Sunday, July 31, 2011

Don't hold your breath

This is the sum total of my "garden"
Is anybody laying bets on this tomato crop?
Is there any possibility I'll get to eat fruit of the vine 
from this spindly creature
before it frosts?

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Serenity----- ah . . . . . .

OK....I think I'm at the end of the Yachats posts
Good bye, ocean


Don't let the black bird nor the tsunami warning put you off
This is a great place to find serenity


Here is the view from that bench
I could sit here a long time soaking it all up . . . . . actually I did
Enjoy!

The Secret Garden Sounds


In daytime, the birds rule the airwaves in The Secret Garden



The evening before I left town
I went to The Secret Garden to check the word rocks (2 still there)
The birds were no longer in charge
What I heard surprised me
And, no, I didn't see even one

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Black and White. last sketches of vacation week

This phrase tickles me:   Serious Whimsy.......love the way it trips my synapses
Yes, I take my whimsy seriously

It is part of a shop logo
I didn't get to visit the store or the store owner
The shop door was locked and she left a sign on the door
"I'm off getting high on chemo"
Other shop owners said this is her 4th battle with cancer in 4 years.....beastly
Bless her good nature
Three years ago I bought a beautiful kalidescope from her
Glad I had a chance to support her
I have some kids at school use it to help them relax
 If  you've been to Yachats
I'm thinking you've stopped here for a double decker ice cream cone
or at least you should have
The store owner is such a nice guy
busy making chocolate turtles between ice cream scooping orders
REALLY good mint chocolate chip ice cream with big honking chunks of chocolate
So glad the Wellness Challenge didn't start til after I got home from my trip


Such a crowded, chunked up, small town storefront,
I wanted to see if I could get the essence down on paper
How's that!

Friday, July 22, 2011

Ocean sounds for Mom

As I walked along the ocean edge
I thought
I bet Mom would really enjoy hearing some crashing waves
She has had very few coastal days in her life

Decided to try out the video feature on my new camera

And a kind friend just coached me on how to attach it here



I can't get enough volumn on my camera for mom to hear this, but posted here
I think I can pump it up for her 
Now it's time for another lap top viewing visit for Mom

Peace, be still

Near an ocean cliff, I see a word post


It bears a closer look




Amen

I vote YES

Yachats souvenir

I found a new school tool
In the small groups I run at school
we sometimes use a "talk rock"
You hold the rock when it's your turn to talk
Anyone talking out of turn risks getting the stink eye from others
with a look that seems to say.....
"You don't have the rock,
how dare you talk!"

Last year our "talk rock" was a cool sea shell

One of my intentions for my ocean trip
was to bring home a piece of driftwood as a new talk "rock"
And here it is
just the right size for young hands to grasp:

smooth
no slivers (yet)
and a conversation starter

Is it illegal to bring home a chunk of ocean back wash?
Hopefully I don't get arrested for such a procurement!

All the colors of the rainbow

Time to play with my new water color crayons
Like I said, I never knew such a thing existed til a month ago
Smear some on the page for background color, add water, see what happens . . .pretty fun
I used them, plus a travel pallet of water colors that has a "brush/pen" you fill with water so you don't have
to  carry a jug of water if you are painting outdoors
Very clever

An online site called Sketch Your Day was my inspiration
Draw what's in front of you
  OK . . . . I'll try that

Hm...everything looks cute, but mighty delicate
Do you like the pits and the stemsm of the cherries? 
Hey,,,I know my fruit was bigger than that!

So I thought about what Angela teaches in her photo classes
"Fill the frame, fill the frame, fill the frame!"
(She made us sing it . . . .  Oh yeah)  
Draw a little bigger, I tell myself . . . see if I can fill the page  
Cool
A birds eye view of my breakfast
Frosted mini-wheats
a banana with a little brown....just the way I like 'em
and a few lumps in my chocolate....the way Kristen likes hers

Meet Petah (Peter, said with an English accent!)
 Someone left a large real starfish clinging-----and rigamorted----to our deck edge
(pretty sure that's a big NoNo and a form of anti-tree hugging in Oregon)
A rather handsome dude, I thought
So I named him
He and I hung out together a number of times
as I read or drew or journaled or breathed deep---gazing at the ocean
I noticed he's the silent type

 Been pondering lately about my season of life
This is one of the thoughts that nudges
So I did a little collage piece to put words on the whisper that is inside me

 Some of my beach combing treasures, including the "talk rock" for school
I took all the artistic license I wished when I picked colors 

The colors on this make me smile and feel happy
and I like it even better since I added some color to the rope and fence

These were all quite a stretch for me . . . sometimes I surprise myself

Anybody want to come play with color? .....smear a crayon, swish a water brush!

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Rock My World. Part 6

Perhaps a silent thank you to one of my favorite spots...the library
So handy....right across the street from our house
I'd pop in about once a day...
chat with the volunteer staff
check email, browse the stacks, check out books or movies
They gave me a library card good for two years!
 Just a flash of purple
added to the arm of one of the outdoor benches
Though it was noticed and moved,
 the relaxed folk of Yachats let it remain

Help yourself to some purple love

Rock My World. Part 5

 There's a certain bench with a great view

The ocean is below-----crashing into the rocks, sand and boulders
You can hear the sound, feel the vibration
You remember to take a refreshing deep breath.... let all your muscles relax
Ah . . . . .that's perfect

You happen to glance through the grasses to your left
There is the word that matches you
oh so fine
It is yours

Oh yes, this one found a new owner immediately
I would love to have witnessed that match!

Rock My World. Part 4

Welcome to the center of The Secret Garden
Do you love that stately tree?
If you happen to glance
between two chunky branches
your gift is a reminder to sweeten your day
(still there . . .feel free to take it home with you)
 Just the other side of The Secret Garden is an amazing treehouse
(don't you just want to hop up those steps and set up a tea party!)

 and another giant of a tree that held a colorful reminder
(Zipadeedoodah, that rock is gone now!)
 Here's the big picture
Can you find the eesy weensy purple rock?
Here is a hint

I had such a blast
and I still wasn't done

Rock My World. Part 3

 I quite like this knarly sit spot---just because it is so funky.
I didn't sit there much
because green bushes block the view of the waves crashing on the boulders beneath. 
Still......a very picturesque spot
That's where I tucked the grateful rock.
Last check:   Still there!
 Peace got planted on a much frequented bench with a great view
It must have found a new home in a flash, as it was gone next time I walked by
(Do you see the shadow of my hand?)
There is a nature sanctuary that I call The Secret Garden
It has a fun tip-tap-clip-clop wooden path through high bushes and marsh land
I feel totally separated from the motorized world
as I listen to the birds
I think it is the love rock that I stuck into the niche on this bridge
Still there!
(though someone turned it over once)

Funny story about the funky bench pictured at the top. 
I just couldn't wait to get the purple-ing done! 
As a trial run early in the week, I put a natural colored rock on that log bench with "Enjoy!" written in gold. 
I happened to be nearby when an older lady approached. 
I held my breath, wondering.....what will she do when she finds the rock? 
I watched to find out. 
She plopped down---sitting right on top of it---without even noticing. 
I chuckled as a thought whooshed through my mind:  Remember the story of The Princess and the Pea...she is not the princess!

Bummer

Anybody having trouble posting on my blog?
I am!  I tried to make a follow up comment to Jana and Alisha-----and, evidently, "I" won't let me post.  How rude is that?!
Of course, if you, too, are getting bumped off everytime you try to post - - - you can't tell me here.
Oh bummer

I just went in and dinked around with my settings.
Did it help?

Any suggestions?
Email me

Want Mo?

 We found a
Mo's Restaurant
 for one of our dinners
 As usual, it was crowded
but the wait staff was cheerful and
the kitchen crew hustled to feed the hungry tourists
 Here is the peaceful scene out our window....
no problem enjoying the waiting time
 There are a few items I just have to try when I'm at the coast.......
clam chowder is one....
 and whatever seafood sounds good at the time........
prawns and shrimp, this day
All of it was yummy
After filling my tummy and my To Go Box
I got a good look at my very appropriate dinner ware
I gave my little glass friend some fancy fins before I sent him back to the kitchen

Kitchen Privileges

We took turns fixing the meals we ate in our rental house
Yes, I really did take my turns
Do you like the tomato-red decor?
I'll tell you the truth
Tuscan cantaloupe is deeeeeee-li-shus
And Oregon bing cherries are bigger and sweeter than what we get here


It was a tasty week...more later

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Rock My World. Part 2

Oh yeah, I found some smooth rocks with enough surface for some lettering

I brought in about as many as would fit in the small pocket of my pants

Wash and dry

Bring on the acrylic paint

What doesn't show so much is the chocolate and almonds as treats in the background

the swish of paint

the munch of sweet

life is good

Ah . . . .word rocks


They rock!



I am in love with the serenity rock


For one thing, it is one of my favorite words....and favorite concepts

such a favorite, in fact, I chose it as one of my LONG term goals a LONG time ago

but just look at it.......it practically glows!


I couldn't wait to find a unique and fun place to stash it


In fact, I was excited to take a walk with my message rocks

and tuck them each into its own niche........

each waiting to surprise someone

and maybe be taken to a new home


So what word rock would you wish to find along your path of life?

Rock my World. Part 1

I may have talked before about my word rocks

Years ago, I gathered these rocks from a stream bed

Uh huh, I looked for smooth rocks that "spoke" to me

I took them home

and wrote on them in gold......

*words I love

*qualities I want to grow in me

I've had them as decor and reminders in my home----off and on------for maybe a dozen years

They still bring me pleasure



Last December, as I started this blog




I am inspired by her sharing heart

I decided it was time for me to offer inspiration to others

I figured I could find some smooth rocks near the ocean


So I packed

a bottle of purple paint

and a white paint pen

just in case

Servin' up some art play

When I entered my vacation bedroom, I discovered an empty tray on a stand

Ah hah!

Looks like prime territory for holding the play supplies I brought

Just the right size for my art stash

Who says you need to get all the way dressed to start your day?

Half dressed, half jammies

a drawing pad

and go for it

Look at this rich abundance---and the lovely tray..... I feel so blessed


Lots of choices for art play


some lines, some curves....


and sometimes, a splash of color




I especially pushed MY try-a-new-experience-envelope with my new Koi brand water color travel pallet


(a posh splurge from Dick Blick.com)


PLUS a new discovery: water color crayons


Spread some color....add some water


Oooo-eee . . . Try not to scare myself with judgment . . . just play with it and enjoy what emerges

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Coastal Greeting

I'm the kind of person who thinks it is entertaining

to read the material I find in my motel room or vacation spot

just because it is . . . .

But some of the reading at the beach is sobering

Beside the ocean, tsunami warnings are posted

along the beaches, roads and on paths that lead up hillsides

Inside the room

is a list of instructions and an evacuation map

Just in case you want to know

If you feel an earthquake, do not wait for instruction:

Head inland, immediately!

Yikes

God Bless America



Posted by PicasaI forgot to post this for the 4th of July.

This is Dean and Alisha ready for---I think--- a bicentennial parade. They were pretty excited.
Can you name the year?