Rain Rain Don't Go Away...BUT

 Today!  Today has been a MONDAY!!!  A Monday from hell.  First of all the wonderful rain last night was great.  Our rain gauge said 4"!!! That was fantastic.  Let me back up a smidge.  This weekend was his 50th class reunion.  It was Thursday-Sunday and it was quite fun and exhausting.  I'm glad it is over and now we look forward to mine next month.  

So I was up around 4:30 this morning, again.  This pattern is getting old.  The weekend I was so tired that Sunday I slept in till 7:30, that was awesome.  But up I was and waited for him to arise.  The garage door peeps were to be here to install our new garage door.  I can't remember if I have shared but we purchased a new one in MAY!  There were supposed to install it last month.  Two weeks before they were to install our current door broke.  He spent two weeks lifting and lowering the door if I needed to leave or come home, until he called a contractor we used to do business with.  That guy just so happened to take two garage door openers off of a job and they were the exact ones that ours was.  Ours there were no replacement parts anymore so he was able to get parts off of those and repair ours till they installed today.  They installed today because the one from last month when they went to put on the truck they saw it was damaged and broken.  So we were looking at another month of lifting and lowering if it had not been for our friend.  So new garage door today.

First, my car, the tires are acting up.  Friday night, when the temperatures cooled a bit, the tire pressures went wonky.  They still are acting up today but if I drive around they correct.  Hoping it's just the drastic temperature changes.  Today it was both tires on the drivers side.  

I didn't want to hang around for that and headed to my studio to do a bit of work and get my folder for a lunch meeting I had today.  I was presenting our new reconfigured bylaws that I have been working on for months.  I walked in the door and saw water, water, water.  Another back up...Friday we had roofers there to repair the guttering.  They took the old gutter off and were going to remake it to reinstall later.  No one thought we would get 4" of rain in one day in AUGUST!  The water wicked in over my desk, my computer, the printer and some of my beautiful watercolor Christmas cards I did last year.  OH MY GOD!  I was so upset.  PLUS, my folder that had the bylaws in it was soaked.  My printer had water in it, I couldn't get my computer to come on.  It was a nightmare.  I called him and he was knee-deep dealing with the garage door people and couldn't leave.  He wanted me to stay while the roofers might show up SOMETIME during the day.  I told him I could not, I had my meeting, I was presenting, and I was driving a person who does not drive!  Turns out the roofers did not show up until nearly 4 in the afternoon.  I spent a couple of hours this morning drying what I could in my folder, my desk, throwing away tons of stuff that was soaked.  My desk is water damaged.  When we closed our books of the business last year I purchased a couple hundred dollars worth of postage stamps (write off), they were soaked, all of them.  They are laid around everywhere drying out.  The printer, probably is no hope but you never know.  The roofer said to get up a list of the damaged stuff.  At first he said he'd knock off $500 of the quote...uh, NO! 

Mother's Day and Weekend Fun

Good morning.  It's another wet morning here but should clear a bit later.  It had better because I have errands to run.  The photo is the dam at our cabin area.  Last weeks storms and monumental rains have the creek way up, up enough to let an air boat up the creek making a lot of noise.  We headed there Thursday and had a most wonderful time sitting on the newly screened porch and the new shades.  It was even cool enough in the mornings for a fire on the porch.  

Saturday night we hosted a fajita bar.  The weather could not have been more perfect.  Yesterday was of course Mother's Day and I kind of glossed over it.  It's hard to celebrate a day when you don't have a mother to call.  Oh yes, I should CELEBRATE her, and I do in my mind, it's just that I miss her sometimes too much on that day.  I do acknowledge the other mothers in my life, my daughters, who are fantastic mommas.  My darling mother-in-law, whom I miss dearly.  My friends, who are mommas.  My dear friend, Beverly, who lost her 94 year old mother just last week.  Mother's everywhere.  

Okay, now I am going to ask a question.  I have posted here on my blog for nearly 18 years and the reader traffic has been mostly non-existent BUT lately, I've noticed that I'm getting a lot of traffic.  My posts are getting like 45-85 reads lately.  What is up with that and who are they and WHY DOESN'T anyone at least comment.  Is it bots, AI, WHAT!  Just curious what is going on.  If you're out there, maybe say something please.  I don't think I'm THAT interesting, am I.  

Fishing, Rain and PARTIES

 Good morning.  Honestly I'm thinking that since we retired I've lost my voice here.  I don't have anything to GRIPE about so no words.  My life is good, finally.  After nearly 18 years writing on this blog I've become very quiet.  Maybe I've shared all of me that I can share.  

Today I'm going to have lunch with my dear brother.  I thought about canceling because of the impending storms but those won't be here till later tonight.  So lunch it is!  We will be heading to our cabin this weekend too and can't wait.  It's been a couple of weeks and even then we will miss the next weekend because of graduation stuff.  Seems like we are busier than ever since we retired.  This weekend alone we had two parties on the same day, a Kentucky Derby party and then a Retirement party which had a live band.  It was fun.  They set up like a living room, seating arrangements in their driveway with the band in the garage playing Stones, a bit of country (blech) and good old Rock and Roll!  I opted to not drink at all at either party.  Really I'm not doing much of that which is not a bad thing.  I do like a good gin & tonic or dirty martini but just haven't been feeling it lately.  Especially since I felt like I needed to be the designated driver for the weekend.  I know HE will have a few glasses of wine regardless.  

He did get away to the cabin overnight Friday while I had Snicklefritz with us.  He met the shade guy for installation.  We had new shades put on the screened porch to cut wind, pollen and keep warmth in when we use the fireplace on cooler days.  The water is up too from all the rain with more rain to come.  

We will get up there hopefully for a nice weekend WITHOUT rain, time with friends for a build-your-own-fajita bar and a nice fire on the porch.  The temperatures are supposed to be a lot cooler, especially in the AM so I'm sure I will be sitting there enjoying.

Rain, Turtles and Orchids

Good morning my lovelies!  

My goodness this RAIN.  I'm so over it as I would imagine most everyone else is.  Plus we actually turned on the heat at the cabin this past weekend.  If this continues, as it is supposed to, the wigwam may be flooded yet again and we will be doing the painting thing at our cabin once again.  Oh well, a day at a time.

Wednesday was my "book club" or as they like to call it, "the restaurant club."  LOL!  We mostly eat at good eateries and talk a little bit about the book club.  It's great fun and we've been doing it for over 10 years now.  Amazing really.  It's whittled down to only 7 of us with mostly 4-5 ever showing up.  That's really a great number.  There's a lot of travelers in the group so we get to live through their stories of travel.  

My orchids, oh my orchids.  Honestly because I was in so much pain and didn't want to do ANYTHING for so long I thought they were dying.  But when I got home from the hospital B got rid of the dead stuff and watered them and Snicklefritz has watered them a few times and I have.  Imagine my surprise when I realized they were nearly all going to bloom.  They LOVE this window of diffused light from the south and north from the French doors.  I need to get some better photos of them before the flowers are gone to maybe paint some more of the orchids and glass series!!!

As I said we headed to the cabin this past weekend with Snicklefritz in tow.  The Hubby had to go early in the morning to meet the propane guy and I waited for Snicklefritz to get out of school to head out.  A few weekends before when The Hubby and Snicklefritz went to the Steam Engine show in Pawnee, he bought her a hat, much like his and he was insistent she bring it as they were going FISHING!  Fishing in the new/used canoe, upstream to Blue Hole for bait.  Alas, the weather was not really conducive for fishing and she didn't pack anything warm enough even though they went anyway.  I gave her one of my sweaters to wear knowing full well it would come back wet and muddy, I wasn't wrong.  HaHa.  That kiddo loves mud, minnows, worms, just nature.  Her fingernails are never without dirt under them because she is always playing around in dirt.  I love it.  She talked non-stop about her pet turtle she has at home in her backyard, non-stop!  We were able to sit out on the screen porch Friday evening with a little fire most of the evening and most of Saturday but later in the day, brrrrrr, I went inside. Good GRIEF, I posted on FB that "Mother Nature - whoever on your staff flipped the winter switch back to ON needs to be fired!"

It's crazy this stupid weather.  

 

Arkansas Journeys

I was lucky enough a couple of months ago to be given an opportunity to join the Tulsa Garden Club on one of their excursions.  This particular jaunt was to Arkansas to visit Marlsgate Plantation in Scott, Arkansas; Chris Olsen and his nursery in Little Rock called Plantopia.  Little did I realize but we also were to have dinner in his home.  Also on this trip was a stop at P. Allen Smith's, Moss Mountain Farm.  That place has been a mini-bucket list trip for me so I was YES!!!!!  It was just an overnight trip which was fine with me.  We met at 7:30 Wednesday morning and the bus arrived for us to climb aboard.  The bus driver alighted the steps, a very tall large white-bearded gentleman and I instantly remembered something.  A guy I went to high school with, graduated a year before me was a bus driver but I wasn't sure if it was Roger.  I got a bit closer to see what his name tag said but it was too small and this guy was so tall I just could not see it.  He looked at me and said, "Yes, you know me."  I laughed and said, "Roger!"  He was a really nice guy in high school and was in my father's boy scout troop and was around a lot.  It's funny I cannot place his young face in my memory so I will be looking at the yearbook soon.

Roger was a wonderful driver, especially through all the torrential rains we encountered right out of Tulsa and most of the morning.  

After a long drive with a short pit stop where most of us got drenched between the bathroom break and going back to the bus we arrived at Marlsgate Plantation.  What a beautiful old mansion and the antiques inside were awesome.  The owner, David Garner was a tiny wisp of a man all dressed to the nines.  White hair coiffed perfectly with gold and diamond bracelets, rings and watch he was a stitch.  Extremely southern in his tales, lingo and mannerisms he was a joy to listen to.  

We were served a sit down lunch in the lower rooms of the house and then the tour began.  We were to see the gardens too but he said it had rained almost 2 months solid and were under water and completely ruined.  

After we were done we loaded the bus yet again to make our way to downtown Little Rock to our hotel.  We checked in and after a 45 minute rest period yet again ascended the bus steps for a trip to Chris Olsen's Plantopia.  It's a greenhouse, like any other greenhouse but the ladies loved it and were buying plants and things left and right.  The bottom of the bus was full and I worried about the plants in the hot bus.  

Apparently I did not get any photos from his house that I can find but after the greenhouse we were off to Chris's house for dinner.  Amazing it was.  He built the house 22 years ago when he and two other people were there.  The other two neighbors sold off their land and a housing sprang up around his oasis.  It's funny, as we were driving around and winding through the neighborhood I thought this was wrong.  A regular housing addition how could it be but when we arrived and drove straight down into the culdesac to his house there it was.  FANTASTIC!  He also said that he was selling and moving to a Spanish style house, old, in Little Rock proper.  A new project!  Can't wait to see what he does with it.  His current house was only 2,100 sq.ft. but he throws parties for 350 people all the time.  AMAZING!  He was a terrific host and so funny.  He is supposed to be on television but I'm not sure where.  Have to look him up.

The next morning we packed it all up and hauled into the bus for the very long trip to Moss Mountain Farm, a good 45 minute drive winding in the back country of Arkansas.  Finally arriving we unloaded the bus, YET AGAIN to see this magnificent view.  Gardens everywhere.  Vegetables, roses, views, views, views!

The humidity though was about 100% and just stifling.  The walking was an issue for several of the elderly people who just could not walk down the paths or back up.  Today my quads are killing me but it was so worth it.

The Arkansas river!

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After the walking in which there was not a dry piece of clothing on my body it was time to tour his home.  He had it built new to look like it had been in place for 100 years.  Once you walked into the door the A/C was fantastic for us red-faced walkers.  Whew!  We all gathered in the living and were told to sit while the lady told us a bit about the house.  That home was so inviting I could definitely live there.  

After the house tour we adjourned to the barn for our lunch of kale salad topped with strawberries, feta cheese, and walnuts and a dessert of pecan buttermilk pie!

A trip well worth the time!

A Saturday Ramble

Wow, it's Saturday morning, 5:56 a.m. and I am AWAKE!  I could have slept in but NOOOOoooo, my mind just would not let me.  Of course Clayton is awake at five to eat. so up I am then the mind just goes and goes and goes.  Oh well I thought, I might as well just get up and get a head start on some painting this morning.  Besides, The Hubby said last night that if I got up early enough we could go out for breakfast.  I LOVE to eat breakfast out, one of my favorite things to do.  I think the rain is stopping today, finally.  I really need to check my garden but the ground is just to squishy to even step out in the yard.  I did have some baby cucumbers and tomatoes but they may be gone at this point.  This next week they are saying SUNSHINE!  I'm stoked for sure.  

Thursday will be the beginning of the last year to live in my 50's...I will turn 59 years old.  Every year since I turned 50 when my birthday rolls around I immediately think, "It's been 9 years since Gail died.  It's been 9 years since our sweet dog died.  It's been 9 years since Momma died." I can't seem to get past the devastation the year I turned 50.  I'm not as sad anymore, thank goodness.  It seems to just be a momentary thought.  I have surely moved on to celebrate better things like my painting, which I get great joy out of.  I also have Rio to make my days brighter.  She is the sunshine in my life.  I have moved on to much better thoughts and happier times but there is still that brief flash of a thought each year.  

On the subject of painting, I have completed several commission works this week and am quite proud of them.  

Catch of the Day (commission) SOLD

Sophie (SOLD)

Contemplation

Lucy (work in progress)

Oh, and we went shopping!  The Hubby has one aunt left, Aunt Bette.  She is 83 years old and the lone sibling left of his father (there were 3).  She is a darling lady and a few weeks ago had a horrible stroke but seems to be doing very well.  Anyway, she told this story to The Hubby several years ago about his dad and he wanted to do something special for her because of the story.  It goes like this:  She was much younger than his dad and one day she told her parents there were these really snazzy cowboy boots she wanted.  The were all the rage in the day with cute dresses.  Her parents said absolutely not, they were not appropriate for young girls.  When her brother, The Hubby's father, heard the story he bought her a cute pair of boots and sent them to her anyway, said she should have them.  They were too small but she never told him and wore them blisters and all because of the love that went with the gift.  The Hubby wanted to find her a snazzy pair of cowboy boots so we went shopping.  I have been wanting to go for sometime to find myself another pair and since my birthday was this week....well, I got a pair too.  And since Aunt Bette and I wear the same size I got to try on lots of boots!  I loved these kind of gray, brown and black pair!  We found a cut pair for Aunt Bette with turquoise on them and they are in the mail as of yesterday!  Can't wait for her to open the package! 

Monday's This 'n That

Walking in the rain this weekend with sweet Clayton.  It had actually stopped raining but he kept dragging me under low hung rain sodden boughs to do his business, hence the umbrella.  

The count down is on for Turkey Day.  My mind is a whir as I am having about 22 at our house.  Really, not much for me to do except to make my bed that morning, set the tables, put the turkey in the oven.....the day before I will make cornbread, chop celery and onion.  This morning I'm going to the grocery, before the rush.  I just do not want to deal with it later.  Tomorrow is my painting day and then Wednesday I have to work, payroll and all.  I should have this down to a science since I've had nearly 39 years of experience so a deep breath and onward!

Yesterday we picked up my new taboret table and took it to my new studio space.  

I'm so excited but a bit nervous to move it all out of the house.  I'm torn and get a lot of mixed signals from  The Hubby about inhabiting the new corner space of our building.  He asked me the other day if I was going to trash out the space like I have at home.  I calmly said no but good grief I am an artist and I do have a lot of stuff.  There will be a plethora of canvas' laying about, along with brushes, and STUFF.  

I did finish this sweet little dog at the office last Wednesday, just in time to give to Harri for her birthday on Saturday night.  I was thrilled with how it has turned out.  Now I have another King Charles to paint, Tally, and an aging poodle named Maddie.   Plus a guy I went to high school is dead set that I paint a picture for him for his song he wrote.  It's not something I'm passionate about but he is very insistent.  He writes and sings and is promoting his new CD and wants one of my paintings for the promo.  I am extremely flattered but not sure I want to do it.  We'll see.  He did a photoshop mock-up of what he wants and I will paint from that.

"Sissy"

Rainy Days and Sunshine

It's Sunday morning, 6:44 a.m. and I'm awake, at the cabin and content.  I'm not sure what more I can say.  It has been a very peaceful weekend with the on and off rain showers, reading, visiting with friends and just quiet time.  I thought I would bring my paints this weekend but as it turned out en plein air painting would have been a bit WET.  It's funny that it would be sun shiny and rain at the same time.  Made stuff a bit steamy I must say.  

This was actually a video but can't figure out how to make it a video from my phone show up here.  Anyway, there is sunshine in the picture and rain!  At least I have my wonderful screened porch to enjoy it.  My poor birdies went hungry as I have forgotten to buy food for the feeders.  Next week, I promise!

Yesterday I slept in to 10 am.  That is unheard of in my world.  I usually am up before 5 am.  It was quite glorious to sleep in.  It was quiet as The Hubby went to town with some of his play friends for breakfast.  The fan, me, Clayton and a comfy bed, I was in heaven.  Of course, this morning I'm up early, but that is quite alright.