Thursday, April 18, 2013

Freebies - Families











Families. Families come in all shapes and
sizes. Families with both Mom and Dad.
Families with Fathers and Mothers, sisters
and brothers. Families with all boys or
all girls, families with just mothers or
just fathers. We do not pick these families
they are given to us. Families are a gift.
In hard times we turn to family, in good
times we turn to families. Celebrate your
family. 

I know that all families are not like my family.
However, I like to think that most families
are happy, loving, and take care of each other.
When our families don't I like to think that
we make new families with our friends 
and the people we love. 

Families are complicated. Very Complicated.
We all need a family to love us and support
us in the things we do. I have found that I
am blessed with the people in my family.
Please take a moment to appreciate
and tell those who make up your
family that you love them. 

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Digital Photograph - Still Standing

Still Standing




Quote Book #7 - I Choose Life


Digital Collage - Choose Life



The background for this digital collage came
from a challenge from the blog Mind Wide Open.
She has a monthly challenge and provides 
these backgrounds. I altered a photograph of
a young Appalachian girl. She reminds me that
the world is full of hope and promise, pain
and despair all rolled into one. 

The events of the last 24 hours in Boston
have once again pointed out to the world
the evil in man's heart and the good in
his soul. People running to help, shedding
their clothes to stop the bleeding, risking
their lives to help strangers, human
beings. 

We are a strong nation. We are willing to go
that extra mile for our fellow man. We feel
love, joy, peace in our hearts. Others can
not erase it with their terror and hate.
We are Americans - proud and strong. Standing
together through thick and thin. We will
survive and grow only stronger. I am so proud
that I am an American.

On a side note - I just received an email asking if I thought people in other countries would nor stop and help. Of course they would, in fact many of the people running this marathon were from other countries. I am sure that there are people in every corner of this world that would run toward the chaos to help. We have seen it happen before, all over the globe. 

Today I speak of the courage and strength of those in Boston. When something like this happens we need to find the good. It is comforting to realize that basically most people are just going about their lives trying to love and do the best for those they care about. Whether it is here in the United States or somewhere else on this planet.

We have seen a lot of tragedy/terror in the past. Tragedy/terror caused by people who do not understand or care about our way of life , who we are, and that we are Americans. Terror events are about trying to create terror and crushing our spirit. Yesterday did not accomplish that. Our spirit is strong.

Four Letter Words - Life


Digital Photograph - An American Farm

An American Farm

Friday, April 5, 2013

Freebies - Women in Hats

Every hat needs a feather

Or some fur...

It is amazing that she can see
 with that hat on.

More feathers! Amazing she can
 hold her head up.

I would have to strap that
hat on my neck to hold
it from falling off.

Quite a confection...

The Zetti outfit. This was quite
the look! You could see her
coming for miles. Even her
shoes match. Wow.


This week to celebrate Spring's arrival I
thought I would share some photographs of
women with hats. Their Spring bonnets. 

I personally love hats. I have a huge 
collection of straw hats, 1920's hats,
velvet hats, etc. I even like to wear hats.
The only problem is that they slide off
my head.

Keeping a hat on my head is very hard.
Maybe it is the shampoo we use. Cleaner
hair. I just know that half the hats
these women are wearing would be flying
off my head before I got half way out the
door. Even using hat pins.

Funny story... When my sister got married
she had all her bridesmaids wear straw hats
with ribbons on them. As we got dressed I
tried to explain to her and my Mom that 
this hat would not stay on my head. They
insisted that I wear the hat. 

It was an outside wedding, formal, string
quartet, a windy day. Yes, in the middle
of the ceremony my hat flew off, rolling
around in the wind, several kind men went
chasing after it. My hat was caught and
returned. The vows were completed. My
sister was furious. For years. The reception
was beautiful. My bad.

Quote Book #6 - Wild


Digital Photograph - Metal Discs

Metal from the recycling place



I have had a very busy few weeks. My son who has been helping me with my move, painting, remodeling, hanging shelves, emptying out my four storage units. Organizing and unpacking about 1200 of the 1400 or so boxes, getting my yard and garage organized and set up, moved back to the beach.Getting him packed and moved was very bitter sweet. We knew it was temporary but it turned into a really good experience for us both.


I think the first time your kids leave home
as kids. This time it was having an adult
staying here and helping. It was a lot of 
fun. We took a week and finished most of the
projects I had planned. Reorganized my boxes.
One of the things we did was take all the stuff we had torn out,shelving,yard debris, old pots the previous owner had left,to the
dump. Oh my!

The same day we took all the cans and recycled metal I had been saving. [fireplace screen and tools that were beyond using,all the old doorknobs, lamp parts, etc.]Have you
ever been to a metal recycling place? Well
if you haven't you should. It is a graveyard
of all kinds of stuff. Washers, old tubs, cars, car parts, parts of I do not know what.
It was an experience and we came home with
some money.

After moving him to the beach I decided to
see the rest of the brothers. I stopped and
had dinner with one of my sons that evening.
Then home, the next day a little trip farther
into the mountains for dinner with two more
sons. Then home. Massive cleaning and
reorganizing has been consumed me since then.
I am going to be completely moved in and settled by May. [keep your fingers crossed].

The end of March I spent at my Mother's in Virginia celebrating her birthday with my sister, brother, and nephews. My mother is amazing. Had a fabulous time. My sister and I got back just in time to spend Easter with a couple of my boys. Joy.

Four Letter Words - Wild