Cut To The Chase....

Oops, if I don't keep at it, my birthday will be here before I have listed 73 things that make me happy. I am barely up to #16 so I need to "cut to the chase" aka leave out all of the unnecessary details and just get right to the point.  Where do those kind of idioms get started?  For the inquisitive mind, there is a website entitled IdiomSite.com that lists, like the above idiom, along with many others, its definition.

And if anyone is curious, Boone made it thru surgery without any issues and was released from the vet hospital the next morning.  Bailey, however, was the one with the issues. You would have thought Boone was on his death bed the way she worried and fussed. Both are fine now and no more furniture scratching. I can now pull all the blankets off of the couch that were wrapped around each of the arms. Normal again, I guess as normal as a house with a 70 something year old, a 20 something year old, 2 dogs and 1 cat.

Oh, btw, Happy Valentine's Day. Hope it was filled with LOVE.  Bailey hand-modeled for me for this shot. She has her nails manicured regularly and I thought they were perfect for holding a hand-full of heart candy.  I really, really don't like that candy, it tastes like chalk with a little sugar thrown in but it made for a nice image. Give me something with chocolate and I'm a happy girl, or cream cheese.  Chocolate and cream cheese together is perfection.

OK...

16.  Taking photographs of hands holding something (see above)

17.  Chocolate brownies with vanilla ice cream

18.  Cute mugs...I do have more than I can store in the kitchen cabinets...but do I stop buying them??

19.  Falling snow

20.  The color pink.

21.  Having a winning hand at bridge.

22.  The sound of rain while falling asleep, no thunder because it causes Toby to crawl on top of me and then I am totally uncomfortable and can't enjoy the sound of rain with Toby breathing heavy in my ear from thunder fear. So rain falling at night has a caveat attached.

23.  Book Clubs

24.  The aroma of turkey roasting in the oven on Thanksgiving.

25.  The scent after a spring rain.

26.  Singing loudly in the car by myself and thinking I am as good as the artist on the radio. (who am I trying to kid?)

27.  A really good book, the kind that you can't put down, and when finished you are sad that it's over.

28.  My "go walk" sketchers...soooo comfortable.

Have you started your "happy list"?  You really should, it's cathartic  I'm changing that word because when I  searched for the definition of cathartic it had the words "evacuating the bowels", that is definitely not what I mean.  So, now I'm saying it gives me balance, grace, beauty and dignity. So much better.  Have a happy week.

Until next time....

It is Coming......

Well, the kids are back in school, Labor Day is upon us, and shortly the leaves will begin their yearly burst of oranges, reds & yellows.  I gotta admit that I have a hard time choosing between spring and fall as my two favorite times of the year.  Altho based on the fact that winter follows fall I will have to go with spring.  We all know I did quite a bit of moaning and groaning last year, alright let's call it like it really was, I bitched about the long, cold & snowy winter and I keep hearing that it will repeat again this year.  So prepare yourself for more bitchin' if that does indeed come to fruition.  I just hope that I handle it with a little more grace than I did last year.  A great way to handle it would be to leave for a warmer climate....say January thru March but that ain't gonna happen.

OK, enough already....one indication that Fall is quickly approaching are the little crab apples that are constantly dropping off of the tree in my side yard.  Now if I was really ambitious maybe I could use these little fruits in a jelly or jam but instead I will just use them as props for a photo.

I love this little hand-painted cup.  My Dad's sister was an artist and she painted this in 1962, over 50 years ago.  I love that I have a rememberance of her and her talent.  PS...the reason that bokeh looks so weird is that I took this on my back porch and that is the screening in the background.

Another reminder is the latest blooming hosta is now sprouting her final show

And finally, and this has absolutely nothing to do with fall....the kids went to the beauty shop and got their hair and nails done.  Aren't they adorable.  I just love those two....

And one last thing....I am joining Good Fences, TexWisGirl's weekly meme.  I know this isn't much of a fence, but I promise it is, an 8 foot one that obviously is used by many a bird to perch on.   And again this has absolutely nothing to do with Fall except that the sparrows never leave, Fall or Winter they stay no matter what.  I wonder if they bitched as much as I did last year??

"But the struggles make you stronger and the changes make you wise...And happiness has its own way of taking its sweet time. " ~ Gary Allen

Until next time.....

Little Things My Mom Would Do....

These dreary, cold, stuck inside winter days has me really missing my Mom.  For the last 2 1/2 years of her life she lived with us and then passed away from complications from a stroke 3 years ago.  We would spend afternoons playing gin, or Yatzee, or Scrabble or dice games.  She loved playing games as much as I did and not only did it keep us entertained, but it probably kept our minds sharp.  Now I settle for games on an app on my I-Phone, just not the same.  But I will recommend one that I play daily....it's called 7 Words or Seven Words....not sure which but if you are interested I am sure you can search it.  It is free.  There is a new puzzle each day giving you a list of clues to specific words, revealing how many letters are in each word.  There are groups of 2 or 3 letters listed below the clues. Your challenge is to figure out and spell the words by putting the letters together. You can get a hint so many times and then after so many times if you want hints you have to pay for them.  I think it is $1.99 for unlimited hints.  And because I wasn't satisfied with just one puzzle a day, since I no longer have my Mom to play games with, I anted up and bought a year's worth for $2.99.  Personally I love word games much more than number games, I think that must come from my poor showing while in school of any subject that had anything to do with math.

The tea set was my Mom's....actually I gave it to her for Christmas one year.  And when she passed away it became mine.  I cherish it because I know how much she loved it.

I catch myself now doing little things that my Mom would do.  It's true you do become your Mom, intentionally or not.  But as I do these "little things" it strikes a chord in how much I truly miss her, especially during this cold, shut in the house time of the year.

I now heat my dinner plate or bowl in the microwave before serving food on it...she "hated" cold plates...claimed they made the food cold too fast.  She was right of course.  With our frigid weather we have had lately and because my dish cabinet is on the north wall of our house, the plates and bowls come out of that cabinet mighty cold...so yeah, it's great if you are having ice cream...not so if you are having a hot meal.  Mom always heated her plate, now I am.  Little things....

Just finished a good book....you need to read this one, "The Husband's Secret".  An interesting plot twist at the end and a great "wrap-up".  I am not fond of books that kinda leave you hangin' making you figure out what exactly happened.  I like it tidied up, but also not too quickly either.  Some books are like that too....they just all of a sudden are over and done, wham.  It's like the author decided, "ok, I have written enough, now it's time to end"....don't like that either.  There are soooo many books out there that I am itching to read, and that is a goal of mine this year is to read more.  I used to swallow books, then I got into photography and blogging and the books kinda got shoved to the back shelf...so to speak.

OK, speaking of writing too much, I have done exactly that with this post.  And fyi...all images were taken with the 50mm f/1.4 lens.  That is the great thing about this lens, it can be really dark in your home, but with this lens you can still take decent shots, and my Nikon D7100 helps too.

Found this great quote on Pinterest......
    "Open your mouth only if what you are going to say is more beautiful than silence"
So now I am going to be silent.

Until next time.....

Good Intentions??

This is already the 4th day into the New Year and I am still sitting here with my old habits.  I always think that with the new year I will suddenly change into an up early & dressed, exercise, lose those lbs, get organized, stop procrastinating kinda gal....but sadly, it seems to be the same ole same ole for me. I have good intentions, I really do.  Found this quote...."I think I'll be going to Heaven, because I had good intentions. But my actions are another thing."  By Curtis James Jackson that I think pretty well sums me up. 

I would much rather spend my time photographing, blogging, editing than exercising any day of the week.  And speaking of photography....Toby does love the snow.

Unlike my little Cinder, who says, "no thank you....I will just sit here on this nice warm couch catching any sun rays that I can while snuggled in one of my Mom's blankets."

Over at Kim Klassen's blog she challenged us to do a "fourteen in 2014" and I don't consider these resolutions so much as what I would really like to accomplish in 2014.  I have been mulling this in my mind for a few days.  

So here is my list (subject to change and not in any particular order) these things I really "want to do" in 2014.  

                                                               

1. Have registered and plan on completing (of which I have failed miserably in the past) a new class entitled "The 50mm Project".  Using your 50mm lens with different assignments and instructions for 4 weeks.  This the lightest weight lens I own, why I don't use it more often is beyond me.  But this will encourage me to take it out of the bag more often.  In fact...all the images on today's post are taken with my 50mm 1.4 lens.  
2. Learn Lightroom 5.  I have been using it, but I really need some good "how to's and to dig dip" because not only am I using Lightroom for most of my editing, I made the decision to shoot in RAW.  Huge leaps for me. 
3. Meet more blogging friends face to face.  I have done that in the past and loved meeting those that you get to know via their blogs, but meeting them, and carrying on a conservation, and laughing and really getting to know them is life enriching!!
4. Take better care of myself.  I won't go there now, but I am horrible at so many "healthful habits".
5. Finish a 365 Project.  Again have failed miserably in the past, but heh, try and try again, maybe the 3rd time will be the charm.
6. Gather with friends more.  Life is too sweet and too short to not stay in touch with those you love.
7. Try and whittle down my notorious procrastination....but I am afraid it's part of who I am..my so-called DNA.  
8. Participate for a 2nd time in the Alzheimer's Walk in the Fall and try to raise even more money for research for this dreaded and horrible disease.
9. Grow my Family Photography Business.  I am delighted with what I have done so far, but would like to continue and gain more clients this year.
10. Travel, travel, travel....need I say more.
11. Read more, have a ton of books downloaded on my Kindle, just waiting patiently for mine eyes to see.  If you are a Kindle user you must subscribe via email to Pixel of Ink and Book Bub.  They are sites that are linked to Amazon that offer daily offerings of digital books to read, some are free, some are $1.99 and the really fantastic almost brand new books are $2.99.  Granted most times I read and delete, but it's worth it to sign up.  Just google them....and sign up, do it!!
12. Let go of a hurtful relationship.  
13. Investigate selling my prints on line, another huge leap for me if I follow thru.
14. Be more prayerful....after all, nothing would be possible without the good Lord guiding me, protecting me, lifting me up when I am down, and loving me for who I am.   

I will let you know as I travel thru 2014 how I am doing on this list.  But right now I MUST get dressed and get to the grocery store for some food supplies....the dreaded and dangerous cold is hitting us soon and my cupboards are a little bare.

Have a safe, warm & happy weekend.....

Until next time.....

I Can Hear You Groaning....

I know I can hear you groaning saying...what is she doing already posting Christmas mugs?  Well you know I have a "thing" for mugs & cups, especially Christmas ones.  As I walked through Hobby Lobby picking up some extra ornaments for the Christmas Tree I decorated for one of the "raffle" prizes for the Advent Tea, I came across this little guy.  Now I ask you, how can you resist that?  And ofcourse he was 50% off, even more of an enticement.  Between Hobby Lobby and Home Goods I keep my cupboards overflowing with those irresistible cups and mugs.  Drinking my coffee each morning and afternoon, I delight in sipping that warm drink from a pretty cup or mug, it just makes it taste delumptious and it makes me happy, for that I am grateful.

And yes, my leaves are still on the ground, I have been so busy lately that they are still laying exactly where the fell....and yes, those are my pj's and slippers, after my sketcher's go walks, these are my 2nd favorite foot covering attire.

And  yes, it frosted last night.  Feeling really bad and praying for those that are still without electricity and especially for those that lost their homes in our recent storms...

Linking with Kim for Texture Tuesday....

"Truth is a deep kindness that teaches us to be content in our everyday life and share with the people the same happiness."  ~  Kahlil Gibran

Until next time....