Weekend Fun and Inspiration

We finally ran off to the cabin for some down time, much needed down time.  I love taking photos while we are driving there but I must contend with a photo through the windshield as he doesn't slow down much for me to capture anything.   

I think I do a pretty good job though, enough that they inspire me to paint.  

I think this photo is my favorite from the drive and yesterday I flew off to the studio to capture it.  I haven't been in the studio for nearly two weeks and it was so time I played in paint.  I really didn't get much done because Linda came in and I haven't talked or seen her for nearly a month.  This studio thing is kind of okay because I have time alone there and she does, BUT, I do miss us chatting. 

Home for lunch I pulled up in our driveway and just had to capture the beauty of our house and the flag for Flag Day!

It is started and trust me it is tiny but if I am to sell some more on the 4th of July weekend at the cabin, well tiny sells quickly.  This one is only a 5x7 and I plan on doing it bigger at some point.  Guess you call this a study as a lot of artists do. 

Diet update...well, the weekend I kind of ATE stuff I shouldn't but that's okay once in awhile.  The scale is up 2...RATS!  It's funny how hard it is to get off but how easy it piles back on and so quickly.  DAMN FAT!

Travel Time

You know me, or at least some do on this blog, but I am a nervous traveler.  I don't mind flying at all, it's the lead up to it.  Like buying a ticket, checking in, checking your bags, SECURITY (although they could strip me right in front of everybody and I would not make a peep!)  Once I'm in the airport past all the "stuff" I'm fine.  

My oldest, Bri, Snicklefritz and I decided that this spring for spring break that we would travel to LA to visit daughter #2, Afton.  Scary part was buying the tickets, but with Allegient Air we were able to fly non-stop, a HUGE plus in my nervous travel book.

It was also Snicklefritz's first time to fly and she was so excited.  Her face when she realized that the wheels were off the ground and we were FLYING was priceless!

Afton was there to happily pick us up and then jaunt off to a quick vegan lunch.  You see, she and here hubby, Nick are vegan's in veganland, California.  I really don't mind because some of the stuff she fixes for us is quite yum.  Bri is vegetarian also so the food thing for her was easy too, and Snicklefritz doesn't eat much meat at all.

Then a quick stop to Hermosa Beach for Snicklefritz to see the ocean for the very first time.  She had a lot of firsts this past week.  We knew that the chance for beach time was non-existent this trip so this was our only chance.   

We could hardly get her off the sand as she rolled and rolled around in it.  

My girls!

Since we were staying a week we decided to rent an Airbnb.  It was an older apartment/condo kind of thing and Bri loved it, me, not so much.  But it was clean and very close to Afton as she was our ride/taxi driver while out there.  I even had MY first Uber ride.

The courtyard was lovely, really charming. 

After the beach and a 16 mile 1-1/2 hour drive to their place Afton was pooped, as were we and so our new son-in-law, Nick dropped us off back at our Airbnb.

The next day we planned on a trip to Universal Studios and Harry Potter World!  I was apprehensive for the walking but stoked about HPW!

Right off the bat when we entered the whole place we saw this, Scooby Doo and his entourage.  Bri loved, LOVED, LOVED that show as a child.  She had/has a Scooby Doo stuffed dog and watched the show for hours when we first got cable as it was on for like 2 hours a day.  She was beyond excited to see them and was nearly in tears with giddiness!   

Harry Potter World was fabulous. 

We bought a wand, scarves and a stuffed puppet Hedwig for Snicklefritz. 

  Food and drink was had at Three Broomsticks.

Boy was I beat that day.  That evening after dinner at one of their favorite Pho restaurants, Lemon Grass, we dropped Snicklefritz off to spend the night with her Auntie Af and Uncle Nick while we got some R&R.  The next morning we walked across the street to the Panera Bread for much needed coffee and food then Ubered to their place to get the kiddo.

The next day we went to Target to check out maternity clothes, yes, I said MATERNITY  clothes.  We are going to be grandparents again.  Afton and Nick are expecting...

a baby girl. 

We got to find out just before we left for Target. While at Target my niece, who lives in LA now and is a budding photographer came over to take some publicity photos of Nick for his use in his jazz music career.

Then we all went to lunch/dinner to yet another vegan place that the name escapes me right now.  Britt was able to join along and then she snapped the baby announcement photos.  It was good to see her and she is doing so well.  I'm proud of her.  

Oh and on the weather front, unfortunately we had one day of partial sun.  Seems we brought the Oklahoma rain, dreary and cold with us.  In fact, on the way to lunch/dinner it rained so hard and then HAILED!  Afton said she couldn't remember the last it had hailed in California.  

Sadly, the visit was over and we were up at 3:30 AM, yes AM, to jet off back to Oklahoma, which they had had an entire week of fantastic weather.  We got back to RAIN AND COLD AND DREARY!  Good Grief.  

Anyway, we are back and they will come here in June so we can see her growing belly and then in September sometime I will fly out there ALONE, ALL BY MYSELF to help her when baby girl comes.  I can do this, I can do this, I can do this!  

Photo Finish

I was lucky enough this past weekend to boogie away on Thursday afternoon to my favorite place, our cabin.  The weather was just perfect for an August weekend so most of my time was on our screened porch with this view.  

I even got the camera set up for some closeup snapshots and I think I was on target for some more painting photos. 

Friday morning I hopped on the golf cart, coffee and camera and headed to the creek to find a bush covered with butterflies.  SCORE!  I've painted a couple of butterflies but they aren't my favorite.  They are dang hard to paint.   

Then back home on Sunday morning after a visit to Daddy I settled in to do a bit of sketching.  No, NO NO NO I did not snap this photo.  It is from the organization Wild Heart Ranch in northeastern Oklahoma.  It is a State and Federally licensed rehab facility for all species of wildlife needing orphan support, injury treatment or disease recovery.  Annette Tucker is the founder and this is her photo or rather theirs.  I am going to try and paint it, auction or sell to the highest bidder/price I can get and donate all proceeds from the sale to the organization.   

Sunshine, Painting and Friends

Good morning all.  A beautiful Sunday morning it is.  I could have slept in but alas that was not to be.  I was up and awake at five this morning.  It is frustrating to not be able to sleep in anymore but the good thing is that I am a morning person now.  Had a visitor outside the bathroom window peeking in at me.  He's still a baby.

We headed to the cabin Friday afternoon for an evening of chitter-chatter with friends and a good meal.  Up Saturday and a quick gab session and coffee with Harri next door but back in town for The Hubby.  His dance people were bringing in a professional for some extra lessons and he didn't want to miss out on that.  I was fine with it and spent the afternoon and evening enjoying the backyard in my air-chair, a good book and cold glass of iced tea.  Life is grand!  

Friday evening was dinner at Clancy's of which consisted of yummy BBQ!  It was a nice easy evening of visiting, a few gin and tonics and a wonderful snapshot of shadows and beauty in her cabin.  I think I will have to try and paint this one for sure.  I've already painted one from a snapshot I took from her kitchen window.  Her cabin is just darling and has been featured in one of Charles Faudree's decorating books a few years ago, since he designed the inside.

Art has been fun lately as I'm working on a very intense realism topiary from a photo I took on the trip to Moss Mountain Farm and Marlsgate Plantation a month ago.  It has been so much fun but to loosen up I've also been doing some mixed media with watercolor, pen and markers.  Fun stuff and selling a bit too.  If you notice on the right side of my blog there is a link to Daily Paintworks.  I've been a member of that website for over a year but had not been able to navigate or find the time to navigate it to add my paintings to sell.  Well, this past week I finally did it and now have an avenue for people to see some of my work and SELL!  It's cool because I can link it to Facebook and the third day they actually picked one of mine to feature on their page!!!!  So very excited about that.  I haven't sold any yet on the page but I'm sure I will.  I definitely get a lot of traffic on my page now!  

Tuesday evening was also a night out with friends, Bev and Kelly.  We have season tickets to the Broadway show at the PAC with them now and makes a nice evening of dinner and a show with friends.  It was 42nd Street which The Hubby was not too much of a fan of.  I loved it.  We had dinner at Wild Fork and of course I had to snap a photo of the table.  

Always looking for a painting aren't I.  

Summer is going by way too fast for me.  I know everyone is HATING the heat but I LOVE IT!!! I love the sunshine, the warmth the warm glow that I see when I am out there.  I love summer and I'm sorry we are having a heat wave but hey, IT'S SUMMER!  I go outside and sit and just soak up the heat.  It's healing for me.  

Have a great day, week!

Paint, Toilet Paper and Food

Good Sunday morning.  It's been a fabulous weekend so far.  Rain is on the horizon today and that makes me kind of happy.  We definitely need it.  Yesterday I was up early to take care of the granddog, Mondo and Clayton and my planned breakfast.  I'm kind of bummed that I have not lost anymore weight than 14 pounds after three weeks, but I will continue.  I have not had any white stuff, as in bread, rice or potatoes in three weeks.  I've given up soda pop.  I think its still working because at least the body is changing but I want the scale to start changing.  Good news is when I take the blood pressure it is more in the normal range now too!  I spent yesterday taking some more pictures for possible still life paintings and my laundry.  While running around doing a few household chores, I was putting toilet paper in our various bathrooms, when I turned from the bathroom to walk through the darkened bedroom to the hall bath, I did not see the black granddog laying on the carpet.  My foot met his backside and with my arms full of toilet paper, down I went.  SPLAT---I hit the floor, partly on the dog, my right knee (the good knee), my left elbow and I think on top of a couple of rolls of toilet paper.  I think the TP saved me.  When I rolled over to my bottom I sat for a few minutes to see how the knee was and my poor elbow.  OUCH!  Toilet paper was all over the place.  Mondo came over to me, sat on his haunches and put his paw on my shoulder.  Awwww, sweet baby, he was either apologizing for being in the middle of the floor or making sure I was okay.  I'm fine and the only real injury was a rug burn on the elbow that plagued me all night long.

Life goes on.  On a good note, I got a Facebook message from one of The Hubby's distant cousins who is a retired teacher and AMAZING photographer.  He takes the most beautiful photos of his property, birds, bird baths, butterflies...etc.  He asked if I could do a painting from one of his photos that has a butterfly.  He sent me a couple of pictures and wanted a quote for certain sizes.  I quoted and he accepted.  EEK!  He wants it to look like a painting (no problem) not a photograph.  So a commission!  Yeah.  I did finish a painting and am almost finished with another, probably today.  

Weight Down

Monday evening and I am rejoicing in the fact that I have actually finished and successfully so, a full week of a diet.  I have not done that in a very long time.  I'm not sure how to count the weight loss since I actually started kind of watching it on June 5, after the devastating doctor's appointment.  I am going to say that since June 5, I've lost a total of 11 pounds and am quite proud of that.  It's not been too tough and so much more enjoyable with The Hubby doing it with me.  I know that The Hubby looks like he doesn't need to lose weight but his cholesterol has a problem and he will definitely benefit by eating better.  I am glad he's along for the ride, I hate doing it alone.  We started week 2 today and the lunch...YUMMY!  It was baby shrimp, which I couldn't find so I used regular cooked shrimp, chopped up.  I then added lemon and lime juice and a tablespoon of mayo with a teaspoon of chopped dill.  It was then put on chopped romaine lettuce.  Boy, let me tell you it was so delicious and no salt!  The dinner was not salt too.  I didn't realize this was going to be a low salt diet too, but it is and my blood pressure is happier.  

Now, Bri asked me if I'd been taking progression pictures...not really of my body but my face so let's take a look, shall we!

2-3-2013

4-4-2013

4-21-2013

5-17-2013

5-23-2013

6-4-2013 (my 57th birthday)

6-17-2013

7-1-2013

The one thing I see is not as fluffy on the sides and my chin.  I know it's only 11 pounds but that is big for me and I already feel it in my walk and bounce in my step!  I'm pretty happy so far.  Onward!