Friday Haiku...

(Photo by Paul Williams - visit his website here)

morning mist settles
heavy on crystaline wings
grounding dancing flight
DDD 2011

for more Friday haiku visit Rebecca at Haiku my Heart

Tuesday Tea...

Just before we moved a few months ago, the little tab on the skeleton key broke off in my hutch lock... So... the door has been locked with no way of opening it. When I packed everything up, I had to use a bent up coat hanger to retrieve teapots and such from the right side of my hutch, as I can't reach all the way across the front of it from the other door... Just this past week, the hubby was able to get it opened... of course by cutting the bar, but he was able to do so without damaging the door any further.

So... here's my empty hutch...

Tomorrow I plan to invite my neighbor over for tea and finally unpack my teapots, sets and other "hutchables" and place them in their places of honor...  I'll be sure to get photos of the process and of the hutch with all it's belongings...  So Happy Tea Tuesday! I'm going to have to brew more Rooibos for ice tea.. It's quite refreshing and has no caffeine, so it's great for evenings.

Don't forget to visit Kimmie to see what the other Tuesday Tea-ers are up to!

Butterflies from Heaven...

A paper butterfly for "The Butterfly Effect Project."

Please see my sidebar for the link or click here.

These 3 are painted in oils on gessoed scrapbook paper. They are about 3 x 6 inches.

My plan is to have them matted together as they appear here.

The one in the middle is a Zebra Longwing... the state butterfly of Florida. The others are longwings too, but I would need to look them up to tell what they are. Enjoy!

Friday Haiku...

Photo by Paul Williams

from wooded cover...
doe-eyed curiosity...
boldly approaches...
DDD2011

To read more Friday Haiku visit Rebecca at Haiku My Heart.

Experimentation...

I've seen such cool paintings lately of birds and flowers against a collaged and/or "modern" background, so I decided to experiment with it. Meet the "Red Knight." Titled for the pages decoupaged and peeled on the hardboard support.

I then mixed clear gesso with a sage green acrylic paint and washed the background with it. The paint drips, smudges and circles are acrylic paint and the Knight himself is done in oils. I wish I could get all his wonderful colors in the photo... but that's something I need to work on. He has violet, plum, lavender, orange and yellow highlights. I'm thrilled with the bird, but the jury is still out on the background.

As for the water damage in my office... Thanks so much for your words of encouragement. Actually I was lucky in that my files, computer and personal things survived... Well most of it anyway... I had a Van Gogh poster (The Iris Garden) that apparently didn't survive... It's just gone... and I can't find my college diploma. It was hanging on the wall along with my planning certificate, which survived undamaged... so I'm hoping that my diploma was packed away by the restoration contractor along with my wedding picture that was hanging below it. The grandchildren photos on my desk survived... so again, I'm hoping my diploma is just packed away somewhere. My art dolls and other artwork survived as well... also my little Airstream trailer model (my retirement motivation) and the teapots that I had there are fine.

Unfortunately... on my way home, after moving files and such to a temp office... I was waiting to turn left into my neighborhood and someone pulled out from a stop sign and hit my poor little "Black Olive" car. This time... it's undrivable... Sheesh... A couple months ago, I hit a street sign and landed in a ditch to avoid hitting a bicyclist (in a hard plastic neck brace no less... he couldn't turn his head... do you think he even could have seen me???)... hence the "poor" little car.  I love my little car. Is there no end to my bad luck???? I feel like Schleprock!!!

Mr. Jay

I don't think he's finished yet... but here he is...

This photo doesn't show his wonderful colors...deep blue hues (of course), violets, lavenders and yellows too. I think he's very "painterly," which is what I've been trying to achieve. I'll get better photos later... maybe after he's finished.

For now... I have to head to my office to salvage what I can from the water damage. 

Tuesday Tea...

My holiday weekend was extended! I got a phone call from work yesterday saying that my building had water damage due to a malfunctioning sprinkler system. We aren't to return to work until Wednesday! Paid administrative leave! How cool is that! It was great for me, because I was sick in bed all weekend with an ear infection. I was finally able to get to a doctor today... So... I went by the bookstore and found this book...

I am enjoying it so much I'm more than 1/2 way through already! It's a wonderful read... especially if you love gardening, cooking, magic and hope! So I'm drinking iced Rooibos tea and reading... It's been a lovely afternoon... and I won't give away the ending of the book... I can't... I haven't finished it yet!

Happy Tuesday my friends! Please visit Kimmie to see what our other Tuesday Tea drinkers are up to! I'll be visiting later... but for now I'm getting back to my book!

Friday Haiku...

Haiku My Heart....

Photo by Russ Hanson

Bright but silent horns
await the winged symphany
of a feathered song...
DDD 2011

For more Friday haiku, visit Haiku my Heart.

Tuesday Tea...

Hi Ladies! It's been a while since I had tea with you... and I'm so glad to be back!  Tonight I'm having Hedley's Rooibus, with pomegranate and blood orange.  It's just as flavorful as black tea... and caffeine free.

Hey do you remember this little orphan of mine?

Well, I was in a thrift store a week ago and look what I ran across!!!

Of course I snapped it up...

and reunited them!

Of course the reunion wouldn't be complete without the beaded heart-shaped infuser!

Happy Tuesday Tea! Don't forget to visit Kimmie's to see what the other Tuesday Tea participants are up to...

Yes it's been a while...

I know I haven't been around in a while... We made our move and have settled in to the new place. Things are a bit stressful at work. Every time we get a new administration in Tallahassee, state agencies are shaken up. With our latest governor, it's been even worse. We are all fearing for our jobs (not to mention taking a 3% pay cut, when you haven't even gotten a cost of living increase in 4 years)... How he thinks that putting government staff out of work will help reduce unemployment is beyond me. So... Being the sole bread winner in my house... I'm taking it day-by-day.

Our next door neighbor is a wonderful elderly lady that has lived an extraordinary life. Charmaine has traveled all over the world and has lived and worked in Washington D.C. She volunteers at local colleges and has so much to offer. I really enjoy hanging out with her. She also enjoys tea, has a small collection of teapots and a larger collection of English cups and saucers. Last weekend we went to lunch at a local tea room. It was lovely. 

I've been painting some, but my muse has been difficult to rouse lately. I did my first beach/seascape in oils recently...  Tell me what you think...

I'll try to be more present in my blogging... I know I said that a couple months ago, but I've had to make some sacrifices lately... and to be honest, I just haven't been in the mood to share.  Hopefully this too shall pass...