Lazy Sunday afternoon

Pulled out the pressure washer and gave the little Bay Hen a badly-needed scrubbing. Of course, no sooner had I finished, Mr. Handsome jumped on board and gave the hatch door a territorial spray...jerk. Gordy roasted our weekly coffee on the front porch.

Had a visit today...

...from a House Wren and...

an Opossum.

House Wrens are migrants that we don't typically see around the yard until fall/winter. This little fellow has been fussing for two days now. Maybe he doesn't like all the hungry cats hanging around.

Hello peeps! Sitting here on the front porch, and it's rainy Tuesday morning here in Humble. Many of my feral feline buddies are hanging out with me. The art show last weekend wasn't as big a success as I might have hoped (that's right, I didn't sell anything) BUT everyone there was pleased with the turnout. I was very happy to spend time with Chelsea, Jamie, and Shannon... LOVE being with the kids. It was nice to see so many come out in support of me too.

I am relaxing a little now and beginning to enjoy school. My initial panic due to realizing I had to go back and teach myself parts of speech before I could get started on my homework has eased into a feeling of "okay I think I can do this thing...mostly"

I like my english teacher, she is a little spunky curly headed blonde who seems easily diverted into relating personal accounts, but certainly knows her english. She told us about having a mastectomy due to cancer and I have since noticed she makes no attempt to conceal the lack of one of her breasts, which I admire greatly... hmmm... wonder why?

It is interesting to be learning now what seemed so out of my grasp all those years at Kindle/Lindy. Back in the beginning I tried to do my best to write well when it was expected of me, but soon gave up and left it to my Nazi editor/boss to rewrite everything I did to the point of not being able to tell that I had originally written it at all. Oddly, despite my lack of training in grammar et al, I secretly felt my way of saying things made better sense than hers, I just needed "polishing" in the punction, grammar, and tense departments.

Gordy has been wanting to "upgrade" my old phone to an iPhone for quite some time. For my birthday he surprised me with a brand new iPhone. At first I was unimpressed with the complexity of it, but have quickly come to really like it and mostly for reasons unrelated to what one would typically use a phone for. You know the Apple saying "There's an app for that"? Well after perusing the app store I can tell you that is 100% true. Not only is there AN app for any conceivable thing - there are many apps. Kinda makes me wonder what app could G and I possibly do that hasn't been done pretty well already?

I have downloaded three apps now. Solitaire, Flickit Pro (a utility for uploading/viewing pics to Flickr on you phone, and an app called "Hipstamatic." The latter app is kinda cool, it emulates various old film camera lenses and films and creates old analog effects on the pics you take. Here's a link my Flickr set of random effects:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/michael-ann/sets/72157625000139226/

Well that is about all I have at the moment. Hope everyone is doing well and life is being kind to you.

I'm a school-girl!

It's official now!

Not been keeping up with the blog very well!

I drove out to Georgia last weekend to bring Gordy his truck. Most of the drive was some really pretty countryside, from the Louisiana swamps to the Mississippi wetlands, one thing stood out in my mind and it is that there still remains some virtually untouched beautiful places in our country.

Most everyone knows it is impossible to take a "normal" pic of Gordy, so despite the fact this is slightly blurry I am rather pleased with my ninja photo skills. I managed to get this one of him when we were on the Coca Cola Museum (In Atlanta, GA) tour. It was interesting, I experienced my first 4-D mini-movie, and we tasted many Coca-cola products from around the world... fascinating, but mostly quite gross!

We also went to the Atlanta Aquarium, which if I recall correctly is supposed to be one of the largest aquariums in the country. I must say, it was a mightily impressive place with some fantastic views.

Yesterday, I went to the college bookstore to pick up my books. As I stood in the line along with a LOT of young students it was the first time I felt a little anxious about going to school. In my arms I had cradled what felt like Dick and Jane books in comparison to the books I observed those around me holding. None the less, I am a little excited about the adventure that lies ahead.

I've only got two classes this semester, English 1301 and American History 1301. I have one huge english book and four smaller books for history. I'll pick up my school supplies later this weekend.

This weekend G has a nasty 100-mile bike ride in Wichita Falls, Texas called the Hotter'N Hell 100. I say it is nasty because the name very accurately sums up the temps. It will be real important for him to keep himself properly hydrated - with his work load he has not been acclimating himself to working out in the heat as he has in prior years.

Gordy will be heading out early tomorrow to get there in time to pick up his race packet. It is about a 6-1/2 hour drive to Wichita Falls. The race is Saturday and he plans to head back home right after he finishes. I kinda wish he would take it easy after the race, maybe spend the night and come home fresh on Sunday, but he is stubborn like that.

Well, this is about all I have in the way of news. Hope all who still come here to check in on me are doing well!

Happy Birthday to my beautiful Chelsea!

You sprouted 28 years ago, and have bloomed every day since!
xoxoxoxox
~mom

7.12.10 Amorphophallus titanum

7.12.10 Amorphophallus titanum
Originally uploaded by Houston Museum of Natural Science

I would love to go see this in person. It seems odd that this plant appears to be a single humongous bloom sticking out of a pot.

Jamie's doodle from middle school

doodle from middle school
Originally uploaded by spiffydamnpoodle

Somehow I have managed to hold on to this throughout the years. Makes me giggle and perhaps it will you too!

so what up you might be wondering...

...folks pretty much know I've been painting again. It feels good to be inspired and have the time to focus on it. I just submitted an entry to be considered for a group show at one of my favorite art places, Winterstreet Studios. The show asks artists to find their own connection between art and quantum physics, with the theme being "The Door to the Future."

I don't know if I will be accepted, but either way it sounds very interesting and I would like to check out the show. This facebook page tells you more about it:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=134036243292761

G has got us both on the Paleo Diet. I was curious about alternatives to grain products like lasagna noodles and tortillas and looked to the Raw Food Diet for some inspiration. I found a couple intriguing little recipes I want to try. One is a mock-bacon that uses coconut meat from a young coco, which is then marinated in Braggs aminos (similar to a soy sauce) overnight and then dehydrated. With some difficulty I cracked open two coconuts this morning and scooped out the meat that is now marinating in the fridge. Will let you know how this turns out in a day or so.

I need to mow the lawn something fierce... the trees are competing with the grass for sunlight.

Sad discovery

A momma raccoon has been bringing her 4 babies here at night to eat for the last couple weeks. This morning the neighbor and I discovered one of the young had gotten its foot stuck in the "Y" of a tree. Despite the struggle it must have put up the poor little thing died hanging there only three feet off the ground. My heart breaks imagining how long it hung there before it eventually died. I wish I had discovered it sooner and could have saved it.

Last week Kate and I decided to get together today and paint something. Unfortunately, her AC went on the fritz and she is having to wait for the AC guy (with a typical ETA of anytime before 4pm-ish). So we have tentatively postponed it until tomorrow, it's just as well because I realized I have birdee bread to bake and frankly, after the awful discovery of that little raccoon I am feeling kinda shitty.

My Sister Cheryl

I just wanted to take a moment to say something to/about you. We have had many recent wonderfully long, sometimes deep, sometimes light-hearted, often stream-of-conscious conversations. You have helped me with creative blocks, garden spots, bad days, low points and loneliness even. Yesterday we dipped into the past and all i can say is I am so happy we have crossed that emotional chasm to get to where we are today. I could not ask for a dearer friend or a better sister. You are marvelously witty, smart, and creative--fiercely loyal, big-hearted, and supportive... thank you, I love you!

Here's to having sisters!