Animal Wednesday and Hodgepodge

This tip top image is my first sighting of a horn toad this Summer. I love them and always try to get an image when I see one. The other images are the cute earrings that my sister in law M made, she sent them to me to see if any of you may want to buy a pair. They are 15 dollars each pair plus a 1.50 shipping in the US. They won't be in my ETSY shop as I did not make them, so if you want a pair just email me and indicate which pair, I can do check or paypal. First come first serve :-).

In other news: My dog Zeus is doing very well, he is even running a bit. Part of his problem has been my slippery floors and this week a friend is giving me some carpet to put around the house which I think will help. He only falls when standing still on the hard wood floors or trying to climb a hill. He had a really good week, so I am happy to say I may have jumped the gun a bit. His passing is inevitable and it will likely be this Summer, but he has surprised me, so we will just have to have a wait and see attitude. Continued prayers and good thoughts are much appreciated :-). I will keep you posted.

This weekend I planted flowers and made 3 bowls which I will share after I take some photos, I want to show the process as it goes. I also went to see Jane Eyre with a friend and I loved it!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. Happy Animal Wednesday!XOXO

ABC

I got this from KJ and Jos. I thought I could use a little fun and lighten up a bit, so here goes:

A is for age: 55, though inside I feel 25, my body does feel pretty much 55 :-).

B is for beer of choice: I don't like beer, the one I least hate is a dark ale, champagne is my drink of choice, but I rarely drink liqueur.

C is for career: Can you call something you make very little money at a career? I am an artist and I do a whole list of things that I am self employed doing, Managing, cleaning, cooking, running errands, shipping and packing.

E is for Essential item(s) you use everyday: Furbabies, Ok, I don't "use" them, but they are essential, tooth brush, hair brush, paint brush :-), pencils & Paper, my espresso maker.

F is for Favorite song at the moment: Anything by Sting, actually I don't listen to much music or anything, these days I prefer silence.

H is for How About Whatever Favorite I Choose: Favorite TV show: Fringe. I don't have cable or satellite, but I rent dvds and have a friend tape them off his computer, so I am always up to date. I LOVE this show almost as much as I loved LOST.

G is for favorite Game: Chess, I am not very good and I rarely play, but it is the only board game I like, My favorite real game is hide and seek :-).

I is for Instruments played:When I was young I played piano and in my teens I taught myself to play "Court and Spark" on the guitar, I have forgotten how to do both at this point.

J is for favorite Juice: cranberry

K is for Kids: I have no children, but I currently have 3 furbabies, Zeus, Max and Zoe, and one little sweetie of a great Nephew named P.

L is for last kiss: I can't even remember the last real kiss, likely 3 or 4 years ago cause that is how long I have been boyfriendless, but I kiss all my friends.

M is for marriage: Never been. I have met "The One", but it did not work out, so I will most likely never marry and I am fine with that, never been lonely a day in my life.

N is for full Name: I will never tell :-).

O is for Overnight hospital stays: one at age 6 when my tonsils were removed, that's it!

P is for phobias: Just 2, doctors and public speaking.

Q is for quote: What you resist persists.

R is for biggest Regret: That it did not work out with the man I love.

S is for sports: Running and tennis.

Time you wake up: varies: usually by 7:00 am, sometimes 8 on weekends, occasionally 5 or 6 am, which is my favorite time of all.Kj we have the exact same wake up schedule :-).

U is for color underwear: most often black. And they don't ever match. Lately I bought multi colored underwear and I love it.

V is for Vegetable you love: Asparagus

W is for Worst Habit: impatience

X is for X-rays you’ve had: dental, that's it.

Y is for Yummy food you make: Chocolate cupcakes

Z is for Zodiac sign: Pisces, what else could I be?

Whew, that took a while. Happy Weekend! XOXO

Zeus Update

Thank you all so much for your heartfelt comments and emails, I appreciate you all so much.
Zeus is still with me, he has had a few good days, so I will see how it is going on Tuesday next week, I would like to have the weekend with him to say a proper good bye at least. As long as the good days out weigh the bad he will stay. All I can do it revisit this everyday and see where we are. I know he will tell me the exact time is right. Mr.B and Spike did, so I trust that Zeusy will too. I will let you know when the time comes. Every day is such a gift.
Love you all. XOXO

Zeus (Animal Wednesday)

This is my sweet dog Zeus (with my late little B in the last photo). The best dog in the Galaxy. I am doing his tribute now because in a few days he will be gone and I won't have the strength. Losing him at all is hard, but losing him so soon after B and Spike and G is just to much for my poor heart. Too much death and sickness and old age. He is now falling more than standing and while he can still do his walks and he loves his food, I feel the time is nearing when I have to take him and have him put down. I think Thursday or Friday evening will be as long as we can hold out, he could surprise me, but I really feel this is it. I rescued Zeus 9 years ago and he was 7 then, so he has lived a long and good 16 years. He is the sweetest, kindest most loving dog you would ever meet, he loves all people, animals and me, he loves me more than any human has. Zeus is a miracle of a dog and has never been sick a day. He just has bad hips and is very old. Time to go and run free again in the fields. In my meditation I heard the words, "You are not alone with this" and I know I am not, I know spirit is with me and will help me get through this.

Your prayers and good thoughts are appreciated.XOXO

Flowers and Vase

This is my new painting, 20"x 16" Venetian plaster, acrylic and pigment on board. This is the first vase and flowers I have ever painted and of course they came from my imagination, because I just find that more interesting then copying from what I see. If you click on any of the photos it will enlarge them and you can see much more detail. My paintings are all about detail and layers and if you don't enlarge you will miss a lot. This piece took me two full weekends and many evenings to finish. I think this is one of 3 paintings I will enter for the jury for the Taos Fall Arts show. These were rushed photos, and they are a little off, some colors are more intense and some are less. I will be taking much better photos for the jury and will share those when I get them done. Please let me know what you think, I don't know if it is good or bad at this point, but I think I like it :-). I also have not decided to leave it as is or varnish it. Oh, and I have no title yet! Happy Monday! XOXO

Hodgepodge (Life Lessons)

For over two years I have been visiting a woman in a nursing home once a week, a friend asked me to visit her and then over time G and I became friends, she was 93 when we met. The last 6 months have been really rough, her mind so full of the fear of death. her struggles ended Tuesday night. As luck would have it I went to visit her that day which was not my usual day, but I felt an urgent pull, I am so glad I did and that I was able to say goodbye to her. She is now free and it is a blessing.

Also some of you know I lost my special heart rock that I recently found on the beach in Oregon. I lost it on a hike, it was in my pocket and then when I returned home it was not there. As I slipped it into my pocket that morning, my little voice said "Don't carry that rock in your pocket, you will lose it", I did not listen and I lost it an hour later. Well, yesterday while hiking, against all odds I found my rock again! I have been blessed with it twice! It now has pride of place in front of my Buddha.

This is a tale of paying attention to that small voice inside, LISTEN! It is important. But also TRUST! Everything is a miracle.

In my comments for my last post my bloggy friend Melanie left this as her life list, I wanted to share it as it is stunning! And so very complete:

To be: content.

To do: everything I attempt.

To have: what I need when I need it.

I think I will put this on my mirror and make it my mantra, Thank you dear Melanie.

I am off to have yogurt and fruit and hot chocolate with agave, then I will paint on my still life, it is slow going, but I hope to finish this week. Happy Happy Saturday! XOXO

Life Lists

Photo found here
My mind is all a buzz, so to quiet it I thought I would make a few lists for your viewing pleasure, please leave a list of your own in the comments. Happy Monday! xoxo
What I want to be:
Kind
Loving
Brave
Strong
Giving
Successful Artist
Fun loving
Carefree
A list of what I want to do:
Paint a zillion paintings
Make a zillion bowls
Go to France
Italy
Africa
Berlin
Just to name a few.
Buy a house and paint it all the colors I love, build a fireplace with all my favorite rocks and shells.
Live near the sea
and also have a house in New Mexico
Have a large garden of my own design
Learn to cook more than the hand full of things I cook well.
Learn to knit
Learn to sew
Learn to speak French
Learn something new every year until I die.
What I want to have:
More love
More money
More animals
More time to do what I love.
More hugs
A house of my own
Okay, that about covers it :-).
What I have that I am very grateful for:
My family,
My furbabies
My friends
My blogging buddies
My talent
My sweet Subaru
My little rented house
My clients
My health
My thin body (Yay, for learning to eat healthy foods while still eating foods I love and enjoying life!) Finally! What took me so long?
Taos, New Mexico
Sunshine...
A list of things I wish I could do:
Have enough money to start a no kill animal shelter here in Taos
Save the Dolphins!
Stop hate and cruelty.
Had the power to make everyone I know happy :-).

A Tale of Two Dreams

I took this photo on my recent trip to Oregon.

I know other people's dreams are boring, so I won't go into detail, just a brief telling, it is the end of the two dreams that really count anyway. A few days before I left on my trip to Oregon I dreamed I was in an office and a doctor gave me some drugs, these drugs were for accessing my subconscious, I lay on a sofa waiting, the question I was asking was, what was my greatest fear.

Nothing came at first, but then I sat up and told the doctor my greatest fear was of being successful! Imagine that. I wrote the dream down knowing I needed to give it some deep thought, but quickly forgot about it as I was busy on my trip. Then a few days after returning from my trip I had this dream: I dreamed I was at my wedding where I was to marry Jeff bridges :-), I was waiting to go down the aisle and I told a friend "It really does not matter if this marriage works out or not. I am not afraid of making mistakes anymore!" Imagine that.

I then remembered my first dream and I think of these two dreams as sister dreams.

Imagine a person with these two fears working behind the scenes, you would not get very far or accomplish a great deal! No wonder I feel stuck a lot of the time. I don't know if these two insights will change things, but I have a feeling they will and I think of these dreams as a huge leap and as miracles given to me by spirit. Accessing important information. I just thought I would share. Happy Saturday! XOXO

More New Stuff

This is the last of my vases and also a plate. Plates are hard if you are doing porcelain, they warp when they get fired, this one is the third try and it did pretty good except the red underglaze bubbled, so I will be using this plate and not selling it, but I thought I would show it to you anyway. The vase and plate are a part of my "Circus Series" I am sure after I paint paintings for a while, I will return to making these. The vase is small at 2"x 1 1/2".

I had a long and busy day, so that's it for now. Happy Wednesday! XOXO

Hodge Podge

This is another new small, bud, feather or incense holder, 3 in one :-). Porcelain 2 1/4" x 3 1/4".

It will make it's way to my ETSY shop in the next day or two.

I told you I would elaborate more on all my thoughts and projects of late, so here I go elaborating :-).

First, I am working on a project in porcelain, I am making a book/sculpture and I have the first two pages done,I will share with you soon. Yesterday, I started a new painting project and it is really different for me, I am working on a painting of a vase with flowers! I believe it has come to me out of my love for making the porcelain vases, plus it is Spring :-). I have never painted a vase with flowers in my whole life as an artist. If it turns out I will take photos for you. This painting will be for a show I may or may not get into. Every year Taos has a Fall Arts show, very big in town. They have what they call the "Open" and anyone with money can enter, you pay to hang a painting in a big room. They always hung my paintings by the bathroom or too high and I always felt disgusted by the show and 4 years ago decided I would never put another painting there, and I have stuck to that decision. In another big room, they hang what they call the select and the masters, these artists are invited and have to be juried in. One of the board members has invited me to submit a painting. They don't like abstract paintings in Taos as a general rule, and so I thought since this new piece I am working on is actually a painting of something recognizable I might have a shot at getting in the show :-). We will see. I won't know for a few months, but I will keep you posted.

In other very boring news, I am cleaning and purging my house :-). It feels so good. I worked 11 hours on Saturday and I have much to do, it will be an on going project, when done I plan on having a yard sale and to paint the inside of my house, that is if I can find the time and energy!

And then there is all the thinking I do, I have been thinking a lot about death and old age, and sadness and fear and pain, I know, not very happy thoughts. There is a lot of pain and grief around me these days and I have decided that no matter what I have to embrace all of life and be happy. I really do believe that for the most part happiness is a choice, but I also believe that we have to embrace everything in life including sadness. In my life, at this moment I am turning a page and I am embracing life, finding joy everywhere and inspiration in the air. Today, I am off to hike with my very ailing and old dog, Zeus, not sure how much longer he will carry on, but he loves his hikes and today we have time for a long one. Then after work, I get to paint and for that I am more grateful than I can say. Happy Monday! xoxo

Happy Mother's Day!

Mom, I hope you don't mind I scanned an old photo, as you won't let me show any new photos even though you are still beautiful :-).
Even if we do not always see eye to eye we always love one another and that counts for a lot, it counts for everything. Happy Mother's Day, mom, I love you.
All you moms out there have a wonderful Day!
Even if you are not a mom, have a wonderful day!
XOXO

New Bowl

This is a new 2 1/2" x 4" bowl I made from porcelain, underglazed on the outside and clear glazed the inside.

I love it, but it will be going to my ETSY shop as I decided to keep my little quirky white and red vase for myself :-). And I can't keep everything!

Much is going on here, I am full of ideas and projects, I want to purge and paint and renew.

I want change and sparkle and joy.

Life is too short for one more depressing or fearful thought!

I am rambling and I have no time to ramble. I will elaborate on these thoughts more later :-).

Happy Friday! XOXO

Vase Love and a Thank You!

I just got some new porcelain pieces out of the kiln and instead of showing them all a once I decided to show you one at time. This little 2 1/2" x 2" vase is my favorite and I am debating rather I want to put it in my ETSY shop or keep it :-).

When I returned home from my trip and opened my PO box I had a lovely surprise from Lori, she sent me 3 of her wonderful photo cards and these beautiful feathers for my feather vases. Thank you Lori, you are a darling doll.

Happy Thursday! XOXO

P.S. Blogger just decided to space this post weirdly (is that a word? It is now :-).

My Trip in Pictures

I'm back from my trip. I am playing major catch up and on overwhelm, so I will keep this post short. I had a lovely trip and it was wonderful to see my family. I took many photos, but these are the best ones. No family members as I have to respect their privacy. Well, there is one family member, my little great nephew P, but I don't think he will mind that I put his photo on my blog :-). I spent one day at the beach and took these photos, found this blessing of a rock with a heart carved out in the center. On the way home we saw about 6 rainbows! I tried to capture one from a moving car. And then I could not resist taking photos of clouds on the way home over Albuquerque. I hope you all had a lovely week. I will be coming by to visit you all soon.

Happy Tuesday! XOXO