New book and art...

Just to update my record of art I'm doing for the Sketchbook Project. Here are the two I did today. As I mentioned earlier, this project is beginning to lose my interest (I'm SO ADD!), so I'm trying to do a couple at a time to get finished! The deadline isn't until March 31, 2016, but that just draws things out all the more. Anyway, I'm GONNA finish! :)

I did the deer in ballpoint pen because watercolors bleed through so much on this paper. I may do more of that!

 

 

This Paul Bunyan statue is just 5 miles down the road. I've sat in his hand several times. Visiting grandchildren must be photographed with him. :)

I just got  a new Elizabeth Gaskell book for my Kindle. It's called The Moorland Cottage and I'm really liking it. She has some keen insights into human nature.

As I read, a batch of Cowboy Cookies is baking.

Are they called Cowboy Cookies because it only takes one to fill up a cowboy? I think so!

 

I'm trying to squeeze as many delights into my day off as I can! I hope you're having a good Sunday as well. :)

Shalom, all!

My awesome art buddy!

It's Christmas any time of the year when a package arrives from my art buddy!

I tried to disguise our identities via Picmonkey so we wouldn't get spammed by the webiverse. It didn't work very well.  :)

Pom, you always know what will delight my artistic heart! Such an array of goodies! I love the art here, and I'll have fun filling the little journal. Maybe I'll use those markers!

Love the Little Golden books! I'll thoroughly enjoy reading them to my grands, and to myself as well as poring over the beautiful illlstrations. The bookmark is so unique. I'll have to figure out how to operate it! :) Your letters are always a treat...

 ...with all that beautiful Pom Pom art!

 Nice! A tea party waiting to happen. I was just thinking about using my Brown Betty to brew some tea. Now I'm all set! I love the Corrie Ten Boom book mark. Inspirational!

 You knew I would love to read about "3 Amazing Cabin Homes", and much more!

 Yes, I will have so much fun reading this book and trying my hand at art journaling. They talk about finding the sacred in the ordinary. That's one of my goals.

 You always find such a wonderful selection of art. I really must get some frames and hang these where I will see them often. They make me want to paint!

 I've been hearing a lot about Elizabeth Elliot lately. I look forward to reading this article.

Thank you so much, Pom! You have the gift of encouragement, and I thank you for sharing that gift with me. Anyone else needing some cheering up can find it easily on Pom's blog! Deep thoughts and cheerful photos abound. :)

Time for some supper, and then I'll play with my new toys! :)

Shalom all!

A potpourri of things...

Finally, the official photographic proof that Jordan actually competed in the Savage Race! :)

 I think he had a good time! It was pretty warm in Dallas, so it's good they stayed muddy and wet a lot.

It's been an action packed day here. It's my day off so I told Micah I would watch Audrey and Hazel while she and Adele went to the chiropractor. Micah needed a hip adjustment. Micah and Adam had been having some problems with their van, and it ended up pooping out and dying just as they got to the chiropractor. A quick phone call to her sister-in-law, who lives next door, and she ran over with her kids to watch A & H while I ran to town to help Micah. We waited for the tow truck and then drove to the Ford dealership to see if Micah could get a loaner until next week, since they can't look at her van until Monday. She got a nice Dodge SUV (I usually get a 1990's something mini-van that smells like an ashtray!) with a DVD player! I'm glad for her. She's one of God's favorites. :) So, we'll see what next week brings for her van. I'm off on Monday again, so I'll be available if she needs me.

And here is#3 for the Horse Lovers Unite swap...

My fourth card will be a regular horse. I'm hoping to finish it up today and send these off tomorrow.

Before going to Micah's this morning I plopped a pork loin, some potatoes, onions and green beans in the crockpot. I just ate this yummy meal for an early supper. (Ketchup is always required with potatoes. I know...I'm a redneck.)

Wishing you all a fantastic weekend! Pray for me. I'll be working. ;)

Shalom, friends and family!

What a faux pas!

A while back I showed a picture of a book I had just acquired at the library book sale. Remember?

Yikes! I had confused Annie Dillard with Ann Lamott! Glancing through the book I realized my mistake and added this to my pile of books to donate back to the library. Sorry, but I find her very depressing.

I got my second skirt in the mail yesterday! It fits very well. The waistband is very stretchy. I look forward to having two summery skirts to wear next year. Wish I  had ordered them a little earlier.
Now I just need to find some loose, flowy tops to wear with them. With my waistline I won't be wearing tight fitting tops that tuck in! :p

I found a package in my mailbox (along with the skirt package) from my aunt Joanne in Texas. I haven't seen or heard from her in about 15 years. The box contained stacks of old photos many of which I've never seen before. She asked that I share them with my brothers. Lots of treasures!

Well, I'm a little tired today, and computerizing seems to make me even groggier, so I'll make this short. Hope you're all having a great weekend! My son Jordan is competing in The Savage Race in Dallas in about an hour. Mom's praying for safety for him and all of the competitors. I hope they have decent temps and have fun exercising their muscles! :)

Shalom, friends and family!

New skirt!

The UPS guy left a package on my porch today. I ordered two skirts from Amazon a few days ago, and here is the first one to arrive!

It's a one-size-fits-all skirt, so I was a bit concerned. But the waist band is pretty stretchy and it fits fine. My only complaint is that I don't look as skinny as the model. Oh well... I love the tie-dyed look and the shade of green. Here's a link to info on it in case you like it, too. And here's a link to a picture of the second skirt. I hope I like it as much!

Just popped in to share my joy! :)

Have a great evening! The weekend is coming fast. I hope to enjoy it in a leisurely manner.

Shalom!

A couple of delightful looking books!

My dear daughter texted me after work to see if I could meet her at a local bookstore after work. She needed me to sit in the van with the girls while she ran inside and bought this book.

 

I got there ahead of her and was looking at the books displayed in the windows. There were a couple of D'Aulaire books on display; their Greek and Norse Mythologies, I believe. I decided to search around Amazon for some of their books at a better price. I came across these two, which I put on my wish list. I LOVE their illustrations and want to have them purely for the art, though I'm sure the stories will be fun as well!

 

 I've long been fascinated by the lives of the Sami reindeer herders. This should be a good book to read aloud to the grands. :)

 And who can resist trolls? I look forward to closely inspecting these illustrations.

When I got home I mowed half of the front lawn. I'll finish it up tomorrow after work. My head was feeling a little woozy. I think it's the allergens in the air. So I thought it best to stop for today.

Micah is sitting on my couch as I type. She's reading her Sociology text so she can do her assignments. Borrowing my internet. It's nice to have her company. :)

That's all I have for now. :)

Peace to all.

Carousel Horse #2...

Here's my second entry in the Horse Lovers Unite swap. I'm having fun with these carousel horses!

I worked hard this weekend. It's the last hoorah for most tourists in our lake-filled area and that means lots of work keeping up with their demands for a very understaffed deli. I think I'm finally learning to chill out a little and not let it get to me so much. Well, most of the day, anyway. :)  You know, we never stop learning or growing as long as we live. My mom said something to the effect that, "The condition of our spirit determines our eternal destiny, but the condition of our soul (mind, will, emotions) determines our destiny on earth." When we accept Jesus's sacrificial death as the atonement for our sins our spirit becomes perfect in God's eyes and we are able to come into His presence for eternity. But our soul is transformed little by little as we lay down our will and ask for His will to be done in our lives. That's why the world is filled with irritating, imperfect Christians. This transformation will take a life-time and won't be finished until we see Him face-to-face, at which time He will finish the work. Come, Lord Jesus!

Speaking of unfinished work... These piles are old homeschool papers and my teacher journals. I had high hopes of going through them and saving only a few things which would fit in the 3-ring binders to the left. I quickly realized I wasn't throwing much out. All my kiddos sweet school work! I did get rid of some math and language art drill type papers, but must keep art and original writing. And my journals are hard to throw as well. They show how hard my students worked! So, I'll probably end up stacking them in a big tote for safekeeping. I still have lots of photo work to do, too. I just feel a need to organize all these memories for the kids. When I'm gone they have instructions to do what they want with them. :)

I've visited all of my blog buddies today except MK at her Red Robin Farm blog, and I'll hop over there next. Thankfully, my day off fell on Labor Day, so I'm enjoying myself at home.

Mags's cup of coffee made me want one, so I may brew up a cup of decaf.

Enjoy your Labor Day or just Monday, whichever applies!

Shalom to all.

Carousel horses...

I'm just starting on an ATC swap called Equine Lovers Unite! I do like to draw horses, so I jumped right in. The horses can be real or imaginary, such as Pegasus, unicorns, etc. I've decided to do carousel horses because they are very brightly colored and kind of exaggerated in their poses. This is my first...

It's Miss Hazel's third birthday today. I had lots of fun shopping for all sorts of little games and gadgets to fill her birthday bag. I'm going to go over tomorrow after work to give her my presents. There's a party tonight, but it will work better for me tomorrow, and that way she can have two birthdays! :)

I hear thunder rumbling in the distance, so I'll cut this short. I like to unplug my computer when things get stormy. And my battery dies shortly thereafter. :P

Y'all enjoy your Labor Day weekend! I'll be laboring, but I've made it halfway! :) Monday off!

Shalom!