Filed under digital art, WenderAspire on Etsy
I don’t want to live to any particular age, but I would like to be as healthy as possible for as long as I can. I can’t control all of that, but I CAN control –
As you know, I’ve been trying to lose the lard and move more. I’m about halfway to my goal now.
I started with a BMI of 34, which is labeled on the chart as “Obese.” Right now I have a BMI of 29, labeled as “Overweight.” I’m celebrating JUST being ‘overweight’ now. My goal is a BMI of 24, which is labeled “healthy weight.”
I’m eating a low-carb diet, trying to drink more water, and using MyFitnessPal daily to pay close attention to what I’m eating and drinking.
My moving more efforts include working in the yard, practicing ‘old lady’ yoga stretches, and various YouTube workout videos. I’m doing one now from Good Morning Fitness with stomach exercises done standing that don’t involve jumping. I also like a whole series with Mike from Australia. He has a website called More Life Health Seniors. I’m also trying to make myself at least walk around the house and out to the shop once a day.
I’ve started taking SuperFoodMD Fruits & Veggies supplements, a competitor to the much-advertised brand you see on TV. That one is too expensive for me, but this one costs less than half as much. (I put the two products side by side and they look like the same thing.) I eat basically the same thing for lunch every day, and we eat a somewhat limited number of low-carb dishes for dinners, mainly because my husband will only eat a handful of veggies. I hope that these supplements will help me make sure I’m getting what I need for good health.
Onward and Downward!
Filed under DIET!, exercise, Healthy Eating
I had a pretty productive day yesterday.
I FINISHED weeding the flower planters, so that’s the end of the most important work in the yard. We are looking pretty good (for us) and working outside can go on the back burner of priorities for a bit.
I tried to do a new YouTube video yesterday of exercises to flatten your tummy. I moved right along with her most of the time, though balance was an issue at times. All these were standing exercises, but lots of turning, moving of legs, bending up and down, etc. Each exercise was repeated for 60 seconds. I guess we probably did 30 reps during that time. I made it through a little over half of the video and had to quit, out of breath and thoroughly pooped. The cute little person ran away and left me in the dust. I’ll try to do better today.
When I went to practice my yoga stretches for the first time in a while, things went well for about 60 seconds. Then Monster Cat decided she wanted to ‘help’ me with the moves. She pounced on my stomach, bit my toes, rolled on my legs, walked under me when she could, laid down on my face, tried to curl up on my neck…. you get the picture. For today’s practice, I’ll put her in her bathroom until I’m finished.
In my art room, I’m working on two different sets of 4 Christmas ornaments with layered elements, and also on one ornament that is a wood slice. It’s fun trying different techniques. I love spending time up there, learning new things.
I hope you have a happy, productive day.
Filed under Thoughts on a ________
Yevhenii Zaborovsky is a metal sculptor from Kyiv, Ukraine. He specializes in bronzes that leap off the background in bas-relief. I have no idea how he does these. I’m in awe.
Metal Zaborovsky – Etsy
Ebay via Pinterest
Filed under metal art, scrap metal art, Steampunk Metal Sculpture
Filed under metal art, scrap metal art
I wish I could paint like this. Just lovely.
This is the latest wood-burning effort listed on Etsy. I’m now turning to Christmas Ornaments. I realize it seems really early to be thinking of this, but these take time and I don’t want to feel rushed. :0)
Our dog, Amber, exhibited a new trick today. We have taught her to bark when she wants us to let her out. This morning she came to me while I was here at the computer, got my attention, sat down, and looked at me. When I asked if she wanted me to let her out, she “barked,” but with NO SOUND! It’s as if she 1) knows I really don’t like it when she startles me with barking, and 2) knew my husband was taking a morning nap in the living room next door. Either way, I was really impressed. I petted and praised her profusely and let her out.
“Monster Cat,” on the other hand, is continuing to feel more and more at home, living up to her aka name, showing more and more “personality” by the day. She is demanding a lot more of my attention, insisting I pet her while I’m working on the computer. She accomplishes this by walking over my keyboard – causing havoc on the screen – and back again. I pet her, of course. Too many times this results in a bite, something I’m trying really hard to discourage.
Yesterday she was on a tear. My husband and I agreed that whatever we paid for her tower in the living room was well worth it. I’ve been putting her same three catnip mice on the top level. She now runs up the side of the tower, grabs a mouse and comes back down, batting the thing across the floor, rolling and biting it, pouncing over and over, etc. She LOVES the balls that are hung in two places on the tower, batting them ferociously or hanging on them. She falls off the tower regularly, bounding back up immediately and grabbing the ball again. She’s to the point she makes us laugh out loud watching her antics.
She is becoming quite bold, walking right up to Amber and playing with her tail, batting at her paws, everything except outright pouncing on her. Amber is being amazingly patient, since she could whack her with a paw or bite her in half easily. I watch them carefully, sometimes letting a bit of it go on for a minute or two, or rescuing one or the other as the situation seems to merit.
Today I’m planning to try to finish the weeding of the flower planters. We’ll also gather the trash and drive it down. I’ll get the makings of chili in the crock pot and vacuum the tiled areas on the first floor.
I’ll do a session of yoga, and I’m going to try to keep up with a new video with a cute little woman who is doing standing exercises that are supposed to help me get rid of my tummy. These two, plus my yard work, should be a good amount of exercise for the day. I’m hoping that this will help get pound #37 off.
I hope this is the beginning of a fun week for you.
Filed under Thoughts on a ________
Indian Hills Community Signs – Vince, the Sign Guy
Filed under Funny Signs - Humor, Indian Hills Signs
Our son sent this, saying he thought the pic was actually from Indonesia or Malaysia, but said Thailand had the same thing. This is a gas station. A person drives up to the ‘station.’ An attendant comes out, sells the gas, takes the money, and the transaction is complete.
Filed under Bright Ideas
Filed under Alex Fleming Art, animal paintings
Definition of Steampunk Art. SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA. “Steampunk is a retrofuturistic subgenre of science fiction or science fantasy that incorporates technology and aesthetic designs inspired by 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery.”
I found these on Pinterest, but these are all supposedly listed for sale on eBay.
Filed under Steampunk Metal Sculpture
This is one of the wood-burning pieces I finished yesterday.
This is the second piece. I listed both on HandmadeHavenByLinda on Etsy.
I’m having a really good time and learning every day – a really fun combination.
I’m going to try to finish the weeding of our flower planters today. It’s nice this morning, so I’ll try to get outside as soon as I finish here. :0)
I’ll get the makings of this in the crock pot today for our dinner tonight.
I’ll make a new system disk and then back up my data on the computer, play in my art room, read more of a book I’m enjoying, and that will be most of my Sunday.
I hope you’re having a great one, too.
Filed under Thoughts on a ________
Filed under Liang Binbin Art, sculpture
Filed under Funny Signs - Humor, MUG WISDOM
I LOVE the movement, color and texture – “3D-ness” in this painting. Just wonderful.
This weekend I’ll try to finish weeding the flower planters around the house. I really got overheated yesterday while working on the trio of flower planters that run between the front yard and our driveway area. I’m still trying to ‘recover,’ (being an old broad), so will try to be more aware of how hot and tired I’m getting.
I’m drilling holes in one wood-burned piece, and doing holes and hooks in another. I’m painting a third, so I’m in hog-heaven playing in my art room. My husband came up to visit yesterday. He sat down in a chair (the first ‘miracle’ was that there was a free, empty chair for him to SIT in), and we talked as he looked around. He said he could really tell a difference – could see my efforts to reorganize and clean things up. :0)
Even though I got really hot outside weeding yesterday, INside it was quite comfortable. We had the doors open, so a nice breeze was going through the house. Plus, we had the ceiling fans on, encouraging air movement. We’re doing the same today. It’s a real quality of life issue and I love enjoying the luxury of it.
As a part of our exciting weekend, I’m going to balance checkbooks today. Try to contain your enthusiasm. I did my online spreadsheet bookkeeping for August yesterday and got things filed, so that is caught up. My goal of doing –
is working well these days. I’m feeling less overwhelmed, even if I don’t finish everything on my list. I’m keeping priorities first and my tension is lessening. I’m feeling more CALM.
Oh, bonus! I almost forgot to tell you. I’ve been enjoying almost daily chats with our son, who lives across the world from us. We are always communicating, but lately it’s been extra-nice. He is newly an honorary uncle for a second time, with his friends having given birth to a daughter. Their son is around 2, so our son is thoroughly enjoying watching the family grow, the kids learn, and being enveloped in the love. I’m really happy for him.
Enjoy your Saturday.
Filed under Thoughts on a ________
I’ve just come in from weeding the trio of brick planters that divide our front yard from our driveway area. They weren’t as bad as the last time I tackled them, but I’ve been working hard for a couple of hours.
The temperature is only 81 degrees, so it shouldn’t feel so hot. My computer says the humidity is 58%, so it only feels like 87, but my BODY is reacting like the conditions are much more challenging.
I filled up a big trash can with weeds and pruned stuff before the job was finished. I’ll work my way around the yard, but the trio of planters was the worst. I’m beginning to see the end of the most important tasks now. YEA!!
I’m drinking a huge glass of ice water now, trying to cool off. I’m going to go sit in my recliner in the living room and relax for a bit with the ceiling fan on.
When I finally cool down, I’m planning to head up to my art room to reward myself with time to play. :0)
I hope that your day is going well.
Filed under drawings, Sean Briggs
My friend, Cathy, has been reading about my efforts to get Monster Cat to be at least a bit more cooperative. One of my ‘training tools’ is a small cosmetic bottle of water that I can spray to TRY to get her to –
You get the picture.
Yesterday she sent me this –
I’m still laughing.
Filed under Amazing Animals, Family, Funny Signs - Humor
Can you see me grinning from ear to ear about the weather today? It’s 72 and slightly cloudy – a perfect condition for working outside. Since I got snafued from starting to weed our flower planters yesterday due to rain, I’ll plan on getting out there today.
The planters need work, but they’re not nearly as bad as they were the last time I zeroed in on them, so I’m hoping they won’t take a whole lot of time and effort.
The above pic shows you what I have, except that I have a less-expensive version with only one ‘pen.’
I’m going to drill holes in a couple of wood-burning pieces, attaching hooks to one of them, finishing them up today. I’ll take pics to show you when that is done. I’ll plan on listing them on Etsy later. I’ve started a new piece, too.
I feel like a kid at Christmas, playing with my new wood-burning tool. I definitely feel as if I have won the lottery with this newest set. It’s light-weight, easier to use, heats up quickly, so I don’t have to wait each time I want to change a tip. The tips fit securely and are easy to change. I’m learning some of what I can do with each tip.
I’m going to see if I can find a video on YouTube that shows these and see what the people-who-know-what-they’re-doing do. I’m thinking about more earrings in a totally different style and Christmas ornaments now…
My husband is hoping that mowing season is over, even with the new mower, and I can’t blame him. He did finally get a cover for the new mower yesterday. He ordered it so long ago he had forgotten about it! I’ll be interested – quietly – to see what he’ll do before he drains the mower for the season. If he washes it, I’ll know he’s as proud of it as he is the Vette. :0)
Enjoy your Friday and the coming weekend.
Filed under Thoughts on a ________
It’s dark, rainy, and 69 degrees here. I love it. It’s such a welcome change after all the super-hot weather we had for so long. We have the front and back doors open to the fresh air. It’ll keep me from starting to weed the flower planters – at least this morning – but I’m sure not complaining. :0)
I mixed up two 2-gallon containers of Killzall yesterday afternoon and sprayed the rock beds, around the planters, under the deck stairs and deck, on the sidewalk edges, around the driveway pad, the front porch pad, etc., so that job is done, unless weeds start springing up again.
We sold our old mower yesterday! A retired couple drove from Webbers Falls, Oklahoma (about 1-1/2 hours from us) in a truck with a really nice trailer attached. The man backed their rig close to the shop door. We have some ramps, and the guys used them so that my husband could then drive the mower up into the trailer. The man had a tie-down he put on the back and we gave him a short length of chain with a closure the man could use on the front of the mower so it wouldn’t roll forward and back on the trailer bed on the way back home.
I was super-impressed at the backing job the man did, plus the great job my husband did of driving the mower up the ramps. They were super nice people and we had an enjoyable visit with them. It was good that they have the mower they can either repair or use for parts, and we’re happy it is gone and out of the way in the shop.
This is the latest wood-burned piece. I listed it on my Etsy site yesterday and started two more pieces. I’m having a great time and feeling more confident about what the various burning tips will do. I’m learning!
Monster Cat and I are developing a good communication now. She is food-driven (hey! so am I!) and so tries to lead me to her bathroom when she wants more food. She is more attuned to the routine around here, so this is coming to center around times when she needs to be in there when our dog is eating. I’m giving her just enough food each time to get her to come in, and she seems happy to come – or lead me – to the goal. Hooray!
As of 3 days ago, there is 36 pounds less of me. I’m a bit frustrated that the scales haven’t changed in three days, but the other part of me is grateful that it hasn’t gone up again. I’ve been watching what I eat like a hawk and have been working hard in the yard, so maybe I’ll see the scales move down again soon. That would be encouraging.
I hope that your Thursday is a fun one.
Filed under Thoughts on a ________
Indian Hills Signs – Vince, the Sign Guy – Colorado Signs – BoredPanda.com -Giedre Vaiclulaityte
Filed under Funny Signs - Humor, Indian Hills Signs
I’ve been fighting with my computer for over an hour, trying to undo whatever combinations of buttons I pushed that caused all the control pages to shrink to unreadable. I contacted ‘help,’ but their suggestions didn’t work. There was, finally, a mention of trying ‘control’ and ‘0’ to get things back to normal. I tried that and IT WORKED! HOORAAAAAAY!
I kept the page and saved it in case I do this again. I’ll probably come up with something ELSE that will create panic and gnashing of teeth around here again, but for the moment, I’m jumping up and down inside and running a victory lap. :0)
I’m beginning to get a confidence complex. I just tried to take and upload pics from my camera, and it showed the folder was empty. Twice. THEN I figured out my husband had changed some of the settings. I took the pics again and STILL the folder was empty. The final time I noticed that there was a new folder on the page. I clicked on that one and all my husband’s pics showed up PLUS the ones I had taken earlier. So now THAT problem is solved, but I don’t think I’ll try to drive our truck today…
Filed under Challenges
I guess that 9-11 was the first time I realized how vulnerable we are, and with the way things are going in the world now, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone tries it again. I’m trying to concentrate on only worrying about things I CAN control these days, trying to live each day to the fullest, wringing out every drop of joy from each one, so I will remember, honor the good people who died, their families, the responders, and then try to move on.
My husband put a listing on CraigsList for our old mower, which is only valuable for salvage. We have a couple coming this morning to look at it. Hopefully, we can check this one off our list today.
Yesterday I gathered the last of the tomatoes and then spent much of the rest of the day cleaning out the tomato planters. I had to cut the plants since they were so large and curled around the supports. I filled our large trash can overfull three times before I had everything out. I then cleaned up.
Today I’ll mix up a 2-gallon container of Killzall and spray it around the planters, along the edges of the sidewalks, under the deck, in the rock bed, etc. I’m hoping that we’re reaching the end of the mowing and weed whacking season.
I just hit some weird combination on my computer and my control pages for WordPress went wonky with the font size going to almost zero. I’m touch typing now, even with my glasses on, trying to edit this post I was writing when I did whatever I did. So far, I’m not able to make the dashboard get things back to usable, so I’ll finish this and then try to fight with it. If you don’t hear from me for the rest of the day, this is why.
Filed under Thoughts on a ________
creativeartworksblog 