Window Shopping Again

Painting by Paul Rafferty, @ Grenning gallery.com

This past week, I had the best time with my Mom. We had planned to go to the craft store and look around there, but we decided that Lunch at our favorite Mexican restaurant and browsing in the bookstore was just what we wanted to do.
It is rare that I/we get in a book store with time to just look at anything that catches our eye. Usually somebody is ready to leave, or we have limited time. This week though was different. We weren't rushed at all. Mom and I looked through books and magazines to our hearts content. I bought a book that my hubby had been wanting to read and looked for a couple of things for my son, but I really didn't buy anything else.
The sad part is that even though I had a wonderful time with my Mom, I sure wish my Sister could have been here too. She lives on the other side of the country and I miss her terribly. She and I however have our own way of shopping via the internet. Sometimes we call each other and shop on the net together. It can be great fun. Thank God for unlimited long distance. Whoever de-regulated the telephone industry is a genius.
Anyway this past week, I wanted to shop and so I made an etsy treasury. It is the first one I have done and it was really fun to put together.
I love flowers and children so I couldn't resist putting this together. I call it flower child.
If you get a chance, check it out. There are some really pretty things in it made by some incredibly talented people.
Happy Window Shopping.

Happy 4th of July!

From The little island.

Lantana, Love it or Not?

Do you grow Lantana? In some places it can easily become an invasive obnoxious weed and in other places it is an almost ever blooming, can take any kind of situation in stride, hardy, happy perennial.
There are many varieties of lantana and I am telling you, butterflies and skipper moths absolutely love it. They are drawn to the flowers like I am to the beach on a warm sunny morning. The stems are kind of hairy ( sometimes they will make you itch) and it has an odd smell. The first time I saw the plants, I thought it smelled much like deep woods off, but now the scent is a little less pronounced.
I have it planted in several places. I love flowers and I can't get enough and one that is constantly in bloom is all the better.


The foundation border in the back of my house never seems to welcome anything I plant. I can and have planted many different things there, but nothing seems to thrive. I think I will mix in some different colors of lantana and other things and let it become a flower bed for "survivors" only. Who knows maybe it will live up to it's reputation of being hard to kill.

Read any good books Lately?

I love to read. I read all sorts of books, and this past week I picked up a good one that a friend had passed on to me.
I read The Traveler's Gift, by Andy Andrews. We had a real rainy day with a lot of lightning and thunder and the rain made everything smell so fresh and look so green. My 2 mutts however don't have the same appreciation for storms that I enjoy and with each thunderclap, or streak of lightning they were forced to endure, they shook and quivered and whined.


I had planned to photograph some Jewelry pieces that I had made,



but everytime I moved, the dogs moved with me. When I walked across the room to retrieve a camera battery, they got down from the sofa and followed me there and back whining all the way. When I made myself a cup of coffee and heated a Krispy Kreme donut they almost tripped me. I finally gave up on my plans and decided the only peace in the valley would be if they were right beside me with their heads buried under a blanket.So I decided it would be a perfect day just to sit on the couch and read. The book moved so fast that I couldn't put it down. In fact, I don't think I moved at all until I finished the book sometime during the wee hours of the morning.
It turned out to be quite a good read for a rainy day and if you get a chance, check it out and let me know what you think of it.

Scenic Sunday

The works of God all of them are good; in it's own time every need is supplied.

Sirach 37:16
NABCE

Oh Man it's Hot, Hot Hot

It has become so hot and humid in the past week or two that I promise it feels as though you could cook an egg on the sidewalk.



The only problem is that I have no sidewalks anywhere close by. Yesterday I braved the heat for a couple of hours and potted some seedlings and cuttings, today I didn't even go out after I made a mandatory trip to the corner grocery store. I wish I could say that I had done something productive or made some pretty piece of jewelry, but I cannot. In truth I think my brain feels much like that egg on the sidewalk.

I thought about things to make and do all day, but I just couldn't make myself do any of them. Do you have days like that? When you do have those days, do you just work through them or give in to them? I keep telling myself, not to give in, but "my self" hasn't been listening lately. I need some kind of routine. Do you schedule your time, or just let it flow when creativity shows up with another bright idea? I have never been a night owl, but lately, that is when I want to work on things. It is out of character for me in a big way. I think I should start working on a schedule, but not tonight. I believe I will just go bend some wire and add a few beads and think about it for a while.

Wednesday's Wisdom

LAUGH LOUDLY

PRAY OFTEN

FEEL DEEPLY

EXPRESS FEARLESSLY

PLAY HARD

WORK JOYOUSLY

COMMIT TOTALLY

TOUCH TENDERLY

LIVE CONSCIOUSLY

And be sure to remember, Attitude is the mind's paintbrush. It can color any situation.
Have a wonderful Week.