Glory Days and Squirrel

Two photos today (of 104!) One of the squirrel who met me this morning for breakfast. He was satisfied with peanut butter on cracker. I settled for one of my omelets. The day started with no power. My alarm system cranking out an annoying beep every few seconds woke me up. That beep was to tell me there was no power. I went downstairs and the squirrel previously mentioned tried to get into the house when I turned the alarm off and opened the door for light. He was hungry! Power was restored within an hour or so, thankfully.

I worked in the yard a little after church. I took this photo of a full-blown yellow rose. Magnificent! Lots of buds on that bush too. I'm excited. I planted her last year. This reminds me of my glory days. One day at my former place of employment - when I was very shy and easily embarrassed - I went to the cafeteria. I was wearing a soft mohair sweater and matching slim wool skirt - all in a soft yellow. A table-full of men stood up and sang "The Yellow Rose of Texas". I was mortified. It took me a long time to go into that cafeteria again. But the memory remains as a pleasant one nonetheless. I was probably 20 years old, long brown hair, and great figure - yes, those were the days. I'm not from Texas, but that song became special to me, regardless of the mortification that was involved at the time. I couldn't look at the men, but I'm sure they were all friendly to me after that. I also learned before too long to get over my shyness.

Puerto Vallarta no, Portland yes

Sadly, I have learned that my trip to Puerto Vallarta is not to be. I have never been to Mexico and I've heard that PV is wonderful, so I am a bit disappointed. First the drug wars threatened the trip, and everyone advised me not to go. Then swine flu and the government's no-unnecessary travel to Mexico warning gave it the coup de grace. The friend who had organized it lives in Portland, OR and has invited us there instead. That's another place I've always wanted to visit, and staying with Beth and meeting her friend Andrea will make it a good trip, I'm sure. My brother said one week won't be enough, so that makes it sound really promising. I have to totally re-think the planned wardrobe though. No tanning booth necessary since I won't be risking getting a sunburn now.

It's Mother's Day. Saw my Mom yesterday and decided to stay home today. Having a quiet and restful day. Church and the newspaper, some calligraphy, carry-out ribs from Mark's, tv movies and some card-making. Photo is from my November birthday. Many cards last year, including many hand made and gorgeous ones! I don't think I posted the photo then. -- Back to a busy work-week tomorrow. I am not ready!

Four Leaf Clovers

I'm good at it. Sometimes it seems as though I've planted 4 leaf clover seed. I find them all the time. But I have found them just walking along a public path - not looking for them. They sometimes seem to be standing up and waving for me to notice them. I don't understand it, but I like it. When I was a little girl my brother and our friends were finding 4 leafed clovers. I was mad. I couldn't spot one. Stubborn me, I sat in a patch of clover in our backyard and looked and looked. I didn't go inside the house until I had found my very first four leafed clver. I don't know if that experience trained my eye to find them or not, but now they are my good luck charms. Not superstitiously, more divinely. I ask for guidance and look for my response...finding a four leafed clover = YES. "Lord, am I doing the right thing?" "Am I going to be okay?" Almost always I can get my 'yes' in the form of a four leafed clover. If I go a few days without finding one in the spring/summer I fear that I've lost my touch (or my eye.) Sometimes I go into my backyard - certain areas are richer than others - and find two or three or more in less than five minutes. Yeah. I like finding four leafed clovers. Now you know this 'secret' about me. Here's the one I found today. The large one is today's...the smaller one is old. Today's 'Yes' was important - and it made me a smidge late to work. (Terrible photo - it's behind plastic in my wallet. For better photo of my backyard patch of lucky, see June 13, 2008 post.) The "Yes" felt good...but then, most yeses do, don't they.

and now for the bad news

My news of my article having been accepted was great for me. Today the wake up call came in the mail...tax forms for the payout money involved! Ha!

Did I mention that I'm heading to Puerto Vallarta? Last week of May. Sure hope there's no swine flu to be had then. Looking forward to going to a new (to me) place with a childhood friend!

There will be photos!

Artwork and a bit of news

I'm just posting some photos of recent artwork, calligraphy, greeting cards, a 'scrapbook' wall, and body lotion. (!) The pink one was for a friend who saw something similar in Savannah. Unfortunately, I couldn't remember what that one looked like so I kept altering mine (shown are an in-progress and the final piece) and didn't come very close, I'm thinking. Actually, seeing the two photos together, I think I liked the looser, lighter in-progress piece better, finished one in comparison is overworked. Such was my life then. The finished piece is better in person though, I think. (I hope!) The multi-colored one began as a total abstract with blotches of color everywhere. I should post my in-progress photo of it...no comparison...it was awful! It now looks something like a field of flowers, I think. A few small calligraphy pieces (pencil on paper) are shown and a few birthday cards I made a month or so ago. One photo is of an outside wall of a shop in Brown County, IN where we went with friends in March to celebrate a birthday and an anniversary. Another is of my room during my most recent stay in Charleston...lovely place! One photo is of four bottles of hand and body lotion - one is practically empty, one is half empty and two full ones are of different fragrances. A friend (Doris!) gave me a bottle for Christmas and I loved it so much I bought more and wrote a paean to it and submitted it to the local newspaper. I learned last night that it will be published on July 25th!

Louisville at Derby-time

Well, chalk up an exciting Derby for 2009! Who ever heard of Mine That Bird? Thorobred horses are often named with nods to their sires and mares, and this one is no different. His sire was Birdstone, and his mother was Mining My Own. Someone turned that into Mine That Bird. The winning jockey, Calvin Borel, made everyone happy about the win. His excitement was infectious - in a much better way than the swine flu. Those who had bets on the horse were even happier, because the payoff was over $100 for a two dollar bet! Churchill Downs' track is seldom muddy. It doesn't hold water. At least that's what they always say. Today proved that wrong. Heavy rains early and no sunshine to dry it out left the track sloppy today. All horses, whether black, grey or roan looked taupe at the end of the races - and so did the jockeys!

I watched from home, celebrating Steve's birthday doing what he wanted to do. Omelettes for breakfast, T-bones for dinner, chocolate birthday cake, and watching the horses run on my big screen.

I've been doing some art lately. We went to Cherokee Triangle Art Fair last weekend - saw some old art show friends and met an artist I've corresponded with but had never met. Good day - and hot for April! I'm glad I didn't do the show, but I'm glad we went. People were reporting good sales, but I didn't see many people walking around with purchases unless you count beverages. We did our share. Steve bought me a pair of earrings. I took some photos including the ones here of street musicians and green-spiked hair guy, the rooftop (spied while walking to my car afterward) and the little girl painting (a Derby chapeau.)

I also went to a Derby Festival event - the balloon glimmer. Hot air balloons lit up and aired up along the riverfront. Music, chow wagon food, friendship...good night. Photos of balloons against the city backdrop and the river and the menacing looking 'policeman'.