful thinking ideas. And, I probably have more things I want to do, but can't think of everything in one sitting. LOL

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Headache

I am at home with a terrible infection in my head and on my lungs. My head aches continually. It is difficult to do anything like read, the computer, art, with the headache. The wind is blowing outside, which doesn't help. The air in the valley looks all dusty from our rocky perch. We have blooms on some of our apricot trees. A few blooms on our cherry bushes. A few tulips are finally blooming. The buffalo grass area has gobs of foot tall wild plants with yellow blooms. I need to try to idenity the plants fo satisfy my own curiosity. I have some bulbs I need to plant but haven't been able to get out of doors to do so.

I only have about 20 days of torture left, then I will be free, free, free. I cannot believe that I have been able to stay on my job for 25 years! Not too much about it has been pleasant. I have been like a stranger in a foreign land working there. I have been a good worker until I finally accepted that I would never be a respected worker, nor would I ever be able to advance in my job. It would have been nice to have been accepted and recognized for being good at what I do. I have been able to continue by telling myself "its their loss", not mine. My mental peace, not having the job anymore, will be such a pleasure!

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Retirement Countdown

I usually can pass the time easily, no problem. I have been looking forward to retiring for several years, so I now find time is moving v e r y slowly, as i get to the last weeks of officially working. I have cleaned out my desk and files and brought home all my personal items. I am trying to complete all unfinished items, and am very close to being done with those. I hate to look at the calendar and realize I have 7 more weeks to work. 35 days. It sounds like a lifetime. Especially since I have everything in order to go! And, also, since I have been put on the "thank god we are getting rid of another non member" list so have had some problems with being treated fairly. I will be so thankful to not have to associate with prejudicial people.
I am trying to focus on organizing supplies I will need for my persoanal retirement gift to myself...an art retreat. My son and family bought me a mini tourch for mothers day i needed for the metal smithing workshop. My husband bought me a pair of pliars that twists wire. I have picked up some trinkets and beads, trims and pieces of cloth for the quilting workshop. Things are coming together for the much anticipated retreat. I am trying to come up with an idea for a trade item. i have not been to a retreat before but evidently, the artists all bring items to trade? I will have to ask others who have been to retreats for some ideas.
It has turned spring like for this week end and I went to a couple of garage sales, and planted some peas, and moved some rocks out of the garden spot so it can be tilled. How lovely to be able to get out of doors!

Monday, March 17, 2008

Lucky Lucky Lucky St. Patrick's Day

An almost like spring day and I am on my way home. I stop at the mail box and heard some thumping and thudding. I open my box, and what to my surprise it is totally full of boxes, packages, and mail!
"Get me out of here, get me out of here," I hear a faint voice crying. One by one I take the goodies out of the mail box and load them on the front seat of my SUV, all the while, one of the boxes is emitting what I have to describe as sounds from a very unhappy person.
I take all the mail into the house, change my work clothes, make a cup of tea, then sit down to look at the mail. I realize, then that the noises I am hearing is coming from a brown box from LORE, who has been hosting a most interesting swap.
"Okay," I say aloud, "Lets see what we have here," as I shake the box a bit. The noises instantly quieted. I get out some sissors to cut tape and such and pull out of the box a wonderful little suitcase painted copper and silver. Oh, I think, how darling and vintage this is! I begin to work on the latch so can open it, however, whomever, is inside does not help and pushes on the lid so it is difficult, but I finally get it unlatched. Immediatly, the lid flys open and I find the case is soo full of wonderous things! I notice the lid and the inside of the case is covered in what looks to be an old letter with faded words in a lovely green. On the very top of many things I find a tag book, with pictures on the front and describing the beginning and parts of a the most lovely little creature. She carries with her supplies for me to use and healing items. I am enchanted, just from reading the book! I set the book aside. Let's see, whqat will I look at next? Well, of course, it is the owner of the voice! How wonderful she is! I am thrilled with her, and her special little medicine bag with a crystal an art supplies, and turquiose for protection. How appropriate for me. I already have learned a lesson from her! (I wish I had added more embellishments for my swap partner.) How sweet and soft she is and I fall in love with her. Her purple and colorful dread locks fit her so nicely and she looks at me with eyes and face that are compelling, some what reminding me of Mona Lise, and therefore that becomes her name instantly. She is dressed in such soft clothing, much like I prefer, with the word comfort stitched on the skirt. My philosophy is reflected from her!.
I position her next to me so she can watch me type. The next thing I pull out is a jar of magic beads and buttons, that I am sure Mona and I wll do something with together. (See next post for continuation)

Monday, March 10, 2008

Girls and Crowns

Letting My Inner Child Play


I have to swap. I get all kinds of gloomy if I don't have a project going, but sometimes I don't get a project going unless I join a swap. My intentions in swapping is to keep me doing artwork on a regular basis which keeps me happy or living the happy artists life. I love the challenge of trying to come up with a concept for the swaps. I have to consider time, what supplies I have on hand, energy required, and if it is in the realm of possibilities for me to accomplish. I didn't realize what an old fogey I had become until I started hanging out with other artists on the web and they suggested some swaps that I did not react well to. My experience with swapping was mostly with ATCs. So, when some other types of swapping occured, I was rather hesitant to join in. Too crafty, I thought. Or too childish, I thought. But, giving myself a good pep talk about being a good player, I joined a couple. I made a tea house, I made a doll, and just last week end, can you believe it, I made crowns! Not just one but four. Well, I had to make one for a swap but it turned out to be so much fun, that I made one for the car girls (my Grandgirls) I had FUN! I enjoyed it! Well, now I understand about letting your inner child tendencies come out to play! I hope the girls will like them too.

Here's a picture of the crown that will be swapped. Later I will try to add pictures of the others.

Monday, March 3, 2008

Spring Art Activites

Well, we have all been wishing and praying and doing many activities trying to hurry us out of winter and into Spring. So I thought another monthly calendar of daily art activities might help. Here are my ideas for March!

1. E.E. Cummings (whoever he is) said " the most wasted of all days is the one without laughter." I say it is the one with out doing something with art. We should "art" someway, something, everyday.

2. Look over your plans for the month. Do they always include art in some way for each day?

3. Select a graphic, and explain in writing, perhaps your art journal, what you think it illustrates, just to get you thinking about ideas to include in your artwork.

4. Look for important words, sentences, paragraphs, writings and readings, that deal with art. Words are very powerful when included in our art.

5. Keep engaged with art. We can't just switch in and out of art, if we want to live a happy artists life.

6. Stretch you limitsin your art work just a bit each day.

7. Do you have difficulties in regards to your art? Talk it over with a creative friend.

8. Always exhibit ways of showing how much you value art. Time, effort, display, writing, are just a few ways. Find your way.

9. Browse your art books and art books at a library or book store or used book store to help build your artist life.

10. Practice good time management. Break large tasks into smaller chunks. Use small time allotments to rejuvenate. Art at every opportunity.

11. Always practice safe art when arting.

12. Find something really cool from a previous piece of art, incorporate it into a new piece of art.

13. It is okay to "clown" around with your art. Sometimes these turn into something very special.

14. Make/ use multiples in your art today. Repeating themes and pictures are very powerful when used in art.

15. Try something creative you've never done...use a new media, method, etc. just for fun.

16. Develop your 'art vocabulary". It makes it easier to discuss and make art.

17. Do a green piece of art in honor of St. Patricks day.

18. Do some cartoon art that teaches an idea. Why not?

19. Invite another artist to "tea" or lunch.

20. Recall and list the most awe inspiring pieces of art you have made, and tell why they impress you.

21. Call an artsy friend just to say "hello, what are you arting?"

22. Remember to stay fit. We make better art when we are fit and feeling great. It is not impossible, but very hard to be creative when we are not at our best physically and mentally.

23. Go on a hike. Anywhere will do. Enjoy the spring like weather...whatever it is.

24. Do some body stretches before you start to art. The five minutes will help you art better.

25. Make some pre-art brainstorming in your art journal. and make a list of projects you want to do soon.

26. Laugh at your self and your art. Life and art can be fun!

27. Keep a bottle of drinking water on your art table. You will find that a swig now and then is good for you, (And besides, you might need to thin some paint or glue with a drop or two.)

28. Complete this thought: "This month has been good for my art because.,......"

29. Try to clear your life of problems. Less problems-more time for art.

30. Art belongs to those who see possibilities......everywhere!

31. Look for possibilities............

Artfully yours!

Sunday, March 2, 2008

Something to Think About

I have been searching the net for art retreats. It has been a recent dream of mine to attend one of these. The workshops I read about make my mouth drool. I want to learn all the techniques! As luck would have it, one off the ladies in one of my art groups mentioned going last year to one in Nova Scotia. I wrote back about my dream. The groups founder, as it happens, has a blog where any retreats can be listed. And guess what! There is one right here close in Park City in June. So, I sent in a registration, an I am now waiting impatiently, to see if I will be, I don't know, I guess the right word is accepted. They only take so many on a first come first serve basis so have to wait for a confirmation notice. It will be three days-three workshops. One is metal smithing...looking way forward to that, one is drawing and watercolors, and one is art quilts which sounds like fun. The workshops will be held at the Kimball Arts Center. The participants will stay at a bed and breakfast around the corner. I hope they have a parking spot big enough for my car if I get to go. lol

I am revving up to purchase my new computer system. I hope to get it by the end of March. I really wish I had it now as I really could use the scanner to send some art out to sites. I did not realize how much I would miss having a scanner!

I wish I could say it is finally looking like spring around here but no such luck. The only springy thing we've seen is a nasty wind here last night. :(

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Memories of Faithful Friends





Pictures of the two dogs we lost this last winter. Teeny, the mix breed and Rosie the Boston Terrier. We miss them.

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Another Snow Storm-Another Day



We had a big storm...again. I woke up about 3 AM because something sounded like a tea pot whistling. It was the wind blowing throught the breakfast room door. That was a new experience! Our snow is all drifted looking today.
Here is the view from the north deck looking at the cliffs, summer and winter view.

Saturday, February 9, 2008

Group Art Swaps

The worst winter months with the cold and snow are coming to an end. Spring must be just around the corner! I have passed these months in relative bliss. Bliss because I have had PROJECTS. I am most happy when I am involved in some sort of project. It gives me something to visualize and work on mentally as I go about my mundane activities.
This winter, I enjoyed some new experiences in projects in the form of a Tea Box swap and an Art Doll Healing Doll swap. I have not exchanged this type of art before but I loved it. The Tea Box I made and sent to MA is highlighed on Lani the Puppetmakers Blog, http://14secretsforahappyartistslife.blogspot.com/. The tea box I recieved had wonderful things in it. The picture I hope to post here shows just some of the "goodies" I recieved in the Tea Box that came to me from Maria, in Texas. Thanks one more time Maria! All in all, this was a very satisfying activity to help pass the winter doldrums away.
The otherr swap, Healing Dolls, helped too. It was fun to come up with a concept, then follow through with a theme. I hope I am able to post a picture of the doll I made, and eventualoly the doll I will recieve.
My husband, who has no projects going, has bemoaned his tiredness of the winter. What a blessing art, art swaps, and art groups are. I loved this winter!

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Happy Artists Life?

On 14 Secrets, one of the sites I visit regularly to refuel my artist side, someone mentioned making a list of things that would make life happier. For some reason, a calendar was what my artist side wanted to do. So, for the month of February, here is a daily list of some activities to try.
1. Realize there is no failure in art. Many times, we have happy little accidents, but even if we feel the piece of art is unworthy, we learn something from it. So no failure.
2. Work with what you have to make art. Expensive art supplies are not necessary to be creative.
3. Good enough really is good enough.
4. Set aside and protect time to organize thoughts, feelings, media, your art space/
5. Post your artwork on the net. Let others view an extension of yourself.
6. Ask for what you need. Others cannot be bothered with guessing games.
7. Document your art. It can be revealing and helpful.
8. Focus on making the time you need to make art.
9. Invite other creative beings into your life at whatever level you feel comfortable with.
10. Say no when it makes it easier for you to make art.
11. Look for a spot in your environment to hide in that makes it easier for you to make art.
12. Keep an idea/love this journal of some kind so you can get creative sparks at will by reading in your idea/ love this journal.
13. Go over a mental checklist of what is needed in preparing for a project so you do not have to interrupt the creative flow in the middle of the “art zone.”
14. Develop your own style. Others techniques and ideas are great…but you got to do what you got to do.
15. Take five minutes when you can to get started on a future project. Gather supplies, look up scratch, do research, so that when you do book the time… you can spend doing art.
16. Do something with a creative friend who appreciates you and your art.
17. Learn something new about art. This can enrich your own art.
18. Throw away the have to rules and play with art in a spontaneous manner.
19. Know what your mistakes are and try to understand what you will do differently next time you are making art.
20. Observe others art and techniques.
21. Let other members of your family do some tasks, if they can, so you can make art.
22. Share your art with everyone.
23. Having a plan and theme is not always necessarily to make art. Intuitive art sometimes turns out to be the best.
24. Visit an art museum.
25. Use stress reduction techniques as often as needed.
26. Be careful about copyrights and plagiarism-protected images.
27. Back up and start over, whenever you need to.
28. Focus on positive; what went right, in your art.
29. Enjoy an extra day to make art this month.
My musings for this day!

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Healing Art Dolls and Other Swaps

I have been working on a healing art doll swap. It has been both exciting and fun and rather intimidating. Any time I have to come up with an idea, then try to make it a reality is exciting and fun for me. Seeing it come together, to see it make sense, to have something I can be proud of is the enticement to swapping. I was not sure about making a doll. When I was a child, I did not play with my dolls. I made clothes for them. I made furniture for them. I made houses for them. I created their enviorments. After I grew up, and when my kids were young, I made stuffed creations. I made funny stuffed creatures and other stuff. I sewed many many different things from clothes to quilts. The problem with sewing is I could not stand to make anything as directed by patterns and directions. I always had to add my own twists to each construction. So, they always turned out as a one of a kind thing. An example of this would be a coat I made out of a huge box of silk neckties I bought at a garage sale. I sewed the neck ties together, then cut out a coat and put them together. I wore it for several years. It was my "coat of many colors." Very warm by the way! I don't really sew much anymore. Now I just like art. Which takes me back to the healing art doll. I just did not want to "sew" a cloth doll. So, I used what I use best. Paper. I really think of my self as a paper artist at this time. So, I used a piece of my hand made pulp paper, added a face inside a coin sleeve, stitched some hair with bronze wire, used twigs for arms and legs, and I think she is just great! i decided to write about her from her voice:
"I, Sunny, ...." which turned out to be several pages long. I laughingly said I was writing a book. This led me to make my doll a doll house in the form of a book. So, my doll can sit on someones book shelves with the other books, and come out to play when the owner wants her. It is a combination of two things I love! Reading and Art. What a great experience.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Tea?

Check this out blog out. It shows pictures of the tea house I built and sent to MA for a swap on the 14 Secrets site.
http://14secretsforahappyartistslife.blogspot.com/

The tea house is what I made. I received a box of tea goodies from TX. This was really a fun swap.

Friday, January 4, 2008

And Then There Was One

For the second time in a month, we have lost another of our companion dogs. We found Rosie dead in her bed when we returned home from a Ballard City dinner. Rosie had not been feeling well since Teeny died, but did not seem majorally ill either. It is so sad to lose your dogs, especially when they have shared your space for so many years. Our last dog is older than Rosie, is hard of hearing and seems quite blind so I suppose it won't be long before we lose him too. This cold cold winter has been hard on these old dogs. We really miss thier companionship!