Tuesday, August 30, 2011


>> Here is what became known at the Bus Festival, as the "Tiki Bar" <<

A great idea put together by the fellow on the right ~ He'd bought the nice pink umbrella, all sharp in color, fluffy with whatever it is that it's made out of...an' got a small cooler, a portable table, placed with rocks etc. on the bottom underwater to hold it in place...an' Voila!! ~ A tiki bar was born...uhmm, or made up...or, well, you know..

The shot I got of the "Bar Owner" and the fellow on the left, who put together the entire Bus Festival, was too good to pass up ~ Both looking like they were having "Serious Discussions"...the irony being, what kind of Serious Discussion(s) could ANYBODY have during a Bus Festival?? ~

Thus the picture of two minds doin' Lawdy knows what...

It did make for some interesting questions between the Hubs & me..he said it almost looked scary, with those two jus' standing in the water..looking like there was something afloat...but not the "Bar" itself...

Jus' another one of those crazy moments in the dayz we were up on the river..

AND ~~ I am happy to say that we survived the Hurricane with very little damage to the house ~ 2 shingles on the roof were slightly damaged from one or 2 very large limbs that came crashing down on the house, and bounced onto the ground ~ One hit the very edge of the rain gutter, but considering that particular part is something in the range of $3.50, that doesn't really count as an "Expense" toward repairs..and as the gentleman at the local hardware store said, "It jus' isn' worth it to say anything to the Ins. company anyway..." Isn't that the truth!! ~ So noah got a tube of whats called Roofing Tar, and will make the small repairs today ~ The yard is still loaded with a lot of small branches, and one or two broken limbs, but all are very minimal to the few that were really quite large, and actually scared me when I saw just how big they were...I went to lift one up, thinking I would jus' casually move it off the steps of the deck...Ha!! ~ Who was I kidding?? ! ~ So, noah got that moved, plus some others, and that's where we are today ~ So very very blessed to have such minimal things happen ~!~

We heard from different sources that we had somewhere around 90 mph winds, and that sounds just about right ~ When the hurricane made it's turn to go off further in the Atlantic, then of course the winds did the most "damage" to our place as earlier...during the night at some point in time, (the electricity was out..) I was laying awake suddenly, don't know why...but as I layed awake, I suddenly heard this wind just picking up more and more and more...while I layed in bed thinking, "Well, now, why is the wind starting to get stronger again?..this doesn't make sense.." , I then heard the wind hit the back side of the house with a huge WHOMP!!! ~ WHOA!! ~ I layed in bed thinking, "Well, now, that wasn't exactly what I had in mind to hear today..", when Tom very quietly said to me..."What was that?"...I very politely told him, "I think we jus' had us a tornado, dear..." ~

He didn't have much to say after that...But, again, blessings abound! ~ No damage from that, so we are nearly dancing in the street!! ~

'K, maybe not in the street, but at least we're pretty darn glad!! ~

And I've got some paintings that are done, 4 to be exact! ~ An' 2 in the Almost Finished But For Teeny Bits to Add stage....ugh...those little tidbits that drive me to distraction!! ~ But they've made all the difference in the world!! ~ YAY!! ~

Other news will be coming later this week I believe..something that I've been trying to do for forEVAH!! ~ Ohh...I'm trying not to get too excited, but it Will be pretty cool!! ~ Yup! ~

But for now I need to finish some paper cutting...so,

I'm Gone.........


Lady of The Tulips

Thursday, August 25, 2011



>> I MEAN<<

How cool is this Bus??!! ~~I had to get a picture of it when we were at the Festival last month (GHAWD! A month already??!!) ~ the people were just down the way from us, and were more thn happy to let me get a shot of this - I don't know what type it is - there are so many variations of the Bus, an' I don't know all of 'em - but this one is so very unique, it was just screaming out for a picture!! ~

And on a brighter note - I called a local printer, and to my much and great relief, I can get prints made from a batch of my original paintings/mixed media pieces, and they "clean" up any bad mistakes I made in taking the photos!! ~ I was sooo relieved when I talked to the shop person, you have NO idea!! ~ So, now all I have to do is make a few adjustments to some paintings I have and get them onto a SP card, and then take them in nextweek ~ I will also be trying to get some into a file and be able to download them here and get some other touches cleaned up so they can be seen by one and all!! ~

It's been a lot of work, and I'm trying to learn how to get some tweaking done to get rid of little boo-boo's when I use my son's camera ~ Oh! ~ Yes, our oldest loaned me his much much newer camera, and sloooowly I'm learning how to use it, download pictures onto a "zip" card, an' get them ready to make into prints ~ I'm tired from lots and lots of work with the thing, but I'm a tad better than I was over the weekend..I was SO frustrated with the thing...an' tom is absolutely NO HELP!! ~ I was crying and crying, trying to figure out how to make the pictures RIGHT!! ~ to no avail, and finally in a fit of crying and anger, I told tom, "Well, then just go ahead an' get a big ol' trash bag out, I'll just throw it all away, an' go back to cleaning toilets again...all these rich people need a girl to do that kind of work, they can be rude all they want, after all, I'm jus' a cleaning girl!!!".....

Tom just layed on the couch & never said a word..encouragement for my art would have been nice, but its not been around for a long, long time, so THAT aint gonna happen!! ~ So..it's all up to ME!! ~ An' I'm pluggin' away, learning bit by bit..'course it's gonna cost a lot more to get the prints made than I'd hoped, but that's how it goes ~

I will show some of my WIPtoo!! ~ They are fun, an' bright, and I hope one and all will enjoy them! ~ I've tried to get some different things done, so there is a bit more color and texture ~ Oh, it's been so much fun! ~

But for now I gotta go an' get yet another painting going! ~


Lady of The Tulips ~

Wednesday, August 24, 2011


>> Sorry for no picture today <<

I'm somewhat shaken by the events of the last couple dayz, and my brain couldn't figure out what I wanted to download on here...sheesh.......

First we have that charming hurricane out in the atlantic..looking to bear down on us..sometime during the weekend..probably a Cat. 3 or so - winds over 110..YeeHaww!! ...

Then we had some of the ruuumbling of the earthquake yesterday that was centered in Mineral Va. - it felt like the kind of shake that somebody does when their trying to gently wake you up...something I'd not felt like since living in Calif. all those years ago ~ Very strange, yet so familiar. Till I realized "We're not in Cali. anymore!!" ~

So now, after having one of those horrible ph. calls w our mtg company..all rudeness and ugliee..always lookin' out for the bankers, rich folks and investers, never thinking THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THESE HOUSES YOU SELFISH JERkS!!!

Sorry..I really Do Not Like Them ~

I a still literally shaking from the phone call - I can no longer deal with the ugly way they are - always rude - trained to be rude ?? ~ WHY ~

So I'm attempting to get some art ART!! ~ Done ~ It's such a terrible thing when all I want to do and have a strong desire to do is my art - to continue painting, getting things done on a canvas that looks nice, gives a feeling of comfort..yet all these other things, and people filled with evil and hatred jus' bearing down on me...I am left drained and wishing for it all to go away ~

When I get this other painting finished I will post it - yeah yeah..I keep saying that, but the camera of mine is 1/2 dead..and the one I borrowed is not as "EASY!" as the manufacturer sez it is...ahh the learning curve of a new thing..never a snap to do! ~

But I will persevere!!! ~

Must got for now~!~

Lady of The Tulips

Wednesday, August 17, 2011



Look! ~ One of my buddy's out on the river, floatin' away an' havin' a good time! ~

Now that I'm older & wiser, I will get something like this for a float, or maybe try to find an inner tube..I was being extra cheap this year, an' bought 2 floats @ one of those dollar stores..tom used it an' went merrily floating off down river..me? I tried to use the thing, an' accidently slid my fingernail into one of the groves on the float, an immediately sprung a leak & started to sink!!! ~

Spending a little more next time...

I do have to say that at least today the weather is absolutely wonderful ~ A lot like it was in this wonderful picture ~ Not too overly hot where one wants to just stay in the water and never come out...an' not too humid today either! ~ Oh, it is such a relief when there isn't that haze of humidity over the trees, an' lurking over the Sound...ugh. And I am so glad that the temps are somewhere in the mid 80's..where they will probably stay for at least a little while longer...shwooooooooooooo

I have more projects over on the work table..I had so wanted gabriel to come down here an' help me out w/taking pictures and doing some work on my blog for me...but alas, he has something else to do, and it just hasn't happened yet. I want to share the pictures, but I don't have the right attachment for the camera that was loaned to me from our oldest dan - he has a much better camera than mine, and it seems to be a little larger, so I have my fingers crossed that the pictures I take w/that camera will be better. I need better today! ~

I still have some lingering problems that are off on the horizon, but so far the bad news from them hasn't hit yet...I know their out there, but for now it's quiet, so I'm thankful for that. As long as some of the people I know will just leave me alone with their negative beings, then it will be much easier for me to deal with other things that I'm attempting to negotiate ~ I have so much that's in the works for my self and my Art ~ I just want that to be the highlight of everyday and not the negative people and their negative energy bearing down on me ~

Must check on a painting that I have nearly done - it's really something different than others ~ Oh, its Beach related, but that's about as far as that goes ~ Kinda retro..kinda surfy..kinda all of that combined. Tee Hee.............


Lady of The Tulips

Monday, August 15, 2011



>> Sorry for no picture today..I'll try and make it better with a little bit of color for the print, will that be ok? <<

I just had one of those afternoons where it doesn't seem like there will ever be good news - all these corporations demanding something from me that does not exist...too much bad, always bad news to me, and I'm just wanting something good - is it wrong these days to want something good? ~ I'm beginning to think it is ~

I once belonged to an organization, where people there would tell me that to want something was indeed wrong - that "was being selfish!!" ~ I was to only consider things that were necessary, not some things that would be fun - nice - different. The people were absolutely evil, and had an amazing ability to absolutely deflate me at every opportunity. I withstood it for just so long, and when I made my leave of them, it was as if the sky opened out and truly a ray of light emerged over me ~ I honestly felt the sky smiling at that point, and I have chosen since then to be very aware of people who sap the very living depth of ones soul, the very core of a person..those are the kinds of people I avoid.

Yet, it seems that corporate america goes out of their way to make sure that they do crush the spirit of a person ~ I just had 2 telephone calls that were this way ~ It stunned me with the first, and by the second, I was and still am, completely deflated ~ I feel as if there was a huge boulder pushed on top of me..and the people giving me the bad news, telling me that I was wrong in not being able to do what they wanted me to do...this was the crushing - and it didn't stop 'till I hung up on the people.

I am very sorry this is not a positive post...but this is how it has been for me these last couple weeks - it's as if the time away is now looking like it never was...

But now I have to leave..interuptions...I am once again wrong in what I do...lord knows I'm exhausted........



Lady of The Tulips

Sunday, August 14, 2011



Early morning at the campground...

This was taken just after the sun came up over the opposite side of the river where we camped w/the Bus Festival ~ This was what greeted me every morning - a soft and floaty fog over the water that hung all whispy and thin - so amazing to sit and watch with a cup of coffee - the movement of air over the fog, moving it to one direction, then another ~

I am so sad that we weren't able to stay up there - here it is just one hard thing after another, and I'm having a difficult time keeping my head above it all ~ Too many things that are dragging me down, and I feel as if the crush is just around the corner ~ I have some real fears and some very scary and upcoming events that are just a ways away, that are tearing me apart ~ I can't do anything about any of it, and the sad thing is, that some people who had said they were "friends" have absolutely turned their back on me ~ Leaving me to shoulder far too many things alone ~ Oh, the hubs is "here", and so is noah, but neither of them can do anything to stop the train wreck is that is just around the corner ~ I am so overwhelmed and burdened, and I have no relief in sight ~

I am trying to continue painting, and hoping for more miracles to happen ~ But for now I am nearly incapable to painting one brush stroke ~ That's how bad it is for me - I hate to shoulder all this weight by myself, but hubs has never been one to take on any thot of jumping in and trying to do more than he can - indifference is something that he completely feel toward anything that he doesn't want to face ` So it leaves all the ugliness on me to handle - take care of - do something about ~ And do it with a smile on my face, and a bounce in my step ~

Right now I am nearly crawling, the pain and heaviness is so much for me -

I must leave, for now - and I will hope that this image will be something that I'll be able to think of in the coming days ~


Lady of The Tulips

Wednesday, August 10, 2011



The Hubs was busy doin' something when this picture was taken..we were walking back to our campsite @ High Country Bus Festival...we'd gotten a ride w/the owner on his little golf cart to visit friends at a section called "Primitive" - it was a bit of a walk, and the shade under all the wonderful trees was fabulous...

But I still have no idea what hubs was doing here..'capt that he got (you can just make out the roll) an incredibly large roll of trash bags..I've no idea how many are on the roll..but by the looks of it, we'll have trash bags for the duration...

What caught my eye was this wonderful cab-style (it has a specific name, but at the moment I can't remember..) vw..it's older than ours, and the guy who had it was all camped out with enuf things for what looked like a summer - worths of camping ~ Can you see the neat old cooler?..it was something I saw right away, an' was going to ask about where he found it, but by that time hubs was on his way down the dirt road, and I literally didn't want to get left in the dust.

It was so amazing to see what different styles, colors, and ways that owners have their vw busses done - bright colors, muted colors, some with custom paint that made me literally stop in my tracks (but was also sadly when my camera batteries died..boo..) - so fun, and everyone so eager to talk about what they have - and share! ~ Oh, how everybody wanted to share things - food, drinks, an'yup, even trash bags! ~
No!, you go ahead an' take 'em! ~ You never know when you'll need some extras! ~ I always take a lot of 'em with me!"

But now that particular week plus is all over, and the grind of daily life hits - too many sad things have happened since I got back, and it seems overwhelming to me - I keep going knowing that God has something at the end of all this for me, so that is what drives me - I am excited to say that this weekend me & Gabriel will finally get together and rework my blog..add pictures, possibly music..stream some pictures..oh!, so many ideas an' I'm looking forward to all the work.it's going to be a long day, but well worth it when it's all set up ~ Relief too, as some things that I want to debut will be ready ~ Oh!, just wait & see what's new! ~

But that's in a few days, and right now I have to get some fabric stabilized for cutting out, and some ribbons unearthed from their storage box..never a dull moment in the studio~

I'm Gone....


Lady of The Tulips

Monday, August 08, 2011




I discovered this wonderful piece of art one morning while we were camping at the Bus Festival..I was so taken by the absolute perfection of it, I immediately went & grabbed my camera so I wouldn't loose the work..

It was fairly early in the morning..maybe 7 or so..I've no idea why I woke up so early, but after I got my bearings a little, watched some of the whispy fog float over the river and feel a wonderful soft breeze go across my face, this piece of nature at her best was what greeted me ~

It was so peaceful - the beauty of the web..the stillness of the morning, and the cool of the day ~ I wanted that moment to last till forever..I know it wouldn't so I did the next best thing I knew, and took a picture of the web...

Then this morning, tom had the opportunity to stay home a little longer than usual, so we were sitting on the couch, looking out the front room window, and my eyes caught a similar web strung from our wind chime down to the railing of the front porch...this was even larger than the one in this picture, so I was amazed that spiders can create such breathtaking things ~ Then I thot, well if the web of the porch is THAT large...uhmmmm...how big are the items that this spider is trying to catch??

'k..so that started to freak me out, so I decided it was best at that point to just get a cup of coffee, give the hubs a quick hug before we went up Ocean Highway to the big city, and start the day...

The heat is definetly ON, and the humidity is stiffling ~ I went to get what groceries I could afford for the week ($15.00...) then came back home and layed out to get cooled off in my bedroom...no breeze, just a tickling whisper of air coming in the window...why is it that when you absolutely need some wind, not just a tease of a wind, I mean a wind thru the window to cool you off?? ~

It's never there...

I'm optimistic the weather will finally break this week...maybe midweek the weather people say, but they've been known to flap far too much hot air about a lot of things..so I'm trying not to get my hopes up.

Onward to work over on the table...and hopefully some cooler breezes! ~


Lady of The Tulips

Saturday, August 06, 2011



So, what happened waz...after talking with the intake coordinator, and waiting to see what would happen w/Noah...

We were suddenly suprised to find out that he was being discharged from the hosp. within less than 5 days of being admitted...Everything that I'd gone thru was completely thrown out the window, and then he was back in the house, and nothing has changed..

What Tom & I then decided to do, was something the intake coordinator had told me to do from the very beginning - take some time away, get a breath of fresh air, and just try and do some relaxing - where there had been very little to none what so ever.

The picture is from the New River, where once again, we went to camp for, longer this year, 6 days all together...with a lot of other Bus enthusiasts, and did what was much needed...

Nothing.

Well, there were some moments of playing around in the water..laughing with new friends, visiting with other friends we hadn't seen in some time (always a treat), and doing as little as possible ~ It was heavenly ~ And lifted quite a deal of heavy weight from me and the stress level that had felt overwhelming for some time. I was thrilled to discover that we could camp directly above the water (tho this picture is taken from another portion of the campground, called "Primite" sites ~) and have our little shade set up, and were able to get the most wonderful view of not only the rest of the campground in either direction, but of the shoreline directly across from where we had set up ~

Exactly what the Dr. ordered...well not literally, but somewhat close.

It was fun, restful, and always a treat when seeing a small creature along the opposite shore, maybe a turtle, a sweet little otter, who was quite busy doing whatever she/he was up to...seeing quick fast little darting fish..maybe trout?, maybe smallmouth bass..just flashes of color, a swift flick of a fin, and then disappearing into the deeper water.

It was such a let-down to have to come back home - nothing has changed here, there is still the sudden and viscious loud screaming - shouting/cussing/slamming of objects inside the house and outside in the shed. I find myself thinking of the calm sound of the water splashing over the rocks of the New River..seeing high high up in the sky, some large hawk, or maybe an turkey vulture...and I so terribly want to go back, immediately, and grab something of a moment of that quietness.

But it won't be until possibly next year - unless we discover another Bus camp-out within the next couple months, before the weather turns cold once again.

I'm longing for the quietness..the peaceful moments of rest that the depths of my soul are in need of...just waiting for another part of that which would envelope me in the comfort of softness.

I will strive for it till the next time away..........


Lady of The Tulips ~