Great Day in the Neighborhood

Today I missed the 6:30 am light rail to work. I don’t know what I was doing this morning to lag behind. I thought about driving; but gas is still too high to drive when I can take public transportation. I’ll save my gas for the things I want to do instead of work.

I was scheduled to go to a meeting last night for the opening of the dog park in Folsom. I really did not want to go; but it is sooooo close to home and a very short meeting I decided to “just do it.” Well the meeting was cancelled and when I saw the note on the door I was very happy to be going home again. All of this took maybe 10 minutes. It was great to go back home and to continue painting my current project. I need a day with more than 24 hours in it.

“Little boxes” is the current project. It is painted recycled cigarette boxes. I love to recycle trash into art. They all have a modern art feel. No subject since I am just looking for composition in the small scale. The project is actually fun with no redeeming political or social value. Hey we can’t protest all of time right?

I do have an idea for a political piece in a recycled wooden box; however I need to be in the right mood before I start. I will have to start watching CNN or some other news channel to get me fired up. I need to check in ans see what our politicians are doing or actually NOT doing.

Yep that is how my life is going right now. Not bad at all.

AND two more days until I visit Frida at the SF MOMA.

Quote for the day or actually definition for the day:

Definition of Politics: "Poli" in latin meaning "many" and "tics" meaning "blood-sucking parasites." – Anonymous

Pessimist? Maybe!

Another Day

Good Tuesday....................... as Tuesdays go.

I painted again last night which is always a plus. Tonight I have a meeting; but will get some painting in I hope.

This weekend is a trip to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art to see the Frida Kahlo exhibit. I am looking forward to the trip with my fellow Swell Sisters. It should be great.

Quote for the day: Between too early and too late, there is never more than a moment. – Franz Werfel

Good Mood Monday

Today I am in a good mood. This last weekend I accomplished more than I thought I would. That always makes me feel great because I usually accomplish less.

I am setting my sights on a more doable list of jobs each weekend. That way the boring “have to” jobs get done as well as the fun jobs.

And…… I know you are thinking there are no “have to(s)” only “want to(s).” I agree with that; but when it gets to the point that you can grow potatoes on my kitchen floor it truly becomes a “have to” to clean it.

I have a small dog and two inside cats. Although you don’t see much animal hair the word out is “don’t sit on the furniture with a black shirt or pants.” I always warn people about the animals. You need to love animals to come to my house. I vacuum; but not enough.

On the flip side of “have to” I did some art work this weekend and I am quite pleased with myself. I need to take pictures and I will post the work. I also took my dog to the dog park for a small dog meet up. There were about 30 small dogs running around doing what dogs do. It was a beautiful Sunday morning in the park with a slight breeze. I almost didn't go because I wanted to paint; however Sadie needs to be with other dogs on a regular basis to keep her social skills with other dogs. Now I need to push those social skills with other humans.

Quote for the day: To accomplish great things, we must dream as well as act. - Anatole France (1844-1924)

Good quote don't you agree?

Today is Friday and I love Fridays the best.

I got a call from my older daughter this morning. We chat on the phone several times a week. She is in southern California and I don’t see her as much as I would like. This is a picture taken of us last March. Do you see the resemblance?

I have much to do this weekend in the yard plus get back to my art work.

Hope you have a great weekend and enjoy!

Quote for the day:

A day's work is a day's work, neither more nor less, and the man who does it needs a day's sustenance, a night's repose and due leisure, whether he be painter or ploughman. – George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950)

Amen George!

Where did the week go?

I haven’t posted in a while. It seems that the last few days just got a way from me.

After working 40 hours as well as trying to paint and patch my bathroom, and trying to do some landscaping in the backyard. (Trying is word here.) There does not seem to be enough time to paint.

How do others manage to find the time to do all of the great art work I see and still do everything else in their lives? I guess I am just not organized enough OR my priority at the moment is not my artwork.

Perhaps that is what makes a professional artist: people that do art as a priority over all else. I will have to think about that. I am sure it is not that simple.

Quote for the day:
Decide what you want, decide what you are willing to exchange for it. Establish your priorities and go to work. – H.L. Hunt

Monday Again

Well it is Monday again. I was so busy over the weekend. I put a border around the two trees in the backyard and this weekend I wanted to lay the mulch. Oh My Gosh! Mulch bags are heavy. What was I thinking? I think I am still 30 or 40 and no way picking up 50 pound bags of the stuff is easy. ARGHH. Need less to say I wore myself out. Lucky for me the weather stayed in the 80's.

I really need to think these things out in the future. The only good thing is while I was recuperating from gardening I was painting. Now that is what I am talking about in "thinking things out. "

Here is a piece in progress and it will reflect something to do with the fires we've had here in California. Not sure how yet. I love a mystery.

Quote for the day:

Avoiding the phrase “I don’t have time...”, will soon help you to realize that you do have the time needed for just about anything you choose to accomplish in life. - Bo Bennett

Good Day

Well today is going to be a good day. This morning I was able to put flea treatment on one of two wild cats in my backyard. That makes it a good day. If I had gotten both it would be a great day. I try to appreciate the small accomplishments.

Both cats were once house cats when I was doing animal rescue; however with the new dog last year they went out the doggy door never to return. That's really OK since they were wild cats inside my house. They were rescued late in the season and never really became adoptable and that is why I still have them. I had to quit fostering cats since I ended up with so many. All of my cats are rescues that were not adoptable. I feed, I watch and I try to socialize the two outside. I still have one inside. He doesn't want to go out lucky for me.

Here is my current project 'Free Fall" which I think is done. I will have to live with it in plain sight for a while to be sure. I am working on another recyled project (will post some pictures soon) as well as the Swell Sister Indi Project is coming to a close. It is all good.

Quote for the day:

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. - John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Amen John

Today is Friday. Yippeeeee! I have a busy weekend; BUT today is good. My dog's food blew up in the microwave this morning and I spent too much time cleaning the appliance out; however now it is shiny. This is a picture of Sadie and her cat Lugh (pronounced Lou). Lugh is bigger and weighs more and wins the fights (I think it is the claws). Have a great weekend!

Quote for the day:

I like pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals. - Sir Winston Churchill

New Project

Here is the new project in process. It is 2' by 2' (floppies on wood).







Quote for the Day:
Painting is a magical process that I like, where you conjure something out of nothing; you get a little idea that leads you through ... You can go into a trance while you're doing it, so it's a nice contrast to real life. -Sir Paul McCartney

Need More Time!

I have decided I need more time. Is it possible to get more than 24 hours out of one day.? Wish I could.

Since I work 40 hours and I am too tired to do much in the evening when I get home, I try to jam everything in on the weekend. I never accomplish as much as I would like.

I am looking forward to retirement. Although most of my friends that are retired have no time either. I just don't get it.

Quote for the day:
Hard work never killed anybody, but why take a chance? Edgar Bergen (1903-1978)

Back At It

Hello all I am back at it. What is IT? I don't know; but I am back. The weather here has been dreadful. The heat and the bad air is just making me tired. I haven't painted in days except to do the Swell Sister swap piece. I neeeeeeeeeeed to paint. Maybe I will take a vacation and paint.

Over the 4th of July I was in Ashland Oregon to see some plays. Of course they were wonderful. I went for a walk with my horticulturalist friend and the gardens were so beautiful around the Victorian houses. I took pictures of the plants I liked that Brian told me would grow in my yard. We will see.

Hey to all of you around Sacramento keep out of the heat and stay in-doors.

Tired

Today I am tired. I am on vacation Thursday through Monday. It seems I have more to do at work to get ready to go away.

I worked on the collaborative art piece I am doing with the Swell Sisters; but no time for my piece. I need to get back to painting my floppies.

No blogs until Monday.