Old MacDonald had a farm.....

We're already having some 90 degree days around here and our beautiful little miniature Australian Shepherd had grown a fur coat on her that was making her miserable. Every year my Sweet Farmer shears her like a little sheep and she absolutely loves the attention and waits patiently and expectantly through the process. Sweet Farmer is very gentle and kind during the whole ordeal and has never had to use force to hold any of his dogs down as they trust him so much. But what was funny this year, was our little stray cat, that I picked up as a starving, sticker-encrusted kitten about 6 months ago, wanted part of the attention and she wouldn't leave Greg alone. He kept having to be careful he didn't get a kitty tail or ears in the procedure. Sadly, the little cat is pregnant and too young, but sometimes when you care for strays and live on a wide open farm... things happen. One of the things I admire most about my Sweet Farmer is how he cares for animals and gives value to their lives, feelings and needs. He would stop and pet the cat while he was managing all the other things. I get a kick out of watching all the love - I can totally understand why they are crazy about him.

If you have any hints on how to care for a too-young momma cat (she's about 1-2 weeks away from due)- we could use them. Our strays would usually be wild cats, but this one has been loving from day one.

I love it when others have shown pictures of their home and favorite things so I thought that I would also share some of my favorite spots and cherished items.
This is a quilt I made several years ago because I love dragonflies.

Did you know dragonflies live as a larvae on the sides of ponds and waterholes for most of their lives and only birth into a dragonfly for the last part of their lives? I love the idea that they are the most beautiful and active for the last part of their lives. Actually, they just fly around eating and having sex, never harming anyone but a few mosquitoes. Of course, their colors amaze me and they never give you long glances- you must catch their beauty quickly. It is for all those reasons I have made this guilt and placed it above my favorite little Amish bench.

(is anyone else having trouble with blogger? all my pictures posted in code and my headings are all gone on my preview which makes it difficult to create a new post?)

Finding Beauty Where I Can

The most beautiful makeup of a woman is passion. But
cosmetics are easier to buy. Yves Saint Laurent
Another mixed-media piece in my journal just letting myself play and not being too hard on myself. If I only showed you my very best stuff, I wouldn't show up to this page very often. I wish I could tell you everyday I create something absolutely pleasing to my eye, but the reality in my journal is that most pages are chalked up to just more practice.

With the economy slowed and drought in this area, and lots of people going through serious problems such as struggling marriages and health issues, either related to the first circumstances or not - it makes for real challenge to stay optimistic, vibrant, and passionate about the day and about life in general.

I find that I'm digging deeper in the things of which I spend time and money. That includes my faith, the people I have relationship, the poor and disenchanted, with the things I read, with my work, and with the meager, but entertaining talents that God has given me. All these things matter to this day and this moment, even when the news tells me the future looks shaky. These things ground me. And you?

Pushing Up Daisies

I will miss my daisy watercolor as next week it is being donated to an auction for C.A.S.A (Court Appointed Special Advocates). I worked as a supervisor of volunteers for this program for about 3 years and feel very strongly about supporting it and all the good they have done all over our nation for abused and neglected children.

A young cousin of mine recently quoted this on her Facebook, "Some things fall apart so better things fall together".

This watercolor was my first attempt at negative painting and using frisket. I enjoyed the practice so much. I like to get this painting out in the spring and hang it above my favorite chair.

But I will memorialize it here and hope it's good enough to do CASA some good - then, I would feel really good about my daisies.

My Unusual Truth

This was the small little mixed media piece I did in my journal of the red pears (just in case you're a non-fruit person like non-Sweet Farmer :) who had never seen a red pear) that preceded this strange piece I showed you in the earlier post. Only those with great imaginations could see how I got from these pears to those Egon faces. I regretted that I did this piece in my journal after I spent way too much time on it to be tucked away in my journal library in days to come but I never would have attempted the Egon piece without it- and I really like that little canvas. I really like this too but I've seen a million of this type of thing and I like the unusual I must admit. I want my art to reflect my unusual truth and my passion and energy - and to do that I have to step out of even my not-so-comfort zones and let my imagination play. I tell you it's spooking Sweet Farmer a little bit because he's more comfortable with the familiar. You should have seen him when I talked him into staying at some bed and breakfasts' instead of nice motels when we took our last trip. He got very nervous. But then after I got him there and into the experience, he loved it. Things must grow on him. Like a fungus. I know the fact that he loves me means he enjoys a little unpredictability now and then - or .........I'm his favorite fungus.

Easter with Egon

Odd Chick lays some eggs.

Do I wake up in a different world everyday or what? Blame this on Egon Schiele - or my daughter, I blame all my weird stuff on her. She encourages it.

This is a mixed-media piece done on gallery canvas with watercolor wax pastel crayons and gesso.

Sweet Farmer didn't like some beautiful little pears I painted in the same composition (he said he had never seen a purplish pear), so I think this was my revenge piece. Boy, was it sweet!

Three Sisters of Easter

I'm going to stop in the middle of my stories about my journey with hubby up north to wish you all a happy holiday and for those who celebrate Easter, I hope you enjoy the celebration of the rising of Someone who actually changed the world and gave everyone a chance to know the true and living God, and now death has no victory over those who seek Him.

This is one of my depictions of Easter. She's the lovely, sweet, fresh, and pure older sister that represents traditional Easter.

So I copied her and then painted over her to show you another of my visions of Easter - the wild sister, unraveled and let loose to dance in freedom and celebration of re-birth, abundant life, and new creations.

And then there is the really bad sister who brings

the 80 mph winds and flooding.


They are the three sisters of Easter.

Travels through MIssouri to Illinois

After staying the night in Tulsa, we got up early and headed for Missouri with our final north destination being Bowen, Illinois.

We crossed the Missouri River. Now you have to remember, we live in New Mexico - this is a BIG river for us desert dwellers!

I apologize for my photography as all my pictures are taken from inside the pick-up, because my farmer only stops when the Dodge runs out of diesel - girls like us married to guys like them have trained our bathroom habits to match the gas mileage on the vehicle - amazing really.

Did you know there are towns in Missouri named "Mexico" and "Santa Fe"? Now that will mess with a New Mexican's head.

We ended up in the town of Bowen, Illinois with our tractor tires to trade and to pick up our used tractor tires.

Blogger says no more pictures tonight so I'll tell you about Bowen tomorrow.

Long journey in little time

What a TRIP!! Sweet Farmer and I just returned from a journey of 2624 miles - and we never left the United States! We live in southeastern New Mexico and we headed to Illinois on April 4th. It was a blustery day but the tail wind was just what we needed - it almost doubled our gas mileage. This GInormous cross loomed into our horizon and it is known as the largest cross in the western hemisphere located not far from Amarillo, Texas.

I felt this was a good sign as I had been praying about a successful, fruitful and safe journey as I knew we had thousands of miles ahead of us and bad weather possibilities as we headed north.

It wasn't long before we passed into Oklahoma and we ended up staying in Tulsa the first night.

You can imagine that I saw beautiful skies and awesome landscapes and had a little time to sketch and paint in my journal.

Don't ask me what this little abstract piece means - but you can tell I had thoughts of a journey and hopes and dreams for our unknown future.

I'll show you more of our travels in the days to come.

Springs of Renewal

"Inside myself is a place where I live all alone and that's where you renew your springs that never dry up". - Pearl Buck

I haven't been very creative lately- too much going on. But endless creations sit there inside my mind and simmer on the back burner. This little digitally enhanced picture began as a desperate sketch in my journal on a crowded lap table in an airplane - dipping my travel brush in a plastic cup of water that was traded out for my own need to drink in that thirsty environment. I was more thirsty for my mind to spill a new creation, for wet paint and juicy surprises from my hand to the paper. Something had to be made that day-it didn't matter about quality or substance. It didn't matter about success or failure. All that mattered was: I must create. Do you ever get that incredible urge - that overcomes your need to eat, drink, or even take time to go to the bathroom? I simply couldn't let another hour pass without visiting in my journal- the place where I live all alone and renew that spring in me. And it was a good trade - my water for a watercolor experience. Somehow, in the end, I was even more satisfied......at least until I get thirsty to create again.

I like what Jesus said about being thirsty in John 4:13.