The Simple Truth

I have a lot of blocks in my head that I have recently started questioning.

Changing.

Rearranging.

One of those blocks is that I have often thought I was not very good at art.

I thought I was really actually, quite horrid at it.

It was a very large and solid block that was placed in my thoughts for many years.

I blamed it on some one else putting it there.

The simple truth is, it was there, and if I wanted it moved I had to move it.

Someone encouraged me to challenge myself and dare to try.

I accepted the challenge.

I put my name on it and I picked it up.

I started that quilt, I picked up that camera, I got the art supplies, I started writing that book...

And while I'm no Rembrandt, Cecil Beeton, or Nora Roberts...I can now say, yet.

I have gathered other's to join me in the adventure's where we have been doodling, among other things, with pencil, art journal, canvas's and watercolor...

I have many artistic people in my family who are encouraging me, I try to encourage them too.

I will tell you another simple truth.

While I'm no Rembrandt, Beeton, Roberts yet, I am having a blast trying out different things.

I am having a blast seeing what is blooming in mine and other's amazing selves.

So if you think you can't, your right.

But if you think you can you are also right.

What you think can be changed.

Today, try something new, or something old that you left behind...

Please, what ever your it is.

Have FUN with it!

Memorial Day

We have been having some pretty wet and wild weather around here of late. Flooding is still going on. New snow in the mountains, and lower, will bring more run off.

It is a good water year.

But with the flooding come some unexpected plan changes. One of those things that had to be rethought was the rendezvous.

It was moved to a location where it was much easier access for city folk like myself to reach. I fear the weather kept a lot of people away. What with winds reaching 90 miles an hour laying tents and tepee's flat faster than they could be layed down to help prevent damage.

It went on regardless and a good time was had



Made me think about how much I like my modern conveniences I can tell you!
I admit I would like to get a Capote, with a hood. I think I could get some good use out of that year round.
I came home and looked around and thought of those who did live through those kinds of days, with no hot bath and warm bed waiting at the end of the four days.
The ones who did lay down their lives, so that I can live and raise my family in a free country.
I thought of the ones who taught me not only how to live through hard things, but to do it with some form of grace in the doing.
I thought of my tiny Grand son who gave more than anyone I have ever known. My parents and grand parents. And those before them. And found myself wondering...
How did they do it?!
Then I remembered the things we are going through right now. The things I see my children and grand children being strong through and I wonder...
How do they do it?!
I don't need a rendezvous, or storms or a special day, to think about all those who mean so much to me.
You see, I think of them every day.

Moxie and Other Important Stuff We Need

I have people, real and imaginary, that I would like to emulate. Incorporating some of their traits into my own life.

For instance, Alice, from In Wonderland.

She has a lot of moxie  (vigor; verve; pep.  courage and aggressiveness; nerve.  skill; know-how) for a little girl, and later as an adult, she became, ok, with being who she is.

And who can not want to be like Peter Pan?

I ask you!

Why,just look at him!



Picture found on google search

He can fly.

He believes in Fairies.

Fights pirates, and wins!

And, well, he has tons of moxie.

It oozes from him in copious quantities!

Wraps around him like a royal cloak.

Whispers in the very air around him.

Alice and Peter both accept themselves. While firmly letting others know where they stand,or fly, and steadily they stand in their self acceptance I might add.

Not all from a braggarts stance.

Maybe its better described as an air of belief in themselves.

After all to believe is to have confidence in the truth, the existence, or the reliability of something, although without absolute proof that one is right.

 

So, Alice from Wonderland, Peter Pan, and I, would like to encourage you to

I hope each of us, have the courage and confidence to take a mental and emotional stance, helping ourselves, and others, to make an all out attempt to succeed, using all the ingenuity, knowledge and experiences at our disposal. Although we may not have proof that what we are doing is absolutely right. May we act purposefully and without bragging.

Or if you prefer...

May you aggressively emulate, real and imaginary hero's and heroines in your life, using all available know-how, without implementing a braggarts stance.



Emulate= To imitate with effort to try to equal or excel.
Aggressiveness= Making an all-out attempt to win or succeed. Vigorously energetic, especially in the use of initiative.
Know-how= Ingenuity, aptitude, or skill; knack. Knowledge of how to do a particular thing; experience.
Braggarts= Someone who does a lot of bragging.
Stance= a mental or emotional position adopted with respect to something.

Flooded

We have had a lot of rain around here lately.

So when I had to make a trip over the mountain I grabbed my trusty little camera, with the plan to stop and take some pictures of the rivers.

If I could get close enough and remain safe.

Many of the roads were closed the last week end we went over there.

Hearing that it had started to go down a little, but with the recent rains I think it has gone back up again...

Any way.

I took some pictures, made lots of mental notes and as usual, I noticed things in the pictures that I didn't see when I first took them.

Following is a fair example of what I mean.

The river had recently stopped running over the bridge, the road has been flooding all the way up the road as far as you can see it in the picture.

What I didn't pay attention to was the sign in the middle of the picture.

When I noticed it on the computer, I blew it up, so I could read what it said.

And I believe it is very right.

The sign was perched precariously there.

Right smack-dab in the middle of the two barricaded ends, blocking either end of the flooding area with chains and highway divider cement blocks.

The only way to get to where I was, was on foot.

Waving to the man in the front loader, who was moving in more cement blocks, I trudged my path up the middle of the road. Watching my foot fall's, the ravages of the rising river on the landscape. Stepping over the chains, taking my hand full of pictures then returned by the same path.

The whole of the expedition was less than five minutes total.

It was uneventful, as far as I could tell.

Then as I was half way back to my car I saw this: 

Laying peacefully in the road.

Unusual?

I think...maybe...no. Then again...maybe...yes.

Its good to keep in mind that I do believe in Fairies...I do. I do!

So I gathered up the little gift of nature that now happily resides in my had band.

A reminder to keep my eyes open to the things I may be missing.

Is It Really A Weed?

I have some flowers that I planted last year, that should not have come back this year.

Does that make them a weed?

Or just persistent.

I guess it could be argued either way.

We are the sort of folks that figure, because it hung in there making its way back this spring, after being buried under mountainous piles of snow, it has earned its place.

As well as its peace.

Thus securing it's status as a flower.

Our debate now, is about this little guy... 

Honey has always tried to convince me that the "Dandy-Lion" is a weed, and must not be seen in our yard.
Heaven forbid one should venture to turn up in or near a flower or vegetable garden! 
That sends this old farm boy into a near panic state of emergency, leading to 'removal at all cost' mode.
I, on the other hand have enjoyed this delightful little 'flower' since I can remember.
Why it can tell you if you like butter, just by holding it under your chin on a sunny day!
I know, because my Daddy showed me long ago. My children gathered them by the handful, bringing them to me tightly clutched in dirty little hands, with smiles as bright as the bloom itself.
 So to me it will always be  More than just a weed .

I remember going to barbecues in the springs our early years of marriage, that were affectionately dubbed, "The dandelion festival".
A large group of folks would gather early in the morning around this time of year, then head for the ditch banks and filed edges of local farmer's, who had agreed to let our friend gather before spraying to rid the area of the noxious weeds.   
From the flowers gathered he would make  Dandelion Wine.
Last years harvest would be ready to open and be sampled.
I remember the golden colored liquid in the glasses looked as warm and comfortable as the fields they were gathered from.
Back then, I was somewhat a prude, the dictionary worded it well when it described me as; a person who is excessively proper or modest in speech, conduct, dress, etc. So alas, I can not tell you the flavor.
 (That is a story for a different day, it could be titled, 'How I thought people thought I should be: and almost lost myself trying' ) .

picture from google search



So the friendly debate continues at our house.

 'Is it really a weed?'

Hats

I have always liked hats.

I have always looked pretty goofy in hats.

I have always hunted for The Hat.

The one that didn't make me look like my mom, or...well...goofier than I usually do.

In the process I have amassed quite a collection... 

I see so many people who look so comfortable with their choice of clothes and have some how managed to find the hat that fits their personalities...like a glove.

I got my nose sunburned, yet again, because of my lack of personality fitting chapeau... 

Then Lolly showed up with the perfect hat, she encouraged me to try it on...not bad.

I had not really considered this type of topper before...

This only  served to renew my determination to resume the search.

So bright and early I headed down the freeway to begin the hunt...

The first store I entered had 6 metal containers with new little chicken's varying in age from one week, to four weeks old.

Asking the sales clerk for directions to the hat section, with a flit of her hurried hand I was off toward the back wall.

Stetson's wall papering its length and breadth.

Among them I found it...Right down to the band.

 

The search came to an end there in the white letter edged mirror resting on the hat filled counter...



While its true it was found among a plethora of Stetson's, I would like to point out that I believe it to be an Artists Hat, rather than a cowboy hat.

Simply because I never had cow's...but I have been known to dabble in a few forms of artistic workmanship.

p.s. I still might look goofy, but I'm old enough now that I'm ok with me ;)

p.p.s. This particular covering is not a stetson. I don't hold that against it.

The River's Runeth Over

Wear yer wader's, its gettin deep!

Every Spring we get a pretty good run off around here, sometimes its heavier that others.

This is a heavy run off year.

The river in these first two pictures located at the ever growing, scenic "Lake Fonnesbeck", is in the tree line...way back there.

Can you see it? 

 And yes. That is farm machinery at the middle left hand side...I'd try to tell you where the fence posts are, but suffice it to say.

 You wouldn't be able to see them.

This is the other side of the new lake...

This next picture, the feed river is off to the right, probably three or four semi lengths, pulling doubles.

The 'Haunted Hollows' river has done itself proud venturing quite a far piece itself...

Well there you have it...Spring time in the Rockies.

Keep yer feet dry.

Shaking Things Up

When we are children we usually have very few cares in the world.
As we grow up, some of us, still like to cut lose and be a little carefree ourselves while sharing time with those life loving youngsters.

Yesterday was rainy.

The day before that was too.

As was the one before that.

And this one is too.

And the next one was expected to be.

What do you do, when you have had a taste of the warmth of outdoor freedoms, after a long winter and then, all the sudden there it is...right back to being stuck inside, a lot?

Invent ways to cut lose inside, I say!

Build a tent out of a card table in the front room, make your own play dough, paint lots of stuff...then what?!

Kids have a way of finding things to do, and while most of the time they are not hidden fun times, every now and again you just have to do something...not ordinary.

You have to cut lose and shake things up!

Like when you discover baby powder for your sore toe-toe, and find other things that may need this most wonderful of finds!

Sometimes you have to have a controlled burn, or controlled powdering as it were.

We had such a time, contained to a bathroom with a full baby powder container emptied, to the shear delight and dancing of a little "white dostie"...

Then the clean up came along.

And you know, while she washed the powder in, with a splashing bath, I did the dirty work...  Loving every minute of it!

You have to love the smell of Johnson & Johnson Lavender & Chamomile baby powder don't you?!

Ahh~Choo!!!

Mother's Day Flower's

My Mama passed away in 2005, there is not a day goes by I don't think about her.

Sometimes I'm amazed at the things I am still learning from her. Other's I'm amazed at the things I am learning that she did...and wonder where I was that I didn't know these things until now...thank you very much.

I am working on the Quilt my Mama started in 1956, I had to unpick all the flowers I did, because they were going the wrong direction. They are all now done right, and blessed well. I now have the top almost completed, a few yellow filler pieces and I'm ready to start quilting...all of the time spent on the quilt I either think of her or my own children.

As I was going for a leisurely stroll down the street of my youth last week, the sun warming me as I moseyed down the often traversed path that used to lead to home, I looked up to see, in gay profusion "Mama's Almond tree" in full bloom.

It may not be my home anymore, but it will forever be her tree.

It's predecessor was right off the front porch, before age and wind over ravaged it, was as tall as the house, as full as a hot air balloon, the pride of the family, planted by my Dad's Mama.

These are the flower's I hold dear this Mother's Day.



Me and My Worries

It's true.

I am a scaredy cat~worry wort of the biggest kind.

I have more phobia's of the wrong thing spilling out of my well exercised mouth, than I ever had of spiders or even snakes. Combined!
I have learned over the years that I give, not bad, but, horrible directions, they often make mud look clear!
The tendency to try to be funny and be taken wrong, or unintentionally hurting someones feelings or altering the way a person might view another...to me is the Big Mama of all my verbal imagery fears. And I can not even begin, to tell you the amount of time I have spent in tossing, turning, turmoil over such things.
Especially at night, when the tossing and turning are more easily done, and when those worries have time to noisily run amok through my never quieting brain. 
Sometimes I find out that the worry was for good reason. Other times I am put at ease about such fears.
It seems I am more worrisome about saying the wrong things when I am tired, or...well lets face it. When I'm awake.
Don't get me wrong, I don't wake up and think,'Today I'm going to really go out there and make a butt of myself to at least 3 people by noon!'
No, it's generally a surprise, followed quickly by self mental attacking, causing me to want to stand and bang my head against the wall of 'open mouth insert foot up to knee'.
All because of what I should have said, or should not have said, or should have sounded different when I said...oh the list of self floggings in this area could go on, and on!
So I will just leave it at the fact that I am a big mouth, scardy cat~worry wort, and will now try to can the chatter in my head and get some sleep...or, spend a little more time chasing that new little worry around my head, just a little bit more.

Getting Ready

It was time to make a trip to the nursery to see what they had out, knowing it wouldn't be to much because it has been so cold still. This trip was for a gift plant, a lilac bush, so away we went to one of the local places to peruse the wares.

The thing about the weather is that we are all getting ready to be out in the yards.

We want to be complaining of the heat along with the need to mow the lawns.

Some of us are more anxious than others...

Enjoy choosing flowers for your yards and veggies for your gardens!!!