Springing Into Summer ~ Tulip Treasures ~ SOLD

"Find what makes your heart sing
and create your own music." 
~ Mac Anderson

Tulip Treasures

• SOLD

Tulip Treasures

This image is available for license here.

The symbolism of the tulip is

affection, perfect love, new life

and spiritual awareness.

Although it looks and feels like spring weather left us a while ago, the first day  of summer isn't until next week, June 21st. As usual, Jerry has been busy filling up the yard with flowers and vegetable plants. Here are just a few shots of  

Sandy Land this morning.

Please share my work with your friends.

Thanks  for visiting and have a great day!

Joy To Your World!

With all the tragedy and negativity in the news lately,

I have been retreating into my own world more and more.

And it's a very GOOD world too!

I refuse to let circumstances that don't effect my world

and that are way beyond my control, get me down.

Continuing to look for the positive in life, I strive

to enjoy each day to the fullest.

The best way I know of doing this, is to count my blessings

and be truly THANKFUL as often as possible.

Please don't let senseless acts of insanity and negativity

in this world pollute your mind and hinder your resurrection

to a higher plane of love, happiness and spiritual evolution. 

Thanks to all of you for looking at my images,

reading my thoughts and offering your friendship here.

Wishing You Happiness and Appreciation for Your Blessings,

Now, During the Holiday Season

And Always,

X ♥  O

"Saying thank you is more than good manners.

It is good spirituality." 

~ Alfred Painter

'Twas a Month Before Christmas

'Twas a month before Christmas and all through the house,

Kittens break stuff belonging to me and my spouse.

They look like such angels, this shouldn't be the case,

Observe the innocence of each little face.

So instead of adorning with greenery and glass,

I've decided to refrain and not be an ass.

This season's ornaments will be meagerly sparse,

To do otherwise would be a big farce.

A reminder that material possessions are not the important part,

What really matters most is what comes from the heart.

Wishing You Many Blessings, 

X♥O

Happy Day of the Dead and Extended Halloween

As part of a modern, global community, we are exposed to many traditions from varied cultures. With a festive attitude, many folks are embracing some of today's more unique celebrations. For two consecutive days just after Halloween, "Day Of The Dead" from Mexico, is a well received pagan holiday which is rapidly gaining recognition and popularity in this country and beyond.

"Day Of The Dead" *Sold

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Some quotes on "Culture" :

"Culture is the passion for sweetness and light, and what is more, the passion for making them prevail." (Matthew Arnold)

"All art is an individual's expression of a culture. Cultures differ, so art looks different." (Henry Glassie)

"I am sure that only art will bring together all the peoples of the world." (Ousmane Dia)

Here in NJ, because of HURRICANE SANDY, Halloween has been moved to Monday, Nov. 5th. It seems strange and of course there's a lot of confusion and contradiction about it. Anyway, in my opinion, any time Halloween is extended, it's a good thing. I am thankful that my namesake, HURRICANE SANDY was very kind to us. We never even lost our electricity. Storm damage was minimal here in Sandy Land. Since we just got our cable (internet, TV and phone) service restored last night, we've been out of the media loop. Thanks to everyone for your concern. I hope SANDY was kind to you as well.  My heart goes out to the many who are struggling with the aftermath of this powerful mega storm.

♥

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Day_of_the_Dead

Another Witchy Wordless Wednesday!

Is It Too Early to Decorate for Halloween?

The summer is winding down here. Temperatures have been going down into the fifties at night! Horse balnkies were sent out for cleaning this morning. Our resident woodchuck is a tank and the hummingbirds are starting to go into training for their annual migration.

Fall is in the air.

It's the time of year when you start to want to bake

and be in the warmth and comfort of your kitchen.

I've been following a blog by an amazing woman at OctoberFarm.

I don't even know her name, but the recipes are A M A Z I N G !

This Best Pecan Shortbread Bar

recipe was tried here yesterday.

Very good, but a little over cooked, 

I'll adjust my time the next time.

Have you started decorating for Halloween yet?

I have.

Decorations are popping up everywhere.

Inside

and out!

It's a time of transition.

And now there's something to remind me

to stop, live in the moment

and savor the change

that is all life.

"To be interested in the changing seasons

is a happier state of mind than to be

hopelessly in love with spring."

~ George Santayana

♥

So, do you think that August 18th

is too early to start decorating for Halloween?

When do you start?

The Summer is Speeding By

Calico Kitten - 5.5 x 7.5" - Watercolor on Yupo paper, matted to 8 x 10" 

I did this painting today from one of the sketches of my little calico

girl that I recently posted on SketchingEveryday here. 

The kids take a nap after a hard morning of playing in the studio.

It has been one month today since we started catching the babies. They are growing like weeds and have more than doubled in size! 

We caught their mother, Ja Ja, and had her spayed on Tuesday. YAY! We are keeping her in a cage in the barn while she recuperates. She is really sweet for a feral and we are hoping to tame her even more before releasing her.

Me (L) and blogging friend, Robin Larkspur(R).

Here's a snapshot of my good friend, Robin.

I am so glad we got to meet and spend some time together in person!  

My Princess Cutie Pye with Robin's Pyewacket and Pixie.

Robin's blog, PurrrrSnicKitty, is humorous and fun to read.

Her spunky Little Miss Pixie has already been busy

creating amusing games.

Golfinch on the new rocking chair feeder.

I've been trying to get a photo of this cute bird feeder that Robin and her hubby gave to Jerry when they visited. It looks so sweet when the Goldfinches use it. Unfortunately, the Doves now like it too and tend to hog it.  I'll have to settle for this poor shot through the window for now. At least you get the idea.

My Mom and Dad posing in font of the studio.

My folks were here visiting for a week on their way up to Michigan with their motorhome. They left yesterday morning. I miss them already. It seems so quiet here now.

I've got more company on the way though! And the guests are coming all the way from California. One of them is actually a celebrity and is touring the world! I'll be letting the cat out of the bag tomorrow on my Sketching Everyday blog.

☺

Thanks for reading!

As always, I look forward to receiving your emails and comments.

 

♥

The Whole Cat and Caboodle

We still haven't caught the kitten's momma.

The folks at Ace of Spays sent me to

the AlleyCat.org website for some help. 

They have a section on socializing feral kittens. They say ideally you should spend about two hours each day holding and playing with them, which I have had no trouble doing. Two hours each, times four equals eight, right?

My friend Nan, lent me her cat condo.

It's a real god send and the precious pussy cats just love it.

They can't jump very high yet,

but have learned very quickly to climb like monkeys

to reach the top perch.

The itty bitty kitties seem very happy,

enjoying their space, my frequent visits and each other's company.

This shy petite Pixie will be leaving us this weekend.

Along with her personable big sister, my sweet little Cutie Pye.

Yes, the calico girls will be meeting their new mom and dad this Saturday!  On Sunday they will depart with them and travel 300 miles to their new home in central, New York. I am really and truly grateful that they are getting such a wonderful home! I have to admit that it is bitter sweet however and I'm afraid I will miss them terribly. Even though they are incredibly awesome kittens, I am amazed at how I have become so attached to all of them in such a short time.

 Their new mom, Robin Larkspur, is starting up a blog called PurrrrSnicKitty that will feature these tiny "Jersey Girls" and their adventures.  So along with everyone else in the blogosphere, I will be able to keep up with them and their new lives. I know they will be treated like royalty.

"In ancient times cats were worshipped as gods;

 they have not forgotten this."  ~ Terry Pratchett 

Thanks for reading everyone.

Your comments are always welcomed and appreciated.

Hugs and Purrs,

Spirit Bears and Kitten Distractions ~ SOLD

Spirit Bear - 5.5 x 7.5" - Watercolor on Yupo paper, matted to 8 x 10" 

This week just evaporated into thin air! I didn't get a whole lot accomplished, but I was able to do some sketching everyday and finished this one Spirit Bear painting from last week's sketchingeveryday drawing.

Friend and fellow artist, Lee Gates, booked a private watercolor session which lasted most of the day on Tuesday. ( Surprise - more bears!) We were both pleased with her end result.

The itty-bitty kitties currently living in my studio have been such a wonderful and fun distraction! It's totally amazing I've gotten any work done at all. I'm finding I need to take kitty breaks every couple of hours just to play with them and laugh. (Their momma is still at large, BTW. We caught two raccoons and one groundhog last night.) 

Today I had a brilliant idea (if I must say so) and I set up a kitty corral in one of the corners of the room, using two 6 foot folding tables. I put the kitties in a small cage and opened it up inside the enclosure.

Bold little Betty Boop was the first one out.

Little brother, Opie quickly followed her lead.

Then he had second thoughts and returned to the safety of the cage

with his sisters, Pye Pye (left) and Pixie (right).

Before long, all four of them were going wild, running in and out and all around the little cage. I sat on the floor right in the middle. They leaped and ran over my legs as we played with their favorite toy, the feather on a string. After about an hour, I fed them and moved their beds into the corner by the cage. They are all totally zonked out as I type. I think this will be a great new temporary home and a way to socialize them, without them hardly even noticing.

Jerry had me take a few shots of our flowers in the back of our house this morning. He wanted to show the guy at the garden center where he bought them. We don't have any in the front. It's very plain. We want them where we can see and enjoy them.

I love this brass planter with lion's heads that Jerry picked up for me at the scrap yard. The plant he later purchased fit into it perfectly. I think it makes a bold statement at the studio entrance. I'm so lucky to have a hubby that's always so supportive and constantly lavishes me with gifts!

I'd love to hear your thoughts about my art, kittens and life in general! Hearing from you is always greatly appreciated. Really!

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone.

Wishing you joy and gratitude everyday, even for the little things in life!

Love and Hugs, 

"Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you may look back

and realize they were the big things."

~ Robert Brault