Ocean, sand between our toes, sun...we had a great time in SC.

Simple beauty...

Think Spring!

Winter

Tiniest Morel Mushroom

Hunting Morel's in Wisconsin...this is my Dad' finger - tiny tiny - happily we found some larger mushrooms just a few feet away. Yummy!

What I've been up to.....

So. . .it has been awhile since I've blogged.  I have been taking classes at Kristin Hanson Fine Jewelry School.  

Here are a couple of my pieces:

NOLA - Did you notice?

The French Quarter is amazing.

The architecture, the colors of the doors, the balconies, the people - all the things that everyone notices. But if you've ever been there, did you notice the little things? Like the doorbells?

I first walked right by than turned around like I saw someone that I recognized. I clicked the pic and walked away thinking...

Do they work?

How many layers of paint are really there?

If they do work do they all sound the same?

Jewelry

As much as I enjoy to take pictures I also love to create jewelry. This holiday season I've created a variety of earrings. You can see more by clicking to the right on the link to my flickr account.

Happy Holidays!

One of My Favorite Doors in NYC

Next time you're at the Metropolitan Museum of Art walk over to 52 E. 81st Street and see this door.

This made me laugh....

I really think they meant to name their company: Lower Cost Inc. What do you think?

Little Helicopter

The simply beauty of nature will forever touch me. This dragonfly paused at Turtle Pond in Central Park a couple of weeks ago. Blue is so rare in nature that I was captivated.

Bass Art

A few weeks ago I attended the Barrow/Commerce Neighborhood Fair in NYC. This gentleman was playing in a band. I love this angle. The curve of the bass, the wrinkles around his eyes - - I can only imagine the smile that is probably on his face.

NYC Green Market

The Green Market at Union Square in New York City is beautiful. The simple colors that nature produces are amazing!

Take your time when you are there to see the vibrant colors. Go early to listen to the chatter of the chefs bartering for the best prices. Savor the art the nature has produced – taste it for the first time.

Tears of Nature

This is my favorite face in New York City...

The weather has created a tearline down her face. When was the last time that you noticed the beautiful sculpture that exists on the brownstones in NYC? The art that exists in our every day life should be noticed. Take the time to breathe in the simple art that surrounds you.

The Miniature Earth

What if the world's population were reduce to 100...

The Miniature Earth

As your shopping this holiday season please consider making a donation to a nonprofit organization as a gift to friend or family member.

Happy Holidays!

NaNoWriMo - National Novel Writing Month

I wanted to take this opportunity to say Congratulations, Nicole!

November was National Novel Writing Month. NaNoWriMo encourages people to participate by writing a 175-page (50,000 word) novel. The only thing that matters is output. It's all about quantity, not quality. So, your inner critic should stay home.

My friend, Nicole, has participated since 2004. I'm so impressed that she dedicates herself to 'getting it on the page'. I look forward to standing in line at Barnes & Noble to purchase her book Bridges when she publishes it.

Kisses and congratulations!

Color

Sony BRAVIA has done it again. Remember the commercial with the bouncing balls well this time they've used paint:

70,000 litres of paint
358 single bottle bombs
33 sextuple air cluster bombs
22 Triple hung cluster bombs
268 mortars
33 Triple Mortars
22 Double mortars
358 meters of weld
330 meters of steel pipe
57 km of copper wire

Check out the recent advertisement that they made in Glasgow, Scotland. Don't forget to view the Behind the Scenes when you are done so you can see how they did it.

Totally Fun!

Angels Here On Earth

My Grandfather passed away on Friday. He had a wonderful life and I believe that he is in a happier place free of pain now. While admitted to hospice he was in the company of angels.

My Mom shared stories of his last day here. The hospice nurses were the most gentle and compassionate people that she has ever witnessed. Bless you. My Mom also told me about Scooter. I've always believed that some animals have special powers, that they can sense things before we humans can and that they are blessings because of their unconditional love that they share.

Scooter is a cat who lives in the hospice ward. He has a 'sixth sense' according to the nurses - he knows who's going to pass and he keeps them company until they do. Even if the patient doesn't like cats Scooter finds a corner of the room and stays. Maybe Scooter does it to comfort the person who is dying, to relax them so they are comfortable, maybe to relax the family who is there to say goodbye or maybe he eases their pain. Scooter stayed with my grandfather - on his bed - until he passed away. There is a part of me who likes to think that he was there to greet him, to show him the way, to help him say goodbye and to comfort him.

I like the thought that there are angels here on earth - people and animals who comfort those of us in time of need, who are gentle and kind and who provide unconditional love. Thanks to Scooter, the hospice nurses, my family and to my friends, my family away from home, you're my angels.

I encourage everyone to enjoy an Eskimo Pie - a vanilla ice cream bar with chocolate coating - toast my Grandfather. One of my favorite memories is when my Grandfather would sneak up behind me and take a huge bit out of my Eskimo Pie. He'd smile really big, widen his eyes, lick his lips and laugh. Kisses, Gramps, I'll miss you.

Reality check - I come first...

I've recently reintroduced myself to me. Let me explain...

My job has been very stressful lately. I've been involved in a project that was supposed to end a month ago - well, that didn't happen. It has been very difficult and stressful. I, of course throw myself into a project and in doing so basically I now find myself drowning. The project still isn't done, it isn't my fault, accept that I don't have patience anymore and I'm exhausted.

I've decided that I need to embrace where I am. I need to accept that the project isn't done, that it is ok that I don't have patience, that it will take much more time than anticipated and that I deserve to take some time and focus on me in the meantime.

So last weekend I took Friday and Monday off. Friday I spent the day at the Metropolitan Museum of Art specificaly at the Cézanne to Picasso exhibit. Monday I spent sleeping and fighting a Fibro-flare. This weekend I'm still fighting the Fibro-flare which I think peaked on Friday so I've been laying low this weekend; watching movies, sleeping, hanging out with friends for coffee.

The past week has made me realized that I haven't been taking the best care of me during this project. Priority Lori . . stay tuned.