Bethany Fine Art

I love Bethany’s work. Her talent simply oozes out wherever her focus lands. She’s a lovely person, as well. Here is her latest –

Bethany Fine Art

Snow Critters

eBaum’s World

Fox Weather – Getty Images

Russia Beyond

Sia-Snowman

It’s Friday 1-27-2023

The Random Vibes

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There is a lot of melting going on, but our driveway will be the last. It still looks like a ski slope. My husband hasn’t seen it yet, and I have to admit I’m dreading it when he does. The branches hanging down are HUGE and definitely too much for the two of us. If I were by myself, I would be calling tree people to come and give me estimates when the driveway is clear, and just wait it out as to getting to town again. I just looked at the forecast and that looks pretty grim – rain this weekend following by ‘wintry mix’ next week. Right now, though, it’s sunny and 33 degrees, with a high of 58 expected. One day at a time.

DIY Value Picture

I’ve told you that the core group of Lunch Bunch is Kay, Linda, Linda’s daughter, Patty, and me. Honorary members are Kay’s husband and mine. Others are also happily welcomed whenever they can come. I had to contact everyone yesterday that we wouldn’t be there today due to being snowed in. I’m not sure if we’ll be able to go NEXT week, either, due to coming weather and/or JUST the driveway blockage. The good news is that Patty has become a grandmother again this past week, making Linda a great-grandmother again! Both Linda and Kay are quite rich in family. It’s wonderful to be able to help them celebrate each new addition.

I hope Friday is a nice one for you, followed by a fabulous weekend.

Louise H. Art

Barn Owl

Dreaming

Hare

Into the Light

Louise H. Art

Szilajka Erzebet – The Pebble Master

Szilajka Erzebet Pebble Art

Covered

mocha.org

I wish our place looked as pretty as this, but we ARE as snow-covered.

We will be this way until further notice, although the melting has started just a bit. There is a good 8 inches on the deck cover, for example.

The public power was restored overnight. We were on the generator all of yesterday, with only a couple of short periods of public power before it would go off again. The poor power guys have been at work steadily now for three days trying to get power back to everyone. We went to bed around 1:30 this morning and still had no power. It was really nice to see we have some this morning.

Our generator has done a fantastic job during the past three days, but it deserves a good long rest now. It is propane powered and it’s really a luxury not to have to worry that we’ll run out of fuel for it right in the middle of a rough patch of weather. We’ve gone through a LOT of firewood, our only source of heat the past three days. When we built the house about 36 years ago, we insisted that we get a real wood-burning fireplace that was efficient, with doors on the front and a blower built in, so that we could use it as a source of heat when needed. It’s gotten a workout, too. It’s really nice to be able to start the day without having to build a fire, though.

Soon my husband will decide to walk around outside, and then he’ll see that we’ll have to chain-saw our way to the bottom of the driveway and the street before we can go anywhere, even after all the snow is gone. We are both to the point where we’re a bit long in the tooth for heavy work, particularly when the weather is really cold or hot. My husband uses the chain saw and I’m the ‘tugger/hauler’ of the stuff he cuts, moving the pieces off to the side of the driveway. A little bit of work like this goes a LONG way.

The problem is that no one can get UP the driveway, either, so we can’t really hire anyone to come help us. I’m hoping that we can do it a little at a time. We have supplies enough to last quite awhile and that if it takes us a week to get it done, it won’t make a bit of difference. My husband is like the Energizer Bunny, though, not wanting to stop until he almost collapses. We may have to have a ‘discussion’ about how much we do at each session….

It would be nice if the power stays on today, and we can simply enjoy it for awhile.

More Stone Art by Szilajka Erzebet

The Pebble Art of Szilajka Erzebet

The Art of Connie Hargitt Nobbe

Big Red

Dog Torture

Edith

Henry

Little Joe

Marshall

Connie Hargitt Nobbe

Wow.

Pinterest

The snow has stopped. We have 6-8 inches on the ground, the most I’ve seen in the 36 years we’ve lived here. It’s 36 degrees F. now. We had no public power from 4pm until midnight yesterday. I was downstairs reading when it went out again around 2am. We are still without public power. Thank goodness we have a generator and a wood-burning fireplace.

We tried to plan ahead when we built, having some backups for cases like these. We have a gas stove rather than an all-electric home. We have a well. We have a propane-powered generator wired so it turns on automatically when it senses there is no public power. Because of this, we have power and a fire in the fireplace because the generator does not cover heat and air conditioning. So we are good, even though we’re snowed in until further notice.

I just went outside to take a couple of pics. We have BIG branches lying across the driveway. I HOPE we don’t have any TREES there, but I couldn’t see well. So even when the snow melts, we’ll have to chain-saw a bunch of stuff before we can drive down our driveway. In this pic, you can see snow-covered power lines across the pic.

The snow almost covers the brick planters.

If you look carefully, this is the top of the driveway. You can see some BIG branches that have broken off and are hanging down across the driveway. I got depressed looking at it, so just came back in without investigating further. I’m purposely not mentioning it to my husband. He FELL bringing the firewood in last night, landing on his back. He’s okay, but I want him to rest, instead of trying to tackle this problem.

The snow is pretty, but now that we’ve had a chance to look at it and say that, hopefully we can get power and heat back with safety for the good men working right now to make that happen, and that the snow will melt away, becoming only a fond memory.

Snow Globe

Pinterest

I went out again to see if I could capture the feeling of being inside a snow globe this afternoon. I have to admit it’s a really PRETTY snow. It didn’t surprise me that soon after I wrote the last post, the pest spray guy’s company called to tell me they would need to reschedule. :0)

Oh, GOOD?

mitgirl-stock.adobe.com

Big, sloppy, wet snowflakes are raining down on us now.

It just changed to snow about half an hour ago. Since it’s supposed to snow until 6am or so tomorrow, we may get an impressive amount for Arkansas.

I’m always frustrated trying to get pics of the snow. I can never catch the ‘feeling’ of the big sloppy flakes.

Our driveway should still be fine right now, but probably won’t be as evening approaches. The pest control spray man is due any minute now, but I would be super surprised if he comes. I’m expecting a call from his office asking to reschedule.

The local schools are closing early – right about now – and the buses should be able to get everyone home safely, and then home themselves. I wouldn’t be surprised if school is remote tomorrow.

I’m going to see if I can find some creative snow creatures on the net. I love seeing what people come up with. I hope you’re enjoying your day!

The Dream

Josephine Neuse – University of Illinois Extension

I have a wonderful square foot garden that my husband and I created several years ago to enable me to enjoy gardening even as I get “more mature” and less able to get down and up again from my hands and knees and do heavy lifting.

We built SIX 4′ x4′ wooden ‘tables’ up on top of iron supports. We surrounded the six tables with fencing, then added chicken wire around the bottom to keep small critters out. We threaded neon tape through the fencing to make it VISABLE to the deer who come through from time to time. We added a screen door so there is a definite ‘inside-the-garden’ and ‘outside.

The tables are about my chest height and filled with “Mel’s Mix,” a soil substitute mixture of peat moss, vermiculite, and at least three different kinds of compost. We filled the boxes with the mix, after making the mixture in a used cement mixer. That’s the heaviest part of the gardening I do now. :0)

We marked the ‘squares’ of the square foot garden using wire criss-crossed over the tops of the boxes. We mounted a sprinkler head in the center of each box, tied together with hose, for daily irrigation.

We used to have a greenhouse that we built from a kit on the other side of our property, but since we couldn’t afford air conditioning and heating for it, it was truly a dream and wasn’t really useful to our efforts. We finally took it down when it was heavily damaged by a storm a few years ago. Now I buy plants from town.

I can just walk into my garden area, taking my spreadsheet diagram of where I want to plant things, move a bit of soft Mel’s Mix, and plant. My plan enables me to rotate my plants, avoiding disease and increasing yield. I also have not followed what I COULD do with my square foot garden, and spread my plants out a bunch for easier care.

Right now I have the boxes weeded and covered with weed cloth held in place by bricks. We’ve had several big storms and so far, the cloths are staying in place. That will hopefully enable me to plant without a lot of weeding first in the spring. :0)

I’m going to concentrate on lettuces, since I plan for us to eat a lot of salad, growing several kinds. My husband likes me to plant head lettuce, so I do, if we can find the plants. Otherwise, I try to plant three or four different kinds. I also want to plant a lot of spinach so I can use it in our salads, plus freeze some. I’ll grown radishes, sweet onions, and of course, I’ll use the two brick planters on the other side of the house for tomatoes. I’m at the dreaming stage now, so I’ll peruse lots of veggie magazines to see what else I might plant.

I WISH I were a good cook. I love the idea of growing herbs and spices, but I don’t tend to USE the fresh stuff much. I buy a bunch or two at the store, use a bit and end up tossing the rest when I haven’t used it fast enough. Maybe I’ll try a couple of the ones I use most often, trying to grow them in the kitchen, rather than in the garden….

It’s FUN to dream – especially while we’re expecting snow any minute here.

The Indian Express

Re-Visiting Szilajka Erzebet Pebble Art

I’m totally in awe of this woman’s talent. She arranges PEBBLES on a flat space and makes you FEEL. And, not only does she do that, bringing it to an art form, but mixes media, painting details and backgrounds to make each one a true work of art. Mind-boggling.

Szilajka Erzebet Pebble Art

Jennifer Gennari Art 4

Overhead

Serenity

Spirit

Stay

Sunbather

Jennifer Gennari Art

Snowy Tuesday 1-24-2023

Depending on which weather source I look at, a ‘wintry mix’ will start here in half an hour or so, changing to heavy snow at about sunset and then continuing through tomorrow morning. Have I told you that I much prefer LOOKING at other people’s snow, rather than being in it myself?

We will go drive down in about half an hour to hopefully retrieve mail and re-tether our then-empty trash can to the pole beside the driveway. I had traction problems yesterday trying to roll the can down the 25 feet to where we leave the can to be emptied, skidding on the gravel. My husband said he would do this next time. I don’t think I’ll have near as much trouble pulling it back UP the driveway and tethering it. I also bought some waterproof boots with thick tread on the bottom at Walmart yesterday. I’m wearing them now and will try them out on the driveway gravel in a few minutes.

Amazingly, our pest control company called yesterday wanting to come out and spray this afternoon. We agreed that they would call and reschedule if the weather does what is forecast. The schools are letting out early this afternoon, so we’re all pretty sure we’re going to get snowed in.

We are safe and warm, have plenty of food and water, prepared to stay up on top of our ridge line until further notice. Our generator is supposed to do its weekly test run later today. Hopefully, we won’t actually need it for power.

I hope that you are happy, safe, and warm where you are today, and that you do something fun.

Nichola Theakston Ceramics 2

Arctic Bear

Bastet Study 1

Bastet Study 2

Hare Head Study 2

Macaque and Infant

Sacred-Langur-1

Nichola Theakston Sculpture

Greatness

9GAG-lalisaaa

More Sculpture I Love

uploaded by J Stroman on Twitter

uploaded by Rita Moller on Twitter

uploaded by Twinkelijntje

Women Earth sculpture – Marie-Frederique Bey – 1stdibs.com

Thoughts on a Monday 1-23-2023

Pond5

This is not ‘Earth-shaking’ news, I guess, but the customer service/subscriptions department of Hot Rod Magazine is terrific. The kind lady, Barbara Yarde, Customer Service, not only answered my email, but did EXACTLY what I needed – combining the duplicate subscriptions, giving me a new expiration date, and stopping the ‘late notice’ bill that keeps coming. ALMOST makes me want to renew early! :0)

RTE

Our driveway doesn’t look this nice, but you get a good idea of what we’ll be facing – hopefully, with no trees or large branches lying across it – Wednesday morning. We’re supposed to get 5 inches of slushy snow overnight tomorrow, with rain starting tomorrow afternoon and then changing to snow. We’re using today to get prepared, resupplied, etc. so if we’re stuck up here for awhile, we can simply enjoy being snug and cozy.

Wired

I am back in the land of the living today, feeling much better and stronger than I did yesterday. The only leftover is that my chest and back hurt from my ‘activities’ two nights ago. I actually laughed (carefully) when it hurt my back to blow my nose this morning. :0)

I hope that if the weather is threatening you, that you are prepared to ride it out well, and that you have a really nice day today.

Sick on Sunday 1-22-2023

Pixabay

I am feeling less than stellar today after being ill most of the night. I wish you a wonderful Sunday and will try to talk again tomorrow.

Judgmental

Poster My Wall

Michel Bassompierre Sculptor – The Polar Bear

Michel Bassompierre Sculptor

Definitions

litbm

While working at the computer the other day, I started to drink some coffee and found my cup was empty. I took my cup and went to the kitchen. I stopped to pee, then went on to the kitchen. Went back to retrieve my cup from the counter in the bathroom.

Noticed a bunch of dog hair on the floor (imagine that!) and grabbed my battery-powered portable vacuum to get that up. I emptied out the canister and returned the unit to the wall-mounted battery charger thingie. I went back to the office and sat down. Realized I hadn’t gotten my coffee, so went back to the kitchen.

I got out chili mac leftovers for dinner and put out plates and spoons for our lunch. I felt hungry as I hadn’t had anything for breakfast yet, so got out a banana, peeled it, put it on a plate and brought it back to the office. Sat down and figured out I still hadn’t gotten my coffee.

Went back to the kitchen, got my cup, filled it, and put it in the microwave to heat it up. Let Abby, our cat, out. Checked to make sure the dishwasher had been emptied, and put the few things on the counter inside, wiped the counter. Went back to the office.

Went back to the kitchen to retrieve my coffee from the microwave and brought it back to the office. When I decided I was going to try to “move more,” this really wasn’t what I had in mind…

Jennifer Gennari Art 3

Dragon

Greyhound

Lions

Mountain Lion

Nap Time

Jennifer Gennari

Dreaming…

memes.com – wattpad

I don’t understand people who ‘adulterate’ their food and drink. Like putting weird flavors in their coffee. I want PURE coffee. I don’t want flavors. I don’t want fancy. I just want black coffee, and lots of it, at all hours of the day.

I feel the same about chocolate. I don’t want people messing with mine. I have no interest in fancy boxes of chocolate. I don’t want fillings, toppings, dark chocolate, etc. I want milk chocolate. PURE milk chocolate. Like Hershey’s kisses. Just perfect.

As much as I love chocolate, though, my diet downfalls are two: THING ONE – salty, like chips. THING TWO – white, like rice or pasta. I could actually give up desserts forever, including chocolate, without a backward glance. I essentially HAVE. Every other year or so I get myself a bag of Hershey’s kisses and put them in the freezer. Then I take out two at a time and enjoy them.

I would rather have REAL food rather than try to eat the things dieters are supposed to substitute for the good stuff, like cauliflower when you want rice, or zoodles when you want noodles. I DO this stuff, but it makes me hostile.

My dream would be a switch in my brain that makes me wish for nice fresh salads, fish, and veggies. That same switch would have a setting that said, “FULL” soon after I started eating, making me feel full, saving the rest for later or another day. The switch might even make me FORGET to eat, having to remind myself to refuel…

If you’re going to dream, do a GREAT JOB OF IT!!!!!!!

Unsplash – dennisvdw-Getty Images – iStockphotos

Sleepy Saturday 1-21-2023

Pixabay

Amber woke us, barking at around 2a.m. Apparently, there was a ‘critter’ in the garage. We talked about it and decided to wait it out, seeing if she would stop. It seemed like forever, but finally she did and we went back to sleep.

My husband started talking to me next. Since I sleep with my head buried in my pillow, I had to sit up to hear what he was saying. He was angry, telling me to ‘stop throwing water on him.’ I questioned him a bit more, finally deciding that he was dreaming and talking in his sleep. I woke him, then tried to go back to sleep.

There was some kind of cold draft, channeling cold air in a steady stream under the covers. I kept changing positions, sides, and covers, trying to get it to stop, but couldn’t. At that point, I got up and went downstairs to read.

I jumped a foot straight up in the air and would have screamed if any sound would come out when I sensed someone suddenly beside me. My husband realized I was downstairs and decided he would join me. I discussed the fact that speaking to me would have been a good thing, rather than simply appearing there in the middle of the night.

We discussed his dream. Apparently, I had been throwing water on him from the dog’s water dish. There was no ‘why’ – or how I was supposed to be doing that when we were upstairs and the dog’s water dish is downstairs. He had the good grace to look a bit sheepish at that point and smile. We went back upstairs about 4.

I’m sitting here typing, with a cup of coffee that I hope will get me started for the day. May your day be better than mine.

Re-Visiting the Art of Saverio Scoleri

It’s been a long time since I’ve shared Saverio Scoleri’s portraits. I found it when I was a member of LinkedIn. Since it’s been awhile, I thought I would share my awe in his work with you again.

The Art of Saverio Scoleri

Nastia Calaca Ceramic Art 2

Nastia Calaca Ceramic Art

Paper Collage by Philwood vonStillwater 2

Philwood vonStillwater – Lodi CA

It’s Friday! 1-20-2023

Apyr

It’s freezing right now, but it’s sunny, and supposed to get to 51 this afternoon, so I have no complaints. It’s also “Lunch Bunch Day,” a chance to visit with my good friends. Kay called, and she’s feeling better, and thought last night that she would be there today. I haven’t heard from anyone else, so I’m hoping we’ll have a full contingent. It’s been 3 weeks since we enjoyed seeing each other.

I’m also planning to do my walking video and do my yoga this afternoon. I’ve stuttered on doing them every day since my arm was hurting, but now, since it’s getting better slowly, I’m going to try to do them daily. Lynn, my wonderful friend/massage therapist and I bonded even more yesterday when we told each other that we resented the fact we weren’t flooded with endorphins and balloons when we exercised, the way some people are. They say, “OOH, I feel so GOOD after I exercise!” Well, WE say, “Bah. Humbug” to that. We just pat ourselves on the head for doing what we know is good for us and go on. I was SO pleased to find someone else who felt the same. I really thought I was the only one. :0)

I hope you have an enjoyable day.

Ahhhhhhh!

Quasarphoto-Getty Images-iStockphoto-Thinkstock Photos

I’m home from my massage. Lynn Moody, my miracle worker, really gave me a deluxe massage today, zeroing in on my arm, too. I almost came up off the table when she first started, but she really got the blood moving. She suggested I continue the muscle gel for pain and also heat. I feel MUCH better right now. I just finished drinking a bottle of water and will use the heat after lunch.

I’m so lucky to have Lynn to take care of me. Ahhhhhh!