These r my Thoughts

Definitely not getting any better health wise which I see as a total bummer.  I'm coughing as I write.  Thus, I am choosing to remember three images 1/ From my good friend called The Pacific Northwest

during a beautiful and invigorating spring hike (last year) and 2/ Enoch and nature calling during our Oregon to California migration then 3/ A photo that Chris took of the monarchs at a farm he mowed for a few extra $ when we first moved here to Iowa.  And then lastly an image that I had made earlier today using two pages from my old sketchbook plus some extras.  I'm making things in cyberland but not in the physical realm and I really need to do something about that.  I recall leaving off with 3 or so sketches at least that need to be attended to and some clay figurines that need a paintin'...  See you when I get back with a mini-indoor garden in the works and perhaps more (if I'm lucky).  God I hope get well soon.

So dearest self, see you who knows when but in a while for sure!

Digging Round

The above two items are from a movie that's been on my mind for the past weeks so I had to refind it but I couldn't remember the name for the life of me.  But finally after much searching the name and movie clip came up!  It's the ending from French 1971 film by Joël Séria.  It's odd and captures my imagination.  What can I say?  And then after creating half of this post with my reclaimed movie treasure up above "Don't Deliver us from Evil", I found this Roman Polanski movie clip via sunset gun.

In other news round the home-front this past weekend we got a shelf hoping to use it for our records (if not then something else).  Well, the shelf is not big enough for records so we'll be using it for the plant starters/ mini greenhouse kits in the sunroom.  Man it's so cold out!  It's still really cold in the sunroom so I'll be watching everything carefully once we get started up this WEEKEND!  I am still feelin' sick but I need to do something productive!  So, dreaming about plants and making a wee indoor garden this Sat-Sun seems just the thing to pick up the ol' spirit.  Also,  Enoch brought home the drawing (bottom photo) mid-week after hanging out with Aunt Amy at the Library.  It's about Enoch and his love for pizza and the more I walk by his creation well, it makes me laugh, in a good way of course.  Thanks Amy!  Well, I guess that's it!  More photos to come in the days ahead.  I hope everyone has a swell weekend.

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Eagle Watching

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Lot's of runny noses going on around here.  I'm feeling sick today and so is my little lady Iris.  So the 'artist block' ensues!  Funny but also a little frustrating.  Anyhow,  we have been addicted to watching the live video stream of an eagles nest (above) a few towns away from here.  It's so sweet how the couple interacts and yesterday the female laid an egg!  There's snow today and she is doing so well at keeping her baby warm.  We began watching the Eagle cam due to my son Enoch's class and their recent study of these pretty neat birds.  He came home one day wanting to watch these Eagles and now we can't seem to stop.  She is supposed to lay 1 to 2 more eggs in the days to come.  We'll see! 

Also, music to bring some color to my overcast day and a screen shot from igor stravinsky's the rite of spring.  

Started watching this movie and I have a nice little shelf for my plants to get going on.  More tomorrow!

Been Busy Doing this n' that

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Hi all!  So I have been gone a few and it feels good to take a step back now and then but boy now I have a huge post.  Afraid that we've been too busy for me to get done with any artwork so, I decided I would take more photos during those days.  At the top of this post after the cloud photo you'll see C making sourdough bread.  That was yesterday and this morning he cooked it and there he and Iris are eating it up.  He did such a good job.  We used a starter giving to us most generously by a young lady a couple towns away whom had recieved it from her pal and the starter has been in her friend's family since the civil war.

Also, C and I were in a chili cookoff on Saturday!  It was crazy.  We didn't win, but we had fun.  Our chili was pretty yummy and had very talented cooks/ farmers contributing to the making of it.  Us and 3 other families besides ourselves combined our stock pots of veggie chili to make one giant batch and represent C's store that he works for- Fresh Connections (a natural food market co-op).   There was definitely all sorts of characters dressed up for the occasion representing assorted local companies or families.  C and I had the sweet spot next to a booth giving out yummy wine samples.  Then the following day C had to take part in a meet and greet with farmer/ producers for the co-op.  After that was over we headed off to Clear Lake to see people fly kites on the frozen waters, we got there a tad late and only two kites remained.

Iowa has been keeping us super busy.  I also included a few shots from around the city of the local old houses and grand moon rises and freezing rain.  I hope I can make room for at least a painting this week!  Anyhow, talk to you soon.

Yellow Grass

New thrift finds thanks to The Village General Store and Salvation Army, both of which are in Clear Lake.  Two planters for my new Valentine's plants.  Yards of new fabric that has sweet bright pinks and blues (above), a mug with the history of the phone, resin spoon holder for the stove (with dried flowers inside) state flowers hankee, candlestick holder and blue glass vase all at a good price.

New developments in my world are forcing me to kinda take a step back for awhile.  Thus, I'm taking more time to tie up loose ends on long awaited but patient projects.  Take 'er easy and see you in a few.

Flowers of the Mind

Little Leaves from vanessa samp on Vimeo.

Foxglove is one of my all time favorite flowers.  I just love the colors and tints it (digitalis aka foxglove) comes in and how the bees and hummingbirds get psyched on it.  And while I was searching the web for a shots of these beautiful flowers I started remembering what a huge role gardens and plantlife have played in my years thus far.

Above you will see my old neighbors singing songs on their porch, C and myself's very first garden together on our firescape, a succulent in bloom that was a gift from a very good friend named Ivy, my old medicinal/ herbal craftings, Enoch and his magic garden when he was 3, my most beautiful place that we've lived yet and it's colors and plants and last Enoch in one of our old gardens playing with arugula blossoms.  So much is going on right now and it's hard to think.  I have stress big time and I know it's fruitless to let it get to me so I find relief in these images.