fire in the sky...

Sunsets are hard to see from my little home and even harder to capture on film, too many buildings.

But sometimes, the sky just lights up with an extra dose of beauty. 

I stood outside for a long time just watching the sky change and taking loads of photos.  These were my favorites, though.

I woke extra early this morning to pouring rain and decided I would skip my daily walk.  I piddled around the house, reading, painting and playing words with friends with my mum.  Shortly after lunch I realized that it had stopped raining for a while and decided I needed to get outside.  I ended up walking 2.26 miles.  I think that is my longest so far.

I never understand why it hurts more each time I go.  I would think the more I do it and the stronger I get, the easier it would be.  It's funny though, the pain I get when I walk, is an enjoyable kind of pain.  Does that make sense?  It's like I hurt, but I know that it is for a good reason.  Unfortunately, it doesn't take away the head pain and in fact makes them worse.  Somehow, I'm okay with that.

After I returned home and rested a little (to try to let that extra head pain subside) I went back into the studio.  I'd been working on the painting from yesterday and have started another.  I took your words to heart, but I just couldn't get past that peach snow.  So, I took it in another direction.  

I'll be honest, I'm not happy with it.  That is supposed to be a black bear snuggling a pillow in his cave.  Since I couldn't get the winter theme to work I decided to go with spring, and it would be time for him to wake.  I've already decided to move it to the "to be covered" pile.  :-)   

I don't mind.  Each painting helps me to learn and grow.  So, I'll keep making art (even if it is bad) and hopefully one day the good art will come more easily.  

thanks for stopping by!
love & blessings
~*~

my day in pictures...

I cast on tonight for this shrug.  The book I ordered and talked about the other day is very intimidating, so I found something a bit easier to build up my confidence.  This will the the first thing I've knitted for myself that isn't a hat or scarf.  

I spent another hour in the garden today, pulling up weeds.  I am so entranced by those tiny morning glory blooms.  So, so lovely.  They are like little fairie blooms.

My veggie patch: four collard plants, the san marzano that still has fruit and blooms, a romaine lettuce and rosemary.  I have two more romaine plants in a big pot.  I've never grown lettuce so this is an experiment.  I should probably move those potted ones to the ground before frost.  Does lettuce overwinter like collards do?  I'd best get out my gardening books and do some research.

Lastly, a mixed media piece I've been working on for months.  It speaks to me a little at a time and so that is how I work on it.  I think I've just about figured out where it wants to go, so I've been working on that and other studio projects in between waiting for paint to dry.

A day filled with little things that make me happy.  I hope you have had a wonderful day.  What little things make you happy during your day?

thanks for stopping by, 
love & blessings
~*~

ps...I just want to say a big Thank You to those who commented on my last post.  Your words mean so very much! xo
 

Winter

Winter has come to visit.  Pull up a chair and stay a while, I say to her.

This is what she had shared with us just an hour after her arrival.

 

This is three hours after she arrived.  I am so, so happy to have her here for a visit.  It looks as if she will continue to shower us with her loving tears until tomorrow night.

My heart just soars to look out the window and see the beauty of white.  I miss my beastie boy very much right now.  We would play in the snow together so often.  Okay, he'd do his business and I'd toss snow balls to him, but it was so fun!  

I really think there will be snow person building tomorrow.  Today is for watching, soup making and painting.  And smiling...lots of smiling.

Ah.  This is winter.  Thank you Mother Nature for bringing winter to visit.  I'm so happy to have you with us for a while.  

What is making you smile today?

blessings
~*~

a few favorite things...

As I sit here typing I'm watching snow flakes fall outside of the studio window.  I've been out already twirling and soaking them in.  They are tiny (almost like mist) and then they become larger.  I posted a quick status about how excited I was to see snow on Facebook and my uncle commented that it won't last.  That right there, my friends, exemplifies my whole life.  Of course it won't last, it isn't meant to, but I can be excited that it is falling from the sky. Ugh!

Anywho...

Here are a few sights from my weekend just past.  Things that made me smile, grin or just sigh with happiness and joy.

 My Grandmother's Apple Pie.  I love this recipe.  I've never been able to get the crust to fit on just right (probably because I use the frozen kind).  But it is always delicious and just hits the spot on a cold day.

These guys.  Top to bottom: Faith, Snowball and Spirit.  I don't have words to describe what it was like being so close to them.  I haven't been near a horse in over 30 years and getting to visit with these three was just heaven.  Faith is skittish and didn't seem to like me too much.  Snowball was aloof.  But Spirit, oh Spirit was my friend.  He got so close he was practically hiding me.  I hadn't realized at first just how big he was (I was on the up slope of the hill).  But when he came up closer and raised his head to his full height.  Wow! 

He followed me around, letting me pet him, nudging me with his nose.  He just was so wonderful!  I hope next time I go I might get to ride him.  I was too nervous to do it even though my cousin offered.

Then there was this:

She was the biggest reason for the trip.  We went to Southwest Virginia to have Thanksgiving with my Cousin and her family and my Uncle.  This little nugget of preciousness is my cousin's newest daughter.  Oh my word!  The sweetest thing.  So worth the 6 hour trip.  And it was good to see my other young cousins and family.

Now this, I spotted through my back door while pie making the other day.  I hope my neighbors weren't looking out their back window as I'm sure they'd think I was being a peeping tom.  It took several tries to get a decent shot, although he sat there for the longest time.  I turned away for a second and he was gone as if he'd never been.

Sometimes I wish we didn't have televisions and movies, etc.  There are so many beautiful things to see in nature that we miss when focused on the other. 

Well, I'm off to get ready for a visit from my Sis-in-Law.  We are experimenting with a recipe for our Thanksgiving meal desert this afternoon. 

I hope those that celebrate have a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday with family and friends; and that those who don't celebrate Thanksgiving have a wonderful day. 

blessings
~*~

something new

How many times do we turn on the news channel, or pick up a paper or check a news website and end up bombarded with all the horrible things that people do to each other.  How much of a 30 minute news program is showing something good, instead of something bad.  We all know there are robberies, homicides, rapes, war, fires, etc. ad nausea.

If you believe that like creates like, is it any surprise that things just seem to be getting worse, instead of better.  I wonder what the world would be like if we stopped focusing on the negative and started focusing on the positive.  What if instead of starting our days watching or listening to a news program that shows the horror of our world, we spent that time experiencing the good that people do for each other?

I stopped reading the news years ago.  It was just all too much for my soul to take in.  I was already dealing with my illnesses and being unable to function in a normal way and every horror story that I read about a parent harming their child or a rape or an animal being tortured and mutilated just tore another hole into my spirit and soul.  I needed to get away from the nightmare, so I stopped reading or watching the news.  Occasionally I’ll check out CNN or our local news web site to see if there is anything really important that I need to know but it still is very hard to get through it.  All the negativity just increases each day, at least it seems that way.  

Two weeks ago I believe, I saw a very special story that just touched my heart so much and made the wheels in my head start turning.  I keep thinking that we need more good news in our lives to replace the bad, something that can build on itself and hopefully turn the tables.   

If an effort to do my part and also cheer myself up a bit, I’m starting a weekly segment here on my little blog called “Good Juju.”  It will be a post about good news that has happened in our world lately.  I’d love to have any suggestions for it and if there is something in particular you’d like to see or a place where I can find good stories, let me know. 

Let’s bring something good into our lives and spread that peaceful vibe to the universe.  Here we go…


blessings
~*~

when the sun shines...

The sun peeked through late yesterday evening.  Just as it was headed in for the night.  I was so happy to see it.  It's been such a cold wet week.  I feel like winter is leaving all over again.  Normally I'm a winter girl.  I love the snow and cold, but lately, I need the warmth and heat of the sun.  I need to feel it soaking into my skin.  When it does I can feel it sink all the way down into my soul.

I spent some time yesterday sitting for my favorite littles.  I call them my little soul children.  They are the children of my best friend, but I've been close to them since birth and cherish any time I spend with them.  We played games on the Wii, a board game (Trouble) and played with dolls and trucks.  So much laughter and giggles, little girl and little boy hugs and kisses.  That too is good for my soul.

My Tuesday garden work day got put off due to the weather.  I am hopeful that they will come tomorrow or at the very latest this coming Tuesday.  My poor little seedlings are not doing so well, some of them.  Many have set their second set of leaves and I'm ready to start hardening them off and getting them in the garden.

My roses are starting to bloom.  I just came in from checking them and they smell so divine.  I only have my one poor David Austin.  I really want to plant many more as I love roses, but I really only like the old english style, which I can't seem to find locally.  I suppose I'll have to search online for some, I'd really like to add at least one more this year.  Maybe two.  :-)  I've decided to hold off on adding blueberries to the garden this year.  I want to get that new section cleaned up and then replan my plantings.  :-)

I'm seriously considering taking this course in July.  It is close to our lake house and I could stay there and save on room and board.  I met Nina at The Red Thread Retreat this past October and have been a dedicated reader of her blog for several years.  Her words are so evocative and always speak to something deep inside me.  She is a beautiful person, both inside and out and I would love the chance to learn from her again.

I have been drawing again in my little sketchbook.  Being offline for so long I lost touch with my 52 PickUp that Lesley Riley is hosting.  In cleaning up old emails the other day I read through the previously missed messages.  One was a prompt to do something with an included sheet, do it right then.  So, I printed out the paper and started drawing.  I've been working every day even for just a little bit.  They are right you know, art does make the soul happy. 

It's time to head out into that sunlight.  It's still too wet to garden, but I'll take my sketchbook and kindle.  Maybe I'll even paint my toenails.  :-)

blessings
~*~

ps...if you love roses, head over to Miss Vanessa's for a peek at her roses.  She is amazing!

Happiness is...

picking out paint colors
garden centers
tulips
kitty kisses
i've decided to paint the shed. i picked out colors and got samples at the big box home center to experiment. today seemed like it would be as good as any, so i gave them a try. i've pretty much ruled out the one on the far right(maybe). it is just too bright. the upper photo is shady and the below photo is in the sun. i'm pretty close to picking, but after looking at it i'm also wanting to look at a completly different color palete. so i'll go back to the bbhc this weekend or maybe tomorrow and get those samples to see what i think.

so what do you think of the colors? anyone have any recommendations? if so, please comment and number colors 1-5 from left to right. just tell me your number choices, for both the walls and the trim. :-)

hope you are all having a wonderful start to spring.

blessings
~*~