Chocolate Chip Scones

* 1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
* 1 3/4 cup white all purpose flour
* 1/4 cup white sugar
* 1/4 cup light brown sugar
* 1 tsp. baking powder
* 1 tsp. baking soda
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 2 Tbsp. ground yellow flaxseed meal
* 4 Tbsp. oatmeal
* 6 Tbsp. butter
* 1 large egg
* 1 cup nonfat buttermilk
* 1 tsp vanilla extract
* 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips (such as Ghiradelli 60% cocoa or Nestle 63% dark chips)

Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt, flaxseed meal and oatmeal. Cut in butter using two knives or a pastry blender, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

In a small bowl, whisk egg, buttermilk and vanilla together. Pour into dry ingredients. Using a fork, stir until dough is moist. Stir in chocolate chips. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, kneading two or three times. Divide dough in half.

Pat each half into a circle, about 6 inches across. Cut dough into 6 wedges. Transfer to the prepared cookie sheet. Bake at 375 on middle rack of oven for 20-22 minutes.

Makes 12 scones

Celebrating!

This weekend was just very nice and relaxed. We went to our favorite brunch place that is a place we go to fairly infrequently - basically just to celebrate. Thursday was Michael's official 1 year of owning his business. So we went there and celebrated that fact. It has been so nice having him working at home. He is so much more relaxed too. It has been a good year! I am so very proud of him and happy for him!

Friday Gratitude

5 Good Things in my life...
1. Cupcakes with sprinkles that I made earlier this week.
2. I got a lot of work done today.
3. For the little summer nightie that Michael bought me a few weeks ago -- it is so comfy!
4. Pink and purple pens to make out postcards for friends
5. chick flicks to watch while Michael is out of town

The Mermaid Chair

I went to bed at 2am. I woke up at 3:46 and it took a while to get to sleep. At 6:12 I woke up because I heard Michael - he was cleaning up a kitty cat accident. So I got up to gather trash as it was trash day. I laid back down around 6:30 but wasn't able to get to sleep. Mind just racing. So I got up at 7:19. We had breakfast and watched a West Wing before heading back to bed.

I was so scared I wasn't going to get to sleep. If I hadn't ended where I did in the book I am reading, I don't think I would have....I am reading The Mermaid Chair and she was describing 2 Chagall paintings (I have always liked his art). So I drifted away to one of the paintings and ended up dreaming about it...


Lovers in the Red Sky - the one I dreamed about

And then the other painting she talked about in the book...
La baie des Anges

So as I said I am reading The Mermaid Chair. I am half way through and I have had tears 5 times I think. When I went into the doctors office this afternoon, I had it in my hand and the nurse told me she had heard good things about it and asked what it was about and how I liked it. I told her that I felt it was about a woman going through her mid-life crisis. She said she could relate then - I said, "ME TOO" - which is why I am tearing up so much in the book. Things she talks about are hitting a little close to home for me. Not that I am having an affair - so anyone who has read the book please know that isn't what is hitting close to home. It is just some of her feelings of herself that are hitting close to home for me.


hmmm what else...Not sure what I am going to make for dinner tonight. I have ground turkey thawing but nothing sounds good to me. I might end up doing sloppy joe skillet. It is easy and will be good with a nice salad.

Friday Gratitude

Night - I am a night owl. I love the night sky. I love the energy that comes with the night for me. I don't think I could live very happily in dark environment. I do need sun. I just enjoy the night a little more.
Novels - I have been on a fiction kick lately and read many novels. I love the stories. I love that they slow down my brain and let me escape into the story for a little bit of time.
Naps - They are so nice! I especially like having naps with Michael. Snuggling up to him and just feel the warmth of his skin next to me. So comforting. So safe.
Noise - Although I love silence....just sitting in the quiet late night hours or early morning...I also like noise. When I am doing art work, cleaning and such I need noise...tv or music. And I enjoy that sound while being busy. Makes me feel not so alone - like I have company while doing those things.
Nature - Although nature really doesn't like me....I do like it. The trees, the leaves changing....the flowers blooming in the spring. The beautiful mountains of Colorado. The desert cliffs...red earth...tumbleweeds and just the vast open space of it. (Nature doesn't like me as I have lots of allergies that come from nature.)
Nose - to smell things with! Dinner simmering on the stove top, cookies coming out of the oven, a rose, fragrant wine, clean sheets on the bed, freshly mowed grass, cinnamon rolls out of the oven, vinegar - being a clean smell for me - because my Mom (and now I do too) clean with it, freshly popped popcorn that my Dad was making into popcorn balls as he loves them....so many good smells I am very thankful I have nose to smell them with!
Now - I try very hard to be aware of the present. To live in the now. So now is a pretty important word for me. And I am thankful for all the now gives me.
Next - And from the last word comes the this one...next. I am thankful what comes next. Although I live in the now, I enjoy the next. I think of with this word something from West Wing..."what's next?" In that context it was okay we have resolved this...what's next. Let's keep going forward. And so although I live in the now I do want to keeping going forward - to the next.
Notes - Notes..I make notes and lists. But I also like the little notes that I leave Michael to make him smile. Just recently he found one that I had really really buried in one of his equipment bags. He had to go out of town on a work assignment and I couldn't go with him so I did a ton of little notes all through out every bag he brought with him. The one he found had 2 little kitties that I colored and a princess tiara and then said the kitty cats and I miss you! I like leaving those little notes to make Michael smile. So I am thankful for notes that I make and leave.
Nourishment - I am thankful for the various forms of nourishment I get not only in food but connection with others, learning new things, creating art, meditating, exploring and all the other various forms of nourishment that come into my life and feed me.

Cleaning Day

Although I have been kind of down today I did get a lot accomplished. Made pancakes for breakfast, then cleaned, made bread, did a little work, and now I am going to go prep dinner. Michael requested mac-n-cheese. So I am making the a meal of comfort. Meatloaf, mac-n-cheese, mixed veggies and bread.

Tomorrow I need to clean bathrooms and wash the kitchen floor. I also want to start in on my studio. It is MESS! My studio is the room that I bring things when I don't know what I am going to do with them...do you have a place like that? Anyway because Michael and I were so busy before we left on vacation that stack of STUFF got very big. It seems like gremlins where I must have shined bright light on it, gave it water, fed it after midnight because the STUFF seemed to multiple and taken over my room.

OMG isn't this a cute summer cake! Mandy LOOK at it! I can totally see you making it! You have such a way with decorating cakes!

From today's Daily Om...
"Resistance tends to strengthen the energies it attempts to oppose by giving them power and energy to work against. Additionally, resistance keeps us from learning more about what we resist. In order to fully understand something, we must open to it enough to receive its energy; otherwise, we remain ignorant of its lessons. There is a Tibetan story of a monk who retreats to meditate in a cave only to be plagued by demons. He tries everything—chasing, fighting, hiding—to get the demons out of his cave, but the thing that finally works is surrender. He simply lets them have their way with him and only then do they disappear."

Stormy

I have been suffering from migraines for the last 4 days...or is it 3? I am losing track of time because the days are bleeding into each other. This afternoon/evening we got hit hard with a storm. It went on for hours and hours. We had thunder and lightning so we turned computers off and didn't want to run the tv/stereo during it as we had the power go out and we had some very big booms near us. So I did some mail love while we still had some light. We have a few family birthday and anniversaries coming up this week. Michael bought me this little box thing a while back and so after getting the mail love ready I organized the little box with the cards and labeling each pocket. I will probably take a picture of it as it just thrills me - it is cute and it hits all my organization buttons. (even though looking at the house right now you would not get that I like organization but I am also having problems finding places for things right now so I am frustrated and overwhelmed with it all.)

After that we decided to watch West Wing on Michael's laptop. It is the episode where Charlie knocks on the Presidents door and says, "You know how you said not to wake you unless there was a fire...." Sam and Josh had started a fire in non-functional fireplace. We also had dinner during the storm as it finished baking just as storm started. I made enchildas. They turned out so just so nice. I should have taken a picture of them right out of the oven. They looked so good. And they tasted really good too although they were more spicy then normal even though I made them exactly the same as always.

I started a project I am doing for Michael. Right now he has a really heavy project list and there isn't a lot on it that I can help with but there is a big scanning project so I am doing that. Which made me think about Michael's parents gave me a ton of old pictures and documents a while back and I should scan them while I have the scanner in here so I have back up copies of all the real photos. As some of them are so great that I can see wanting to use a few times.

I stumbled a lot this weekend too - it is brainless so nice while suffering from migraines.

So sharing a few links again...
World Hearth Recipe Collection
Random Kitten Generator
Kitchen Tips
From Prints to Journal
The Cool Hunter - Architecture
Ray Caesar Art
Burned from Wal-Mart Flip Flops
Make a Fluffy Turtle
How to make Roses from Maple Leaves
A Collection of Flickr Photos

Friday Gratitude

I haven't done a gratitude list using a letter in a while so going to use the letter M tonight...

Michael - There will never be enough words or even the right words to express my gratitude for Michael. I am grateful that I found someone with so many wonderful qualities - funny, smart, handsome, sexy, generous, kind, talented, creative and much much more. I am grateful for the journey we share together. Thank you! I love you Michael!
Moni - I am grateful to my good friend Moni. I miss her so much. She always gave me support during hard time and to the ear to just hash things out. You are a good friend and I love you!
meditation - I am grateful for the time and practice of medication - it makes me feel better - more centered.
Michael Parkes - I really enjoy his art and grateful that he shares his talent through his beautiful, mysterious work.
mixed media art - I grateful for all the mix media works that inspire me to push myself as an artist.
music - It really is like the next word...music is a memory. I am grateful for the words, the sound that make memories or create an emotion in the moment that will be thought of and felt forever.
memories - I am grateful to all the wonderful memories I have...from those that are still here and for those that aren't...I do cherish them.
movies - grateful to the hours and hours of entertainment movies provide. And tomorrow night I will be watching Casino Royale and drooling!
mulled cider - I love mulled cider. It is not the season for it but in the fall it is a wonderful taste and aroma.
Mom - I am grateful to my Mom. She is a great Mom....gave me wonderful special times and supported me through all my life...good and bad times.

a box from my past

When at my parents, I picked up a box that my ex-husband sent to them years ago when he sold our house. It has been so very weird going through it. I am thankful for him sending it. The box has Grandmother Remember books that I gave both of my grandmother's. There were a ton of old letters and cards from when I was a little girl and teenager sent from friends. When I moved from North Dakota to Nebraska, I had forgotten the letters I did with my friends in North Dakota. Then there are a few letters where the name sounds familiar but I can't place a face at all or figure out how or why I know this person. But I have lots of letters from her. One thing I had been thinking about recently when we went through Omaha was a friend I had lost touch with long long ago. Anyway her married name was very long and difficult for me to spell so I could never remember it correctly to track her down but in the box there was her wedding invitation, announcement from the paper, program for her wedding and other little memorabilia several with her last name on it. So I did a search today and found an address so I am going to write her tomorrow.

Trip of Days

Well I was trying to be very careful when writing in May and June because I was so scared I was going to ruin the surprise. My sister's and I threw my parents a surprise 40th anniversary party July 7th.

But we are home now. We came home to a house that was 98 degrees though so we are sweating just a little bit! The air is on high and fans going - but I am fearing the bedroom will not be cooled down by the time we are ready for bed. Ouch!

So just a little summary of our trip....

July 1st - Left for Denver.

July 2nd - we had breakfast with a friend. Michael has know this friend online for 8 years and she was passing through Colorado so we grabbed the change to meet her. She was a total sweetheart.

July 3 - Michael had some meetings and work in Denver.
July 4th - we were on the road to Omaha. We had a nice time in Omaha. We drove past the house I grew up in. I kept saying all the trees are so big every where we went. We had Godfather's pizza for dinner - which is one of Michael's favorite pizza places and we don't have them in Colorado.

July 5th - arrived at my Aunt's in Minnesota. She made dinner for us and my sisters too. We were getting together to make plans and see what was left on our to-do list for the party. Michael and I spent Friday with April picking up the last of the things we needed for the party.

July 7th - the party! It was great! My parents were very surprised! My Mom just stood in the doorway crying for a while trying to take it all in. The video....no words will describe the reaction.....I don't think think there was a dry eye in the place men and women....were teary or choked up by the emotions from it.

The next few days we spent with my parents. It was GREAT seeing them! We had a really nice time with them.

Left on Tuesday - July 10th. We stayed the night in Omaha again and we went to dinner at the place I worked all through high school. It has really good Italian food. On Wednesday morning we had breakfast with a couple that I am very close to. We hadn't seen them since Michael and I moved all my stuff here in 2003. We saw them on our way to Ohio. It was really good to see them.

Arrived in Denver on Wednesday and then spent that with Michael's parents. We had a good time with them. And we also had a chance to get together with Michael's brothers family so that was very nice to get that chance to see them!

Well that was the trip....we had a really good time but as always - are glad to be home. Even though we are jumping back in to the busy. Michael made a project list and it was pretty long. And those are just were the immediate projects not the long term ones.

I wanted to take a moment to also thank Michael for making this trip possible in so many ways. When I was worrying we wouldn't be able to afford it - he made it possible. When I was worrying about the the planning, he was there to tell me it would work out. He made an AMAZING video that really captured my parents. And everyone kept saying that over and over again at that party. Us girls wouldn't have been able to express the things we wanted to without his direction, talent in editing and putting the story together. He also is just so kind and generous. Thank you Michael Thank you Thank you! I love you!


(photos - all from the party - cake obviously is the top one, next is a beautiful center piece for a table, and last one was the food)

Almost Ready

I have a few more things to do this morning before we leave later this afternoon. I feel like I am forgetting things of course -- and that is driving me nuts!

Last night I ironed and ironed and ironed! And I am still not done with all the ironing. While ironing and folding clothes last night -- I must confess I watched a guilty pleasure movie. One that when I said I wanted to watch Michael looked at me like...."where did Darby go." The movie: Urban Cowboy. I can't stand country music yet I love all the music in that movie. I don't even know why I like the movie in general. So I watched it and sang with the music as I ironed. I also watched 2 episodes of Hex. I must have missed at least 1 or 2 episodes so thought I wouldn't get it enough to get hooked into it but I did...sucked into right away. Thelma and Maya - yay! I am so glad Themla has someone. And they make such a cute couple! Just so perfect for each other.

Michael and I had a few errands to run yesterday. I have been on the search for a pair of shoes to wear with the outfit he bought me several months ago. But I hadn't much luck. Yesterday we went to Target and I picked up a pair of shoes that actually I kind of cringed at when I looked at them up but knew they would look good because of the color of my blouse. They were kind of a bronze thong sandal. But really metallic not my thing - at least not since I was in high school. But I tried them on...OMG the comfort! Unfortunately they weren't my size too big (they were in the wrong box when I picked them up thinking they were my size.) So Michael suggested 2 other places to check, but now of course I was hooked on those so we are going to go to Target in Denver to see if I can find them. I hope I find them...they really were so comfortable.

Well I suppose I should go finish packing.

Gratitude Friday

5 good things in my life...
1. We leave for our trip on Sunday and I am so excited. I can't wait to write about it when we get back.
2. dyed my hair so I don't feel so frumpy
3. The project Michael has been working on turned out so beautiful.
4. That the pharmacy filled my prescription even though they usually require 72 hours notice - I gave them 24....very nice of them! (didn't realize all my allergy meds were so low - I hadn't taken any in a while but with being around dogs plus my allergies just seem to always be worse in Denver.)
5. I am thankful for the crystal that Jeni sent me. Thank you Thank you! You know I will put it to good use!

Busyness

We leave this coming weekend for Denver. So we are really really busy this week and of course on Sunday morning I woke up with a bright idea/project that will need to be done before we leave. Throw in I have never done anything like it so it a learning curve for me even though I software I am using is very easy. I have been working on that in all my spare time.

To add to the busyness of our lives - I had a migraine yesterday. It hit right out the blue no warning like there usually is and it was just a very odd feeling migraine. I get dizzy and have an upset stomach normally with a migraine but this was a different feeling brought on with the dizziness and the upset stomach. So that wasn't fun...and of course I don't need that this week.

Movie Triva

When I posted that movies list yesterday, I remembered the game Michael and I play. We play it while I make dinner. I can hear the TV from the kitchen but can't see it. So he will often change channels and then I guess the movie. Often with in moments - just a few words of dialog or even just music in the movie, I can guess what it is and some I haven't even seen. I just know enough about the movie to guess. He always says he should get me on a game show about movies but I remind him how I hate to speak in front of crowds and just the pressure of it would make me freeze up just like in school with speeches or even tests/quizes I froze up often even if I knew what I needed to know.

100 Best Movies

The American Film Institute has updated their list of the 100 best American movies. I bolded the ones. I underlined movies too because I have watched some movies but not all the way through.

1. Citizen Kane

2. The Godfather

3. Casablanca

4. Raging Bull

5. Singin In The Rain

6. Gone With The Wind

7. Lawrence of Arabia

?

8. Schindler's List

9. Vertigo

10. The Wizard of Oz

11. City Lights
12. The Searchers

13. Star Wars

14. Psycho

15. 2001: A Space Odyssey

16. Sunset Blvd.

17. The Graduate

18. The General

19. On The Waterfront

20. It's A Wonderful Life

21. Chinatown

22. Some Like It Hot

23. The Grapes of Wrath

24. E.T., The Extra-Terrestrial

25. To Kill A Mockingbird

26. Mr. Smith Goes To Washington

27. High Noon

28. All About Eve

29. Double Indemnity
30.

Apocalypse Now

31. The Maltese Falcon
32. The Godfather, Part II

33. One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

34. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

35. Annie Hall

36. The Bridge on the River Kwai

37. The Best Years of Our Lives
38. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
39.

Dr. Strangelove

40. The Sound of Music
41. King Kong (1933)

42. Bonnie and Clyde

43. Midnight Cowboy

44.

The Philadelphia Story

45. Shane
46.

It Happened One Night

47. A Streetcar Named Desire

48.

Rear Window

49. Intolerance

50. Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring
51. West Side Story

52. Taxi Driver

53. The Deer Hunter

54. M*A*S*H
55. North by Northwest
56. Jaws

57. Rocky

58. The Gold Rush
59. Nashville

60. Duck Soup

61. Sullivan's Travels
62. American Graffiti

63. Cabaret
64. Network

65. The African Queen
66. Raiders of the Lost Ark

67. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

68. Unforgiven
69. Tootsie
70. A Clockwork Orange

71. Saving Private Ryan (haven't ever seen this one because war movies often make me very emotional for days and days after)

72. The Shawshank Redemption

73. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

74. The Silence of the Lambs
75. In The Heat of the Night
76. Forrest Gump
77. All The President's Me

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78. Modern Times

79. The Wild Bunch

80. The Apartment

81. Spartacus

82. Sunrise

83. Titanic
84. Easy Rider

85. A Night At The Opera
86. Platoon (again never seen because it is a war movie)

87. 12 Angry Men
88. Bringing Up Baby

89. The Sixth Sense

(never finished as I thought it was going to give me nightmares)

90. Swing Time

91. Sophie's Choice

92. Goodfellas
93. The French Connection
94. Pulp Fiction

95. The Last Picture Show

96. Do The Right Thing
97. Blade Runner

98. Yankee Doodle Dandy

99. Toy Story

100. Ben Hur

Laurell K. Hamilton

I am reading quite a bit lately. Last year I don't think I got through one book. My concentration sucked from the depression and stress of everything going on. So this year I made a little goal with myself that I wanted to just get through 25 books. Not a huge goal but I knew it would get me back into reading like I did once upon a time.

I decided to read Laurell K. Hamilton Anita Blake series again. I have read the series several times but not been happy with the last 3 books because there hasn't been any plot and page after page of sex. I don't mind sex in a book but when that is all it is...and there is no plot - then it might as well marked porn instead fiction. So I am now to Bloody Bones in the series. If I recall correctly Bloody Bones isn't one of my favorites in the series. Still better then the last 3 books in the series but I didn't like it because it was made to be a stand alone if I recall correctly. When I watch the commentaries on Buffy or Alias - Joss and J.J. always talk about how th networks want stand alone episodes. Those episodes that don't have to do with the over all season objective. Such as nothing to do with Rambalidi in Alias or whatever villain of the season for Buffy - like the Mayor or Glory. And I wonder if Hamilton's publishers said the same thing - that they needed a book that doesn't need to go with the others...or if she wanted to make a stand alone book.

Anyway, I am enjoying those early Hamilton books again. Edward is always good to see in the books. I am really liking too that early interaction between Anita and Richard. I had forgot about Larry too - the budding animator/vampire executioner. I heard Edward is back in the new one along with Malcom so I really am looking forward to The Harlequin but I still feel I will wait to get it on paper back.

So it nice to be reading again and getting so much enjoyment from it.

Eight

We went to In the Garden Art Show & Sale. A friend had this piece in her house that I gushed over. She said she did a trade with him...a piece of his for one of hers. The piece she has was a fairly large assemblage. Anyway we have since seen his not only the assemblages but collage photography. Every time I see work by him - I say how much I like his work. It is just really interesting to me. So we are walking around the show and we come upon his stuff. I know my eyes just lite up. We were leaving the area and Michael asked if I wanted one of the assemblages. I said yes and went straight for the one with the 8. I love numbers in art (maybe some people have noticed that on my art lol)

The artist doesn't have a website - I think he should though!

John Anglim's...Eight...



(He does have a website for his band --- Flat Top Reed)

Friday Gratitude

5 Good Things...
1. I did lots of work on graphics and coding this week including creating a website for our friend's memorial.
2. Relaxed and had fun this week as well as getting quite a lot of work done.
3. Had breakfast at our new favorite breakfast place and had chinese this week at my favorite chinese resturant here.
4. found some pictures I was looking for a while back...finding other pictures that I want to frame
5. reading the Anita Blake series again (from the beginning) and remembering why I like(d) Laurell K. Hamilton (and happy to see some positive reviews for her new book.)

Weekend is HERE!

We went to Ocean's 13 yesterday. We both really enjoyed it but Ocean's is I would say one of Michael's favorites. Thursday's tend to be the day Michael tries not to do any work. When owning your own business you know how it can become a 24/7 thing as I remember all too well. So I am glad he makes an effort to take at least one day with no business.

I designed Michael a new work website last night and I really like it...now I just need my code to play nice with firefox so I can upload it and make it live! ugghh! But the image is a preview until I can get it coded right.

Tomorrow will be busy. Making a pie in the morning. Then we are going to the Art show and sale at the Gallery B&B. They will have their resident artists and also quite a few other artist and some other handmade goods. On the postcard we got for it there was a bracelet that looks so neat..like a weaving. After that we will be going to friends for dinner. They are always fun to hang out.

North by Northwest

This months updates/posts and actually next months too will probably be very limited. We will be leaving the last week of June for Denver and might not be back until July 12th. But we have lots to do before we leave so I feel like I might be a little frazzled.

So...

** This morning Michael and I got up early to get to a doctors appointment. We got there and their office was locked. Pretty soon we saw the receptionist on her cell phone she was walking on the side of the building. We talked to her she didn't have me down even though she was the one that made the appointment - last time I was there. She remembered making an appointment but it wasn't on the book. And the doctor wasn't in this morning so she apologized and asked when we could come back and she would get us in. They had an available appointment for this afternoon so we took that. I went had a very quick appointment. I went to pay and they said no charge - because they screwed the appointment up. That was very nice...and unexpected. But I guess I shouldn't be so surprised they have all been so nice in this office. It is my foot doctor and I HATE having my feet touched and they all have been so good about it.

** Okay I must be in a sappy mood right now because I love The Holiday with Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, Jude Law and Jack Black. I have watched it 3 times. I got it via netflix so I think I will need to be sending it back sometime. :) But Kate Winslet and Jack Black...yummy! And then the part with the kid and the tent makes me tear up every time! Because I am a weeper...major weeper! (if you have seen the movie you will understand that)

** Cooking lately has been quick and easy because of everything going on. And I feel that trend isn't going to let up. Nachos, salads, pasta and sauce, fried rice...all quick and easy for me. But I do need to bake a pie on Saturday morning as we are going to dinner at friends on Saturday night. Making a chocolate buttermilk pie but really it is an easy pie so that I don't have to stress over what to bring.

** Michael bought one of my FAVORITE movies...North by Northwest. He had not seen it until I DVR'd it one day so that he could watch it and then he was hooked too.

Cleaning Day

While cleaning this morning it came back to me...the smell that will bring me back home to my childhood quicker then anything -- even baked good and that does bring me back as my family has a line of really wonderful cooks. But the smell that brings me back quickly....is vinegar. I clean with vinegar and as soon as I do a spray of vinegar water solution on a rag I go back to when I was little girl. My Mom cleaned with vinegar so it is a clean smell for me. It smells like spring cleaning. It smells like Saturday mornings. My Mom would clean on Saturdays because she worked during the week, so Saturdays were the cleaning days. I would wake up on Saturday mornings to the smell vinegar. My Mom would open the windows, have a stack of records on the stereos turntable playing all sorts of music from Anne Murry to Elvis to ELO....and floating through the house was the smell of vinegar and my Mom singing to the music. It is a good memory for me. And now when I clean I think of those mornings waking up to Mom cleaning.

Recreated

Just thought it was an interesting Note from the Universe....

"Fear always goes away once two things are realized: First, you're a spiritual being. Second, nothing can ever be lost or taken from a spiritual being that cannot be recreated. Not pride, not money, not love."

My Soul to Keep

I found some more books that I hadn't read. We have books all over and I forgot that I had found a few a while back when reorganizing some things. I also added with the 3 books I had never read - 2 old books that I read in college both of them by Jack Kerouac as I hardly remember reading them.

One of the books I found on Saturday night before bed and I finished it this morning. It was really suspenseful. And different....it wasn't a vampire story but I know when I initially picked it up years and years ago was because it had that feel when I read the bookcover.

The book My Soul to Keep by Tananarive Due. From the bookcover: "What would people be like if they never aged, never got sick and never died? Jessica is about to find out. She is a Miami investigative reporter with a beautiful daughter, Kira, and a husband David so long, brilliant and attentive that she calls him Mr. Perfect. Suddenly however, her life takes a terrifying turn. Her best friend is brutally murdered and Jessica discovers an ancient, unimaginable danger that will shatter her life and family - forever. Dawit is an immortal. More then four hundred years ago he and a sect of Ethiopian scholars traded their souls for eternal life. Obeying a vow of secrecy. Dawit has traveled the world as a solider, a slave, a jazz musician -- never staying anywhere long enough for others to notice he does not age. As further insurance with barely a though he kills any mortal who dares to be come too curious about him. For the first time, though, it is Dawit who threatens to break his vow and defy his brothers by keeping his beloved mortal wife and child with him -- forever."

I couldn't put it down. I kept thinking just a few more pages and then 50 pages later I would finally decide okay I need to get to bed but I really wanted to just keep reading. It is really a great story with romance but also with supernatural suspense. When I went to look for it on amazon just now to see what people said about it, I found out there is a sequel...I want to read it too! So adding that to my list of need to read book.

In the Garden

....at The Gallery B&B

Saturday, June 16, 2007 - 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Art Show and Sale

There will a variety of fine art and crafts offered plus Maddie Mae will have brats and fresh salads available. The event itself is free but there will be a wonderful collection of art and crafts for sale!

Busy Busy Saturday

Today has been a VERY busy, productive day but a very good day too. In a nutshell...painted the deck, cleaned up, lunch, shopping where Michael spoiled me, picking up lots of wine, went to Sam's, coming home putting things away and then collapsing on the couch, watching The Departed, enjoying a glass of wine and having sandwiches for dinner. We had a fun day just doing things together all day. Even painting the deck. :)

The Departed was really good! We had not seen it and got it as a blockbuster 3 for $20 on previously rented movies. Might be watching Pursuit of Happiness in a little bit. But not sure I will be able to stay awake for it.

Well I started to read a book that I found buried in my bookshelf that I hadn't read...Waking Beauty...I am so annoyed with the book that I don't think I will even finish it. I think I got it at a used bookstore years ago. So I picked it up the other night and within the first page and even after a few pages it is losing me. It is talking about all these places, people, and things that have no meaning to me because the author is not explaining them....at first. He begins to but not complete enough to make me -get it- at all and become a part of the book. The book is divided not only into chapters but parts. So I am reading part 1 and trying to be patient hoping they explain what all the names of their gods, legends and so forth mean. The title of the book

Waking Beauty

comes from a legend of their community/world/whatever....and the men get strapped down at night, nose plugged and tubes put in their throat - because otherwise they will be intoxicated by the call of Beauty. The men's wives/mothers look after them while they sleep. Men can smell Beauty and basically be so intoxicated by her smell that they follow her anywhere. She from the sounds of it kills them to gain power. I really can't tell you if that is for certain as the book just was so confusing to me.

But I do kind of get caught up into what seems like the 2 main characters Cy and Rose. They are about to married. Where they live - men are in charge (despite them being tied down at night). Cy at one point says that Rose is so pretty that all the men seem to give into her so he was going to have to take a firm hand to her. So as I said I got caught up in seeing where Cy and Rose go in the story...well that lasted 1 night. I am doing a spoiler....

Rose didn't strap Cy down on their wedding night and Beauty came and got him. So the town calls for her to be taken away and banished from their sight as she no long exists because she failed her husband. They have a man come in shave her hair off (something she was known for) and then chain her up leading her out of town. And from what I could tell she was being taken to another town where she would be a prostitute. Okay there ends part 1. I started reading part 2 and ALL NEW NAMES, ALL new legends, all new stories and no where am I finding Rose. I finally figure out Rose basically has a new name/title ((Cat - that is what they call prositutes in the book)) but I can't follow what the heck is going on so I gave up I have closed the book and I really don't think I am picking it up again.

I actually think now I am out of books again too.

Michael is scaring me....he is looking at Jeff Gordon merchandise....saying I need a Jeff Gordon sleep shirt --- I told him I thought it would give me nightmares. He then sent another link and said we need to redecorate the living room....a Jeff Gordon recliner. He sent that to me via im and I used every negative emoticon (pulling hair out, sick, crying, nailbiting and so on).

I think I am going to post this and then clean off my work table and work on the altered book finally.

Friday Gratitude

1. Clean sheets on the bed. I love the smell of clean sheets.
2. Vanilla White Russian - yummy!
3. It is Friday!
4. Air conditioning.....it has been a little warm here!
5. Michael's phone ringing off the hook today. Now that might not seem like a great thing because it takes him away from me...but when you own your own business...it is really good! This week we celebrate a year of when he gave his notice and so I am just happy that things have went so well....and although I knew he is amazing I know it is always a scary process to venture out there on your own. I am very proud of him and happy for him. I know that with knowledge and talent he will keep moving forward.

Spicy Shredded Pork

A while back we got a pork roast that was HUGE! Anyway, I cut it half and did half in the oven roasting it with veggies. And the other half I did in the crockpot and shredded it. I ended up then freezing quite a bit of it. Yesterday I took some of the shredded pork out of the freezer and made it into a yummy spicy dinner. I put the shredded pork into the crock with a can of diced tomatoes with the juice, did a cup of chicken stock, a can of rinsed black beans, a can of diced green chili peppers, 1 chipolte pepper chopped, some garlic and onions and then cumin and oregano. I simmered in the crock for about 2 hours and then served it on tortillas with cheese and sour cream.

In the Movies...

Today I had a doctor's appointment and then after we went to the new Pirate movie. We both thought it was GREAT! I like it better then the last one but maybe not quite as well as the first one. I thought the first one was very funny. And this one didn't seem to have that humor as much - still a little though. But it was a really great story to me.

Movies we have watched recently:
The Servant - a movie from 1963 and it was umm curious. It was not what I expected and kind of twisted where I thought it was going. I won't say I didn't like it. I am glad I watched it...I liked the cinematography in it. I liked the servant...he was an odd fellow and I couldn't stop watching him.
The Inside Men - compelling plot, cops and robber movie but not with the usual plot. Plus Clive Owens was in it and I think he is sexy.
Children of Men - Again Clive. Very intriguing movie! I really enjoyed it - seeing how they depicted the future and just seeing the story unfold. We watched it when I was just finishing up "He, She and It" - both deal with the future. Neither the same but it did get me thinking about what the future will be like.
The Celestine Prophecy - I wanted to watch because the book had a profound affect on me. Like the book the writing isn't great. The message comes through though like the book. And so I enjoyed watching it.
Good Shepard - long long movie! I had a hard time following it at times when they did flashbacks. But over all the story was good - interesting plot.

I feel like I am forgetting a few movies.

Right now I am reading the Memoirs of a Geisha - almost done with it. I hadn't read it since the book came out years and years ago. I have to say although the book and movie are different I liked them both.

Busy Summer Ahead

Back from Denver and it seems June/this summer is going to be busy...

Michael (and me too on some) have several big work projects going on this month. And then on top of that I have several home projects.

* painting the deck
* painting the shed
* going through vhs tapes and boxing them up to store - or ebay
* going through bins - that I think I will ebay
* work on the round robin altered art book
* have a box of shredding to do too
* organize bill statements
* decide what to do with old vhs media storage
* box up some games to put in storage?
* on going yard work
* possibly prep and paint bathroom?

Friday Gratitude (on Saturday)

5 Good Things in my life...
1. A nice trip over to Denver!
2. Cold Stone Creamery! Yummy!
3. art - have been around a lot of inspiring people recently and just thankful for all the incredible art they do/give
4. mail love - I have received quite a bit of mail love recently and enjoyed it all!
5. Coming home to the kitty cats!

BUSY Saturday

I really enjoyed this afternoon. We went to an art studios tour. There is a local art organization that planned what is called the Open Art Studio Tour. It is where local artists open up there studios for people to come and visit, look at your art, buy art, and so on. We first went to Diana Wood's studio. I have been in it a few times as I designed her website and Michael and I are friends with her and her husband. Her art is gorgeous! Beautiful colors and textures. I hope one day we are able to get a piece by her.

Then after that we went to another place...some people we know have space on their property for several artists plus they are a bed and breakfast (The Gallery Bed and Breakfast). Their property and the studios are simply amazing. While we were there someone said it is like being in Taos...and I was nodding. It is quite the artful paradise! Anyway, we ended up buying a really pretty pottery bowl by Damian Rice. And then a painting by Dianna Fritzler of M&M's. Michael's initials being MM has meant he has collected M&M stuff over the years. So when I was flipping through a stack of work by Dianna and started squealing with delight! I told Michael he NEEDED it for his office! He happened to agree! Dianna does landscapes, animals, still life...everyday things but all with vibrant color, wonderful texture and a lot of whimsy! All of her pieces are really so much fun! You just can't help look at them and feel good and smile! She is SO inspiring...she just has so many ideas and great energy! She has been very encouraging of me getting involved in the local art community. And after walking around and seeing all the art....it was very inspiring to me. I really wanted to come home and go to my studio right away and create but after having such a long day my body and brain couldn't handle it.

This morning we had a photography shoot that was over an hour away. When we got back to town at a little after 1pm, we dropped equipment off and then left for the tour. Afer the art tour, on our way home, there was an open house that we decided to go to as we have drove past it a few times and wondered what it was like inside. It had some really good things - like TONS of closet and storage space. But for the price we just didn't feel it had the quality that others in that we had looked at in the subdivision. After all that....chinese take out & a movie...and just relaxing.

The bowl by Damain Rice...is it pretty? The colors are amazing...had to get photos of it from all sides as it so pretty!



M&M's by Dianna Fritzler....So FUN!

Friday Gratitude...

Doing the letter L today...
love - grateful for loving...giving and receiving in many ways
life - grateful for the life I have and lead
life journey - grateful to my life journey...grateful for being able to take the path I am on
laughter - grateful for the sound of friends and family laughing as well as the ability to laugh
Laurell k. Hamilton - grateful to her early books as they were entertaining plus they had special memories attached to them
lounging - grateful for the time to lounge and relax
lemons - grateful for the fresh smell, the flavor and the many things you can do with them
loyalty - grateful for loyalty that that is given to me and that I give. I am very loyal but not to the expense of myself (used to be to the point of being harmful to myself)
light - grateful for light...allowing me to see things....and even in ways I might not have seen without light shining just a certain way
lists - grateful for lists to give me gentle reminders and keep me up to speed
lip gloss and lipstick - grateful for lip gloss and lipstick that allow me to be girly girl
lips - grateful for lips the softness of them when we kiss..the way they move when speaking....plus Michael has very sexy lips!
language - grateful for language to communicate and expressive thoughts and feelings.
ladybugs - they are cute and colorful they always make me smile and make me think about all the wonders in nature.

Zig Zag

This week is doctor week. I had an appointment Monday, then I had one today and one tomorrow. Nothing wrong with me just follow ups appointments.

I have been having some computer problems and we really don't know what is going on but after a while my computer screen starts to get shaky wiggle lines on all the edges...like around the icons, the side bars on websites, any program I have open that has different panels the edges zig zag. At times it is so bad I can't read what is on the screen as it moves around so much. Michael has tried several different things and so far what he the other night is working. But the problem is so sporadic we aren't calling it fixed yet. But I am crossing my fingers.

I haven't had one diet coke in 8 days. I am not even getting headaches from withdrawal. I actually have been kind of lucky lately and not had a lot of migraines. I had one kind of bad one and then 2 that started but I took something and they went away. So I don't usually count those as they went away! So one bad one in 2 weeks is great. And yes it has been the same timing as quiting diet coke. In the past I did a test to see if it was one of my triggers and I really couldn't link it. But I know my chemistry changes as I get older.

I am loving the book I am reading right now. I know I mentioned it before but it is just such curious and intriguing book that I am going to post about it again. I am reading He, She and It by Marge Percy. It is set in a futuristic earth and I love the details of the Earth she describes. I love the free towns and the corp towns leave little to be desired. The book has the story of the futuristic Earth but then it also has a character retelling a story of Judah Loew ben Bezalel the Maharal of Prague who created a golem. I really would like to know how accurate the story is in the book. Here is what the snippet on Amazon says: "In the middle of the twenty-first century, life as we know it has changed for all time. Shira Shipman's marriage has broken up, and her young son has been taken from her by the corporation that runs her zone, so she has returned to Tikva, the Jewish free town where she grew up. There, she is welcomed by Malkah, the brilliant grandmother who raised her, and meets an extraordinary man who is not a man at all, but a unique cyborg implanted with intelligence, emotions--and the ability to kill"

I have been baking and cooking a lot lately. I made bread that I need to get pictures and recipe over on my cooking blog. It turned out very yummy! It was a new recipe and not only made wonderful creme brulee French toast but also toast for breakfast this week. The bread has maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, oatmeal, brown sugar.....and all those things gave it a great flavor and texture. I also made whole wheat bread sticks last week and although they tasted -ok- they weren't a keeper. It made a huge stack of them! Plus I made cookies last week but those didn't turn out pretty. They TASTED great! But they are something I try again but with some baking powder to help them raise up a little more here in the altitude. We picked up a pork roast a few weeks ago that was on sale. It was 50% off but they only had ONE left and it was 8 lbs! OMG the thing was HUGE! I basically cut it in half and did half in the oven and half in the crock. And then wrapped up 5 packages of cooked meat to put in the freezer plus we got 3 meals out of the left overs this week. I shredded some and I want to mix it with some green chilies, onion, garlic, cumin and black beans and put it in tortillas. I also did a pretty good slab that I will make pork fried rice with and then not sure what I will do with the other packages yet.

Art Nouveau Piece...

This morning I was cleaning the living room and I dusted this piece Michael has that was his Grandmother's. I decided to take pictures of it as I would love to know more about it. I love the piece. It is Art Nouveau. It looks as though it once had color some spots. I am assuming it is to hold books? That is what we use it for but I am not really sure that is what it was intended. I have been nervous to take a more potent cleaner to it for fear it will take that last bit of paint off or ruin th piece. It doesn't have the name of the maker on it only a number on the inside of each end. It is adjustable - slides out to give more room. I am just curious to know more information about it but I am not sure I know where to start to find that kind of information.

A nice Saturday!

We went to the Art and Jazz festival this morning. I am so glad we went early as it got hot today. We had a really nice time. There were quite a few boothes this year and so we were really happy to see all the art vendors. We saw lots of amazing art....seemed like there was lots of photography. There is this one guy that I really like seeing. His work really just has amazing colors in it. We overheard him the first year we went saying he uses photoshop. Then another photographer does B&W and hand paints the images. Not with a computer hand paints them. She had some beautiful pieces.

When we got there, a fight started with a security guard and vendor. We just started looking at this one booth and the security for the event came and said, "the police are on their way." And the vendor said, "good." And then the security guard said "you just like to be here to harrass us. I told you last night not to come back." And the vendor said, "oh really." (or something close to that.) And I didn't feel he had that much attitude in his tone but obviously the security guard did because then the security guard started YELLING "close up!" And the vendor said, "not until the police get here." And at that point he wasn't even yelling it but you could tell he was going to stand his ground. The security guard repeated the police were on their way but he wanted their booth CLOSED. The security guard was really yelling at this guy and he got in his face a few times....it was like he wanted the vendor to take a swing. But the vendor kept saying, "no not until the police arrive." The vendor had his wife and kids there. And his wife said, "keep your voices down." She said that several times. And then she said "we are closed." Security guard wanted them to pack. And so they exchanged words about that the vendor said, "We are closed but I am not packing until I talk to the police." The wife kept saying, "we are closed we are closed." And the vendor just was standing in the same spot in the opening of his booth and the security guard kept saying close. Now who in their right mind is going to walk into his booth with them yelling like that? They were closed the security guard could have just stood there and waited. A few minutes and the police were there as they were I am sure patroling the event. And the vendor then got very animated with his hands trying to tell the police what happened but it looked like the police were right away going to the side of the security guard and looked as though they were telling him he had to close too. We don't know why they had to close - they had 2 things going on in their booth - homemade soaps and bath salts. And then photography really pretty photography on huge canvas. And so I don't know if that was against the rules or what to be sharing a booth like they were...also their booth seemed bigger then most of them. When Michael and I left we had to walk that way again and saw they were almost done taking down all their merchandise. So that was exciting...or not.

Our town does what is called Art on the Corner. Our main street has sculptures ALL OVER. This event marks the time when new sculptures are put in and old ones moved around. They had some of the installations going on when we arrived. One piece REALLY captured us. Michael and I both were just standing staring at it.

Here are a couple of pictures....first being a close up of it. When I took the first look at the piece it seemed like the edging was glass. I really had to look to realized it was metal. And of course the pictures don't really capture the beauty of this piece. It really really captures the area of Colorado we live in...rock cliffs with the river flowing through the canyons.




Michael asked when we got back to the car if I had gotten some inspiration walking through seeing all the art. And I said I thought it was different this year. The first year I went through I hadn't done art for years. And the event really inspired me but I didn't feel that same inspiration as I did then. But as I sit and think back over things -- and started to clean my studio this afternoon -- I realized it did give me an itch to sit down and work.

I had one moment of tears which I hate that it happened in public. We passed one for the big flower areas downtown and this one was full of rose bushes...they were so pretty. I then started thinking of when I lived in Topeka and was married. We had so many rose bushes around our house....which made me think of Cali. She used to get caught up in this one bush that was on the corner of the of the house. And so I had to always come out and untangle her from it. And so I had tears. We sat down in a shaded area while I regained myself.

Well that is about it for now...I am going to make cinnamon bread so that we can have creme brulee french toast tomorrow morning for breakfast. Doing hamburgers on the grill for dinner.

Friday Gratitude

1. Lemonade
2. Chinese take out
3. That today was beautiful...sunny, not to warm, little breeze.
4. For feeling tired (been having insomnia so feeling tired is good)
5. Michael...for being so good to me. He has been extremely supportive and loving during my sad days of grieving. He spoiled me with the shopping trip! He picked up take out for dinner this week! And just taking care of me and loving me! He is wonderful!

Cleaning my Ears

I think it is odd the things we get stuck in our mind and associate stories, scents, situations with. The other day I was cleaning my ears with a q-tip and I realized that EVERY time I clean my ears I think of this story.

Years and years ago when I lived in Omaha, Nebraska I worked at as an administrative assistant/receptionist. One of the sale people was calling in sick because she needed to go to the doctors. I don't remember her name. I can see her in my head though clearly a very pretty woman. It was probably 15 to 16 years ago when I worked there.

Anyway, I think of her when cleaning my ears because that day she called in sick was because she had been cleaning her ear out with a q-tip in the bathroom. The bathroom door was closed and her little girl came blasting into the bathroom shoving the door into the woman's elbow forcing her hand to push the q-tip into her ear rupturing her ear drum.

OUCH!

So, not only do I think of her when cleaning my ears out - I get sympathy pains and my ears ache a little when cleaning them. I know I am silly that all these years later I still think of her and feel sympathy pain for her.

Listy

• I just finished Eleven Minutes by Paulo Coehlo last week and it was very interesting and I as always with his books...want to read it again. I wish I would remember with his books to do what I do with others....use little sticky flags to mark things I want to come back too but I just get so engrossed in his books that I forget to stop and mark.
• I started He, She and It by Marge Percy. It is set in a futuristic earth and so far it is very interesting. It has lots of Jewish history in it and I really would like to know how accurate. The snippet of what Amazon says about it: "In the middle of the twenty-first century, life as we know it has changed for all time. Shira Shipman's marriage has broken up, and her young son has been taken from her by the corporation that runs her zone, so she has returned to Tikva, the Jewish free town where she grew up. There, she is welcomed by Malkah, the brilliant grandmother who raised her, and meets an extraordinary man who is not a man at all, but a unique cyborg implanted with intelligence, emotions--and the ability to kill"
• I started to make a list of spring cleaning...I try to list everything out that needs to be done. Home Comforts will be referenced tomorrow to make sure I am not forgetting anything. I also want to bake this week. I hope to make some scones this week and some whole wheat bread sticks.
• I got 2 adorable postcards recently! Thank you ladies they really did help me smile.
• We have been watching Frontier House. It is so different from Colonial House...I need to look up which came up first. I love Nate and his wife. Nate has GREAT attitude. In the midst of some hard times he always seems to smile and look at the bright side. I was surprised by some things going on but it still has been interesting to watch. (okay after I wrote that I got kind of obsessed reading PBS website on Frontier House and googling names from the show.)
• Today was better. I am still grieving and sad but I am not overwhelmed by it. I am just letting it come, cry, recall my memories and just let myself go through the process.

Remembering Cali

I don't have words right now as I found out last night but I do want note of rememebrance...as I loved her so much. She captured my heart from the moment I picked her up. And I never will forget her.

Daily Om....Many Times Over....

I had a bunch of Daily Om's flagged in my inbox so I am posting just a few of them here as I feel they were pretty good. Remember these are just snippets to read the whole Daily Om click on the links!

Your Allies On Life's Journey: Finding Your Tribe
Part of being human is the search for an individual identity. Bound to this strong need to establish a unique persona, however, is an equally intense desire for acceptance. It is when we find our individual tribes that both are satisfied. Our tribe members are those people who accept us as we are without reservation and gladly accompany us on our journeys of evolution. Among them, we feel free to be our imperfect selves, to engage unabashedly in the activities we enjoy, and to express our vulnerabilities by relying on our tribe for support. We feel comfortable investing our time and energy in the members of our tribe, and are equally comfortable allowing them to invest their resources in our development.


Foundations Of Evolution: Acknowledging Your Growth
Since personal evolution is most often a slow and gradual process, it can be difficult to recognize the scope of the changes taking place in our lives. Yet it is important that we regularly acknowledge our ongoing growth and reward ourselves for the many wonderful feats of self-improvement we have accomplished. When we intentionally contemplate our progress, we need never feel that we are languishing between past achievements and the realization of future goals.


Consuming To Heal: Filling Imaginary Voids
In our culture today, we are constantly encouraged to consume. This includes food as well as purchasing ever newer items that we may not need, often using money that we may not actually have. It could be that we are trying to fill a void we feel within ourselves, but if we take the time to examine it, we know deep inside that this is not the solution.


Choosing Not To Be A Target: Emotional Attacks
When someone attacks us emotionally, we may wonder what we did to rouse their anger, and we take their actions personally. We may ask ourselves what we could have done to compel them to behave or speak that way toward us. It's important to remember that there are no real targets in an emotional attack and that it is usually a way for the attacker to redirect their uncomfortable feelings away from themselves.


A Magical Mind: Wish
Wishes are important missives, expressing our heart's desire as well as our intention to create something new in our lives. When we wish for something, our consciousness opens to receiving it, like a flower unfolding its petals to receive a bee.


Lifting Pain's Veil: Bitterness
Divesting yourself of bitter feelings can be as simple as truly forgiving and moving on. Even when your bitterness has no concrete object, you can forgive situations too. Healing pain can be challenging but may be easier if you remind yourself that you are the only entity truly affected by your emotional state. In time, you will discover that letting go of your bitterness frees you to initiate the healing process and allows you to once again celebrate the possibility of the more wonderful life you deserve.