This is surely the lady I was told I was "suppossed" to be when attending Jr. High & High School -- the "All American " girl that always smiled and did excellent cooking..had the correct dishes on the table for all occasions...

~~ Well ~~ jus' like this lady...I'm not the smiling perfect lady I was instructed to be...instead I have a tendancy to scorch some dinners...grab whatever dishes happen to be clean...and thro paper towels next to the dinner on the table...their good to mop up spills, so there good enuf to wipe crumbs off the chin.

This piece was one of those that I seemed to put together and laugh the entire time...the lady is from some pak of collage goodies I found at one of the art stores, and simply thot she'd be my pick for the shell package...the smile os what really does it....sometimes when The Husband gets really, I mean REALLY on my last good nerve, that's when I get this same kind of smile on my face. He really knows he's in for it then ~~ But the title for this one seemed to jus' pop up from no where, but fits.

"She Sells Sea Shells By The Sea Shore"

Lady of The Tulips ~~ who can't believe that tomorrow is the last day of '06 ~~ oh blast...an' I haven't paid the phone bill yet...yee gads...

*** Last night for the first time since the Model T was invented, The Husband & I went to a "Christmas Party" - and this was a gift to all the employees of the truck company thst he happens to work for. When he was sick last year, we didn't make the party...but this year we found that everything was fine & dandy so we got ourselves somewhat dressed up (even better than getting the "cleanest" dirty shirt out of the laundry hamper...) and made the trek to the restraunt where the party was held ***

Since we seldom get out and about, we were somewhat suprised by the amount of traffic out on the one road to the location we were headed. Sure, Sure, there are 1,298,496 drivers out on the roads right now because of the Christmas Holidays, and yes, probably 1,298,493 of them still have some late - last minute gift giving to attend to. But we thought that it wouldn't be all THAT bad jus' tryin' to get to a restraunt...shows what we know.

We ended up being the first one's to the place (A first for us!!) -- And were greeted as if we were some big - wigs attending a LARGE function...actually we went to a Texas Steakhouse location not too far from the Beach, so it wasn't as tho we were going to a Black-Tie Ordeal...but we felt nice that the staff at least were expecting us. We walked over to the area where the staff had set up chairs and tables...we had a nice dinner, talked with several of the other drivers, an' waved at others as they came in, and said bye when everybody got thru with their food. All and all a pleasant evening.

The funny-odd thing, was that the MINUTE we got into the car, The Husband's cell phone rings...I'm reaching into the back seat to grab the bag The Husband keeps the cell phone in, I'm trying to get my seat belt on, and tell him where we're suppossed to turn out of the parking lot to get across the Bizzy intersection to get to another big Blvd., and then get to our house. All this in about 25.8 seconds. AND answer the phone without sounding winded, or really ANGRY..Ends up it was the youngest, asking , "What're ya doin?" --- (Think Beavus & Butthead here...) ~~ "Uhhh....uhhhh..." He knew we went to this dinner....he knew it'd be at least 9 p.m. before we'd get outta the place, and he STILL asks..."What're ya doin?..."

I've decided that the ranting I did the other day about leavin' town, moving to a small and remote location and all-together shuffling off all parental obligations was after all A VERY GOOD THING ~~ I MEAN -- it's the first evening that The Husband & I go to a dinner party and we have to give our location and estimated time of arrival to one of our adult children...because to his way of thinking, we've been gone long enuf, and, so therefore....GET HOME NOW!!! At first I thought I'd over reacted on the rant of leaving home and going to someplace like Dodge...or another small place in Kansas...but looking back on it, the rant was quite the good idea, and may produce some sort of leaning toward some other location for residence. >> Without one of the cell phones ringing and hearing some idiotic question being asked of me.

Am I wrong in pondering this?

Well -- since it is The Holidays, I will attempt to refrain from any other outbursts and try to enjoy the pretty lights all around the neighborhood, and look joyfully at the pretty decorations the stores have set up for the shoppers. I will also refrain, or at least attempt to remain cool, calm and collect once I've got a ride to a store to do actual Christmas Shopping...The Very Fine Automobile is still sitting in the carport (no mechanic ever came to look at it...whatta suprise..) and so am waiting for The Husband to get back from an out of state freight haul , then take me to someplace high class and expensive...something like Big Lots....oops...oh, ya know...The Mall or somewhere..

If I survive this shopping experience, I may take up the offer from our middle son...who told me, "One day, ma, ya know -- I jus' may get you a bottle of Gin...you keep sayin' you're gonna have a Gin & Tonic if things don't straighten out...Won't YOU be suprised If I haul off an' git ya one?!!"

More on this later...

Lady of The Tulips -- who heard of 389 presents that "Would be Good" to get for assorted members of the family. This is all Well and Good -- Does any one know of where finances can come from in order to get said presents?? Jus' would like to know >> sigh >>

~~ As is the case with my modern hip lifestyle..(waiting for the bolt of lightening to strike the house...) I've been spending the last40 minutes attempting to download (oh $}&$# -- is it Upload??) one of my pictures again...I felt so Cool & Groovy the other day when I jus' hit the buttons and ZINGY-WHIPPY!! ~~ there were one of my collages all nice and spiffy...Now I can't figure out the problem, an' naturally the Computer Kid is at his first day on a new job...so he's not here to assist the Computer Challenged Old Bag....

But in other news...the attempt has given me a chance to think on a little intereting thing that happened to me over the weekend....

Went to a chain fabric store, in time to pick up some patterns for shirts an' get an idea of what to use for some other projects. Went up to the check-out line, an' while waiting for another customer, I'd taken out my checkbook, filled in the line for the name of the store...an' suddenly heard the woman next to me say, "You aren't REALLY going to write a CHECK??!!, are You?" I turned around an' proceeded to listen to her say how she just cannot believe her mother actually uses a CHECKBOOK >>> an' how Old Fashioned it is to use one, now that there are DEBIT CARDS!! out there. And how this woman could not believe how ANYONE in this day and age would ACTUALLY take the TIME (all her "italics...") to write out something ANYMORE!!

~~ Naturally with this woman speaking VERY loudly, people had to turn around to see who the DOLT was standing in line with something just this side of the original wheel that was invented...I, however, tho not too pleased with being made this stide of a laughing stock, turned nice an' slowly, an' proceded to tell this to those all staring at me....

The reason I don't use a Debit/Credit card, besides the fact I haven't used credit cards for over 10 years..(Why make a Fat-Cat Banker any more money?? ) is because I quit, and hate them. The second reason, is 'cause the bank The Husband opened out account at, is on the Navy Base where he had been employed...since he's no longer employed with the Tech Firm on Base, I have no way to get onto said Base, to do anything with the Bank Account...OR -- I could make a big scene, try to get on Base with out a Pass, and quickly be taken away to where ever people go tht attempt those kind of things..an' then request that my kids come visit me while I'm in the Federal Penn!!

At least that got some chuckles, and quite a few nodding of heads...So ~~ I proceeded to Tell this Very Modern Hip Woman, that not only do I not have said Debit Card, I didn't drive on one of the most aggressive, dangerous interstates in the area for over a year, after the ONE time I did shortly after moving here...it literally scared me so terribly, that it really and truly did take me a year to recuperate from the ordeal...I chose now to AVOID that particular interstate, and any of the other ones, not just because my vehicle is over 10 years old (More OH MY looks...) but because it's just not my time to get myself killed while driving from one place to another...I also proceeded to say that after moving from a town of just over 300, there are a lot of things that are far too "Fancy and Modern" for this ol' country girl to try this late in my life, an' I seem to be getting along quite nicely, thank you very much, without any of the Extra #}^* in my life. End of Story.

This seemed to satisfy said Very Modern and Hip Woman, an' this left me with enuf time to MILK IT while I SLOWLY filled out my check for the amount to purchase the patterns I needed to get. I walked out not the least more Modern & Hip...but at lease I made some people realize that it's not all that IMPORTANT to try an' keep up with the Joneses..or whoever it is nowadays...

So ~~ To make a long story just what it is...All this trying an' nashing of teeth...throwing ashes on my self and altogether feeling like a Toad...I'm going to try again in the morning an' see if a picture will wonderfully APPEAR this time on my Blog...

Lady of The Tulips - who has questioned Very Many People about what would happen if said Lady was to get a horse and buggy an' get around The City with that mode of transportation....to date I haven't gotten a Positive Thumbs Up....still waiting...like waiting for her pictures to down/up load on this blog.....sigh....

~~ Here's one - a my lil' pictures that I got finished not too long ago - I'd been lookin' at some photos of models...an' how there seeems to be this latest "debate" over what "Breauty" is -- do models an' their clamoring fans go for the thin - stick - skinny - image...or do they go for some more sensible weight size -- So this pic. is titled "Absolute Beauty" -- notice the color of the crab -- an' the wonderful woman's picture on the photo with the letter B - Do we strive for the Wonderful look...striving with no other end in sight? Or do we realize we are all unique individuals with our own self worth..regardless of what some other yee- haw Tells us to look like?

My - O - My -- didn't mean to ramble so...am waiting patiently, Again for some stuff to get done before I can get to my lil' table out in the studio..the youngest is out of work now, so he's bizzly doin' sometin' out in the side yard...I KNOW better to start any project connected with art while he's WORKING -- always makes my lil' self do a BIG slop -up ...grrrr...

Here's my Stuff , then -- le' me know what it looks like..

Lady of The Tulips -- who pulled down the last of the tomatoes yesterday..still lil' maters on the dead plants..all sorta mushy an' goey..oh SICK...as my middle one sez...an' don' even ask me 'bout the Black-Eye peas...oohheeeyyuuu

~~ Somewhere there is an unwritten Law that sez any trip to the DMV should be full of nothing but horrors, headaches and all-around sorrow...

That being said - The Husband went to said dmv on Saturday ( I didn't even know they were OPEN on Saturdays...sheeh..) to have our oldest transfer his Saturn over to The Husband...the youngest went along so he could help out in any way possible...kinda like catch the father if he fell over from standing in line too long...or catch the father if the DMV worker said, "Please come back another day", after standing in line for 2 1/2 hours...that sorta thang..


Well -- since they were literally the LAST people in line for the day, they amazingly had pretty quick service...the youngest paid for the "tags" or license plates cause he eventually wants to drive the car...and the DMV worker was somwehat helpful with all of that...she even was pretty good about letting The Husband go outside and get some paperwork that the oldest had neglicted to have legally transfered from where he used to live, to here in Virginia. Once The Husband got home and started to relate all the Goings-On to me, I immediately started to cringe, 'cause I'd thot he'd end up sayin' something like, "Oh, an' they got so sick of us they threw us out like-a couple -a bums..." AMAZING!! not the case!! And, he said twice, how nice the lady was who helped him out with all the Assorted $}^#"% that goes into getting a vehicle licensed in the state of Virginia...I think I'm still in shock...

Well -- other news is that there has been some more progress on the Collage front...I'm gonna try an' post right after this one (?) to upload, (or is it download?) one of the collages I just finished putting the hanging wire on over the weekend. I've been encouraged by the middle one to let 'er rip -- show what's been happening in the Studio thru the last few dayz...IN THEORY I'llbe able to get the one picture I'm particularly fond of set up on here for all to see....Pleeze let me know what ya'll think....

Lady of The Tulips - who can hear the oldest screaming on his cell phone out in the front room -- he had a to work last night (he's a Limo driver sometimes for the restraunt he works at as a Valet) an' by the time he got home it was after 3:00 this morning...And the people who had the Limo didn't give him any kind of tip.....grrrr....he started the Limo run BEFORE 5:00 p.m. yesterday evening...Double grrr...

~~ Somewhere there is an unwritten Law that sez any trip to the DMV should be full of nothing but horrors, headaches and all-around sorrow...

That being said - The Husband went to said dmv on Saturday ( I didn't even know they were OPEN on Saturdays...sheeh..) to have our oldest transfer his Saturn over to The Husband...the youngest went along so he could help out in any way possible...kinda like catch the father if he fell over from standing in line too long...or catch the father if the DMV worker said, "Please come back another day", after standing in line for 2 1/2 hours...that sorta thang..


Well -- since they were literally the LAST people in line for the day, they amazingly had pretty quick service...the youngest paid for the "tags" or license plates cause he eventually wants to drive the car...and the DMV worker was somwehat helpful with all of that...she even was pretty good about letting The Husband go outside and get some paperwork that the oldest had neglicted to have legally transfered from where he used to live, to here in Virginia. Once The Husband got home and started to relate all the Goings-On to me, I immediately started to cringe, 'cause I'd thot he'd end up sayin' something like, "Oh, an' they got so sick of us they threw us out like-a couple -a bums..." AMAZING!! not the case!! And, he said twice, how nice the lady was who helped him out with all the Assorted $}^#"% that goes into getting a vehicle licensed in the state of Virginia...I think I'm still in shock...

Well -- other news is that there has been some more progress on the Collage front...I'm gonna try an' post right after this one (?) to upload, (or is it download?) one of the collages I just finished putting the hanging wire on over the weekend. I've been encouraged by the middle one to let 'er rip -- show what's been happening in the Studio thru the last few dayz...IN THEORY I'llbe able to get the one picture I'm particularly fond of set up on here for all to see....Pleeze let me know what ya'll think....

Lady of The Tulips - who can hear the oldest screaming on his cell phone out in the front room -- he had a to work last night (he's a Limo driver sometimes for the restraunt he works at as a Valet) an' by the time he got home it was after 3:00 this morning...And the people who had the Limo didn't give him any kind of tip.....grrrr....he started the Limo run BEFORE 5:00 p.m. yesterday evening...Double grrr...

~~ Have some time to write some random things...basically I'm waiting for some matte medium to dry on one of my collages, so I'm leary of disturbing the piece until everything's dry. I could try and get The Dog off "her" couch, but that may take much more than I have the energy for. Besides, it's jus' a tad chilly in the Studio, so I'm going to stay in the house for a little longer before I get the heat going in the Art Space --

The Husband is doing some work like mad these past few weeks...has been hauling lots of stuff to distribution centers..A lot has been last minute christmas stuff but now the calendar for retail is on Spring....which is hard to imagine when the radio is filled with "Deck The Halls" and other fun songs...My middle son & I were looking at some fabrics last week, and The Husband called on the cell phone to say he needed to get picked up at the terminal earlier than usual....had to make a run over to North Carolina to get some jackets to a distribution center -- and Honest -- he sez, "I've got Christmas Jackets Ma!" -- Fortunately I was close enuf to a bolt of fabric so that it sorta/kinda caught my arm when I suddenly stopped in the isle... "Whaa? You got what?!" "Christmas Jackets!!! Something like 7,300 of em!!" But I gotta get home early 'cause I gotta be at the place by 7 a.m. -- so THAT means you gotta come get me so I get home an' get to sleep asap!!"

~~ Now - what actually was in the Box were Spring Jackets - the paper for the Bill of Lading did have "Green" printed somewhere in the description of freight, so naturally The Husband thot they were for Christmas....oops...Actually for a couple department store chains for Spring...he had the chance to take a sneak peek in the warehouse while the boxes were moved to seperate areas..."They're the prettiest color of green...if you can wear that kinda thing. Mens...." Maybe some sorta thing like Rodney Dangerfield playing golf..that's all I could think of . Anyway, my middle one & I did get The Husband that afternoon after meandering in the fabric store... an' the poor Husband went right to sleep the minute he hit the bed. He's had something like 2 days off in the last 3 weeks, so he was REALLY glad to do nothing this past weekend...

An' speaking of the Holidays -- the idea in my lil' head has been to get things made for the family..but so far that's been viewed with a look of disgust, and a grunt to boot..Since I've always made odds an' ends for Christmas, this leaves me somewhat puzzled on what to do -- Do I jus' race to the closest store -- grab things off the shelves, get 'em home an shout "MERRY CHRISTMAS!! Here's yur STUFF!!" -- hmmm...that probably isn't quite in the Christmas Spirit, is it? -- I'm feeling like there should be some sort of middle ground -- Between going into the whole Mass Merchandise buying frenzy we saw over the weekend (trying to get past the Super +++ ~~ Mart and not getting slammed into by crazed shoppers..) or jus' getting some little things and making small ornaments like I've done in the past -- OR - make some kind of "Necessary Item " they each need...say like socks...uhhh...problem there. I've got no clue how to knit...hmm...Ah HA! -- sewing up some pairs of Boxers that say "Have a Nice Day!" -- hmmm -- seems like I'm gettin' nowhere fast...

So ~~ I'm back to waiting for my collage to finish drying ~~ hoping the sun comin' in thru the windows in the Studio will make it warm enough so that I don't have to turn the heater on (ok - so I'm a cheapskate...). Maybe I'll go in the room an' The Dog will have moved to another position on the couch...it could happen!

Lady of The Tulips - who's wondering why so much stuff is out on store shelves with odd color combinations that seem rather brash, for Christmas...will the color combination make people really buy 'em? Perhaps we'll see these same things on the Discount Isle come January 10th...you know...the "Discounts to 75% OFF!!" sorta isle...sigh...

~~ I hear the wind outside picking up, an' with it being over 70 Degrees, it looks like we're in for some rough weather...A good portion of the U.S. has been hammered with heavy snows, icy conditions, and people jus' not too thrilled with Life right now...my heart goes out to all who are in the grip of this terrible MESS --

But on a lighter note...there has been some progress on the Art ~ End of things here..some projects that have been sitting on my craft table are finally getting finished...an' the middle son who knows All Thangs Computer, tells me he can get some pictures of my work on this hear lil' Blog...'cept he's in Washington D.C. at the moment, so I can't find out 'xactly how to post my stuff till he gets back tomorrow afternoon...I'm Excited, still, to know that I'll be able to let the World see what sorta things I've been creating...The Moment of Truth, as it were...

Yesterday while getting some fabric pieces cut to apply on a couple of projects, I was stationed in my dinning room -- I had 2 workmen in the attic, and in the kitchen -- they were finally here to repair our furnace...Now -- the thing is WAY too large for the house...the people we bought the house from must have looked like an easy sale to the heating and air company who installed the Beast in The Closet ~~ Because the furnace is this HUGE thang that eats loads and loads of natural gas like candy -- our heating bills have run over $200 most winters, and we finally HAD ENOUGH!!! -- an' after saving up for nearly a month, I broke down an' called another heating an airconditioning company, and asked them to come out and generally Make Things Better...

We've used this particular company since we've lived here, so I trust their work...they've been very professional, but have repeatedly told me that the furnace we have was probably a great sale for The Other Company...an' is just not meant for this house...maybe one double the size of ours...ANYWAY -- we've discussed making some imrovements in the duct work, that would make the Beast run more efficently...an', like I said...after saving up, we finally got the repairs done....lots of Cutting of Wood....Hammering -- Yelling back & forth between 2 workmen...tracking dirt in & out of the house...making The Dog a nervous wreck...but after 2 1/2 hours, The Improvements were DONE!!! New registers are now sitting very happily where some REAL old one once were...shiny and clean...and the workmen even cleaned up after themselves ~~ AND ~~ All of this to the tune of $670.70 .....

After I picked myself up off the floor after getting the estimate and final amount for the work done...I regained my composure...wrote out a check for the total...an' quickly sank into a chair at the dinning room table... I am nearly CONVINCED I have chosen the wrong Occupation ~~ Heating & Air Conditioning guys must have some REALLY great vacations..because I'm sure what I jus' paid those guys should get them to Florida this winter IN STYLE!!! Six-Hundred Dollars!!! SIX!!! ~~ HUNDRED!!! Too bad that back in the day when I was in high school, classes weren't available for Girls to take any vocational classes..Because believe me, I WOULD HAVE TAKEN THEM!!!

~~ 'K -- sorry for the rant...but now I have to re-think what to do for Christmas...I'm not too sure if I can even afford one of those Dollar Places....sigh...

Lady of The Tulips ~~ who's pondering whether - o - not to sign up for some kinda vo-tech classes, to Learn a Trade....sheesh...

2 Days under the wrath of a Nor'easter an' it feels like we can venture outside now an' not feel like we'll end up somewhere over in the Dismal Swamp ~~ This storm has been everything it was promoted to be ~~ lottsa wind -- rain, rain an' more rain -- but it was difficult to decide which direction it was coming from...what with winds over 40 mph, the wind was comin' from Everywhere. THANK HEAVENS -- it's slowin' down now...shwwoooo...

It's also the day before Thanksgiving -- Fortunately the groceries have ben taken care of...last year w/no income it was not an especially joyful day..somber at best. But now that The Husband is gainfully employed an' enjoying it..we are able to get the lil' goodies we couldn't buy last year. Even found a good turkey for not too high a price...wow...but it still rankles when I think that some guy is raising these birds an' probably isn't gettin' didly squat for the things...sigh...BUT - it is fun to go in and look at the grocery shelves with all the trimmings for the traditional holiday here in the U.S. -- Thought about getting fresh cranberry's, but couldn't decide if the time to make the sauce would be worth the effort...plus, the recipe I had from New England has somehow dissapeared...without a doubt I'll find it when I want to make a lemon pie for 4th of July ...never fails. Or like the year before last -- couldn't find the pumpkin pie receipe I wanted, an' somewhere around Labor Day it make it's appearance. "OH! Look! Here's just the thing I need!!" ~~ I swanny ~~ I figure anymore thatI deserve all the grey hairs I've got on me little head..

The Art stuff is still goin' strong...I'm waiting for the middle son to get thru with whatever it is he's making noise about....sounds like a drum machine...a guitar slightly out of tune...an' something like...uhmmm.... oh blast....I have No Idea What -- SOMETHING!! ~~ He'll be done soon...I think...

An' while thinking back on getting receipes ~~ I had a thot of making something from one of my old cookbooks ~~ Maybe a little different kinda thing. Looked at Aspic (sp) receipe's...I've no idea of what it is...but the author of the book said up & down that they were quite good, an' would make any guest jus' feel at home. What kind of home, I've no clue, as just the name of the thing..or stuff...sorta/kinda freaked me out. Turning the page didn't help much, as there were more odd things...Finally I started to look at some other kind of pies...Mincemeat looked interesting...found an old one that required using some kind of lean meat...lamb or something. That automatically put that idea out the window...price of lamb is more than gettin' some gas put in The Very Fine Car, so that page got turned, too. Flipped thru some more pages an' thot about baking a cake..but then realized I've never made a 2-layer cake in my entire life, an' the image of me tryin' to frost all this mess...I mean, I could see pieces of the cake fallin' off the side an' top of what I jus' got out of the oven...stickin' to the knife with all the frosting blobbed on...uhh...yeah, that page got turned too...

But I've still got the instant-made-frozen pie shells sittin' in the freezer, an' since the guys like havin' those, slathered with some whipped cream, well, why mess with somethin' else that may create a moment of bedlam in the kitchen? It'd be like if The Husband said he was gonna whip up a batch of cookies with chocolate (oh blast, that doesn't look like it's spelled right...) pieces...Visions of goo all over the kitchen flash everywhere...

Anyway -- Things will quiet down after the meal is over with...everybody will be sleeping an' the television will be blasting to no one in particular, about who knows what. The Dog will be laying smack dab in the middle of front room, no doubt right where I'll be walking by. I SHALL NOT FALL OVER HER!!!

Lady of The Tulips ~~ who's distracted now 'cause the youngest jus' walked in the house, an' is askin' a gazillion questions...an' now fighting with his older brother.....ahh...siblings...

~~~ By the calender it's suppossed to be Fall -- the time of year when daily tempertures drop an' the leaves on tree's turn into fabulous colors. Well ~~ The leaves are up to their end of the deal, but the temperatures aren't considering the calender at all. As of jus' a few minutes ago, the thermometer was readin' 64 degrees....an' it's not quite 11:15 in the morning! I'm tryin' to make myself feel like it's Fall -- wearin' a nice flannel shirt -- but all the dayum shirt is makin' me do is melt...over heat....feel like I'm in a sauna....ya'll get the idea....So when is the temperature gonna do it's change to Fall!?? I strongly believe at times like this that it was a good thing I didn't consider being a Weather Person...I'd be ranting at the computer models that say the weather isn't cooling down...an' it's gonna be unseasonabily warm for the next 10 dayz.....sheesh...

~~ Anyway -- one of the upcoming dayz my middle son sez he WILL be helpin'me get some of my pictures on this here now lil' Blog - he has to get some THANG to transfer pictures from the digital camera an' upload (or is it download?) them onto this place...I'm excited but also sorta nervous...settin' my self an' my art out for the world to see is somewhat freightening..but then since this is what I do -- create Art that tells a story...conveys a feeling...then the only reasonable thing to do is let the world see an' tell --- or is it Show & Tell? the latter, I think. I want to let others see that I want to share my sense of Fun - of Color - an' see that I don't want to consider myself jus' TOO serious when makin' my creations...One thing that grates on my nerves are those that sey.."We Ohhnly Consider SERIOUS Ahhhrrrttt..." Blah. Art is to be enjoyed, not made to make people feel like crawlinginto a hole and hiding the rest of their life. Make Art something to Enjoy -- Make colors that create positive feelings....Create something to put a smile on your face, not make you weep because it sweeps your emotions along into a tide of misery. The Fun is what I do. And hopefully within a couple dayz everybody can see an' express what they feel about my work.

The small things around here are pretty much the same...Dog is sleepin' on the couch in the Studio an' at last look...make that the last sound I heard was her snoring....nothing is more irritating than when she gets her snore going...I'll be painting some piece of watercolor paper, or stamping some fish thing...then I hear this NOISE ~~ an' realize it's THE DOG SNORING!!! LAWDY!! Doesn't do any good to wake her up an sey "Will you Knock that Off!!" 'cause she jus' rolls over an' starts in all over again (Sorta like The Husband...) an' sometimes starts snoring LOUDER...I'll try to concentrate on what I'm doing, but it gets a little nerve racking hearing all this noise from the couch...

The other little thing that seems to be ongoing an' a problem is the Very Fine Car - it isn't living up to its end of the bargain by being a Good Car...yesterday it started in on it's Stalling Out in Traffic During Rush Hour ~~ The Husband was driving the thing for a change when it started this bit...I honestly believe he's been thinking I've been making up this story of the car being Pesty..But by the 4th time the car was sputtering...coughing...making Strange noises under the hood..then he realized the Very Fine Car has some kind of Problem. I've taken it to the mechanic, who promptly said "There's nothing wrong with it..." an' shooed me outta the garage....hmmmph.....I've tried to get another mechanic to look at it but so far it seems a person needs to make appintments for automotive mechanics like they do with a Doctor...3 Weeks in advance an' make sure you have a minimum of $100 before any diagnosis (sp) is made. I'm not one to figure out what a car DOES...'cept to put the key in the ignition, crank it up an' drive down the road...when these Mechanics ask "Well what is it doing?" What it's doing is Making Me Furious!! Having a car stall out during rush hour traffic is not one of the things I've agreed to during my time here on Earth..no contract was ever presented to me with this agreement in writing for me to say "Sure!!" Let's have a car stall out while all the people behind me are screaming at me to get the F"}%+@ outta the WAY!!

Jus' a little thing, mind you...but seems to be something to Learn To Deal With...Nobody told me this was part of living in the Big City..so I'm wonderin' who set this up -- knowing my nerves would be RATTLED....The Husband naturally starts to RANT at me when I simply ask "What's that light on the dash mean, Check Engine?" ~~ Little Thing ~~ When I'd much rather be looking at new Art papers...watercolor pencils...very fine paint brushes...That's what I'd rather be spending my time doing...not the Little Thing of a car deciding to be a $#}%_2 an' making people ANGRY!!

~~ Well ~~ My lil' eyes see that it's time to meander over to one of those local lil' Dollar places an' pick up some necessary items...boring ...boring...boring...But everybody knows that the minute you need to brush your teeth an' realize THERE'S NO TOOTHPASTE!!! -- well...the boring-ness of buying these THANGS comes right back to slap ya right across the face....Necessary Evils, I think my mother would mumble . Besides - I also have to see if the Dog has moved off the couch, so I can spray the cushions with flea spray...That always gets the beast to move...an' move FAST!!

Lady of The Tulips -- who should have thot of using the flea spray some dayz ago to make the dog hop off the couch when she wanted to sit down an' rest....sigh...

~~ The seasonal change is makin' the tree out in our front yard a fabulous Red/Orange/Brown combination of colors that almost looks like its movin' an' dancin' -- the sudden cold temps an' the right amount of rain jus' before the temperature change has really made it look wonderful. In the few years we've lived here, that tree has never looked so good.

The other thing that is soooo cool 'bout this time of year, is all the migrating birds that fly over the lake an' make up their group mind about where to land for rest -- the other day I was reading some info online, when I started to hear all this weird noise outside. First I thot it was the little boy across the street playin' with one of his toy horns...but then I realized it was a school day..sorta rainy an' nobody was outside. I quick-like hopped up to look out the window in the middle bedroom an' realized the sound was from a flock of LARGE birds...not the geese we usually have...but a flock of LOONS!! We've been here over 5 years an' this is the first I've heard an' seen these fabulous birds!! They were circling the water lookin' for a place to land...very gracefully they decended onto the water....it jus' took my breath away. They were so wonderful...An' I'd say they are much happier here where it's jus' over 50 degrees than where they must have flown in from. Don't know where they'll fly from here, but what a joy to see that flock of birds....wow...

Found a lil' place up in the mountains that I've been researchin' an checkin' out for the past few months..actually more like the last year or more. Since The Husband & I never had our anniversary thang this year, I thot it'd be a nice idea to go visit the mountains..right in the middle of the Blue Ridge mind you...an' have a nice quiet weekend. Uhhmmm --- les' jus' say that THAT idea went over like a kick in the stomach.. "I mean! ~~ it's cold up there now! You wanna go up there when??" -- So much for the quiet romantic weekend in the woods....sheesh...

But I did find some fabulous gallerys an' shops an' STUFF that have got my curiosity (Oh shush,,,that's spelled wrong so DEAL! with it..) -- Seems like maybe the time is right for explorin' the place an' seein' jus' what is WHAT!! The Very Fine Automobile is running pretty decent at the moment, so after havin' the mechanic I use get it a once-over...looks like I'll try to make the trip to the Blue Ridge....Besides..the fall colors should still be fairly good, so what more can ya ask for?

Lady of The Tulips -- who is considering jus' what thrift store to hit for buyin' sweaters an' stuff for the cold weather...summer t-shirts jus' aint gettin' it, ya know??

>>> This is jus' beginning to get a little weird...makes me wonder if there is some kind of THING that's makin' it difficult for me to move around the world in general without bashing, smashing or altogether beating myself to bits...

The last post had to do with the smashing of my person, an' some of the other thangs associated with the after effects of makin' PAIN my middle name...I'd thot that after the healing of my leg, arm, Self, had finished (or gotten a good run at it), then I'd be over this latest round of damage. What I was Drinkin' is beyond me...actually I'm not one to do the drinkin' bit like it's perceived...more than 2 beers in an evening puts me absolutely to SLEEP...

So - anyway..went to the Truck Terminal last night to get The Husband from work...jus' anothe r evening, ya know...nothing special. I'd told him I needed to use the facilities, which happen to be located in the downstairs portion of the building...there's a Drivers Lounge, with bathroom for men & women (I write this, because some places have ONE place for both men + women...so it gets sorta scary sometimes for me to use those type places...) . The Husband had already gotten into the car, an' drove me across the parking lot to the front bay doors of the truck repair shop, closer to the entrance to the lounge. I'm thinkin', well isn't THIS nice..

Got outta the car, walked over to the smaller door that leads into the repair shop, offices for the shop manager, etc., but realized the door wasn't opening right. So, after tryin' to pull this big ol' door open, I realized I'd needed to use the lil' button-thangie on the handle to open the door....So, I finally get my lil' hand to push down the button, (no easy feat for a weakling like me...) started to pull the heavy door open >>> and promptly open the door smack dab onto my left big toe. An' I MEAN, the full, heavy weight of this steel door, RIGHT ONTO MY BIG TOE!!!

The word PAIN does not even begin to describe what I felt...an' to make matters worse, I needed to sorta rush, 'cause The Husband wanted to get home, I needed to use the facilities, an' while all this was rushin' thru my lil' ol' brain, all I could feel was this incredible rush of pain. I staggered into the bathroom, sorta crying an' sobbing, got business taken care of...an while walkin' outta the lounge, realized I had to walk across the building to where The Husband had parked the car. Needless to say, by the time I got to the car, I was almost in tears, was barely walking AT ALL....got into the car, an' what does The Husband sey? "Oh, all you did was stub yer big toe...."

After we got home an' I got a chance to look at the damage....the toe is double it's normal size...an' after starting to turn a delightful shade of blue-purple...today I'm glad to say it is STILL twice it's normal size, an' is now more of a deep purple - black than last nite. Zippa-De-Do-Dah!!! I don' know whether to go find an island to run away to, or jus' go slap the $}&+@#$ outta the next guy I see...

The Husband hasn't said a word about it...he jus' figures it's a little owwwieeee....HA!! I'm hobblin' aroun' the house like I'm 105...an' can't get some house work done (Darn the Bad Luck) cause it's too painful to stand on my left foot....

But all this leaves me with the question...Jus' what the $"&+! is goin' on?? I can't move myself anywhere these dayz without a smash-up!! Is this the effects of not enuf coffee in the morning?? The effects of not enuf caffine in the day?? ( oh shut-up...I know that's spelled wrong...) But it's really startin' to freak me out..An' these bumps aren't jus' some little kinda thang..I mean, these are BIG smooshes on me...an' I don't usually get these kinda things. I've hiked up some good trails an' never gotten hurt like I've been in the last 2 weeks!!! AARRGGGHHHHH >>

~~ Well, now ~~ What I've wanted to say tho...is there are 2 pieces I'm almost done with..an' I'm so glad that I've gotten to the 95% finished place with them. I'd wanted to get another piece done by now...mermaid peering into a toy chest w/gold pieces ...but I haven't gotten the fabric painting done for her body, an' haven't gotten the right shape finalized either. So, the 2 other ones are Jus' 'bout done...the mermaid on each of them will be watercolor paper instead of fabric...bright colors....party-party glitter, an' fun stamps all over the place on the box the mermaid will be playing on. I know the 2 people I'm makin' these for will be happy with them. They've been a blast to make. Got some goofy lookin' stars with funny smiles on the inside of one box...the other will have a star with a big ol' grin on him...highly approving the Party theme for the mermaid. Fun Fun Fun !!!

Now it's back to the Studio/Sunroom. The sun is warming the inside of the room Sooo nicely, even tho the hight is only supposed to be 50 something...the windows act like such a great solar heater...I've had to switch from wearin' a flannel shirt to one of my t-shirts...jus' too warm in there to keep the flannel thing happening....the youngest brought in a large crate of green peppers the other night, to keep them from freezin' in the 40 degree night temps...the plants still look pretty good, an' the 'maters are still green an' happy...I've no clue why they haven't started turning bad...guess their tougher than I thot!!

Lady of The Tulips -- who's CAREFULLY goin' to walk down the hall + out to the studio...an' will look 3 times to make sure The Dog isn't in the way...sheesh....

~~~ Well -- seems like Summer is jus' tryin' it's best to stick aroun' -- the last few days have been WARM >> as in over 70-Degrees-WARM -- thus why I said it's just like the summer is not wanting to go away. Funny thing is -- we had the furnace on not three days ago, 'cause the inside of this older home gets chilly once the temps outside fall below 55 Degrees...not too much insulation, so cold seeps thru the cracks and teeny openings that we don't even see. Then, just when the Gas Company thot we'd get the gas blasting into the house...HA!! ....the temps climb back up into the 70 Degree range...makes ya feel like ya don' know whether your comin' or goin' --

AND -- so as not to be too comfortable with the weather bein' nice...this lil' ol Tlip Lady had a great time of fun and games last week....First some kind of NAHHHSTEEEYYY virus got ahold of my person, and made me have coughing fits that felt like my lungs were gonna come flyin' outta my body...very nerve racking, body racking, dog-lookin'-at-me-like WHAT-IS-THAT??!!! kinda stuff...not fun, an' made the more merry with this voice that sounded like I'd turned back to bein' 5 years old...sqeaky-teeny-lil' voice that hurt to say more than 10 words, an' after that the coughing - hacking- sneezy STUFF would start in. OK -- this is not what I'd thot of when I'd wanted a new month to kick off an' look forward to Fall...SO...

Jus' to make matters even more thrilling....I casually went into the Sunroom/Studio an' looked at the dog laying as usual, on the beat-to-a-pulp couch, an' thot, well, I do need to open the 2 side windows to let in a little bit of fresh air, then I was gonna get a final coat of varnish on a piece I'd been workin' on for the past couple days. Fine. 'Cept, I have to climb up on the couch to reach the window handle, an' so, jus' like I've done for EVAH...Igot up on the couch, but w/the dog in the way, I tried to jus' lean over to the right a smidge...but realized I was loosin' my balance. All within maybe 30 seconds, I start to fall over...sorta half-standin', half leanin' toward the couch, an' the leaning-falling-over chair...that was covered with junik...uhhh....so, Istart to try an' get my momentum goin' to the left a little bit, but then see out of the corner of my eye, my oldest son's bicycle, directly behind me...so the next quick thot is, UHHHH..let's not impale ourselves on the handle bars of the bicycle...let's not land on the brand-new paper shredder in front of the ratty chair.an' let's not fall on the dog....WHEEEEEEEE >>>>>>

What happened is I landed mostly on my right leg, smack dab on top of the paper shredder, sorta bounced off of that, an' landed on the floor of the room...Screamin' for my life. I'd really thot I'd broken my leg..the pain was jus' so $"&^}@ BAD...I almost started to hyperventalate (Oh --I know that's spelled wrong...so HUSH!!) --- the middle son came runnin' into the room, looked at me in a heap on the floor, an' quickly ran to get some ice..my leg was bleedin' from where it hit the paper shredder, an the swelling started in right away...my middle one got me to my feet (No easy task there....I could barely stand up..) an' got me into the house. Sat me down on the couch in the front room, told me STAY PUT!! an' got a pillow under my leg to keep it elevated. Needless to say a BIG bag of ice was the best thing in the world..kept the swelling from gettin' to bad, an' after puttin' a bandage on the cut smack-dab on the center of my shin, my son told me not to move. Ya think I was gonna get up an' go somewhere??

Finally after 'bout an hour, the pain started to get a little dimmer, an' I got someone to grab me some pain medication...Now I have these three HUGE black + blue bruises on my leg...the icky spot where my leg scraped the shreder is slowly healing, an' the sharp pains are startin' to go away...BUT -- I have to hand it to whoever builds those paper shredders...that lil' sucker didn't even crack..no nothing...jus' sat there like a lil' brick ______ house, no doubt wonderin' why I suddenly attacked it with my entire person...my shin tho, is not all that impressed with the thing, an' I think is intending on doin' something to it somewhere down the line...

BUT --- this is not all the fun + games I've had in the past few days...NO - NO !! Just so I don't have one part of me black + blue...My right arm must have felt somewhat slighted, so this is the next lil' thang that happened.....

The other night, jus' as I was gettin' to sleep, I started to have one of my heaving - hacking - coughin- fits...right when I thot it was safe to sleep in my own lil' bed an' not out on the couch in the living room ( The Husband didn't want to get sick, so Your's Truly slept on the couch for over a week...) -- HA!! No-sir-eee Bob....I get to couchin' so bad, my eyes started to hurt. So, stagering out into the dark-black hallway, I start stumbling down toward the front room, only to trip and start falling over the dog who happened to be lying smack-dab in the center of the hall...I start falling on her, I'm steppin' all over her back leg...she's tryin' her best to get outta my way, tryin' to get up an' move away from me...I start yellin' at her, an' while tryin' to get my self back sorta standin', I start to lean to the right to "maybe" hold onto the wall. All I did was succeed in havin' my right elbow rub along the wall while I was sliding - half-falling downthe hall way. Screaming once again, an' makin' more noise than is probably legal, I succeed in waking up my middle son, who comes flyin' outta his room, screams, "WHAT THE !!!______" an' then sees that 'm once again in another minor disaster of my own making...

Mind you...The Husband never got outta bed to see if I was ok...the oldest, I gues, took a brief vacation and avoided the entire situation like the plague...an' the youngest finally came stumbling out into the living room, once I made it out there, fumbled-bumped around an' stumbled back into his room, sayin', "Will you keep it down out here..."

I'm not sure if there was a Full Moon -- if there was some planet-moving situation out in space, or jus' what the $"&^*})(}@}was the THANG...but LAWDY!!! I've got more black + blue bruises than I've in 15 years...An' all I was tryin' to do was get some sleep...an' the other time was jus' tryin' to get some fresh air into the studio....I MEAN .... No wonder it's difficult for me to move around this week...my body jus' aint into doin' NOTHIN'!!!

An' I missed the deadline to enter a show I'd wanted to place some pieces in....been workin' 2 months on these thangs....but couldn't come up w/the entrance fee..jus' had to pay $250 for medications for The Husband. Not that I'm in any way ANGRY ~~ not that I'm in any way MIFFED ~~ Not that I want to rip off the head of the pharmacist who refused to accept a coupon that would have given us one of the medications FREE ~~ AND WAS AN EXTREMELY RUDE HAG ON TOP OF IT ~~ no-no -- not me....I"M FURIOUS!!!! 2 months....whoosh...gone an' nothin' to show for it. Well, I do have the pieces, but they didn't get into the show like I'd wanted and worked for. Maybe this is why I'm contemplating coloring my hair....something like PURPLE....

OK ~~ I'm takin' a deep breath now...I'm also gonna go an' get some coffee an' try to get another piece started up. Later will take a coupon to the art store & get some STUFF needed for my work.

I'd love to stay an' chat....but I feel like I better go take my, uhm....."Temperment" outside an' smash a few slugs to pieces that are crawlin' aroun' the tomato plants....that'll show 'um...

Lady Of The Tulips

Well, it's been a few days , to say the least, since I last got something written here...seems like the time I need to sit down an' 'splain somethin, there is always 49,507 other things that pop up an' grab me 'roun' the throat an' say "Listen Here!!!" So -- those have been put outside next to the shed, poutin' an' kickin' rocks against the backyard fence...an' they can stay there for the next few days..

Just got thru drivin' the youngest to another temp job...he has a good agency that places him with companies that only need a worker maybe one - o - 2 days -- the pay isn't anything to write home about, but at least he gets experience an' does get some $$ in the bank. Today he's workin' at a local college, doin' "Grounds Maintenance" -- which is somethin' he enjoys, an' will probably make near $45 for the day. Pays Bills, as he sez, so it's worth gettin' to the place at 6:00 a.m. ~~ usually I'm in slumber-land, but he 's done with the work over near the Beach, so now he's on to something else.

~~~ What is so disturbing, is just the driving around this area ~~ This is something I know I've ranted about in other posts, but it defies description, at best -- there are so many UGLY Drivers out there...Take for instance this morning. I got hung-up in an intersection where the left turn light wasn't workin' -- jus' sat there on red thru 10 - 12 min. of signal changes. So -- I attempted to get into the right lane, that would allow me to go straight, into a industrial complex, 'bout 1/4 Mi. from my house. If I could get thru that area, I knew I could get back home.....Sounds simple enuf...HA!! Once a car pulled up to my right at the intersection, I honked, an' waved my hand at the driver to let me pull in front of him -- with my right turn indicator on. He was SOOO confused, rolled his window down like his pocket protector would get dirt on it -- frowned -- an' sez, "What??!! What did I DO???!!!" I simply said, "The light isn't working, an' I just need to get over in that lane to go straight? Can I do that?" He gave me the DIRTIEST look, but let me over....Shwoo...one step taken care of....HOWEVAH....once I got into the industrial park, I suddenly realized there were no cross roads to get to the main street going around the park and the adjoining airport road...hmmm...hmmm...

So -- I stopped at one intersection, an' nearly got wiped out by people in a hurry to get to work...never mind the speed limit sign said 25 ~~ These people are doin' 40 an' by GAWD don' SLOW THEM DOWN!!! I'm lookin' an' lookin' -- tryin' to figure out where to go....I drive aroun' an' around..people are glarin' an slyin' past me, while I'm pulled off on the side of these streets, gettin' more an' more upset....One guy in some dip-stick "Hot-Rod " nearly side-swiped me while I was desperately tryin' to get into a driveway to ask someone, ANYONE for directions. FINALLY ~~ in complete desperation, I literally WAVED BOTH ARMS OUT THE WINDOW AT A VAN -- an YELLED "HELP!!! HELP!!!" The guy at first just drove past me!!! Cars drivin' past KEPT ON GOING!!! What if I was suddenly ill?? What if I was havin' a heart attack? These shallow, vain people had no concerns other than their shelfish GARBAGE an' didn't give me the time of day!!!

Finally this van stopped an' backed up, while I was still wavin' my arms (BOTH!!) out the window sayin' HELP!!! I NEED SOME HELP!!! He very gingerly rolled down his window like I was gonna shoot him or somethin' -- an' finally sez, "You need somethin'?" I told him I simply wanted directions to where I needed to go, an' he couldn't help me -- didn't know where I needed to go, an' jus' sorta shook his head. Finally I jus' pulled the wagon back into another intersection, an' went back the original way I came in. I was shakin' -- was nearly in tears -- an' all the time jus' kept thinking ~~ If this was a sister....mother..wife to any of these people, would they react the same ugly, nasty mean way? And -- what does it say about the way people show "concern" for others? WAIT -- it shows there IS NO CONCERN FOR OTHERS!!! Well -- by jinkiees -- How silly of me!! To think that the majority of people racing to get to work in the morning would rather see somebody stranded on the side of the road, an' not do a thing to help? Hey!! Guess WHAT???!!!! THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WENT THROUGH!!!! Probably 75 - 100 cars, with nobody stoppin' to see if I needed help....

Maybe it's just my imagination, but WHAT THE $"^{$&{*){( is WRONG with this picture? Kindness is pretty much non-existent to the vast majority of drivers in this city -- And like The Husband said, "Don't expect somebody to come to your aide...they'd just as well run over you an' then scream at your dead body for slowin' them down..."

Somebody want to let me know if maybe I'm just over reacting? I don't think I am - Just wondering why the country in goin' to He- - in a hand-basket...

Lady of The Tulips - who's now reconsidering some land she looked at not far from where she used to live -- near the Ozarks -- maybe this is the time to negotiate ---

~~~ Well, it's another one of those late-summer mornings, where Mother of Weather is being fickle again, an' the temp outside is already nearin' 80 degrees..the humidity is climbin' up the ladder gettin' ready to make things melty again, an' I realllly wanted to get some paintin' done out in the sunroom/studio...Once I walked out there an' felt my back startin' to melt slightly, an' the dog layed on the floor panting-panting...well...that idea went out the window an' jus' is NOT comin' back.

The temps. earlier in the week had been jus' so darn wonderful, too == Cool for a change, with a nice gentle breeze softly comin' in the windows..I thot for sure that the heat was goin' away once an' for Evah...well, not exactly Evah, but at least till next spring. Lots of work got accomplished -- Got a rough mock-up for a 3-Dimensional piece I'm contemplating on doin' for a local show next month. The rough piece is there, an' now the pieces to put it all together are layin' on the table waiting for the "right" assembling ~~ Never having done a 3-D piece is the challenge, so I'm takin' it very slow an' careful. I'd like to figure out how to make a person's body bend around a angled box -- as if to be lookin' inside -- but the detail have eluded my lil' ol' brain for the time being. Frustrating, but I know when the time comes it'll literally pop in my head -- things sometimes happen that way ~~ Suppose the Muse is there but on a coffee break till later notice.

Am also experimenting with some paints I've never used before ~~ Actually some coatings that have a soft glowing patina to them once applied to any surface. I experimented with some wood, paper ~~ Got some color that looked promising, so now the trick is to get it blended the shade that's gonna look good with a Sea-Life piece in the works. There has also been some painting done for another piece for a friend who's up to a good party when the moment strikes -- Even found some paper martini glasses an' somewhere I've got those funny lil' paper umbrellas that abolutely HAVE TO be applied to the piece, which is naturally titled, "PARTY!!" ~~ thot of usin' that song from the 80's "Girls Jus' Wanna Have Fun" -- but didn't know where to start lookin' for old party dresses -- big hair -- makes me tired thinkin' about it all....

Now the next project is looming an' I can't decide whether or not to use gel pens an' glitter -- all on one lil' piece of paper....too much sparkle...or not enuf? One Muse is sayin' GO FOR IT -- the other one is sayin', like the lil' ol' Sunday School Teacher...."HMMM!! That's Just Not What We DO Around Here!! That's Something Other People Do!! NOT US!!" ~~ Actually, I'm thinkin' about tellin' the ol' lady to SHUDDUP! ~ an' go for BROKE!!! THERE!! HA!!! Boy, that feels better...More The Merrier it IS!! Wheeeee!!!

Lady of The Tulips -- who's now gonna go turn off the t.v. with the blah-blah of Pre-Game Football Stuff an' blast some Jazz in the house instead....There! HA!! ~~

Lawdy Mamma! -- where has the time ghhhooone?? -- Seems like I jus' sat down to work on some odds & ends, an' the next thing ya know...it's already September ~~ An' the garden is growin' leaps & bounds, the grass all around the yard is is BAD need of a mowing...an' the dog is still sleepin' on the floor. I'm beginnin' to think there isn't much anybody can do with that animal, she's one of the laziest I've ever known..

But the good thing is that the uglieee heat is finally gone somewhere else, an' I'm finally able to meander around the garden an' not feel like I'm gonna pass out..whatta relief!! It was too too much when it was over 95 degrees, an' once I stepped out the back sunroom door, I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs. Well...there have been times when I actually HAVE screamed at the top of my lungs, but that was when ythe dog had dug a GIANT hole in the flower bed an' figured I'd be very understanding of her need for dirt....

We've also come thru the first tropical storm of the season ~~ Ernesto wasn't that big on the wind factor..tho I suppose it did irritate the trees, angered the flowers, an' knocked down the sunflower plant that jus' started to get some decent blooms goin' ~~ What we did get was a MESS of rain...rain...rain...ya get the idea. Our little courtyard end of the road outside was flooded before 10:00 in the morning, an' byt early afternoon the neighborhood kids were out in their lil' rowboat thingie, paddlin' around in all the water...the other neighbors drug out their canoe an' not wanting to be shown up by the kids, started paddling aroun' in their canoe, too. Was almost like some kinda competition or somethin' ~~ made for great entertainment, since the road was so flooded I COULDN'T GET OUTTA MY DRIVEWAY!!! #$$}*+)@ ~~ that's what I kept sayin' ~~ An' it was made even more sweet, with all the neighbors trash floating down the street...it jus' so happened to be trash pick-up day, an' since all the trashcans were floppin' over from the rain & wind, they proceded to slop all the trash outta them an' distribute it all up an' down the street...a very enjoyable scene of dead trash floating past....slowly coming to the end of the road...YACK!!! ~~~ An' these kids were PLAYIN' IN IT!!! Wha' kinda parents, I'm askin' ~~ would let their kids out with TRASH in murky water??!!!

Calm .... I shall remain calm..... So ~~ To make up for all fridays fun, one of my dear friends called me ~~ well, actually I called her first, but The Husband hadn't charged his cell-phone battery, so midway in a conversation the BATTERIES WENT DEAD ~~ makin' it SOMEWHAT difficult to have a discussion. So ~~ she quick called back an' got the home ph. no. instead ~~ An' we proceded to talk for over 2 hours ~~ HEY LOOK!! ~~ we've always had these Loooonnngggg talks, an' las' night jus' happened to be one of them ~~ K!!!????

We discused various family members that should be arrested for breathing...be put into a hospital an' forgotten about...an' sorted other things...But then she started to tell me about the Bar-B-Q she made one Saturday morning not too long ago.....She's actually quite good at this, makes a mean slab of beef or pork...so when she said she started in fairly early in the morning, I knew she was goin' for broke. She said she got the fire goin' pretty good, only had to put out a small brush fire once when the wind blew some sparks over in the side yard towards the woods...but all in all things were goin' along pretty nice.

She then said she spotted her neighbor standin' over across the way ~~ watchin' what she was doin' ~~ kinda like he was ready for whatever was gonna happen next....So, as she said it ~~ "Well, I see him standin' there watchin' me, so I jus' sorta looked over, and said "Hi Neighbor! -- How ya doin?" An he sez to me, "Well!, I'm doin' Fine! ~~ You?" An' I tell him, "Well!, I"m fine! Ya wanna Beer?" He looked back at mean' sez, "Well now missy, it's only 10:00 in the mornin'! " So, me bein' me, I said to him, "Well, Fine! Ya wanna scotch?"

I've known this woman for a long time, an' there never has been a moment when I know jus' exactly she's gonna say to anybody...an' here's this poor guy, jus' retired from the local school district, an' not all that spry, as they say ~~ an' here she is tryin' to give the poor guy a heart attack. I told her she really shouldn't do things like that, but she said, "Well, I was only jus' gettin' goin, by GAWD! An' 'course it only got better as the day went along..." She did tell me that they were fortunate to only burn a lil' bit more of the grass on the far side of their property, but nothing was bothered by it...'cept some 'possums who came aroun' later in the evening hopin' for some bar-b-q ~~ dolts ~~ as if they'd get some decent food ~~

There is jus' a lite rain startin' to fall now...an' hopefully it's not gonna amount to much..the garden is recuperating from the 10 plus inches we got outta Ernesto...an' I'm glad that $}&+@) is gone....too much rain for my tastes...now it'll be interestin' to see what all the tomato plants have up their sleeve -- all the teeny lil' blossoms are forming 'maters...the youngest came back in the house after lookin' at them...he looked kinda scared & mumbled somethin' 'bout gettin' a new freezer....Wha' can possibly happen? We run outta room again in the freezer?? What The $}% ~~ there's hardly any food in there anyway...sigh....

Lady of The Tulips ~~ who's considerin' havin' a beer an' makin' some Bar-B-Q , now that she thinks of it...

>>>>> Gardening is considered by some to be a defeating enterprise...plants are to grow exactly the way the small little packets we purchase show...perfectly flowering, with the color matching the picture on the seed packet -- no wilted leaves, no curling flower petals -- everything is to look ABSOLUTELY PERFECT!! >>>>> and once outside in the garden, those who feel the effort is an encounter with defeat, find themselves looking at wilted plants...chewed stems...teeny-itty-bitty insects chewing everything that's suppossed to be growing...yet making plants DIE!! >>>>>

I've been mostly lucky-fortunate-all-together-glad that our garden hasn't had too many problems with growing...tho this year we have tried to grow green beans, but they have had a TIME of it...they're showing sign of stress from all the horrible hot weather we've been having...so the youngest has been giving them a gizzilion gallons of compost tea, hoping the beans will be making a comeback soon...Soaking the vegetables last night, I could see that some new leaves were developing, so there should be some sort of resurgance . The actual beans on the plants don't look too good...but some new blooms are popping up, and for that I'm grateful.

What's making up for the green beans, are of course, the Black-Eye-Peas....they don't seem to be showing any sign of stress, anger, or "I'm - Thru - With - The - World " attitude in the least. These have always been the kind of plants that, at least for me, easy to grow, have no problems with the heat, humidity or lack of rain. They just GROW -- Soaking them last night was actually fun -- The youngest had thot thruout last winter just how he was going to support these plants...what he ended up doing was jus' this side of genius ~~ He found some 2" or maybe 2 1/2" galvanized fencing that's 6' in height. Now ~~ the youngest cut lengths of this fencing to make something like tomato cages ~~ but these were for the Black-Eye-Peas -- an' also for the green beans. He & I looked at the hardware store for just the right type of fencing, because from past experience we knew the Black-Eye-Peas will get VERY tall, an' have the uncanny ability to pull over any cheezy fencing that's bought to "save money" ~~ In the case of these plants, it's WAY better to spend the extra $$ and get good wire fencing. We put together the cages, lined them up in the garden so that we could walk around each cage, when the plant was nearing full size (over 6' in height) and not break any stems that have an idea of reaching out to another fence nearby.

What's fun about watering these plants, and the neighboring green beans, is once you're inside the cages, it's very nearly a jungle...an' I discovered, even when there's a person walkin' down the street, your all but invisible inbetween the plants...the peas are taller than I am, they're also growing new and longer stems, and we've already canned up over a gallon & a half of 'em for the pantry. Standing in the garden with the plants all around me was a delight...the water cooled off the mulch covering the ground, and the soaking made the sweetest fragrance...that of earth, plants...that warm humus smell of a garden in it's prime. It almost made me forget that the green beans are pouting for the moment. An' of course, soaking the 'maters.....ahhh...nothing like the smell of growing tomatoes...there is really nothing else that can match the fragrance of a tomato...years ago there was a song about "Homegrown Tomatoes!!" ~~ an' every now & then it pops in my head when I'm in the 'mater bed...we planted marigold seeds saved from the past 2 years of plants...they've hybridzed (sp) themselves to look nothing like what the original plants were ~~ "Petite Small Marigolds" ~~ Now they've gotten to over 2 1/2' in height, nearly a foot around...an' soakin' up all the compost & water they can. Last year we had several in between the herbs -- we also had a VERY LARGE preying mantis living in the marigolds..never would get used to this thing poppin' up outta the plant when I'd be out watering....it'd stand on the branches of the marigold...wiping water off it's face...at over 3" in length, it wasn't something I wanted to get angry...well...they don't hurt people...but jus' the fact it was THERE....why bother something ---

Now it's time to go back out an' gather some more compost from the composter...the last batch of tea is gone...an' now some of the yarrow in the front yard is developing new side plants...so they need a good batch of compost tea...the resurrange of the foxglove is also SO nice...nezt spring it will be so big...but well worth all the trimming of other flowers to give it the space it needs....an' of course...soaking the tulip bed is just about the thing to do...give it a good dose now and let it muddle around thru fall & winter...

Lady of The Tulips ~~ who's wondering whether or not to buy more plants on sale....

~~ Does time fly or is it something else...don't know but now it's getting dark in the evening just a little earlier than only 2 weeks ago...the mornings aren't as light when I'm out on the road w/The Husband...driving to the terminal is a little grayer than it was early in the month. The birds aren't singing quite as early as they were, and finally there is a break in the heat that was baking not only the east coast but also the entire nation.

There has been a good deal of work done in the studio -- the sunroom/studio is now comfortable enough to let me create ~~ something I wasn't able to do for much longer than 10 minutes. The heat was absolutely unbearable for me...when I felt brave enough, the glance at the thermometer only made my neck feel hotter than before...usually 92 or so before Noon...so any work had to be hit or miss. Now it feels much better, and we've been fortunate to have a gentle breeze coming in thru the west windows. I've also been able to get some painting in for a couple pieces that needed some extra color for background shades. These were mostly colors that I needed to offset other papers I'd worked into the piece. Both pieces had to do with ocean life...little mermaids and one mer-baby. He's turned out much different than I'd originally thought he'd look. Actually, if I don't mind saying so, he's actually quite the cutie. Lil' fat-chubby cheeks, big smile and big eyes. He's going to have some toys in his fat little hands, and his tail is a combination of greens, blues and pale sky-blue. He's got glitter, too. Every little boy likes to see shiny things, so why not a mer-baby too?

Now the day is coming to a close...there are more thots but the two sons have come back from doing something over near the Beach...so there will be more later...and some questions about Art...does it have to have a profound statement to make...or can the work make the viewer and artist comfortable with what's being represented on the canvas, or in the case of mixed - media..any combination of canvas, wood, plastic, or whatever....I'm getting several different views being thrown toward me...and not sure which is the "correct" one to embrace....

Lady of The Tulips ~~~

**** As the sun begins it's slow descent into the haze and cloud cover, I realized it's been a couple days since I've been here... maybe the fun & games of my car deciding to do something other than cooperate with me jus' made me more tired and BLAH than I thot. That is not to say that I've jus' been sittin' still ~~

When the temperature cooled down over the weekend, to something under 90 degrees, I found the humidity also went lower, giving me a chance to get some work done in the Sunroom/Studio ~~ This was such a GREAT thing for me ~~ I hated that I couldn't sit out at my table and get any work done, because it was just too darn hot -- I have such a low tolerance for high humidity and temps. ~~ so if it gets too miserable, I can only work in the room for a very short time. I would go by the french doors and look longingly into the room, wishing I could sit for more than 10 minutes and get some painting done. I only had some beads and fibers to attach to one piece to complete it....but found I couldn't sit that long in the 04 degree room. BLAST!!

So ~~ Once it got comfortable enuf, I got the fibers and goodies attached to my last collage...got the coat of matte medium on it and have it set with the other pieces in my storage chest. Quite relieved to have that one done. It wasn't a big piece, but it was just getting the time to complete it that was a pain....Saturday gave me the time to FINISH -- whatta good good feeling. And, since the MUSE was sittin' on my shoulder tellin' me "AHEM...AHEM!!!" -- I decided to get some other pieces of paper ~~ find some beads and little plastic "toy" pieces to collect for the next piece...I'd been thinking of a Baby under water....having the time of her/his life. So -- with that I'm off to the next project. Colors within it will be mostly pale blues..pale turquoise ... maybe some light lavenders. Most of the time spent on this one seems to be finding just the right color combinations of papers...the paints for the border seemed to come along fast ~~ but the papers have been a little more deliberate. Don't understand why...but will just go with it for now.

And ~~ For the first time since probably early spring, I found that last evening was cool and comfortable enuf to get some sponge work done with tissue paper I rediscovered in one of my wicker baskets. It's so loaded with manila file folders of odds and ends of paper (s) ~~ so pawing thru them can s0metimes be quite the ordeal. But ~~ Then I think, that if the Muse is in charge and wants to have something that hasn't been used before.. or wants to be used in a different way, then what the Muse wants...the Muse gets. And the wonderful breeze coming thru the windows was just too fine to let go of ... Before it got too dark to see what I was doint (I didn't want to use any other light...just the receeding sunlight thru the West windows...) I sponged paint and more paint...listening to some good Bluegrass and feeling quite happy. Sometimes the work gets a bit boring...seems to take forever...or just doesn't come together in a way that feels comfortable...doesn't make me feel that the end result will be worth the effort ~~~but that fortunately wasn't the case last evening. All the paint combinations came together in a pleasing manner...the paper wasn't tearing and making me want to tear out my hair either. All in all a good work time. The Muse was somewhat sad, tho, because the daylight was literally gone by the time the last piece of tissue was painted...but if the Muse is saying to me what I think she's/he's saying...then tomorrow will also be good for me.

This morning also was good for some work...but just when I got going...the youngest reminded me of gardening that needed to be taken care of ~~ The pepper plants needed to have more light to them...so a batch of the overtaking-the-garden-space four-O'Clocks had to be thinned out. Some of the nasturtiums also had to be cut back...but they'll grow back soon enough, giving the peppers good growing time. The green beans, tho they are still showing signs of heat stress, are nevertheless producing a good start of beans. The biggest kicker in the garden are the wonderful Black-Eye-Peas. We've been picking lots and lots of them...all good and ripe. The pods easily pull apart, and those fantastic lil' peas just pop out and fall into the bowl. Ahhh....just thinking of how wonderful they'll taste come fall when the weather gets cold...an' just a small dinner of Black-Eye-Peas and Rice...cornbread and maybe a desert...ahhh...that's when all the sweat and mud from summer come to a final end. So -- any work in the garden now is soooo worth the effort. It was good too, to get some weeds pulled...pour a batch of compost tea on the tomatoes and beans, too ~~ All in all a good morning. Then the errands to the hardware...grocery store...an' now the day is coming to an end. But a Quite productive one.

Maybe it's time to sit and have a chilled bottle of water and rest....sound's like a good idea to me. I shall post later in the week...the Muse is muttering somethin' to me so I best go see what it is...

~~~ Lady of The Tulips ~~~

~~~ There's a song in my heart ~~~ But it's not for those who go thru life thinking the world is for the beating...

2 weeks ago my car decided it didn't want to run anymore...well, actually -- it'd been acting like a little brat...not wanting to go from a stop at an intersection, making strange sputtering noises, coughing, belching (sorta like The Husband when he eats something like chili or pizza ~~ then an hour later has a bowl of ice cream...) -- But the car would sometimes jus' keep on going, like there was nothing wrong.

The one day (of all dayz...my 30th wedding anniversary) that it died, it'd stopped jus' before a pretty bizzy intersection....in a right-hand-turn lane only....I was desperately trying to wave people to go around me...trying to get the car to move after starting it up over & over...Finally had a good samaratain (sp) come to my aide and pushed my car into a parking lot no more than 50 feet from where I was.

I was a mess!! I usually don't cry...but it was well over 95 degrees...no air conditioning in the station wagon to boot....So -- I went inside a Cash Advance office...they were kind enuf to let me sit & get myself back together as best a I could.

Then, after thinking the car was jus' angry from the heat..I figured it'd be fine & dandy to drive. HA!! ~~ Got to the next intersection...and not just before the light..but just smack DAB in the middle of the intersection...Dead as can be....I kept tryin' to get it to run...people were passin' me..cusing me out...calling me everything in the book...an' even tho a repair shop was on the corner, & a mechanic was standing by the door to his garage..no one came to help me out...The very special thing, was when the light changed for oncoming traffic to do thru the intersection...one guy jus' absolutely floored his car...directly at me.

Anyway -- I finally got a tow truck (after waiting in a quick-stop type store) -- but even in there...fighting w/my insurance company and suddenly realizing I was in between a 40 oz. beer and people buying said "40" -- (The owner kindly let me use her store phone -- ) I jus' walked from the phone after getting a tow truck secured...walked down one isle of the store, and absolutely cried and cried. This was my 30th Wedding Anniversary !! Yahoo!!

$200 later -- after waiting 3 days to get to my mechanic..I figured All Is Well!! HA!!

Jus' yesterday, the exact thing happens again...tho this time in a much bigger intersection 3 lanes each directon-- an' me tryin' to push my car out of said intersection...I finally get to the inside of a restraunt...a wonderful woman who had seen me struggling in the attempt to move my car let me use her cell phone..an' a fantastic gentleman came to my rescue an' pushed my car to the parking lot of the restraunt. Once I got to my insurance Co., the woman had to leave, making sure I was ok -- Iwas starting to cool off..an' thot -- well -- certainly I need something to cool me off...no soft drink, just water. The cashier didn't want to give me any....I was drenched -- I looked a wreck...the patrons next to me gave me UGLY glares, an' actually moved away from me. This after I explained my situation....I"m having an emergency...an' these business men look at my like I should have just died instead of bothering them....

Some people --- I'm firmly convenced (sp) have a special door..with their name on it..and said door is leading straight to HELL!!!

These doors are for all of those people, who, cusing me out ---refusing to come to assist me (Temps by the way at the time of my cars demise...102...) and looking at my attempts to move my car -- alone -- without doing ONE THING!!! --- hmmmm -- there's nothing else to say.

They should REALLY consider how they would react if this situation would happen to their wife...sister....mother....MAYBE -- just MAYBE -- they would react differently.

I'm still optimistic this could happen.

I'm still shaky from the heat...so shall close for now...in the morning I'll see about gettin' the car repaired -- again --

Lady of The Tulips

Dare I say it? **** IT'S HOT !!!! ****

There has been this unbelievable heat wave crashing down over the U.S. -- an' here in the Mid-Atlantic region it's been more sticky and muggy than anyone has a right to endure. I've avoided glancing at the barometer in the sunroom...as well as the temperature gauge, along with anything else related to the HEAT. I know there have been numerous studies done on what the temperature does to an individual..how certain high temps make somebody snap -- murders and the like are reported to increase during heat waves. I'm not one of the researchers preparing these studies -- HOWEVAH ---- I know FOR A FACT ~~ that with the heat outside -- the heat inside of my very special '94 Station wagon -- an' the fact that there are a large number of impared drivers preparing to create a 10 car pile-up on the area interstates at any given point in time.... I FEEL LIKE EITHER SLAPPIN" THESE PEOPLE UPSIDE THE HEAD -- OR HAULING THEIR CARS OFF THE ROAD W/A GIANT CRANE!!!

The Husband has been making freight deliveries out of state these last few months...'bout one a day. So -- naturally he leaves the Homeplace anywhere between 2:30 a.m. - 4:30 a.m. This means that once he's arrived back in the Hampton Roads area, he legally must stop driving because he's "out of Hours" ~~ legally unable to drive anymore because of time spent behind the wheel. That said....he comes back to the Terminal between 2 -- 3 in the afternoon. THAT means lil' ol' ME gets to get into the thick of all the commuters leaving any one of the military bases in the area...tired...hot an' probably thirstin' for a cold 40 oz. of beer. To date I've seen very little patience w/said individuals leaving said military baes..by & large they have NO patience w/ a 1994 Sable station wagon...doing...for HEAVENS SAKES ~~ THE SPEED LIMIT!!!! It is -- I suppose -- something of a DISASTER for them, leaving them no other recourse, but to VERY RAPIDLY come up behind my vehicle at a very high rate of speed, VERY quickly make a FAST left hand lane change, an' jus' come to within 2 1/2 " of the back of my vert fine automobile. An' all I'm tryin' to do is get to the terminal an' pick up The Husband....

With the HEAT -- the very very aggresive drivers and short tempers...I suddenly realized yesterday must have been indeed a VERY SPECIAL DAY!!! National Jack-Ass Day!! -- Because it jus' by glancing at how HORRIBLE 98% of the drivers were operating their vehicles, they all must have been participating in NATIONAL JACK-ASS DAY!!! Every one of them certainly must have been eagerly awaiting their trophy for being the No. 1 Jack-Ass on the road!! My oh My -- I'm sure who ever was handing out the trophy for the WORST driver of the day...WHAALLLL ..... they most certainly had their hands full with so MANY $^"^%#}{}@! drivers out on the roadways!!

ME? -- I jus' keep cruisin' along in the ol' wagon...with the left arm doin' the old fashion roof-holder thing of the '50 's & 60's -- jus' watchin' these people race along down the road...me, with the windows down, in an attempt to be "cooler " with air blowin' in on my sweat on sweat...an' jus' prayin' I'll get to where I need to be without gettin' KILLED by some MANIAC!!!

I've come to the conclusion that it must be so sad for these speeders...I mean after all, here I am, Slowing down their speeding!!! How DARE I!!!???

So ~~ for all of you who have the privilage of driving 15 miles an hour over the speed limit..let me be the first to offer an apology, for slowing down yer speeding around the interstates and highways & byways of the Hampton Roads area...I also will be the first to say, that I'm more than glad to watch you getting the $500 ticket for speeding, from any one of the area State Troopers patroling any number of roads -- My hats off to you ~~ oh speeders of the roadways ~~ Your kindness toward the State Troopers in handing over vast amounts of YOUR money must feel absolutely WONDERFUL!!!

Thats my rant on $^"&%}@%}& drivers -- I was goin' to tell about my Art an' some books I've been reading, relating to Art...but jus' remembering the DRIVERS....hmmm.....no, these individuals are not drivers...AH HA!!! --- They are Accidents Waiting To Happen!! HA!! That's what it is !! Ok-- I must go sit down w/some cold water & calm down...I will ~~ at a later date, discuss some statements I've been reading concerning Art -- very interesting --

I'm gonna also see if there are some antacids in the pantry...those drivers ~~ jus' rememberin' how bad they are, gave me indigestion.....

Lady of The Tulips

With good intentions I was completely ready to have a post yesterday..However, too many things got in the way. Mostly those irritating little errands that always have to be taken care of, taking the youngest to his part-time job, getting odds & ends at the grocery store. All of it is so madening, (think I spelled that right..) but all of it is something that has to be done.

So -- After settling into my comfy chair in my little studio, I huzzah-hurrah, got to finally get the back page set onto my foamboard, got the "frame" tissue paper set around the edges, and laid the entire piece on the table to dry overnight. What a relief to get just that little bit accomplished. Why it is that getting the smallest things taken care of are usually the most difficult to do. The actual time to put all the paper on was maybe 2 hours....cutting, measuring twice before doing so...then the actually application of the matte medium. In theory it should take 45 minutes...well..at least I've read that some people are able to do that much work in 45 minutes...suppose I'm just one of those people who are a little slower at their creating.

What is the most IRRITATING -- is once I'm all settled in to my space..listening to the finches in the trees..watching the Blue-Jay going from the trees surrounding the park, then flying back to our tree behind the sunroom...feeling the small breeze coming in from the western windows...right when I feel as close to bliss as I can ~~ THEN -- it's more times than not, PANIC TIME!!! $"&^$&}*&})(}#}@}% --- Gotta Quick clean up everything, put away all the papers I'd looked at for other projects, then grab a bottle of water and race outside to the car and drive down the street an' go pick up the youngest....

Usually driving down the one heavily traveled Blvd. is not too bad...but at the time of day to get him, it's rush hour...the interstate is basically a parking lot, so no going ANYWHERE there...so it's Fend-For-Yourself on the blvd....What's even MORE amazing/irritating/dumb-as-dirt ~~ is watching these people, driving VERY expensive cars (BMW'S ~~ MERCEDES ~~ you get the idea...) ****** And these cars are being driven like a bat outta HELL....We're not talkin' just driving fast...that would be too common. What I'm talkin' about is these people -- changing lanes after coming up behind another car & getting within 3 inches of the bumper...then FLYING into the left lane, speeding up, and doing the same thing all over again to some poor other sap. At this point, I'm trying to remember what all my car insurance policy covers -- reckless drivers -- sure -- but how about someone exhibiting absolutely no sort of intelligence once behind the wheel of a motor vehicle? Are these "people" covered?

This thot has been bumbling around in my little head...then it dawned on me...if these people are indeed driving a 2006 BMW....then it would seem logical that they would have the income and insurance to BUY ME A NEW CAR ONCE THEY DEMOLISH MY !994 Sable Stationwagon. FINE!! Go right ahead and smash away!! They AND their attorney (attorney's) will be ever so kind to get something else for me...Isn't that jus' a lil' ol' SAAAWWWEEEETTT thang to do???

Ok ~~ that is my rant on BAD drivers for the afternoon. I will say tho -- that now I've gotten some new business cards...bought some new film...and with that combination, I am goin' to attempt to get my work filmed, and in theory, figure out how to get said work onto HERE -- very excited on THAT!! The middle son will be put t0 work on helpin' me out with that...(Oh dear-one...if yer readin' this, ya'll won't mind, now, will ya??) Course not!!!

However...before all that is done...other things are callin' me...like Ms. Sarah Beth...she needs her lil' doggie bowl taken care of...she needs a big hug...I had to put medicine on her tail...the fleas made her bite a sore onto her tail..she has been pouting under the dining room table ever since...so now the medicine is put away & she gets a treat in the mean time...poor lil' thang....

I'm goin' ~~ The Husband jus' came home & said he bought some groceries...if I don't check what he got there is NO TELLIN' what's settin' on the kitchen counters.....men.....

bye ~~ Lady of the Tulips

I'm BAAACCKKKK --- Is that a scary thot? --

I've not done any thing in the room...no ~~ Wait ~~ I lied...actually what happened..I went to my table...looked over the papers I'm finishing for the project in it's file...and suddenly realized something was chewing on me. Now ~~ I will admit that I take little baby spiders and put them outside...I'll move any thing that happens to be a predetor / eater of bugs that irritate my last good nerve...praying mantis's are good so I'll move them outside if they happen to be lost in the sunroom....HOWEVAH....this particular insect happened to be a flea....those NAHHHSSTTEEEYYYY sucking creatures that have no redeeming value....I hate them. I hate them especially if they happen to be trying to make me dead, or whatever it is they happen to be attempting to do. So ~~ Out came the large can of flea powder..shake...shake..SHAKE...

I'm not sure if the fleas are leaving on the next flight outta the airport back yonder....I will say, however...I'm not seeing the little suckers (HA! play on words...) so I'm assuming they are packing their bags an' goin' to Hell Hole S.C. -- (Honest to goodness it is a real place...) They can go there an' have a wonderful time..lots of swamps...'gatohrs....perfect environment.

The tissue paper is still waiting to be attached to the foamboard...so A.M. early it'll go....Now I realize why the stomach is growling...it's after 5 Eastern....an' my lobster sauce from Fri. take-out is worn off...I mean OFF....

Lady of the Tulips is going now...The morning will be better....promise

Even tho this has taken me sometime to travel thru..mistakes before gettin' something in writing...yes a play on words..but creating this blog has been...uhhh...different. The oldest could not help me with parts of this..but I perservered (no..not spelled rite...ha..) an' now am ready to say HOOOWWWDDDDEEEEEEE

The morning went quiet..slipping thru the humidity...waiting for Little Miss Muffet to do her largeness thang..prancing in the grass before realzin' its too DAYUM hot to be outside...back inside to suck up the air conditioning...now the beast lies sleeping...The Husband is watching tv -- a sllloooowww game called golf...an' my Muse is calling me to the sunroom. The debate within me is should I go into the un-airconditioned room to create...well...thats what I do..so it makes sense...BUT -- on the other hand, do I want to go SWEAT IT OUT...hmmm..AHH HAA...moderation is key...some ol' dame told me that..so instead of taking it to mean I shall not have a gin & tonic (havent in over 20 yers..) I shall not perspire for longer than in necessary to create the next collage...HA! That's the key...by jeeenkies..

I've formed the opinion that more fun is needed...so if the Muse sez NOW -- I'm off to the races..painting now...matte down later..foamboard is ready... my colors are ready...I'll let you know what happens with the piece later

Lady of the Tulips

OKEEEYYYY ----

There is a reason that particular line is sittin’ where it is --- this is one of those “New Fangled Thangies” for me…an The Oldest has been kind enuf to show me how to get my writing into the / onto the page so it’ll be Seen -- Read -- But I had to learn how to get particular words saved…pasted…stored…an’ then written onto my blog…In other words, I hit a wrong damn button the first time I’d written a TON of stuff…an’ naturally everything went in cyber-land an’ I was left looking at my screen wonderin’ why my life was goin’ down the drain faster than the dog food left over from Friday norning…

What I originally wanted to say was here it is ~~ Sunday morning…warm breezy day, with the humidity lurking near 90,000% ~~ Enuf so the Dog doesn’t want to go outside (as if this is something new…) an I’m having second thots of going into the little sunroom to play Artist….The Husband is doing his THANG -- i.e. -- sitting on the couch watching television…amazingly he’s out of bed…not snoring and drooling…creating discord for the spiders that hang from the ceiling…disturbing them and making it uncomfortable for the little plant on my hamper of old clothes. The Husband, did, however, take the youngest to church this morning…making me feel weak in the knees…I MEAN…he got OUT OF BED..ON HIS OWN FREE WILL…and DID SOMETHING…this may go down as news from the corner house….but maybe not.. Where was I ~~

Oh -- the morning feels decent for now…but the heat is lurking..waiting to sap my energy into a puddle of mush. I did get some painting done yesterday..sponged some tissue paper and have it ready to apply to the foam board. My current project is one that surprised me with the color that developed in it. Usually my ocean themes have the cool colors of sea -- light blues, pale sea greens, some faint lavenders ~~ but this one has formed itself into an ancient aged piece…some old fabric was discovered that I’d originally had intended for a shirt…but then after I uhmm ~~~ shall we say ~~~ changed my shape (No –not really fat…just different…) I discovered the size 10 wasn’t gonna fit…so the shirt sleeve got cut, shaped and painted into something else…what else would one do when altering Stuff?? -- now there’s a piece being formed with the old look----somewhere near the 1920’s maybe….a fish that has been somewhere else in time…but has decided to come back for a visit.

I’m pleased with the outcome of this….when I get the chance to get it photographed..then I’ll get it on here for all to seeee….My oldest was out all night doin’ something…he sez he’s been talkin’ with some people doing street ministry..not sure what that means…but if it is helping someone I’m thinking it’s safer than the neighbors stayin’ out all night at the bar, then driving home. I shouldn’t condemn tho…been there…done that…jus’ glad that I’ve survived the mess. Now I’m getting’ fat and sassy..an’ I love it. My creative muse has encompassed me and said it’s ok not to be a size 7 anymore…Develop the Artist within..let all else go to Hell in a Handbasket…the new piece on the little table is makin’ me happy --- feeling loose for the summer day. All the sunshine is bound to create some storms in a little while…but for now the light on the table is makin’ me feel blessed. --- Maybe I’m not out all night doin’ some kind of street ministry…but mine is thru the art…Creating something that my Muse has said “Do” -- Now I’m ready to take the next step and piece it together. Make one thing….Create something for somebody to enjoy…laugh…play…that’s where I am this Sunday morning.

I’m thru rambling….The Muse is Telling me Something…she’s (He?) getting nerve racking tappin’ on my shoulder…HANG ON!! DAYUM!!! ~~ Hate when people get pissy…That reminds me of a friend who’s cat got mad at her husband an pissed in one of his shoes.. “Smells kinda pissy, hon…” That’s another story….

I’m gone…I’d write one of those good ol’ boy C.B. lines..but I have no idea how that goes…sheesh…

Lady of the Tulips

The quick brown fox jumped over the lazydog -- four times.

OKEEEYYYY ----

There is a reason that particular line is sittin’ where it is --- this is one of those “New Fangled Thangies” for me…an The Oldest has been kind enuf to show me how to get my writing into the / onto the page so it’ll be Seen -- Read -- But I had to learn how to get particular words saved…pasted…stored…an’ then written onto my blog…In other words, I hit a wrong damn button the first time I’d written a TON of stuff…an’ naturally everything went in cyber-land an’ I was left looking at my screen wonderin’ why my life was goin’ down the drain faster than the dog food left over from Friday norning…

What I originally wanted to say was here it is ~~ Sunday morning…warm breezy day, with the humidity lurking near 90,000% ~~ Enuf so the Dog doesn’t want to go outside (as if this is something new…) an I’m having second thots of going into the little sunroom to play Artist….The Husband is doing his THANG -- i.e. -- sitting on the couch watching television…amazingly he’s out of bed…not snoring and drooling…creating discord for the spiders that hang from the ceiling…disturbing them and making it uncomfortable for the little plant on my hamper of old clothes. The Husband, did, however, take the youngest to church this morning…making me feel weak in the knees…I MEAN…he got OUT OF BED..ON HIS OWN FREE WILL…and DID SOMETHING…this may go down as news from the corner house….but maybe not.. Where was I ~~

Oh -- the morning feels decent for now…but the heat is lurking..waiting to sap my energy into a puddle of mush. I did get some painting done yesterday..sponged some tissue paper and have it ready to apply to the foam board. My current project is one that surprised me with the color that developed in it. Usually my ocean themes have the cool colors of sea -- light blues, pale sea greens, some faint lavenders ~~ but this one has formed itself into an ancient aged piece…some old fabric was discovered that I’d originally had intended for a shirt…but then after I uhmm ~~~ shall we say ~~~ changed my shape (No –not really fat…just different…) I discovered the size 10 wasn’t gonna fit…so the shirt sleeve got cut, shaped and painted into something else…what else would one do when altering Stuff?? -- now there’s a piece being formed with the old look----somewhere near the 1920’s maybe….a fish that has been somewhere else in time…but has decided to come back for a visit.

I’m pleased with the outcome of this….when I get the chance to get it photographed..then I’ll get it on here for all to seeee….My oldest was out all night doin’ something…he sez he’s been talkin’ with some people doing street ministry..not sure what that means…but if it is helping someone I’m thinking it’s safer than the neighbors stayin’ out all night at the bar, then driving home. I shouldn’t condemn tho…been there…done that…jus’ glad that I’ve survived the mess. Now I’m getting’ fat and sassy..an’ I love it. My creative muse has encompassed me and said it’s ok not to be a size 7 anymore…Develop the Artist within..let all else go to Hell in a Handbasket…the new piece on the little table is makin’ me happy --- feeling loose for the summer day. All the sunshine is bound to create some storms in a little while…but for now the light on the table is makin’ me feel blessed. --- Maybe I’m not out all night doin’ some kind of street ministry…but mine is thru the art…Creating something that my Muse has said “Do” -- Now I’m ready to take the next step and piece it together. Make one thing….Create something for somebody to enjoy…laugh…play…that’s where I am this Sunday morning.

I’m thru rambling….The Muse is Telling me Something…she’s (He?) getting nerve racking tappin’ on my shoulder…HANG ON!! DAYUM!!! ~~ Hate when people get pissy…That reminds me of a friend who’s cat got mad at her husband an pissed in one of his shoes.. “Smells kinda pissy, hon…” That’s another story….

I’m gone…I’d write one of those good ol’ boy C.B. lines..but I have no idea how that goes…sheesh…

Lady of the Tulips