Another step forward ...

Pardon my absence of late. I've been in the studio working, and I've had a lot on my mind. I haven't been able to sit down and focus on posting new enteries, things going on and the ol' head has been just too cluttered and jumbled to make coherent bloggage come out.

Anyway ......

Again, anyone who reads my blog will know I've been on a rampage for direction in my professional life, searching for that elusive "job" what makes me happy, getting myself past the stuckness of fear and uncertainty .... remember the whole soul dance/maraca shaking thing?

What I finally decided to do is take small steps every day with the things I know I enjoy doing, as I feel like doing them. Work on a painting, work on book ideas, work on designing my business cards, etc. Taking action in the face of my heretofore inaction.

The other half of that plan is let the Universe give me signs and bring to me what is in my best interest at this point in time. I believe another step in that process is happening now.

Let me go back a bit and explain.

Earlier in the summer a friend, Vinita, and another woman I didn't know, Rena, opened an art supply/metaphysical supply store on Main St.. For a reason/issue I won't go into I wasn't able to take advantage of this opportunity for using the place for promoting my intuitive tarot readings, etc. Recently, that issue has changed and no longer presents a problem. So, this evening I'm giving Rena (because we only just met last week and she doesn't know me or my abilities well) a tarot reading ...... all in preparation for doing readings at the store. Yee Freakin' Ha!

I'm going to have to admit I'm excited about the prospect of actually having a place to do readings. Tarot reading is something I love to do, feel compelled to do, but for a number of personal reasons, I'm not willing to have strangers come to my house. I either meet them somewhere in town, do the reading over the phone, or go to their house. I want to keep my home as "sacred space" for myself (and my husband). For quite some time I've wanted a place I would feel comfortable, a place that was almost like having my own store, but not have the headaches and financial responsibilities of store owning, etc. This could be just the right thing.

What's also a big plus is this space has the potential to do my Reiki practice as well. Just a short while ago I talked to my friend/Reiki Master, Paul, about us doing it together and he laughed. Turns out, it's almost exactly what he was thinking, too, just before we started talking about it. Another Yee Freakin' Ha! I'm going to start working on our brochure in the next couple of days. He and I have scheduled my final Master Level Class for the Autumn Equinox (as all of my other levels were done on the Equinoxes). With that final attunement, I will be fully realized as a Reiki Master and able to be a teacher if such an opportunity presented itself.

Part of the store is an art gallery, too. Several local artists are displaying their work there and I have decided to put up a few of my own paintings as well. I'm not sure many locals will be able to afford my work, but who knows? Hanging the work will give me another way of getting my work into the public, even if it is a small store in a small town, ya' know?

The thing is ..... I'm making steps forward. I'm coming out of my insulated little space and putting myself into the public arena. I'm taking action. I'm moving myself toward my goals. It's positive and I know good things will come from these small steps.

So this evening after the reading for Rena, I'm going to talk to her about Paul and I using part of the lower level space for the Reiki services in addition to the tarot readings. She's already aware of our desire to be in the store, and quite willing, for us to do Reiki there, but we need to talk about specifics, actually setting up the area, and of course, the financial stuff.

I'm really looking forward to it.

Namaste', y'all ...

The stuck epidemic.

The finished abstract entitled "Genesis"




The finished abstract entitled "Energy"

How many of you ready blogs? How many of you really pay attention to what's being said in those blogs? How many of you have noticed lately a good many bloggers are writing about the same thing? What is that thing? Somehow, in some way, being stuck in life.

I'm curious as to why this is. Why is this stuckness seeming almost epidemic these days? Why is there such tremendous movement of positive energy in the world and yet many people feel as if they are standing still, deep rooted like an old oak tree in a 200 year old forest? Why is life opening up with so many possibilities and avenues of change yet people can't seem to find their path to happiness? Why are people feeling so unsatisfied, groping blindly towards something ... yet they don't know what that something really is?

Anyone who reads my blog is well aware of my current situation of stuckness in my own life. I'm stuck trying to figure out what I want to do with myself career-wise. Should I just paint? Should I write? Should I hang a shingle as a Tarot Reader & Medium? Should I just find an ordinary job? Should I move to Italy and grow olives? Should I say the Hell with it and move to the top of an isolated mountain? Etc. Lots of questions and no definitive answer coming forth at this time. It's a conundrum.

Recently the Executive Director's position at the local Arts Council came open again. I actually called Ashley Wooten, the President of the Board of Directors, to ask him if anyone had yet been hired and about applying for the position. I debated this for the past several days before I called Ashley yesterday. As it turned out, I was a day late and a dollar short - the Board had just hired someone for the position on Monday. To be honest, I was both slightly disappointed and quietly relieved.

A couple of years ago I worked as the Financial Supervisor for the Arts Council for almost two years. I resigned because of things internally within the Council I didn't like; and I wanted to be home painting full time. (After all, that's why I quit the Graphics industry in 1999 and moved back here in the first place.) My position gave me little to no influence on business operations and I became very frustrated by the way the place was being run. I had stress headaches every day and grew to hate being there.

The Arts Council Board of Directors and then Executive Director seemed be steadily losing focus on the artists, promoting artists and the art culture within this community - there is some amazing talent here in this county. The Council put more attention on things like Friday night street concerts on Main St. (and not using local bands), Ice Cream Socials at the park for pre-schoolers, and a host of other non-art related events. And, as I said, there were a lot of other things going on within the business that upset me, but I won't go into detail.

Considering this, one would think I'd lost my mind to have any interest in working there again. I gave it a lot of serious thought. My interest in the position was a combination of several things. I felt that maybe being "out in the working world" again might be good for me. Working from home makes interaction/socializing with people limited. I also could use the income. The Executive Director's position is one of the few jobs around here which pays more than minimum wage. I really don't want to work for $6.00 an hour, ya' know? But another reason for considering applying for the job was the difference in control. As Executive Director I would have had more say in operations, more influence in what's done and not done, etc. Finally, I care about the Arts in this community. I'm an artist living here with no place to sell my work locally, no place that really supports what I do, or other artists in the community either. I knew I could change things in such a position as Executive Director. I could make a difference.

But now it's a mute point. I understand it was the Divine's way of letting me know that particular avenue wasn't the right one for me. It may be been something I could have done, and done well, but would I have truly been happy doing it? Would I have been satisfied with the job? I can't answer that with certainty. What I can say is it wasn't meant happen because I'm meant to do something else ....... now we venture back into the stuck thing. *sigh*

Ever since I spoke to Ashley yesterday morning I've been hearing (from my Guides) I should focus, for the time being, on my promoting artwork, my Tarot reading, Mediumship and practicing Reiki. I should start writing that book. I'm feeling I should finally get off my butt and design business cards/brochures and get them out places where people will see them. People won't know I'm here if I don't tell them. I need to start submitting art to the North Carolina Watercolor Society, the NC Acrylic Society, the Nation Watercolor Society, etc. I need to have some prints and greeting cards made and put them in some stores. I need to stop waiting for it to come to me ....... I need to go after it.

I've realized I truly don't want to work an ordinary 9-5 kind of job. I don't want to be somebody's clerk or secretary or whatever. I want to be an artist. I want to be a Tarot reader - Medium. I want to be a Reiki practitioner. I want to write books. I don't want to be just one of these things, I want to be all of these things. Like Y360 friend Frida said in her blog yesterday, "I want chocolate and also vanilla." Right on, sister! And there is no reason why I can't be all of these things. I have the inclination, I have the skill, it brings me happiness, it would satisfy me.

If that's so, then why am I feeling stuck? Is it that fear popping up again? Round and round we go, me and my stuckness. Sheesh! You'd think I'd get over it already.

On the other hand, I am beginning to feel somewhat pushed into action. I'm well aware of the psychology of the fact that feeling of stuckness will stay, and grow, as long as I'm not actively working towards eliminating it. It will feed itself, like depression, unless I take away what it feeds on .... inaction. And I'm extremely well versed in the soul killing ways of depression. God knows I don't want to ever go into that dark hole again. So, I'll take steps, a little something every day, positive moves toward doing what I want, living as I want. Sounds like a good plan to me.

Today's action will be researching membership applications for the aforementioned art societies. Working in the studio on one of the commissioned portraits. Photographing the finished abstracts (which is done and posted above for y'all to see). Maybe a second round on the treadmill this evening for good measure. Tomorrow will be more steps, but for today I won't worry about them.

Namaste' y'all ...

Fabric addiction ...

Today I took a day trip with my neighbor Connie to the Asheville Arboretum to see the 25th Annual Quilt Show. Oh how much I loved it ... oh how much I'm wishing I hadn't seen all those beautiful quilts. Eck!

The quilting bug is biting my butt. Hard. I think I have welts.

It's not like I don't already still have my friend Paul's quilt I'm still working on. It's not like I don't have the snuggle quilt I'm planning for my buddy Vega in the works. It's not like I don't have a bag of knitting stuff sitting beside the sofa calling for attention. It's not like I don't have two commissioned portraits, one in progress and one coming in a week or so. It's not like I'm not working on a new painting of Kuan Yin for myself. It's not like I'm not getting ready to teach a painting class at the college starting at the end of the month. It's not like I don't already have enough stuff to do, damn it.

*sigh*

I bought some fabric from a couple of the vendors at the show. Beautiful vintage style prints. Glorious Batiks. I could have leaped onto those tables of fabrics and rolled in all colorful cotton glee. Shamelessly. With great abandon.

Fabric makes me weak.

Like yarn.

Maybe more than yarn.

Yes, more than yarn.

My fabric addiction goes back a long way. I recall my little kid fingers fondling the neatly folded yards of fabrics in my mother's fabric stash, my mind imagining sewing things like she did. I loved the sound of Mother's dress making shears cutting through the cloth as she made shirts for my brother, or dresses for herself or for sister and me.

I loved the crisp feel of the freshly pressed cottons; the slinkiness of the silks; the softness of the velvets; the way gabardine drapes into elegant folds; the sparkle of iridescent taffeta and organza; the luster of satin; the soft yet bumpy texture of raw silk; the rich, heavy feel of brocade; the delicate weave of linen ...

Lord! how I loved the colors; the patterns and designs; madras plaids and stripes; diamonds and polka dots ...

I loved how that miraculous stuff could be transformed into things you could wear, or curtains and pillow covers, or snuggly quilts to sleep under ...

I loved the smell of cloth ...

Oh yeah, I've been a fabric addict since way back.

I suppose it's only natural that my attending the quilt show today was like giving a drug addict a nice dose of smack. I did, however, refrain from fondling all the quilts, rubbing my now adult sized fingers all over them in a fabric and quilt induced high. I just wandered around, glassy eyed and slightly giddy.

And the ideas started going ninety miles a minute around in my head. I wanted to rush home, grab my rotary cutter and start whipping up quilts left and right. I bet I mentally planned and made a dozen quilts before I got half-way through the exhibit.

Alas, I know I shouldn't start anything right now. I really don't need another project. I need to get all this other stuff done first. Damn.

But y'all really think that's going to stop me?

Not likely.

Therapeutic bloggage ...

Reading the blogs of others is a favorite pastime of mine. Not only do I read those among my Y360 friends, I read several others as well - Crazy Aunt Purl, Yarn Harlot, Bad Hippie (when she gets time to post) are my top three. There is also Boobs, Injuries & Dr. Pepper, who I think is pretty funny, too. They are wonderful highlights to my day, often very thought provoking, deeply emotional or hysterically funny posts. The most recent entry of CAP was both a thought provoking and emotional post, which obviously, has prompted an entry of my own.

What exactly prompted this entry? Well, it was this ...

"I have been waiting until conditions were perfectly right to live fully. Apparently I think somewhere off in the future there is a really good life and if I wait long enough I will get to it."

Ouch!

I believe I resemble that remark.

Purl wrote a lot of other things that truly hit home as well. I sat here at the computer this morning, reading and crying (she also talked about Roy - which made me boo-hoo like a big goob) and thinking about how, in an odd way, it was as if she was also writing about me and my life. I've been on hold and hadn't even realized it. Well, uh, ain't that kick in the teeth?

How does/did this happen?

I think a large part of it is because I'm so undecided on what to do with myself, questioning what I truly want my life to be. There are lots of things I would like to do but can't find that spark which completely lights me up .... remember that whole "what makes my soul dance" thing I blogged about not long ago? I'm still debating, still wondering, still searching. But most importantly, it comes down to one cold, hard fact; I'm realizing I'm afraid of taking those "would like to do" chances. Why is that?

Do you know how hard it was for me to list in my profile information that I'm psychic? That I'm a Medium? That I do Intuitive Tarot reading? Putting it in there left me feeling exposed, open to attack - from what or whom I'm not sure, but it's what I felt nonetheless. To introduce yourself as a psychic is to be immediately thought of as a freaky caftan wearing', turbaned carnival huckster weirdo.

Okay, I admit I'm weird, but I don't wear own turban. Psychic abilities are something everyone has, whether they realize it or not, yet consider how the general public regards psychics and y'all will understand what I mean about being afraid to say it out loud. Here in this area were I live it could easily get my home vandalized, or something worse. I live in what's called the Bible Belt - and it's called that for a reason. Wall-to-wall bible thumpers passing their form of religious judgment. Not being a God fearing Baptist in this neck of the woods is risky business.

Do you know how hard it was for me to confess I would love to write? Everybody and their momma wants to be a writer. CAP and Yarn Harlot are so good at it. They are published authors for cryin' out loud. And look at the gazillions of books lining the shelves at your local Barnes & Noble ... who am I to think I can do that? What do I really have to say that anyone wants to read? I mean, really. It's a pretty grandiose statement to say, "I want to write a book." I still get the shivers thinking about letting that cat out of the bag.

Did you know it took me several years to be able to say to people that I'm an professional artist and not visibly cringe or stutter over the words. Being an artist is yet another "flaky weirdo" profession. And yes, I do still occasionally have a hard time saying it. Even though I have a website, have sold paintings and prints, have done many commissioned pieces, have been published in magazines, taught classes, and have my work hanging in a store for sale it still sometimes feels like I'm a fake, like I'm trying to fool people into taking me seriously.

As for me personally? I'm still waiting to grow up. I'm 42 years old and 90% of the time I feel like an ignorant, geeky teenager. I'm waiting for that elusive state of mind that I can be wise and adult and mature. I'm waiting for that time when I'll be self-confident, self-assured, speaking and acting and living a life complete in my own power and abilities. I'm waiting to grow into being whoever it is that I'm supposed to be.

In essence, I'm waiting for my life to start. Oh how sad that realization is.

I'm afraid of it not starting and afraid to get it started. Oh how much sadder that is.

The bigger question is what am I going to do about it? Oh what a good question that is.

For now I'm going to go down the hall into the studio and paint. While I'm in there I'm going to seriously think about it, and hopefully, find a spark.

Let's talk about pink ...

Pink ...

INTRODUCING PINK

Brighter pinks are youthful, fun and exciting while vibrant pinks have the same high energy as red. They are sensual and passionate without being too aggressive. Toning down the passion of red with the purity of white results in the softer pinks that are associated with romance and the blush of a young woman's cheeks.

It's not surprising that when giving or receiving flowers pink blossoms are a favorite. Pink is the color of happiness and is sometimes seen as lighthearted. For women who are often overworked and overburdened, an attraction to pink may speak to a desire for the more carefree days of childhood.

HOW THE COLOR PINK EFFECTS US?

* Bright pinks have the same effect on us as red. They stimulate energy and can increase the blood pressure, respiration, heartbeat, and pulse rate.

* Bright pinks also encourage action and confidence.

* Pink has been used in prison holding cells to effectively to reduce erratic behavior.

PINK AROUND THE GLOBE

* The pink ribbon is an internationally recognized symbol of hope and awareness in the fight against breast cancer.

* In Japan, the color pink has a masculine association. The annual blooming of the cherry trees, with it's pink blossoms, each spring ( the Sakura ) is said to represent the young Japanese warriors who fell in battle in the prime of life ( the Samurai).

* The city of Jaipur City is a foremost tourist attraction in India because of its superlative forts, grandiose palaces, vivacious temples, multicolored bazaars, pulsating streets and its distinguished pink color to which the city owes its oft-used name 'The Pink City'.

* Marrakesh is another city associated with the color pink. It is sometimes refered to as the "Rose City", describing it's salmon pink colored buildings and the red clay of it's terrain.

INTERESTING INFORMATION ABOUT PINK

* In 1947, fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli introduced the color hot pink into western fashion. She dubbed the shade "Shocking Pink", though today the color is more associated as "magenta".

* Since the color pink is said to have a tranquilizing effect, sport's teams sometime paint the locker room, to be used by their opposing teams, pink.

* Some studies of the color pink suggest that male weightlifters seem to lose strength in pink rooms, while women weightlifters tend to become stronger around the color.

* Pastries taste better when they come out of pink boxes or served on pink plates (it only works with sweets). Pink makes us crave sugar.

PINK AS A SIGNATURE COLOR

* Pink: Known for her punk rock appearance, Pink is a talented singer-songwriter.

* Carrie, Sex and the City: This fictional character, portrayed by Sarah Jessica Parker, loves fashion and frequently dresses in pink.

* Elle Woods, Legally Blonde: Played by Reese Witherspoon, this fictional blonde loves everything pink.

COMPANIES OR BRANDS IDENTIFIED WITH PINK

* Victoria’s Secret
* Pepto-Bismol
* Mary Kay
* Thomas Pink: With a wonderful reputation for the finest luxury shirts and accessories Pink has become an international success story with stores in the UK, US, Europe and Far East.
* T-Mobile: The Magenta "T" is easily recognized as the symbol for T-Mobile.
* Owens Corning Insulation
... just to name a few.

THE LANGUAGE OF PINK

* Tickled pink: to be happy.
* In the pink: in good health; This phrase hasn't always had this meaning. See what it originally meant.
* Pinking shears: scissors with serrated blades.
* A pink elephant: term to describe hallucinations during intoxication.
* Pinkie finger: the smallest finger on the human hand.
* Pink slip: notice that employment is ending
* Pink collar: refers to a particular class of jobs once only filled by women.

QUOTES ABOUT PINK

* "Pink is the navy blue of India."Diana Vreeland
* "I fell off my pink cloud with a thud." Elizabeth Taylor

SONGS WITH PINK IN THE TITLE

* "Mr. Pink Eyes" by The Cure on The Lovecats single
* "Pink" by Aerosmith
* "Pink & Blue" by OutKast on The Love Below
* "Pink Cadillac" by Bruce Springsteen
* "Pink Cashmere" by Prince on The Hits 1
* "A Pink Dream" by The Cure on the Mint Car single
* "Pink Elephant" by Cherry Poppin' Daddies
* "Pink Houses" by John Cougar Mellencamp
* "Pink Maggit" by Deftones
* "Pink Panther Theme" by Henry Mancini

PINK IN THE GARDEN

* The water lily (Nymphaea) has been casting its spell on humans for thousands of years, enchanting even the earliest civilizations. This mysterious beauty rises from the deep, leaves floating serenely on the surface, exquisite blossoms appearing as if by magic.

* Once the province of grand palaces and public gardens, the water lily is finding its way to the home garden. Better Homes and Garden teaches you how to plant and care for waterlillies.

A TASTE OF PINK

* A tropical citrus fruit, named because it grows in grapelike clusters, Grapefruit is a cross between a sweet orange and a pummelo, and was introduced to Florida from the Bahamas in 1823. There are two main varieties: seeded and seedless. They are also split into color classifications white (yellowish-white flesh) and pink (flesh ranges from pale yellow-pink to bright ruby red). Pink grapefruit has a higher amount of vitamin A. The skins of all varieties are yellow, some with a pink blush. Recipezaar.com

* Cotton candy was invented in 1897 by William Morrison and John C. Wharton, candy makers from Nashville, Tennessee, USA. They invented a device that heated sugar in a spinning bowl that had tiny holes in it. It formed a treat that they originally called "Fairy Floss." As the bowl spun around, the caramelized sugar was forced through the tiny holes, making feathery candy that melts in the mouth.

THE SCENT OF PINK

* Victoria's Secret PINK® Eau de Parfum Spray? Think bright, effervescent. Sophisticated. Sexy. Modern. Confident. Playful. Dab it on. Expect the unexpected.

* Grapefruit: A tart citrus Grapefruit scent. A great refreshing summer scent. Aromatherapy benefits: Balancing, refreshing, cheering.

* Peony: A scent as sweet and fragrant as the flower itself. A great spring, summer scent. Aromatherapy benefits: Soothing, Romantic, calming, uplifting. Scent It.com

* Bubble gum was the original scent of the pink colored Magic Scents Crayons from Binney & Smith Inc. introduced in 1994 with mostly food scents. There were numerous reports that children were eating the food-scented crayons, so the food scents were retired and replaced with non-food scents. The scent for the color pink became "shampoo".

******************************************

And if all that isn't enough to satisfy your pink cravings, let's go shopping and get us some pink stuff at All Pink Stuff.com ..... 'cause y'all know I love me some pink stuff ...

I'll get up early with my trusty alarm clock ...



I can spend the morning cleaning my Jeep ...



All decked out with it's snazzy steering wheel cover ...



Garden in the afternoon without worry for my manicure because I'll have my gloves ...



I can zip to the store for groceries on my scooter ...



Looking all stylish and trendy in my pink boots ...



For dinner I can whip up a tasty casserole in my Chasseur pot ...



While I chit-chat with my best buddy Vega on my Motorola phone ...



And I won't worry about overcooking dinner 'cause I'll be wearing my stunning Ted Baker Diamante watch ...



While wearing my warm and fuzzy Eskimo slippers ...



After dinner I can take a warm bath and dry off with my oh so soft towels ...



And relax after my long day of car care, gardening and cooking with my iPod tunes ...



In my bean bag chair ...



Basking in the glow of my hippie Lava Lamp ...



Snuggled up with my silk blankie ...



And my Funky Monkey pj's ...





Namaste, y'all ...

A post full of nuthin'

1) Muse has decided she's done with abstract for awhile. Got me all worked up and full of ideas and dropped it like a hot potato.

* Interesting bit of trivia - did you know the humble spud is a member of the Nightshade family, as in Atropa belladonna, which is poisonous? The family includes the Jimson weed, eggplant, mandrake, deadly nightshade, potato, tobacco, tomato and petunia, to name a few.

I digress ...

Yep, Muse decided she was ready for portrait work, preferably a slight fantasyish image of a Goddess. She gave me two choices - Kuan Yin or Persephone. Now, I have no idea why it had to be either of these two, but she seemed fairly adamant about it. I asked, she didn't explain. I went as far as suggesting a couple of others, but noooooo, she would have none of my suggestions. All right then, I picked Kuan Yin, the Buddhist Goddess of Compassion.

* It is unfortunate that Buddhism's most enduring (and universal) contribution to the world has been insufficiently translated as compassion. The original Sanskrit word is 'karuna,' which holds within itself traces of the fragment 'ru,' meaning to weep. While the Oxford dictionary describes compassion as pity bordering on the merciful, karuna is actually our ability to relate to another in so intense a measure that the plight of the other affects us as much as if it had been our own.

The term karuna is central to the entire Buddhist tradition. It is frequently described as a love for all beings, equal in intensity to a mother's affection for her child. However, it is quite unlike conventional love (Sanskrit: priya, kama or trishna), which is rooted in dualistic thinking and is egoistic, possessive and exclusive, in contrast to the all-encompassing nature of compassion. The root meaning of karuna is said to be the anguished cry of deep sorrow and understanding that can only come from an unblemished sense of oneness with others.

It remains a historical fact that Kuan Yin is the Chinese version of the male god Avalokiteshvara, whom the ancient texts eulogize as the patron deity of compassion. It is fascinating however to observe that nowhere in India (where he originated) or Tibet (where he remains the most popular deity) is the latter ever deified as a female figure. In China too, his worship began as a male god, but over time, changed into a goddess and by the ninth century her popularity had prevailed over that of Avalokiteshvara's.

Excuse me, I digress, again ....

Thing is, Muse is also insistent that this representation of Kuan Yin not be 'typical', more a Kuan Yin for the 21st Century. I'm not disliking the concept but I'm wasn't sure how to go about it. I ask, "How do I do that, Muse?" She gives me an image in my head of an Asian woman I'd found a picture on in the internet a couple of years ago. I searched through my CD's of images I've collected, found it, played with it in Photoshop, printed it, got out a canvas (yes, Muse is still favoring acrylics), sketched off the image, and started painting last night. I think I'm very much liking what's happening ... to the point that I'm concerned I may screw it up.

Do other artists ever do that? Like something they are working on so much they are afraid they'll totally muck it up?

2) The abstracts are finally dry and I was able sign them today. Lots of paint on those puppies. This afternoon I took them outside in the sun and sprayed them with a couple of coats of varnish. Some of the paint I used was Dr. pH Martins Hydrus Watercolor, which is not designed for painting on non-porous canvas, thus needs varnish to seal and protect it. Now I need to install wire on the back so that I can hang them. .*Note to self, must put that on my list.

3) I was a Weed Killing Goddess this morning. I really hate to use weed killer (Round-Up herbicide), but I have areas in my 'yard' that are being taken over with weeds faster than I can pull 'em. There is also an infestation of grass. I told the husband when we got this place there was to be NO GRASS ... unless it was the kind I could smoke! (*hee hee* joking - I don't smoke that stuff anymore, really) He didn't have a problem with it. I wanted the landscaping to be as natural as possible, with low maintenance, etc. While I realize weeds are indeed 'natural', they aren't part of the plan, so they have to die.

4) The Hummingbirds have, at long last, shown up again. I've kept out feeders, cleaning them and changing the nectar mixture every week. I've seen only a few, random and sporadically since April. Y'all know I love my Hummers! It's been so frustrating, so disheartening to not have them around as I did last year. One would have thought I'd opened up a Hummer Motel 6 with the numbers I had zipping around. They were so beautiful, entertaining to watch, though a bit tough to dodge in the evenings when I'd be out watering the plants. Well, I've tried to keep a positive attitude, have patience, and it's paid off. This evening I've had about seven flying around, fighting over the feeders, and checking out the flowers I've got growing. Rah! Hello Hummers! Welcome Home!

5) The Bluebirds have come back, too! There are two pair who come early in the spring, hang out a couple of months, then I don't seen them anymore. Surprisingly, they are back. I even had one land on the gravel not ten feet away from me this evening when I was sitting on the front steps watching the Hummers. He/She only stayed for a minute, but it was thrilling nonetheless. They are also beautiful birds. There is a saying, "The Blue Bird of Happiness is so elusive, but once one flies by you the memory of that joy remains forever." Nice, huh?

6) I've contracted to teach an acrylic painting class at the local college this fall. The exact schedule is not set, but it will probably be starting at the end of August or the first of September when the Fall Semester begins. It's offered through the Continuing Education Program so I don't have to worry about recruiting people to take the class - the school does that for me. Lorrie, who is the coordinator for the program, said she thinks there will most likely be at least ten 'students' (or more) registering to take the class. The pay isn't all that much, not like it would be if I were teaching the Graphics classes again, but I have absolutely no interest in teaching those classes. Too much drama.

With this acrylic class, it's also only one day/night a week, couple hours a night, for about eight - ten weeks. Most likely, it will be a bunch of beginners, so I'll have to keep things simple. I'm thinking about possibly doing three small projects; wooden Christmas ornament, a greeting card and a small collage. With it being close to Christmas, the ornaments and cards would be something useful yet easy to do. The collage would help them learn to be creative, to see there are more than strictly paint-on-canvas options. I don't know for sure about it yet, but I think it may be fun to do.

7) My Godson, Zachary, turned three this past Monday. The munchkin'. Since his birthday fell on a week day, Sue (my other best buddy and his Mom) decided to have his birthday party this Saturday. I've had his presents in the closet for a couple of months now ... a twelve-pack of Sparklers; a set of Toy Story 2 figures of Woody and Jessie; a Go Diego Go! snuggle blanket; a Buzz Lightyear toy cell phone; and a Happy Feet Mumble stuffed penguin. What can I say? I'm not normally a birthday gift giver (I like to give gifts at odd times in the year for absolutely no reason other than to give the gift), but Zachary is special to me ... he's my son.

Sue told me this cute story a few days ago; She was putting him in his car seat and she asked him, "Who loves you?" Fulling expecting his usual reply of, "You do, Mommie!", she was a bit surprised when he looked at her rather seriously and said, "Me Me." (That's what he calls me, just so y'all know) Now, how could that not melt your heart? Whatta' sweetie, my boy.

8) Getting a new porch built for my back door! Rah! Actually, it's more of a landing, but that's exactly what I want. One of my neighbors gave me some extra lumber she had from having her own porch built a couple of years ago. Very nice of her. My other neighbor, woodworking Phil, is helping to built it. Very nice of him. I've been waiting for this porch for seven years. It's a long story.

9) That's all.

Namaste' y'all.

The past couple of days have been dry days. Had a short burst of happenings and then nuthin'. Poof. Kali can't come up with good blog material. Eck! I've sat down in front of this computer a dozen times and keep coming up blank. What's to be done? Must blog. I've become addicted to it, I confess. I may not have anything of value to say, but since when has that stopped me??? So this evening, while I'm being a Domestic Laundry Goddess (*hee hee* multi-tasking!) I figured I would just start typing and see what happens.

Most times it's not a problem for me to expound to great length about a subject, or two, or three. Give me a random thought, a song lyric, anything, and I can write enough to keep y'all reading for a little while. Then sometimes it's difficult coming up with exciting and adventure filled entries for your reading pleasure. Y'all disappear, comments dry up like autumn leaves, and I'm left scratching my head and wandering aimlessly around the house in my fuzzy socks and sweat pants (yes, in the middle of summer, thank.you.very.much). It's sad.