Working on the New Mailbox Decoration

Kurt Vonnegut via CrafterHours via Cathy Ruggiero

I’m taking this quote to heart as I work in the shop on the new mailbox decoration for December.

This is the decoration we THOUGHT we had already made, but hadn’t. We went out to the shop at the beginning of the month last December, only to NOT find the decoration! This is along the same line as being able to hide our own Easter eggs…..

I almost have the back of the piece finished. I have some accents to add and then when it’s dry, I’ll turn it over and start on the front. I’ll take a picture before I begin painting the front so you see what is done to ‘mark a piece’ using the overhead projector.

Right now the weather is really nice here, with bright sunshine. This won’t last, though, as the forecast is, “Saturday:  Showers and storms will arrive mainly after sunset lasting until midnight.” This is bringing a strong cold front that may bring sleet and snow to NW Arkansas tomorrow, but will just bring US a cold, wet, Easter morning with temperatures decreasing during the day….

I hope you’re having a wonderful Saturday.

Playing With Your Food – Take 27

Menta Piperita & Co.

 

spider-creativefooddesign.blogspot.com

My To-Do List Reminder

http://www.christianliteratureandliving.com

 

SayingImages.com

Priceless

Me Amore 5 on Flickr

 

“In terms of days and moments lived, you’ll never again be as young as you are right now, so spend this day, the youth of your future, in a way that deflects regret. Invest in yourself. Have some fun. Do something important. Love somebody extra. In one sense, you’re just a kid, but a kid with enough years on her to know that every day is priceless.” ~ Victoria Moran, Younger by the Day: 365 Ways to Rejuvenate Your Body and Revitalize Your Spirit

It’s “Wissing!”

When our wisteria starts to bloom each year, my husband says, “The wisteria is wissing!”

Each day it get a bit more lush, a bit more purple. We just love it.

 

Roses: New Growth and Buds

This is the Joseph’s Coat climbing rose bush that my friend Kay bought for me for my birthday. It’s putting on new growth, so hopefully it’ll be happy in its new home.

We planted three new Rio Samba rose bushes recently. All are showing nice buds, and SOME are about to open! Here’s bush # 1

 

Bush # 2

 

Bush # 3.

“Meadow in the Mountains”

“Meadow in the Mountains” – Paul Militaru Photography

“Getting Old Ain’t for Sissies” ~ Bette Davis

Afbeeldings resultaat voor portret China

“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, Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom

Gorgeous Gourds – Take 26

“Gourd Art-Mixed Media” by Jill Robinson

 

Bonnie Gibson-gourdvisions.com

Between Deluges

The Nourished Soul

I almost didn’t recognize the huge orb in the sky this morning. It’s been at least a week since we’ve seen it, and it was truly a glorious sight. On one of the many ‘walk-the-doggies’ trips I’ve taken today, I took some pictures of my veggie garden.

 

We built our raised bed veggie boxes with drain holes, but we’ve been getting SO much rain relentlessly, I was afraid I would find the boxes washed out and the veggies on the ground. Happily, everything seems to be doing well.

 

Here is iceberg lettuce and some onions.

 

This is the north side of the garden. You can see broccoli, spinach, onions, iceburg lettuce, and romaine lettuce.

 

Here’s a better pic of some spinach and some romaine lettuce, plus some onions.

 

This is the south side of the garden.

And here is the first group of tomato plants. I plan to plant more in a couple of weeks to extend our harvesting season.

True Friendship

Lucius Annaeus Seneca via SayingImages.com

Lunch Bunch this morning was its usual good time – and I realized halfway through it that that’s what makes it so special.

Kay made today’s lunch special because it is Good Friday by bringing Linda and me some miniature roses in sweet little bunny ceramic pots. Linda’s rose were red and mine were pink/coral. We shared what had been happening, what we had been doing, what we were planning, etc., as we usually do. Kay finally said she hadn’t been able to talk for 3 days this past week. THAT brought on a discussion about responses to “How have you been doing?” inquiries. We agreed that it could either be a simple alternative social phrase for “Hi,” where one should always answer, “Good, fine,” or something equivalent. That your answer depended on who was asking. And that your friends really wanted to KNOW how you’ve been, how you’ve been feeling, and more.

I’m lucky to have two long-time, dear friends to share the week’s ups and down with. Two ladies to shares big laughs with. Or tears. Or fears.

My good friends allow my husband to share the lunch, are happy whether he says anything or not. They even accept him enough to threaten him when he’s rude – and that’s true acceptance.

I hope that you have someone you can be real with, too.

Be

sayingimages.com

Sorry –

World Arts Me

Thoughts on Getting Older

The Motivated Type on Etsy

 

“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

Playing with Your Food – Take 26

Pinterest

 

@colorfulmummy

 

Pinterest

Oil Paintings I Love – Take 18

Donald Zolan

 

handarts

Note to Self:

GrowingBolder.com

“Lady’s Profile”

“Lady’s Profile” – Paul Militaru Photography

Marvelous Mosaics – Take 7

“Poppies”- Moonlight Fine Art and Framing

 

Sonia King – Mosaic Artist

Between Rain Storms

“Raindrops on roses….”

 

 

Growing Old?

Photographer Unknown

“You don’t stop laughing when you grow old, you grow old when you stop laughing.” ~ George Bernard Shaw

Marvelous Mosaics – Take 6

Kasia Polkowska Yellowstone Chromatic Spring Stained Glass Mosaic Art

 

Kasia Polkowska-KasiaMosaics via RSSing.com

Before the Rains Came

Before the rains started last week, things were sprouting all over the yard. This is the lovely black elephant ear plant that Kay got me for my birthday, plus some iris and some phlox.

 

Amber hasn’t discovered the other hyacinths in the yard yet, so she has ONLY eaten one…. Also some iris and a rose bush.

This hydrangea is sprouting in one of the two brick planters we have to demolish soon.

 

The rose bush on the left is the Joseph’s Coat climbing rose bush that Kay gave me for my birthday. We’re hoping it will climb up the wisteria truck next to it. The plant on the right is a camellia that will soon have blooms.

 

Some of our twice-blooming iris!

 

A close-up of one of the branches of our redbud trees.

 

Surrounded by redbud branches….

 

This is one of the 6 or 8 redbuds we have in the yard.

As we stay in the house, or run through the rain, it’s nice to have so many reminders that wonderful weather is on its way.

Foiled Again

sayingimages.com

Yesterday we stopped at a local grocery’s deli to grab some fish for lunch. My husband had gotten no-sugar-added ice cream cones in the frozen section, then asked for the special stash of sugar-free oatmeal raisin cookies the nice deli lady keeps in the freezer for him. He had also added sugar-free blueberry muffins to the basket.

I ordered two pieces of fish. My husband said he wanted two pieces of fish and then chose not one – but TWO – cobblers as sides for his lunch meal. The two deli ladies and I all stood, speechless for a moment. The lady serving us said, “Are you SURE? Aren’t you the one we keep sugar-free cookies for?” He smiled and said, “Yes, and I appreciate it,” waiting for her to fill his sides choices.

I held up my hands in surrender. We all make our own choices and have to live with the consequences…

“Moon Among the Clouds”

“Moon Among the Clouds” – Paul Militaru Photography

Grateful

SayingImages.com

Splashing

My Colorful World via Tanglewood Forest via Cathy Ruggiero

 

This span of rain is continuing through tomorrow. Friday is forecast to have NO RAIN, but then it starts in again Saturday and Sunday, and then again Tuesday and Wednesday – so far. Do you suppose the awful drought we’ve been in could be considered ‘over?’

Our washer and dryer have been running almost non-stop, trying to keep up with all the wet towels from drying our sweet animals. Why is it that animals love you most – and want to cuddle – when they’re wringing wet?

I’ll be almost afraid to look at my veggie garden and new plants after all this. Just a little too much of a good thing….

MEANWHILE – you would THINK I would be super-productive in the house, and even playing in my art room.  I have found that these rainy days are lazy days for me. I’m on the computer, reading good books, falling asleep under my cozy throw in my recliner….

I hope that you’ve been enjoying the week.

Sunshine

Anthony J. D’Angelo via SayingImages.com

“Your attitude is like a box of crayons that color your world. Constantly color your picture gray, and your picture will always be bleak. Try adding some bright colors to the picture by including humor, and your picture begins to lighten up.” ~ Allen Klein

Playing With Your Food – Take 25

Pinterest

Pinterest

 

 

Pinterest

Fountain of Youth

57besteverdaypeopleimagesonPinterest

“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

Here’s Lookin’ at You….

ShabbyKnacks