Rust

Mindstreaming over the last couple of days.I'm having a hard time finding my own creative style. I suppose it would help if I picked one or two things and mastered them. My interests may be a lit-tle tooo broad?

I'm definately all for being a good steward of the planet God has given us. But here's a thought: As yesterday's dinosaurs became today's fossil fuel....maybe today's landfills will be tomorrow's energy source. Just a thought. You know, after a couple million years of compression, who knows what all that plastic & styrofoam will turn into? Just sayin'.

About two weeks ago, we watched the entire Godfather trilogy again (over the course of a few days). What great movies! So intensely tragic. For the first time, I cried at the end of #3. It just got me this time, the whole terrible scope of Michael Corleone's life, the decisions he made, the consequences to himself and those he loved. Tragic, tragic.

I read that my favorite author, Susan Howatch, isn't writing anymore. Bummer! So I've gone back to her first major novel, which I read in high school, and started reading them all over again. They're period novels, over 500 pages, nice & long. Usually the story is told from 4 or 5 character viewpoints. Penmarric, The Rich Are Different, Sins of the Fathers, The Wheel of Fortune, then the Starbridge series and The St. Benet's Trilogies. Great reading. One of my favorite memories is a summer spent by the pool re-reading the Starbridge series while my son & his little friends played.
There are only 2 other authors whose books I've read more than twice: Tolkein, of course. And Mary Doria Russell's The Sparrow and Children of God.

It's hard to blog and watch The Young & Restless at the same time.

I'm loving the new "V"! I enjoyed the original series & love how they brought back Jane Badler as the mother of the new V-leader.

People seem to proudly wear their fat nowdays. Tight clothes & anything goes. Has anyone else noticed this?

I'm tired of taking care of my skin. I did a good job these past many decades. Wonder if I can slide thru the rest? And what is up with products to make you look young modeled by 17 year olds? That's not even fair!

I wrote this over the last couple days. Actually I'm feeling better today. Last week had a funk hanging over it and I can't even blame the weather. It was warm & sunny. Yesterday I was listening to U2 while running errands and Moment of Surrender came on.

"...my body's now a begging bowl; it's begging to get back...to my heart / to the rhythm of my soul / to the rhythm of my unconsciouness / to the rhythm that yearns / to be released from control..."

I just need to remember Who my Anchor is.

A Journey Back in Time

I have a whole folder of pictures taken last fall in Branson, MO. Somehow, fall got away from me and I never posted any of them. How did that happen? Life gets so busy. I'm not one for wanting "the good ol' days" back, but it's nice to selectively enjoy some of the more charming aspects of them now & then -- like a train ride! I'll put some of those Branson pictures up over the next few posts. And to help a friend beat the winter blues, I'll start with the "Old Train Series" and maybe he'll get motivated to start enjoying his hobby again. I've been on a couple of those 1-2 hour excursion trains like this one. But one really neat experience was taking an overnight train from Chaing Mai to Bangkok, when we were in Thailand ('97). I had almost forgotten about that. We slept in bunks and I kept looking out the window thru the night trying to take in as much as possible.You've just gotta love the rocking of a train and the clackety-clack sound.All aboard! My mom & dad always talked about taking a train trip across the country. They never did. Again, life gets so busy. Or something else always takes priority - like paying the bills.

I don't know what this is, except it was cool looking, in that industrial grunge sort of way. I changed up the tones just a tad for effect.This little ride made us want to do a train trip someday, too. Hopefully we won't put it off too long like my parents did.My husband was on the Thailand train with me but that was not his first time to experience travel by rail. From his India ('90) trip, he has great stories of peddlers selling "ka-feee!" and the mission team wondering what that dark line was running down the middle of the tracks. (hint - there was no Western style toilet, therefore no flushing system, therefore...well, you get the idea)."The introduction of so powerful an agent as steam to a carriage on wheels will make a great change in the situation of man." ~Thomas Jefferson "There are only two emotions on a plane: boredom and terror." ~Orson Wells

Last Snow Pix!

X marks the spot and the spot is melllllting! Just like the Wicked Witch in The Wizard of Oz.But I'm not really doing the happy dance. It was an exciting week. You know, winter is not usually such a big deal here, so we really get into it when there's winter weather drama. Although it seems to have left people a bit worn out. Everyone I saw today seemed to be dragging.
Yesterday was my last class in Studio Lighting. I enjoyed the class & learned stuff, but kinda wanted the session to just be over. After two re-scheduled classes, it just seemed to lose momentum. These three pictures were the view of the campus from upstairs. Not bad, considering they were taken thru the window.

Pretty soon, this will all be green and it won't be ol' what's-her-name!

C'mon Spring!!

(PS: I looked it up & the WW did not have a name)

Winter Rambling

It was a sunny-snowy day & things are starting to melt.Although, probably not as fast as we would like. But remember - Valentine's Day is not far off. I *heart* ValDay because it's a shot of C O L O R as we round the final lap of winter.Hope you're not tired of my Blu pix. I took these today & had to post them. I love this top one. He's been very funny this week. I think the snow really baffles him. He stands at the edge of the patio and does this bark/howl routine. It goes "RrRrRr (pause) Rr" Then over to the other side, repeat. Then he throws his head back & howls. We think it's hysterical, although at 6am, our neighbors are probably not laughing.He also walks out in the yard & just stands there, like "what is this and why is it still here?"

Al thew an icicle out there & it plopped in front of Blu. If you know Afghan hounds, you'll understand this look. It says "really? he expects me to retrieve that?"

If I take this off the front door, maybe it'll warm up. I think it might be some kind of snow-talisman. What do you think?

Friday Night MindStreaming

What a week! I thought of calling this post "Making The Best of It" or "More Snow Pictures" Maybe you're tired of snow pictures.

Everyone is doing them right now. But wouldn't you rather see these than somebody's tropical vacation pix??

This is what I see outside my office window. I like the shadowy lines of the
window blinds with the fence lines in the background.

We got more snow today. So what, you say? Everyone is getting snow; be glad you're not in Chicago. Why, yes I am glad I'm not in Chicago. I could've been. It was one of those life changing decisions made in 1982. We were offered a choice between moving to Chicago or Tulsa. It was during a winter just like this one in the Great White North. Here it was in the upper 60s. Well, that was a no-brainer! It seems the playing field has leveled out somewhat. That decision might be a little harder today.

Today's snow was much prettier. Big, fat, fluffy flakes. Tonight the ground looks like it's covered in diamond dust. And the night sky has a fairy tale glow to it.
I love how quiet it is outside. It's one of my favorite things about a heavy snow.

The week was sure exciting if you like that kind of excitement. I used to! What used to be a fun break from routine made me anxious this week for some reason. At work, a water pipe burst, drowning some rooms and a hallway where new carpet had just been laid. My dear AJ pitched in to help clean it up. His Harley boots got wet when he sloshed some water the wrong direction.

Drying out the biker boots.

We've been warned since the impending of Y2K to keep a good stock of supplies in the house. Most of us don't do that but this week made me see the wisdom of it. The sight of empty shelves was a little unnerving. The storm was widespread and the shelves haven't been restocked yet. Kind of gives you a glimpse of what could happen in a national emergency.

Anarchy WM style: define your own parking space

& leave the cart wherever you feel like.

BUT our house is warm, our cupboards full, our family healthy, we have jobs, we have friends, and much, much more. I am grateful.

The situation in Egypt, crazy weather, crazy economy, crazy world & national leaders, waiting for the fulfillment of long-awaited promises, concerns for loved ones, my mom's passing, my dad ... the list of worries could so easily overcome the gratitude. I have to be intentional about reminding myself of the many promises in the Bible; which can all be summed up in 3 words: God is faithful.

A collection of cobalt glass sits in the windows of a co-worker's office.

A reminder of color to come; warm days, green trees, promises fulfilled.

"As long as the earth endures,

seedtime and harvest,

cold and heat,

summer and winter,

day and night,

will never cease."

Genesis 8:22

Snow Art

shadow from crepe myrtle tree

shadow of fence

reflection in car mirror

creek we pass daily

Snow Update from Blu2

Here's what they're calling it:Hey all - Blu2 here. I'm back with some thoughts on this crazy day. Turns out I was right. Oh yes ma'am, it snowed. Did it ever snow! Went out for my morning constitutional and saw AJ standing on my favorite lookout. Well, of course I ran out to join him, and wham - hit a snow-wall!! Lemme tell you, I spun around fast and took off like the lightening I am. Friends, I had to do some hiiiigh leapin' to get thru that stuff! And I can leap pret-t-ee durn high. I feel sorry for my short-legged friends. This ain't no time to be a dachsund! I mean - look at this mess! There's a swing under here somewhere...And when they opened the garage door, this was waitin' there.Poor AJ - he hates winter. Gonna be slingin' snow til Valentine's day, poor guy. But look at this - he made a path out to the yard for me (not that I plan to use it, but don't tell him). Two laps thru those drifts & I was done for the day. Time for a rawhide chewy on my favorite pillow! Y'all keep safe out there.