Digital Collage - Wall for You

Here is the wall I used to create the digital collage in the next post. I thought you might like a copy so the you could create something.

Digital Photograph - Call

Woke up to a  huge roll of thunder.  Decided to take the morning to edit some photographs.  This is my favorite barn from last week.  I love the sign - Call. A reminder for us all to stay in touch with those we care about.

Owl Freebies...

Here are some lovely owls for you. I hope you enjoy them.  One of my sons had a birthday today. So, as a present I am sharing these with you. I personally think they are wonderful birds.  The first one I ever saw was in my neighbor's basement when I was just a child.  It was a screech owl.  For such a tiny owl it made a huge racket.  In our barn on the old farm we use to have an owl.  I would find it's pellets disgarded in strange places. I loved finding it's feathers.  I have a vase full of different feathers I have found.
My favorite owl is the horned owl.  I love the coloring and the ears. It looks so wise to me.  We had a barred owl at the house at the beach. He lived in the pine tree at the end of my driveway overlooking our pool. We became friends after the second year I lived there.  He would come out in the early evening.  I would come out and watch him survey the yards, then after a few pictures he would fly across the yard and in to another pine tree on the edge of the golf course.  Ready for the night hunt. All the years I lived there he only left me one feather. [The month I was moving out. It was like a goodbye present.] Sometimes if we timed it right I would be finishing up my night swim and he had delivered a savory meal to his mate and owlets, then he would fly right over me floating in the pool.  Just a whisper of air currents would let me know he was there.  His wing span was 4 feet or so. The quietest bird I have ever been in contact with.  On hot lazy summer nights I wonder if he flies over the pool and says hello to the new owners.[p.s. remember to double click on images to enlarge]

The Chair - Digital Photograph

This chair reached out and spoke to me yesterday.  I decided to get in an hour or so of antiquing before I met up with the realtor to look at houses. As I drove down the road I spotted this place.  Outside an elderly lady sitting in this chair watching the cars drive by.  I decided to pull in and see what she had for sale. She had quilts, and furniture and this and that from the past hundred years or so.  I do not think she ever threw anything out. 
Looking through her things she followed me around tell me bits and pieces of where she got it or what it was used for.  At first I thought it was lack of trust, then I realized it was loneliness. After I completed my purchase she invited me to a cup of chicory and a chair to sit a spell. When it came time to leave I asked to take a picture of her chair with a promise to return next time I am in town...

A Mountain Barn - Digital Photograph

Mountain Barn

Rainy Days... in the mountains

Rain creates these lovely waterfalls. The noise is incredible.

Another smaller waterfall I found in the forest.

The forest is so beautiful during the rain.  All the colors shine, and the mist is incredible.

I spent most of yesterday in the forest high up in the mountains. I visited the Eastern Continental Divide saw the oldest mountain in the United States - Grandfather Mountain and did a little antiquing. Today I look at more houses. Keep your fingers crossed that I find something.

A Girl's Best Friend Freebies...

They are so cute! I love their expressions.

Obviously a pup who is adored. I love her hat.

This is my favorite of this group.

I love this shaggy dog. I had a pup like this growing up but he was black.

Sisters with their sister dogs.

This week I thought I would share these photos of women with their dogs. I stopped at a Thrift Store yesterday and there was the cutest little pup in the car next to me just sending up a ruckus. I decided then to use these as todays freebies.  When I am traveling one of the treats is when I get to stay with people who have animals.  I have several girlfriends who have the sweetest dogs  - yes Lexi and Alex, Winnie and Pooh, Darla and Shugi I mean you.  Several of my kids have pups and I love playing with them while I am there.  They make a house feel like a home.  So, to all of you who care for an animal and make it a part of your family I salute you. How lucky you are.

Four Letter Words - Fall

Digital Photographs - Fall Leaves...

I have been up in the mountains of North Carolina the past couple of days visiting my boys.  It has been cool and filled with beautiful scenery.  The trees are beginning to turn colors here in town.  On the mountain sides it is still various shades of green. The rain started yesterday which means the color of the leaves will be good.
I thought I would share these photographs I took yesterday of a couple of Maple trees.  They were so red.  Even the stems to the leaves were infused with color. It made my heart skip a beat. I love the colors of fall, the smell of burning leaves, and apple cider. Yum.

Digital Photograph - Windblown



Windblown

On the Road Again...

This week I will be on the road.  I will be up in the mountains visiting a few kids and enjoying the beginning of fall.  I can not believe what a change in the weather we have experienced this weekend.  All of a sudden it is cool - in the 60's and I am wondering where my sweaters are.  Leaves are begining to fall and turn colors. I am hoping to find some delicious mountain apples. Hope you all have a great week.

Crow Freebies

This weeks freebies are Crows.  I have been fascinated with these birds since I was a child.  They live in big communities - rooks.  They can be quite mean, particularly to a non conforming member.  They like bright and shiny things. They are loud, eat very disgusting things, and generally can be quite wicked.
I thought with Halloween an October coming up I would give you a few to use in your art work.  I am sending a special shout out to Marion who also appreciates these as I do. Enjoy! p.s. don't forget to double click on these.

A Train Car Wall - Digital Photograph

I have found quite alot of these grafitti'd up train cars around here lately.  I have been taking lots of photographs of them.  I love the pictures, and stylized writng. Hope you enjoy this one. I am using it as a wall in my journal this week.

Digital Collage - Locked

Locked

I have been traveling the last week and weekend. I thought I would look at places in the mountains and just sort of get out of town and away from all the September 11 footage.  It stirs up a lot of feelings, distrust, anger, sadness, hurt, things I do not want to feel. I lived them, I am healing, no need to revisit.

The mountains were beautiful.  Those first days of the leaves beginning their color change.  You could feel it in the air.  I took lots of pictures, made some new discoveries, and met some nice people. Experienced some new food.

This collage is made with one of my pictures I took of a closed up factory door. I shared it with you last week - Locked. I found this cabinet card in an antique shop and scanned it. The lovely script is from Viola. It was one of her freebies. The key is one of Tim Holtz's stamps. I made a brush out of it for my collage. Enjoy!

Twinkle Toes - the madness has started

Yesterday I spent a good hour hunting down these exact pink Twinkle Toe Sketcher shoes for Miss Mischief.  Not the rainbow ones, or the purple ones, nor the denim with hearts would do. These pink ones.  Finally I found a store near us who carried them AND had her size.

Off we raced to get them.  Of course as soon as we got there , Miss Mischief needed a restroom.  Finally after 20 minutes it was back to the store. It is amazing that for only being four years old she sure can shop. Definitely knows her way around the shoe store. She bee lined to the shelf, discarded this and that till Yes in a loud ear splitting scream, followed by giggles the pink Twinkle Toes were found. They flew on her feet. A quick dash around the store to make sure they fit and all of the lights worked on the shoes. Ahh peace.  Of course we had to get the six matching pairs of socks. And... it was a buy one get 50% off another shoe so I got some boots.  [You can never have to many boots.] As we got into the car Miss Mischief looked at me and said "You know they have good sales almost every month here?"  Naptime.

Digital Collage - Encourage...

I have reading a lot of buzz on my yahoo groups and the internet about the book "Walls Notebook" by Sherwood Forlee.  Brilliant. Wished I had thought of it first. Goodness knows I have more than enough photos to do several of these books. In fact,  I think I will put my own together with my photos.
The premise of The Wall, if you don't know, is that there are a bunch of photographs of various walls in various cities. You are to add your own artwork and grafitti to the pages. Therefore making it your own. So here is my photograph of a wall - textile mill in North Carolina - with my digitally added grafitti. Enjoy!

Some freebies for you...Boys will be boys

Every boy thinks he is a cowboy at sometime.

Love this little waif standing by Daddy's new car.

This is my favorite. The hat, the sweet boy, and the goat!

What a beautiful child. The bike is very well made.

Obviously someone loved this little one.  He reminds me of one of the newsie boys.



It has been a long weekend of fun, friends, food, and retail therapy.  Went to visit friends at the beach over the weekend.  I had a wonderful visit.  It is so nice to stay at a real home. I know that sounds strange, but after being on the road for so long you can tell the difference.  The energy is so nourishing.

I am back looking for houses in earnest. I want to have a home for the holidays. Meanwhile life is still happening.  Yesterday was my father's 91st birthday.  Incredible isn't it?  He is in wonderful shape for starting his ninties. He is my rock, always there with a little wisdom and humor.

In honor of my father who has helped me understand my own five boys, I thought I would do boy freebies for you.  Each one is cuter than the next. So, Happy Birthday Daddy! I hope there are many more to come.

Four Letter Word - Rain

Digital Photograph - Locked...

Shell Freebies for You...

This is the ultimate find. I am still looking.

These we find all the time. It is always a thrill.

Can you believe that once upon a time these were used for money?

Love these turbans I found a couple of these in Spain once.

I have lots of these that I have found. My heart still skips a beat every time I run across one.

I can not remember a time in my past where the beach was not part of my life.  My family was from Florida so we were always visiting and spending time there. Some of the early video's of me were playing in the sand and chasing the sandpipers.

As I grew older I can remember walks on the beach gathering shells.  Nana would tell up the name of the shells and often we would find some that had blown in from storms from far away places.

I still love to walk the beach. I still collect shells when I walk. I have jars and vases full. Scallops in one, arks in another, or olives over there.

These weekend I plan to walk on the beach and collect a few shells. Eat at a couple of favorite restaurants and just enjoy that place where the sky meets the sea. I hope you all have a relaxing and safe weekend.

Summer Squash Craving...

Every once in a while I get a craving for something.  Summer squash with fresh tomatoes has been my latest. I found this really quick way to make it and it tastes delicious. I like to serve it with wild rice and mushrooms and fresh tomato slices. Makes a delicious meal.

Summer Squash

2 to 4 summer squash

1/8th to 1/4th cup extra virgin olive oil/I think less is more here

a couple cloves of garlic/you can leave these whole, or minced up. I like them minced.

salt to taste

ground pepper to taste

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon each of basil, thyme, and oregano

Trim off ends of squash and slice into 1/4 inch or smaller slices.

Get out a large/gallon size zip lock bag. Place all the ingredients into bag. Coat the squash well with oil and spices.

Place contents of bag into a shallow baking dish.

Place in preheated 425 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes. After the first 10 minutes check squash. Make sure it is not burning, I stir it up a bit. Then cook for another five minutes. I then check every two minutes or so till done. In ovens that run hot I have had to use a tin foil tent after about 8 minutes.

Serve with rice and tomatoes.

Sometimes I sprinkle with Parmesan cheese the last couple of minutes if I am feeling fancy. It is delicious either way. Enjoy!