Look at my little baby lavender plant!! Isn't it just the cutiest little thing ya ever did see?? And the best part is that it barely cost me $4.00!! Whoo Rahh!! And since this shot was taken, it's really taken off -- after the rain outside calms down and the sky is sunny, I'll get another picture of this and it's other new neighbor!!

I've been working around the cabin for the past couple dayz..gleaning things, wondering why Certain Items even got packed and brought down here in The First Place..and got some other things ready to put out in the larger of our 2 sheds. My Mercy!! Then I started on cleaning up the laundry room, got the kitchen floor, dining room and front room floors all mopped or vacuumed...I think there must be enuf dog hair from Little Miss Muffett to sink the classic Battle Ship -- I can't for the life of me figure out where all the hair comes from to bog down the vacuum cleaner, or dirty up the mop as much as it happens. I think my hands have pulled more guck and goo from the filter on the vacuum than I thot even existed!! Shwoo!! Glad it's all done with..and it's only been just over a week and a half since I vacuumed the carpet!!! YEE GADZ!!!

Got some sewing done on my new apron, and cut out the last pieces for my hobo bag...now it's just getting the Time to sew everything up that's the ditty. My time seems to be taken up with all this otherJUNK, and by the time I want to sit and sew these little things up, it's 5:00 and time to start dinner...blast! Tom's been doin' a lot of local driving, so he comes home a little later than when he's drivin' out of state, so that meanz really flyin' around in the kitchen to get things done before he walks in the door. Yesterday I gota pocket sewn on my apron, started the side seams an' realized I needed to start our roast before 4:30 ~~ By the time everything was washed, baking or steaming on the stove, I went out on the front porch and sat in my little swing to relax!! Tom walked in the door off the deck an' couldn't figure out where I was!! Toad!! Couldn't even figure out to look out on the front porch...there are some dayz where I really wonder about that boy!!

Must go and get the rest of my apron done before I start some other sewing and definetly before getting some papers onto my new canvas...

** Lady of The Tulips ** ponderin' about some old song I heard this morning...I'll tell ya about it later..

~~ Have to take a minute and get something written before I hop back to the work table and do some painting ~~

The fabric is nearly all cut for my hobo bag ~~ I'd gotten really close to cutting the final pieces on Fri., but Tom got off work early, and when he got to the house, he & Noah took off to run errands and tom was able to transfer his driver license to this state. No easy task, an' it's all too complicated for my little brain to figure out, but he's all good now, so that's what's important. Noah got a new ID too -- I'm not sure if he got a new drivers permit or not, but he's got an ID. I'd hoped to get to the town w/them, but didn't get a chance 'till Saturday. Then I got some of the sewing supplies that I'd needed -- new scissors that cut like a DREAM -- some embroidery scissors too. Very sharp, so I'll have to be extra careful when I first use them. And of course, we had to get some of the basics..paper towels, trash bags...blah, blah, blah...boring stuff. BUT ~~ I did find a spiffy new folding chair to sit out on the front porch...I'm not sure of what kind of Permanent furniture to set out there, so just a little folding outdoor chair will do for now. I've seen so many different ways to decorate a front porch...my brain feels melted from looking at all the different designs...And just when tom sez to me, "OK NOW!! NO splurge or impulse buying!!" Why Yes, Mr. Grump Ass...an' then he hauls off an' buys this EXTRA BIG HUGE GIANT FRIZBEE... my last nerve got out of town jus' about at that point...I didn't even bother to look at how much the thing cost, it got me so irritated. Urrgggghhhh ----

But on a lighter note...we also got the dog some clean and sparkly smelling doggie shampoo, and noah & tom say they'll give her a bath...we'll see how long it iz till that happens. She rolls ALL OVER in the grass when I take her for a walk, and naturally she brings in all that mud and goo, which makes me sweep and vacuum it all up! But I did get a new broom, an' it picks up her fur and stuff (i.e. MUD BLOBZ>>>) quite well, so there ya go!

While I was cutting out some pattern pieces for my new apron, I had the EXTRA EXCITEMENT!! of watching the new neighbors across the street get 1/2 of their mobile home delivered...whatta nightmare for that poor driver!! Yee Gadz, he manuvered (oh thatz spelled really bbaaaadddd...) that big ol' thing around our corner and the cross street for over 1/2 hour. No way would I take that mans job!! Now it's interesting to see how long it is before the other portion gets delivered...my poor grass along the paved street!! SMOOSH!! fortunately the branches of our liliac trees didn't get broken, that front the paved street...they feel happy!

Gottz to get this work done before tom gets home from the terminal -- he stayed in town today, so he probably doesn't know how to act!! HA!

Lady of The Tulips ~~ Hearing something out front again...must be the other part of the mobile home...

The projects on the table ~~ Literally ~~ This week include the flower print for a new bag, and the teal colored fabric is for an apron that I need to use around the house. The coolest thing about both projects is that I didn't pay one dime (or penny or anything else) for the fabric.

Both are from an old box of fabric that I'd had for over 10 years. Both were given to me, but for the life of me I can't remember who it was. But am I ever glad they did!! The flower print goes pretty well with the layout of the Hobo Bag I'm putting together. I'd seen another pattern for the same bag, but for nearly $10 more for the pattern..not something in this girls price range!! And the apron pattern I'd bought about a year ago. I'd made one of the patterns in the envelope, but with the move & all, it's disappeared, so I dig, hunted, poked and prodded all around my little room and found these fabrics and STUFF instead. Yeah for being a Semi-Pack-Rat!!

I've also got a canvas sitting Very Patiently ~~ Waiting for it's coat of Gesso, and to Get Started for a project for my friend...I'm REALLY> procrastinating on this thing...I mean, I sat out in my little hammock~chair for over an hour the other day...thinking that something would prompt me to Get Going on it. All it made me do was think of a Jimmy Buffett song, and then I wanted to have a margarita, so there went all that momentum on Being An Artist...and no ~~ I Did Not have the margarita...tho after talking with The Husband this morning on the phone, the drink did come in my head with a big sign that said DRINK ME!! ~~ No, I'm not goin' to ~~

Now I have to get this stuff started in it's next phase ~~ Plus call a neighbor 'bout a car mechanic. The Very Fine Automobile needs too much stuff done, an' the only way to get it done is to find a semi-sorta-kinda-honest car mechanic and hope for the best...gives me indigestion just thinking about it all...

Lady of The Tulips ~~ Staring out the window an' thinking of why Jimmy Buffett is still in my head...no drink, but I will go sit in my porch swing for a while ~~

~~ Just a quick note here, as I'm waiting for some fabric to get dried. I recently bought a pattern for a new handbag...well, actually a Hobo Bag, and naturally after I bought it, I realized I'd need to get some fabric.

That's not too much of a big deal for most folks, after all, most stores are just "around the corner", as the saying goes ~~ but for me, the closest fabric store, that's open on weekends (when I have transportation to get anywhere) is over 60 miles away. Not too "easy to get to" So -- Being that I dont like to spent $$ if I don't have to, I started digging in thru some of the boxes and bags that have recently been unearthed since we moved. And I am ever soo glad that I saved the $$ by not going to the store!! I rediscovered some fabu fabric that was given to me years ago...over 12 to be exact...a wonderful flower print, that goes perfectly with the design of the bag. The pattern instructions also call for a lining fabric, and a fleece fabric, to give the bag stability. I found both!! Tom was a sweety and asked if I needed for him to go into the fabric store near where his truck terminal is, and scout out some fabric. But when I told him no, that I already had some, he was mighty happy. Saving money for him is always a good thing!! After the fabric dries, I'll post a shot of the main body fabric, so ya'll can see what I got goin' on.

This weekend I have to go with tom up to the "City" ~~ not where we moved from, but the next largest town where we do our grocery shopping and hardware shopping. I've gotten to where using the craft scissors I bought4 years ago, has totally worn out my left hand..nicked, scratched and altogether beat to a pulp, are these poor scissors!! They weren't made to go thru some of the beating they've had..some of which was NOT done by me, but by other members of my family. "Oh..I didn't think you'd mind if I cut this wire with your scisors..." ~~ "Oh! Does it matter if I cut cardboard with these??!" How I don't drink heavily is just wayyy beyond me...So, the shopping list for the weekend has begun...Craft and Sewing Scissors...Paper --craft type ...dog items (comb and brush..her's have gone somewhere) the usual...paper towels, paper napkins..cereal...etc., etc., ~~ boring stuff, but when there's only one day to get everything, ya better get it while the chance is THERE!!

Must go and check the dryer ~~ An' don't I like having a dryer now!! Been a couple years without one, so this is such a treat!! The fabric will be all soft and ready to sew together...Yaaa~~

Lady of The Tulips ~~ listening to odd bumps and bangs outside on the front porch...and yes, I'm chicken to go out and see just what that is...

"Dwelling in Bliss" ~~ 2008 Spring Bay Studio

I got this posted and now I think I may have already posted it before today, but that's what happens sometimes with my brain..it just sorta goes whacky some dayz..and today is One of Those Dayz..

I've got a big canvas sitting behind me that is giving me fits and spits right now...I told a friend of mine that I'd make a collage for her new house..she didn't really say just what kind of piece she wanted. Something with "Earth Tones, ya know..an' sorta browns an' beinge kinda things..but not too brown, ya know?" My poor little brain makes me wake up at night trying to figure out just what to do with that canvas ~~ sitting in it's little corner just smirking at me. I THINK I'm close to deciding just what to do, but then I get this sick feeling in the pit of my stomach, and think, "I'll never get this DAYUM thing done..." and then I go out on the porch and stare at the trees. Nothing gets accomplished, 'cept for the mosquitos chewing on my knees...

But onward and upward!! Tom & I got some odds and ends at our Department Store of choice, the other day..Big Lots! We found some incense that we've had in the house before..somethin' like Berries and Blooms or some odd name...the fragrance is Really good, so for $3.00 for over 25 sticks, we couldn't pass it up. We also got a new set of dishes...we'd been using the old set for over 25 years, and there weren't too many left. We'd resort some nights to using the camping plates that we take when we go to a bluegrass festival, or to one of the state parks for the weekend...not too classy, know what I mean? So we found a basic white set for $20.00 or so...right in our price range. Plus some of the basic goodies we need. Tom has an eye for discovering tools that are pretty good. This week he discovered a set of hooks, nails, screws and anchor bolts for hangind pictures..something like 40 pieces, for I think$5.00 ~~ I thot it was some kinda car ~ part stuff, and it kinda pissed me off. I mean, how many little car part stuff can one guy have? Or, his newest excuse, "I need these for the truck.." And the truck gets fixed by the mechanic at the shop that's in his truckterminal ~~ SOOO ~~ what'z with more parts?? HA! shoz what I know ~~ He didn'twant to start hanging up all our pictures without the right anchor bolts and stuff, so he did the smart thing and got a set of different ones, along with a little diagram that tells what each box is for. Weight of picture ~~ Kind of anchor bolt ~~ all the little things that keep a picture ON the wall, not falling on the FLOOR...made me feel like a toad...

I'm going to get some pictures this morning of the front of our little cabin. Noah's still doin' touch ups of parts of the side of the cabin, but the front is done, and looks so much better. I was really nervous of how it'd turn out when I came down for the inspection..felt like I'd bitten off more than I could chew. But it's turned out to be much less intense work than I first thot, an' that's a BIG relief!!

Lady of The Tulips ~~ Hearing the sound of a truck outside. The new neighbors are setting up their home today...yee ghhhaaaddssss

Happy! Flowers!!

Here are a couple of the daylilies that are next to our deck...they are so happy these dayz!! And they just seem to sing and make everybody else feel good..even tho the HEAT has been absolutely horrid the past couple weeks. What amazes me is that they keep on blooming and keeping everybody cheerful!!

Got another piece 98% done over on my little table...even with lotz of interuptions yesterday..seems like every time I'd get some papers on the canvas board, there'd be something else goin' on...phone ringing...noah askin' me somethin', Sara doin' something altogether terrible (well, not really THAT bad, but gettin' herself into trouble with ME) and too many things that make a headache come along and smack me upside the head. SO what that all mens, iz... I'm going to finish the little piece this afternoon. It looks pretty happy over on the little table, tho...

Tom got up bright and early this a.m. ~~ had to go up to the Maryland/Virginia border again..getting a container delivered and then "Bob-Tailing" back to the truck terminal...what that meanz, is that he comes back down the mountain without a container or dry van (the kind of big trailer that haulz everything from soup to nuts) and jus' sorta bounces down the interstate. Makes for a quick trip home, but the rough roads REALLY do a number on the back. I remember one trip where we bob-tailed not more than 75 miles, and I thot my back and legs were gonna fall off when I got out of the truck..sheesh...and that's with a truck that was new.But the good thang, is that this will give tom not only an extra day pay, but he also gets to get to the Favorite Store (Big Lot) tomorrow and look at Things That We Absolutely Do Not Need...but will buy anyway!! HA! gotta love it!! Actually, he's not that bad, but I have to reign him in, or he starts grabbin' stuff and flingin' things in the shopping cart...WHOA THERE BIG FELLA!! The checkout ladies just look at him like he's lost his every-lovin'-blue-eye'dhead...

Gotta go see if the mailperson has come yet...waiting for some stuff that I ordered last week...we'll see how close the company is to the "3 - 5 day Delivery Time" ~~

Lady of The Tulips ~~ listening to Noah and Sara Doin' somethin' out in the kitchen...oh dear..

Travelin' On" -- Spring Bay Studio 2008

Got this piece done just the other day..been lookin' at some pictures of down the coast, and this popped up and had to get put onto a canvas. Some of the pieces are from another collage I started and decided it wasn't worth a blip, so took the papers off and made this --

Have had one of THOSE mornings...4 bad emails in my inbox today, 2 of which had to be from the company I've been battling with to file our income taxes -- won't go into how bad the company works, but it's given me one H___ of a headache. Why these people who work in computer programming can't make their systems User Friendly is Absolutely beyound me...

Gotta go get some calls made to our insurance company, now..when it rains it pours..first the IRS, Now some Mega-Huge Insurance Company...If my head doesn't explode today it will be nothing less than a miracle.

Maybe this collage explains what my inner child is telling me to do ASAP -- travel somewhere to get away from all the $%#}^ I"ve got to play with..

Lady of The Tulips -- goin' out on the front porch & tell noah to hang up my new hammock/hanging chair..

Untitled -- Spring Bay Studio 2008

I've got this done..got it all peachy-keen, put it in it's little file folder and then realized I absolutely can not come up with a name for it to save my nose-iee...So much for just popping a name on something

There is a calm outside this morning...earlier, and I do mean EARLIER this morning, we had what we call a "Frog Strangler" of a thunderstorm..tons and tonz of lightening...torrential rain, and it didn't just blow over..it kept on raining...lightening...boom,Boom, BOOM-ing for close to an hour and a half...needless to say I didn't get any sleep thru it all. And Tom had just left to make a run up to the Maryland/Virginia border to get a load of frozen food...my NERVES -- it never fails..worse the weather is, that boy goes right out in the thick of it -- he sezz it's just another rain storm..I'm falling apart with worry and thinking all kinds of horrid things...

Anyway -- I've got a couple other pieces waiting over behind me..(No!, not there..over THERE!) and I'll get them posted tomorrow...

Much THANX to Ms. TurquioiseCroThyme for being super kind an' picking ME(!!) to have one of her collages!! ** WWHHHEEEEE ** I'm just tickled to pieces!

Got to run and get some matte medium on my little fishie -- the temp's are climbing again..yesterday it was in the mid 90's, an' today it's "Going" to be a little cooler...HA...3 degree's or something..BUT THE HUMIDITY is climbing thru the tipsy-tops of the trees..I think I'm beginning to feel like a puddle..

Lady of The Tulips -- listening to Noah rat around in the kitchen doing something...hmmm

I went out to the flower garden the other day to make sure some of the mulch noah put down around all the plants was doin' it'z thang and making sure the nasty weeds were staying away...so far so good...There are other spots where he didn't lay the mulch as thick, so in those areas the weeds are poppin' up and saying nasty things to me and noah.

I've got some other papers ready to apply to a canvas board this afternoon, AND I also got some batteries over the weekend, so the camera will be put to work in a little while. The pieces I just got done are a little different that some that I've finished in the past, so there seems to be a feeling of going toward another place in those smooth waters...I just can't seem to leave the water theme alone..strangely enuf!! And I think this weekend we may give it a shot and go fishing over on the dock just to the left of where this picture is taken. It's just down the street, but there's been so much goin' on around here, I haven't had a chance to go and sit on the dock and chill out. And yes, "Sittin' on the Dock on the Bay" does pop up into me little head at times when I look down that road! Jus' waitin' for the right time to get Over There!!

The dog and I had the Most Interesting time the last 2 mornings...she has decided that she ABSOLUTELY HAS TO wake me up before 6:30 in the morning so she can go outside and do her thing..not only jumping on the bed to make sure I'm awake, but also KNOCKING OPEN MY BEDROOM DOOR!! to make sure I get awake..No, I've got no clue how she figured this whole thing out, but it Really Sucks when I'm in total slumber land, and there is this big 90 pound dog standing next to me on my bed...so I've been able to see some of the light fog coming off the sound in the morning, and have had to reseed the feeding spots for the ground birds and squirells...but not really at the time of day I"D REALLY LIKE TO!! grrr...

Must go and get some of the matte medium slathered on my stuff...will post the pieces tomorrow!!

Lady of The Tulips -- listening to the sound of noah doing something out on the deck...hmmm..

An' when I looked things over, I realized he left the milk out...


Why is it when you get groceries, go thru the hassle of getting thru the check-out, risk life and limb getting thru a parking lot while walking to your car..make the drive home, start putting all the stuff away...AND THEN REALIZE ONE OF YOUR DEAR FAMILY MEMBERS LEAVES THE MILK OUT ON THE COUNTER..

I'll be nice and Not Name Names..but it just gets my blood pressure boiling when I think of what I have to spend in the First blasted place, and then go off to do some odd thang...walk back in the kitchen an' see milk sitting out...crying to be put in the fridge...Poor little bottle of milk..I mean, what did it DO anyway..to be left out and get warm...all while it's crying on the counter...HEY TOAD FACE!! A LITTLE HELP HERE!!

ok -- so anyway..Tom's on his way back up to Virginia..he made another trip to the No. & So. Carolina border early this morning...and I mean EARLY this morning...he left the house before 2 a.m. -- from what I could gather, he said that there have been too many containers not getting thru the security measures at the International Terminals, due to Security Crap...but anyway...so some of the freight isn't getting loaded in time..which cost way, way too much money. So he was told to get down to the food plant in enuf time, so he can get back up to the city, drop the freight in enuf time, so that he can make a turnaround time before the truck terminal closes..what that all means is to get all the 10 hours of driving in Before 4 p.m. today...he didn't sound too bad on the phone..happy and glad that he was on the way back up to the city...he's just wondering why some of the other drivers don't help and pickup some of the slack, so he doesn't have to be the only one making the long trips -- one never knows what's gonna go on next..

I'm waiting for a canvas to dry just over THERE -- an' then I'll pop in some new batteries in my camera & take some shots of the latest works I've gotten done..they look pretty good, even if I don't mind saying so..But of course, that'z only MY opinion!!

The weekend is just around the corner...I'm thinkin of goin' back to the one thrift store an' check out an old rocking chair that was for sale...it looked pretty beat up, but nothing like a new coat of paint, some wood putty and nails won't cure!! Yeah Baby, that's what I'm talkin' about!!

Lady of The Tulips -- listening to noah rattling around on the front porch, painting the trim work...

Here We ARE!! -- all ready to go with the lil' can of gas for the lawnmower...got the driveway clear so no grass, or pine cones hit the car...got things ALL READY...just in time to realize that the mower doesn't work...

For some people this is just one of those Ho-Hum things..but since we live somewhat out-of-the-way from "Places That Help in Times of Trouble With Machinery"...well, when something breaks...it becomes a Big Deal...

And I spent quite some time out in the hot sun making sure Everything Was Ready to mow the grass..BUT -- Tom has a plan In Case Of Everything that Can Happen...so what he did, instead of fighting with the lawn mower that we'd had for 'bout 5 years..was he just went to That WorldWideMegaStore , and went and hauled off and bought a new mower...

Never mind that I'd had a 3 year Purchase Agreement & Repair Contract...Never MIND that It cost an arm and a leg...now we have 2 mowers...one that was Expensive -- but doesn't run...and another that was REALLY dirt cheap, and by all that's right and holy, should last at least 'till the end of summer...It's all too too much for me, so I decided to just come in the house and PRETEND NOTHING IS WRONG...it should work for ohhh..say...10 minutes...

I also tried to get a good clear picture of our little cabin...but I can't figure out how to make the photo print up Right-Side-Up...I didn't download it right, and my camera needs a battery..so I either need to delete the old photo..or get off my Duff and go outside and take another picture of the cabin...and hope that the camera will Not Die because the battery is bad...Please Do Not Look At These Grey Hairs Popping Up on My Head... and we'll be thankin' ya in advance...

I've got some pretty nifty thangs over on my little table (look over THERE...NO!..Behind you!!) and you CAN see that they are pretty spiffy, huh?? 'k -- it's jus' that the CAMERA WILL NOT WORK for me right now..so Please take my word for it, pleeeze??

I'm going to go in the kitchen and try now to see if there is anything I can beat up on...like the dirty dishes that have been in the sink all day 'cause I've been sitting here trying to PASTE and COPY and SEND things for the last Hour...

My last nerve just got up and said it WILL find the nearest bus depot and go Somewhere..

Lady of The Tulips -- feeling like a toad right now...

~~ Here it is another week already!! ~~

And where has all the time gone? -- Well this I know -- with some of the storms we've had, I can tell you that some of the time has been spent listening to the Weather Radio and waiting for updates on what some of the severe storms are doing, and just what direction their heading!! I was sitting right HERE the other day, minding my own business, when it Suddenly Dawned on me that the sky was turning a NAHHHSTY color of black/green..and the wind was starting to pick up..not the best thing under any circumstances!! So I turned off everything Electric, hopped (well, actually sorta ran/walked-fast) out to the kitchen, grabbed the weather radio from the laundry room, and listened to just what the $^%$#"% was going on...we were just under the advisory for a severe storm, and the clouds were gettin' their s____ together for a good time...

SHWOO -- we were lucky that all we had was some wind thrashing small limbs from off of the trees, and some of the trash that was suppossed to go to the dump got moved from the trash can to another part of the yard...we were LUCKY!! I guess up around where Tom's terminal is, the storm played havoc with everything and everybody, but again, fortunately nobody was hurt!!

Our shopping trip to the thrift stores on Saturday went quite well -- I was fortunate to find some blouses/shirts for a total of $15.00 -- and considering 2 of them are silk, well, that just is TOO GOOD TO BELIEVE!! I wanted to also do some looking at Furniture and see what there was...but Tom said "AHEM" an' I knew it was time to leave!!

But there is always next week!! HA!!

Must go and get some painting done -- got 3 new canvas boards, and need to get them covered w/gesso!!

Lady of The Tulips -- Waiting for a Good Time now that the storms are far, far away!!

there had been a collage on this page, but somehow in the Grand Scheme of Things...I hit a button and the Entire thing disappeared...No telling where it's gone, why it Decided to Leave town or just where it's going..yeah, it's been that kind of morning...

SO THEN while I'm sleeping and dreaming of GOOD THINGS it suddenly dawns on me that there are bills to pay, and the Question of whether or not Tom picked up the electric bill to get paid over at the Co-Op office...and jus'when I'm back asleep and all Nice and Comfortable... THE DOG WAKES ME UP BY HITTING MY BEDROOM DOOR WITH HER PAW!!!

so while I considered several and sundry things to scream at said Dog, I realized that it would just be easier to getup & see what it was that she wanted..

Don't I feel like a dolt..she had to go outside and do her business....

I'm going to make this short today, as this old computer is REALLY running badly...keeps freezing up and making dreadful noises...

I have to go and see what'z goin on in the garden, and make sure that the new plants arem't flooded from all the rain we've had..and it's been raining for the last hour..poor little dears..

Lady of The Tulips -- feeling like another good cup of coffee should do the trick..

~~ Today I WILL TRY not to go too overboard with my letters and colors and thingz --

Yesterday and MondayI had to try and get thru with the Wonderful IRS -- our return has been sent in and rejected 3 times, and even tho I give the information ONE OF THEIR OWN EMPLOYEES GIVES ME they still say that the return in incorrect...after being on hold and waiting for some kind of answer for over 3 hours (actually 4, but who's counting..) the nice lady told me what to do...so I did EXACTLY AS SHE TOLD ME!!!

Go figure...

So now I have to wait another 24 hours and see if there is a good answer for us or not...I feel drained for some odd reason...and of course some of the people who DO ANSWER THE PHONES are so rude that it's not even worth the thot as to what will happen to them one day...Don'e want to be around when that Karma does whatever it'z gonna do...

So, my Art has taken a brief hold/wait/hang-on type of status...there are projects waiting in the wings, as it were >>> as I write this Noah is yelling at one of the large Flicker pounding the side of one of our pinetrees..(the bird is one species of woodpecker...) so Hopefully my Stuff will be back on track Tomorrow!!

Must go And see what'z goin on on the front porch...

Lady of The Tulips -- who got weeding done in the large flower bed just in time to take Miss Sara for a walk...

Waiting for a Good Time...

Here sits my Very Fine Automobile...and as U can see, it's going Nowhere Fast...

I've been trying to figure out a way to get it fixed...it has a crack in one of it's vacuum lines..needs a new fuel pump (which entails taking out the fuel tank...) and it also needs the clutch replaced in the air conditioning unit...there's also the problem with it's Heater Core and the Poor Thing also has a leak somewhere in it's transmission...

Other than that, it does run like a dream, is comfortable as all get out, and has an Absolutely Kick-A** sound system, which is standard with the vehicle. Tom sez we'll need to wait 'till he gets his car replaced, as it's (Honestly) nearing 275,000 miles in it's little motor...It was given to us for free, so I KNOW I shouldn't complain, but it is on it's last legs..no, it's last tires. The car had been Danny's, but he absolutely TORE IT UP -- and I don't mean like he smashed it into things, he isn't that bad of a driver...it's just that he DROVE THAT CAR EVERYWHERE..no place was too far for that guy to drive...New Hampshire, Connecticut, Mass., Vermont, New York..he went everyplace he took a liking to...and the poor car is beginning to show all those miles...OH -- and he also went further down south..Fla., and I think he went into Ga., but don't quote me on that...

Anyway - I'm having some time getting my pictures taken with my wonderful camera...went this morning to fix some shots I took yesterday, and lo and Behold, the little sign popped up that sez, BATTERY EXHAUSTED!! so there went that idea!! And to top it off, there is something wrong with my computer this morning that makes it want to DIE everytime I turn around...eerrggghhh....

Lady of The Tulips -- wondering whether or not to look for that Tramp Steamer and sail off to some Unknown Island...

*** "The Sea Brings Joy" *** 2008 Spring Bay Studio

this is one of the pieces that I finished up just last week -- I think I wrote about it sitting on my work table patiently waiting to get DONE and lo and behold it is all done!!

There are a couple more pieces that are sitting in the file folder that I'm working on getting into a photo mode...I seem to be having some trouble with my camera (as if this is the first time...) and I've asked Noah for some help, but he's blowing me off...he does that A LOT lately, and it's really getting my last good nerve to just about the end of it's fiber...

ANYWAY ~~ I'm waiting for some laundry to dry and also getting some sketches done over for another collage...I have finally found the file folder of a piece that seems to just SING to me, so hopefully once it gets put together it will sing to Everybody Else!!

Not much else to say -- I jus' got a call from Tom -- he's getting off work early today, so that probably means he'll be over the road tomorrow...he did work on Saturday, and mentioned yesterday that he'll probably be going back to the factory down the interstate to pick up the freight...that would make sense, but who knows..

Our shopping trip yesterday WAS A SUCCESS!! ** We happened to find a new vacuum cleaner, and it works like a gem -- got a nifty table lamp and a couple decorative items for the front room...if my CAMERA decides to work the way it's supposed to, I'll take a shot of the wall where the new goodies will go -- one of those Before and After thangs..We also got some of the basic things we all use...trash bags..candles (they do smell good tho!) some bug spray (living in the woods seems to bring out bugs literally from the Woodwork...) and cleaning spray...so all in all we Done Good...

Lady of The Tulips -- who's having much more fun these dayz using the little font, color and other buttons on her computer..wheeeee

** this will be a short message as I have to go get odds and ends for the house at a local department store **

We have to get some lamps for the studio and the front room -- we haven't decided just the height of the floor lamps, nor the height of a couple table lamps...it's one of those things where you take the one table lamp you like the most, move it around to different locations in the room, and then decide if it's the right height for where you need light...makes for a lot of exercise but it gets the job done. I haven't a clue as to the height for a floor lamp??!! There are so many kinds and just looking at them in the stores gives me a headache...not because of the fact they usually have them on display UP HIGH ON A SHELF...but because by the time my neck gets back to where it's supossed to be, my head feels like a boat anchor and my back is being VERY GRUMPY...making the shopping trip not one of the best...

Danny came over yesterday for the afternoon, and stayed long enuf to watch a little of the Mets baseball game...I fixed a Big Batch of pork ribs...cooked 'em nice and slow with several coats of bbq sauce...an hour and a half...start 'em off in a low (325) oven, for 'bout an hour, then kick up the heat to 350 an bast 'em a few more times...keep alum. foil over 'em and let 'em do their thing...they come out of the oven tender enuf that you don't need to use a knife, just a fork...I made another kick A** batch of bbq beans too - lots of brown sugar, touch of mustard..onions sausage and seasonings...YUUMMM...makes for a great holiday dinner!! Even tho it rained and stormed off and on thru the afternoon, we still had a good time, got caught up on NEWS from different people, and all & all had a good time...he's still looking for a full time job...the Police Academy wasn't what he ended up wanting to stay in...they did say they would consider him a prospect in the future, so that's good if he does want to go back. Now it's just that FUN time of doing the interview thing...driving here & there on job possibilities...I don't know how he Stands it...

Must go and get some things done before Tom getz back from running errandz...

Lady of The Tulips -- wondering where her wallet is with her discount card for the grocery store...hmmm..

~~ Snug Harbor '08 ~~

Here's a bit of COLOR for Everybody!! And it's all for the HOLIDAY!! here called the FOURTH OF JULY!!** HAPPY HOLIDAY EVERYONE!!

Having said that, I need to go check on the fixin's out in the kitchen..I found a wonderful way to fix a big batch of beans, so those are gettin' ready to be put together, and I've just finished up some potatoes boiling and also fixed hard boiled eggs for a nice potatoe salad...a very old finding from a cookbook section in a magazine I used to subscribe to years ago...an' I don't even know if it's in print anymore! Man, does THAT make me feel old...

The dynamic duo, known as Tom & Noah are out loose on the town...said they'd go grab a couple things at the hardware store, which has now been 3 hours...WHAT THE...no clue where they are...oh dear, there goes the checking account...

Must run an' start on the next part of dinner...

EVERYBODY BE SAFE THIS HOLIDAY WEEKEND!!

Lady of The Tulips --

** This morning is one of those fabulous days where the sun shines, the birds are singing and the breeze from the Sound is barely touching the skin while gently lifting the branches of the pines toward the sky **

Having said that, all this joy and goodness came to a screeching halt when a work crew showed up across the street to start on the construction of a driveway and some other work in preparation to the building of a house...so much for peace and quiet. I haven't heard this much noise since we had 3 work crews show up at the same time at our old house in the city. I don't know who was in who's way, or which work crew did the most yelling, but THAT was not something I wanted to go thru again...Maybe this crew won't be so terribly loud...

Tom called just a while ago to say he was on his way down a small highway not too terribly far from here...taking a container to one of the countries larger greeting card manufacturers -- they have to start getting their Fall and Christmas orders under way, and this is usually the time of year that shipments are coming in from overseas, and the US manufacturers need to get their's overseas as well. This will be interesting to see how many more trips Tom'll be doin' in the next few weeks. One year he didn't have a Saturday off till after the start of the new year...that made it great to pay bills on time, but it was sucky for him, cause he only had one day off a week...that really getz to wear ya out!! He hasn't said how the manager is gonna organize these next couple months, but they'll know probably in the next week or so. It's always weird for me around the 4th of July -- I want to be singing "He's A Yankee Doodle Dandy", but more than likely the tune in my head is, "Christmas Time's a Comin', Christmas time's a'comin;,..." Makes for a very confusing Holiday!!

I'm waiting for some matter medium to make up it's mind on whether or not it'll behave on the collage I've got laid out next to me...I discovered I need to repaint/seal one of the pieces for the collage with some spray medium..not the gel, but a spray...I'd used pastels on a fish, and the pastel was trying to blend into the papers next to it, so I reapplied the spray matte medium, and it seems to be keeping the pastels in check. One more coat should keep it in place, so then I can apply the rest of the papers and stuff. I've discovered some papers that I thot were in storage(!!) but have actually made it down here!! Let'z hear a Yahoo!! Now I can get some trim done!!

Oh oh...Miss Sara is making some weird noises in the kitchen, so I better go see what kind of damage she's doing...grrr..

Lady of The Tulips -- getting a headache from The Dog this morning...

A happy hydrangea -- Snug Harbor '08

This picture was taken just when my cheerful little plant was getting the blooms going right when the temperatures started to climb up out of the 70's -- Since this picture was taken it's gone thru a lot of blooms, and seems to be quite a bit more cheerful since I soaked it last weekend after some 6 days of 90 degree temperatures. Now it's back to looking like this picture, instead of drooping and looking morose..

And no, I probably didn't spell that word right either, but that's jus' TOO BAD --

Ok -- so Anyway -- Tom & I went down Ocean Highway yesterday to a small Art Festival and had quite a good time -- there weren't too many people there, so we didn't have to battle crowds, so That was a plus...and we had a nice time chatting with some of the artists and ooh-ing and aahh-ing over different techniques that people explained they used in the making of their particular Art Form. The wind was coming off of the water, so that helped in keeping it somewhat cool, but it was still over 90. We had to leave and go get into a cool little restraunt and grab something COLD to drink..non alchoholic (I just can't spell worth a lick today...) so we wouldn't be feeling loopy with the heat. We had a quiet drive back home, and waited for the rain to hit. Got all READY for a storm that was supossed to hit...and Absolutely Nothing Happened. Got all worked up an' nothin' happened...Nothing. Blah.

Today it's been cooler Thank Heavens, and we've had rain off and on -- I'm not kidding when I say that Noah's green bean patch popped up after the rain and looks like they all grew 3 inches higher. It's a wonder what a good soaking rain can do. And of course little Miss Sara went into a Fit because there were 3 hits of lightening & thunder, so she was beside herself. I had had the front door open and letting in the light thru the storm door, but since Sara has discovered how to pop open the back storm door with her big body, I decided to Not take a chance on here doing that with the front storm door, and ran out of the studio and got the front door closed before anything happened. She really gave me this hateful glare, like she knew I'd kept her from bolting out of the house...little Brat!! Sometimes she acts more like a 2-year old than any of my sons did when they WERE 2 years old...an' I don't know how she does it...

I've got a couple projects in the works while I'm writing this...waiting for some paint to dry and then in the morning I can put together a serene collage that I've been piecing since saturday. I took some time off of it 'cause I'd been stuck on one portion of the piece..in the absolute center of the thing, and I felt like it just didn't look right. So off to do something else, and with a little break away from the piece, I was able to come back to it this morning and take a fresh look at it -- it seemed Really obvious then!! Why that happens, I'll never know!!

Gotts to run -- checking on a couple things in the kitchen and the back yard...never do 2 things at the same time when you can do 3...sheesh...

Lady of The Tulips - listening to Noah mow the grass with a new mower his Father bought...Don't get me goin' on that thing..no, no, no...

** What'z the line about the best laid plans or something?? **

I HAD planned to go thrift-store shopping today, and then possibly getting over to the one fabric shop over in the larger town down Ocean Highway...BUT -- naturally there is a fly in the ointment, or rather a hitch in my get-a-long. Actually what it is, IS, that tom had his trip up north in his truck changed to TODAY, so naturally all the plans I'd made have gone down the tube, or that other THANG that I shall not name. I'm glad that tom has the extra work, that's always a good thing, I mean, who's gonna look at extra hours on the paycheck as a BAD thing?? -- But it's JUST that the shops I need to get to aren't open on Sundays. so that means another week before I can get things I need. It's rather agrivating (I give up on trying to spell that DAYUM word right...) to say the least, that The Very Fine Automobile isn't running good enuf to go down the highway...but such is life, eh?

I've got another collage just lined up..no..it's got all the pieces in one file folder, but I can't decide on the exact lay-out for it just yet. This piece is one that I got cut, trimmed, painted and altogether ready for a canvas board just before we put the house on the market, so in between all THAT work and getting down here, I just can't remember how I wanted to have it put together for a final glueing...I think if I sit and stare at the pieces for awhile it'll come back to me..at least I'm hoping that's what'll happen! HE! HE!!

This is gonna be short 'cause I gotta go in the kitchen & find out what noah's doin on the phone with his father...the call soundz kinda weird, but maybe it's just cause they both mumble so bad while on the phone, I can never figure out WHAT their discussing!

Lady of The Tulips -- waiting for some paint colors to absolutely JUMP out at her so she can decide which one's to use **

"Summer" -- Spring Bay Studio 2008


I wanted to share this little piece that got finished at the start of the week -- Some of the fish were done just before I got to pack up the old house and get the #$^"&*^ outta the city. A couple of the fish were done after I got down here. This was one of those pieces that seemed to take for EVAH to get finished, and for the life of me I don't know why. I think it came out a little blurry when I look at it now, and I DO apoligize (oh hush, I know I just spelled that wrong...) for that!

I've got a couple other pieces done, too -- one is drying As We Speak..or rather as I type this blog post..there was so much matte medium blobbed on my fingers that I was afraid I'd smear the painting of the canvas while I rearranged and stuck pieces here and there. Sometimes I think I get more matte medium on ME than on the canvas..And yesterday I did the BEST mess I've done in some time -- I didn't realize that my shirt sleeve had been sopping up the matte medium every time I went to add water to my paint brush, and the sleeve brushed over my pallatte...so I suddenly felt something wet under my arm, and when I looked at just WHAT waz goin' on, HA!, there was a BIG blob of matte medium all stuck on the bottom of my sleeve...kinda made me wonder what/why my sleeve had felt funny while I was adding papers and goodies. DUH!! The shirt has gotten too big for me anyway, so that was something like THE FINAL STRAW on wearin' it anymore...Actually it just gives me another reason to go to the thrift store tomorrow!! And yes, Tom DID say he'd take me over there!! HHOOO_YAAAHHH...

Anyway -- I'm debating on whether or not to get a good size order sent to an online company for some papers and die-cuts I've been thinking about ordering. The company has some really quiet wonderful collage items, and since there isn't a chance for tom to get me to the nearest shop till next weekend, I just may try the shop online and see how it turns out. I found out over the phone that tom will have to go out of state on sunday, so that eliminates any more shopping for me till next weekend. My car still doesn't run safe enuf for me to use it to go anywhere, so I have to rely on tom to take me on his days off...VERY limited time period for me to get thingz, thus the idea of using the online supplier. Plus most of the locally owned stores are Not Open on Sundays, so I'm really at a loss as to getting things done that I need to do...kinda agrivates me, but there isn't really much I can do 'bout it. And No -- I will not go into the REALLY pissy thing about The Butt-Uglie car and the number of things wrong with it...let's just say that it does look very nice sitting in it's New Driveway...

Must go and get some files fixed and see what bills I need to pay tomorrow before I get out the door and down the street -- I got some bills paid last week, but the little shop that I used to get plumbing done, hasn't posted my payment, or sent the payment to our bank yet. I've got no clue what's goin' on, and to top it off, the admin. secretary of the place called me & belly-ached about my payment not getting there sooner!! GO FIGURE!!

Lady of The Tulips -- who wonderz why it is some "Customer Service" people don't think of how they sound to their customers...maybe someone should TELL THEM??!!

Daylilies == Snug Harbor '08

These are some of my sweet flowers in the larger flower bed in the backyard -- the previous owner of this house really went all out in planting such large beds of flowers. There are also some beds of daylilies near the dirt road, along the older wooden shed, and near the border of our property and some vacant woods "next door" -- these just keep blooming away and it doesn't seem like they have a care in the world.

Today I WAZ gonna go work in this bed of flowers, but the heat is going to be absolutely BRUTAL today -- had plans to weed on the back of this section of lillies but when I woke up at nearly 8:30 this morning, I knew there was now WAY to get work done before it was too humid outside. I just took Sara for her morning walk (ok..more like here dragging me down the dirt road..) and I'm still melting as I sit in the house...it's gonna be a scorcher later this afternoon. There are calls for over 96 Degrees, an' I have a Nahhhsstyyy feeling it's gonna get a LOT hotter than that. And we're just 4 blocks from the river/sound, and I've got no idea how it's going to swelter inland. We have a breeze coming off the water this morning, and it Is nice, but there is that hint of higher humidity just lingering, and it makes me want to go sit inside the refrigerator...

The table behind me has my latest project waiting Patiently to get finished. The heat yesterday got me so zapped and tired I just didn't have the energy to do anything but look at all the pieces and parts of the collage. My brain melted while I was watering the front flower beds and I think maybe once it rains at the start of next week (or so sez The Weather People..) then I'll be able to think a little more clearly. There are folders sitting on the other side of the computer that have lots of beads and some scrapbook paper that I'd filed for another couple collages, but when I put them together I didn't really put any kind of label on the file folder, so I really don't know what I was thinking...ok..Ok...OK -- so maybe I Never know what I'm thinking , but at least I TRY to do something Coherent...most days..

Tom was suppossed to go up on the Eastern Shore yesterday, but for some reason the dispatch people left the container sitting at the terminal where it still is sitting and waiting for Somewhere To Go -- it had been scheduled to be taken to one of the grain silos but Who-Knowz what happened to THAT idea...somebody dropped the ball on that one, and I'm sure by this morning when the office opened at 5:30 a.m., there were some pretty $^"&$ angry people waiting for an explaination on why the freight didn't get picked up...OOPS! -- maybe today it'll get hauled to where it's supposed to go..

Must get some work done out in the front room and apply some matte medium on the canvas board behind me...it's trying to get my attention and I'm doing my best to ignore it...

Lady of The Tulips -- I can STILL hear the breeze outside trying to blow in the hot humid air into the cracks in the window frame...eerrgggghhh...

Flower Bed - Snug Harbor - '08

This is the one bed that I've been working on in the back yard -- it's in view from the master bedroom window, the back deck and the door leading to the deck...this is just one part of the bed...the story is that the previous owner had this worked out so that his wife would be able to see it from the different windows in the house, an' she would use it for her inspiration to work out her oil paintings. Since this picture was taken 2 weeks ago, the calla lilies have gotten taller, and the purple flowered bee balm has also grown taller. I'm telling myself that the plantz are growing bigger 'cause the finally have some soil to spread out in. They were terribly crowded with far too many weeds, and there was about 4 inches of grass creeping up toward the flower bed. So the weeds got thrown in the compost heap, the creping grass is no longer around the edge of the flower bed, and just this morning I planted some lavender and Sweet William to add some fragrance. The plants were REALLY crowded in the flower pots they were sold in at the Large Department/Home Improvement store...poor dears, they were Very Unhappy. After I dug them into the ground and gave them a good watering, they Perked UP!! and now look much happier. I'll get a shot of them tomorrow when I go back out an' finish the far end of the flower bed..pulling the last of the weeds.

I've got some more projects in the workz over on my little table. I'm considering doing some more cutting on a sheet of very cool scrapbook paper I bought just before we moved. I knew it'd be awahile before I could get to the craft store, so I grabbed about 5 sheets while they were on sale last winter. Now I'm Super glad I did, 'cause the closest craft store is down Ocean Highway an' when I discovered it Tom nearly choked! We'd gone to do some banking, and Right Next Door to the bank, is the Craft/Scrapbook Store!! HA!! I didn't exactly dance in the street, but I came Real Close...naturally tom sez, "Well, I suppose I'll have to bring ya here someday, won't I?"He does come up with the most Amazing Statementz...

Got to go grab some stuff out of the freezer an' defrost SOMETHING for dinner...if I think over what there is stored in there, maybe by the time I get to the kitchen, I"ll have figured out something to make that won't be too gaggie...

Lady of The Tulips - who is trying to remember where she stored some rice and a new onion...hmmm..

"M" Spring Bay Studio 2008


Just got this piece re-worked and finished just this last weekend. I'd hoped to get online sooner than this, but there have been storms off and on for the past 4 days, and every time I'd wanted to get near the computer, it would start rumbling and rattling away up in the sky, and I decided that it wouldn't do to try and test the electronics in the house, let alone try and see if I could light myself up with the computer and the lightening...


There hasn't been too much else going on, 'cept just workin' on gettin' this piece done, and I've got another one that got finished yesterday just before a small thunderstorm blew in off the Sound. I had just stood up from my work table, and had looked across the dirt road at the tree line and realized that the trees were really starting to bend in the wind. Then the bolt's started getting closer and Louder...So I figured it'd be good to shut things down, go out in the kitchen and gather things up that were near the open windows and make sure there weren't any items outside that could go blowing down the street. And after getting all that done, the storm just sorta puttered out and I decided the $^#^& with it and made dinner...may as well have somethin' to show for all the work done in the kitchen, right?

Tom's been driving up and down Interstate 95 the past couple dayz -- Saturday he got some extra work in by getting an empty refrigerated container box to a warehouse/factory that ships frozen pork products overseas. Tom had a load of pork casings..those were going to China and then yesterday he drove back down to the same place, but picked up some other form of pork product...needless to say those trips have made him a little more tired. The weekend trips on the interstate are always more tiring, because of all the traffic, and people in a Hurry to go have their vacation...doesn't seem to make sense to me...people driving like a whirling dervish, speeding at 15 mph over the limit, so they can get to their vacation destination...What The??....racing so they can go relax?...hmm..

Anyway -- went over to one of the neighbors house on Friday and we had a good time trying to Fix All The Wrong's in the World..well, not really, but we did discuss/question Many things that puzzle us -- like why some Supervisor Sez answer the phone calls coming into your office first, but ignore the person standing in front of you, who came to talk to you Before the phone rang..OOOhhhKKeeeyyyyy....makes sense to ME! And we had to question why our kids did all those Really Dumb things they did when they were in school...Why did they try to forge our name on the test page they Failed and think the teacher would think it was REALLY our signature???....my oh my...we had a good laugh and marveled at the fact that we LIVED thru all that ^}$* and haven't gone off the deep end since.

Must go and check on some stuff out in the kitchen...fortunately there isn't a storm brewing AGAIN outside, and I can go sit on the deck while dinner is doin' it'z thing on the stove...

Lady of The Tulips -- who DOES apoligize for how blury the above photo is...my camera was acting up but I DID want to show you this little dear who was Very Patient while I set her down on the work table & took a picture of her...she never even made a fuss!!

Yes...the top photo shows the state our old place was in while I was craming things into boxes, stuffing what newspaper I could find into little mooshed globs to keep glass items from breaking, and wondering what the #%"@5 to do with just EVERYTHING..

And then I walked out into the front room, and there...doing, as you can SEE...ABSOLUTELY NOTHING...was tom -- in all his glory -- doing, as he sez,"My Best To Be OF HELP!"

I've overcome this nightmare that you see before you...I Even unpacked most of the boxes that got stuffed, crammed and mooshed into the Truck..got them Mostly unpacked and now have thingz pretty much put away...Well -- there are some things that aren't in their exact Home yet, but they are being much more patient than one would expect, and are behaving themselves until their home is found.

I've also gotten some More of my art supplies unpacked, and it seems like a Brand New Day when I find some more goodies that are waiting to pop out of their box (es) and suprise me with their wonderful-ness...

My, MY, it just makes me feel so happy...even tho I still have mud on me from weeding another flower bed this morning..But You Get The Point!!

*** Anyway *** I'm off to see that the hot glue gun is going to behave and make some beads look wonderful on my project over on my little table...Wait an' see what I GOT!! Whhheeee...

Lady of The Tulips -- who got her new phone bill today...if I just glance at the "Total Due" then it doesn't hurt so much to see how Bad the bill really is....

One of our flower beds that are Very Happy this Summer...


I took this shot the other day just before we had a little sprinkle of rain. This particular bed of daylilies happens to be just about as tall as I am -- I went up to one of the blooms and pulled the stalk closer to me to see just how tall it was (is) -- and it comes up to just past my nose..I'm 5'4", if that tells you anything about the height of these beauties...

Iwent out and also weeded another flower bed this morning before it got too hot outside...we had the nicest breeze early this morning, so it wasn't too bad while I dug out some unBelievably long and nasty grass weeds-stuff..it was so ugly, and I'm still discovering more flowers in=between all the mess. The irises are really starting to come in better now that they don't have to fight for their life with the weeds, and the other daylilies are starting to come up a little taller, too. I'll get a shot of the flower bed this evening after I get a little more of it cleaned up and it doesn't rain.

We've got some smoke around this morning...the fire that has been burning for a few weeks is still smoldering down the highway from us...so far over 41,000 acres have burned, and it just continues to smolder..all the peat that is underground is burning and causing just incredible amounts of smoke and making things altogether ugly...all it takes is just a small shift in the wind direction, and we're suddenly nearly dark from all the smoke drifting up from the fire. We're not out of the woods yet, so sez the Forestry Dept., but it seems like it's going to be something like 3 months or more before they'll be able to put the blaze out...sometimes it Really flares up, and some of the pictures in the newspaper are unbelievable...50 foot flames just shooting toward the sky, and all the firefighters can do is try and try to get a good containment like around the mess...Tom said that yesterday morning was really dicey for him driving to work..there was a good heavy rain goin' on, and on top of it the wind changed direction, and the smoke just suddenly made the visibility nearly zero..he usually doesn't say anything if there is a rain storm, but when he mentioned the smoke on top of the thunderstorm, then I knew it had to be Pretty Bad. No telling how long this will continue...

Got my latest project nearly ready to get pictures -- it's sorta cool, but then that's Just MY opinion...I keep getting sidetracked with it, cause just out my little window I can hear the county road dept. cutting the grass alongside the dirt road and generally Making Lots of Noise...so naturally I have to hop up and see what'z goin' on...then I get back to making up the little pieces and parts of my latest project, just in time to hear something ELSE goin' on outside, so I have to hop up AGAIN and see what'z goin' on....at least I'm getting lots of good exercise...

Lady of The Tulips -- who is wondering where some of the boxes from the kitchen have gone --they were here and somehow they've gone into hiding..it's making me more angry and irritated than a wet hen...

These pictures should've been posted in opposite order, but I think you can get the idea here...the bottom photo was the "Before" shot of the West side of our little cabin. And yes, it was in some really bad condition, thus why it sat on the market for just over a year. There was a lot of work put into it by noah, and he did wonder at times if he'd ever get thru with the cleaning of this wall. There was tons of mold, mud, and glop everywhere, but he got a bucket with a combination of exterior bleach and water, grabbed my very finest $1.00 scrub brush, and got this wall cleaned, sanded and primed.

The top photo shows the nice paint job he did, not just on this wall, but the entire exterior of the cabin. He took his time and made sure all the paint was applied evenly and made doubly sure that the primer was good and set before he put on the final coat of paint. There are still drops of paint in the flower bed under the eaves and on leaves of some of the shrubs too, but the cabin looks so much much better. The first day I came here by myself to look over the place with the home inspector, I really began to wonder about my senses...I mean, it did look like we'd really taken on a monster, but once the work started, then it seemed like it wasn't as bad as we first thot. And people driving by on the paved road would shout to noah, "Nice job!", so I know that made him feel pretty good.

He's got a job already, too! One of the fellows in church talked to him last week, and said that when noah got thru with the exterior work, that the guy wanted noah to come to work for him. so last night he called the guy, and started this morning. I've got no idea of what he'll be doin, but just the fact that he got a job that quick is really sayin' somethin'. He got up pretty early to walk over to the guys house and get a ride, so I'm sure by the time he gets back here tonight he'll be pretty worn out. But he likes to put in a good days work, so I can't blame him for takin' up this offer for a job.

Tomorrow I'll post another photo of the flower beds. I spent some time in one of the larger beds yesterday pullin' some really nasty weeds, that look like they've been in that poor defenseless bed for sometime. The one neighbor said it'd been a couple years since the yard has had some real work done, and by the time I got 4 feet of work done, I believed every word she said. The suprising thing is the amount of bulbs and perinnials that are buried in this flower bed! Wow, I'm finding some really fabulous flowers, that are just getting ready to bloom. Whatta great find! Irises, more daylilies, Bee Balm, and some others that I'm not sure of...but they all have really perked up since the weeds have been pulled from around them. And we had a good soaking thunderstorm early this morning, so the flowers are Really doin' good today. I'm excited to see how they'll come out after the rest of the bed is cleaned up.

Lady of The Tulips -- who thinks there are some tulips in one of the other flower beds that happen to also be buried under some rather ughhlliieeee weeds, but she's just not sure...hmmm...

This morning is very quiet -- the temps are a Lot cooler than they have been the past couple dayz. Somewhere in the low 70's or upper 60's, which feels wonderful coming in thru the open windows. The humidity yesterday made the upper 80 degree's feel like over 95, at least to me. the humidity and I have never been on speaking terms, and once it gets up in those numbers it saps the energy out of me. So waking up this morning with the coolness has been a very fine thig.

The house is coming along much faster than I thot it would. Noah has the trim left to finish tomorrow and thinks the house will be completely repainted by the end of the week. He's really worked very hard on making it look better. he's started attending the community church and even had several people congratulate him on the work he's done on the exterior of the house. last week one of the neighbors talked to him about a possible job, so that would be excellent if he could find some work soon. I think he's been wondering what to do about some income since coming down here with us, but once one door closes, another opens up. God works in wonderful ways that we'll never understand!

I've got some paint ready on my little table behind me, and am ready to finish up some lettering and painting fishes. There has been a change in some of the pieces I worked up before leaving the city, and now they look completely different. I'll start posting the changes on them this next week. I've got to get some supplies into the studio too -- and get this place organized. Noah haz some stuff that needs to go up in the attic, and larger pieces of furniture that will go out in one of the sheds. we've got 2 outside, but one has a little more space available for large furniture pieces. The Dog's couch has been relegated to the larger shed..it sat out in the rain and started taking on a life of it's own...i.e. smelling like it was growing into another Something...lawdy mama!! 'bout made me gag when I got close to the thing...ugh...

Must go and make sure sara isn't trying to sneak out the back door..she's discovered she can knock the back storm door open and run offf......sheesh..

Lady of The Tulips -- who is wondering where her little ceramic lady has gone...she's awful cute & I can't find her...hummm

"After Walking The Dog" 2008

this is a shot of our new dining room!! Just to the left you can see the nice little wood stove and the brickwork behind it -- the work of the mantle is just right, and the white paint has been renewed since I took this picture. The pile of fabric on the one dining room chair are some curtains that I got for free!! This is so Weird! -- the curtains were in a bag in the attic of the house we just moved out of. The fabric hadn't look all that great to me, so I just ignored the bag and contents 'till just after we got the truck unpacked, and started getting things put away. The bag of curtains had been left on the driveway, gotten a little damp from some rain, and then got drug into the laundry room. THEN I decided to take a good look at them, and discovered that they were the Exact color I wanted for the front room...and that they are a pair of quite expensive curtains...the previous owner must have gotten the pair on sale, as the price tag was still on the bag -- $35 for each set...panels and valance. I could not believe my good fortune! So now tom has to hang some new curtain rods, and the fabulous curtains will cheer up the front room

I've also got some new plants for the front flower bed..the previous owner had planted TONZ of daylilies...I'll post some pictures of some of the beds of flowers he'd planted tomorrow. Some of the types the owner planted are Quite expensive, and it looks like he just went crazy planting them all over the yard. There is one bed where the flowers are as tall as me -- an' I'm 5'4" -- so that gives you an idea of how the flower bed just covers one side of the yard. Very cheerfull to see first thing in the morning. I bought some lavender plants today, along with some Sweet William -- I've had those type of plants at our other house, and they are such good perinnials that I couldn't pass up the sale price at the hardware store. There is also a local nursery just down the highway, so I asked tom if we could go next saturday and see what there is. Ilike paying for plants to a local grower much more than a chain store, but today I didn't have any choice but to get plants from a warehouse store. They do look good tho, and will enhance the large flower bed and be happy with the shade from lots of hardwoods especially in the afternoon.

I've got a project underway already!! The move has gotten me feeling much Much more relaxed, and somewhat recooperated from the horrid dealings with the real estate agent we had in the city...it's too nasty to go into here, but I'll talk about that later..as for the project, it's just about at the lay-out stage, and some painting will get done tomorrow..after i get some pictures of the flower beds that have just started blooming...i'll stick tom out there so you can get an idea of how tall the flowers are, an' see what The Husband looks like...he Does look like Santa Claus...

Lady of The Tulips -- listening to sara bounce around out in the kitchen..i think she just came in from her walk with noah...or is it she just got thru dragging noah down the dirt road??

" Look, Look," said Lady Tulip. "There is a New Day and Today is that Day!"

"There will be Dancing in the street, and People will jump for joy!", said Lady Tulip. She waz very happy, and did Her own Happy Dance, to show others how the joy could be felt.

ok...Ok...OK!!

So there really isn't any dancing in the street, but we DO have internet here in our little cabin, and the trees are whispering to one another in the breeze outside, and there is not ONE commercial airline taking off overhead, and the sound of police sirens is no more in the neighborhood. We have successfully relocated and are EVAH so happy we have finally unpacked boxes, repainted different rooms, trims and the outside of the house is sporting a new color thanx to the Very Fine Work of Noah...he has done a fabulous job on re-doing the old wood and fixed up all the leaks and holes that had gotten ahold of the wood all around the house. We are Ever So Happy.

I forgot where my camera is (why i can't remember where it is is just beyond me...after all We just moved ...) but in the morning I'll post pictures of the cabin. It is ever so wonderful to be surrounded by the woods..and lots of neighbors have come up and welcomed us to the little neighborhood. One couple helped tom & noah unload the truck the first day we were here. Poor Tom had to go right back to work the next day -- we signed the legal papers, got the electricity hooked up an' zoom, off the poor dear had to go and drive all that freight all over the place. But the drive back here is well worth the mess he has to work in around the Big City.

We also have discovered that the dog just Loves to go for a walk -- at least twice a day, and sometimes three times a day she just has to go out and do her thing. We found here a harness get-up just before packing the truck to move..it's kinda funky looking, but the thing works like a gem. She is REALLY strong, and tries several times a day to drag me into the woods, but I've learned to counter her near-leaps into the trees. she gets miffed, but I usually succeed. And she has walked a lot of weight off of me...I'm another size smaller now, but I'm not complaining!! It feels good to have that much exercise every day. The dirt road in front of our place is somewhat tricky, as the dog wants to drag me down that thing at a VERY fast pace. so far I haven't fallen facefirst into the gravel...hopefully I'm not going to either...


This is sorta short, but I've got to get in touch with the area art league and find out what to do with my yearly membership. the have a meeting this next week, so I gotta get stuff fixed up fast.

Lady of The Tulups -- who is doing her Happy Dance lotz and lotz now that she's not in the big city eny-more...

"The State of The Union"


this is what has become of the studio -- there are more things in it than just meets the eye -- as it were..

I got thru the stack of ancient old and ugly bills, bank statements, old military forms from when The Husband was in the Navy -- stuff from up in the attic that i had no idea even got stored up there. we'd gotten a reservation for a rental truck the first of the week...and then the real estate agent sez, well...we can't do any thing yet cause of this, that and the other. i couldn't see straight for nearly half the day i was so angry. fortunately we didn't have to choke on the price of the truck and the cancellation of said truck -- we called the office in enuf time, so we didn't have to pay a fee. that would have been just too much, and that kind of money right now needs to go for groceries.


these bags and boxes are whatz left from throwing out old christmas ornaments -- some of the kind that my dad's girlfriend had given us some years ago...they were in really bad shape when we got them, but while trying to be nice, i didn't want to seem ungrateful..so i took them. But at this point, I just want to get rid of junk that sits and collects dust bunnies and whatever else may be lurking in the attic. some of the stuff that's covering the dog's couch are what we thinned out just last winter, when we were told not to have any christmas decorating in the house while we were showing the house for sale. there were some really stuffed trash bags and now what we see is just the bare bones. 25 plus years and it nearly just fits on one couch. that's thinning out!!

And as you can see, The Dog is just happy she's out of the way of all the stuff -- she's acting like she knows somethings afoot, but she's just not too shure of what. Hey, her mother isn't too shure of just what's goin' on either...I'm finally getting the feeling of leavin' town -- it's been a lot of work, and we signed the papers for the closing yesterday. I came back home to a crew working all over our house -- new windows got installed. The poor crew had a nightmare of a time pulling out the old windows -- one guy was trying very, VERY hard not to crack the window in the front bathroom, and while he was tap, tap, TAP, TAPPING away, next thing you hear is "CRASH!!" -- the whole window fell in on the bathroom floor -- an' since I was just then walking down the hall past the bathroom, I very casually said, "Well, that's one way to get rid of the thing..."

His Boss sez, "Well...I don't really think he meant to do that.." Ha! another smart alleck like me! The rest of the day went pretty good after that! I'm happy as a cow in clover with the windows, and the new owners should be too -- I'm jus' sad I won't be able to enjoy them for too much longer...ah well..

Now I'm waiting for the final walk thru from the home appraiser -- no clue as to when he's gonna show up -- "Sometime today" sez my real estate agent...

My Nerves are Trying to Stick Around...

Lady of The Tulips -- who now has to make more phone calls and connect up all the loose ends before moving day next week -- Monday will be here before ya know it!!