Hard at work

I'm sorry I haven't posted anything here the past few days. I normally like to show you some pictures and tell you what's going on, but haven't had a chance. I'm working on a painting for my Mom and she told me at the end of last week that she'd love it if I could get her painting done so I could send it home this weekend with my cousin. Well, I've been really working on that, plus taking care of things around the house and doing my part-time work! In my push to get the painting done, I haven't taken the time to sit down and get all my pictures off my camera. It is a fairly detailed painting of flowers (which I'll show you after I finish it), so I just have no idea how long it will take. It's one of those things you just keep working at and it will eventually be done. I'd love it if I could finish it tomorrow, but there's just no way of knowing. Tomorrow will tell.

Yes, we've still been going on our walks. It has been so hot out that we try to go as early as we can. We like to stay inside the rest of the day (except for a few brief forays outside) until it cools off in the evening. That wrecks havoc with my shows that I have on in the evening and want to watch, but when you wait all day to be able to go outside, you kind of have to go outside and just tape the shows (tonight it was So You Think You Can Dance, Farmer Wants a Wife, and She's Got the Look).

So there you have it. Not enough time for me to show you all the pictures I've taken lately, to comment on my tv shows, to tell you about finally having our garage sale (my cousin and I), or to even give you the good news about my husband's new job. I'll get back with you soon!

Sweet Licks

I woke up this morning to sweet licks on the balls of my feet, first one then the other. What a beautiful way to wake up. She was caring for me and letting me know she loved me. Plus, to me it is like God is kissing me when she does. God had Brownie in mind just for me and then he sent me the most precious gift. One I wasn't even aware I needed. All wrapped up in beautiful brown, cinammon, black, blonde stripey fur. Definitely a care package straight from heaven, wrapped up in infinite love. So when my beautiful gift licks me, I feel licked (loved) by God, too. So I smiled when I came awake to feel doubly loved. It really wraps around me and makes my heart happy.

Yawning and Sniffing

I like to try to get pictures of Brownie and I together, although on days I don't brush my hair or put on a little concealer, I don't necessarily want my head in the shot!! So I leaned over to hug her and snap our pic and she yawned. Sometimes when she yawns, she makes a little high pitched "Oooooohh" noise that is pretty darn cute. Actually, she is just pretty darn cute.

This is serious air sniffing. Her whole body is focused on it. I wonder what exactly she smells. Food wafting? Scent of other dogs? People? I think their noses are so much more sensitive to smells than ours. I love her focus. She is totally in the moment. After we've been outside for a while and we go back in, sometimes I'll bury my nose in her fur and smell her. She'll smell like earth (and probably I do, too) and I love that smell. It speaks of growing things and living things and just life.

So don't forget, in your busy life, to stop and put your nose in the air and give it a good sniff, just relishing the moment and the feeling of being alive.

From our walk a few weeks ago

These were taken on one of our walks a few weeks ago. It seems like I take 50-60 pictures at one time, then I download them. Depending on when I get them off my camera is when I show them to you!

Not much happening today. We did go out for our walk in the early afternoon (because I had to go to Wal-Mart for groceries this morning). While there, I realized Brownie's harness was in the vehicle Pooker took to work, so picked up a new harness (size medium). After I got home, I took it out and realized that a medium must be for a Yorkie. So, had to drive to the other Wal-Mart near me and exchange it for a size large harness (much better, but even then, it is at its limits and she is only a 37 pound dog). After doing that and eating lunch were we able to get out for a bit. We both had cabin fever from a weekend with no walks and it raining Sunday and most of yesterday. We needed to get out and walk and sniff and feel free for a while.

Today, Janet Evanovich's book Lean Mean Thirteen was released in mass market paperback. I know that Fearless Fourteen was also released today in hardcover, but I like to read paperbacks so after devouring Thirteen today, it will be a long Stephanie Plum'less year for me. Thankfully, I only recently discovered her books. I say that because after I read the first one (and loved it), I had to run out and scour the used bookstores to find all of them. I found and finished them all in a few weeks. If I'd been a fan from the start, I would have been reading for 13 years! Nah. I feel fortunate to just now be having to wait the obligatory year between books. And as soon as I get a little extra money, I'm going to order a T-shirt from her website, but I just can't decide between the two men in Stephanie's life. Am I a fan of Morelli or Ranger? If I'm a Morelli fan, then the shirt will be a black V-neck with "Cupcake" embroidered in purple on the left chest. If I'm a Ranger fan, the shirt will have RangeMan embroidered in black on black over the left chest. (Cupcake is what Morelli calls Stephanie and RangeMan is the name of Ranger's company.) I think I'm kind of leaning towards Ranger. When I get my shirt, I'll take a picture of it so you can see which one I chose.

"Blue Flower"

"Blue Flower" painted 6/10/08

Sorry about the picture quality, peeps! I was in a hurry with this one and had to get it in the mail, so I just slapped it on the wall and snapped a pic, hoping it was good! The lighting wasn't all I'd hoped for, but....

More beautiful flowers

We seem to be seeing lots of beautiful wild flowers lately on our walks. Our neighbor has some gorgeous orange ones, but he was home this morning and I didn't want him to wonder what we were doing in the corner of his yard. Maybe I can take a picture of them when he isn't home!!! I don't think he'd mind, but.... A girl and her dog standing in the corner of your yard would make you wonder.

"Binding the Brokenhearted: Hope"

"Binding the Brokenhearted: Hope" painted 6/4/08

Our walk yesterday morning

These were taken on our walk yesterday morning. It was overcast and coolish, so it felt really good. With as humid as it had been, I was getting a bit too sweaty on our walks (which is why I am going to have to make the effort to get up and out earlier). I seem to enjoy it more if my armpits don't stick to my shirt.

Quote for the day

"Silence....silence is no expectations, but all possibilities. --Marcel Marceau

So many rainy days...

We have had so many rainy days in the past few months, not that I'm not thankful for the rain. I am. But if you'll look under my trampoline and in my crop circle (actually that was where my little swimming pool was all last summer), you'll see how much extra rain there was. It was actually still raining a little when I took the above picture (as evidenced by the drops of water splashing in the crop circle).

When it finally did stop (in the mid-afternoon), Brownie and I went out so she could relieve herself (after holding it all night and all morning--not because I make her, but because she won't go out in the heavy rain). I crouched down and looked under the trampoline and loved how the light and sky and fence were reflecting off the water and had to run in and get my camera.

Father and Dog-ter

Like Father, like Dog-ter. What a cute family I have!!!

"Season of Change"

"Season of Change" painted 4/15/08

What are you, Monk?

One of the first things I do after getting up in the morning, is go into the kitchen (often with Brownie on my heels) and pull the blinds all the way up on the back door. Pooker came in the other day and asked me why in the world I wrenched the blinds all the way up. I told him it was because when I only pull the blinds halfway up, one side hangs quite a bit lower than the other and it bothers me being so off balance. He responded with, "So what are you, Monk?" I laughed because Monk is a TV detective with obsessive-compulsive tendencies.

I thought about it and in some ways, I am a bit like Monk! Mine doesn't tend to do with furnishings or groupings of furnishings or whether a picture is hanging straight on the wall or not (pictures seem to naturally shift a bit), but with things that should be a certain way. Like blinds hanging straight. And like the little ball topper things on my trampoline around the safety net. They all had some breakage on them, but only one had fallen completely off. I went around the other day and removed them all. I couldn't have one not there. It just felt too off balance. Yet, I think I could handle it if at my square dining room table I only had 3 chairs. Or if my pepper shaker broke and I was left with only the salt shaker. Or if none of my dishes matched. But leave my blinds hanging lopsided and I wouldn't be able to get anything else done until they were evened out.

Wild Berry

A wild berry we saw on our walk last week. If I had to guess, I'd say it was a wild raspberry, but I'm really not sure. I just liked this close up because it really highlights the individual bumps on the berry and I thought it was neat.

Brownie loves the water!

Brownie really loves the water, especially when the "waves" are rolling in. She chases them and "bites" at them. It is really cute. I let her play in the river three times on our walks last week. I took some video of her playing that I will try to post on here at some point. I don't know when that will be as I'm trying to get ready for a garage sale, doing my part-time work, working on get my Father's Day cards made, and trying to get some more paintings done.

The great news is I sold 4 paintings last month! I also am a finalist in the writing contest I entered earlier this year and will find out exactly what that means this weekend (of course, I'm hoping for 1st, but actually to place is affirmation that, indeed, I am also a writer!). I took 3 little paintings to a local used bookstore that also has gifts/artsy type things to sell (on commission), but I'm believing they will sell quickly and it is also a way for me to get my work out there. All in all, I'm excited by all the possibilities that are in front of me and am believing for blessings (and more) in every area of my life.

More turtles!

It seems like when Brownie and I go for our walks, we either run into squirrels or turtles. The other day, it was turtles (and not the same turtles we saw last time, either!) This first turtle is a little one.

I put my tennis shoe by him so you could see how small he is! (I assure you, my tennis shoe did not actually touch him and he was left in the exact same condition we found him!)

This second turtle, I would not have seen if Brownie hadn't pointed him out. He was slightly hidden.

I have no idea why his shell is so lichen-covered looking. What do you have to get into to actually stain your shell so badly? Is it just because he is a different kind of turtle? Such a slow mover that moss actually grows on him? I don't know, but his sweet little face looks friendly even if his shell isn't too attractive.

Pretty Yellow Flowers

Of course, I couldn't let those pretty yellow flowers pass me by without focusing on them. You know how much I love flowers.

On our walk yesterday morning

It is almost getting too hot to wait until 8:30 am to go for our walk. Plus, it is getting light at 6:30 am (or even a little earlier now, but that is when it is shining in my window, waking me up). I'll have to seriously consider going for our walks at 6:30 or 7:00 now as when I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep, we went outside and it was beautiful. Not that we can go for our walk this morning as I have some errands to run and some work to get done.

We have a chance of rain later today, so if it is cloudy and cool, may consider going for our walk then. We both sure enjoy it, but yesterday, I was hollered at by a strange man. I ignored him and kept walking because I couldn't imagine what he wanted from me (Me? Money?). I wasn't going to find out and really didn't care if he thought I was rude for ignoring him. I was thinking to myself, "For all you know, I can't hear well, so go holler "Say, little mama" at someone else."

Squirrel in tree eating a nut

Here's another squirrel in a tree eating a nut. His friend was on another tree, peering around it at us, but I couldn't get a picture of him because he went up higher. But this fellow was so intent on his nut, that he didn't really care that Brownie and I were staring at him. He didn't move at all. But Brownie was ready to continue our walk, so this was the best picture I managed to get of him as the tugging on my other arm kept making my camera hand shake.

Fisher Price Record Player

And here is the final Fisher Price item I got for Mom off e-bay, the record player. They've put out many record players over the years, but this is the one we grew up with so it is the one Mom wanted.

I took home all Mom's Fisher Price items over Memorial weekend. She loved them! She is very excited to get her toy room painted and fixed up so little kids can start playing in there. I'll try to get pictures of the room when it is finished with all her vintage Fisher Price on the shelves!

Gray, rainy day

Yet another storm blew through town this morning. Strong winds, hail, and torrential rain came through with this one, but they say a second line is on its way. The weather reported wind gusts up to 80 mph downtown with lots of debris blowing onto the roads. There were many areas flooded and I heard them say they had a water rescue in one area.

We are fine. Only strong winds and rain passed over our house. But even if it had been more, our house and property are safe and protected, in Jesus name. No weapon formed against us will prosper.

I'm thankful for the rain, but dislike being stuck indoors. I want to feel the sun on my face, the breeze in my hair. Too long without the sun and I get a little stir crazy. Hopefully all this rain won't affect our walk tomorrow. We (Brownie and I) sure need it!

Spectacular Sunset

While it was still raining (but after the rainbow), the sun was setting. With the heavy clouds, the sun reflected off them and kind of highlighted them with brilliant color. My brother and I got in his pickup and drove around the trees surrounding the house to get a clear view. I sat in his pickup and took these out the window. What a truly spectacular sunset!!

Rainbow's promise

A storm came through the last night we were home (yes, I know it has taken me a week to finish up with our Memorial Day weekend trip). And in the midst of the storm, the rainbow. It perfectly framed the view standing on the porch, a complete rainbow. And within a few minutes, we saw the reflection of a second rainbow.

With everything that is going on in my life and with the things on my heart, I took that double rainbow as God's promise to me and to my family of double blessings. He sees us, he placed these things on our hearts, he will make a way, and now is the time of blessing in every area of our lives. Hooray for the blessings!!!!

Bindweed

I think almost all flowers are beautiful, even though I know some flowers are really part of weeds. In our yard, we used to have the pretty purple flowers. And this year because the lawn service we use hasn't done a good job, we had some pretty yellow flowers. When I showed this picture to Mom, she told me it was Bindweed. Then, she noticed the wheat (I hadn't known it was there when I was taking a picture of the pretty white flowers). She said farmers hate it when bindweed gets in with the wheat. I guess maybe it chokes it out and keeps it from producing what it could.

Isn't that just like something that is not in our best interest to be all dressed up in a pretty package? Sometimes you don't know it for what it is until it is choking your life of the truly good things. Recognize it for what it is. See beyond the pretty white flowers to what is beneath. If it is not in your best interest, let it go and let your life be full of things that will enable you to produce a bountiful, full harvest.