Martin Kornfeld via You Have the Right to Remain Healthy via Cathy Ruggiero
Barbara Franc Art
“Niagara’s Foal” – Barbara Franc
“The Dog Knows Best” – Barbara Franc
“White Swan” – Barbara Franc
Filed under Art From Found Things, Creativity
Peacocks
“Peacock” – Paul Militaru Photography
“Superb Colors Peacock” – Paul Militaru Photography
Oil Paintings I Love
Nosey Bear – Diane Whitehead – artoutwest.blogspot.com
Simon Kenny – http://www.etsy.com
wallscover.com
Filed under Creativity, Oil Paintings I Love
A Wonderful Gift
Garrison Keillor – Generate Status
Reading a good book is like breathing for me. I have a collection of books I have loved over the years, and re-read them from time to time.
Right now I’m re-reading the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. There are 25 in the series, all built around a really nuts, lovable main female character from New Jersey who decides out of desperation to become a bounty hunter. She’s gutsy, but knows absolutely nothing about becoming one. She’s small and soft-hearted, a bad combination for bringing in people who were bonded out of jail, but failed to show up for their court date. Her inventiveness, sense of humor, and persistence carry the day. Over the course of the series, she develops a circle of wonderful, quirky friends and associates to add to her funny family members. I have fallen in love with all of them and sit, grinning/smirking/snorting as I re-read each of the books. I’m on #2 now, “Two for the Dough.”
I have 21 of the 25, I think, but I’ll find out which I’m missing and get them, too, when I’ve re-read all those in my collection.
I Love Colorful Birds!
Jeff Jett – LinkedIn
Corey Hayes via Jeff Jett – LinkedIn
Jeff Jett – LinkedIn
Jeff Jett – LinkedIn
Jeff Jett – LinkedIn
Jeff Jett – LinkedIn
Jeff Jett – LinkedIn
A Sight for Sore Eyes
Alhena Max Photos – Max Blanchard – LinkedIn
I love the fall season when the temperatures finally quit slapping you in the face when you walk outside. I love sweaters, vests, snuggly clothes, fires in the fireplaces, etc. But my heart really soars in spring and summer when the world is full of gorgeous color and blooms.
“Bells” – Paul Militaru Photography
“Exotic Purple Flower” – Paul Militaru Photography
“Fire in My Heart” – Paul Militaru Photography
“Gazania 1” – Paul Militaru Photography
Particularly now, when the thing I’m doing outside lately is cutting back dead stuff from the recent freezes, beautiful photography like this reminds me that after winter breathes its last, glorious spring will bring new shoots of green!
Filed under Awe-Inspiring Photography, Paul Militaru Photography, Seasons
A Partial Win
Alamy
We went bowling with our long-time friends last night. After we had started bowling, my friend said, “Your jeans are loose!” I, of course, grinned at her, since I’ve been trying to get the lard off seriously since April. (So far, I’ve come down three sizes.)
When we got home, I found 4 pairs of the next-size-down jeans (don’t even THINK of asking me WHAT size). I tried them all on. ONE pair was easy to get on! The other three were still too tight.
I showed my husband the one pair and then put them on my bureau to encourage me in my continuing efforts to lose the lard.
I think this says more about women’s wonky sizing than it does about my weight loss efforts, but I’ll take a ‘win’ any time I can get one!
Here’s to being able to wear the OTHER three pairs sometime in the near future!!!!
Filed under DIET!, exercise, getting the lard off, taking care of yourself
Art from Found Things – Take 28
“Barney” – Tom Shelton – Folk Art Trash Sculptures – Inhabitat
Tom Shelton – Folk Art Trash Sculptures – Inhabitat
Klyker.com
Filed under Art From Found Things, Creativity
A Feast for the Eyes
“A Place of Meditation” – Paul Militaru Photography
“Fog in the Mountains” – Paul Militaru Photography
“In the Mountains Relax and Rest” – Paul Militaru Photography
“Lights and Shadows” – Paul Militaru Photography
“Path” – Paul Militaru Photography
Wonderful Way to Start a Day!
shutterstock
I’m walking 3 inches (at least) off the ground this morning.
We received a delivery from Fedex this morning. The driver wasn’t our ‘normal’ driver, but a very nice young woman. She fended off Amber kindly when Amber was trying hard to greet her, wagging her tail, trying to knock her down, and trying to get into her truck at the same time. She reacted by laughing, immediately winning our feelings of relief and approval.
I got Amber and put her in the house while the lady got a huge box out of her truck. While my husband was wrestling with 60 lbs of dog food, the lady started to get back into her truck. She stopped, came back around and said something to the effect of, “I love all your artwork. I slowed the truck down so I could try to look at everything, waving at the two robots standing watch on either side of the garage door.
My spirits soared and I tried not to break my face as I grinned at her. I told her that she had made our day and thanked her.
We’re never sure what the reaction will be. Some people probably look at our stuff and shake their heads or wonder why anyone would clutter up their yard like we do. This lady particularly mentioned the robot and owls at the bottom of the driveway and the flying pig hanging from a tree midway up.
When someone is this nice, giving compliments on our stuff when there is no need (such as our saying, “Look what we made!” and then them trying to come up with something similar to, “Well, that’s a lot of stuff!” – it brings real joy.
A wonderful way to start a day!
Filed under Lewis projects, Lewis yard art, metal art
Truths
Trees truths – I Stole This From Another Page via Kim Cummings
“Mona – My Real Friend”
“Mona – My Real Friend” – Paul Militaru Photography
Indoor Garden
These are the plants I brought in from the greenhouse before we had our freeze. (Our greenhouse isn’t heated, so the plants would have died.)
Lettuce is a cool weather plant, bolting when it gets too warm. I had no idea whether I would be prolonging the life of my lettuce plants when I brought them into our heated home, but at least I knew they wouldn’t freeze. I’ve been harvesting enough to add to our salads in the evenings. So far, so good!
Also shown are celery plants. All I’ve managed so far is some reasonably nice-looking plants. I’m hoping these will live long enough for me to ‘tie them up’ as a book suggested I do to encourage them to grow stalks in a cluster as they do when you find them in the store. It’s fun to try, whether it works out or not. :0)
Filed under Gardening, greenhouse, Starting - Growing in a Greenhouse
Amazing Birds
Jeff Jett – LinkedIn
Jeff Jett – LinkedIn
Sweet Little Kitties
Catherine Lee – LinkedIn
Catherine Lee – LinkedIn
Filed under Awe-Inspiring Photography, Catherine Lee
Angela Mia De La Vega Art
Angela Mia De La Vega Art via Elena (Livia) D. – LinkedIn
Filed under Creativity, Reading is FUNdamental, sculpture
Planning…
Sarcasm Dujour – http://www.pinterest.com
I am having a challenging day.
It’s a combination – as challenging days often are – of things that don’t go as you planned, and, in my case, having to go back to where I was over and over again to FINALLY get what I wanted. (I get to the room, can’t remember what I went in there for, and have to go back to the office and sit down again before I think “Yes!” THAT’S why I got up!”
A cold front is coming in today. It’s being brought by really WHIPPY, cold wind that makes it seem MUCH colder than the actual temperature. Our temperature was a balmy 60 degrees this morning. The forecast is for the temperature to plunge to about 35 by this afternoon. BRRRR! Because of this, my husband and I agreed not to mess around this morning, but get our grocery list made and hightail it to the grocery. We took Amber (our 93 pound yellow lab PUPPY) and even she thought the weather was a bit much, only sticking her head out of the window a few times on the trip to and from the grocery store. It REALLY felt cold as we put our groceries in the car and then I returned the cart. We are in now for the rest of the day, having put together a nice beef stew in the crock pot for tonight.
The morning has been filled with challenges, such as Amber giving back her breakfast with no warning on the carpet. I went to handle the cleanup on that and Molly (our elderly, quite deaf cocker spaniel/schnauzer cross) decided to come out of the bathroom just as I passed the doorway, almost sending me head over heels. I managed NOT to step on her, but seem to have wrenched a few parts trying NOT to hurt her. I fell, but managed to catch myself on the doggie gate, so I didn’t SPLAT.
My husband really surprised me, wanting to help put the stew together. We will have been married 50 years in June, and this is the FIRST time he’s offered to help! He was in the pantry, asking me what I needed for the stew. My poor brain didn’t want to function, and I couldn’t think of half of what I needed. I ended up joining him in the pantry and pointing. He drained and added things to the crock pot while I browned the stew beef and onions, and then asked what ELSE he could do. This made me wonder if someone had exchanged my husband for this really helpful, nice, good-looking man who drove me home from the grocery store! Not one to lose an opportunity, I set him to peeling two more onions – since I was planning to get ready for two more beef stew dinners in the future. When he finished that, I started him cutting the stew beef into smaller pieces. I joined him to finish that and we divided the onion and stew beef into two freezer bags and they are now cooling.
It only took me three trips back and forth from my computer to the dining area and back to finally get the aquarium filter cartridge box so that I could order more cartridges. THEN I couldn’t remember the name of the grain-free dry dog food I wanted and had to go into the pantry, only to find my husband had done away with the bag and he couldn’t remember the name of the food, either. Happily, Chewy.com had a history of our orders so I was able to get my order in…
I think it was Bette Davis who said, “Gettin’ old ain’t for sissies.” I also like Shirley MacLaine’s quote (paraphrased) that people who can laugh at themselves will never cease to be amused. I’m still laughing!
Filed under Attitude, Funny Signs - Humor
Joe Bailey Art
Joe Bailey – LinkedIn
I love Joe’s creativity and talent. He also creates what he refers to as “serious sculpture,’ but he won my admiration and delight with these characters he created and sculpted.
Filed under Creativity, sculpture
“Sally”
“Sally” – Niki Firmin – LinkedIn
It’s hard to believe that anyone can draw animals like this. Niki is a very talented lady who accepts commissions to make drawings you and your family will treasure. If you would like more information, her website is NikiFirmin.com
Filed under Amazing Animals, Niki Firmin - Pet Portraits
Ana Loreta Baicu Watercolor Art
Ana Loreta Baicu-LinkedIn
Filed under Creativity, Watercolors I Love
Unintended Flex Meal Diet Enforcement
Askideas.com
A funny thing happened on the way to our Nutrisystem “Flex Meal” at Arby’s. My husband and I had been being taunted by ads on the TV from Arby’s, advertising a ‘turkey BLT’ and a ‘deep-fried turkey sandwich’ over and over again. We decided that we would spend our flex meal on this, eating half for lunch and the other half for dinner.
We ordered, paid, and then came home with our wonderful smelling sack of goodies. Our 93 pound lab puppy, Amber, was salivating in the back seat, becoming more and more agitated as we neared home. (I felt the same, but didn’t drool, as she did.)
I opened the sack to distribute our wealth to find only ONE sandwich. The lady apparently hadn’t heard my husband order my sandwich. We ended up cutting the sandwich in half, as “I” planned to do with MINE, and shared it for our lunch, obviously having none left over for dinner.
I would have been much happier using our new-found trying-to-become habit of ‘cutting-things-in-half-to-enjoy-the-second-half-later’ to be exercised by US, rather than an innocent clerk at a local fast food shop….
Filed under Challenges, DIET!
Gorgeous Seagulls
“Flight over the Lake” – Paul Militaru Photography
“Seagulls 1” – Paul Militaru Photography
“Sunbathing” – Paul Militaru Photography
Sing Along!
Jeff Jett – LinkedIn
Wim Beunderman – LinkedIn
Tigers are so Beautiful
Catherine Lee – LinkedIn
Catherine Lee – LinkedIn
Catherine Lee – LinkedIn
Filed under Amazing Animals, Awe-Inspiring Photography, Catherine Lee
Fishing for a Compliment…
Our fish aren’t very good conversationalists. They don’t want or give affection, give compliments or give out rebukes. I feel good, though, that their aquarium is now bright, shining clean. I changed out the decorations in the tank, too, so they have a change of scene, as well as new filters, plus clean and treated water.
About the only thing they DO is bunch up in the corner when they want to be fed, wriggling their tiny bodies and making a big deal of seeing my face, even before I give them anything to eat. THAT makes all the upkeep worth it. :0)
I’m feeling lazy today since I spent most of the day outside yesterday cleaning out and pruning the plants in our planters. I finished all in the front yard – we have 11 in all (eight 8 foot brick planters and 3 of assorted sizes), plus the planters on the deck yesterday. I’m a bit long in the tooth for that much work, but we had an 80% chance of rain today (and the forecasters were correct), and my body is in protest mode today.
Now that the project for the day is finished, I’m going to go do some yoga to see if I can get stretched out again.
Otherwise, friends (Lunch Bunch) followed by food and football!
Filed under exercise, Family, Lewis projects
creativeartworksblog 