Monday, May 31, 2010

I have A.D.D....

...seriously.  I do.

And it can be difficult..I am an adult living with A.D.D. 


Read 3 or 4 books at a time..have several half-done knitting projects going at any one time..

And I am a crafter..an artist.  So I have paintings, sketches, flowers, fabric collages in progress..

At. One. Time.

And all that I have going on needs supplies.a .lot. of. supplies.  And they have to have a place to live..

And with A.D.D. .., I have a tendency to put things away quickly..and ..forget where they are..

Sometimes I spend hours trying to find something..then I get frustrated and give up any crafting at all..

So, I am spending a LOT of time trying to stay on task..to clean and organize my art room.

Purging, tossing, putting like-things together..and really thinking about where things will live.

I have had to do that with other things in my life and it's working well...IF I stay focused and take the time to put my keys, glasses, anything in my purse..socks, shoes..kitchen stuff..in their designated spot{s}

The first time I don't put things away..I'm lost.

{this is what I have STILL to do..oh, and a small closet..}

So, I need to take that experience and apply it to my art room. 

Three days..almost done..feels gREaT!

{beleive it or not..these are the 'after' photos..}

How was YOUR holiday spent?  Hope it was all was just as you expected..and hopefully, the troops will be home soon, and families will be together..loving, laughing and doing yard work and organizing their homes..just as we were lucky enough to do this week-end..

Thank you, to all our troops, past, present and maybe {prayfully} less of them in the future.

-me

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Soooo much more than hot dogs and hamburgers..

Memorial Day..tomorrow is...

and we've taken the opportunity to not leave town, but to stay home and get some work done.

Mr. B in the yard ..working on his curb appeal project....and me in the disaster area art room...

But we can't forget to remember why we can have the lives we have..


Because of the sacrifice of so many men and women..


I know, I know. You've heard that a lot lately..but have we made our voices heard to those that matter? Hope so..



So, Brian, Alyssa, Connor, Emily and Ella...these are the just a few of the many, many people we need to thank..and just a few of the people since them and to come..protecting you and your way of life..

And during war times. everyone tried to help..and we need to remember that now..


Thank you..thank you thank you thank you..

The words are just not big enough..

Be safe, be happy, be full...


..and try to think of a world with OUT war..

Just...


Happy, save and grateful Memorial Day to you..

-me

Friday, May 28, 2010

Words....wordswordswords..

It's funny sometimes to think of words..

..of what would be the 'logical' thing to say..

Such as....why we don't say..."last day"..

I mean, we say last night..

Or why not yesternight..no, it's yester-day..

hmmm, weird, no?


Yes...

And "hot"..thanks to Paris-mega-hotel-chain Hilton, who, by the way proves one can certainly be "too rich or too thin"..I hate the word hot..what a lazy way to express something, by popular definition, is supposed to be wonderful..

Lazy lazylazylazylazy..

"Hot" should be reserved for...Lame LAKE  Havasu AZ, {seriously - this WAS a typo...really..ah come on..it REALLY was!} where my sister Kathy lives..can get to 127 degrees



"Hot" as in wasabi

"Hot" as in jalapeno peppers..

"Hot" as in "that's NOT a blow dryer..it's a heat gun..hot"

NOT...as in...

"That's hot" when seeing a purse..that costs more than a small country would..

"That's hot" when some one burps the alphabet..

"That's hot" when someone with no designer taste orders green shag carpet..for the walls..

OK, so maybe we need to try..picture-sign-language!


I think I've been on that road before...



It's enough to give anyone a head ache..

so....



-me

Thursday, May 27, 2010

so, about those birds....

I've seen baby birds before..

Lots of you have posted pictures on your blogs about your baby birds and I do have to admit I suffered for a long time from...

Nest Envy

Then, because I live right, don't run with scissors, floss and give the "thank-you-for-letting-me-merge-in-front-of-you" wave on the roads...

...there were wee baby hummingbirds..George & Gracie in our own little nest..and I was happy..happyhappyhappy!


Today I saw a couple of fat large plump Robins..and one little jumper that didn't make it..poor baby..

And I've seen plenty of whole quail families..the little ones following in a row..


and we have the chick-lets next door..



But I have never ever ever ever seen baby pigeons..pigeon-etts..have you?

And, I don't mean on Google...you do know they can fake photos, right?  Yeah, like there's not really a cross between a jack rabbit and an antelope..the Jack-a-lope..right??



I mean, they have to be eggs at some point..and unless they are freakishly large as toddlers..but I have  never ever ever ever seen baby pigeons..they are just always grown-up..

huh..

Look next time..let me know..I've love to see one :-)


Oh, I want a puppy too!  Or a monkey..or a.....PONY !....I really do!

Have a good sleep & sweet dreams to you..
-me, again

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

I am an office-chair- arm-chair travler..and I am not happy...

of my sweetie-girls at work is going to England on Friday..

Yeeeah..and the twins I work with are going to China..

And one of our researchers is in Italy..

Huh..what the heck and I'm doing wrong?? 

Oh yeah..yard sales..and craft crap  stuff..oh..and all those magazines..and the books I've yet to read...I've always had a hard time thinking "big picture"..and a magazine or a book seems so much more{financially} attainable.

This one's for you, Jillian ;-D

Safe travels, Sweetie-Jilly-bean...and hurry back to us :-)
 And if you see Misery Bear, will you give him a hug for me??

-me

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

THIS JUST IN!!!

OK, not earth shattering..but big...well..not "big" as in BIG..

Sort of almost big..well....I think it's sorta big..

But I guess' sorta big' is like... extra medium..

Wha???
Oh well..

Orville Redenbacher 94% Fat Free PopCorn...!!

So, major let down, huh..

No, wait...I found something to make it less cardboard-like..

..and ...adds flavor..

..and...give the salt something to hold-on to..

No, not butter....nonono...I wish..


Actually..it's.....

Newman's Spray Salad  Dressing..Yep..the one I used is the Asian spray..and it was goo-oo-od!

Even "Hungry" liked it..

Can't wait to try others...

Score!!

Oh, and yesterday's snow?  Yeah..Sun, blue skies and people in shorts today...

Maybe Mother Nature is bi-polar..

HAHAHAHAHHAA! Actually..

Get it?? North pole....South pole??

TaDa..

OK, tada..



-me

Monday, May 24, 2010

Warm Wishes..or is that "Wishes for Warm"?



So, what was your Monday like?

Frosty said he'd be back "one day"...but I kinda thought it would be in the winter..



meaty-er-oly-gists, ah.. meterooligists...Weather-people  said this is the first time we've had "measurable" snow on this date..

We got over 2 inches before it was all done..some areas got 8 ~ 10 inches...awesome..

Have a dry and warm{er} Tuesday..

-me

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Sat-ur-day,in the... 2ndhouseontheleftofthe... park, I think it was ..





..the fourth of July the 22nd of May..

OK, OK, Chicago sang it a little  WAY..better..

It was a fun day..Jeff and Rachael came over after a Jeep rally..

and....AND...

ta-da!

..yeppers, my sweet Grand-Jeep took second in the "Expedition" division ..

He has spent a lot of time...a LOT of time accessorising and customizing and making this his dream car..

..there was pizza and a movie  {Hotel for Dogs} with the neighbor boys..



"Hold onto my legs, Oliver, so I don't fall in.."
{this can't possible end well, right??}

And Oliver the Chicken Charmer...


and lastly, God's flowers are a inspiration to my flowers...He's waaay better...although He's been at it longer...

And, tomorrow it's early Zumba then enjoying the rest of the beautiful day...how about you?

Whatever your plans are, enjoy them with a thankful heart ;-)

-me

Friday, May 21, 2010

So, you were wondering about the heart rock and the wood bird?






You weren't ?? 

Well, I don't have much else tonight..

My legs are hurting as they usually do after Zumba..or a long day..or in the evenings..or just about anytime.

I have terrible varicose veins..same as my Mother..I used to think she was saying "VERY close veins" and I thought.."doesn't everybody have close veins?  Maybe hers are "closer" than most?

Plus I have restless leg syndrome..Geesh..if I knew I was going to live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself..

Hey, with all these jerky-leg-movement-spasms and very close veins, I should have very thin legs, right?

So, here's what I saw when I looked at these 2 things...



So, whaddaya think?


The wing really stands out better in real-bird-life!  Well, real wood-bird life.

Alrightey then.  Have a fun Saturday and be thankful for all you have and all that love you ;-D

-me

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Thought I'd add my 2 cents-es....

...actually, uh..I mean senses..

On our morning walk today, I got to thinking about all of our senses and that I always use my sense of sight..

Well, not always..like on the scale..then I just close my eyes...in prayer...

And my sense of taste?  Well, yeeeeeaah..enough said...

But the one I was using today was the sense of hearing..

No earbuds, no loud singing..thinking..

The sounds of summer are coming!  Birds in the trees jabbering loudly...sprinklers as they hit the metal of the swing-set at the park..

The rooster across the street..

Kids laughing on their way to school..

Great sounds.

And then there's the sense of  touch {that is one of the senses... right??}


The wind was blowing some of the flowers off of the trees and one fell on my face..it felt like a butterfly had softly landed on my cheek..



I found a rock that looked like a broken heart..picked it up and it was smooth a cool..

And a piece of wood that lookd just like 3/4 of a bird....well, it looked like a bird body and wing. It was missing the head.  But I figured out I can craft some sort of appropriate head..and he'll be good as new..ah, for a bird-impersonating piece of wood..

When I picked it up it was dry rough and warm..it had been in the sun.

And they both ended up in my pocket..and they will have a second life somewhere in my life..

How about you..are you using, appreciating and fully embracing all of your senses?  Try it..what you see, hear, taste and smell.....and feel.. may just amaze you..

-me

PS..a few weird facts about your senses:



1. After eating too much, your hearing is less sharp. If you’re heading to a concert or a musical after a big meal you may be doing yourself a disservice. Try eating a smaller meal if you need to keep your hearing pitch perfect.


2. About one third of the human race has 20-20 vision. Glasses and contact wearers are hardly alone in a world where two thirds of the population have less than perfect vision. The amount of people with perfect vision decreases further as they age.

3. If saliva cannot dissolve something, you cannot taste it. In order for foods, or anything else, to have a taste, chemicals from the substance must be dissolved by saliva. If you don’t believe it, try drying off your tongue before tasting something.

4. Women are born better smellers than men and remain better smellers over life. Studies have shown that women are more able to correctly pinpoint just what a smell is. Women were better able to identify citrus, vanilla, cinnamon and coffee smells. While women are overall better smellers, there is an unfortunate 2% of the population with no sense of smell at all.

5. Your nose can remember 50,000 different scents. While a bloodhound’s nose may be a million times more sensitive than a human’s, that doesn’t mean that the human sense of smell is useless. Humans can identify a wide variety of scents and many are strongly tied to memories.

6. Even small noises cause the pupils of the eyes to dilate. It is believed that this is why surgeons, watchmakers and others who perform delicate manual operations are so bothered by uninvited noise. The sound causes their pupils to change focus and blur their vision, making it harder to do their job well.

7. Everyone has a unique smell, except for identical twins. Newborns are able to recognize the smell of their mothers and many of us can pinpoint the smell of our significant others and those we are close to. Part of that smell is determined by genetics, but it’s also largely do to environment, diet and personal hygiene products that create a unique chemistry for each person.
 
huh....I did. not. know. that...

When one has a stressful, worrisome day and night or two..

..one needs to smile and be thankful for all the "little" things in life..

...you know..those "little" things that truly are the BIG things?

Yeah...I knew you'd get it.so, here's sweet sounds together with sweet Ella..



Happier days..love you all :-D

-me...abd Ella

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

So I figure..

..there isn't a good reason I can't  watercolor..right?

I mean, I was talking to the dogs this morning as we were observing Spring..and I saw some lilacs and said, "I could never paint those.."


{bought a whole package of time cards at the thrift store for $1.00 - so I figured I'd use them for something..} 



They both looked up at me .... "why..?"

"Um..well..maybe I could, if I practiced.."

That's when it hit me..why can't I paint those?

I mean, it's not like they are being judged..or that it's my livelihood..or to be painting perfectly-perfect things will cure all the world's problems issues..


So indeed, why not?

When I started paining with oils, no one told me it would be hard..so I didn't expect it to be..and I painted...

I didn't know it was supposed to take a long time to create an oil painting..so it didn't..

And, I never realized you needed expert training..so I had none.

Yet, my paintings supplemented my wages as a waitress while I was a single Mom with 4 kiddos..

(no one told me how to get those either...oopsie! )

So, for me anyway, it's what I expect life to be..'cos I don't know any different.

And I like it that way..even though some would say I am ignorant in my bliss..

So, how do you expect life to be?  Well, you're right..



-me
ps..who knows? Lilacs may be tomorrow's paintings..

Monday, May 17, 2010

What a cute little covey of quail !

Yes, that's what I thought as Braxton, Lulu and I were finishing up our morning walk.


We had already said "hello!" to the Pygmy goat -which reminds me - I need to find out it's name so I don't sound so silly saying "Good morning.......uh..goat" .....


Anyway, we were finishing the walk and nearing home, stopping at the somewhat busy street (like a car every 1.5 minutes or so) when I spotted a whole covey of quail! Ohhh! They are so fun to watch. They actually sort of waddle!


Only these I think were older- no babies with them- I think it may have been a senior citizen's field trip - some had that middle-age spread going on. And some were slow - looking like an old man with a walker.


Then I saw it. A car barreling down the street. He was driving east - towards the sun- which at this time of the morning is brightly coming over the Wasatch mountains. I just knew he didn't see them. Sunshine blindness and all.


I figured he'd probably see me though. I'm wearing a bright green LARGE shirt and neon pink Crocks.

 So I risk it all, holding the dogs back with one hand, getting into the semi-squat position with one hand raised in the universal "STOP!" sign while the quail slowly meandered across the wide street.


Now, mind you, I am not an expert on birds, but I swear they were looking a little indignant, heads held high - continuing their slow pace.

 The driver saw me - looked at me like, oh I don't know.... a "WHAT?? ARE YOU CRAZY ?" kind of look and stopped. Just long enough for the quail to reach the other side of the wide street and.............

FLY away!


Are you kidding me?? All the time I'm risking life and limb and pink Crocks you all could have just FLOWN AWAY?

... gotta love nature.....

Watch our for quail in the road...and  lime green-pink crocked ladies...

{reprinted from 2007.{when the only followers were me and my sister Kathy}....with new photos of the walk and the quail on the sidewalk today ..
-me

Wanna see what I've been up to ??

 I always wanted a dollhouse. My dad was a carpenter and was asked by one of his wealthy customers to make a dollhouse for their daughter. I...