BethanyKerrFineArt on Etsy
Niki Firmin Pet Portraits – “Bowie”
Niki Firmin Pet Portraits – “Saffi”
Filed under Amazing Animals, Bethany Kerr, drawings, Niki Firmin - Pet Portraits
Lettie De Winnaar – LinkedIn
Filed under Attitude, Challenges, Encouragement, Favorite Quotes
Jeff Jett – LinkedIn
We put Yosemite Sam on the mailbox this morning.
He was a favorite cartoon character of both my husband and myself. I can still hear him yelling, “I’m-a warnin’ you, Stranger!”
We found a picture of him on the net. My husband used a program that converts a picture into code the computer can recognize. We have a CNC set-up in our shop. (A computer, plus a big metal table on which we put 4′ x 8′ sheets of metal. The computer-guided torch follows the code and cuts out the design. My husband creates an attachment piece for the mailbox and welds it onto the design. I then mark salient points on the bare metal, both sides, with the use of an overhead projector.
I then paint the piece on both sides and then spray the sides with polyurethane spray for protection.
This piece is about 2 feet high and 2-1/2 feet wide.
Filed under Lewis Art, Lewis Mailbox Decorations, metal art
This is the latest note card set I’ve listed in my Etsy shop. I call it, “Pastel Color Masque.” As you can see, there are five different designs in the set of note cards with correspondingly painted envelope flaps. The cards are 5.5″ x 4.5″ and are blank on the inside. They can be used for any occasion. They can be personalized with a first name or initials on the front of each card and envelope flap.
Each card and envelope will come in a protective sleeve, and the 5 card set will arrive in a gift box tied with a ribbon or tie, suitable for gift-giving.
ArtworthyNoteCards on Etsy
Filed under Uncategorized
oncecellonelightradio.wordpress.com
This picture is a bit over the top on what I’m actually going to do, but the motivation is there.
I went out to finish weed whacking around our burn barrel this morning. I then hauled all the weed trees I cut down a couple of days ago, putting them in a pile we will burn later. Then I went back and weed whacked some more, trying to give us a good margin of safety.
While I was doing that, I apparently ran into an ant pile. All of a sudden I noticed I had ants on my arm around my watch. I stopped everything and brushed them off, but not before they had bitten/stung me. Since I came in, I have put on Benadryl and then some anti-itch ointment. My arm, plus the top of my right foot, are now pink and swollen, with raised welts. Oh, joy.
I wouldn’t be surprised if I hadn’t practically bathed in bug repellent spray before I went out there.
Later on today, I plan to mix up two gallons of Eight, the spray I use to kill all kinds of what I consider bad bugs, and plan to murder as many ants as possible. I don’t know that ants do anything important in our ecosystem. If they do, they’ll need to transfer their operations somewhere else.
I will also spray the area around the burn barrel with KillsAll, the stuff that is wonderful at keeping growth of greenery down. This is an area we can’t mow, and don’t need to have any grass or anything.
Picture me as Arnold Schwarzenegger, armed with a KillAll sprayer in one hand and an Eight sprayer in the other – taking on all comers!
Filed under Gardening
Portmacquarie Koala Hospital – New South Wales, Australia via Mara Spirig – LinkedIn
Filed under CUTE!
The Prepared Page via Stephanie Youmans Wilson
Filed under Funny Signs - Humor
This was posted on LinkedIn this morning by Elena (Livia) D. I wanted to share it with you.
Bess Hamit via Elena (Livia) D. – LinkedIn
“It’s good for everyone to have a place to run. Because there’s a time when we really have to run somewhere.” ~ Dostoyevsky
Filed under Awe-Inspiring Photography, Favorite Quotes
I just put up this new banner I made on my new Etsy shop. I would appreciate it very much if you would tell me what you think (good and bad). I appreciate your help.
Filed under favor
AboutKidsHealth
I worked out in the yard yesterday evening, cutting down what we call, “Weed Trees.”
These were too close around our burn barrel, so I wanted to clear the area.
The first step was cutting down the ‘trees’ and throwing them into a pile away from the barrel. I did that, but got really hot and tired. When I started to come in, I noticed I had teeny, tiny burrs all over me. I tried to brush them off while out in the yard. Now I know where our elderly dog, Molly gets them. They don’t come off easily.
I spent another half hour pulling the burrs off my shirt, jeans, and finally, shoes.
In the night I had two bad Charley-horses. I haven’t had one of these since I was pregnant – a hundred years or so ago. They were so bad I thought I would have to wake up my husband, but thankfully, I could let him sleep.
This morning I was limping. My husband massaged my calf and I put on muscle relaxant stuff. I’m already walking better.
I will take it easier today, and will do some yoga stretches later today.
I HATE being rudely reminded of my senior-hood.
Filed under taking care of yourself
My fish didn’t complain, but I have neglected them since Mother Nature fried so many of our things. I finally took the time today to vacuum their aquarium, put in fresh scenery, and nice fresh water.
The largest goldfish is almost too large to swim through the barrels, but the other three do it regularly.
Things will settle a bit more, but the fish definitely have a new lease on life today.
Filed under Amazing Animals, Family, Housekeeping - Maintenance
Adilya Rangga-CRMY Pictures 2014 via RJ Bennett – LinkedIn
ZietsPhotography via RJ Bennett – LinkedIn
Filed under Amazing Animals, Awe-Inspiring Photography, R.J. Bennett
Jeff Jett – LinkedIn
Am I excited about my new clothes washer? You’d better believe I am!!!!
Since Mother Nature fried a LOT of our stuff about 3 weeks ago, including our clothes washer, I’ve been washing clothes in our kitchen sink. I almost looked online to see if I could find the old washing boards people used to use. Needless to say, we have a LOT of laundry that is waiting for attention.
The washer was delivered this morning by two really nice men. They had a big truck (but not a semi). They BACKED it up the driveway! Our driveway is steep. It is 650+ feet from the road to our house. And they managed to BACK the truck up to the top. The first thing I said was that I was so impressed with their driving.
They took the old washer and pedestal out. Then they told us that they couldn’t install the washer because we wanted to use the old pedestal.
SO – They brought the pedestal back inside, then brought the new washer in, and went over with my husband what we would need to do to install it.
We had to lay the new washer down on its side. (The big dog bed was right there, so that made a good cushion.) We then screwed the old pedestal onto the new washer with much gnashing of teeth and a few bad words. We then managed to stand up the washer on the old pedestal, then move it carefully toward the place it would live. My husband took the ‘moving bolt thingies” out of the back of the washer, attached the power cord and the water hoses. We jockeyed it back and forth a little at a time, until it was in the right place.
We threw in all the towels that were used in the getting-rid-of-the-old and installing-the-new, threw in some soap and turned it on. It actually has a special cycle for towels! It hummed a bit. We re-read the manual. We were supposed to HOLD the start button down longer. It hummed again. Then my husband said more bad words because he figured out he forgot to turn on the water.
We turned the machine off, jockeyed it out far enough so he could turn on the water, then jockeyed it back into place.
Finally we had to put the drawer back in the pedestal. (That screws into place on runners.) The inside of the drawer was disgraceful. (did I mention that I’m an awful housekeeper?) so I got a wet cloth, mopped it out, dried it and then put stuff back in. (I actually like the pedestals because of the height they add to the front loading washer and dryer, rather than because of any storage, so the drawer probably hadn’t been opened since we got the set in 2005….)
The washer is now running happily, about half way finished with the towels. I have about a hundred (more or less) loads left to do – gathered over the past three weeks – so guess what I’ll be doing over the next few days!
I am truly delighted to have a washer going again. I’ve become spoiled and I really missed it.
It will be GREAT when all is clean again!
YAHOO!
Filed under Challenges, Changes, Housekeeping - Maintenance, I'm a slob
ThoughtCo
I’m finishing up re-reading a favorite book of mine by Nora Roberts called, Three Fates. Even though I’ve read it once, quite awhile ago, I still have trouble putting it down and getting anything else done. :0)
Her latest book in the “In Death” series is coming out in paperback at the end of this month. I’ve pre-ordered it. It’s called, Connections in Death. I really love this series. The main character, Eve Dallas, is a police detective. She’s gutsy and strong, even though she has her quirks. The characters that make up her world are fascinating. I love living in her world for awhile.
As soon as I finish my current book, I’ll re-read the whole 47-book series in preparation for adding the 48th. I’m not sure I can read 47 books before I receive the next one, but the situation makes me feel rich in wonderful books just waiting for me!
I feel the same way when I’m re-reading the books of Robert B. Parker, or Lee Child, or many other incredibly talented authors. How lucky I am!
Jeff Jett – LinkedIn
Jeff Jett – LinkedIn
*These photos are taken by talented photographers in an effort to preserve wildlife and their habitats.
iStockPhoto
We go bowling every Monday (mostly) with long-time good friends.
I’ve heard the adage, “Practice makes perfect.” Whoever said that has not seen us bowl. We can’t even say we have ‘averages.’ Each Monday is an entirely new “bowl game” ( :0) ) with each of us being ‘on,’ ‘off,’ or somewhere in the middle. I’ve missed getting 100. I’ve bowled a 211. Sometimes I look like I know what I’m doing, picking up spares. Sometimes I would do better standing in the lane on either side of ours and throwing the ball like a baseball. (Assuming I COULD…) There is no rhyme, reason, or consistency in this pretty nice group of people.
We always go to Braum’s Ice Cream after we bowl. The ice cream may be for celebration of a good job that night, or commiseration that we embarrassed ourselves once again. We are all trying to lose the lard, so the ice cream is a really special treat. I look forward to my ‘one-scoop-of-chocolate-in-a-cup’ all day Mondays and plan the rest of my eating around that, since that one scoop is 16 carbs and I try to stay at 20 or under daily.
My sister-in-law, Mary Lou, got to the crux of it in an email Tuesday. “It’s really all about the ice cream, anyway.”
Filed under Attitude, exercise, Friendship
Good news and iffy news from the garden today.
GOOD NEWS – more ripe tomatoes and it looks like lots more to come. The radishes and sweet red onions seem to be doing fine.
IFFY NEWS – I have a lot of ‘greenery’ and blossoms from my zucchini and cantaloupe plants, but the actual veggies and fruits are looking wimpy. In three days of my concentrating on other parts of the yard, the weeds are trying to take over. The heat index is 105 today, so I’ll have to wait until dusk to do anything out there. I’ll weed as much as I can and then put some extra fertilizer over things and see what, if anything, happens.
I absolutely LOVE trying to grow veggies and fruit. I have a wonderful set up, with chest-high wooden 4′ x 4′ planters filled with Mel’s Mix (peat moss, vermiculite, and several kinds of compost) and an irrigation system for consistent watering. I have unlimited hope and enthusiasm, but little expertise, though I’m reading and learning what I’m supposed to be doing on a regular basis. Thus far, the list of things NOT to do again is growing much faster than the successes, but my motivation is still strong.
Each lunch and each dinner features fresh, ripe tomatoes from our own garden. I ‘spiralized’ (made spaghetti-like stuff with the aid of my kitchen gadget) from one pregnant-looking zucchini from our own garden and my husband pronounced it ‘yummy.’ Next year I plan to grow yellow squash, too. We’re spiralizing that, too, and my husband is shocked that he enjoys both of these. He did say, though, that he’ll TRY some as a substitute for actual pasta, but doesn’t hold high hopes for the idea yet. I’m hoping I can convince him. :0)
Amber
Sweet Amber is healing from her ‘adventure’ (whatever it was) recently.
I am leading to her being clipped by a car or truck, or being kicked by a cow. She had a deep skinned place on her head (you can see the scab has come off and pink skin is there), Her left eye was badly irritated with a red rim around it and a scab on the outer corner, skinned places on both front legs, and she was limping badly.
She is MUCH better now. All the skinned areas are healing. We’re not sure if she will grow hair on the place on her head or not. She is still ‘favoring’ the left back leg, but not limping badly. She is able to do one of her favorite things, jump up into the back seat of the truck to GO!
She is again very responsive, wanting to be wherever we are. We are very lucky. She was pretty badly hurt. We’re HOPING that she has learned a lesson and will not do WHATEVER IT WAS again!
Filed under Amazing Animals, Family
Bethany Kerr Commissioned Pet Portrait
BethanyKerrFineArt on Etsy
BethanyKerrFineArt on Etsy
BethanyKerrFineArt on Etsy
Filed under Bethany Kerr, drawings, Watercolors I Love
Jeff Jett
Jeff Jett is an animal lover, doing what he can to help preserve wild animals and their habitats. To this end, he posts the most wonderful photographs on LinkedIn, taken by talented folks all over the world, who share his interest, and we are all richer for it.
Jeff Jett
I simply melt when I see the photos these talented photographers take. I have no idea how they get these. You can’t just ask for a pose and say, “Say Cheese!” I guess. :0)
Jeff Jett
Jeff Jett
Jeff Jett
Thanks to all the talented photographers who gave us these photos. I wish I could credit each of them. I only see one credit (in the photo above) but I cannot read it. Sorry. Maybe it’s enough that we react, appreciate, and enjoy.
I have read that turquoise is THE color this summer. That led to these note cards using turquoise as the starting color on each of the note cards and envelope flaps and then color blocks to compliment the turquoise. I did the color blocks with pastels, then used black pens to outline the blocks.
Since I love texture, I sprayed grey webbing spray to add a 3-D interest.
Finally, I used crystal glitter glue to wash both the cards and envelope flaps to add a quiet sparkle or glitz.
There are 5 different designs in the set of note cards with correspondingly painted envelopes.
The 5″ x 7″ cards are blank on the inside for your message. These can be used for any occasion at work or at home. Just add your message and send it.
Your set would be similar, but color blocks, shapes, and colors, other than turquoise, will be different.
This is the back of each card.
Your cards will arrive in a nice gift box with a transparent lid, tied with a ribbon or tie – suitable for gift-giving.
These are all the envelopes.
Personalization of your first name or initials on each card and envelope flap free of charge.
See this set and others at ArtworthyNoteCards on Etsy.
Filed under Uncategorized
R.J. Bennett – LinkedIn
Filed under Amazing Animals, Awe-Inspiring Photography, R.J. Bennett
Brooke Hampton via Chrissie Anderson Peters
Filed under collections, Favorite Quotes
Steemit
I have just finished about an hour and a half of weed whacking in the yard this morning. I have probably one more session of weed whacking and then the leaf blower to clean off the sidewalks and garage pad before I’m finished.
My husband mowed the lawn yesterday, so the grass looks good. All the edges around everything were ragged, though, so I decided to get outside early this morning and see if I could clean things up.
With the heat index, it’s ONLY 95 right now. Since the index is supposed to get to 105 this afternoon, I decided it was best to get out there while it was COOL. :0)
The new-to-us riding mower we got recently from a wonderful friend and neighbor does a really good job. When the civilized part of our yard is freshly mowed, weed whacked and blown, we actually look pretty good!
With all the yard work this morning and bowling with good friends tonight, I’m not even going to feel guilty about not ‘exercising’ today. I’ve learned that the work I do uses different muscles than the ones used for more traditional ‘exercises,’ but when I’ve worked and played this much in a day, I’ll call it good enough.
I was on my way from the living room into the dining area this morning when the view out the back door made me stop and go get my camera. I love the way the clouds form a loose ‘rope’ between the ridge lines sometimes. Almost immediately after I took this picture, the ‘rope’ started to spread out, making a generalized fog that later burned off. But for a short moment, it was magical.
Filed under Mother Nature
Jeff Jett – LinkedIn
sayingimges.com
I rewarded myself for prevailing over my technology challenge this morning by spending some time in my art room. I’ve spent part of three afternoons up there and it really does my heart good. When I’m playing up there with my favorite music playing, all the stuff that is bothering me goes away. My heart and mind rest and I can simply enjoy playing in the paint trying to make the images rattling around in my head come out on the piece I’m working on.
The last three days I’ve been making a new set of note cards. I finished them today. They are drying.
Tomorrow I’ll take pictures, share them with you, and then list them on my new Etsy site, ArtworthyNoteCards.
creativeartworksblog 