(and pursue your dreams)

     Another painting finished. I sat down this morning and worked on one of Kelly Rae's 

   mantra lessons and realized how very afraid I am. There are things I want to do but I

   do nothing to make them happen. Sigh...be fearless...a little bit at a time is how I will

   have to do it. 

still smiling...

      I think I smiled all day today. It's so wonderful to wake up and realize that not only is it

    a weekend but a 3 day weekend! I stayed in bed and had my coffee, then breakfast 

    while I read blog posts and looked at shoes online. 

      When I got up I decided I would clean the house. If I'm in the mood for it then I think it's 

    fun. So I started in the bathroom. I started with the mirror, then noticed my toothbrush 

    holder was dusty....and I knew this wasn't gonna be just cleaning.  I moved things around,

    took things out and added things. So simply cleaning the bathroom turned into a 2 hour

    job! Not that I didn't enjoy it.....it's clean and pretty now. I added lace behind the curtains, 

    a basket for my husband's reading material, a bucket for extra toilet paper, and I simplified 

    the sink counter. I added some of my heart rocks on the windowsill to go with the hearts

    on the wall. It's fun to find new uses for things we already have, isn't it? 

  

joan walsh anglund

                    

     As I cleaned up my art room after a weekend of painting, I ran across a small book. So sweet 

  and brought back memories of the first artist I admired, Joan Walsh Anglund. I have a small

  collection of books and calendars from the 60's and 70's. The last picture is my try at drawing 

  them. I made key chains for a few people when I was in my teens. This one was for my Aunt Irene

  and was returned to me after she died. I still think these are the sweetest drawings of children ever. 

  She was one of the many artists I've been influenced by in my lifetime.

seventeen calves

     It was such a nice day today! It was cool outside and so green. I spent most of it 

   inside, so after lunch and a nap I went out. Mr. Darcy and I walked to the back pasture

   to look at the cows. I counted 17 beautiful calves. They were as curious as we were 

   and came right up to the fence to see us. Black, tan, cream and brown with big eyes

   and long lashes. One of their moms joined them and a ways off in the field was a bull 

   watching and eating grass. Of course I talked to them like they could really understand

   and held Mr. Darcy so he could see better. (I was so mad I didn't take my camera!)

   When I put Mr. Darcy down the calves scattered but watched him trying to figure out

   what he was. We walked back home and I got ready to build a fire so I could cook

   hot dogs,which I was craving. As I ate Mr. Darcy stalked me until I gave him a bite. He 

   doesn't stop until all the food is gone. The fire burned down, the air was cool so I had 

   to give it up and go back inside.

saturday morning

      I woke up early this morning so excited to finish this painting. I started it last Saturday but wasn't happy with it.  I had a wonderful bouquet in front of me that I had picked and I wanted to use them somewhere. We have daisy meadows all around us and they are beautiful!  I put paper over the offending parts, then started drawing, first with a pencil then with my Pitt pen. (The pen would wipe off and the pencil wouldn't.) I got it where I wanted it then mixed my paints and filled it all in. I wanted the girl to be simple which is hard for me but I'm getting better at it. I just try to get the hands positioned right then let them go. I added the bird then stenciled in some daisies and called it done. I kinda like this one...perfect for my blog header.