Reading for pleasure is a very personal thing – unique to each individual.
My husband and I don’t even use the same SALT, so it hasn’t surprised me that our reading tastes are so vastly different.
We do agree on a few authors – Robert B. Parker and Lee Child – to name two just off the top of my head. I was surprised, though, that my husband decided to try one of Linda Howard’s books recently. She is a ‘new’ author to me – recommended by a friend – and I enjoy her writing a lot. I’ve just ordered my third ‘tranche’ of used paperback books by her. My husband likes her work, too, and so now we have a new thing so we can keep track.
I have a list on my computer of the books of hers I have ordered and read. We keep the actual books I’ve received on our communal desk area in the middle of the room between our computer areas in our office. They stay there until both of us have read them, and then they find their way upstairs. We have agreed to check with each other before the books go on the stairs to be taken up. :0)
I’m proven wrong AGAIN – a THIRD time, so far – on water being impossible to paint. I guess I’ll modify my thoughts to “It’s impossible for ME to paint water.” I find these water paintings simply stunning.
Filed under water paintings
Isn’t he a sweetie? My heart melted when I found him. I think we should definitely play with him, or at least take him for a walk.
We’re set for a joyfully quiet week where I’ll try to catch up on some stuff, play in my art room, continue reading my book, listen to music, play with our animals, find things for the blog, do my yoga, plus do some have-to’s that have been piling up around the house. I’ll sandwich in a have-to between lots of want-to’s.
I hope your Monday is a happy one.
I told you that I thought painting water was impossible. Then I showed you the work of Leonore Bernair. Today I found another artist who paints water gloriously, too. His name is Richard Johnson.
Richard Johnson – Addison Gallery
Filed under water paintings
Filed under Watercolors I Love
GOOD – I finished the weed whacking and have just finished putting things away. Now, though we really SHOULD use the leaf blower, things look good (for us.) I’ll drink a bunch of water, then take a shower.
FRUSTRATING – I’ve been concentrating on eating healthy, with lots of fruits and veggies and cutting WAAY back on most meat. I’ve been exercising, trying to make my daily yoga practice a real HABIT.
The results so far?
SOOOOOOO –
I’ll try to cut back on lunch and dinner portions, eat more salad, drink even MORE water, watch my snacks and see if that gets the scales to quit making fun of me.
Filed under Challenges, Changes, DIET!, exercise
Good morning! I wish I were with this seal, enjoying the ocean. Did you wave back?
YARD – I’m about to go outside and finish the weed whacking I started yesterday. My husband mowed yesterday, so when I finish, it will look like someone cares around here again. It’s actually cool right now, at 76 degrees F., so it shouldn’t be bad to work.
SCHOOL – School starts here in Greenwood tomorrow morning. There is one main road between our home and the larger road that goes to town, and having two schools on this road has been a real problem. It’s not so much the school buses, but what my husband calls, “the mommy traffic.” The moms come to pick up their kids from school and they quickly clog up the school driveway in front of the schools. Then they think nothing of spilling out onto the road and blocking through traffic.
The biggest problem, other than being really annoying, is that emergency vehicles are unable to get through, so if you have a fire, need the police, an ambulance, etc. you’re out of luck. I wrote a very careful email to the administration last year, pointing this out, and asking if more parking could be set up for the moms off the road so that the stalled cars didn’t put the community at risk.
A kind lady wrote me, saying they were discussing staggering the start and stop times at the schools, hopefully improving the problem. We still avoid leaving the house either before school starts or when it is due to let out, but we haven’t been caught in the traffic since.
ART ROOM – Once or twice a day I go up to my art room to add another layer to the Christmas cards I’m painting for my friend to send out this year. They’re starting to come together, and I do a lot of grinning because each part is so much FUN. For awhile I can put everything that is bothering me aside, concentrating on colors, design, sparkles, and more. Such a beautiful break from ‘the world that is too much with us.’ (I guess my middle name should be ‘Ostrich,’ I spend so much time escaping.)
DAY 30 – Today is day 30 of my daily yoga practice – an effort to make my yoga sessions ‘habit.’ Lately I’ve had to make choices as to whether to do my practice or not because inadvertently, I run out of afternoon time. I’ve made the choice to ‘YOG’ as my husband calls it, so I’m keeping my priorities straight.
Weed Whacking Awaits….
Filed under Challenges, exercise, Gardening, Thoughts on a ________
I have to admit that at this very moment I’m feeling a bit older than usual. I just finished weed-whacking the front yard, the driveway area in front of our trio of planters, around the driveway pad, the back sidewalk edge and a bit more. I’m inside, drinking water and trying to cool off before we fix lunch. Then, I’m HOPING it won’t be too hot for me to finish the back.
For ME to do weed whacking, I have to get in a certain position. Holding that position while working, plus the weight of the weed whacker, plus fighting with the 100 foot extension cord I need to use makes me tired pretty fast. I used to be able to do the whole job in one session. Now I quit after 45 minutes. Oh, well. Maybe I’ll feel younger later…. :0)
I simply can’t believe these are PAINTED. I haven’t seen many PHOTOGRAPHS that capture the beauty of water like this. I believe painting water is impossible, and this fabulous artist proves me dead wrong again. What a talent!
Filed under water paintings
I didn’t get up to my art room yesterday. I ran out of afternoon and chose to do my yoga (DAY 28) instead. I’ll try to get up there today, though.
I’m making some Christmas cards for a dear friend who is giving me freedom and time, so it’s a joy from start to finish. :0)
I’m using regular card stock and envelopes. The main color background is from bleeding tissue paper in several colors. I’ll do some writing on the inside, leaving plenty of room for the recipient’s name and a message to be written by my friend. She wants me to sign the back of the card.
On the front, I’m using a combination of 3-D effects to make a simple Christmas tree.
I’m having such a good time. I look forward to each stage of this. :0)
Filed under fun in my art room, playing in my art room
I’m feeling a bit guilty because my husband is out right now mowing the high spots on the lawn. It’s mostly still ‘brown and crunchy,’ the way he likes it because of the lack of rain, but there are high spots and weeds that have grown up in spite of the weather and he’s taking care of those. I’ll need to get out and weed whack to finish the job soon.
We did our errands yesterday, so today we can enjoy staying home. I’ll play in my art room, read, listen to music, cook, do some cleaning, weed whacking, and some yoga.
Pretty nice Saturday!
Filed under Thoughts on a ________
DEALING – Sometimes I want to get involved, doing what I can to change the world for the better. I want to engage, to discuss things that are happening, trying to figure out compromises and solutions. I want to find areas in which we agree, or at least “civil-ly” agree to disagree, and that we can still value one another whether we agree or not.
NOT DEALING – More often these days, I put my head in the sand, trying to escape from all the hurt and ugliness – what appears to be HATE at any differences in beliefs or goals.
I escape to my art room. I listen to music – wrapping it around me like a blanket. I dive into another world with a book. I immerse myself in my garden. I do yoga- trying to fold myself into a paper airplane, or at least try to stretch myself from one side of the room to the other. I laugh with our pets. I talk to my friends. I hug my husband. I sleep. None of these SOLVES anything, but at least they keep me reasonably sane. (I think. I HOPE.)
Filed under Attitude, caring, Challenges, Changes
My Lunch Bunch friend, Kay, is having a birthday tomorrow. We’re celebrating at Lunch Bunch today. Happy, Happy Birthday, Kay!!!
We’ve been enjoying Friday “Lunch Bunch” for over 20 years now. What a priceless thing – to share the lives of others who also care about YOU. Kay, Linda, and I are the core “members.” We graciously allowed our husbands to join us – as long as they behaved. Now Linda’s daughter, Patty, is a part of the group. Other relatives and friends join us from time to time. There’s really no way to describe how close we are, how much we’ve shared, and how much we look forward to the next Friday.
I’m enjoying making some Christmas cards for a dear friend. I’m taking my time, thoroughly enjoying each stage of the process, going up to my art room when the mood is right, turning on my music, eager to see what the finished cards will look like.
DAY 28 of my daily yoga practice. My dog, Amber, is finally catching on that I DON’T appreciate her 90 pound self on my stomach while I’m trying to maintain a stretch, so I guess SHE realizes that I’m trying to build a habit here. My cat, Abby, is slower to catch on. She still tries to sleep on my feet. Good amusement for my husband as he watches the ‘show,’ fritos in hand and mouth…
I’ve officially given up trying to work in the yard unless I have to. It’s just too hot out there. A few of our plants are trying to revive, but most are looking quite sad. Some have even withered and died. Apparently, Mother Nature isn’t a huge fan of flowers – at least this year.
Another shout-out to Susy and Bobby today. Thinking of you both and wishing you the very best.
Filed under Friendship, fun in my art room, Thoughts on a ________
To me this means that we should strive to EXPAND our interests, our knowledge, our activities for as long as we are here. We need to actively try to leave our comfort zone, trying something new every once in awhile, meeting new people, finding new sources of information, and more.
I feel lucky that I can learn new things every day simple by being curious on my computer. I enjoy it SO much I have to be careful not to be sucked into a rabbit hole, reading one thing that leads me to another until a good amount of my day is gone.
I don’t want to color with fewer and fewer crayons, allowing my world to gradually implode around me.
Filed under Attitude, Encouragement
I just ordered more Linda Howard books. My husband and I are both enjoying them. I’m keeping a list of the ones we have and have read, and ones we have ordered so it makes it easier when I’m trying to order more.
Since we try to watch our money, we buy used paperbacks or the Kindle versions when applicable. I toggle back and forth when I find a book we don’t have, seeing what it costs used on Amazon vs Thriftbooks, buying from both sources.
I feel rich when we have more on the way. :0)
Good morning! A more ‘regular’ summer day here. A definite relief from the record-breaking intense heat warnings or flooding downpours. Downright boring!!!!! :0)
Since I felt good yesterday afternoon, I started making the Christmas cards my dear friend asked me to make so she could send them to her friends. She liked the ones that I just finished, but she understands that I can’t make the same thing twice, so I’ll try to come up with something similar.
I’m still jubilant that our trash is GONE. I HOPE that one day I can almost take the trash being picked up on trash day for granted, but that certainly is not yet. I’m hoping that this was an awful glitch in the system and that it won’t be repeated anytime soon. Meanwhile, I don’t have to drive down, armed with another leaf bag, prepared to spend half an hour gathering the trash that has been strewn all over the place by animals overnight. Hooray!
I told my husband that my plan was to make a huge tuna casserole for tonight – enough we can enjoy it tonight and have several individual serving meals for other nights. He liked the idea. :0)
I checked to see if we had any ripe tomatoes. I told you earlier that the large planter of tomato plants was done. We still have a couple of plants in the ‘niche’ planter tucked in beside the house and porch. There are green tomatoes, but nothing ripe now.
Today is DAY 27 of my daily yoga practice.
A shout-out to Susy and Bobby. I hope they enjoyed every bite of their steak breakfast this morning. You’re both in my thoughts.
Filed under Thoughts on a ________
GOOD NEWS ONE –
One of my dearest friends liked the Christmas cards I just finished painting and asked me if I would paint some for her to send to her friends this year. That is the highest compliment, and I’m walking 3 inches off the ground with happiness. I’ll get started on them soon. :0)
GOOD NEWS TWO –
My husband just went to get our mail and check about the trash. THE TRASH IS GONE!!!!!!! We had two weeks worth of trash down there, having been re-gathered by us twice, three calls to Customer Service, one forthright email, and two work orders later – it’s GONE. HOOOOOORAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!!!!!!
Filed under Cause for Celebration, Delightful Surprises
Today will be DAY 26 in my efforts to make practicing yoga daily a HABIT/ROUTINE/REGIMEN, rather than merely something I “should’ do.
I managed to do my practices this week in spite of being under the weather. I did a somewhat abbreviated version, not doing as many repetitions as I do when I’m feeling well, but I did the whole routine and felt better for it.
I’m starting to believe that I can actually get to the point where I don’t even THINK about making time for it – I just DO it.
Filed under exercise, taking care of yourself
Filed under Oil Paintings I Love
Just in case you needed a bit extra today.
Filed under Amazing Animals, love
Filed under ceramics, Clay Art, Hitomi Hosono Ceramics
I’m feeling MUCH better today. :0)
I woke up in the middle of the night, thinking I never paid for Amber’s latest rabies shot. It was given July 6th in the vet’s parking lot by the receptionist and a tech who had been expecting us – but in the middle of a fire scare at the clinic. The fire marshal drove up right after we did and asked us not to go in. Fire trucks came as we left. We were told we would get the paperwork, Amber’s “medal”, and the invoice in the mail. I called later to find out that the smelling smoke was just a scare and nothing could be found by the fire department or their electrician.
In the middle of the night I realized suddenly that I hadn’t received anything, so hadn’t paid. I just called the clinic. As I was on the phone with wonderful Emma, she said another tech had put the envelope to us in her hand. It was packaged, but was never mailed.
Filed under Thoughts on a ________
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