no. 668, 669, 670...

and

no. 671

and for fun, here's a whole flock.

slooooowly getting closer to 1000, which was my original goal when i started this way back when...2011 maybe?  just because.  because it is supposed to be good luck.  and i don't know about you, but i can always use some good luck. 

oh, isn't our forest lush and green?  it has rained so much, it's getting quite jungle-y back there.  think mosquitoes and lots of them.  i took just a few minutes to snap these pictures and i almost got eaten alive.  really.

hope you are enjoying your summer so far...

go barefoot in the rain more...

the other day i found myself unexpectedly alone.  that doesn't happen too often these days, now that school is out.  i pondered my possible activities for a few minutes.  it was such a beautiful, sunny day.  and we have a new umbrella for our deck - something i've wanted for a while, but it was never quite in the budget (never mind that it has a large pepsi logo on it - it was practically free).  so i gathered up some supplies and a large icy drink and my journal with just a few pages left.  i spent three blissful hours out there.  writing.  splashing paint around.  thinking.  enjoying the warmth and the shade from my umbrella simultaneously.

  and i thought...

i should do this more.

long time, no see...

hi there!  my goodness, it's been awhile hasn't it?  this time of year is always so busy...with the end of school festivities and getting ready for summer.  plus, i was surprised with some unexpected visitors.  my mom-in-law and my mom made the trip south together and stayed a week and that was so much fun.  my mom has never been down here for a visit and it gave me such joy to show her around our beautiful city and our home.  i set up her bed in my studio so she could be surrounded by all of my art and creative endeavors.

it's cloudy and humid here today with rain and thunderstorms threatening.  we've had such storms lately!  here's a nice stormy spread.  i thought it was a good day to work on a new journal...one just for me.  i'm nearly to the end of this one which i've had for about a year. 

i took some time to flip through the pages that are filled with the meanderings of my soul, along with favorite quotes and poetry, pictures i've taken, treasured scraps of paper and little flowers and feathers carefully sewn in.  just looking at the messy, painty, pasted pages...well, it really makes my heart so happy.

my new one is going to be different, but just as wonderful.  a nice fat journal using a piece of my favorite leather.  i have the pages torn and ready and a little pocket sewn to the last page (for keeping all of my bits for collage).  i'm just thinking about the cover a bit.  maybe something like this one...with the contrasting thread and a nice wide closure.

or maybe more like this...with the strap a bit thinner and woven into the cover.  this one has a bookmark too, which is handy.

but, no matter how it turns out, the most important thing is what goes inside it.  i'm not big on spilling all of my deepest secrets onto the pages.  i kind of like to write in code or paint what i'm feeling.  that makes it feel kind of magical to me.  like secret messages to myself and only i can decipher them.

i hope you are all doing well and enjoying summer so far.  the world is really so beautiful right now.  don't forget to take some time to go outside and soak in some sun, smell some flowers, talk to the bees...that sort of thing.  i'll see you soon...

  

simple wisdom...

...from The Iron Giant.  love that movie.

on earth day...

and the sun came out.  

and it shined so brightly 

that even the trees

wept for joy.

his 65th birthday...

this is my favorite little corgi, dexter.  dexter is a silly little guy.  his legs are really short and his body is kind of long.  but that only adds to his cuteness.   he likes to bark.  and howl.  his howling is like a song.  kind of like the Cow Cow Boogie.  today is dexters' birthday.  although he is 11 in people years, he seems a lot older.  and wiser.  i googled "dog years" and i guess he would be about 65 if he were a human (thank goodness he's not).  when the kids were little we always had a birthday party for him.  but the kids are off doing their own thing today because it's spring break, so i'm not sure if the party is going to happen.  but i know i can come up with some extra special treats for him.  treats are his favorite thing.  and a snuggle on the couch later.  he loves to snuggle.  maybe a bath first though...  

a little instruction manual for growing wings...

the teen years are challenging.  especially for girls.  sometimes they need guidance.  from someone who has been through it.  like their mom.  but spoken advice often sounds preachy.  and it's quickly forgotten.

so i made a a little book.  an instruction manual of sorts.  for growing her wings.

the first page.  an envelope with a letter from mom.  and the pages that follow.  are filled with...

inspiring messages.  to remind her how very, very special she is.  this one was printed from a Brave Girls email.  

and bits of lovely poetry.

reminders of love.  we all need those.

quotes for difficult days.

a permission slip.  this one has nothing to do with school.

a reminder for when things pile up.

drippy paint.  cause i like drippy paint.  and so does she.

and flowers.

wings.  of course.

more notes from the Brave Girls.

and hope.  there can never be too much of that.

i made sure to leave room.  so that i can add on as i find things.  that i know will help.  with the completion of her wings.