Isn’t this sweet? My heart just melted when I found it.
I’m leaving for a massage in about 20 minutes and I’m READY for it. I have a bunch of sore and tight places all over me, just crying out for Lynn’s expertise. Between the massage this morning and my yoga practice this afternoon, my body should be smiling.
We actually have a chance for some isolated showers today into Monday! I’m ready for THAT, too. Everything is really stressed, even with our daily watering. If we DO get some rain, don’t be surprised if you hear a big, “AHHHHHHHH!” from Arkansas.
If things work out as I plan, I’ll start making some Christmas cards this afternoon. I have an idea for what I’d like to do, but I have no idea if it will actually come together or not. I love being able to experiment in my art room.
I told you I would share the Christmas gifts I’ve been working on in my art room for the past month. I still need to make Christmas cards, bag them all up, and then store them until the proper time.
Carla – front (she and her son have built and run a race car.)Carla back
________________________________
Kay – front – (Lunch Bunch friend who loves word search puzzles)Kay – backLinda – front – (Lunch Bunch friend – loves jigsaw puzzles)Linda – backMikey – front – (our waitress at Lunch Bunch – is going to have a granddaughter soon)Mikey – backNora – front – long time friend – pastel artistNora – backPatty – front – (Lunch Bunch Friend – has pontoon boat, is very active)Patty – back
There are two other totes, but I’m not showing them here. They are for dear friends who read my blog. :0)
This wonderful photo and our weather are at war for who can make me melt into a puddle first. I say the sweet puppy, but our heat index will be 110 degrees F. today… UGH.
The Guardian
I’ve really been enjoying the time in my art room. I may finish the Christmas presents today. It’s so much fun to try to make things my friends will enjoy. They’re so good to me, and I want to give them at least a little something back. So there are lots of warm feelings, memories, appreciation and smiles in that room lately. The time there really helps me keep my cool about the rest of the stuff happening in the world and in my life. too.
Amber
Our dog has quite a sense of humor. She now thinks it’s funny to wake us up in the middle of the night barking at what my husband calls, “ghost gophers.” When we get up to check on things, there is never anything there. We don’t know if she smells something on the deck, or in the garage, is dreaming, or what, but it’s irritating when we are in the middle of some good rest and are jolted awake. Sometimes my husband goes downstairs and threatens her verbally. Sometimes we can ignore it and she stops. This morning it was closer to the time we normally wake up and she only did it for a few minutes, so we were able to catch a few more zzzz’s. It’s a good thing, with our own ‘old people’s weird sleep patterns’ plus Amber’s sense of humor, that we can take a nap during the day if needed.
I’ve been having a wonderful time for several weeks now, making Christmas presents for my friends. I got the idea for the theme of the presents several months ago, and ideas have been rattling around in my brain ever since.
I finally ordered the materials I needed and began to play as soon as they arrived. I looked on the net for some reference pictures for some of my ideas, and then began drawing my ideas with pencil. There are two sides to each present and 8 friends, so there was a lot of drawing.
I’ve been painting for about three weeks now, having a truly wonderful time in my art room. I’m not in any hurry. My goal is to make some progress on the project each day, but enjoying every minute of the process. I’m about to finish ‘Side 1″ of the 8 presents.
Making time to have FUN each day is important to your soul, your sense of worth, your outlook. It’s a buffer against whatever challenges with which you are dealing, replenishing strength and resilience you’ll need. A time for JOY gives you peace of mind, if only for a little while each day – a coping mechanism that is priceless.
I used to put time in my art room, time for reading, listening to music, playing in my garden or yard, writing this blog on my to-do list WHEN I COULD MAKE THE TIME – if possible when my work and other obligations are under control. Now I consciously make time to at least ONE of the things I love on a daily basis. I feel stronger, happier, and more alive since I switched my priorities.
NOTE: I have to admit (shhhhh!) I felt guilty when my husband came in for batteries for his remote for the TV this morning and had Amber hair all over the front of his shirt from getting down on the carpet to work in the area under the TV in the entertainment center. Looks like I should make time to vacuum the first floor carpet today…. :0)
As far as I know, everyone will be at Lunch Bunch today. It’ll be a nice reunion. We have a few errands to do, but won’t be out long.
DepositPhotos.com
I’m having a lot of fun in my art room, working on the presents I’m painting for my friends for Christmas. I’m making 8 things, and I’m almost finished with some of the first sides. Apparently I smile while I’m painting – I’m finding my cheeks are hurting a bit in the evenings. :0)
Lucia Heffernan – MyModernMet
I’m going to do an extra-long session of yoga this afternoon. I missed it yesterday and my body is reminding me about it today. You would THINK that after so many RE-learnings of this lesson, the message would stick. All I can say is I’m fighting sloth, stubbornness, and stupidity – a pretty lethal combination.
This morning’s harvest. We went into withdrawal yesterday because we didn’t have any ripe tomatoes from our garden to eat. Today makes up for yesterday, with more coming, probably tomorrow. YUM.
Each afternoon I’m spending time in my art room, working on the presents I’m making for my friends for Christmas. I try to make progress on two of them each day, waiting for paint to dry on each before the next step. I’m making 8 presents, and each is different, so I’m taking my time and really enjoying the process.
We converted a third bedroom to be my art room several years ago. I go up there, shut the door, turn on music I don’t listen to anywhere else, and start experimenting, immersing myself in color, determination, hope, and fun.
Even when all I create is a mess, the time there is well spent. I emerge refreshed in spirit, free and happy. I’m very lucky to have a space like this.
Holly Kildreth Photography-Juan Carlos Rodri On Twitter
We’re about to leave for lots of errands this morning. Our news and weather website reported that we should expect it to be 2 degrees cooler today due to a ‘cold front.’ Oh, the relief!!!! Only 101 plus heat index today. Be still, my heart!
I’m hoping we’ll have more ripe tomatoes for me to gather when we get back. We ate the last one yesterday and may go into withdrawal if we don’t have more…
I’m having a truly wonderful time working in my art room on the Christmas presents I’m making for friends. Each day brings a bit more progress. Yesterday my husband came up to say, “Hi,” and remarked that I was smiling while I was painting. YEP.
No exciting news today – just deep down happiness that things are going nicely here.
I slept well – in fact, we even slept late – but I’m feeling lazy this morning. I have no excuses. I’ll have to push myself to get something done today.
I did go out a minute ago to get a pic of our elephant ear plants and to see if any tomatoes were ready to harvest. It’s warm, but cooler than yesterday.
The poor elephant ears have had a tough time this season. The main problem was that we needed to have our well house set up modified so we could have TWO irrigation systems, one for the back and the 2nd for the front. The one in the back was working, thank goodness, because the two tomato planters are on that one. We just got the 2nd one – the one for the front – Friday morning. The elephant ears are starting to perk up, and they look better since I cut off the dead stuff and cleaned up the planter. Hopefully, they’ll have an easier time now.
We had two tomatoes ready to come in this morning, and they’re beautiful. We’re becoming totally spoiled, enjoying ripe tomatoes for lunch and dinner each day. :0)YouTube – Suda the painting elephant – uploaded by F. Schleyhahn
I spent a good amount of time in my art room playing yesterday. The presents I’m making are starting to come together now. I really get into the zone when I’m up there, listening to wonderful music, playing in my paint, enjoying when our dog or cat come up to visit. Having some ‘alone’ time is what my soul needs sometimes. I’m lucky I have a place I can get it.
MyRecipes
I don’t have to cook this evening! We’re having “Main Meal Salad” tonight with leftover chicken from the Lunch Bunch. We both enjoy this every once in awhile. I’m even able to sneak in a couple of extra veggies without my husband complaining…
We’re looking at what I hope will be a quiet day. I hope yours is enjoyable, too.
A heat index today of around 115 is TOO hot for this old lady. I just took some water out to pour into the elephant ear planter. Our plumber hasn’t been able to make time to put in our 2nd watering line for the planters in the front yard, so things are just drying up. The thing I care about the most in the front is the elephant ears, so I’ll concentrate on those. – UPDATE – Our plumber just drove up, ready to work on the 2nd line we need! HOORAY!!!!
Benjamin Franklin Plumbing Final Fantasy XIV Promotional Site
We will go to Lunch Bunch soon to catch up with our friends. I don’t know if one of them will be back from her visit in Tennessee, but I’ll be happy to see whoever is there.
Caters News Agency – Cristina is Painting
I’m making steady progress on the Christmas gifts. I’m spending some wonderful time up in my art room each day, taking my time, listening to music while I’m painting, enjoying time to myself and the joy of trying to make something my friends will like. :0)
I got some new things added to my Etsy shop yesterday. I’ll add some more today. It’s fun to give my shop a bit of a new look.
Yesterday I wrote to Dr. Singer at our veterinarian’s office via email to tell him how impressed I was with Emma and the rest of his staff on handling the possibility of a fire and handling customers in the middle of it. I’m hoping they will get something special, including raises. :0)
I was a bit down when I went up to my art room a couple of hours ago. Now I’m grinning like this beautiful child while she enjoys making art.
Playing with different media, steeped in lots of different colors, fills something deep within me, healing places I hadn’t realized needed it. It’s wonderful therapy and I’m so lucky to have a place I can escape and do something that brings me joy.
I had lots of fun getting started yesterday on my Christmas presents idea for my friends. I’m painting themed tote bags, personalized for each person.
These totes are large enough to use as grocery bags, shopping bags, hobby bags, beach bags, travel bags, etc. They can be washed by hand and dried flat. I’m doing painted drawings on each side, personalized to each person.
It’s really fun to gather ideas for each person, reference pictures, scheming and planning, and finally spending the time to create each one. At least these people will know I thought of them a LOT and love them. :0)
Yesterday I ironed them and started the drawings. I’ll continue to do the drawings as I can find blocks of time. I’m doing the drawings in our office, where I can stop and start as I need to. (I can also work in the ‘cool’ of the a/c. I can only manage short sessions, so I don’t want to turn on the a/c upstairs. This way I can have the best of both worlds.)
I’ll work upstairs when I start the painting.
Al Hirschfeld – dripdripsplattersplash.blogspot.com
I spent much of the afternoon scheming, planning, and prepping what will be Christmas presents for my friends this year. The theme is an over-arching one, then personalized for each of my friends. The ideas started coming and the time flew past. I just stopped for a break and it’s almost 6pm! (I started soon after lunch.)
I had a GREAT time, recording details for each one, printing some things off as reference, prepping the actual items, etc. We’ll see how it all comes together now.
I love long weekends with few plans. I feel FREE, looking at several days of time that I hope I can spend in lots of fun, satisfying ways – or simply doing a lot of nothing. Right now the only thing I have penciled in is to check Monday evening to see if our wonderful neighbors in the valley behind our house will set off fireworks this year.
One of the things I’ve learned in reading about the Mediterranean eating plan is that they suggest that you cut WAAAAAAAY back on red meat, eat a LOT more fish, and to also include chicken and turkey. (They also eat lamb, but I have trouble getting that here, so I’ll concentrate on the others.)
They suggest eating fish at least twice per week. That’s a LOT more fish that we are used to eating, but I started last night, marinating and baking two boneless salmon filets. I also steamed some fresh asparagus and broccoli. I’m pleased that both my husband and I really enjoyed the dinner. Because of the 4th of July weekend, we splurged with a wedge of watermelon for dessert. I’m going to start including fish twice a week to start and see how it goes. Shrimp will be next.
Raising Children Network
Last night I dreamed about the designs for Christmas presents for my friends – a sure sign I need to make time to get up to my art room and play. Things have been a bit challenging around here lately, so I’m looking forward to time up there for calmness and peace of mind, as well. Maybe I can make some time this afternoon. :0)
This is the harvest for today. Guess what we’ll be enjoying as part of our lunch and dinner tonight!
Our plumber called and then came by the house yesterday afternoon to get a look at what we would like for him to do. He’s covered up with a huge project, but will try to work our little project in as soon as he can.
Tenor – I can’t make out the information in the bottom left-hand corner. I think this gif is beautiful.
I love this quote. It makes me feel better about playing in my art room.
I got an idea about Christmas presents for this year and ordered some things. They are up in my art room now. I have ideas running around in my head for personalized presents for everyone in a similar theme. I’m trying to clear the deck a bit so I don’t feel guilt spending time up there.
We came through the night – with threatened severe storms – just fine. The cold front came through and now it’s 31 degrees F. We have another chance at a ‘wintry mix’ Friday, but I’m really hoping the back of winter has been broken and that we’re moving on to spring. I’m also hopeful that Mother Nature receives the memo and acknowledges the official beginning of spring on the 20th, if not unofficially, before.
My spring garden of veggies is still only a bright spark in my mind. I’ve decided to wait out this week and see what happens Friday. I want to uncover at least some of my raised bed square foot planters and fill them with early spring plants of spinach, lettuce, and broccoli, if not more. (Ours looks much like those in this photo, except we built them up at my chest level, on metal table-like supports, so I don’t have to bend over double or get up and down from my knees.
Meanwhile, our daffodils are determined to put on bold, happy faces no matter what our weather is doing. I’ll gather some more to bring in the house today. Free Arts
I’m definitely starting to have ideas rattling around about playing in my art room. I’ve been finding artwork all over the net that is getting my juices flowing, particularly involving mixed media stuff.
Have a safe, happy beginning to your brand, spanking-new week.
My husband hugged me first thing this morning, thanking me again for figuring out how to navigate the website so we could transfer the money we needed to move in our investment account, and again for figuring out what we needed to do to make our new house phones work. Last night I did a final test, calling our house phone with my cell, confirming our call screening program was again working, then leaving a voice message. I’m relieved that we didn’t have to spend another tense day trying to figure things out, dealing with strain of dealing with each other when things don’t work, plus the support people who always want information I can’t supply, with me desperately trying to hear and understand them.
The sun is shining and it seems that we will have just a ‘typical’ winter week here in Arkansas – really welcome news. One of my less favorite feelings about winter is the difficulty of trying to make and keep appointments when you don’t know what Mother Nature will supply. We have been stuck up here on top of our ridge line for a couple of weeks at a time, not able to negotiate our steep driveway – the last place on the planet to thaw after snow and ice. We plan ahead as much as possible, trying to make sure we have all we need for whatever happens, but I hate inconveniencing others when I have to call and reschedule things I’ve promised to do.
My Lunch Bunch friend Kay has a new primary doctor now. She was raving about him when I talked with her last night. She is hopeful that the pain in her back due to her fall will finally be under some control. I’m SO happy for her!
Since I am definitely in ‘the land of the living’ again, I’m starting to have ideas rattling around my head of things I’d like to try in my art room. I haven’t been up there for over a month now, so it will be good to finally be in the mood to play a bit. I’m hoping to do some experimenting – probably making a mess – but definitely smiling. :0)
I hope you’re feeling healthy and happy this Saturday morning. Enjoy your day!
These are the cards I painted to go with the presents I made for my friends this year. Front of ‘gingerbread cookie’ ornament for KarenBack of ornamentPresent for another friend who has lots of grandchildren coming to her home. I made one of these for each of my friends this year. I’m hoping they will grow herbs or something else fun in them, or use them for holding pens and pencils….
I sent an email to a long-time friend on the 30th of November, his birthday, wishing him a happy celebration. Yesterday I saw his email address pop up on my incoming mail. It was one of his daughters, telling me he had died of complications from cancer. He was creative, funny with a wicked sense of humor. He loved his family. I will miss him.
This is the time of year when Amber, our 95-pound yellow lab, starts bringing deer parts into the yard. Over the years I have built up my ability to take care of this myself, rather than bothering my husband with it. Today it was just deer skin. This is the first time for this. I can only think that someone killed a deer, field dressed it, and left the parts he didn’t want close enough for Amber to find. GREAT. :0(
While I was out, though, I saw a rose in bloom! It looked especially lovely with most of our plants gone now. I cut it to bring inside, then found one red rose bud on another plant, plus two twice-blooming iris. It really lifted my spirits to be able to bring them inside.
We are about ready to run some errands. On the way out, we will put up this mailbox decoration. We will have a very quiet Christmas, so this will be a fun way to wish any passers-by a wonderful celebration.
Yesterday I finished the cards and ornament I was working on in my art room. I’ll take pics and share them with you in another post.
I went up there to start a new painting that has been rattling around in my brain awhile. I ended up starting to paint Christmas cards to go with the presents I’ve made for my friends, plus a ‘gingerbread cookie’ Christmas ornament for a new friend who is now coming to Lunch Bunch regularly.
The afternoon sped by as I played, totally engrossed in figuring out what I wanted to do, and then getting started. I got the main painting done on the cards, got the front finished on the ornament. I will try to finish them today. I’ll take some pics to share with you when they are finished.
Maybe I’ll get to the painting ping-ponging around in my head, too. :0)
Yesterday I finally got started on a painting trying the impasto technique. I’ve watched several videos on it on YouTube which really got my juices to play flowing. Here’s one –
Jennifer Funnell Visual Arts
“Impasto is a painting technique that uses thick layers of paint. When you apply the paint thickly, it produces an incredibly beautiful effect on the canvas.” (using pallete knives.) Since I love to play with color, and I love lots of texture, I’m having great fun.
I decided to stop yesterday and let the paint dry before adding more. I’m looking forward to experimenting more today. Even if all I end up with is a hard canvas board with a lot of thick paint layers on it, I’m having a blast!
Another beautiful fall day. Sunshine and 54 right now. The forecast is for 78 this afternoon. I’m getting spoiled.
We’ll leave soon for appointments and errands, but when they’re finished, I plan to spend some time in my art room. I want to try impasto painting. I’ve watched some YouTube demonstrations and my juices are flowing with possibilities. I need to clean things up before I start, but I’m really looking forward to it.
I’m feeling very lucky this morning. Things are calm, allowing me to enjoy lots of good moments. I’m thankful for the people in my life, filling up with beautiful images and experiences.
This year I’m trying to make something for many of my friends for Christmas. I’m having a good time, going out to our shop each morning to work on some of the presents, plus repainting the dragonfly metal/glass critter that lives on the side of our house. It was down to the bare metal on a lot of the framework for the wings, so it’s taking many coats of paint to refurbish it. I think I have the underside done now, and I’ve started on the side that shows when it is hung up.
In the afternoons, I’m working on more presents up in my art room. I feel good, not feeling rushed, but making steady progress on everything.
The presents are coming along. At least my friends will know I spent a lot of time thinking of them and trying to do something unique for them. :o)
All one has to do is look at these to understand I have my work cut out for me in learning the acrylic pour techniques. So far, I’ve tried 3. The one above is called the funnel technique.
Double floating cup techniquelarger single floating cup technique
As I am typing this, my sweet husband came in and asked what these ‘represented.’ When I told him, ‘failures,’ he said, “Oh, That’s what I would have said.” So now I’m honest AND a bit hostile.
Needless to say, acrylic pour may LOOK easy when you watch a demonstration on YouTube, as with anything else, it takes lots of practice before I may see some progress.
I just came downstairs from trying the acrylic pour technique again – the third different technique I’ve tried.
I don’t know how it will turn out yet, but it looked a bit more like it ‘should,’ and I ended up with more paint on the canvas than me this time, though it was a close thing.
I didn’t have enough I could use for the demo on the acrylic pour with crackles, so I just started from scratch. I made enough of a mess I should have enough to try the other technique next time.
I don’t feel very productive, but I’m laughing a lot – sometimes my language getting a bit colorful when I sploop yet another blop of paint on myself. :0)
I WISH I could tell you that the above is my work. This is the one that got me drooling lately and wanting to try the “Acrylic Pour” technique. This one has the added effect of “Crackles,” which the artist then filled with gold. Gorgeous, huh!
I got the materials together after clearing off my drafting table. I finally got through the intimidated stage and have tried two techniques I found on YouTube over the past couple of days.
So far, I’ve made messes and had a lot of fun. Mostly, I’m learning what NOT to do again.
The example above was done using the remnants of previous pours by the artist. I have used two canvases thus far. I’m HOPING that I can PEEL the paint off the canvases and use the pieces to try to do my own version of the piece above.
Happily, I’m in the playing and experimenting stage, so I’m like a kid with finger paint, involved in the colors, the FEEL of everything, rather than worrying about whether my experiment is successful or not.
If I end up with something interesting, I’ll take a pic and show you. If not, I’ll have another fun time playing and learning.
My drafting table is covered with paint. I”M covered with paint. One wrap-around canvas is covered with paint. I splooped some dots of paint on my shirt, even though I wore my denim apron.
I’m letting my mess dry now, waiting to see if I got any “cells” in my paint. Even though I basically made a mess of the “Acrylic Pour” technique, I had a lot of fun trying.
Next time I try, I’m going to try a different technique that I also saw on YouTube. As usual, the result was not at ALL what I pictured and I’m at the “learning-what-NOT-to-do-NEXT time” part of the learning process. That doesn’t keep me from having a blast playing. :0)
On a more successful note, I finished painting our yard art “peacock” yesterday and glued on lots of beads today, around his neck and on his ‘feathers.’ If the glue does well, I’ll bring him back out in the yard tomorrow and take some pics.
I hope YOU are doing something fun and/or challenging, too!
WEATHER – It’s a good thing I’m not water-soluble, or I would have sogged down into a puddle by now with all the rain we have had. We just returned from putting our trash out for pickup and running errands. I wore a hoodie, since my husband has no patience for me trying to use an umbrella. I just throw my hood up to stay as dry as possible.
YARD WORK – I pruned our rose bushes and weeded a bit yesterday. Some unfriendly bug bit me on the back of my hand. It swelled up and itched like crazy. I finally got the itching to stop and the swelling should be down by tomorrow.
I was watching for ants, since I react badly to their stings/bites, but whatever bit me snuck up and did it before I was aware. I am going to try to harvest more lettuce, since my plants are starting to bolt, but it will have to wait until the rain stops.
EMAIL HACK – I seem to be over the worst of the repercussions from my email being hacked. I spent the entire day yesterday, except for the time pruning the roses, contacting as many friends and family as possible, giving them my new address, plus getting on our important websites and changing email, user name and password. What a hassle! I did get to talk to people I would LIKE to talk to more often, so that was a really good thing. If I finally reach a real person at Google, I will try to enlist their help in finding out who is responsible for the hack.
GENERATOR – Just as your car will never act up or make the noise you’ve been hearing when you take it to the shop, our generator came on just fine when the tech came out to help us figure out why it didn’t do its weekly test and or continue to run when we started it manually. He looked it over carefully. It started right up and continued until he turned it off. We told him the ‘overcrank’ light was on when we went out to look. My husband suspected the carburetor, but the tech was looking more at the fuel regulator, whatever that is. He said he would check his manual for ‘old’ generators to see if he could be of more help if we need to call him again. Meanwhile, $131.50 later, the generator IS working…
WEIGHT LOSS – My newest motivation to lose the lard seems to be working – at least, so far. Last Monday we had our routine doctor appointment with blood tests. We were doing fine (for old people) and the doc said we didn’t have to come back for 6 months, rather than the 3 months we have been doing. I decided that I wanted to try to finally lose a significant amount of my poundage by the time we go back in November. Since Monday I have lost 4.6 pounds. I’m trying to keep my focus on trying to really watch my portions, try not to eat in-between meals, or if I do, eat a really careful snack. I’m trying to move more, and pick up my afternoon yoga stretches again.
So far, my yoga efforts have been a dismal failure. Usually, I’m out in the yard when I WAS doing yoga. I’m telling myself that if I’m up and moving, that’s good, but I know it’s not a substitute for the good stretching I do with my practice. I’m going to rethink WHEN I’m trying to do my practice so that I can work in the yard AND do my yoga stretches on a daily basis.
ART ROOM – I’m still trying to overcome my stupid fear of failure regarding trying a new art technique. I’m really fascinated watching people demonstrate ‘acrylic pours’ and then ‘pours with crackle gel.’ They are getting wonderful abstract colorful work with gorgeous texture and cracks highlighted with gold. I’m going to keep making careful notes as I watch (and drool) and see if I can get started on it in my art room this week.
I hope that you are having a fabulous day, enjoying the weather where you are, if possible, or if cooped up inside like me, changing over to something fun INSIDE.
We will leave for Lunch Bunch in about an hour. It looks like we may need a boat if this keeps up.
I would like to harvest more lettuce, but Mother Nature has been playing with us over the last week or so, starting the rain up every time I get ready to go outside, almost like a faucet, waiting until I am out there, and then dumping on me. I can imagine her laughing at me. :0)
Other than squeegeeing, mopping, and toweling off the porch floor over and over, I’ve been playing in my art room. I’m trying to eventually try an ‘acrylic pour,’ but I’m a bit intimidated, so I’m trying one new technique at a time, building up to it. I put the second coat of a stuff called, “crackle medium” on the background of a painting on which I used Unicorn Spit paint. So far, nothing is ‘crackling.’ I’ll continue to experiment, having lots of fun, until something good starts to happen. :0)
I think I already told you that I am newly motivated to get the lard off. We had a routine doctor appointment Monday. We were doing so well that she said we could wait 6 months to come back, rather than the usual three. I’m now trying to lose a significant amount of my lard before we see her again in November. This week has been a good start for me.
I hope the weather is good where you are and that you can make this a wonderful day.
I just got back from my massage. I really didn’t care that today is rainy because I always feel SO much better after my wonderful massage therapist, Lynn Moody, 479-629-7601, finishes with me. Ahhhhhhh!
My main exercise since the 17th has been a series of squeegeeing, mopping, then toweling the porch floor each time the rain stops. The wind makes the rain come in and then the water sits there. I’m trying to lessen the damage as much as I can by taking care of the water as soon as possible between deluges and storms. We’re supposed to have two more days of this, and then MAYBE a 3-day-respite before the rains come back. I don’t remember our having quite this much rain before.
I will also try to harvest some lettuce if the rain will allow. We’ve been enjoying a combination of head lettuce, spinach, and buttercrunch lettuce from our garden with our dinners. :0)
I have on my to-do list today a return to my afternoon yoga practice. I’ve been so busy the last few weeks it got lost in the shuffle and my body is noticing. Hopefully, I can get in a nice session of stretching to finish off the good Lynn did with my massage this morning.
Also on the list is playing in my art room. I’ve been watching some demonstrations of acrylic pour art, plus another technique you can do with pieces of the pours that are left over. I’m a bit intimidated, to be honest, but my mouth waters as I watch what the artists are doing.
I’m trying SOME of the techniques, easing into this slowly. I’ve started a piece with my Unicorn Spit paint. I just put a coat of varnish on what I did yesterday. When that dries, I plan to paint some flowers, and then use the crackle paint on the background. Finally, I will use some metallic paint to highlight the cracks. Fingers crossed that it turns out SOMETHING like what my brain is picturing. :0) It’s such FUN to play with the colors!
Skies are overcast and it looks like rain could start any minute. It’s cool. (57 degrees F.) A GREAT day to snuggle under my throw in my recliner and read or watch TV until I get sleepy and take a nap.
Even though I’m not feeling motivated to accomplish much, I AM getting in the mood to play in my art room.
Ideas are starting to rattle around in my head. I may go up and play and see what comes out of it.
Since today is a comfort food day, I’ll get some spaghetti sauce in the slow cooker for us to enjoy tonight.
I hope that you are somewhere warm and dry, and that you will find fun in your day.
I am 74 today – older than dirt – older but not wiser – still ornery and kickin’ .
I have started a petition – in my own mind at least – to obliterate the word, “Elderly.” Supposedly, this includes people 60 and above. Every time I hear the word, realizing that the people uttering it are referring to ME, I get hostile.
“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
I’m just getting a good start now. Right at this moment, I’m feeling a bit older than usual, though. My husband and I got our first shot of the COVID vaccine yesterday. My arm is a bit achy, and I’m not feeling very energetic, but that is a TEMPORARY condition, and this one time I’m glad I’m ‘old enough’ to get something.
I am full of plans for spring. I want to re-plant the elephant ear plant bulbs I’ve been storing in the garage for the winter. I want to repair our irrigation system where the cold weather busted one of the pvc pipes we use to water our plants. I am eager to uncover my raised bed planters so I can get spring veggies started.
I have ideas rattling around in my head for things I can try in my art room. In fact, I’m planning to spend part of my birthday today up there. :0)
“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
It’s a nice day, so I’m going to spend time on my elliptical trainer in the garage, and then do a good, long session of yoga stretches this afternoon.
BoredPanda
“You don’t stop laughing when you grow old, you grow old when you stop laughing.” — George Bernard Shaw
I truly love finding things to post on this blog. There is so much to share that is hopeful!
“As long as I am breathing, in my eyes, I am just beginning.” — Criss Jami
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