Cracker of a Day

Song - Autumn Leaves by Nat King Cole

A few photos from the garden and travels this year......

"I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself, 

than be crowded on a velvet cushion."

--Henry David Thoreau

2013 One Little Word

Song - While My Guitar Gently Weeps by George Harrison

Wishing you A Very Happy 2013!

I still have a house full of "Christmas" because I am painting like crazy to get some new pieces ready for a show going up next week at the Lafayette Gallery "Tokens of Affection"!

It feels so wonderful to be painting again!!  Yippee!

Here is one of Sergio Romo on the final game of the Division Championship.  I still need to work on the rain, the shadow color under his arm and the background crowd a little but I just love the energy in this painting!

The GIANTS have clinched the NL Championship

I will show it to you when it's finished!



If you have never heard of "One Little Word", check it out on Ali Edwards site or on Big Picture Classes.

 

In 2010 I chose the word "intention" for me to use for the upcoming New Year. It turned out to be a great word as I would pause and set an intention (or game plan) before moving forward.  

Last year it was "balance" which ended up being too general of a word for me. 

During the last month,  I have been "feeling out words" for 2013.

I have narrowed it down to several which each has a pull for me.

Grace

Inspire

Lighten

Mindful

Purposeful

Serenity

 

 

 

But one word that is sticking with me is "Simplify".  As my life gets more and more complicated, simplifying feels like breathing room. 

A concious effort must be made to simplify anything - paperwork, household possesions, shopping, eating....every thing that piles up!

According to the dictionary -

: to make simple or simpler: as

a: to reduce to basic essentials
b: to diminish in scope or complexity : streamline <was urged to simplify management procedures>
c: to make more intelligible : clarify
 

 

‘In proportion as he simplifies his life, the laws of the universe will appear less complex, and solitude will not be solitude, nor poverty poverty, nor weakness weakness.’ ~Henry David Thoreau

The Tortoise

That would be me...the tortoise.....very slow.  It took me 10 years to decide about how we would best remodel our house.  I clipped photos from magazines (thousands of magazines) and read book after book.  I checked the internet for updates on what appliances, windows, contractors, paint colors, flooring, cabinetry, design, to see what felt was right.  I checked to see if we were within our budget while still obtaining quality materials.    Maybe it's my metabolism but I feel like I have always been this way,  checking things out thoroughly before I put my toe in the water.        S....L....O....W..... (right mom?)

Tim & Jeanette at Tahoe cabin

My two brothers would try to get me to ski down "gun barrel" in our teens, at Heavenly Valley but NO, I was quite content to go down the bunny slopes and work on my turns.....for years!!!

I wasn't like that when I met Mr. B......I knew he was the one.  My friend invited me to a local baseball game....he was the catcher on an adult softball league.  Instantly I knew he was kind, had a good heart, was very interesting, sweet, handsome, funny, loving, and deep.  

I wasn't like that when I was ready for children....I think I knew that decision from the age of 4......but it kind of amazes me that I can feel in my soul that these huge decisions are right but I can take forever picking out the right vet for our dogs, or deciding on what plants need to go where in the garden, or what color to paint the kitchen.  

20+ warm yellow kitchen colors (there were 3 other walls with similar swatches!) - our patient contractor.......

Maybe some things are written in your DNA ...or in your soul.  Kind of like a bird knows when to make a nest, then sit on it and then (like our backyard Canadian Goose nest) she knows when to leave it because the eggs are not ever going to hatch. 

A Robin's nest

I hope all three boys grow up to be just like their dad! (Well maybe without the BIG glasses!)

 

Jon & Jim

 

TJ & Jon

Jim & Tyler

Tyler & Lily

Andy & Jim

Kayli & Andy

“Nature is slow, but sure; she works no
faster than need be; she is the tortoise that wins the
race by her perseverance.” -Henry David Thoreau,
naturalist and author (1817-1862)