Double Dose of Good Luck



This morning while standing at the kitchen sink washing dishes,
I noticed some wisteria in the hedges behind our house.  I always
thought wisteria was such a beautiful flowering vine.



This morning while I was doing my two miles on our lane, I noticed a trail of bread crumbs stretching for about

forty feet.  These were special bread crumbs for a reason that made me smile.  They were

peanut butter and jelly bread crumbs. Crusts might be a better description because someone

had torn off the crusts showing the peanut butter and jelly.

This brought back sweet memories, I probably ate breakfast on my way to the bus stop, too, when I was a youngster.

No wonder there was less activity at our bird feeders this morning. :~)

The four leaf clover I just happened to notice in our neighbor's yard this morning.  An
imperfect four leaf clover since the mower blades had clipped off two of the leaves.

I had noticed this four leaf clover just after I had been thinking, once again, of how my family is shrinking.  About a month ago I had called an uncle to invite him and his brother (my other uncle) to come over for some guitar pickin' and singin'.  My uncles are such accomplished and talented musicians. Clint had never heard them sing or play and was excited about singing and playing with them.  I have not heard another word from my uncle. There is a dymanic going on in one of their

families that has absolutely nothing to do with us. It is common knowledge in the family and I understand what is happening. Still, it's rather sad this is allowed to happen.

Anyway, I left later for my workout at the fitness center.  I stopped at Walgreen's  for a minute and right in my path was a shiny penny.  I picked it up and all the day hoped for good luck!

At this point, having found a four leaf clover and a penny, naturally my next stop was at Kroger's

on my way home for  ...









Lottery Tickets for Friday's $500 Million Jackpot!


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First Oil Painting in Decades



Yesterday I was playing around making a still life
and photographed this.



Today I worked on my oil painting of the Smoky Mountains.  What a hectic week it has been!  It has been decades since I have painted in oils. I am not quite sure why that is true.  Today it occurred to me how much I was enjoying painting. Add all the art experience of decades and I can see how much I have improved in oil painting.  Honestly, the last time was probably in my late teens.  My first oil painting was of John Lennon and Yoko Ono.  I should have saved it!  I remembered it not being that great but probably not bad for my first time.



Years ago my aunt gave me a huge collection of brushes
and oil paints.  They are still good and are what I am using now.

I appreciate that my aunt gave me these art supplies years
ago. 



... and more tubes of oil paint she gave me.



Had to turn on the smooth jazz station before I started painting.

A small segment of the foreground of my painting.  I am making some
progress!  The painting
is quite large at 26" by 34".

(Sorry for the glare on the painting)

I can't wait to post it when it is finished, framed and hanging over our mantel.  The next project is a dining room mural.

Librarian or Seductress?

 Trophy Wife

Of today's shoot, during which she'll morph into six characters,  Sims says, "We all play different parts in life.  We just don't always realize it.

~Molly Sims

More, February 2011

This post is for fun, not to be taken too seriously.  I find appealing the Trophy Wife and the Rebel with a dash of librarian.  I lean heavily toward the Rebel, of course with a little moderation.  

Anyone else care to comment and reveal a side we mind find surprising?

Disco Queen

Librarian

The Good Wife



The Rebel





Seductress



 

These photos and spread were in More Magazine, written by Susan Swimmer, styled by Samuel Francois, photographed by Sofia Mauro with comments by Molly Sims.

A Stroll Through the Flea Market



The trees are a bloomin' in Knoxville.



The only thing I found that greatly
interested  me yesterday was a turn of the century scrapbook
of family  photographs.



An over abundance of costume jewelry.

 

Vintage toys make me smile, I adore old toys.

 

I liked the cover of this 1947 scifi magazine.
Probably would have liked the stories, too.

Where's the kitchen sink?



I liked Sandy's cute display of handkerchiefs.



Oh how I always loved Lassie and Timmy!



Passing right by this was easy :-) , I'd just eaten lunch.



What's all that stuff in the bottom???

Oh babe ... bat those peacock adorned eyes of yours!

Y'all didn't think I'd forget the sock booth did you?


Got to have those socks at a flea market!  This is
where Larry the Cable Guy bought his sister's socks
for her birthday.  As he said, he "wanted to get her something nice."

Arise and Shine

Five-thirty am this Saturday morning in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Sometimes I wonder what my neighbors think about me looking up all
the time during all hours of the day and night with a camera?

I'm laughing just thinking about it.  Anyway,
this photo needed more definition in it but
am posting it anyway.





In the morning a man walks with his whole body; in the evening, only with his legs.


~Ralph Waldo Emerson

It was good to arise so early this morning. Today I really need to stay in my room and paint.  There is a large indoor flea market about 2.5 miles from our house today with 350 vendors.  I need to tell myself to not go, there is nothing I need but it might be a fun break for a little while this morning.  I don't need anything but if I could still use some incense and bamboo like I bought last year at this time, that would be nice. Oh, and maybe a used copy of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.  My 89 year old mother-in-law has piqued my interest in this book. I could wait and rent the movie from Red Box, it will be released this Tuesday. 



About an hour later ... ( sorry for the long empty space below...blogger issue ;-(  )



I did it!  I just walked my two miles and Clint has already headed to the gym.  I like getting my walking over on our little lane, the treadmill bores me to death ... I don't care what I'm hearing in my head phones.  It is so good to arrive at the fitness center and know I can get out of there quicker, that my walking is behind me.

Clint said he might want to go to the flea market, we will probably go in separate vehicles since I will have to go work out afterwards.

Lately I've been thinking about getting older.  I have been wondering if I am ever going to act my age, dress my age and I already know I look my age!  I am trying to fight it, I refuse to totally let myself go! It's not easy and is a lot of hard work.  I look around me and it is so sad at what I see, so many people out of shape. I know I have a plank in my eye and that I need to lose some weight. Last night on Facebook I ran across a woman who is near my mother's age, this woman is 76 years old. She is a life long artist and one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen. She has the most stylish and long beautiful hair and I love the way she dresses ... classy and creatively.  The woman lives in this area and I have always admired her. I think genes are responsible for some of it.  
   
                                                                                                                                                         Forget that notion of behaving like my age, I have to get off here now to paint my fingernails that Milani "Dress Maker" shade of green for St. Patrick's Day.  {;~)

I adore this shade!

                                  ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥


Who sits outside all the time in the rain?









Paddy O' Furniture

Light and Shadow



Playing around with my camera a couple of weeks ago,
thought I'd include this photo since it's about "light and shadows".



Today I was thinking of light and shadows.  In the evenings, we have been noticing

some strong beams of the setting sun that are streaming behind the window treatment

from the opposite side of the room into the living room.  These photo scenes actually occured naturally, I

did not do any special staging.

I think that is what makes them more special. 



We've all seen what I think of as that eerie lighting, the dark clouds with
some bright sun.  I love the way it illuminates trees, birch trees
are particularly beautiful this way.



Fond of rose bowls, I mostly use them for candles.  I've been using this
one in the evenings.

This image blew me away, I was sitting across from Clint
and had to grab my camera when I saw this shadow of his martini glass.
The shadow is on the living room wall.



Most of my life is spent looking up!  I marvel at cloud formations
such as these.







This sheet draped over the sofa was glowing
the other evening against the strong shadows
in the folds.

It's Five O' Clock somewhere!

Where there is much light, the shadow is deep.

~Goethe

A Different Kind of Sunday

Some trees today in the shopping center.

So many things I could write about ... I've been very busy these days.  Clint and I both are trying to become more disciplined and have positive routines in our days.  For days I have been working on my portrait business, designing and making business cards.  My local bank has a table for the members' business cards.  I marched in there a couple of days ago to ask for permission to add my newly printed business cards to this table.  I left the bank being scheduled as the Business of the Month for June.  Yeah for me!  I will have a display in the foyer of the bank, displaying my art for an entire month.  I feel this will be great exposure.

Clint and I have returned to the gym and walking two miles everyday.  It is amazing how much this makes a difference in our lives.

Today my daughter Lucinda and I met at the gym and worked out together.  We had such fun, laughing like teenagers.  Afterwards, we walked over to a little Mexican restaurant and had lunch.  We need to get together more often! 

Lucinda and I sat there and discussed the differences in chile rellenos.  All chile rellenos
are not created equally!  :-)  Give us deep fried ones!

Clint left for the gym early one day this week.  He had not been gone long when I received a call from the gym owner, John.  He had asked Clint why he had not brought his "bride" to work out and had picked up the phone to invite me back to the gym.  John even offered, "What if I come and pick you up?" 

(A very LOUD and LONG drum roll inserted here ...)



This is John.

Can you imagine the neighbors seeing John pull up at our house in
his fancy sports car, ever the gentleman coming to the door
and whisking me away!