A Rocking Walk and A Full Cup...

Took a very fine walk on my favorite path around the pond yesterday.

The post that the incredible lynne hoppe did on Tuesday

inspired me to look at the trees in a new way as I walked.

They became homes for a few rock friends.

Like this "ask" rock that went to hang out in this woodpecker heaven

of a tree...

Or this "be bold" little guy

that now lives in this tree with incredible tenacity.

Or these three that became a little village on this perfect nob of bark...

It felt like I had had a conversation with the trees somehow...

And that was sweet.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A Murmur in the Trees to note,
Not loud enough for Wind;
A Star not far enough to seek,
Nor near enough to find;

From Part II - Nature, Emily Dickinson (1830 - 1886)

________________________________________________________

This morning I read a wonderful post on my friend Corrine's blog (dos fishes)

that celebrated all the things in her life that she has to be happy about.

"Happiness Abbondanza"

the post was called.

Corrine inspired this journal page :

"Gratitude for a cup full up"

and she inspired me to remember all the wonderful things that fill my cup up to the brim.

I am truly blessed in so many ways.

Remembering ALL I have in this very moment makes the wants seem rather insignificant,

which is a good place to be, I think.

If today were your last,

would you feel like all that you have in this present moment

would be enough

to call it a life well-lived ?

For me,

today,

the answer

is

yes.

*************

Off to celebrate my Mom's Birthday and Mother's Day in Montreal. Yes, that 5 hour drive is ahead of me again. A new audio book , super fine spring weather and the loving that awaits me on the other side make that feel a whole lot more tempting today.

Be back Monday ! Have a sweet Mother's Day weekend, Beautiful Ones !

Thankfulness Thursday - Mother Of Mine

Today is my Mom's 65th birthday.

Happy, happy Birthday, Beautiful Mommy !

I am thankful for you every day.

You are my best cheerleader, my guru-mom, my confidant, and my safe, safe harbor.

I marvel at how we have come to this incredible place of trust, love and honesty

after all the we have been through.

And I know that we have come here because you had the strength,

the wisdom and the faith to get us here.

You are a remarkable woman, Mother of Mine,

and you deserve every happiness, every bliss-filled moment and the abundant joyous loving

that this life has to offer us.

Thank you for all you have taught me.

I love you !

(And yes, I know I am blessed, Beautiful Ones !)

One Word Wednesday...

The word is :

TIARA...

Happy Hump Day, Sweet Friends !

We are all a part of it...

This beautiful song and lyric that was on

Kind Over Matter

today

and inspired this journal page :

And this beautiful rock found on the beach at Hampton on this fine

summer-like spring day

inspired these nice photos of its finder...

and

one of her treasures,

a silver hand found in Mexico.

Heart in hand...

I know

that

I am

part

of

something

beautiful.

Happy Tuesday, Beautiful Ones.

Simple Woman's Daybook for Monday, May 3, 2010

FOR TODAY

Outside my window... I see a cloudy day with temps. that feel like summer. Everything is in BLOOM !

I am thinking...that Monday isn't feeling too bad this week, especially after having such a nice full weekend.

I am thankful for... the fun, spontaneous adventure that Colleen and I had at the Butterfly Place in Westford, Mass. I felt like a kid, full of wonder at the beauty and colors that Nature has put into this wonderful symbol of transformation and creativity. Butterflies ROCK IT !!!

From the kitchen...half-caff coffee is doing it for me in the morning - just enough caffeine to wake me up but avoid the jitters as long as I stick to one big cup. Looking forward to Tacos a la Carbon (Cooking Light Recipe referred by my pal Sonia) - lime, chili powder, garlic and cilantro - what could be better !

I am wearing... a blue night shirt - posting then going to get dressed !

I am creating...some really exciting pieces for an art assignment for possible publication. Whether they get accepted or not (the last one didn't - but I am over that, really, I am... ;) ), I am in love with what came out and also how the process flowed. Very cool and loose - just like freed up creativity should be !

I am going... to package up some rocks today for delivery to Full Spectrum Wellness, the center where I take my meditation class. The Rock My World rocks will be in their entrance room in a lovely bowl for anyone who wants to enjoy the love and maybe even spread it on...

I am reading...and loving Diana Trout's Journal Spilling - Mixed Media Techniques for Free Expression. It is so colorful and the techniques and prompts are helping me recharge my art journaling and stay loose which I am really appreciating right now.

I am hoping... that the nice juju I am feeling on this Monday continues throughout the week...

I am hearing... the fan whirling in my window (it is 78 degrees here at 10:00 am !) and the sweet birds all around in the maple trees, enjoying the nesting day.

Around the house...white lilacs in full and delicious bloom, tulips huge and ending their show, nicely raked yards (David, you Rock !!!) and the green...

One of my favorite things...Derwent Inktense Pencils ! My new favorite tool. I cannot believe the color that is held withing these pencils and that fills the page with just a bit of water. Just gorgeous ! Found some at Michaels (they are out now!) one day and got to use the 50% off coupon. Not cheap but the best color since Golden I think ! And you can write over them in anything !

A few plans for the rest of the week: finishing up my art assignment, creating a giftie for my Mom's 65th birthday (her party is next Saturday in Montreal - I am beginning to think they should name the highway after me I travel it so much these days !), Meditation Monday, walks with the doggy and hopefully some sweet friend time thrown in there too.

Here are the pictures for thought I am sharing :

A few of the amazing creatures Colleen and I saw at the Butterfly Place

and managed to capture before Colleen's camera batteries died.

The trip was not planned at all that day and I, of course, didn't have my camera. We shared Colleen's which was fun. Next trip, and there will be a next trip asap, I will have my camera plus a back up battery ! What eye-candy !!!!

My latest journal page (click to enlarge) :

I had fun creating these doodle characters out of some roughly stenciled numbers.

"The Score" (purple face, great hair) reminded me of Mike Score, the lead singer of A Flock Of Seagulls.

Which then reminded me of this song and my oldest friend, Tracy and I, rocking our spiked hairdos and dancing and singing along with our teenage hearts full of teenage angst and longing...

Ahhh, the 80's!

Enjoy the flashback ! Happy Monday, Beautiful Ones !

Passing it On !

Connie at Dirty Foot Prints Studio said :

to pass this on today :

(orginal art work by Connie Hozvicka)

Happy Art-Making Sunday !

Morning Walk Photo Dreams

I am a pretty good photographer.

In fact, I have taken some photos that blow me away,

and that I am really proud of.

I think it comes from walking through life with that artist's eye.

That is something I am grateful for every single day.

Sometimes I see things and immediately think what I could do with them in a collage or painting.

Or if I knew more about Photoshop and Digital Photo Manipulation.

Maybe with some good lessons from a pro like Susan Tuttle

I could consistently create the dreamy, moody, soft, prvocative, eye-catching kind of photos

that I see in my artist's mind...

Honestly ?

I need a lot of help.

And it just so happens that Susan's brand new book, Digital Expressions, is available on Amazon

and looks like just the thing I need to get me creating art in a whole new way.

Plus the Computer Geek Hubby, who took Susan's Digital Manipulation On-line Class and raved

about it, would love to have the book as well.

And guess what ?

Susan is offering a giveaway of the new book on her blog right now!

Maybe I will be lucky enough to win the book,

and if not, David is a Daddy to some furry kids and he should get a Father's Day giftie too, don't you think ?

Here's to always looking at the world with fresh eyes.

Happy Friday, Beautiful Ones !