Nevermore Resurrection

Enough! OUt WiTh GloOm and DoOm! Nevermore rides again. Frustrated with second rate flamingos and stuck on this one which had horrible composition problems in the beginning - I think I got it! Fun. Now to let it dry and glaze and put it up on the block for some poor angsty goth type person to take a whimsy too. What fun!!!! On to the next one!

Treason

Getting people sick indirectly (or directly) is big business in the U.S. Maybe other countries too, I don't know. Drug companies and the medical industry and food industry have a huge interest in keeping us sick and addicted to chemically altered and produced foods.

The door opened to nationalized health care last week. Politicos move at the state level to block it. But the door is open a crack. There is a long battle ahead. What can we do to protect our health before we need health care we can't afford? Be very alert and very careful and very studious.

Recent statistics have the occurrence of cancer as high as one in three persons during their lifetime. Diabetes and heart disease is raging. Going to the hospital risky because of super bacterias. Our environment is poisoned and our food and water is poisoned by corporate giants who want more money in their pockets.

I took a nice long walk yesterday while the Blue Angels performed over our heads and wondered what the risks of inhaling loads of jet fuel residue were. And I would be unpatriotic to even ask, let alone think it.

Beware of what you eat and drink - it might make the difference between dying happy or miserable after years of suffering. Yes, organic is expensive. Gardens hard to grow in some areas. Buy locally grown produce when possible - even if you ingest some pesticide, at least you are not eating chemicals engineered by scientists in some freak lab that are proven to cause gene mutations that cause cancer and other disease, just hit the antioxidants a bit harder! I think of planting a garden and wonder about the effects of the jet fuel that layers into our soil and plants twice a week, year after year?

I looked up the word, Treason, and wonder why the companies that sell poisoned food are not arrested and halted for the good of the people. I guess its the same process that make people think that the earth is self renewing and we do not have to take care of it and that to do so is some kind of political insanity. Money for corporations. We are poisoning the earth and ourselves and most of the population is in denial because the corporations are smart, they turn our questioning into political wars - Republican against Democrat, and it all come down to money.
http://www.aolnews.com/nanotech/article/regulated-or-not-nano-foods-coming-to-a-store-near-you/19401246?icid=mainmaindl1link3http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aolnews.com%2Fnanotech%2Farticle%2Fregulated-or-not-nano-foods-coming-to-a-store-near-you%2F19401246

I do not want to die of cancer, diabetes, obesity, or any other disease that is rampant in our society today. I want to just keel over at 99 after having had a reasonably healthy life, not after making drug companies and the medical profession and the corporate giants richer while my money dwindles away on their products that kill me.

We have to swim upstream. Sometimes in small groups or even alone to stay well. And sometimes ostracized as a nut. Who cares! I want to be known as a healthy nut! At least the part where I have some control is where I will start. And I don't care if I'm called names.

Training and Recovery from Too Many Brandys

Well, a few pounds off gained from the nights of Two Many Brandys, I don't feel so sluggish and depressed, today Grandson took me on an hour and one half walk through the swamp. I swear off brandy except for very special occasions. Oh, I'm in bad shape, barely made it home. I can now put the bottom of my feet on the floor without pain. Actually held up pretty well!

It is not the lush summer swamp, we too are in throes of spring - someone reminded me this is the first day of spring - we saw hawks soaring and huge ravens - we laughed so hard at the ravens. They are really beautiful!

B.S. - that is before swamp, we went to a gathering of artists, creative people at some people's house who are from Sweden. The house was wonderfully minimalist, industrial, light, arty - and the grounds covered in controlled natural habitat - she is a natural healer - had a marvelous time, and grandson ate, I think, almost a loaf of fresh garlic bread. Such cool people, we had such a good time.

Yesterday I went to the beach for three hours and I'm July tan! Ready to travel - count down - three weeks, now! Hopefully I can keep up walking for about an hour a day (the other night, I wandered the subdivision for an hour and got lost at 10:00 p.m., but finally found my way home, duh!) and will be fit to go monkey hunting with my camera.

Still painting like crazy, I love this! I haven't watched TV for days and days - and weeks, which makes me happy as TV makes me lazy - I don't know why, because I do not know what balance is probably - just swing from one end to the other - too much or too little. Current events? You mean there are some? I wouldn't know.

Mysteriously, I have been able to get up in the morning, and straighten up in 1/2 hour - hmmmm, miracles!
And no one grumping! Sooo pleasant.

Turkey in the oven - starting to smell REALLY good. Guess I'll go peel some potatoes and make mashed potatoes with garlic after a few visits.

The Nights of Two Many Brandys

All of a sudden, I realize I am really going on a trip. I also realized that I haven't done any web stuff for quite some time and the business side of me has become too sloppy. I ordered business cards this morning and am working on getting a decent personal/business website up. It's up, just wimpy right now. So that's what I'm doing. Oh, yes, and painting nudes.

Cleaned house like a crazy woman yesterday, and then had a go to with "H" as he walked in house in oily meat shoes, strung sandwich makings out all over clean kitchen, over the carpet, around the house, sort of like a Hansel and Gretel type, perhaps he was afraid he would lose his way back to the kitchen, blew up something red in the clean microwave, threw food crusted dishes in the clean sink for me to clean - I said, "Wait, can you pick up after yourself? I already did all the cleaning." Fireworks. Whooooo. Thas' ok. Life goes on, just because I don't work outside the home, I am not a second class citizen nor a personal servant. Yep.

Neighbor notices I am leaving the house more often and is back to request babysitting. Why do I have trouble with boundaries? I am far too good natured most of the time I guess. I will have to put my guard up - sometimes there is just a season of boundary pressing!

Forgot, one doesn't inhale clorox when cleaning small ventless places, however, the neti pot is a great soother for rapidly swelling sinuses, no coughing today and all is well.

Had a super gathering with friends, Hattigrace's little dog, Isabella decided she would grace me with her presence for a little while, and for a moment, I almost wanted to get a dog, but oh, my, I have too much on my plate now anyway, THAT would be silly. Big Mamma and poor hallucinating, Psycho cat are quite enough, and my messy "H". I am reminded every time I clean their potty area.

Ah, every creature poops. Even the caterpillars that come to my garden. Yep.

I have spent, since Friday night, drinking "two many brandies." Thank goodness the bottle is now empty and I will once again become healthy and drink water before bed instead of getting looped and worrying about what I may have posted on the internet.

With that, I must make my bed, get dressed and start the day. I will be back to visit all.

Looking Forward

West Indies
Partially finished red nude

She flew in one day

Ahhhh - finally spring around the corner

nice day to sunbathe

Life is event-full lately. Finally tonight taking a breather - having to watch being easily exhausted and remember to calm down. Hildegard Von Bingen is singing on my computer and is soothing - I'm in bed with new canvas to start - my paint supplies arrived - twelve 16" x 20" canvases, cerulean blue (boy I hadn't realized how expensive paints were now.

I spent two hours at Barnes and Noble Friday night reading "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Sckloot, one of the most fascinating books I've read.

Then we went to Alice in Wonderland 3D - it was great - Depp at his Mad Hatter best. The tea party was mad and delightful. Alice's costumery was stunning as was Depp's makeup! I want to see it again!

Passport arrived on time, I have tickets and the trip to West Indies is on! I've 3/4 packed even though its five weeks away. I need it. I feel emotionally drained. Being close to the equater will be refreshing, refilling, on top of a volcano in the clouds will be soul restoring. I plan to get enough pictures to paint for a long time.

A new week has started - though tomorrow is Tuesday - haven't had time much to Farm - and TV has been cut down 85%! I wonder through the house playing either worship music or Bingen or Forbidden Songs about My Bonne Island by Tom Kenyon - - - watching grandson a lot, planning a trip to my other daughter's on payday - and ready to dig in the warming dirt outside.

And I'm counting down the days.

Making the Mess

Painted all day yesterday and today - today got sick - ran out of medium and used turpentine in a closed in room. Duh. I sure have a mess going in the study. Taxes 90% ready for tax guy, a million (it seems) unsolicited catalogs, lots of paperwork I still need to condense and sort - why do I save it - it must be in the DMV book by now as a disease - paper hoarding, haha.

Doing a website on Weebly.com which has free sites and a respectable amount of add-ins. Want to download some pics to make a movie to import to home page. I haven't hardly watched any TV for a month and am shocked at how much time it has freed up.

Tomorrow have to go pick up a friend's friend from outpatient and take him home after surgery. Then, I don't know what. Maybe see Alice in Wonderland with my daughter, maybe not. If not, probably maybe go to a potluck at friends' home.

This month is going fast already - little things in the garden are starting to pop up.

My sister should be coming the end of April, so April will be an eventful month. I am for sure going to the Caribbean. I have my tickets and passport just came today. It will be a heaven sent trip for a week, no one but myself to think of, nothing to do but take pictures, and plan a website, and visit with friends. I might be repeating myself - blaming it on the turpentine inhalation and hand bath.

I would send my last painting, but it is a nude, so I daresn't send on internet. I want to do a series, this one has a green background. I want to do one in purple as well - and I started one with red orange background, but it won't go with the skin tones I'm using.

Bedtime

Kids are easier to control than cats. And that's saying alot. I call bedtime, two show up, only one stays. Of course, the kid stays - cats always do what they want, right?

Really, most of the time he stays. He's worried about the rain tonight, but he'll go back and go to bed. He sleeps in. The boy gets up, gets ready for school and the crazy cat keeps on snoozing until he hears breakfast called. "Cat Foods!" "Cat Foods!" He comes running like crazy.

But then, we're all sort of 'teched, this family.

Oh, yeh - he's telling me to give his regards to Maximus Spittimus....so here's regards.

:Life Lessons from Painting

Still working on this darn thing, determined to make it work. I think because I am working with transparent colors, that when I get done they seem to disappear into the canvas. I'm not familiar with working with night scenes - and the light source is coming from the front....wrestled with the dang thing last night and parts of it got better, parts got worse.

Painting is a lot like life - you start something, excited about it, and all of a sudden realize its not working so well, and now its a big problem to solve. Now, I'm sure more experienced painters would know exactly what to do with this.....so really, I guess it comes down to education and problem solving skills. Then somewhat, finding what one is really good at and focusing energy into that area.

I paint from emotion - usually. I think what I need to do, since I relate to the flamingo and the flamingo's soul, is to just paint a flamingo, without landscape - a portrait of a flamingo - look in its eyes and let it speak to me, and paint. Sooo will that work -? I looked in the eyes of the parrot and all I have is a pretty picture. I want the magic!

Ok, getting ready to go to church - I am a bit huffy as "H" is getting all showered, perfumed and is running off to church without me. I have to go to second service, because that is the only time grandson's age group meets. I feel hurt - I tell him - he pays no attention - a source of contention from long ago - church as avoidance. Ha, ha, I tell myself, put that one in your hat, and paint it.

Never paint with negative feelings in your heart. I started an angel and got in a tiff with someone else who means a lot to me - it was a pencil drawing and I was touching it ever so lightly with washes, and my hand got heavier and heavier and I made it mediocre, the hotter I became in temper, the more I ruined it. Its ok, but its not "wow" so its going to garbage. I think that is another life lesson.

Will be glad when I have a more peaceful spirit and tolerance. Its Lent now. I miss the traditions that point to the importance of the coming of my Savior and the reasons, and the cost, and the emphasis on the whole importance of the Easter season. Mardi Gras and the partying are gone - I've never quite figured out how the craziness and extremities of Mardi Gras fit in with the concept of Christianity - not that I haven't gone to the tamer celebrations (I am not into having someone peeing on my shoes at the wild parades and parties!)

Ok, the old grouch is going in for her shower and perfume and the second church service. Perhaps God will meet me there and soothe the grouchiness, maybe even turn it to joy.

A Cat Named Psycho

Secrets, Herons in the Night, Tired too.

Eaaaghhhh. I have spent the last 3 weeks it seems running up and down the road in my car and buying gasoline. I am so tired I can't even sleep - I didn't get to the pharmacy today to pick up some Ambien - and here I am, bright eyed and bushy tailed at bedtime again. I haven't even watched TV for three weeks.

Today, I took a fancy. I never have secrets. But now I have a secret. A very big secret. So I went to Target and bought a big locket that I've been looking at, hoping, jus hoping I could find a secret to put in it. Now, I'm going to carry my secret next to my heart in the locket. And see what happens. It will work for me as I smile mysteriously at locket compliments, if I don't die prematurely.

Picked up my grandson - took him to Shrimp Basket where he ordered huge basket of friend er- yes I'm tired, I mean, fried crawfish. I ordered veggies and glad for it, because I feel nice and clean inside. Yeh, weird, huh? The older I get, the more I am enjoying the enjoyment of being free to be weird.

This beautiful stately bird was waiting on the entryway to the restaurant - a Blue Heron - it was like a moment of magic. After dinner we fed him/her french fries, left over crawfish and, weird person that I am, I told him how beautiful he was. Or she was. I wish it had not been so dark when grandson snapped his photo.

I am excited - the son of my best friend in the whole world back in Iowa contacted "H" today on Facebook - I hope I can find my long lost friend once again!

Finished.

I'm such a procrasinator - its always a triumph when I actually finish a piece of work!

This is oil on canvas.

The Casa Pantheressa

Just taking some pictures around the house. I finally cleaned it this month, haha.

Mojo Workin'

Where have I been? In a strange, but definitely not unpleasant place. In the last two weeks I have done two paintings - the guy in the hat needs a houndstooth pattern added which hope to finish tonight. And I think the flamingos need a second going over - we'll see. Just so pleased to have the urge to paint again.

Lots going on with family, and lots going on with me, none of which I can really talk about but I think the ends will all be positive.

Have been driving off the weight gain of the holidays - from henceforth I will remember how easy it is to put on and how hard it is to get off. Only five more pounds to go - but that can be a lot.

Cats have been chewed up and had to have vet treatment. Steering shaft out of car and had to have new tires - four car accidents in the family between my two daughters and grandkids. That's just a sampling.

Also I might have a web design job which would necessitate me spending a an expense paid week in the West Indies - now that makes me truly happy!!!! I hope it works out with another must do appointment in April.

Spending hours on computer with finding old files, preparing for CD's, offer, etc.

REcuperation

Cuperation - from the word chicken coop - I've been cooped up, haha! By choice! This is my coop. Where I hatch eggs of imagination, thoughts for art, food planning, reading, praying, napping, ideas for recipes, also a cat habitation - the warm little furry creatures curl close and we both fall asleep. I do these every so often - therefore - the RE before the coop.

If I sound slightly nuts I am. But its ok - just passed a birthday that would make a thirty year old tremble - if a thirty year old even thinks about this decade at all. I didn't, except in terms of my grandma.

Here ah am. A Southerner. Not famous. Not with a good retirement. Yeh, should be counting all the things I am. But I'm tired, going to take another nap - right after this movie -

Snake Tails

Found a little - well, skinny but very long, snake our cat bit through. I picked him up to dump in garbage, but he was very alive, so I put him in a tupper ware and took him to the park. Once there and exposed to his habitat, he was so quick to move out I couldn't get his picture.

So, here are some pictures of the swamp in the winter time! The snake is somewhere in there!

Weezy

Perhaps I'm prejudiced but I think this is the cutest dog in the whole world. He's tiny -
I love him - his personality is HUGE and I would steal him if I didn't have a conscience - he's my granddaughter's dog, but all of our darling! Even "H" who does not really care for animals adores him. You should see him in his padded green winter coat. She almost bought him a cowboy hat - but he was too indignant about that, but has agreed to the sweater and the coat because its so cold down here.

I just saw on the news the sea turtles off the Carolina coast were being fished out of the water and thawed out - poor things are freezing! Our temperatures this time of year are usually in the 60's - this is just too weird - of course we are in the conservative Christian demographic and this is absolute proof they think that Global Warming is a farce. I keep stubbornly pointing out that it doesn't hurt to do as God says in the first part of the Bible to be good stewards of the earth at any rate - but the whole concept is political and very polarizing. Oh well - the sun shines, and its pretty - as I drove grandson to school the shore was breathtakingly beautiful! Still as a mirror, and the sun was shining on it.

They say the citrus industry is done for - but "H" found many more oranges on the tree that I missed - we probably have forty - sweet juicy beautiful unfrozen oranges for the winter. At least I grew SOMETHING!

Hope to visit everyone soon - my time is being eaten by an invisible dragon.

One eyed, one horned flying Purple People Eaters....

We had more oranges than I thought - we were out picking after dark - not smart - resulting in blooding hands, that is sort of somewhere between bleeding and bloody - but lots of delicious sweet oranges. They are amazing this year!!!

The purples fuzzies? Cold feet this year. I wanted the ridculously expensive Ugg boots - but someone said they were very remniscent of Pamela Anderson, which totally frightened me away from Uggs. However, while touring Sears today and returning some Land's End shoes, the cashier offered me free Dearfoam slippers if I applied for a Sears credit card.

Ok, I applied. I got these insane purple people eater feet warmer slippers - sooo yummy comfortable but so completely silly looking! I was approved for credit, but the annual fee was $76 - silly people, I said "No thanks." But still got the free feet slippers/warmers!

There once was a song while I was growing up - "The Flying Purple People Eater" song - by Sheb Wooley. Lord, does that date me! My slippers remind me of that song.

The downtown lights for Christmas are still up - but that's ok, they are beautiful.

Saw the movie BLIND SIDED - was really good but then I love soppy sentimental movies. I do. For a feel good movie, GO!

Enough! :)

January 3, 2010

Still playing with my new camera. I love pine trees. One of these days I will paint them in a dark night sky from a view of looking up into the sky. These fellows are BIG - when we bought the house - "H" told me to pick out a lot without pine trees. Well, the pine trees looked to not be in the lot - but somehow ended up with three of these big boys. One of which broke during a hurricane and landed on the front part of the house.

Grandson went home from a 4 day visit during which we devoured lots of rice krispy treats - now, I wouldn't think they would be fattening - but those dudes are high in calories, plus grandson likes to put candy sprinkles in them, and then decorate them with canned frosting.

Tomorrow I have to go to the dealership and see if I can get them to fix the lousy steering that my model of car is known for. It started out with a recall not taken care of by dealer before I even bought it, and I wasn't told about it.

I have had two or three "fixes" since then that don't really fix it. I am hoping for the best- like, "sure we'll replace your steering column and assembly and there will be no charge since the car came with that problem." I NEED to hear those words and see that action! They need to quit tightening a screw and sending me home and FIX it! And I've been pricing out tires - they are shot, AND it needs its 50,000 mile transmission servicing. After Christmas wake up call!

Then I'll go visit my friends from Wyoming who are cozy-ing into their own winter place down here.

If you are a Face Booker and find I'm not posting much, I have an odd situation there. Not quite stalking but maybe over interest - or, not sure, but someone may be getting a bit controlling. Or even more than someones. Staying anonymous has its perks, haha.

Still have massive pain problems (especially after trimming bushes in the yard) when I don't take NSAIDS but I'm not supposed to take them.

I looked for jobs for about 2-3 months before Christmas. I've quit looking again. I dunno. Once in a while it hits me - I want to be working. I feel like working. Feel good enough to work. Then sometimes I just physically crash - need a job that wouldn't mind me bringing the work home during the crash times. I can get on a program to re-enter the work force with assistance - but - but - I can't even get into my doctor for a discussion of how I am doing now. Doc Lovely doesn't treat anymore except for his Pygmalion endeavors and I couldn't now afford the treatments even if he was practicing in that area. Now, if I could get 120 pounds overweight and develop diabetes complications, I could probably see a doctor - but not now. Our health care bill as it was last approved does not seem to offer much, but details are very nebulous. I need to find a new primary care doctor, I know. But its a needle in a haystack search. I do know one thing, I need to start getting up in the morning and taking care of business - setting a regular time to paint, and quit drifting, which I've been doing since that flu bug hit. Even if I'm drifting along, at least keep a journal about the drifting!

Gad. G'night everyone. New Year's Resolution - to find things I've lost - like the silver ring I made oldest grandson - the pages for my son's book - and lots of other things! Small house, big black hole somewhere.

The New Year 2010

Well, its New Year's Day! We are still in the monsoon season! Last night we (grandson & I watched Alien Vs. Predator - well, actually I fell asleep about 10 minutes after it started). Then today we went to AVATAR. What a beautiful movie - absolutely beautiful. I wish I could fall asleep and dream I was in that forest. And, of course, extremely tall blue people, long, graceful and cat like including a fierce ability to hiss - I LOVE it! It was lush and beautiful. A little bit of everything for everyone - a love story, a science fiction, a statement for protection of earth and a way of life, redemption -

Took oldest grandson for his 19th birthday to Olive Garden - it was also a nice family time.

Continue to learn new cameras features. Addicted to Farm Town. Being much more restrained with Face Book as some people are becoming far too concerned with what I'm doing.

Looking forward to the year. (I think!)

I had a sad moment today - realized my beautiful 2,500 foot home in Wyoming would be paid off this year! :( That would have been a wonderful thing! But the past is gone - we have today - and the future is open to us.

Christmas Review

To daughter's house for Christmas
Presents in the Elvis Room

Movies for later

THE CHAIR! Christmas present to make gaming even more awesome!

My youngest daughter's house

This a man dog?

Oldest Grandson with lst born daughter

Leopard Skin Shoes done and ready to hang

Youngest grandson - can't stay off the computer

Nana & Christian

Shop stop for some seafood



We had a great Christmas. Good snacks, fun together, a new puppy, Weezie (which I really wish they could clone me one - he's adorable and soooo good. The weather a bit drizzly with rain, today sunshine. Too many lemon drop martinis - whoooooo - too many calories - but good times - even remembered how to jitterbug much to the grandkids, or at least the one who was "jitterbugging" with, delight.

"H" is out shopping day after sales, I'm too broke for that, so youngest grandson and I are watching movies -

My granddaughter would not permit any pictures on Christmas day - :(

"H" and I went to NINE and IT'S COMPLICATED yesterday, both about men who were egotistical womanizing butts - but the casting, costumes, unique presentation and plot behind NINE made up for that many many times over - and Penelope Cruz who never seemed more than a shadow did a number that was really powerful - she won't be forgotten. And even a few moments of Sophia Loren were worth the whole movie as well. I would give it a "9!"

We laughed so hard through "IT'S COMPLICATED" and cheered at the ending, she made the right choice.

That sums it up - now on to New Year's then Mardi Gras......