Lovely Watercolor

Wang via Christina L Paul – LinkedIn

Wonders

Walt Streightiff via SayingImages.com

Mailbox Decoration for the First Half of December

My husband and I made this decoration last year to replace this smaller one made years before.  This is the back of the piece.

 

I liked this one okay, too, but it was really small compared to the new one, and I like the kids being on either side of the larger tree.

 

We went for Chinese take out last night, and I was happy to notice that the glitter on the star caught the light of our headlights and sparkled. :0)

Guard Dog?

We are lucky to have brought Amber into our family. We need to keep reminding ourselves of that, though, as she is more than a double-handful.

My husband asked yesterday, “When will she be two?” This is in response to the people who have rightly advised us that a lab is a puppy until she’s two. That’s at LEAST two, I think, because she is showing no signs of maturing. She will be two officially March 7th. I’ve warned my husband that there is no hard and fast rule that says that by – or before – the second birthday maturity and calmness descends over the family like a glorious veil.

Her latest antic answered another comment by my husband – “I wish she would bark at strangers. She sucks as a guard dog.”

This morning he went out to add birdseed to the feeders plus the squirrel bottle feeder that is attached to the outside of the dining area window.

All of a sudden Amber saw him, but apparently didn’t recognize him as a member of our family. She instantly was up, paws on the windowsill, barking, hair standing on end over her neck and over her butt, knocking one of my plants off the windowsill. She didn’t hear me yelling at her to stop. I had to physically pull her away from the window, shove her through the doggie gate and close it firmly. She was still growling.

Thankfully, my plant and holder ‘fell’ into the lettuce plants on the card table beside the window, rather than crashing to the floor. I was able to carefully pull it back up and put it on the windowsill again without dumping or hurting the succulent I’ve had for years. The orchid took a dive, but I retrieved it, put an ice cube in it, and placed it back on the sill. I checked to make sure all the other plants were okay and then swept the floor beside the windowsill and under the card table.

My husband came back in, oblivious to the whole thing. When I told him what happened, he looked pleased that Amber had reacted that way to a ‘stranger’ so close to our window. (Usually, she wants to get into the truck with the UPS guy, Fedex lady, or any other delivery people or workmen. At the post office, she wags her tail off at anyone who talks to her.)

I GUESS I’m happy that if we had an intruder, Amber would cause a ruckus and bark loudly, but right now, I’m still shaken over being in the middle of it.

Living for March in hope…..

“Emptiness”

Julie Meadows via Jackie Lyons

This sculpture hit me right between the eyes.

We lost our daughter, Jade, just after she turned two months old and had her checkup at the pediatrician’s office. She died of SIDS. (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). I thought we would die, too. My husband and I both seriously considered ending it, our pain was so great. The only thing that kept us going was our son, Brian, who was two years old and desperately needed us. The hole in your gut never leaves. The hurt in your heart never leaves. I’m tearing up even as I try to type this, and we lost Jade almost 38 years ago. This sculpture was created by someone who has been there and truly understands. My heart goes out to the artist.

Wild

“Wild Blue Flower” – Paul Militaru Photography

 

 

“Wild Fruits” – Paul Militaru Photography

 

 

“Wild Roses 1” – Paul Militaru Photography

Give Love

Ram Lumbhani – LinkedIn

Today’s Project – The Entertainment Shelves – Is Finished!

I guess if you’re ‘regular folks,’ you might think that the shelves need to be cleaned out NOW. If you’re the Lewises, though, this is WONDERFUL.

 

We have about 1/3 as much ‘stuff,’ as we did, the shelves are clean, smell like lemon Pledge (Ahhhh!) and are organized. (The pic above is my husband’s side of the entertainment center, so he’ll probably do more rearranging, but now he won’t choke on the dust while he does it. :0) )

And this is MY side of the entertainment center. I now have things where I can find them. I found things I didn’t realize I HAD, and did away with more stuff I no longer want.

I’ve worked on this project all afternoon, so with a little nudge from me, we’re going to get fried rice from our local Chinese restaurant for dinner tonight!

Today’s Project -11-29-2018

Sono Marin Cleaning Services

I WISH I had a cleaning service, like the one above!

I told you recently that we had decided to get rid of our DVD collection – or most of it, since I kept my prized ones, not completely trusting the Synology Storage System. We gave approximately 217 DVDs to the local library for their next fundraiser.  We’re trying to sell the ones Amazon would accept, though it made me feel older than dirt when ours weren’t ‘acceptable’ (even Blu-rays) most of the time, due to the publishing date being too old.

This left us with several empty shelves on both sides of our TV!

I’m working my way through them, cleaning and moving things around. Due to the fact that they have held DVDs jammed side by side for umpteen years ( I removed the strips my husband cut to length and screwed into each one to make the DVDs stand in the shelves correctly) – cleaning is a real trip – partially because, other than running the dustcatcher over the top of them, the shelves couldn’t be cleaned without taking all the DVDs off each shelf. Since I’m a slob – FAT CHANCE! So I’m choking on dust, then using a clean cloth and Pledge to get the shelves clean and wonderful-smelling again, and THEN rearranging things so that books on the same subject are together, for example. I’m also getting rid of a lot of things.

I’ve spent a couple of hours on the project so far.  I’m about halfway finished and am taking a much-needed break.

When I finish my husband’s side, I’ll take pics of the newly clean, organized shelves!

Getting the Lard Off Progress Report -11/29/2018

Popsugar

Short answer –

I’ve lost 30.6 pounds and 29.55 inches on Nutrisystem. When you add what I lost on a low-carb emphasis before that, the totals are 43 pounds off and 45.95 inches off.

Longer answer –

We are still on the plateau from Hell, but we’ve been eating homemade beef stew and bread for dinners three nights in a row, so I guess it’s amazing we didn’t GAIN weight this week.

The larger point is that we are AWARE of what we’re eating now. We’re incorporating flex meals (where you eat something other than Nutrisystem meals) into our lifestyle. We’re SUPPOSED to eat ONE flex breakfast, ONE flex lunch, ONE flex dinner, and ONE flex snack per week. We’re going to have to continue doing some changing to be able to eat only ONE meal of beef stew and then freeze the rest for other weeks, rather than simply having a bowl each night until it’s gone.

Other changes noted –

• I’m ALMOST down another size in jeans. I say, ‘almost,’ because I have four pair of the next size down and I’m only able to get into one of them. (I’ll claim victory when I can get into all of them.)
• I can again wear a fuzzy brown vest we bought in the Grand Canyon Gift Shop umpteen years ago. I wore it for that winter, but then it has been WAAAAY too small to even get on, much less zip it up, ever since.
• I am incorporating a bunch of abdominal exercises into my yoga practice every other day. My husband started trying to do sit-ups when I was on vacation. He’s a former Marine, and was able to ‘give me 50″ at the drop of his superior’s hat easily. That was some 55 years ago now, and he was appalled that he couldn’t do ANY. He is now up to about 10. I discovered I was equally challenged, but I’ve been working at it about 6 months longer than he. I’m up to 30 now, plus am doing leg lifts, and whatever you call the exercise where you’re lying on your back and you have your arms folded behind your neck and try to touch opposite elbows and knees while in a sit-up pose. We’re trying to cheer each other on in our efforts.

Most of our progress lately has been in attitude and confidence that we CAN lose the lard and get stronger with persistent effort. We have made a lifestyle change, trying to be aware of what we’re eating, the portion we’re eating, and modifying the rest of the day if we overdo at one meal. We’re consciously trying to move more and gain strength and flexibility. I’m also working on balance stuff, but have a long way to go on that, too. I’ll feel as if I’ve REALLY made progress when the hardest thing is NOT getting up off the floor from my exercising! :0)

Magnificent Horses

Valeria Korothevich via Jeff Jett – LinkedIn

 

 

Catherine Lee – LinkedIn

 

 

Jeff Jett – LinkedIn

What Do You Think?

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

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

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.

Shane

Shane-Niki Firmin-LinkedIn

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!

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!!!!

Art from Found Things – Take 28

“Barney” – Tom Shelton – Folk Art Trash Sculptures – Inhabitat

 

 

Tom Shelton – Folk Art Trash Sculptures – Inhabitat

 

 

Klyker.com

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!

Truths

Trees truths – I Stole This From Another Page via Kim Cummings

Magnificence

R.J. B.-LinkedIn

 

R.J. B.-LinkedIn

“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)

 

Amazing Birds

Jeff Jett – LinkedIn

 

Jeff Jett – LinkedIn

Sweet Little Kitties

Catherine Lee – LinkedIn

 

Catherine Lee – LinkedIn

 

Angela Mia De La Vega Art

Angela Mia De La Vega Art via Elena (Livia) D. – LinkedIn

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!