Perennial Friends

It is always such a delight to discover my treasured perennials returning to life in the spring garden. Those reliable herbs and flowers that give definition to the flower beds as soon as the soil begins to warm.

It is a special joy to me to find this beauty blooming with such vigorous growth- she was a gift from a very dear friend. She came to my garden from her garden, it came to her garden from her mother's garden, to her mother's garden from her mother's garden...

(Thank you, Wanda!)

After A Hard Day's Work In The Garden

Here's Lucy resting in the front yard after so graciously digging a nice big hole we transplanted this blue Butterly Bush into.

She's a hard worker in the garden. Every rose I have has been planted in a hole dug by these paws.

Old Blue Eyes???

This is what Lucy would look like if she had blue eyes. Right down to the gray hair showing now days on her muzzle.
This is Sierra, a finalist in the HSUS Spay Day Photo Contest 2008. Click on the link to see all the winners...
http://www.spaydayusa.org/winners08.shtml

Spring Gardening Chores

Ya Ya has been 'hot on the trail' of our resident moles.

In between games of Frisbee, fetch the ball, and (her very favorite game of all) annoy-Lucy-by-biting-her-heels.

Challenge Collages

Day 5: The worrier.

Day 6: The Chef.

Challenge (continued)

Day 3 - The Jewelry Designer. Day 4 - The Inner Child .

Spring Seedlings

After purchasing so many plants that did poorly in the garden, or just were not what they were supposed to be- I have gone back to growing all our plants from seed.

Behind Buddha you see 2 flats, each holds 36 cells. I have 8 flats started. (288 seedlings.)

These tomatoes and peppers are looking good and ready to re-pot.

It's alot of work but very worthwhile in the end. and I always have too many. It's fun to have some to give away.

Challenge

A collage a day for 7 days- using only one magazine.
I've been trying to add more text to the altered book I've been working on, so these have as much text as I could find.
Each collage is on an 8 1/2" x 11" page and are cut from an issue of 'Blueprint' magazine.
Each one is based on a theme.
April 1st- The Musician.
April 2nd- The Organizer.

Buddhist Chihuahua?

I often call my Lucy
"Buddha Dog" because she is the essence of patience and my greatest teacher. She reminds me every day to appreciate the simple pleasures in life- enjoying a long walk, and (her personal favorite) rolling on your back in the grass in the sun.
But my Ya Ya- I have never imagined I could persuade her to be calm and quiet while I was meditating.....


I don't usually post pictures from the net but I sent a link to several people to these photos when they were "Yahoo Picture of the Day" and the link didn't work.


So here is Conan, a one and one half year old Chihuahua who belongs to a Japanese Buddhist Priest Joei Yoshikuni.
Conan accompanies Joei to temple every day and seemed to just pick up praying beside him on his own. People began visiting the temple just to see the little dog in prayer.
Joei jokes that he'd like to teach Conan to meditate next, or at least to sit quietly while he meditates. "But it's not like I could get him to cross his legs..."

Neighborhood Watch

Lucy & Ya Ya keep watch at my bedroom window.

When any thing happens on our street- they sound the alarm!!

Neighbor dogs out for a walk- or UPS deliveries- require a mad dash down the stairs and out into the backyard for another round of barking.

Leap Day

"An intense and unremitting creative life goes on in this place, and the gardens exist as a source of private refreshment and inspiration, not -most certainly not- as a show place for public pleasure."

from Tasha Tudor's Garden by Tovah Martin









Today is the last day of the show my books are in at the Ocean City Arts Center. Soon I'll pick them up and drop off my list of Spring Classes.
I'll be adding some new Workshops for making Altered Books.



Then it's time to turn my attention to the garden, planning the beds and containers. We've already bought our seeds and will be planting the tomatoes and peppers this afternoon.


View Gift of the Sea Here:
http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=14215053&uid=5176240


View Garden Home Book Here:
http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=19019636&uid=5176240

Repurposed Art Show

This is how my House Book looks on display at the Ocean City Arts Center's current show. I have two pieces in the gallery, this one and my altered copy of 'Gift of the Sea.' Both can be seen 'close up' in my albums by clicking on the Picture Trail link on the right of this page.

The show runs the month of February.

Bio Page

Two of my altered books are in the

"Repurposed

Art" show at the Ocean City Arts Center this month.

This is the first time I have shown my work in a gallery and I had to write up a page about myself for the program book.

I used some of the same elements I use in my books- my digital photography, painted backgrounds, and altered and distressed elements. The little heart is stamped polymer clay. The roses are scans of some of my 'David Austin' blossoms over this past summer.

Catching Up

Has it really been 5 weeks since my last post?! So much has happened since then...

2007 ended with a bang and a crash- a computer crash. I've been pretty diligent about backing up photos since I began using Photoshop Elements. But I lost some recent photos and digital projects. The most time consuming thing has been gathering discs and trying to re-load the essentials back into the computer.

Here's a photo of Lucy enjoying her Christmas gift. I noticed this wonderful orange velvet "Princess Chair" while shopping with Suzette & Jenna at Skyline Antiques on Third Friday in December. I was distracted then by finding the perfect gift for Ray (which I will post later.) I think I remember having a little velvet dollhouse chair just like this when I was a little girl.

When Ray and I went back to Skyline later it was still there and he agreed it seemed the perfect fit for her.

Lucy seems to think so, too.

Anniversary

Thirty one years ago today......

Remembering Asta

This week we would have been celebrating the fifth anniversary of her adoption- my shining star, my Asta.

She brought so much joy into our lives in such a short time.

Slayer of voles, digger of holes, she lived her short life with amazing passion.

She is truly one of the greatest teachers I have ever known.

I miss her dearly, she remains forever in my heart.

Rusted Fabrics

I made this little tote from the last batch of fabric I dyed using rusty metal objects and vinegar. I even put a couple of pieces of cotton webbing into the mix for straps.

I love-love-love the amazing patterns and colors on these fabrics.

Parvin Photos

I just fell in love with this guy.

He and his mate swam around us when we we were out in the kayaks and came by our campsite each morning for breakfast.

The rest of the photos are in a picture trail album. (Click on 'My Picture Trail' under the links list.)

Animal Shelter Appreciation

November 4th through 10th is Animal Shelter Appreciation Week.

Write a note or send an e-mail to your local shelter to let them know you appreciate all that they do.

Better yet, donate something from their wish list. My local shelter is always in need of food items, cat litter, cleaning supplies and office supplies.

Bringing Home the Pumpkins

I love shopping at Lillian's Market all summer long for fresh vegetables. I love it even more in the Fall!

Pumpkins, apple cider, pole beans and Mums. I picked up these two little pumpkins the other day and I thought they looked nice on the crackled wood bench with the shadow from the leaves of the apple tree falling over them.

If you look closely, in the background you can see that crazy Ya Ya pestering Lucy.