kinetic wave sculptures

what makes an artist? how creative can an artist be? are there limits? should there be limits? have you ever given thought to this? for anyone can call themselves an artist, right? haven't we all seen the canvas with a squiggly line selling for a lot of money and thought, "well, i could've done that!" or some other abstract painting and we wonder about it? perhaps it's a piece of pottery in a strange form or shape that has you shaking your head. on the other end of the spectrum, of course, are the renderings that people believe are sheer genius. it's all perspective, isn't it? i might think that squiggly line is the genius piece. who's to say? that's what makes it art; keeps it creative in my mind. and because we keep talking about it.

meet a sculptor, reuben margolin. he is not your ordinary, everyday sculptor. uh-uh. he creates kinetic wave sculptures. these are moving sculptures that are made out of materials like wood, metal, cardboard and other found objects he has scavenged. they are amazing and look like they float in and through the air.

watch him here at work and learn about his incredible art.

Maker Profile - Kinetic Wave Sculptures on MAKE: television from make magazine on Vimeo.

i think we'll keep talking about reuben for some time. i find his work fascinating. i found myself captivated during this clip....that he could take such raw material and make it come to life the way he has. truly amazing....wonderfully refreshing for the world of art.

happy day.....

blueberry salsa

salsa. not the dance. but to eat. i have had many salsas in my time. bland, spicy, spicy hot, spicy bland. tomato salsa, fruit salsa. i have my favorites...yes i do. i am partial to peach salsa only because there is a peach tree in the backyard and i can make it fresh. however i do not recommend using tomatoes with the peaches. i don't believe that's a great combination. pineapple salsa is yummy, too. with grilled salmon it can't be beat.

well, that is until i discovered the blueberry. that's right. the other day i got some blueberries.... a huge box of them from a friend and i thought "what am i going to do with all of these so they don't spoil?" and i immediately wondered about trying a blueberry salsa. so i headed to the store and gathered up some ingredients. here is the result of my labor...

it is divine! you can see i didn't shy away from using tomatoes. i decided to go full out and give the combination a chance.... see what happened. and i was not disappointed. keeping the ingredient list very simple, i threw everything in at once and then let it sit overnight in the 'fridge to meld all the flavors together. let me tell you, it is not going to take long to make my way through this batch of salsa. it is light, refreshing, crisp and juicy. the blueberries and tomatoes work well together...a perfect marriage of flavors. i also mixed both flat parsley and cilantro together and that works, too. yay! this, my friends, is a perfect summer time treat for lunch, dinner, snack that is healthy and tasty.

in case you want to give it a try, here's what i combined:

1 and a half cups of blueberries, 2 tomatoes chopped, 1 medium sweet onion chopped, 1 jalapeno pepper finely diced, 3 cloves garlic minced, 2 tbls rice vinegar, 2 tbls olive oil, 2 tbls or so flat leaf parsley, 2 tbls or so cilantro, salt and pepper to taste. mix it all together in a bowl carefully and leave in refrigerator overnight or at least several hours for everything to blend well. you might want to drain prior to serving. so good. you could probably get your kids to help you with prep on this one it's so easy and have some fun in the kitchen.

happy day.....

africa plant

no matter where we travel, beauty is around us. in plants, flowers, people, architecture.

i noticed this plant outside a house i was staying at in africa. i was taken by the bright pink of the leaves.

i have no name for it but in the hot, humid air amidst everything else that was green or brown, to see this one bit of color struck me.

happy day.....

calla lily

i just about jumped out of my skin today. my calla lily bloomed! no kidding... almost over night, a bloom appeared. glorious in its white majesty.

of course, i couldn't let it be to show it off with only one picture. so take a journey with a variety of views....

what a beauty...the calla lily. from the outside white, those delicate folds, the gentle purple floating around the petal enclosing that yellow and then bright green leaves balancing it all.... my oh my.

happy day.....

signs

i am totally fascinated by signs. don't know why...just 'cuz. all kinds, too. high signs. low signs. wood signs. metal signs. concrete signs. home made signs. sometimes they are silly. or funny. at times they make absolutely no sense; make you tilt your head and go "huh?" like this one:

does this mean that only in the years of 1982 and 1986 the flood level was 1 foot? or was it 1 foot between 1982 and 86? is it still 1 foot today? what? or is the flood level only 1 foot in this specific location? who knows? there was no indication around. neither above or around the vicinity at all to indicate or give further information. it so cracked me up. maybe no one else would have this kind of reaction. maybe, in fact, no one would even have noticed this notice since it's on the side of a very low wall. but i did and was intrigued.

would you have noticed? what do you think it means?

happy day.....

butterflies forever

did you ever run through a meadow with a net trying to capture a butterfly? when you were a kid perhaps? or as an "older" kid? always fun no matter the age.

butterflies are amazing. they are colorful, fly with ease, are harmless, fascinating to watch, fun to play with, graceful.

there are so many varieties of butterflies as well. they can be found around the world, too. this special one was located on a walk in kansas.

can you believe these colors? the aqua blue mixed with black is to die for especially with the sun striking its wings...oh my. i was with a friend and we followed this baby for quite some time doing the standard "oohing" and "ahhing" over the course of our wandering.

for me, chasing this butterfly was a little bit like running through heaven. just for a moment... because of the gloriousness of it... knowing that only god could have created such magnificent beauty for me to enjoy.

happy day.....

stand by me

music. it can do many things: act as a balm, bring people together, soothe your spirit, give you energy, bring you to tears, make you smile, make you dance... need i go on? because there are just too many to list in my mind. i love music.

and when i heard of playing for change i was intrigued. they are a collaboration of people. i always love it when i hear that people are working together, especially for the betterment of others or our world. this group is a multimedia project brought together to inspire, connect and bring peace to the world using music. how cool is that? there is the common belief that the power of music can break down boundaries and overcome distances between people; music has the ability to unite us as one in the human race. i say amen to that! we all see how fans come together at concerts and they are from all walks of life. there is an incredible amount of music on the shelves; all kinds, all sounds that is for sale.

so playing for change has gone around the world gathering artists to contribute to making music. one of the songs they've covered is "stand by me," which happens to be a favorite of mine.

the thing i love about this song is that it points out that we need to stand by each other. how apropos that playing for change chose a song that speaks to being there for our fellow man when they are promoting peace and unity. plus this is one of those songs that gets your toes to tapping, isn't it? weren't your toes tapping, just now as you were listening? and you were humming along, weren't you? i was. i was belting it out. in fact, i found myself doing a little air guitar and a bit of drumming on my computer. it's a catchy tune but very meaningful.

by the way, playing for change has now formed a foundation to help give back to the musicians who have been helping with this project. they are playing benefit concerts as well. it's a worthy cause. can music change the world?

happy day.....

life of a flower

remember when i talked about the african violet that i was babying because i hadn't given it the "kiss of death" yet? well low and behold, with my talking to it every day and telling it how awesome it was doing it really did do very well. within several weeks, i noticed a bud. i was doing the dance of joy. look at that baby here.

and then within about a week, that bud was opening up into a wonderful little pink flower. pink is one of my favorite colors. here it's looking like a small umbrella barely open to the world yet.

in another few days, the flower was unfolding into this gorgeous little thing that almost appear artificial. if i didn't know better, upon close examination it had a sort of fabric-like texture to it. so delicate...truly amazing in its beauty.

just for fun, i tried a black and white shot. the petals of the plant seem kind of velvety don't they? i am always fascinated how different the perspective is with the simplicity of a pure shot like this.

and here is the african violet in its full bloom. truly beautiful, amazing and perfect.

happy day.....

the writer who couldn't read

this is a fascinating story. one about the brain and its capabilities. i must admit, the older i get the more it seems to fascinate me. i am completely captivated by the brain; what it can do, the way it's underrated, how we take it for granted, how little we use it, stretch it and rely on it. why do you suppose that is? we really utilize it as little as necessary. just enough to get by for the most part. all that unused brain power...makes one wonder what the possibilities are that are being missed.

but for howard engel... he is a writer who woke up one day with the realization that he'd had a stroke. he tried to read the morning paper and although he recognized pictures and words, the words soon became jumbled. he found he had what's called, alexia or word blindness. i'd never heard of this before have you?

The Writer Who Couldn't Read from NPR on Vimeo.

after watching this, i was amazed at engel's accomplishment. his ability to relearn, to teach his brain to read by writing. to figure out the intricacy's of what needed to happen for him to enjoy reading again, and then be able to put pen to paper and publish? astounding and remarkable. that's using his brain power.

happy day.....

plant paths

i love plants. i love the greenery. i love the leaves. i love that they give off oxygen into the air. i love that they fill the house with life. and between you and me, they are a kind of companion to me because yes...i talk to them. i talk to my plants.

i tell them how beautiful they are, how well they are doing, what a great day it is. do you think that's goofy? let me tell you...they respond. just look over there, will you? do you see that? it's new growth.

i was watering my lovelies the other day and wouldn't you know. there i saw growing out of the bottoms of both these plants, new sprouts. i thought that was sort of odd to be growing way at the bottom of the plant like that. usually you find the newbies growing at the top with the other leaves. but here they are, all on their own making their way. how cool is that?

do you ever feel like you need to branch out on your own? set off on a footpath by yourself? go in a direction that isn't ventured by others or is maybe less taken by others? you feel called to head out on an adventure or something that you need to heed? are you waiting? for anything in particular? we all need to listen to that inner voice we have. the one that tells us what to do, how to do it, when to do it. whether we seek our guidance through prayer or meditation or reading or whatever, we do tend to know the direction we should follow most times.

it's like these little sprouts are doing, isn't it? they are following their own drum. they are not going along with the pack. they're doing their own thing and i believe they'll be just fine. i can hardly wait to see them grow big and strong; branches hardy with leaves green and billowy.

happy day.....

thinking 'bout grandma

when i was little, there was a time that my grandmother lived with us. i remember her baking. i would come home from school with my siblings, walk into the house and smell the most mouth watering smells i have ever experienced. there has never been anything like it since. breads and rolls - all the doughy goodness. grandma had the ability to just throw ingredients together and make it work. i don't remember her measuring anything. it was always a little of this or some of that. i wish i had some of her recipes for those rolls, but...

she also sewed and crocheted things... did embroidery on the finest linens. most incredible. she had the utmost patience for working with tiny needles; combining colors and being able to work without patterns. i guess that was like her baking. no recipes, no patterns! grandma had an eye. here are some of her pieces that i enjoy...

although i will probably always needs a pattern or the recipe to follow, i do have an eye for the beauty grandma created and love that i get to share it.

happy day.....

aarp card

i got a gift in the mail the other day. i wasn’t expecting it at all. well, okay… that’s not entirely true. i was thinking i should be getting it but really thought i’d have gotten it before now. it was the all dreaded “aarp” card. plus, i found it really wasn't a gift. boo!

now i’ve heard about this card and the membership and all. its benefits; the pros and cons. been warned about it like it had some kind of power. i wondered what all the fuss was about. after all, turning 50 is just another day in my mind. 50 is just a number people. although… granted… i do recall when i was a kid i thought 30 was old. and by 40 people were truly ancient, so who knows what 50 brought.

but anyway…. now that i’m all grown up, 50 isn’t a big deal anymore. i’ve come to realize that it’s all in your head. i’ve gained perspective. i believe we’re as young or as old as we feel and allow ourselves to be. in my mind, i still feel like i’m 30 something. i often wonder what 50 is supposed to feel like. am i supposed to feel old? or older? older than what? i think it’s just a game we play with ourselves….it’s all mental.

oh, and here's the rub. the other thing with the aarp card? you have to pay for the membership! huh? i couldn't quite believe that. why do i want to do that? are they serious? shouldn’t they be giving that to me? they should be privileged to have me on board with them, right? at least that's my attitude. i'm worth it, aren't i? they are the ones marketing the card to me after all. i'm not going to them. so give it to me. yes, i admit the yearly cost is pretty minimal but i was still appalled there is a fee attached for turning 50. my opinion is that it should be a present. a gift for this milestone in my life.

happy day.....

simple pleasures

a warm summer night,

a breeze gently blowing,

the storms clouds gathering...

seems only fitting to sit on the back porch and enjoy simple pleasures.

luscious red grapes.... hunks of cheese.... yum, yum, yummy!

happy day.....

in reflection of the 4th

as kids, we used to watch the red skelton show on saturday nights. i loved him. his gentleness, kindness, humor... he was someone in the arts i always looked up to.

i was privileged to meet red when i was in college. he was unassuming and humble in person, speaking to each of us in class with a warmth that was very real and down to earth. that's probably what captured me in the first place - his ability to be one of us and tell stories that hit home.

as we reflect on the birthday of our nation, here is one of red's stories about the pledge of allegiance and what it stands for.

happy day.....

lone lily

there it was. i came out of the garage and out of the corner of my eye in the glare of sunlight, saw a splash of color. could it be? not a chance, i thought. but i looked again and sure enough...

a lone tiger lily sprouting up from the weeds.

this after the bush had been chopped down due to all the overgrown hot mess prevented me from being able to get into the garage. additionally, there has been virtually no rain so the ground is more than dry. how did it grow? who knew the lily was so hardy? gotta love it...standing strong!

happy day.....

lost paths

so there i was at one of my favorite places yesterday looking for a parking place but it was packed. so i had to mosey around back to turn around and look who i came upon...

isn't she adorable? she was foraging for something however was all alone, looking kind of forlorne. no friends to be found in the vicinity to help her either. she'd clearly lost her way.

do you ever feel like that? lost your way? wandering around? don't know where to go, what to do, what direction to turn? you feel alone; like no one's around to help or no one cares? you're left all on your own to figure things out?

let me tell you i sure have. during those times, i pray. and then pray some more. i also have a scripture that helps me and one i thought of when i saw this precious creature. "trust in the lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." proverbs 3:5-6 i love these verses because they point out how the lord will always make our paths straight if we acknowledge him and trust him. how cool is that? it's not up to me. i don't have to rely on me so no wandering necessary. yay! that's why i pray, so i can help myself be reminded to lean on him.

seeing this deer was a wonderful visual for me: to rely on what god will do for me every day if i will allow him to. he does care...always, and uses little things to bring it to the forefront of my mind.

happy day.....

more discover earth

okay....so i admit i'm on a "discover earth" kick. i can't help it. i keep finding these really cool clips about our planet, needing to then share them with you. this one is no different you'll agree. it's about frazil ice. have you heard of it? i hadn't either. it is a phenomenon at yosemite national park....and no i've never been there either, darn it! but now i must go to experience this wonder.

according to the video most tourists show up at the park during the summer months and are missing out on really fabulous nature explorations at off times. well, let's face it. typically summer time is when kids are out of school hence vacations are taken then. however if you can swing it, it would sound like february and march can provide even more wonderful highlights. yay... i'm all for that. who cares if it's cold. let's take a look:

so? can you believe the awesomeness of frazil ice? does it not make you want to plan your very next adventure trip right now for yosemite? march 2011! see you there?

happy day.....

carving watermelon

on a hot summer night, what sounds good? watermelon! yummy, juicy, running down your mouth, sweet as can be watermelon. love it!

the other thing i love about watermelon is the fabulous things that can be done with it. you can spit watermelon seeds. remember doing that as a kid? we used to have contests to see who could spit the farthest. you can put salt on it to make it sweeter. you can mix it with other melons. you can freeze it, add mint to it, put it in drinks. i'm salivating just writing about it.

during summer breaks from college, i used to be a salad girl and we'd make all kinds of interesting containers out of melons. i always thought that was fun. but i never had near the talent demonstrated here. this is the serious stuff... watch through to the end. you won't be disappointed.

Watermelon carving from Vid Nikolic on Vimeo.

happy day.....

root bowls

this is no ordinary bowl... no ordinary wood either. i had never heard of root bowls until i received this one as a gift. i thought it was really unusual. here is its story.


this is the inside. i was really intrigued since you can see the rings of the tree. i found that the bowls are made from the shan mu tree, native to central china. they've been used for furniture and construction for over 5,000 years. in keeping with asian tradition, the entire tree is used including the stump and root hence the making of the root bowl. isn't that cool? and very earth friendly, too.

the stump and the root typically remain in the ground for a year to cure before they are carved into bowls and plates. knots, holes and cracks are left. usually, the roots of the shan mu are free for anyone who wants to dig them up. however, the loggers in the forests tend to bring the roots into the carving villages so various companies can bid on them and the process of making the bowls, plates and such then begins.

those who spend their time cleaning, processing and carving use a variety of steps to achieve a finely polished product.

after power washing, the carver saws off specific sized pieces to begin working on with his tools. a chain saw is utilized for rough carving then hand shaping is done with chisels until the shan mu is in its final shape. it is then dried in a steam chamber and finally coated with a fine spraying of shellac. it then looks like this...

ready to be shipped for the giving as a gift or to be kept by oneself. it is amazing to me the process that these roots undergo and that the bowls are considered literally works of art. as i did this research, i found that as such these bowls are on display in the chicago museum of art. can you believe that? i guess if the trees are thousands of years old, such time is taken to form the root into the bowl as a work of art is, it makes sense. when you see them in person, they are quite remarkable. much more so than a picture does them justice.

happy day.....

kitty hot flashes

i believe my kitty is suffering from kitty hot flashes. i'm serious. she's at that age after all... i think... well, maybe... or beyond...

you know how they say dogs age at the equivalent of 1 dog year for every 7 human years? so how does that work for cats? is it the same as for dogs? do you know? i don't. but i do know that gracie just turned 15 years old. so that could mean something for her, right? plus it's been really hot, hot, hot here lately.

take a look at how gracie was trying to cool down the other day.

it appears that she was waiting for the water to come pouring down out of the faucet doesn't it? usually cats don't like water so i find it funny that she was even in the tub to begin with.

then grace decided to just get ready to camp out. she laid in there for a good 10 minutes or so swishing her tail back and forth, purring loudly. this has now become a nightly ritual over the last couple of nights. not a bad trick since she can't open the freezer door to cool down. one smart kitty to find a solution to the problem. that's my girl...

happy day.....

dad's day

this is my dad. i thought he'd be around forever. but we always think that about our dad's, don't we? or our parents in general? we believe they're invincible? they'll always be there for us just because? at least that's what i thought. i never imagined my life without him.


growing up i was the youngest of six and thought i was a princess. i don't think i ever told anyone that...i just thought it in my head. and because of it, therefore, believed i was daddy's little girl. grew up practically breathing the mantra of "i'm daddy's little girl." i remember dad reading to me, sitting on his lap - him teaching me to tell time with this little paper clock, smelling his old spice aftershave. ahhhhhh.....those were the days. i will never forget.

i remember dad teaching me to ride my bike and the moment he let go; i was on my own coasting down the road with him cheering me on. when i skidded to a fall, he was there to pick me up. while dad was throwing footballs and baseballs with my brothers, he didn't hesitate to take me to my first dance. it was at the american legion - the father daughter dance. we did that every year. he always made me feel so special even though he was a man of few words. i will never forget.

as i grew up, dad taught me to enjoy golf of all things. i found if i wanted to spend time with him, i needed to soak up those things he liked and golf was one. he would spend sunday afternoons watching the game so i settled in and started learning. we bonded during those times and then later after i moved, it was always a point of conversation for us because i'd watch the tournaments to see what was going on. same with football and baseball. go figure. dad was also the one i turned to with car trouble when i didn't know what to do. i could always count on him to answer those questions that puzzled me. with all these things, i will never forget.


i remember saying after daddy was taken so unexpectedly, "i will never be a daddy's girl again." i realize now that is not true. i will always be daddy's little girl. that doesn't go away just because my daddy is no longer on this earth. just as i have dad's memory with me all the things that comprised my being his little girl are still there.

on this father's day, i remember fondly all the many loving acts dad exhibited during his time with me and our family. i will treasure those moments forever. although i miss him every day, i also realize how blessed we are to have had him for as long as we did. i will never forget.

happy day.....

plant growth

as i managed to kill off two herb plants...finding out that i'd probably been too nice to them... well, let me just insert here that i didn't realize you could be "too nice" to plants. i always thought you had to baby them, talk to them and treat them well. this i have done consistently with all of my plants and have had nothing but success... success to the point of wanting to toss some plants sometimes because they can grow like weeds if you know what i mean. it's not that i'm a green thumb by any stretch either. i think it's just because some plants are very easy care and respond well to the love.

apparently, though, herbs are different. i had posted on facebook that i was growing herbs and no one mentioned i should "ignore" them... let them get dry and essentially underwater them... put them in poor soil and then leave them alone. if i'd only known. but alas, i did not so they got the kiss of death. and i am left with feelings of guilt and shame. dare i try again? i may... because i am not a quitter and now i believe i have the secret key.

so then... the other day, an african violet i've had for many years, just out of the blue, was looking very grim. it, too now, has suffered the very same "kiss." sigh... but this one...

sweet, yes? i received this pretty thing as a gift not long ago and although the flowers are all gone now, it seems to be healthy. i am not ignoring it. it gets my utmost attention and by all appearances is responding well to me.

i am reassured in my ability with plants.

happy day.....

planet earth

when you hear "planet earth," what do you think? do your thoughts turn to the magical wonders of beauty and amazement, colors and breathtaking sights you never knew existed? places and vistas you've always wanted to visit but never had the chance to see? or maybe you think of the destruction we humans are wreaking every day on the planet with our carelessness. the way we take our environment for granted. how we believe it will be here forever for us regardless of how we treat it.

would you say you have a passion for the planet? do you get wired up with what earth has to offer us? are you pleased to live here? do you treat earth well or abuse it? are you kind and gentle with it realizing it needs to last for generations to come or do you really never give it thought?

this video is sort of like a planet discovery. it highlights amazing footage of the earth and is astounding in its scope. i hope it captures you... taking you on a journey, and makes you pause for a moment. a moment where you feel passion and appreciation for the incredible home god has given to us... and maybe want to take some action to protect it, treat it well and so enjoy it for years to come.

happy day.....

creative artwork

aren't these amazing pictures? a sunset & a teacup! the colors blend so well, the movement of the grasses, the setting of the sun... flowers balancing in a teacup... they are so alive... when i saw them, i had to have them. isn't that how it is with shopping?

the fun thing is that i know the artist. he is a childhood friend of mine, rob thomas. how cool is that? isn't he fabulous?

an incredible fact is that both pieces were completed without using a paint brush. because they are not paintings, per se. that's right... not a drop of paint was used. wanna know what was? scraps of magazines. you read that right. magazines. paper. surprised?

although it's hard to tell from here, every color is comprised of a different word. so all the shading that has been used is from rob spending hours finding just the right words that will fit, the colors that will match and be right for the pictures.

how does he do it? i don't quite know. i tend to believe it's probably a bit more difficult than painting itself... maybe?

i do know rob's been at it - playing around with the artistic side - since about 7th grade. he always was creative and adventurous, willing to try new things and be different. he's still like that today. good thing, too, so we can enjoy his work and wonderful genius.

when i got these pieces framed, the gallery had never seen anything like them and were astonished at the work, intrigued with the time commitment by the artist and joked they'd have to bribe the framer not to read the whole thing to get the job done on time for me. yay....i'd say i have some winners in hand.

happy day.....

b & w

i think i mentioned that i found a couple new apps for my phone that were supposed to simulate vintage black & white photos. since then i've been playing around a bit. the kitties are always good subjects but i thought i'd try some stills as well. what do you think? it's hard to know what the lighting is going to do.



i find myself browsing around checking out other blogs and websites with photos. i am intrigued with the layouts, colors, placements and techniques others use. the ability they have to capture and convey a message. i don't know that i have that same kind of ability or artistic eye. i just like to play around, experiment, push buttons and get the moment if i can.

happy day.....

naked lady

i am fascinated by art. art of all kinds. it is not limited to only one discipline.

when i was in africa, i was intrigued by the various galleries that housed many forms of weaving called kente handmade usually by women sitting on the ground working on looms. it is amazing and i am privileged to have several pieces.

i walked into one gallery where i laid eyes on this "naked lady" and knew she had to be mine. she was the beginning of my art collection and i value the simplicity the artist used when painting her. i see different things each time i look at her. she is sitting on what is typically known in ghana as a chief's stool. isn't she lovely?

happy day.....

red roses, too

flowers make me smile... make me happy... when they're in my own yard, for my own enjoyment and pleasure every day, i do the dance of joy.

knowing i get to wake up to wonderful fragrance, bright color, new buds opening.

i took lots of pics and couldn't limit to posting only 1 or 2. when it comes to flowers, the more the better, yes?

happy day.....

p.s.

by the way: you probably noticed....i've got a new look for the blog.

a little brighter... a bit funkier... colors are a tad sharper... not so subdued...

i think it probably represents me more than the old look did. we'll see how it works out. i may change it up again in a while just to keep it fresh.

so what do you think? any input?

happy day.....

white roses

finally! the roses are in bloom. these are the whites. i experimented with color, black & white, single, some buds, some blooms... i think i like thinking i'm somewhat of a pro which is too funny because i'm just using my iphone.

go ahead and laugh. i do. all things considered, the shots don't turn out all that bad. at least in my mind. and the nice thing is that there's no one to tell me any different so i can go around believing i've taken some fabulous pics. then i share them with you. ha!

happy day.....

peach fuzz

ahhhhh.... summer fruit. don't you simply live for it? blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, cherries, watermelon, cantaloupe and the very best...peaches! of course, there are many more - these are just a handful.

there is a wonderful peach tree in the backyard and it has peaches on it. yay! doing the dance of joy because for the past 2 years, it has been somewhat dormant. we've not been sure why. perhaps the weather. maybe it's the way of peach trees and how they bear fruit.

i first learned how to can off of this peach tree. i had never canned before and had no idea what lay in store for me. i thought it sounded like fun and went after it wholeheartedly.

i found peach jam, butter and salsa recipes and went to work. once the peaches were ripe enough, the harvest began and washing, peeling, measuring, mixing, cooking, stirring and jarring ensued. then putting the jars in steam baths and finally waiting for the little pops to go off signaling the process was a success.

whew... this is what they did in days of old? to survive through winter? and not just with fruit but with vegetables, too. day in and day out the women canned product for their families. i was doing it for pleasure and to give away to others. mine was a choice. theirs was not. what a hard life. no wonder when we look at pictures from back when, those faces are all lined...craggy...and they look so very tired. i admire what they did after my experiences and it makes me appreciate my efforts all the more.

i am looking forward to seeing what kind of harvest the peach tree gives this year. the juice of the fruit running down my arm as i bite into its flesh and enjoy the sweetness. yum.... nothing like it.

i am excited at producing salsa and butter and jam. to be able to share some bounty with others. to say, "this came from my backyard tree" and see amazement in their eyes that there's a peach tree there, hanging out.

happy day.....

40 years

meet greg & denyse. they have been married 40 years today! isn't that truly amazing? how many couples do you know who have been married that long? it is a testament to their love for each other and their enduring commitment to service for the lord that has kept them together. they have a wonderful family of two daughters, one son and 9 grandchildren...so far.

but their "family" is much larger than that. it has grown around the world with the missionary work they have devoted their lives to and the connections with all the various people they have touched over the years. and it continues to this day. they are a extraordinary and remarkable couple. to know them is a blessing for they have enriched many lives during their 40 years together.

in all they do, they set a wonderfully refreshing example: how to serve, how to communicate, how to interact, how to live with integrity, how to pray with strength and conviction, how to walk in the word, and how to do it all by being real, humble and personable at the same time.

i am honored to call them friends and be able to tell you about them today. i pray that all of you can have friends like them in your lives, too.

happy anniversary greg & denyse... hugs & love!

happy day.....

g'sales

here we're getting ready for a garage sale this weekend. whew... what an incredible amount of work they are!

have you had a garage or yard sale? how do you feel about them? do you enjoy them? look forward to them? do you have them every year or only when you absolutely must?

because...you need to clear your calendar for a couple of days for the actual "sale." then you sort, decide what you really don't need anymore, clean, price, organize everything for best advantage, make signs, advertise, tell people, get what you think is going to be plenty of change for purchases, hope for good weather, open for business and then wait for the people to come.

and sometimes they do... in droves... all once. and then nothing. you think the advertising hasn't paid off.

there are those people who show up looking for something specific. if it's not out...you don't have it, they walk away.

then there are those who look and say, "this just spoke to me." they seem pleased with their find. there are those who purchase their item without question. they take what it's been marked, give you the money and they're on their way, grinnin' with a "have a nice day."

and then there are the individuals who enjoy a good, old fashioned barter. isn't that what garage sales are made for anyway? it's part of the fun of the hunt after all, although there are some who might like to have their purchase for free. we did have a good laugh over some particular incidents because there was a "free" box that only one person took advantage of. too funny...

finally, the drive-by's were encountered. these were the individuals who didn't even stop to check out our garage sale at all. they either just pulled up to the driveway for a split second to "glance" at what was set out - thus missing what had been placed into the back yard - and then would go peeling away faster than a speeding bullet because there were better garage sales they had to check out; or they didn't even bother to really pull over... they'd just sort of barely slow down to do a "lookie-lou" and keep on going like they never even were looking in the first place. we decided these people were not quality people if they couldn't have the time of day to stop since we had quality product out for sale. of course, everyone believes that of their own garage sales, don't they?

all in all, it was a successful two days. bigger ticket items sold that we hoped would sell and all the rest was icing on the cake.

now that doesn't have to be done again for another seven years...yay!

happy day.....

a song

sometimes it's nice to find a song... a simple song that is pure with voices and sound made from only what god has given us. this is such a song.

it begins with a human-made storm and goes from there. it is an a capella version of the toto song "africa."

turn up the volume, sit back and listen...

happy day.....

toe pleasures

summer time means shorts, tee shirts, flirty dresses, skirts, peep toe shoes, sandals and flip flops. it also means going bare foot and exposing your toes for the whole world to see.

time to take care of those little digits that have been hiding in shoes and socks and hose and tights all winter long! yikes!

pedicure here i come. soaking in bubbles and salts, soothing creams, minty rubs, exfoliating lotions and oils. bring it all on. whatever it takes to make my feet smooth and supple i will endure. filing, poking, primping, picking, clipping, snipping, buffing, painting, shining. it's all worth it.

the colors that are now available are stupendous. i've worn everything from "champagne toast" to "i'm not really a waitress" to "grunge" to this one below, "silver purple." how fun is that?

doesn't it give you an urge to take care of your toes this summer? have a little fun with color?

go... go now... what are you waiting for?

happy day.....