A little homesick.................

I miss 'Old New Orleans' and the way it used to be..... when we felt relatively safe walking the streets. That is strictly no more. As much as I want to go home again I remember the way my heart races when I am there. I am virtually scared S--tless the whole time I am there. Everyone looks scared to me! Afraid of being hurt by all the thugs running wild in the streets trying to take advantage of any and every one. I hate what they have done to my old stomping grounds...... I can go back..... but you can't go 'home' again. That is true. It will never be the city I grew up in and went to school in. Poof! Gone! History! But it was gone way before Katrina.

My mom and dad are buried there and I would like to go and 'visit' with them and spend some time with them in memory. I would be afraid to do that unless I was in a group.

It is such a shame.......I remember when our Grandma would say stuff like in the old days.....well, now I am old because all I can think of my city is 'in the old days....'

Meet our 7th child.....Nameless

I still don't know what to name my new little son. I call him all sorts of things but nothing sticks firmly....yet!! He is just adorable and is such a clown. As time goes by I am sure something special will come to me but for now, he is just mama's baby.

The Hot Tub is here..........

We had to hire a huge crane to lift it over the house but it is here and in the back yard waiting to be hooked up and for us to fix a drink and get in.........
Come on warm weather!!!!!

My 21 classes are done......

I miss my class already. Nice people and loved the lessons Jessica taught us. I think I will sign up for the second part of the 'Love My Journal' class. It is true that I worked on my assignments all-day-long. Nothing is easy for me, I have to really work when it comes to drawing........... I literally felt like I had been doing heavy labor by the end of the day. I would work up a sweat and I would be drained by the end of the day. The journaling daily will be hard for me because after so many years I feel as tho' I have said all I have to say but the drawing will be good for me. This journal is so full of color and will be fun to look at over and over again. I will be looking forward to the Como Park excursion to the flower gardens and the Japanese Tea Garden. Should be fun sketching for me while Luther gets a good snooze. :o)

That's my story...............!

'tis been a long, long, time

Oh my, where has time gone?

I have been taking a journaling class with Jessica Wesolek and enjoying the heck out of it. It is good to be back into my journal again and sharing with others. She is kicking butt with this class and she is making me look at things with new eyes. I want to take her drawing class.... and when I finish this 21 day session, I hope to take the second part.

I just hated school when I was forced to go but now I enjoy the learning process.

The weather: ENOUGH SNOW ALREADY!!!

I think I can hang on until Spring. I have hopes of planting a beautiful Butterfly garden this Spring. I adore them and want to have everything they need right here in our yard. I understand I need a mud puddle and some flat, hot rocks for them on chilly days and that they don't fly unless it is 60 degrees because they are cold blooded creatures. Well the fountain outside is made up of lots of flat stones and I will make them a mudpuddle if that will keep them here and happy! Something tells me that my camera will get quite a workout. I am ready to start a new Gardening Journal because it was my absolute joy last year to keep track of every new thing sprouting up and how it did, etc. Kept me busy all Summer. Soon, very soon, the Hummingbirds will be back and I am all ready for them except for the 'mister' that I am told will help to attract more of them. The experts say they love to fly in and out of it and that they actually drink while doing it.

Come on Summer. My old bones could use some warmth and hot sun for a spell.............
And a Hot Tub would be the icing on the cake!

Until later................

ERASER CARVING.........

Michelle challenged us to carve some erasers or make our own stamps. I have found that the kids fun foam can be fun and kinda funky but I also like to try my hand at carving. Of course, I haven't done anything as intricate as our Michelle. I don't have that sort of patience and that 'fancy stuff' doesn't usually wind up in my journals. Simple images are what I do.

I am not crazy about how fragile the erasers are.....especially after sweating blood to do 'em.
I just have to try everything atleast once.
The cutest one I have seen out there was a 'turnip'. One of our fellow artists had carved one and put 'Can't get blood (red drops on the page) out of a Turnip ( turnip stamp)" I just loved it because it was done at Tax Time. I am sorry I can't give her credit but she moved me, she reallllly moved me! :o)
That's my story...................you know the rest. :o)

Oh woe is me..............

I don't know but some days it just doesn't pay to get out of bed............I think I have a bladder or kidney thing starting up. Pain in front and back and everywhere inbetween. I have neglected the blog, the art, and almost everything else for days and days. So lethargic, and a kinda sad feeling has overtaken me as well. I have everything in the world to be happy about so who knows about this sort of thing really? I mean, the winter here is so dark and gloomy.......all the time. It wears on a persons last nerve! This last weekend is was really warm out....a whopping 42 degrees. Folks were all looking at the plant sections of the stores. Of course it will be well over a month before we can seriously think of planting anything but we can dream. I did put out my nectar for the hummingbirds. I want them to find food as soon as they arrive because they will be so tired and no doubt very thin. "So I am ready babies for you to come home to mama."

The dogs have been so happy to get out the last few days. They kick their heels up and are having a great time out there. It makes me happy to see them run like greyhounds in a oval pattern. The Cresties start it off and the others follow along.

Today on the news this elderly couple were found to have 800 dogs and birds in their mobile home. Lord have mercy, if I keep listening to the news I will get more depressed. I am sure they meant well but it was so way out of hand.................poor animals.....poor people who have clearly lost their minds. Animals are so innocent yet they seem to suffer so at the hands of humans. It just breaks my heart, literally.

Well, atleast I got this far. Maybe the sun will come out and I can get my sewing room finished. I made great headway in there but still more to do.........then the art room. I am going to be throwing stuff out right and left. So much stuff in here that I no longer wish to use. I am packing it all up for the Salvation Army.

Well, that's it til next time..........