Tag Archives: daily post

Jun10

Going Back…

Posted on by
Image
Going Back…

This afternoon as I was thinking about writing a post, and most definitely struggling with content.  As I reread some of my old posts,  I was stunned to realize that I had actually written them.  The content was familiar, and I could feel the words, but I couldn’t believe I wrote them.

On one post, I wrote about our trip to the Island of Kauai, and on another the day we picked up my son, Dennis from the airport after he made his first CD.

So whats your point?

I sitting here wondering if my writing is getting better, or worse?  Just like the paintings I create.  If you go back and revisit old works of art, often it is unbelievable  to think you had created them in the first place.  They aren’t all great, some of them I can actually believe it was me who painted them.  That’s painful to admit!

 Who did those, it couldn’t have been me!

But in fact it was me, in both cases.  When I write I pour my heart out just like when I paint!  It may be good at the time, or a struggle at that time, it depends.    Sometimes we don’t even realize how much of an effort it is until it unfolds.

Art is different for me because when I struggle,  I always know it!  It’s great when it flows, but that doesn’t always happen.  Sometimes I struggle painfully with something, a concept, a start, or maybe even more than that!

The Abstract Dancer has already taken two or three sharp left turns.  I have ideas, and who knows if they will work, but it’s better to try something than nothing!  Right? By posting this online, maybe it will shake me loose, and drive me to work on it!  I’m trying to avoid doing the Jackson Pollock thing to it.

At least that is my hope.  So someday when I look back on prior posts, I can look at this one and remember how I was struggling to pull it all together, and make Abstract Dancer a real painting!  Someday maybe I can read this post, and say to myself,  I did pull it together, and that Abstract Dancer is exactly what I had envisioned!

 

Jun10

Ramblings of an Overheated Artist?

Posted on by
Video

Sometimes on FB there will be surveys about things like, if you were a car, what would you be or, if you were an animal what kind would you be. One very early morning when I was feeling particularly fabulous, I started thinking about describing myself, all I’d been through in my life, and the resilience I have.
I’m strong, determined,  I don’t have to be right, but I’m not always wrong either. I have a sixth sense about me –  I know when I’m not being told the truth, I can feel it. I’ve lived long enough to have wisdom, some of it from learning experiences, some of it I just know!  I don’t do the FB thing very often, actually I really don’t care if they think I’m a fast car, or a lion, or what my color is!

Soooooo

That being said, I was thinking how I would describe myself, and this is what I came up with…..

I’m an Oak Tree!  A mature, sturdy, mighty oak!  I stand tall, yet I can bend, I am filled with wisdom, and the owl that lives in my branches provides me with whatever information  I don’t know!  You can’t have it any better than that!  I haven’t any idea what kind of owl would be living in my branches, but I do know we’re best friends!

I don’t know what the owl would have to say about that, I really haven’t taken the time to talk to him lately.  If truth be told, I haven’t seen him lately.  He’s tricky, and only comes out at night, probably after I’m in bed.  He also may be preoccupied with a lady owl.  What she-owl wouldn’t want to stay in a mighty oak with her dream he-owl?  I have chimes playing all night long, and they can hunt, and return to the safety of my branches.

Did I hear you say I was crazy?

Maybe!  I prefer to call it creative.  By the way this was not my intention to write anything remotely like this, but its way too hot to do much of anything else, even painting!  Maybe especially painting!

Back to the Owls!

Before my very eyes, and ears I think I have an Owl family in my branches.  There is a lot of rustling going on during the day, and this I know from going out to water plants, and check on my Matilija Poppy.  This is only about the sixth poppy I’ve tried to grow–without any success!  This time my son-in-law John  is nurturing it!  Good thing, because as I said, I’ve killed the previous five.  At least the leaves are still green, and in this 100+ degree weather too.  That’s another story though.

The good thing is that a few doors down for our home, there are abundant critters, so the owls will have plenty to keep their tummys full, and plenty to feed the little owlets after all that kissing stops!

 

You remember this…..

Mr. & Mrs. Owl sitting in a tree

k-i-s-s-i-n-g…..

first comes love, then comes marriage,

then come the owlets in a

Baby Carriage!

Ok Back to the Owls!

I’m not sure owls even have baby carriages, after all how would they push them, and how on earth could they keep them on even the sturdiest of my limbs?   If they pushed the carriages off the limbs  would it be accidental or would they really be trying to encourage the owlets to fly?   I guess we’ll just have to wait and see!

Back to the Owls!

Now I’m positive it’s the heat!

I know it sounds like I’ve been smoking something, but you’re wrong!  I don’t smoke, and I told you it was the heat!

Any questions or comments, I’m more than happy to answer them for you.  You might have some additional thoughts on the subject as well.  If so, please comment, or email me!  I’d love to hear what you have to say….

Maybe you’re advice would to have those little buggies outfitted with magnets so they would stay on the branches, you know much like a San Francisco trolley.  Either way, the owls need your help, maybe I need your help as well.

Go ahead let me know what you think,  I can take it!

 

 

Jun5

Day Four: The Attack of the Cereal Killers

Posted on by
Standard
Day Four: The Attack of the Cereal Killers

How often do you do your grocery shopping?  Each day, once a week, twice a month…….

In years past when I had a big family, I would drive my car to the grocery store on a Saturday, sometimes I’d take one of the kids, and sometimes all three of the kids.  That would be a wicked, crazy day with all three.  Since my tribe consisted of two boys and a girl, my grocery cart was always needing to be filled. My pay-day was twice a month, so that’s when I did grocery shopping—-twice a month!

This particular Saturday I was able to escape to the local Alpha Beta Grocery store …..Alone

So off I went, feeling like I had fled the country incognito.   By the time I was finished, an hour had passed,  I was over it, and as I stood in line to check out, for the first time everyone else’s  kids were starting to get rowdy!

 Neener-Neener!  I got away without mine!

I had two carts filled to the brim with meat, vegetables, fruit, popsicles, Ding Dongs,  Twinkies, toothpaste, Cheerios, Captain Crunch, Fruit Loops, and much more before finally making it to check-out.  After checking out, carts loaded the box-boy helped me to my car.  I had parked way out so I didn’t get my Shiny Red Porsche dinged, so it was a little bit of a walk.  I pushing one cart, the box boy pushing the other!

Why were his eyes Bulging?

“Lady,”  he said!  “You can’t get all these groceries in this car!!!  Needless to say, he was panicked, and was very insistent.

“Sure I Can it’s a 924, there’s plenty of room!”  I replied,  “watch”.…..  I stayed quite calm given his insistence, and having done it before.

Can anyone pack anything like a woman with determination?  I don’t think so…..  As we started to unload the groceries, I had to agree, if we had packed the car like he would have packed the car I probably wouldn’t have been able to unload one full cart.   However,  it became quite clear very quickly that this box-boy needed a lesson in packing!  I won’t go into any more detail, but when we were finished unloading both baskets, he stood there amazed, and in awe!!!

Did you doubt me too?

As he was gathering up the carts, I hopped into my shiny red car, and off I went!

Upon returning home, my kids had given up on whatever they were doing when I escaped, and rushed to the car with heads stuck in the window while running along side  the car as I drove up the long driveway.  I’m sure they thought they were starving, but they never got faint, stopped talking, nor did the lack of food hinder them from  running to the car as I drove in with two weeks worth of groceries!

Those of you who have more than one child will relate to the kids gathering like ants, grabbing at chips, Ding Dongs, and anything sweet like ants on honey.  If I allowed them to eat something just to get them out-of-the-way, they would quickly devour it before their brother or sister got it, and try to go on to the next goodie.  Sharing wasn’t  in their makeup!   It was almost like a  competition–who would get to, and eat the most, the quickest!

You can imagine how much they loved me when I called a halt to all this gluttony.  In the meantime my three little, or not so little “Cereal Killers” attacked all the cereal, Fruit Loops,  Cheerios, Ding Dongs, and everything else they could get their hands on before I was able to corral them.  

They were, and remain my assassins of everything yummy!

 

 

Jun5

Thursdays – Sketch Day

Posted on by
Gallery

This gallery contains 3 photos.

Many of you know that on Thursdays I participate in a  little art challenge called Time Out for Art.  The blog that hosts the challenge is called “Zebra Designs& Destinations!”  I love this site, and find so much inspiration there that I’d love all of you to check it out. This Thursday I am posting this little […]

Rate this: