Monthly Archives: September 2016

Tour of Remaining Flowers

At this time of the year, despite our irrigation system, the flowers are pretty well spent. It just gets too hot here for most to make it to frost. I cherish the few flowers that are strong enough to still be blooming and giving us such pleasure.

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Most of the hydrangea are gone now, and the greenery droops badly during the day, but we have a few blooms that looked particularly nice.

 

 

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I don’t know what the name of these pretty little blue flowers are, but they fill in the planter nicely under the tulip tree.

 

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Our Impatiens are not at their peak, but they continue to bloom in two pots on either side of our front door.

 

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Even my husband remarked on how he liked the color of the zinnias that are thriving right now. I sprinkled the seeds in the planter in-between our regular plants so that they would hopefully bloom when the weather made the other things stress out.

 

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“Red Dahlia”

"Red Dahlia" - Paul Militaru Photography

“Red Dahlia” – Paul Militaru Photography

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Happy Tuesday!

Live Life in Color

Live Life in Color

I’m celebrating today because Pinterest finally was able to resolve my problem loading my favorite pictures to my boards there. I was going into withdrawal. I love being able to share things with you on my blog, and then I go to Pinterest to save them there, as well. It’s been about 2 weeks since I was able to do that.

Each day I went to the site, tried to upload a pic, and then went away, disappointed when it wouldn’t work. I contacted the support people at Pinterest. Since I didn’t complain daily, they marked my issue ‘solved,’ but emailed me to let me know. I immediately wrote again, giving them as much information about exactly what happened when I tried and failed.

Today I tried to upload THIS picture and voila! it worked!!!!! I tried to reply to the last issue ticket, thanking the support team for their good help, but they sent me an email saying that I would have to start a new ticket if the problem was still alive.  Since I don’t want to bother a probably overworked support team, I’ll just tell YOU.

I love working on computers when things are working. I have NO patience and feel completely DUMB when they don’t. I’m very grateful that there are knowledgeable people behind the websites I frequent who can make things right again.

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Filed under Attitude, Challenges, Changes

Amazing Nat’l Geographic Photos – Take 3

Nat'l Geographic Photos via email from Marsha Koenig

Nat’l Geographic Photos via email from Marsha Koenig

 

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Thanks to Nat’l Geographic Photographers and Marsha Koenig for her email.

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“Whiskey Tango Foxtrot”

IMDb

IMDb

My husband and I watched this a couple of nights ago. The synopsis reads, “A journalist recounts her wartime coverage in Afghanistan.”

The movie managed to do two things

  • give a picture of what it would be like to be in the middle of a war where women are considered property, rather than people, facing untold danger
  • manages to blunt the corners of a terrible situation, allowing you to look at it from a different perspective
  • shows you the length journalists must go to get a good story, and to maintain their jobs and status

I was really impressed with Tina Fey as one of the journalists. Although there were several times she probably wouldn’t have survived in the real situation, I left impressed with the gutsiness of her character, her determination to do the best possible reporting that she could, while being very human.

The movie was a combination of gritty and humorous, if you can believe it. The title is indicative of the tongue-in-cheek attitude in parts of the movie.

I would like to read what you think of it.

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Filed under Book - Movie - TV Reviews

When Wood Comes Alive – Take 7

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Thanks to an email from Marsha Koenig

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Teabag Art – Take 2

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“Artist Ruby Silvious doesn’t just paint the odd teabag. Last year she embarked on a project entitled ‘363 Days of Tea’. Other than a two-day vacation, this talented lady painted one teabag a day, with the result being a diverse array of styles, techniques, and of course, teabags…”

 

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Thanks to Kate Woodberry, trendingly.com for introducing us to Ruby Silvious.

 

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Storybook Places – Take 8

Gokayama Japan - photographer unknown

Gokayama Japan – photographer unknown – Thanks to Marsha Koenig for her email.

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Never Stop

quotesgram.com

quotesgram.com

Life is about attitude – seeing weeds or seeing flowers and food.  When we first married, my husband went along with my love of flowers. When I wanted to build a food garden, he went along. Now he points out the zinnias in the planter by the driveway. He puffs with pride when his clematis flowers are profusely blooming. He trains our Mandevilla vines, trying to get them to go up the trellises and across the deck up high. We go out to see how the garden is doing. His favorite food plants are the tomatoes because we LOVE sliced tomatoes, but he is pleased when I get the garden planted and bring in harvests.

The quote above can be taken at face value, the love of gardening, but I think it applies to every aspect of our lives. If you focus on the weeds, it colors your whole world, your relationships with friends and family, coworkers, bringing down your hopes for the future. We need to remember to focus on the flowers in our lives – for there are many. Nurture the people in your life. Take care of yourself as much as you are able. Focus on what is going RIGHT. Enjoy all the special moments we might otherwise miss or take for granted.

My garden is full-to-overflowing right now. I hope yours is, too.

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“Mother Nature Gives Us Benefits”

"Mother Nature Gives Us Benefits" - Paul Militaru Photography

“Mother Nature Gives Us Benefits” – Paul Militaru Photography

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Chuckles- Take 13

Thanks to an email from Bill Lites

Thanks to an email from Bill Lites

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Filed under Amazing Animals, Grin for the Day

A Friend for Angie

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A couple of days ago I told you that my sweet black goldfish, Freckles, was suddenly dead this week. We got an angel fish I named “Angie.” I thought about buying two fish when I got her, but my husband thought one was enough.

 

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Several of my good friends read about Angie and thought – as I did – that she should have a friend. I talked to my husband about it, suggesting that we could do our grocery shopping this morning where I bought Angie.

 

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Sally is a very lively, bright sunny yellow fish. I don’t know what kind of fish she is. I just loved the way she looked as she darted around the tank in the store.

I’m not sure if either of these fish are female, but have named them “Angie” and “Sally” regardless. (This goes with our weird pattern around here. Our cat, Abby, whom we spayed when we adopted her, is called, “Mr. Cat” by my husband. He thinks it’s funny, and she doesn’t seem to mind.) Our newest cat, Smoke, is also a spayed female, but my husband keeps referring to her as “he.” Since Smoke is relentless in her play and quite fearless, it almost seems possible that ‘she’ is a ‘he.’

I just changed the water in the fish bowl, putting in a new neon brightly-colored ‘hiding place’ particularly for Sally, who apparently “likes to swim into places she can hide” according to the information at the store. She shows no signs of this yet, however.

So far, they haven’t fought or tried to eat each other – a very good thing. Hopefully, they can entertain each other and make each other giggle as they adapt to being in the Lewis household.

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15 Years Later

imgfave.com

imgfave.com

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Garden Pictures

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This is today’s last harvest of the spring/summer garden.  The cucumbers are weirdly-shaped, but tasty. I’m really sad to see the last of the fresh tomatoes, but one can’t get TOOOOOO greedy….

 

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After three hours of work, the old square foot planters are cleared and ready to dig out. We’ll replace these with the last three raised bed square foot planters to use this coming spring.  ( I pulled out all the plants and disposed of them, pulled up the irrigation system and disconnected this side, pulled up the dividers and put them in the burn barrel, and unhooked and rolled up the fencing for the climbing plants.)

The next step is to dig up the Mel’s Mix and put it in trash cans to await transfer to the new raised planters.

The next pics show you the fall garden in the new raised bed planters on the south side of the garden –

 

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This box has radishes, carrots, celery, head lettuce, broccoli, and salad blend lettuce.

 

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The 2nd raised bed has cauliflower, broccoli, and some head lettuce.

 

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The third raised bed has cauliflower and broccoli.

 

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This picture shows you the 3 fall raised bed planters.  I’m hopeful that we can enjoy our veggies until January or February.

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Filed under Gardening, Square Foot Gardening - Raised Beds

Planted and UnPlanted

gardeningkiwi.wordpress.com

gardeningkiwi.wordpress.com

We had a good storm overnight. We awoke to low 80’s and MUCH less humidity!  Hooray!!!

I had gotten two 6-packs of head lettuce yesterday, so I got those planted today, finishing up my fall garden planting in my new raised bed planters. I have broccoli, cauliflower, celery, carrots, radishes, and two kinds of lettuce: ‘salad blend’ and ‘head lettuce.’

I used this opportunity to go ahead and dismantle the north side of the garden. I harvested what I could – one small tomato and some cucumbers – and then laboriously pulled out all the plants, small tomato cages, large tomato cages, etc. Since we’re replacing the ground square foot planters with three more raised bed planters, I also dismantled that side of the irrigation system, then unscrewed the wooden and pvc pipe dividers. I had to work hard to get the small fence down that we had put up for climbing plants, but I got it unhooked and rolled it up and took it out of the garden.

The next step – NOT TODAY! – will be to start carefully digging up the Mel’s Mix from the planting squares so we can use it as part of the filling for the new planters once we get them up.

I’ll take pics as we go. We don’t need the new planters up until spring, so we’ll try to choose the nicest days we can find. Meanwhile, I’ll try to get some pics of the fall garden to show you.

I worked outside for over 3 hours today, so this old lady is more than ready for some lunch, another bottle of water, and some serious relaxing!

Hope your day is going well, too!

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“Yellow Beauty”

"Yellow Beauty" - Paul Militaru Photography

“Yellow Beauty” – Paul Militaru Photography

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Storybook Places – Take 7

Gasadalurfaroe Islands via unknown photographer

Gasadalurfaroe Islands via unknown photographer

Thanks to Marsha Koenig for her email

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Filed under Awe-Inspiring Photography, Seemingly Storybook Places

Reflections – Take 1

diamondhomesupport-com

diamondhomesupport-com

 

  • “I changed my car horn to gunshot sounds. People move out of the way much faster now!
  • Gone are the days when girls used to cook like their mothers. Now they drink like their fathers.
  • You know that tingly little feeling you get when you really like someone? That’s common sense leaving your body.
  • I don’t like making plans for the day because then the word “premeditated” gets thrown around in the courtroom.
  • I didn’t make it to the gym today. That makes five years in a row.”

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The Way All Schools SHOULD Be

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Ann Gilstrap posted this on Facebook recently. It’s a video by Steve Forsythe showing what too many children find at school, rather than the environment we HOPE they would.  The only difference is attitude – and we can do it!

 

Here’s the URL to the video in case the link above doesn’t work –

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Tea Bag Art – Take 1

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Kate Woodberry of trendingly.com discovered the work of Ruby Silvious.

 

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“Artist Ruby Silvious doesn’t just paint the odd teabag. Last year she embarked on a project entitled ‘363 Days of Tea’. Other than a two-day vacation, this talented lady painted one teabag a day, with the result being a diverse array of styles, techniques, and of course, teabags…”

 

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Do You Use Your Phone While You Drive?

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I saw a powerful video this morning that I think should be viewed by EVERY driver.

The video is by Summer Break and was posted on Higher Perspective on Facebook today, shared by Stephanie Youmans Wilson.

If the link above doesn’t work, here is the URL to the video –

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Pooped Out

im-so-tired-i-dont-care-if-you-pet-me-or-not-by Jonathan Cruz

im-so-tired-i-dont-care-if-you-pet-me-or-not-by Jonathan Cruz

We didn’t sleep well last night. I was downstairs reading from about 1:00 to 2:30.  My husband said he was up at 4:00 and then slept in his chair until about 6:30.

We went to Lunch Bunch and then had a whole list of errands. We did them and got home about 3:30.  I then got the sleepies and took a cup of coffee in to the living room to sip while I sat to finish a favorite book by Robert B. Parker. (This one was when he was explaining some of his early life to the love of his life, Susan.) I just woke up with my book on my chest, the light on, and my coffee still on the warmer.  It’s now after 5:00.

I’m supposed to be planting lettuce this evening, and then cutting down more weed trees across the back of the civilized part of our yard. I’m supposed to be making some important phone calls. I’m supposed to be planning dinner. I’m supposed to be exercising – walking 2 miles with annoying Leslie and then doing lower body strength exercises….

Here I sit, typing to you instead.

My cat, Smoke, is on my lap, purring happily. Abby, our other cat, took over my chair in the living room as soon as I got up, and is asleep. My husband is across the room, working at his computer on our genealogy records.  Both of our dogs are asleep on the dog bed on the other side of my desk. My new angel fish, Angie, is in her humongous champagne glass on the divider between the kitchen and dining room.

All is quiet on a Friday afternoon. I think I’ll give myself permission to NOT be productive this evening. I can tackle my to-do list ‘tomorrow,’ like Scarlett O’Hara in ‘Gone with the Wind…’

 

 

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“Beautiful Rose”

"Beautiful Rose" - Paul Militaru Photography

“Beautiful Rose” – Paul Militaru Photography

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Chuckles – Take 12

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Thanks to Bill Lites for his email.

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Last Day of 25% Off Sale on Hand-Painted Baskets!

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Birthday Basket

You have until midnight tonight to take advantage of the 25% off sale on all of my hand-painted baskets.  Not only do you save $10.00, but you get FREE SHIPPING to anywhere in the contiguous United. States. (If you live elsewhere, please email me at linda@creativeartworks.cc and I’ll find out an amount for shipping for you.).

 

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“I Wish You” Basket

This is fun to give to a graduate, someone who has just begun a new phase of life, newlyweds, someone moving, had a baby, etc.

 

 

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“Love & Hugs” Basket

Does someone you know need a boost? Send love and hugs, plus goodies in this hand-painted basket with gift-wrapped presents attached.

 

 

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“Mother’s Day” Basket

“Mother’s Day is in honor of the best mother who ever lived – the mother of your heart.”

“Motherhood – what a glorious career!

More sale baskets are in the holiday sections of the website.

See all baskets

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Criminal

IMDb

IMDb

My husband and I watched this movie last night. We were impressed.

It stars Kevin Costner, Ryan Reynolds, Gal Godot, Tommy Lee Jones, Gary Oldman and others.  Though it’s pretty violent in spots, there are understandable reasons for it, rather than it being gratuitous.  The acting was very good and I cared about what happened to the people in the story. The plot was a really creative, interesting idea – one that caused a lot of discussion afterwards.

The story summary is “In a last-ditch effort to stop a diabolical plot, a dead CIA operative’s memories, secrets, and skills are implanted into a death-row inmate in hopes that he will complete the operative’s mission.”  – IMDb

My husband and I are in agreement that we’ll want to see this again, and will be buying the DVD for our collection.

If you’ve seen it, I would be very interested to hear what you think.

 

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Filed under Book - Movie - TV Reviews

A New Member of Our Family

Freckles

Freckles

Freckles is gone. I have no clue why he died, but he was gone suddenly two days ago. I’ll miss him. Even though some would say, “He’s just a fish. Fish don’t have personalities,” they’re wrong. Freckles came immediately to the side of the bowl I was on whenever I came near. He would ‘play’ with my finger on the side of the glass, blowing bubbles at me. I’ll miss that.

We now have a new member of the family, Angie.

Angie is an angel fish, as different from Freckles as I could get without getting a fish that needed salt water.  She’s skittish right now, startling when I come close to the bowl.

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Please say “Hi” to Angie and tell her that she’s been adopted by some reasonably nice people who really love their fish. Maybe she’ll calm down and decide this isn’t so bad after all…

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Filed under Amazing Animals, Family

“In the Distance”

"In the Distance" - Paul Militaru Photography

I want to walk here!                   “In the Distance” – Paul Militaru Photography    

 

 

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Wood Comes Alive – Take 6

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Thanks to Marsha Koenig for her email.

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Good Morning!

save trees save earth via cathy ruggiero

save trees save earth via cathy ruggiero

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Filed under Awe-Inspiring Photography, Mother Nature

Seemingly Storybook Places – Take 6

Foroglio Switzerland via afar

Foroglio Switzerland via afar

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