Achieving Balance

I am horrible at balance. I get all wrapped up in my passion d' jour. Sometimes it's painting. Sometimes it's knitting. Sometimes it's photography. Last week I got Photoshop Elements and I am having such fun.  Here's a photo of my girl Gladys that originally included her mom and a leash:

Speaking of Gladys, I will be babysitting her next week. I can't wait because I so miss having a dog.

Back to my balance issue- sometimes it seems that life has so many moving parts. I want to exercise, eat healthy, do yoga, write in my journal, keep my house nice. And the list goes on. And I seem to be able to do one thing at a time to the exclusion of all others. But isn't life always a balancing act? Isn't that just part of the human condition? I'm not sure what the answer is. When I figure it out I'll post the secret before I forget it! 

And finally- last weekend in the mountains by the Appalachian Trail:

Mother Nature has this whole balance thing figured out. All of her parts are in perfect alignment. Mother N knows the secret of balance, but she's not talkin'. 

Mixed Up Media

I can jump from hobby to hobby like other people change their socks. I love my hobbies. They keep me sane, keep me calm (most of the time) and keep me feeling alive and joyful.

I love playing with watercolor pencils. I love photographs and most of all I love art supplies. I've done art journal pages in the past, and I have enjoyed it. I jumped into the deep end of the mixed media pool this week and started doing some pieces on canvas.

So much fun. I get to play with all of my art toys. Paint, chalk, tissue, printed images, stamping, ink, were flying. I even got to use a little of my knitted lace on the first collage.

Here's the first -

"When Storm Clouds Gather Look For An Angel"

 And the 2nd-

Wine And Fruit

This distraction came at the perfect time. A friend who I've worked with for 15 years was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. Her life has been filled with tragedy starting with the death of her daughter in law followed by the death of her son a few years later. 2 months ago a 2nd son died. Devastated, she took solace in her 9 year old granddaughter whom she'd been raising since infancy. Less than 2 weeks ago she went to the hospital because she was having some breathing problems. They discovered the lung cancer that had metastasized to her liver and bones. She wanted to fight with any means possible, but sadly, that was not to be. Within days of diagnosis her condition deteriorated. She passed away on Monday. She was sick for less than 2 weeks. 

I cannot believe how life can change on a dime. It freaks me out to think one's life can be thrust into total upheaval in the span of a few days. Bobbi was one of the most vivacious, loving people I've ever known. We had great talks. It all happened so fast. It's hard to envision a world without her bubbly ways and spontaneous hugs. I will miss her. Rest In Peace, friend. 

Three Busy Weeks

I shouldn't even bother to unpack in May. I just finished two road trips to Virginia, and I'm Virginia bound again next week for a business trip.

Road trip #1 was four wonderful days in the mountains with my friends. It's probably the most relaxing place I know. We went to the farmer's market and a wonderful art fair where I bought a mixed media art piece and a mug that still has my friend Sue rolling her eyes. It was hand painted with a sheep and the colors are great and it was soooo shiny!!!

I love this mug- it holds my whole pot of French Press coffee in the morning. And did I mention the sheep? White sheep and a black sheep.

My Girl Gladys at the mountains....still very shy, but getting better every time I see her. (Gladys has social anxiety.) This photo is not in great focus, but I love the pose. Is she not the cutest dog? Look at that face. And those ears. Silky ears. And look at those woods outside of the window. 

Next I went back to Virginia for the wedding of the daughter of some friends. It was held at the UVA Chapel and was absolutely breathtaking. I took a lot of photos but found that I had none of people once I got home. But I've got some great shots of the chapel. It's a beautiful Gothic structure, built in the early 1800's. 

The reception was held at Keswick Hall, a 5 star resort out in the countryside. A pricy place, but worth every penny if you are up for a little rest and relaxation in the countryside of Virginia.

This photo is taken from their website, because my photos were over exposed and under focused. Thinking you can learn to take photos on manual settings without practicing is not the best idea I've ever had.  Look at those grounds. Well, actually it overlooks a golf course. I'm not a golfer, but it was gorgeous. 

The next day I went to Monticello, the home Thomas Jefferson built in Charlottesville, VA. It was an amazing tour. He was a complex man. He built a complex home and had complex, conflicted views of slavery. He didn't believe a man could or should own another man, but he was afraid to free his slaves. He was as kind to his slaves as slavery could allow. He did not beat them or shackle them. But he owned them, he inventoried them and gifted his daughter with slaves at her marriage. Our tour guide, who was African American, said that it was not PC to speak of slavery either pro or con during his time. 

 His gardens, his writing, his books, his adapted inventions all show a man way ahead of his time. His private chamber consisted of his bedroom, his study and his library. It was all adjacent to his greenhouse.  His love of books, nature, writing and learning was in evidence everywhere I looked. 

It was a fabulous tour. I'm not much of a site seer, but this was well worth the price of the ticket, the shuttle ride to the top of the mountain and the waking. 

 Amazing gnarled tree at Monticello.

 Slave quarters. A family typically lived in a small one room area.

 Old time version of the cook top!

 Wine making at Monticello..... Thomas Jefferson loves his wine and tried to grow wine grapes in Virginia. He did not succeed, but others did later.

Meanwhile, back the the ranch...

The garden grows just fine without me...

It's good to be home this weekend, even if I am packing yet again. Today I indulged in a manicure, a very small amount of house work, listening to a book on tape while playing with some hand lettering techniques. 

What do you mean you are going away again? We are not amused.

Linens And Things

I am 99.9% done with a complete redo of my bedroom. I need one more day of weekend! No such luck.

I love the bedroom. It is restful and serene. I love the ivory with touches of gold here and there. I love being surrounded by lace and linens that Hannie, Mannie and Nora made over 100 years ago. I've always been so fascinated by these ancestors! I know they were very superstitious. A hat was NEVER to be put on a bed. I'm not sure what would happen, but it would be very, very bad! During a thunderstorm they gathered in a closet and said the Litany Of The Saints. In Latin. They must not have invented martinis yet! Ora pro nobis. And I am sure there were a few Mea Culpas thrown in for good measure.

Some of their lacework mounted on a surface over my bed. It still needs a frame- so this is a bit temporary and unfinished looking. The color on my walls photographed funny. It is actually a very rich neutral called Parchment. Not butter yellow as it looks here.

Tea cloth wrapped into a bolster pillow.

My grandmother's Christening gown, made by H,M&N.

New linen curtains with nice pin tuck detail. The mirror over the vanity needs hanging. 

Perfume bottles that belonged to Hannie, Mannie and Nora, plus a little cut glass vase with a sprig of lily of the valley from my garden.

I got a lot of garden work done this weekend too.....but first a look at my little lily of the valley spring in several surroundings.

I love container gardening...

Part of my shade garden area along with my dirty drought ridden bird bath. Yes, sadly, all the birds in my neighborhood are in dire need of a bath. It is my fault that they are dirty. Mea culpa. 

New hummingbird feeder. 

Part of patio area with new flowers. I still need to finish my cushions and a few other things in order to call the patio done. I need TWO more weekend days. 

And finally my one decorating dilemma in my bedroom. My treadmill sits in the corner. It is not pretty. It does fold up so doesn't take up a whole lot of space. I'm wondering if a small room screen would be better. I don't know. I think I just have to learn to live with it. I listened to a workshop about exercise this week that had some amazing statistics about how exercise affects the brain, wards off Alzheimers, Parkinisons, is good for ADD and thighs all at the same time. So maybe this little corner of the room isn't so ugly after all. The tablecloth hanging off the end of the treadmill is NOT doing a good job of hiding it.  I need to come to terms with the fact that I cannot hide it. I am going to bed now and ponder the question of how to make this corner attractive. I'll be back with a full report. 

Seizing The Nano Second

I've heard of seizing the day, seizing the moment. I've got it down to seizing nano seconds. This stint of steroids for the asthma has left me a bit frenzied. I cannot settle down. My brain is going about 1,000 miles an hour. Result? Projects started and some even finished!



Sock #1 almost done.

Antique linens that Hannie, Mannie and Nora made in the 1800's are currently being restored. (I love Google; you can learn anything.) Tatting, embroidery and crocheted lace are soaking at my house. Next comes the ironing.

I'm learning to make beads from polymer clay. This stuff is ADDICTIVE. There's something very satisfying and tactile about handling it!

And I am totally loving my online photography class. I've taken the camera off auto. (Yikes.) And as hard as this is to believe, I've having problems with focus. Focus is never my strong suit- unless it is 2:00 AM and I am so wrapped up in some project I forget to go to bed.

Working on the photo part of focus with seed beads.....

Any my favorite subject, Miss Juli. Juli has a problem with drooling when she purrs. The happier she is, the more she drools. I caught the teeniest bit of drooling here. She denies it vehemently. 

I was supposed to go to the mountains for Easter. I'm still not feeing 100%, so I stayed home for a quiet jam packed day of reading and crafting. There just aren't enough nano seconds in the day! And I want to seize them all, enjoy them all. Stay tuned for the reveal on the antique linen. No, I am not taking to flinging doilies around the room. That's all the hint you get!!! :)