Made My Day

I had a really nice thing happen when I was down at the bottom of our driveway, getting our mail before heading to town to get a haircut.

I got the mail, and was ready to get back into our truck when a truck was driving by. I waved, and started to my truck. She stopped. I went over, and she asked me if I made the decorations that are on our mailbox. I told her that my husband and I made them together. She asked me if we sold them. I told her, “no,” because we can’t make the same thing twice, and we don’t want to disappoint anyone.

She went on to say that her family detours through the neighborhood so they can see what we have on the mailbox! She was quite effusive in her praise and my spirits went through the roof. I told her that she had really made my day. Then I had to apologize because we’ve gotten lax on changing the decoration with the pandemic. I told her we would do better.

When I got home I talked to my husband. He didn’t seem as thrilled as I was, but just now, hours later, as I type this, he asked,’ Do you think we should change the mailbox decoration?” :0)

We’ll do that as we leave for Lunch Bunch Friday morning.

Her kindness has also motivated me to get started seriously on the refurb of our yard critters.

Leave a comment

Filed under Cause for Celebration, kindness, Lewis Art, Lewis Mailbox Decorations

Question for Today

MK

The weather forecast says, “Check on the elderly.” I have no problem with this idea, except they are talking about ME!

I choose to age with sass.

buzzfeed.cm

Here are some quotes I love about aging –

Wisdom is the reward for surviving our own stupidity.” — Brian Rathbone

“I’ve enjoyed every age I’ve been and each has had its own individual merit. Every laugh line, every scar, is a badge I wear to show I’ve been present, the inner rings of my personal tree trunk that I display proudly for all to see. Nowadays, I don’t want a “perfect” face and body; I want to wear the life I’ve lived.” — Pat Benatar

It is lovely to meet an old person whose face is deeply lined, a face that has been deeply inhabited, to look in the eyes and find light there.” — John O-Donohue

There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age.~ Sophia Loren

“As long as I am breathing, in my eyes, I am just beginning.” — Criss Jami

“When I grow up I want to be an old woman.” — Michelle Shocked

A.A. Milne – E.H. Shepard – Winnie the Pooh – DreamQuote

Leave a comment

Filed under aging, Attitude, Favorite Quotes

Dog Sculpture

surreysculpture.org.uk
paper-Will Kurtz
Klaudia Stangl
livemaster.ru
GregMcDonaldSculptor.com-Mastiff
danesculptor.com- Louise Peterson
bobrobertsonsculptures.com

Leave a comment

Filed under Amazing Animals, sculpture

The Art of Pierre-Luc Granjon

Pierrelucgranjon.blogspot.com

Leave a comment

Filed under sculpture

Practicing

boredpanda.com

We stopped the orgy of strawberries and ice cream, but wanted to celebrate our 52nd anniversary by sharing a seafood platter at one of our favorite local restaurants, The Dari, last night. Today I’m up a pound. UGH.

I can TELL myself that I’ll only celebrate a 52nd wedding anniversary once, but THEN I find myself celebrating the end of Daylight Savings Time, and Belly Laugh Day and, and……

Weight loss comes from your mind. Your conscious decision to control what goes into your mouth EACH time, EVERY time. That doesn’t mean I’ve decided not to celebrate important milestones anymore, but it DOES mean I’m going to TRY not to use holidays and special occasions as an excuse to start another binge.

tenor

Leave a comment

Filed under Attitude, DIET!

Note Card Special!

Buy 2 packages – sent to the same address – and receive 25% discount!

Choose any 2 packages of note cards – sent to the same address – and receive 25% OFF the regular price plus FREE SHIPPING!
Put this item in your cart, then type in the names of any TWO packages of note cards.
Usually a package of hand-painted note cards is $15.95. The purchase of two packages would cost $31.90.
During this special offer, when you buy two – sent to the same address – your cost will be $23.95.
You save $7.97!
Limited Offer. First come, first serve.
ACT NOW!

HandmadeHavenByLinda

“Going Green” Package of 5 different designs.
“Purple Glory” Package of 5 different designs.
“Rainbow Flowers” Package of 5 different designs – plus personalized with a name or initials at no extra charge.
“Branching Out” Package of 5 different designs.
“Color Block” Package of 5 different designs.

Leave a comment

Filed under HandmadeHavenByLinda on Etsy

Aging with Sass 5

Buzzfeed.com

Leave a comment

Filed under aging, sass

Mitchell Grafton Art

mitchellgraftonpottery.blogspot.com

Leave a comment

Filed under ceramics, Clay Art

Marriage

julianna-hor13.livejournal.com

We celebrated our 52nd wedding anniversary yesterday. We certainly have no wise words about marriage, other than the simple fact that when you marry someone, you’re promising to share your LIVES with each other – in good times and bad. It’s a work in progress that involves thinking about the other person first, and nurturing your union each and every day.

Here are some quotes I like about marriage –

Don’t marry the person you think you can live with; marry only the individual you think you can’t live without. ~James C. Dobson

What counts in making a happy marriage is not so much how compatible you are, but how you deal with incompatibility. ~George Levinger

Often the difference between a successful marriage and a mediocre one consists of leaving about three or four things a day unsaid. ~Harlan Miller

I figure that the degree of difficulty in combining two lives ranks somewhere between rerouting a hurricane and finding a parking place in downtown Manhattan. ~Claire Cloninger

A wedding anniversary is the celebration of love, trust, partnership, tolerance and tenacity. The order varies for any given year. ~Paul Sweeney

A long marriage is two people trying to dance a duet and two solos at the same time. ~Anne Taylor Fleming

Sometimes I wonder if men and women really suit each other. Perhaps they should live next door and just visit now and then. Katharine Hepburn

The secret of a happy marriage remains a secret. Henny Youngman

_________________

Yesterday we celebrated the FIRST 52 years by sharing a seafood platter at The Dari. Today we begin the SECOND 52!

16 Comments

Filed under love, marriage

Signage

funnyfoto.org

Leave a comment

Filed under Funny Signs - Humor

Dogs and Clay

liplyandia.jimdofree.com
moonsage
Paul Blais-instagram.com
Raku Keramik-m.vk.com

Leave a comment

Filed under Amazing Animals, ceramics, Clay Art

The Art of Cork

corcreationsbykristina.com
daschund-etsy.com
diybunker.com
flickr.com
freekidscrafts.com

Leave a comment

Filed under Cork Art

Pretty Good Start Now

In the summer of 1960 a boy and a girl met and fell in love. She was 14 and he was 17. He went into the Marine Corps for 4 years while she finished junior high and high school. They were together when he was on leave.

He came home and they went to college – he at the University of Tulsa and she at Oklahoma State University. When she had one semester left of practice teaching, they married – June 14, 1969.

Today we celebrate sharing our lives for 52 years, and we haven’t killed each other! He asked me for another 52 years, and, in a moment of weakness, I said. “Let’s do it!”

We have a pretty good start now. We will enjoy sharing a seafood platter tonight in quiet celebration.

2 Comments

Filed under Cause for Celebration, Family, love, marriage

Creative Acorn Art Makes Me Smile

acorn-dubanci.cz-Petr Vaclavek
prnt.sc
zazzle.com
zazzle.com
zazzle.com
Teresa L-Twitter.com

Leave a comment

Filed under acorn art

Getting Older

suzyswede.com

I have a yoga routine that I am trying to do every afternoon now. It’s “Old Lady” yoga, emphasizing good, long, slow stretches rather than asking me to fold my body into a paper airplane and then fly out the window.

I’m grateful to Kat Kabira for making a DVD that got me started several years ago now. She has given me the opportunity to get more flexible, strengthen my core muscles, lessen my pain, and learn to relax. (Of course, I actually have to DO the routine in order to reap its benefits. I am finally caught up enough from gremlins causing problems in our house that I am actively making time for my practice now.)

I’m also adding some positions to my core routine. Since it will be too hot, even with the fan on the all, to do my elliptical trainer out in the garage, a longer, richer yoga routine should take up some of the slack. I’m trying to add at least one new position to my routine each day.

I don’t want my body parts to fall off as I’m working in the garden. It’s good motivation to keep up the yoga…

giphy.gif

Leave a comment

Filed under aging, exercise

Beholder’s Eye

Pinterest

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” ~ Margaret Wolfe Hungerford

Some say these birds are ‘ugly.’ In fact, I found these pictures when I used the search term, “Ugly Birds.”

emu-UglyOverload.blogspot.com

I love these birds. Their faces are full of character. I would much rather enjoy these birds than male cardinals, who wait for their mates to check an area out to see if it’s safe, and THEN will come and preen before taking a sunflower seed. This emu would as soon as peck you as say, “Hello.” I love him.

Red Wattled Hornbill-Carl Purcell

I had never seen this bird before. He looks quite dignified to me. Royalty, for sure. :0)

shoebill stork-KnowYourMeme

This has long been one of my favorite birds. He’s beautiful, isn’t he? He looks like he’s laughing.

tawny_frogmouth-AustralianMuseum

And this sweet bird is just trying to be left alone, hopefully camouflaged so he can catch a nap.

I admit I love all birds, but these hold a special place in my eye and heart.

Leave a comment

Filed under Amazing Animals, Mother Nature

More Tree Carving Art

Tree Carving Art – R. K. Shilpi – boredart.com

Leave a comment

Filed under Tree Carving Art, When Wood Comes Alive

Happy Towel Art

cuded.com
cheezburger.com
cuded.com
cheezburger.com

Leave a comment

Filed under Towel Critter Art

Hot!

Pinterest

We got out first thing this morning to tackle getting our irrigation system going. Mother Nature suddenly turned on summer here – going from unseasonably cool with lots and lots of rain to NO rain and ‘feels like’ indices of 100+.

Thankfully, no blowouts this time. I managed to reprogram the system, which thought it was January of 2007 when I started. I THINK I have it programmed now to start this evening, water for 10 minutes on station 1 followed by 10 minutes on station 2. I have my alarm set to check to make sure the system for the garden is working at 4:30 and then the yard system starts at 6:30. Fingers crossed.

HandmadeHavenByLinda

I’m adding more products to my HandmadeHavenByLinda site on Etsy. I have several sales of 25% off running now, so I’m adding more choices for people to take advantage of the savings.

Welcome Wildlife

We have had several cottontail rabbits in our yard lately. Our dog, Amber, is too slow to even think about catching them, though she makes a good show of chasing them and woofing. I saw two first thing this morning – a very happy way to start my day. :0)

Now that we have the irrigation system going (hope, hope) I’m planning to enjoy a lazy day in the air conditioning until it’s time to check on the watering.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Leave a comment

Filed under Gardening, Mother Nature, Thoughts on a ________

Nice Saturday

creanavt.tumblr.com

I’m having a good day so far, though – as you can see above – obviously not a good hair day…. :0)

First of all, IT’S NOT RAINING! In fact, from the look of the weather forecast, our rainy season has finally come to an end. This means that we need to get out some time this weekend – preferably this evening – and test our irrigation system, fix any blowouts, and schedule and run the system. Some of our spoiled plants – used to the cooler temperatures and lots and lots of rain, are starting to look wilted.

One of the last tasks remaining on the dismantling of the greenhouse project was to tie some neon pink surveyor’s tape on the stake in the ground so that the people who come (on no particular schedule that I can tell) to mow the gas company’s easement on the side of our yard won’t hurt themselves or their equipment running into or over the stake. I also took a sledgehammer. I hit the stake several times in all directions and was able to pull the stake completely out! So I brought the stake, hammer, and tape back to the house. Mission accomplished!

I took some pictures of some of the prettier things in our yard while I was out walking around.

This picture and the next are really making me smile today. Last year I had truly great elephant ears. I over-wintered them in peat moss in the garage and replanted them at the beginning of the spring. Nothing happened. :0( They were gone. I ordered some bulbs online in desperation. I received and planted three bulbs. Nothing was happening, so I decided that I wasn’t going to have anything. This one popped up yesterday. You can see the second one in the next picture. The third one hasn’t done anything, but I won’t be greedy.
I am truly delighted and hope they will get large and lush.

Leave a comment

Filed under Gardening, greenhouse, Mother Nature, Thoughts on a ________

Art from Clay

etsy.com
ru.pinterest.com
tumblr.com
discountcatholicstore.com
dogeek.com.br

Leave a comment

Filed under ceramics, Clay Art

Watching You

SunshineHoneysuckle-Twitter

Leave a comment

Filed under DIET!

Stone Stories

Szilajka Erzsebet has surpassed making stone art an art form. She tells stories with them. She makes you FEEL – through her work. Truly amazing.

Szilajka Erzsebet

Leave a comment

Filed under Stone/Pebble Art

Well, THIS is Clear –

allwomenstalk.com

Leave a comment

Filed under Funny Signs - Humor

Stuffing My Face

Giphy

I THOUGHT I had done pretty well on eating yesterday, but I GAINED half a pound. UGH.

We’ll leave in about an hour to meet our friends for Friday Lunch Bunch. I will eat HALF the chicken finger thingies, bringing the rest home to cut up for a main meal salad.

My biggest problem right now is that my husband and I aren’t in sync about what we’re eating and how much right now. Yeah. Yeah. I KNOW that I don’t have to eat just because my husband is eating. But I don’t seem to be strong enough to have him buy no sugar added ice cream and strawberries (plus strawberry cakes for himself), cut up the strawberries, and then NOT eat any. I AM leaving the cakes to him. We HAVE agreed that when we’re out of ice cream and strawberries (we have enough for tonight) we won’t buy more for awhile….

In my next life, I want to come back as someone who only eats for the nutrition, as fuel for my body, rather than having an appetite that would kill a horse.

Leave a comment

Filed under DIET!

Matt Wilson Art

Matt Wilson Metal Art

Leave a comment

Filed under metal art

Delicious Driftwood Art, Plus

jeffrouitto.com
Vincent C Richel-flickr.com
delightfulclutter.blogspot.com
flickr.com-One Tree Hill Studios

1 Comment

Filed under Driftwood Art, Tree Carving Art, When Wood Comes Alive

Great Sign

Signs of Wisdom

1 Comment

Filed under Funny Signs - Humor

Felted Dolls and Animals

franswazz.tumblr.com
Pixy69-https://pixy69.livejournal.com
Pixy69-https://pixy69.livejournal.com
Pixy69-artisaway.com

Leave a comment

Filed under Embroidery/Sewing Art, Felted Wool Art

Great Truck Sign

Pinterest

3 Comments

Filed under Funny Signs - Humor, punny

R.K. Shilpi Tree Carving Art

R.K. Shilpi – Tree Carving Art – boredart.com

Leave a comment

Filed under Tree Carving Art, When Wood Comes Alive