A.A. Milne
“A day without a friend is like a pot without a single drop of honey left inside”
Monthly Archives: August 2020
Thoughts on a Tuesday 8-18-2020
Tawny Frogmouth Owl-hcreations72 via Penny Yaffe Krakow
I LOVE this bird! So ugly she’s beautiful. AND unique in the world.
Lowes
I will finish the yard clean up today from our storm last Friday. I have used all the picking up branches and using the leaf blower to try to clear up the yard as a stand-in for my elliptical trainer since Friday. I have done at least two sessions each day in the hot sun, getting my heart rate up, breathing hard, then resting and drinking LOTS and LOTS of water to re-hydrate. I’ve been finishing that off with an abbreviated session of yoga each day to stretch out my poor, sore muscles. I had one day of neck, shoulders and arms really complaining about working with the leaf blower again, so finishing today will be a good thing.
I have a haircut this afternoon! I go to Tangles in Greenwood, owned and operated by Michael Remillard. He has cut my husband’s hair and beard, plus my hair, for years now. He makes us look presentable, and that’s no small task! I went really short last time and I have really liked it, so I’ll ask him to do that again. I just wash and blow it dry every morning. No muss, no fuss. Wonderful! If you would like to contact him, his phone number is 479-357-9305. He is the best.
I have lost almost 10 lbs via South Beach now. I am about to break into new territory on my losing-the-lard efforts, rather than re-losing what I lost before. I will be really happy when I reach that point, and will probably make you roll your eyes with my jubilance when that goal is reached. :0)
Gfycat
I am trying to finish my newest earrings today, putting various findings on them, (pierced, post, or clip-on) so I can take individual pictures of each pair and list them for sale on my EyecatchingEarrings on Etsy website.
I have no big project today, other than finishing the yard clean up. If I can do that, plus get the newest earrings finished and listed, I will be happy with my day.
Wonderful Watercolor 2
Homesthetics
jeanhaines.com
Jerry’sArtarma.com
Design Shack
Filed under Watercolors I Love
Perspective
Bored Panda
Penny Yaffe-Krakow
It’s more than being a ‘glass-half-full/glass-half-empty’ thing. Perspective is also a product of your circumstance, your condition, your support systems.
We all deal with life challenges differently, and we are ALL trying to handle LOTS of character-building things right now – whether it’s the virus, life-turned-upside-down, fear for the future, loss of job, loss of loved ones, Mother Nature’s fury, lost opportunities, and more.
Looking for ways to stay CALM while doing the best possible otherwise is becoming more and more important to me.
- Realizing and accepting what I CAN – and CAN’T do anything about is a first step.
- Doing what you CAN – step by step – “All you can do is all you can do.” Try to stop worrying.
- Stay busy. Try to be as productive as possible. Make a list and check things off. (I try to do at least one big project each day.)
- Take care of yourself by eating healthy and exercising. (Trying to get my lard off makes me feel I’m in control of at least ONE thing.)
- Try to arrange for happy things during the day. (Mine are reading, art room, writing on my blog, finding pictures for the blog, working in my garden, listening to music, talking to friends.
- Take advantage of your personal support group. (Having someone who cares and listens, letting you vent without verbal judgment, is a life saver. Remember that this goes both ways!)
- Try to change the way you look at things.
Filed under perspective
I Love Books
NUSTBookClub.wordpress.com
I am enjoying Book # 5 of the Rise of the Iliri Series by Auryn Hadley. It is called, “Tenacity.”
It is fascinating. Sal is the strong female character who lives in a world that is compelling. Auryn Hadley creates unforgettable characters living in a world you learn to think of as almost normal, although it is about as far from our real world as possible. I think there are 9 books in the series so far. Wonderful escape reading that makes you think.
Newest Earrings are Almost Finished
The newest painted wooden earrings are 3 inches in diameter. I painted each pair a different solid color and then had a lot of fun adding a floral design to each one.
I will add the findings to each pair – French hooks on some, posts on others, and clip-on’s on some.
I will then take individual pictures of each pair and list them on my earrings website for sale.
If you would like to see more, please go to EyecatchingEarrings on Etsy
Filed under Lewis Art, playing in my art room
Stunning Watercolors
123RF.com-#168
Annemiek Groenhout
“Bluebonnet Time” – William Hagerman
“Camel” -Indian Art Ideas
Filed under Watercolors I Love
“Things You Deserve”
Nanea Hoffman-Sweatpants & Coffee
Filed under Encouragement, taking care of yourself
So How Was YOUR Day? – 4
forwarded email
This one brings back memories from my childhood.
For some strange reason, my mother decided to plant some paddle cactus in the bed that went around the house.
One day, our cat wouldn’t come in when it was time for dinner. My mom told me to find her and bring her in. I found her in the bed under the cactus. I tried coaxing her out, but nothing was working. I finally crawled into the bed trying to reach the cat to pull her out. I inched forward, finally getting a hand on her leg. I stood up, pulling, then lost my balance and SAT on the cactus.
To say the whole neighborhood heard my screams is an understatement. My mom spent much of that evening with me in the bathroom, trying to pull out all the sharp spines of the cactus that were firmly lodged in my bottom. Needless to say, this is an indelible memory!
Filed under Funny Signs - Humor, memories
Exercise
Pop Sugar
I am counting the work I’m doing in the yard each day, trying to clean up from the storm, as my elliptical/cardio exercise for each day. Yesterday I spent a total of 2 hours out in the hot sun blowing leaves and picking up branches. I gave myself a gold star for each hour. I drank water like a camel preparing for a stroll across the Sahara, and that led to a lot of exercise getting up to pee! I had a nice shower and did a very abbreviated set of yoga stretches to try to keep myself from feeling sore.
I plan to do more of the same today, since everything is still covered in branches and leaves. I will do short sessions, drinking lots of water and resting in-between.
Tonight is a DIY (do-it-yourself) meal on our South Beach plan. Thanks to Suzanne Ryan of Simply Keto, I have a recipe for bacon-wrapped chicken breasts that is to die for. My husband’s reaction when I told him what I planned to cook was, “Oh, GOOD!”
I am PLANNING to get up to my art room to work on the newest earring painting.
I hope you have a beautiful Sunday!
Beautiful Charcoal Drawings
Stephen Walton-Nature in Art
Strathmore Artist Papers
Filed under drawings
Yes!
Honest to Paws
I spent two hours in the yard, cleaning up today. I used the leaf blower to clear the concrete areas first, and then tackled the front yard. It took me quite a while, but I finished it. I did short sessions, resting and drinking a ton of water in-between. I will do more tomorrow, but that’s it for today.
I also cleaned out the aquarium. This is an experiment, really, because the filter system says to only change the charcoal filter part this time. I did this, but the water still turned cloudy. I’m hoping that with the fresh water and decorations today, we can go another month before having to clean out again. Next month the schedule says to change the charcoal part again, plus the foam part. We’ll see.
Meanwhile, the fish have sparkling clean water to swim around in. They didn’t say anything about the changes. They are just interested in feeding times, but “I” am happy that we seem to be making good progress on coming up with a better system to keep my fish healthy.
I have now taken a shower and feel MUCH better. I’m planning to veg out the rest of the afternoon, enjoying the air conditioning, my recliner, my book, and maybe a nap.
Hope you’re having a fine day.
Filed under Amazing Animals, Family, Housekeeping - Maintenance
Making Slow Progress
Lowes
I love my leaf blower! I was able to blow the leaves off the front porch, the sidewalks, and the garage pad this morning. We ate lunch and then I went out again to try to blow the majority of the leaves off the front yard today. If I can finish that, I’ll be satisfied with my progress today.
I’m still having to stop and pick up branches, but the leaf blower is working well. I feel very lucky I have this.
Filed under Housekeeping - Maintenance
Thoughts on a Saturday 8-15-2020
We had a bad storm overnight and into the morning hours yesterday, with a LOT of wind and rain. My husband says it was the worst damage we have had since we have lived here – over 30 years now. We lost a shutter beside one of our second floor windows, and there are branches and leaves EVERYWHERE.
The main loss is our greenhouse.
We have decided to take it down. The cost to repair it, plus our labor on it, is just too much at this point in our lives. We couldn’t afford to heat or cool it, so the ability to get seeds to sprout, grow plants for the garden, and over winter plants was disappointing. We will salvage what we can and dispose of the rest.
I am concentrating on cleaning up around the house and the yard first. I spent over an hour yesterday picking up branches and throwing them off the edge of the civilized part of our yard. My back is telling me about it today. I will concentrate today’s efforts on using the leaf blower to clean off the deck, sidewalks, driveway pad and front porch.
Lowes
I am giving myself a gold star for this work, counting the exercise in the heat as my elliptical practice. Today I will do the leaf blowing and then do my yoga to try to stretch things out afterwards.
I was so hot and tired yesterday I didn’t get up to my art room to work on the new earrings I have started. I will try to make sure I make time to get up there today. I have the basic solid colors on both sides of the wooden earrings, and am eager to start the decorative fun part as soon as possible. I will post pics when they are finished.
I told you recently that we bought a new filter system for our aquarium.
It has a three-medium system to filter the water: charcoal, foam, and a stuff they call biomax. The three media are changed at different times – charcoal every month, foam every two months, and biomax every three months. I have had to resort to putting these on my calendar as recurring items with the time differential to keep up. What I have learned to this point is that I will need to change the water once a month to keep the water as clean as I would like it. It has been a MONTH this time (!) instead of every week, but the water is getting cloudy now. This is quite a change and I am grateful. I want to take good care of my fish, but cleaning out the tank and changing the water is not one of my favorite activities. Once a month seems like a luxury!!!! :0) It’s on my list for today.
GMW.cn
Due to the South Beach diet and my exercising, I have now recently lost 9 pounds. (A total of 37 pounds and 41 inches since my lardiest.) I am hopeful to be able to report more poundage and inches lost by the end of Month # 2 on the commercial stuff. I am re-learning portion control and the fact that I don’t need to eat until I don’t want any more at each meal. I am re-learning to serve a SERVING – either as measured by the South Beach stuff, or in my recipe books on servings on my DIY meals each week – reminding myself that there is a snack coming mid-morning or mid-afternoon and I probably won’t starve to death today. ( I DON’T remind myself often that I could live off my lard for MONTHS, if needed, as I am trying to think positively.) :0) I am carefully planning DIY meals for each week, and my husband is cooperating by not throwing as many poor choices into the cart while we’re grocery shopping.
I hope you have an enjoyable day today.
The Goodbye
via Jennifer Ann Mitchell Carroll
Thank you, Molly, for sharing your life with me.
Filed under Amazing Animals, Family
Leaves, Leaves Everywhere
My husband got out and mowed the yard yesterday evening. It looked particularly good. Then the storm came and everything looks truly awful. It’s mainly cosmetic, with sticky leaves on windows and doors, and eaves, etc, plus ‘stuff’ all over the yard.
We are really lucky that it seems that all we have lost is the greenhouse. We are pretty much in agreement we will salvage what we can and dispose of the rest.
I’m hopeful that we can do the clean up a bit at a time, rather than my husband wearing his Energizer Bunny hat and deciding we can do it all in one day….
On the way to Lunch Bunch this morning, there were some large limbs of two trees all the way across the road. While we were sitting there trying to figure out what to do, a lady on a tractor came up behind us and then passed us. She had some fork thingies on the front and used them to lift the branches and then move them to the right into the ditch! We have no idea who she was, but she sure was wonderful.
I’m resting a bit before doing a first session in the yard. I’m going to give myself a star for my activity in picking up limbs and raking up leaves instead of doing my elliptical practice today.
I hope things are good where you are.
Filed under Housekeeping - Maintenance, Mother Nature
Before and After the Storm – Greenhouse
Imgur
We had quite a storm overnight. We lost power for a very short time over and over. Our alarm clock went off at 3am, having lost its mind. I reset it and we were able to get back to sleep.
We looked around this morning. It looks as if the combination of wind and rain was something we don’t see often. We don’t think we have any HUGE damage. There are leaves and branches all over the yard. The biggest thing I have found so far is my greenhouse.
BEFORE –
AFTER –
I will send pics to our insurance agent to see if we can get any help on rebuilding this. I’m a bit ambivalent on the subject to be honest. We built it with high hopes. We would have gotten a lot more use out of it it we could have afforded to heat and cool it. As it was, it was too hot or too cold most of the time to extend the growing season the way I was intending. I’m just not sure what we’ll do now.
Playing in My Art Room This Afternoon!
artstudio-ABSTRACTS by Sabina via cathy ruggiero
I am finally giving myself the gift to play in my art room this afternoon. I have a new size of wooden earring blanks, and my head is buzzing with possible ideas for painting them.
I will post them when they are finished.
I hope that you are having fun today, too.
Filed under playing in my art room
Fabulous Drawings
Filed under drawings
Rain
I’m getting ready to leave for a much-needed massage. It looks like I’ll get a second shower, too, as it’s dark outside with thunderstorms predicted. I’m not water-soluble, so I’ll be happy if there is no hail associated with the storm.
I’ve been working hard lately cleaning, so I’m hoping to reward myself with time in the art room this afternoon. I have a new design for earrings in my head, and I would like to see how it goes. :0)
Our irrigation system brains in the well house keep getting zapped by the various short power outages we’ve been experiencing lately. We ordered a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) lately and my husband put it out there and hooked it up. Hopefully, now we won’t have to reset the thing over and over again. Fingers crossed.
I gathered some tomatoes yesterday. Most were the size of cherry tomatoes, but I will happily use them in salads. Nothing else from the main garden at this time, except some good-looking weeds.
I hope that your day is filled with fun.
creativeartworksblog 