Sarah Eden Portraits 4

John I: – “Into the Light”

Sarah Eden Portraits – @EdenPortraits on X

Michael Tamoszus Art 3

Michael Tamoszus Art

Exercise

Deborah Ann – Pinterest

I was SURE I was going to impress my scales this morning with another pound down, but NOOOOOOOO. I held at 13 off. Bah. Humbug. Since I’m being a ‘good girl,’ exercising, drinking water, watching what I’m eating, etc., I’m hopeful that SOON I’ll see some more progress.

0.media.collegehumor.cvcdn.com

The rest of the week is supposed to be rainy here. We can use it. It started overnight, with light rain when my husband took Amber out for her last outing of the day. It’s not actually raining now, but is very overcast. I’ll take whatever we can get.

Since it’s rainy today, I’m going to try to get my office under control – paying bills, bookkeeping, filing, etc. (I know – ‘Be still, my heart.’ :0) )

Maybe I’ll get up to my art room.

I hope that YOU are having a fine day – calm if you need it, fun if you don’t.

I Needed it, Too

https://twitter.com/i/status/1716459841609183607

It’s a Dog’s Life

Rebekah Jenkins

“Because of the dog’s joyfulness, our own is increased. It is no small gift.” ~ Mary Oliver

Nagyon Tetszik

“My dog is half pit bull, half poodle. Not much of a watchdog, but a vicious gossip.” – Craig Shoemaker

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“My little dog – a heartbeat at my feet.” ~ Edith Wharton

Ruth Shedrofsky Lax

“It is amazing how much love and laughter they bring into our lives and even how much closer we become with each other because of them.” – John Grogan

Tony O’Connor – @Tony’s_Ponies on X

“When an 85-pound mammal licks your tears away, then tries to sit on your lap, it’s hard to feel sad.” – Kristan Higgins

Vicarious Fun

I do a lot of ‘vicarious’ living.

My wonderful sister-in-law allows me to enjoy her trips with friends to the beach from time to time. She sends me pics of the ocean, sunrises, and even sent me a short video of sandpipers playing in the sand. I love it, keeping it close so I can enjoy it over and over.

A good friend of mine enjoys racing with her son.

They have worked together to make this beautiful race car. They designed the graphics and have spent countless hours working to make it the best it can be. Her son drives the car.

They raced it for the first time at a track in Oklahoma October 19th and 20th. They came in 8th. She said they have decided they chose wrong on the tires and will change that.

Fingers crossed they do better and better each time they race. Now I’m a vicarious race car mom!

Smiling Sloth 10-23-2023

Mindy Sommers

It looks like we have one more week of unseasonably warm weather before we get more fall-like around here. We’re soaking up the lower humidity and being able to have the doors open and the ceiling fans on – the a/c off – enjoying the breezes. I’m trying to make myself do some clean up in the yard, but the ‘lazies’ have swept me away lately.

Vince, the sign guy – Indian Hills Community Center

Iridescent Iris

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CHBKN-etsy

Dorota Piotrowiak – Imago Space

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This and That on Sunday 10-22-2023

“When I offer to wash your back in the shower, all you have to say is ‘yes’ or ‘no’.   Not all this “Who are you and how did you  get in here?” nonsense.”

Rod Craig – @rodcraigartist on X

I’m really glad I can get on the Internet and find photos and paintings to show how glorious the fall can be. Here, where I am in Arkansas, a lot of the leaves have already fallen off the trees, giving up due to lack of rain and previously scorching temperatures. I can vicariously soak up the beautiful colors and FEELINGS, so I’m not complaining.

“accueil” (welcome) – annelaure-peres.com

I’ve featured this amazing artist on the blog before, but it truly amazes me that instead of simply doing beautiful sculptures of children, she tells a story, makes you react emotionally with just a glance. I just can’t say enough about her.

Angie Wallace Fine Art

I just found this recently and intend to research this artist more and share her work with you. I expect the grass and flowers to move in the breeze or the doggies to move their heads. Just amazing.

And finally this morning, I guess I’ll never really grow up. I’m drawn to handmade dolls of all kinds. I don’t actually BUY them because I don’t have granddaughters, but I WANT to –

life-tumblr.com

I wish you a happy Sunday, filled with laughter and love.

Lighter Attitude

Your e cards – http://www.LaFunny.net – Deborah Ann – Pinterest

A bit more progress this morning – almost 14 pounds off. If I can keep this up, only 6 years or so to go and I’ll be where I would like to be. :0) I just finished getting the ingredients for chili in the crock pot for dinner tonight.

I’ve pared down what I’m eating for lunch and drinking a lot more water during the day. If I eat between lunch and dinner, I’m watching what I eat VERY carefully. I’m watching my portions at dinner and then not eating afterwards until lunch the next day. (Intermittent fasting.)

On day where the weather allows, I’m walking out to the shop and garden a couple of times each day, plus I’m doing careful old lady yoga stretches each afternoon.

The progress is so slow I tend to lose my patience, but I’m looking at this, besides trying to get the lard off, as a character-building exercise, working toward a long-term goal and realizing that if I’m moving in the right direction, no matter how slowly, I’m doing well.

I found this on Pinterest and they didn’t say who this artist is. I LOVE this turtle and will keep it as a symbol of my ‘slow-but-steady’ battle to lose the lard…

Sunday 10-22-2023

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Listening is becoming a lost art. Too many of us listen until we figure out we don’t agree with the ‘side’ the speaker is on and tune him/her out. People gather on the streets to shout over each other, waving signs. We prejudge based on a person’s appearance and our ears shut off.

The evidence is on the news daily. I watch shorter and shorter sessions of the news before becoming totally upset with the state of the world and seeking some way I can ‘escape.’

I have caught MYSELF being surprised when a talking head says something with which I agree after unconsciously deciding he or she represents an opposing view.

I have to tell you I was embarrassed when I caught myself yesterday doing this very thing. I admitted it to my husband, but my admission fell on deaf ears, as he seems to be more guilty of this than I. He will use the ‘fast forward’ on taped programs with our remote to get to the end of what a person is saying, not even giving the person time to make his or her point before writing them off. Knowing I’m not alone doesn’t negate my embarrassment.

Real listening, respecting another’s right to say what he or she thinks, especially when we don’t agree, USED TO BE one of the things that made our country unusual, strong, and special. Re-evaluating our beliefs, based on the latest facts to come out, USED TO BE another thing that could bring opposing sides together. I HOPE that we can get beyond this situation somehow.

Sarah J Evans Art

I have always considered painting water or snow impossible. Sarah J Evans proves me very, very wrong. Here is a sample –

Sorry, I didn’t get the name of this one.

Bognor Regis

Brighton

Devils Dyke – South Downs

Storm on the Seafront

Sarah J. Evans Art (shop on Etsy)

Saturday 10-21-2023

Efraïm Rodríguez Cobos – http://www.efraimrodriguez.net

I love this sculpture. I don’t know what it is about it that makes me want to put a hand on his head or squeeze his shoulder. Just love it.

I just finished a video chat with our son, who lives across the world from us. Before he left several years ago, he set up a secure chat program that he trusts and also a video program where we can see each other while we visit. Between the two, the only thing missing is his truly magnificent hugs. I feel so happy inside right now after getting to see his face – and his smiles. He is doing what he wants to do, living where he is comfortable, happy, and as safe as is possible in our world today. That’s all we can ask.

Open Door Yoga

My renewal of efforts to do my old lady yoga stretches each day are bearing fruit (hold your raspberries, please). :0) I had overdone doing yard work and my back was yelling at me. After coddling myself for several days, I started trying my yoga stretches again. I’m still pretty stiff, but it’s taking me less time to relax and start “breathing-into-the-stretches” each day. I’m adding something new to my stretches, too, so I’m hopeful I’ll be back where I was soon.

It is warmer than usual these days, here. It’s nice and cool at night, and we’ve turned off the a/c, but it’s supposed to get to 87 this afternoon – quite unusual for October here. Since the humidity is down, all we’re doing to be comfortable is opening the doors and using the ceiling fans. I could use a whole bunch of this nice weather! I’m going to try to do a short session of yard work today.

I hope you enjoy your Saturday and are doing something fun.

Blowing My Head Off

Medicine Plus

Yesterday I had what I call, “The Day of the Allergy.”

I’m not allergic to anything. Really. I’ve always been really thankful that I don’t have to spend a lot of time blowing my nose and sneezing my head off, like so many other good people.

Yesterday that changed and I tried to catch up to other allergy sufferers. .

I’m not exaggerating much when I tell you I sneezed so often I simply stopped trying to do anything else but have another kleenex ready. I see on my computer screen all of a sudden that there is ‘high pollen’ today. Maybe that’s my problem, but it’s weird that it would show up NOW, when I’m older than dirt.

I certainly got my exercise with all the sneezing. It stopped long enough in the afternoon that I got my yoga practice in, but I have to admit that all I did yesterday was curse and sneeze – a somewhat ‘colorful’ combination….

Today I’m fine. Or at least I haven’t had any problems yet. I did take two allergy pills last night in desperation.

Anyway, the mystery continues. I hope that you are not suffering from this, or that you handle it with more grace than I.

Ethereal

Headbanger Deb-pinterest

Pinterest

Pinterest

Delicate and ethereal. Mesmerizing.

Pumpkin Carving is an Art

I’m in awe of someone who can not only carve a pumpkin, but make something truly unusual. When I was carving pumpkins each year with our son, I really tried my best, but I did little better than the traditional jack-o-lantern, managing not to cut my arm off in the process. We had fun, but it was embarrassing for me, as well.

Look at these –

Bethany Lowe

mbcreativestudio.com

theholidaybarn.com

thisoldhouse.com

Each year I look for new ones, and each year I manage to find what I consider more wonderfully creative pumpkins. I hope you enjoy them, too.

Friends on Fridays 10-20-2023

Marina Blue Studio

Shout-out to Cathy, who is feeling stronger, resting better, and eating better following her radiation and chemo and is getting a chance to catch her breath while the docs decide what they think she should do next. I’m trying to send smiles, strength, and good weather her way so that she can soak them up.

Shout-out to Carla, who has built a race car with her son and is racing last night and tonight. Fingers crossed they do well.

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We leave in about an hour to meet our friends (hopefully) for Lunch Bunch, to enjoy a good meal at The Pizza Barn, share news and laughs, and set ourselves up for a nice weekend.

I’m pleased to be able to report that our trash was picked up! This may not seem like an ‘event’ to YOU, but since they’ve missed us two weeks in a row and I had to call, wait on hold for 5 minutes or so, and arrange a work order for pickup, it seems like at least an old-fashioned ‘annoyance’ to me. The lady I talked to was nice, noticed that this was the 2nd time I had had to call, and said she would see if she could figure out what the problem was. Hope springs!

Last call for you to order either of these child-sized Halloween aprons in time for Halloween. One-of-a-kind, hand-painted child’s apron. Size is 2-6 years. The apron is 19″ long and 12.5″ wide, not including neck loop or ties. $19.99 with FREE SHIPPING to the contiguous U.S. HandmadeHavenbyLinda on Etsy

I hope that you are having a really nice morning and that your day will be calm and pleasant.

THE Cutest Owl

This might be the cutest owl I’ve ever seen 😍

pic.twitter.com/EdxRMAAK3O

— Jessi 💫 (@its_jessi_grace) October 19, 2023

Mark Gray Photography

Mark Gray – @GrayMarker99 on X

Wonderful Art With Children

@HBSDesign-Hbstudioart

“Children are like wet cement: whatever falls on them makes an impression.” ~ Haim Ginott

Stormy Leigh Jones

“You have to love your children unselfishly.” ~ Barbara Bush

“The Naughty Step” -Keith Proctor

“Children are the hands by which we take hold of heaven.” ~ Henry Ward Beecher

YouTube.com

“Children make your life important.” ~ Erma Bombeck

Yulia Zina

“The best inheritance a parent can give his children is a few minutes of his time each day.” – Orlando Aloysius Battista

Feeling Lazy

“I tried donating blood today…NEVER AGAIN!  Too many stupid questions:  
 Who’s blood is it?  Where did you get it from?  Why is it in a bucket?”

PsychoBitch – Anne Balaban’s Blog – Page 7 – goodreads.com

Better than Yesterday

taolife.com

As of this morning, I’m down 13.2 pounds. No parades, bands playing, confetti, or celebration, just a small smile that my efforts are paying off a bit.

shutterstock_News Medical

Both my dog and cat – but not my husband – came in to see what was going on with me just now. I’ve spent the last 20 minutes or so sneezing, over and over, saying some bad words – to be honest – as I sneeze AGAIN and have to blow my hose AGAIN. To my knowledge, I’m not allergic to anything. So what’s the DEAL? I just researched a bit, and the culprits may be tree pollen, grass, mold, and ragweed. Since we live on top of a ridge line surrounded by all of these, I don’t see a quick solution – although, since I started griping about my sneezing, it has stopped – just as suddenly as it started… (Almost sounds like something out of the old Twilight Zone TV series…)

I’ve been finding a lot of wonderful things to share with you from “X” (the former Twitter) lately. I’m finding artists, photographers, and funny and/or lovely people to follow. Some people consider ‘social media’ time-wasters. I’m only on X, and I am finding it a wonderful source of interesting people. Of course, each time I’m on, I find some of the opposite, too, so it’s a constant process of following, or UN-following people in order to find the ones who bring me joy. I’m enjoying it. :0)

Have a great Thursday!

Diet Tip

Woman of Wonder – @WonderW9780071 on X

Halloween Past

@cutigers on X

My dad and I shared Halloween and the 4th of July as our favorite holidays.

I remember one Halloween when my dad, who was 6’2″ tall and skinny as a beanpole, dressed up as a pregnant nurse. I was just a child. I wish we had gotten a picture I could share with you, because as I think of it, I can see him right in front of my face, and I keep smirking and snorting with the memory.

My dad wore glasses and had a mustache and short goatee type beard. I don’t know where he found the nurse’s uniform, but he wore an old style nurse’s cap on his head with a blond wig, and his glasses, beard, and mustache hanging out. He put a pillow under the uniform part, and wore ‘hose’ and white sneakers. He wore a stethoscope around his neck and carried a HUGE syringe in the pocket.

He had made up a whole speech to go along with his costume. The only other memory I have of that Halloween was my parents’ friends laughing so hard they had trouble standing up. In fact, several took one look at him and made straight for a chair in our living room, laughing their heads off.

My dad has been gone a long time now. He said, “Remember me laughing.” It was a long time before I could, but as the years pass, I remember not only HIM laughing, but all the rest of us, as well.

More Laser Engraving

GF5 Bucks Laser Engraving

Erika Kocsi Watercolor 5

Erika Kocsi Watercolor – @kocsi_erika on X

It’s Wednesday 10-18-2023

“Ruddy Turnstone” – Brian – @balail on X

Good morning! We’re having a quiet, cool morning so far. 49 degrees F. and sunny. I’m grinning because we’re having the first real fall we’ve had here since I can remember. I’m enjoying every minute.

Pixabay

In the ‘annoyances’ category – they missed us on trash pickup again yesterday – the second week in a row. The lady I called said they had been using temps lately and that she would see if she could figure out what the problem was. She created another work order for us, and hopefully the trash will be gone today.

chipwrecks

I’m making a small amount of progress on losing the lard. I’m down 11-1/2 pounds now and hoping the trend will continue. My daily yoga practice is showing improvement, as well. One day at a time.

“Intentions vs Actuality” – several things are ‘on my list,’ but haven’t actually been accomplished lately. I have no excuse, other than sloth. I’ve been enjoying reading, napping, listening to music, and more, instead of checking another thing off the list. Only the ‘have-to’s’ are getting attention.

I wish us both a productive Wednesday. :0)

123RF

Marcelo Rocha Art

Marcelo Rocha – Pets and Landscapes in Oil

‘Tude

Michael Tamoszus Art 2

Michael Tamoszus Chainsaw Art

Happy Tuesday 10-17-2023

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Good morning. It’s sunny at 44 degrees F. here this morning. Hard to believe. We will still probably have some warm weather before winter. The tradition around here is getting ready for winter and then having some really summer-like weather for another month or so. (An example is that one year I was still harvesting ripe tomatoes in January.) So we put the electric blanket on the bed and are still ready with shorts to wear. :0)

I’m hopeful that our trash will have been picked up when we go for groceries later today. Last week I had to call for a special work order for pick up when they bypassed us. Hopefully we’re on their list today, as we should be.

We don’t have any plans today, other than replenishing supplies. I’m not sure if I’ll try to get some yard work done, play in my art room, bake the biscuits I was going to make yesterday, or all three. It’s nice to be able to CHOOSE. (One of the only good things about being older than dirt.)

Fall, Halloween, and Christmas aprons are still available on my Etsy site. One-of-a-kind, hand-painted child’s apron. Size is 2-6 years. The apron is 19″ long and 12.5″ wide, not including neck loop or ties. Wash by hand and lay flat to dry. Can be ironed on the wrong side. $19.99 with FREE SHIPPING to the contiguous U.S. HandmadeHavenbyLinda on Etsy

I hope that your day is good.