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!

Holiday Gift Offer

I am pleased to announce a print giveaway at My Etsy Shop.

No Special Codes or Coupons Required.

Get A Free Print With Every Purchase!

++++++++++++++++++++

There are so many things happening here in Sandy Land right now. I hope to find the time to post some of my news here in more details soon. It's all good, from animal adventures, an online lettering course, watercolor commissions, photography excursions, holiday preparations, birthday celebrations and a new horseback trail riding friend!

Until next time, I hope your days are busy, bright and filled with joy!

Thanks for reading and especially for commenting if you do.

X♥O

Thanksgiving is a word of Action

"He who thanks but with the lips
Thanks but in part;
The full, the true Thanksgiving
Comes from the heart."
~J.A. Shedd

"The unthankful heart... discovers no mercies;

but let the thankful heart sweep through the day

and just as the magnet finds the iron,

so it will find, in every hour, some divine blessings!"

~Henry Ward Beecher

"We can only be said to be truly alive

in those moments when

our hearts are conscious of our treasures." 

~ Thornton Wilder

I am truly thankful for so many things, including you.

Thank you so much for your friendship!

Wishing you a wonderful holiday and a very thankful heart.

X ♥ O

 

Wordless Wednesday

♥

Witchy Wordless Wednesday

How About Some Pumpkin Pye?

Poor Princess Cutie Pye has been feeling neglected after observing all the fun and attention that her brother, Opie, has been getting lately. It's a shame, but she's just not as photogenic. What she lacks in beauty on the outside though, she more than doubly makes up for on the inside. She is a true, pure, beautiful soul with an extremely gentle and loving spirit.

I know she'll purr when I show her this post!

X♥O

(and Pye Pye)

This quote is just as applicable to our fur children.

☺

My Little Punkin

X♥O

 

(and Opie)

Happy Pumpkin Season!

We love pumpkin season!

"You did know this gourd-ish squash

has its own season, right? 

Winter, Spring, Summer, Pumpkin....

We anxiously anticipate it every year." 

~ Trader Joe's

I hope you are enjoying the changing seasons

as much as we are!

♥

 

(& Opie)

Getting Back Into Riding . . . If Only in My Dreams

The past few nights, I've been having vivid dreams about riding and caring for the horses. It is probably due to me getting more upright, flexible and mobile, while taking advantage of the boot, physical therapy and exercising. I even walked out to the barn once with help from Jerry and a walker. Yesterday my farrier came and I stayed out there for almost two hours. I also gave Rita a good grooming. We both really enjoyed it!

Jerry continues to lunge my 32 year old, Rudy, at least every other day

and they both seem to be benefiting from it.

Sometimes he takes me out in the car so I can watch.

Over the past two months, some individuals have been sending healing thoughts, get well wishes and asking how I'm doing. It's really nice to know that people care. Thanks especially to those of you that have reached out to me during this trying time. Your friendship and kindness really means so much!


"When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand.  The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares."  ~ Henri Nouwen

"We are the captains of our own ships sailing the sea of life, but in times of a stormy weather, you will discover true friends when they don't hesitate to be a lighthouse."  ~ Dodinsky

Still spending part of my days in the chair; here's my current studio setup.

Jerry shot my leg last Thursday at my first physical therapy appointment. Only a week later, it looks much better. Still lots of swelling after exercise, but everything is going really well. I've been meditating nightly which is helping me heal more quickly, both physically and spiritually.

Although the time did go slow for me during my convalescence, I can't believe it is almost June! Now that I'm feeling better, things are really speeding up! This shot of Rita was taken by my friend, Jen, last August. She will have a collection of her photos at The Devon Horse Show and Country Fair at the Caracol Jewelry  booth. If you are local and you go to the show, be sure to stop by and have a look.  Her art is awesome.

Memorial Day weekend unofficially starts tomorrow. It kicks off the summer here in the states. I just started working on some of my stock photography again. I think this one of my folks, is appropriate for the holiday weekend and summer season ahead. "I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! YAY!"


No matter what your plans are, have a safe and enjoyable weekend. Take some time to reflect and be grateful for all those who have lost their lives so that we may enjoy the many freedoms we hold dear.


Wishing You Many Blessings, Sandy

Our Friends and Ancestors

"Take nothing but pictures.
Leave nothing but footprints.
Kill nothing but time."
~ Motto of the Baltimore Grotto, a caving society
 

"Every creature is better alive than dead, men and moose and pine trees, and he who understands it aright will rather preserve its life than destroy it."  ~ Henry David Thoreau

"Humankind has not woven the web of life.  We are but one thread within it.  Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.  All things are bound together.  All things connect."  ~ Chief Seattle, 1855

"I realized that Eastern thought had somewhat more compassion for all living things.  Man was a form of life that in another reincarnation might possibly be a horsefly or a bird of paradise or a deer.  So a man of such a faith, looking at animals, might be looking at old friends or ancestors.  In the East the wilderness has no evil connotation; it is thought of as an expression of the unity and harmony of the universe."  ~ William O. Douglas, Go East, Young Man, 1974

Fruity Artist / Photographer M.I.A.

My friend and college classmate, Carmella Messina, has just started a a blog called Persona. 

She said she came up with the name because of the many hats she wears. Believe me, I can relate. These days, I find I am a house keeper, nurse, wife, photographer, artist and equestrian; not necessarily in that order.

For the past two weeks, in addition to my nursing duties, I have been shooting fruits and vegetables to upload to iStockPhoto. When I get going on a project, I tend to get obsessed, that I will admit.

I think I've spent over $250. on produce so far. Thank goodness for my walk-in, screened-in porch fridge

This is one of the images that has already been accepted and added to my iStockPhoto Online Portfolio.  I just had a piece of one and it was delicious!

These days, my studio looks more like a farm market and smells like citrus and garlic.

The deer and horses here aren't complaining either. Nothing is going to waste. As I shoot and discard, I think the critters here at The Sandarosa are truly enjoying the abundant treats and vast variety of fruits and vegetables in their daily diet. . . They just don't realize how spoiled they really are.

LOVE

Burr, it was a good day to be inside today, so I've been working on some new Valentine's Day images for my iStock portfolio. February 14th will be here again before you know it!  It's always been one of my favorite holidays. How cool is it to have a special holiday in honor of LOVE, now really? Since my birthday is February 17th, it has always seemed like an extended one too! That, and we still continue the tradition of celebrating birthday week here in Sandy Land. I always try to plan something special for my special honey on that day. Even the critters usually get an extra treat or two. What do you usually do on St. Valentine's Day? Do you have any special memories or traditions?

And a Reminder: I am having A  Painting Giveaway this Friday at 3pm EST. Be sure to leave a comment and enter the contest if you would like a chance to win my little "Holiday Hummingbird" watercolor! 

Fall Colors in the Pine Barrens

Most of the leaves are down. The brown and grey colors of winter now preside.

Fall has come and gone here in Sandy Land, but this

year I was able to get a few shots of its' fleeting glory.

I love the spots and patterns of mold or fungus on the dying leaves. 

The orangish brown oak leaves take on a richness against dense fog.

Notice the spots of white here on the red maple leaves.

The fleeting season offered me a grand finale in my own backyard.

I am glad I took some time to record the show.

Keeping My Old Buddy Going

I've been searching for young timothy hay for my 31 year old Paint horse, Rembrandt. It is VERY hard to find, especially with the crazy summer drought and later the extremely wet monsoon season here. I ran out of the hay he liked a few weeks ago and he has been going downhill ever since. I think he gets depressed when he can't chew his hay. It needs to be short and tender. I've got a dozen different varieties of grass and alfalfa hay filling my barn that he just can't or won't eat.

The poor guy doesn't have good teeth, so it's hard to find hay that he likes and that he can chew.

On Friday, I picked up a couple of bales of tender timothy/orchard grass mix. I'm cutting it into bite sized pieces with a paper cutter and keeping my fingers crossed that he continues eating it, because fortunately, there is more of it to be had.

I am also trying a new puffed "Blue Seal Senior" feed that is like "Cocoa Puffs". It is softer and easier for horses with tooth problems to chew. He really likes it and learned the words "Cocoa Puffs" immediately. He is so enthusiastic about it, you could even say he's "Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs". I am glad and Rudy is fortunate that there are more and more products on the market for senior equines these days.

After lunch yesterday, I decided to ride my big mare, Miss Rita. I usually lunge her first to get the bucks out. When I did, she seemed off, so I took her for a hand walk in the woods instead. I have been riding Rudy the past few days, as it helps to regulate his digestion, keeps him supple and really perks him up. Rita always carries on, screams and tears around when I ride him, so that could be the reason for her lameness. 

Rudy was really feeling his oats (and probably jealousy) yesterday. The whole time I was walking Rita in the woods, Jerry said the old guy was whinnying, trotting, cantering and bucking all around his pen. I caught a few glimpses of him and it was good to see him moving about so soundly and feeling so well. My efforts have not been in vain. Now I just hope he didn't over do it.

As always, any comments or suggestions you may have are appreciated. All images are from my "Horse Stuff" lightbox on iStock.