Painting, Prayers and Play

The past week was kind of a blow. Seems the OKC doctors and Tulsa doctors are on a different page concerning baby Max. It is going to be a weekly thing now as we get closer and closer to his due date (Jan 7.) We are now in the phase of really stepping up to watch little Min while they go to the plethora of doctor/specialist appointments. Lots of prayers please that the doctors are all wrong, that the tumor shrinks and goes away and he is just perfect, honestly he is perfect. Pray, pray, pray.

We had a nice weekend away to the cabin. It was even cool enough to have a fire in our outdoor fireplace. Can't have a pit fire because of the burn ban but our fireplace is perfect! Had a group again at the wigwam for a painting session. I brought pumpkins and mini corn to paint. Really enjoyed it.

Also captured a few snaps for future paintings. I've got a commission I need to get to this week, a horse named Big Red for a high school classmate that I haven't talked to in nearly 50 years. She found me and we've been emailing like crazy.

This weeks fun dinner was a play on a cross between lasagna and chicken tetrazzini. It came to me in a dream, yes I dream cooking. In my pantry I had a half a box of lasagna noodles, a ja of Alfredo sauce, 4 chicken thighs in the freezer, 1/2 white onion, lemon, 2 stalks celery, garlic cloves, salt, pepper, oregano, Italian seasoning, cottage cheese, egg, frozen broccoli, Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese and 1/2 box of chicken broth.

First I poached the chicken thighs in the chicken broth, water, onion, celery, lemon, garlic and seasonings. When it was done I took the thighs out then strained it and was left with some broth I froze for later use. I shredded the chicken and added the jar of Alfredo sauce. The cottage cheese (didn’t have ricotta, CC is good replacement) was mixed with the beaten egg and a bit of Parmesan cheese.

Now it was time to layer:

A bit of sauce in casserole dish. Then lasagna noodles, chicken mixture, cottage cheese mixture, mozzarella, broccoli, repeat with last layer of noodle and top with mozzarella. Kind of use your imagination. Cover with foil and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for about an hour till hot and bubbly. Take foil off and top with Parmesan and return back to oven about 10-15 minutes. Let stand for about 10 minutes to set.

It was yummy and would have been nice to serve with small salad if I had the fixings for it. He thought it was great.

LIFE'S UPS AND DOWNS

Good morning all.  It's been a few since I've posted.  What can I tell you, I've been busy. Between work (end of the month, 1st of the month stuff), painting, watching granddaughters, doctor appointments and Daddy stuff life has been busy.

We did scoot off to the cabin for a bit of R&R and the entire place is glorious.  I just makes my heart sing to be there and away from LIFE!

Summer is nearing the end and I want to soak up all I can of the green and warmth before fall and cold hit.  If I've not said before I HATE THE COLD!

I believe these sweet purple flowers are called Lady Thumbs and were full of bees, wasps and tons of butterflies.

My entire body just hurts when it's cold, but I do look forward to using the new outdoor fireplace at the cabin a lot this fall.  

In town this week we had a bit of rain and these clouds I captured stepping out of my car at the office.  Just splendid aren't they, and all of these photos may become a painting in the future.

I did manage to finish these two this week but it was mostly go in for 30 minutes and dab and run.  It has not been easy to complete a painting lately.  My time has been so ragged and I will explain in a bit.

"Summer Harvest" 10x30 oil on gallery wrap

"Trapped" 18x24 oil on linen (self portrait)

Now this guy.  My Daddy.  He's had a busy few weeks.  His nephews wife, Vickie, came to visit.  His nephew passed away a couple of years ago.  Right after Momma died Daddy went to visit them in Arizona where his half-sister Dee lived with Dennis and Vickie.  Daddy stayed for 6 months with them and LOVED every minute of it.  Vickie took great care of him, even though he ended up in the hospital with pneumonia while there!  Anyway, Vickie decided to do a cross-country vacation in her RV, by herself to visit friends and Daddy and the family was on her agenda.  I can't say I was too happy that she would be staying with him but it is what it is and Daddy was too excited to have her visit.  After her visit and she was on her way Daddy fell last weekend.  She was already in Texas but he called her, not my brother, sister or I.  He finally called my brother who went over and checked on him.  He was fine except a bark on his arm.  She proceeded to question our care of him.  Truly, he has been just fine until about a week ago.  I have thought he looked a bit jaundice and brother took him to the doctor and he has hepatitis A!!!  Good grief.  Would probably not be a problem because you get over it with no meds BUT, Daddy has cirrhosis of the liver.  The doctor did say he need to drink water, lots of water and I guarantee he is not doing that.  In fact Daddy has a new addiction, Pepsi.  He grew up with Pepsi being a staple in his household and he has reverted to drinking gallons of it.  I'm sure that is not helping his liver.

Dehydration can lead to memory issues and confusion and now Daddy is having some of that and he fell again last night.  He knew that my sis and I were out of town but who did he call, ME!  I called my brother and he ran over to check on Daddy.  We are not too sure if we should respond to these phone calls because he told brother yesterday, before the fall, that he had fallen in the bathroom but when brother questioned it he said, "well, I almost fell."  He exaggerates a lot, cries wolf so we are leary of the dire phone calls.  

Today is my turn to go over and check on him.  Honestly, I'm so afraid to even walk in the door, afraid he will be gone or in such trouble I will have to call 911.  He told my sister last week that he would not let Carla, me put him in a nursing home again.  Oh boy, that last time it WASN'T ME, it was the doctor, I had nothing to do with it but in his mind I'm the bad guy.  In fact, every time he has been in the nursing home/skilled nursing care was the doctors call, NOT ME!  Frankly, he can't even afford to be in a nursing home.  I'm not sure what we can do for him.  The doctor might be able to order home health care, we hope.  If he can make it to Wednesday, his next doctor appointment we pray that is what happens at this point.  Not sure what we are going to be able to do.  I've been tossing and turning most of the night and am weary in my mind with worry with all the stuff we need to do, can do, can't do, what to do, etc.  It is endless worry and I feel my blood pressure going up as I type.  

After the ordeal with mother and being with her as she gasped her last breath, saying my name, I just want to RUN AWAY and hide.  I don't want to do this again.  It took me three years to get over the depression that hung like a black cloud over me after mother died.  I just feel on the edge of breaking down right now.  I'm holding it all back because I'm afraid I won't be able to get hold of myself.  Losing a parent, especially a belligerent parent is rough.  Plus I worry what we would do money wise, what to do with his kitty, the house, etc.  His Susie cat I always said I would take but I'm not going to.  I hope we will be able to get her into Street Cats and find her a great home.  I just can't take her.  We already have Clayton and he's beginning to be a handful with his age, peeing issues, and when we are away from him he has separation anxiety issues lately.  

There is so much going on and with Covid hanging over us too it's going to be tough how we handle all this.  If you read this please, PLEASE say some prayers, send good vibes, anything that we muddle through this journey.  

 

Fall Is Upon Us

The weekend finally took us to the cabin and also to find that the creek is STILL flooded.  We've gone most of the spring, ALL of the summer and now fall without being able to access our beloved creek.  The Corp of Engineers has kept the water levels up for a stuck barge or something like that and it is effecting our property values and our enjoyment of our home away from home.  I so hope they figure this thing out before next summer because we will not have a creek anymore if the water stays up.  

We did enjoy the fall colors beginning and can't wait to see more but will be away from the cabin a lot this fall.  Just so busy with plein air events, birthday parties, and soon Thanksgiving.  It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving and Christmas is upon us so quickly.  Time just moves too fast.  I need, NEED it to slow down, just a tad.  

This precious little nugget is 3 weeks old today and look at that milk-drunk-sleepy smile.  How can you resist!!!  I miss her so much and can't wait to snuggle and kiss those sweet cheeks again, soon!!!!

Painting has been slow to get started again but did take a photo while in LA of some sunflowers.  Of course I LOVE TO PAINT FLOWERS so here you go. 

I have got to get back to the self portrait stuff but since I've been away the steam that drove me to sketch them in the first place is waning.

Have a great day my friends.

Monday Ramble

Definitely going to ramble today...hang on!

Sold 4 paintings since last weekend! SCORE!  Nice when that happens.

Daddy fell.  Yes, last Friday afternoon I guess he was taking some limbs to the curb and he said he slipped and fell.  Face planted on the drive and using his hand to break his fall, breaking his hand and busting it open.  CAT scan and stitches and a removable cast and he is good.  No surgery for the broken hand, THANK GOODNESS!  Sadly, I did not know about it because we were at the cabin and cell phone reception is bad so I usually turn my phone off.  I turned it on Monday morning to get the pictures and text message from my brother.  They spent hours till about 10:30 p.m. in the ER.  Bless all their hearts, including my sister-in-law who endured the time too.  I'm afraid we are going to have way too many times like this more often now.  He was more upset that he could not use his computer.  Really,   I feel bad that Bro has had to take the brunt of taking care of Daddy lately as I've been out of pocket and watching Rio.  She will be in school sometime and that can make it better.  

I had an incredible HANKERIN' for Momma's fried chicken last week so I busted out the cast iron skillet, one mine, one granny's.  I bought a whole chicken because I also wanted to cut it up myself.  Sadly I realized that my knives were very lacking so the next day I went out an bought a couple for the next chicken.  I cooked it just like Momma used to with salt, lots of black pepper, flour and oil.  She would cook it pretty hot and fast to get the color then turn the heat down and put a lid on it, soft crust fried chicken!  PERFECTION!  I also had mashed potatoes and gravy.  

The next night I wanted to try something new I saw on Facebook.  It was from MyRecipes.com and called Cajun-Style Shrimp and Grits.  OH MY GOSH they were so easy and so very good.  The only thing is I did NOT add the tasso ham.  

I was on a roll last week with cooking.  It felt good.  I love to cook but just don't have time to put into intense meals.

Brother-in-law is hurting and I wish I could help.  Had surgery and the results are not as expected and the places they went in are not healing.  He's on my mind.

Friday was National Wear Teal Day to increase awareness of Ovarian Cancer so I wore this shirt in remembrance of my friend Jamie who lost her battle a couple of months ago.  

Yesterday the niece spent the day in the ER because she apparently was bitten by a brown recluse spider in her bedroom!  Let me tell you she posted the picture on Facebook and it gave me nightmares.  Plus she posted that they had to put her IV in her neck because of her drug use caused her veins to be to small.  Luckily she is still clean but she is still having a ton of issues in her head and life.  She has lost yet another job and of course it is not her fault.  I so hope she can get her life together but I'm not too keen on helping her anymore because she has burned me a couple of times and you just don't know when she is telling the truth anymore.  Lying is just second nature to her and I don't even know if she can tell the difference.  So sad.

On a good note, I finished a couple of books I enjoyed, Still Foolin'  'Em by Billy Crystal and The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins.   

Also a couple of paintings finished:

Saturday Catch Up

My week has been SOOOOoooooOOOooo busy and I'm glad it is over, but all is good.  It was our first real week at the new offices and all went very well.  I love, love, love my windows.  It seems to rejuvenate me, even though we've only had one sunshiny day this week.  Enough with the cloudy days already! 

I did get a day at the easel in art class and boy what a day I had.  I finished two commission works and a fun painting.  I have another commission I'm not looking forward to doing but will tackle soon.  I really do NOT want to be known as a dog painter but that seems to be all I'm doing lately.  They are very fun and I'm getting better.  

This one is for my friend Carol who already owns six or seven of my paintings.  This sweet face is Tally Ho.  

This one was a challenge, not because of difficulty but difficulty of the pictures given to me to try and paint from.  Good grief, one was the backside of the dog with her child.  Really.  Finally, one came that I could work with and I did this one in less than an hour.  I'm happy with it too. 

Now on to fun stuff.  We have a friend who takes the most amazing photos at the cabin area and in fact is putting together a wildlife calendar.  She has given me permission to paint ANY of the photos she takes!  YIPPEE!  In the spirit of the holiday season I titled this one "Do You Hear What I Hear".  

Speaking of holiday season, I am so very behind in present stuff.  I did get Afton and Nick's stuff ready and wrapped and we have it all packed up in a box to hit the postal ways on Monday morning (I hope).  Have got to find the packing tape!  The nieces and nephews are sadly going to get a card with money this year as that is all I have time for.  The Hubby wanted to do Christmas cards this year in the business and personal which translates to ME doing all the Christmas cards.  I've been busy addressing and addressing and ADDRESSING cards.  So far I've got most of the personal ones done which was about 150 and have started on the business which might be between 150-500.  I have my work cut out for me.  He also wants to have an open house, NOT the Christmas season but before April 1.  That is a lot of planning on a huge scale and I will totally need Bri to help.  This weekend is her Alliday Show and when she gets to rest up on Monday we will hit the ground running with it all.  So very much to look forward to getting accomplished this next year.   

I haven't gone to Bri's Alliday Show because my part of helping was watching little missy.  I had her Thursday morning while her momma did a bit of publicity on television and got to play with her hair.  It braids beautifully but is so very fine and slick it won't stay but what fun.  Yesterday I got her about 11 am and took her to lunch at our usual Friday hangout.  She loved pad thai and spring rolls.  Then I we got gas and she was intrigued but the guy washing our windows (yes I did full service).  Next stop was Hobby Lobby for more yarn.  I have presents to make.  I've discovered a thing called arm knitting.  I'm kind of obsessed with it.  Anyway, we made our way to the yarn section and since her new favorite thing is PINK we bought pink yarn to make her something.   

After that trip we headed home and I tried and tried to entice her into a nap but it was a NO!  She has only had one in a couple of weeks and goodness sometimes she needs it.  Really though she was a jewel.  I took her to her house because I was to keep her until around 11 pm last night.  She fought and fought going down for bed but that girl she was tired.  When it did get quite I looked on her little monitor and I could see something weaving and bouncing but was not sure what it was.  I sneaked down the hall and peaked and there she was sitting with her back against the back of the crib sound asleep but fighting the urge to actually lay down.  The bobbing and weaving was her head lolling back and forth.  Poor baby!  I reached in and gently laid her down and she was OUT!  We had a long day of sight seeing, shopping, gas getting, hide-n-seek, chocolate ice cream...just what granny's and granddaughters do.  

P.S.  Daddy also called last night to kind of give me a dig that I need to come check up on him because he fell hitting his head Thursday morning.  GOOD GRIEF!  He said it just would not stop bleeding and he had not cleaned it because of that (blood thinners).  By the end of the conversation I think I gathered that he really didn't fall all the way that he kind scrapped or barked his forehead against the wall while cleaning the kitty litter.  I told him I would be down Sunday morning and then sent texts to Bro and Sis who both said they would go today to check up on him.  Yes, I have been absent but goodness I have been so busy these past couple of weeks with no time for anything.  Guilty conscience.

A Day In The Life of Rio

Monday's and Wednesday's while Rio's momma teaches, Rio gets to go to work with Granny (or Hanny, as she calls me now).  We have a wonderful back office full of toys and stuff but yesterday we just never made it back there.  She sat in my chair and watched Peppa Pig on my computer and was quite happy.  At one time she had my red ink pen in her fingers rolling it around oblivious to the leavings of red ink everywhere on her fingers.  When she discovered it she was not happy.

Soon it was time for lunch,  I brought her lunch, leftover spaghetti and meatballs, salad, fresh tomatoes and blueberries.  The blueberries went first (her favorite) and then a couple of bites of spaghetti and I was afraid that was going to be it. 

She brought me her plate and said, "All done." She climbed in my lap and suddenly the fork began again.  

Bite after bite, it quickly gone.  That child is a master with a fork or spoon, most of the time left handed, but definitely switching often.

I was thrilled with the salad part.  She loves salad and this one is so crunchy and good.  She ate it all. 

After our clean plates we went out the shop part and her Granddad was having his lunch and piddling around with one of the vans cleaning it.  The overhead door was open and the day was stunningly beautiful.  We sat on the step and watched a train go by honking it horn, waved at a homeless guy, and soaked up the wonderful fall day.   

When I got my phone ready to snap a picture she quickly put her head on my shoulder and smiled, what a ham.  A pro at the selfie at the age of 2!  Nap was soon after this photo and she went down without a smidge of trouble.  What a darling!

Fall Where Are You!

 It seems that summer is having a hard time leaving and letting fall have her way this year.  Yet, I did find some color in our backyard, through the looking glass.  Around our backyard The Hubby has mounted lots of different mirrors on the fence.  He finds them at estate sales, flea market and garage sales.  There is a restaurant here called Sonoma we love to eat at and in there is a wall of mirrors we love to look at.  The Hubby got the bright idea and so we have a fence of mirrors I love.  Anyway, I noticed this shrub through some of the mirrors and was in love with it.  A bit of fall!  The weather people are saying temperatures in the 90's for the next few days.  Wow, shorts still.

We also have some planters with some flowers still peaking their sweet heads.  Gonna have to paint this I think. 

I know I haven't posted a Rio picture lately but it's because I haven't seen my darlin' for nearly a week.  Seems she and her momma and daddy have been quite ill.  They have had the dreaded FLU I think and I have steered clear.  Poor babies.  YUCK!  Yesterday I finally got my flu shot and tetanus and hopefully I have not been exposed.  I have to see Daddy and I can't be sick around him.  

So next week it will be back to watching her again and I can't wait for the hugs and kisses.

Seasons of Change

 

Seasons change and I'm already missing the wonderful summer.  Even though our summer was not up to the snuff of the famous Oklahoma summers of the past, it was summer. 

Clayton will miss swimming in the creek.  See the little speck there, he and The Hubby love splashing in the creek after the Clayton run in the meadow.   

The deer will be here always but foraging for different kinds of food.  Look at that poor gal.  It's either a tumor or abcess on her jaw.  She's been in our area since she was a meer fawn with it so must be a growth of some kind. 

Of course the summer would not be complete without some of the visiting four-legged woof-woof's.  This one is a new baby and I can't for the life of me remember her name.  Isn't she adorable...think I will HAVE to paint her. 

Gone will be barefeet.  I don't know what it is about my feet but I love to take pictures of them.  If you have a foot fetish...sorry! 

Gone will be red lucious home-grown tomatoes...till next year! 

Time flies too as sweet Rio turned a year and is on to the next birthday.   

She had fun at her 1 year birthday party with her best pal Mondo!   

We now usher in mums, crisp fall air and fires in the fireplace. 

Oh, almost forgot the neighbor pup, Sissy!  Isn't she styling.  Will have to paint her too to go along with her little girl Annie that I painted for Harri a few years ago. 

Last night we hosted a gathering at our cabin of chili and homemade apple pies.  Gosh, I had not made pie crust in a few years.  It's my greatgranny's recipe and so very, very good. 

Chili to warm the insides on the rainy and cold October evening.  A fire in the fireplace and a yummy cocktail of apple cider and caramel vodka!  Yes, that was delicious and Zantac was consumed so I could sleep!

Unbaked... 

baked and in the fridge.  I made two and one was gone in less than 5 minutes.  This one will save for The Hubby's guy getaway tomorrow! 

Lastly, the last of the tomatoes.  I have one plant in the front of the cabin and the thing was loaded with green tomatoes but with a frost warning I quickly picked them last evening.  Think I will have to go off the diet and fry these babies up. 

 

Toodles all.  It's a long post and full of stuff cause I don't when I will get time to do this in the next few weeks.