The Week In Review

I have been gardening at mom's house to thank her for watching DJ one day a week. Here's a picture of DJ gardening... he helps by eating the grass:

I have also been working on a quilt. The pattern is from Nine Patch Pizzazz... its fun but a bit challenging. Sorry, not the best picture.


And, lucky me, I had breakfast with my dear friend Cindi who I never see often enough:

Its been a good week! Hope yours has been too. Here's wishing us all a good next week.

TED

I have just recently found TED (which stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design) talks and have been watching a lot of them. They are short amazing talks under 20 minutes on all kinds of subjects. I just watched this:

Come Tweet with Me

Ok, when I first heard about Twitter I thought it sounded dumb and did I really want to join another social network when I am already on Facebook. But, my SIL sent me an invite. With two little ones she and I dont get as much time to chat so I signed up. Imagine my surprise that I love it. Its quick and easy: a great way to stay in touch and find out whats going on. I am loving it. You can follow stars like the Obamas... but they twitter so much that I miss seeing the tweets from my SIL. So I opted out of those.

So come tweet with me! I'd be happy to send you an invite and you can see for yourself. (I dont like Facebook as much, but am also happy to send you an invite to Facebook too.)

This made me soooooo happy.....

This morning in a family conference call with my Nevada City brother Michael and my Boulder family, my sister in law Brooke told me that she has an application on her IPhone that allows her to push a button and go right to my blog! WOW... who knew???! I just had to blog today so that they would have a something new to read!

My three year old nephew wanted to know what I was doing today so I told him that I was on vacation and going to a very pretty place where there are wild turkeys, hawks, and crows. (Of course I made the appropriate bird noises when naming each bird). I spent two very lovely days doing meditation and yoga at Spirit Rock. The grounds are so stunningly peaceful and beautiful. Here are a few pictures from my day (I tried to get the birds... but that just wasn't to be).

Learning Curve

I am having fun playing with my new Mac, but theres definitely a learning curve... especially with photoshop elements.

Speaking of learning curves I wanted to post a picture of my bird quilt from Jane LaFazio's class. It came out just ok... I really struggled with it. I cant wait for her to offer another class though.


The last project I am doing for her class is a shrine. I need to do a lot of handwork on it... so it may take me awhile to finish it, but here it is as a WIP:

Yooohoooo!!!

I have a new Mac computer and I am loving life!! More to come soon! (I am on vacation this week so have time to play!)

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

I haven't posted in such a long time... life has felt so busy with no real spare time to write.

We did a crazy thing... we chose a dog based on three pictures and a brief description of his personality on-line! He was in a kill shelter so there was no chance to meet him prior to saying "YES!". My sweet BIL Richard picked him up for us and took him to Nevada City. I met him for the first time on Christmas Eve. He is a sweetie! He's a retriever, boxer, ridgeback mixie kind of dog, about a year old. He has a lovely red brown coat with a white belly, white paws, and the tip of his tail is white too. (pics to follow soon).

My brother Michael and Richard bathed him and gave him their own aggression test which he passed with flying colors! He is still a bit of a puppy, smart, curious but not destructive, and catching on to being house trained. He was a stray for a bit so he gets very scared by people and other dogs when were outside. (poor sweetie... but he will learn its ok). Were totally in love!

Deb's Babysitting is Back in Business!

Colcado... this post is for YOU!!

Several months ago our when our roof was being worked on, we discovered two baby morning doves on our balcony. Their momma bird would bring her babies first thing in the morning and then pick them up at dusk. When our roof was completed the birds stop coming. I was sad to them go, but understood that their momma thought our balcony was safe place to keep them.

Well, the other day I came home and saw something strange in the nest of leaves outside. When I looked closely it was two more baby birds! Their momma comes during the day to feed them. Here they are. The second picture was taken of them through my screen door so it isn't as clear. But, aren't they cute?

This morning when I woke up there were three baby birds... not just two. And, later there were two momma birds. But one baby and momma have gone now. But, I still have two out there.

Its funny to watch them fly since they don't fly very well yet. I can tell their aiming for a tree branch, but aren't able to fly directly there. They kind of swoop and swirl first. I love having them here.

My Everyday List

My dear friend Gail loves making lists and asked her friends to send her their lists. So here's mine:

1. Drink black tea with milk & sugar (till I feel awake!)
2. Tell my sweetie I love him
3. Talk to my mom & brother every day (I love them too!)
4. Stay present
5. Talk to my nephew at least once a week... more if I can reach my Boulder family (I love them too, of course!)
6. Get a good nights sleep
7. Eat well
8. Stay in contact with friends
9. Do the best job I can at work with kindness, understanding & compassion
10. Keep learning
11. Read
12. Exercise & make artwork whenever I can....

On other news, I bought a new digital camera, but it didn't come with a user manual... so one day soon... I should say one week soon, I will start posting with pictures again!

More Changes

This past week we found out that the foundation I work for is laying off almost one-third of its staff, my sweetie and immediate supervisor included. This is the only time in its 55+ year history that they have had to do this. Working with the homeless, they know how devastating losing one's job can be. So the severance packages are really generous.

But, to tell you about the quality of the people I work with... I know that many of them are worried about their loss of jobs... but, they are even more worried about the clients they are leaving behind. Several very vital and key programs are being eliminated. We work with the poorest of the poor and we offer some of the best services, in terms of in-depth work, caring, and kindness, to our clients. It is truly heart breaking. I am so glad that my sweetie and I have each other.

Babysitting Duty

Yesterday while placing my jar of sun tea outside on my balcony, I accidentally startled two baby mourning doves who were hiding under my chair. They startled me too. Scared, one bird flew off right away while the other one fretted about trying to fly before she was finally able to wobble off to the nearby tree.

When I checked later they were back. The two baby doves sitting together shoulder to shoulder, beak to beak just like they were in a nest. Four eyes watching me... so very cute. As the sun was setting the momma bird came back for them and off they went. The one bird taking her time and finally wobbling off.

They were back early again this morning. Carefully hidden under my chair... nesting together shoulder to shoulder. And as I write this, the momma bird came back and fed them. I am happy to babysit these sweet ones anytime... just doing my part for Earth Day I guess.

Change...

is inevitable. Wow, its been a long time since I blogged! My camera broke eliminating my ability to upload pictures, but I thought I would write anyway.

After seven years of using art and activities as a tool for change... my job was eliminated. However, the foundation placed me as a social worker working with the same ladies. I am receiving a lot of support from staff and residents so I think it will work out just fine. I have to say that I am thrilled to still have a job and health benefits during these very uncertain economic times. I know a lot of people aren't as fortunate.

Hilary's Birthday Poem

Hilary is one of my rocks at work. She always remembers my birthday, and this year was no exception. This year she sang me a poem:

Roses are red, violets are blue, sweet Aunt Sissy Lou is 52!
LOL. Thanks Hilary!

I also got the CuTEsT happy birthday song on my message machine sung to me by Ryan, Brooke and Colton. If I could play it for you I would! It will be on my phone forever!

It was an absolutely wonderful day... I can't remember when I have felt so happy!

Happy Birthday!

Today is my day and I am feeling really happy about it. Ok, the number is getting up there... but, I am grateful that I am happy, healthy, and well-loved. It doesn't get much better than that!

New Motto

So, have you made any new resolutions for 2008? I decided that I am changing my focus. Yeah, I want/need to shed a few pounds, make more art, and exercise more (sound familiar?) ... but more than having new resolutions, I have decided that I have a new motto: It will work out okay. I admit to being a worrier, and usually things work out , so I decided that a new mantra is what I really need. What about you? Any new mottos? I'd love to hear from you.

Happy New Year... may thing year bring each of us what our heart desire's.

New Fact For Me

Friday night I was watching Bill Moyer's Journal and learned that in order to be a part of the European Union your country cannot have the death penalty.

SuN TeA

We have been having some wonderfully warm weather so I have been making sun tea. I made one batch with white hibiscus aone batch with Celestial Seasonings Tension Tamer.... YuMMy!

A Cleaning Machine

I am not! I don't like to clean... and certainly can't afford someone else to come in and do it for me ... so today while I was cleaning the shower I had an epiphany! I used to live in a beautiful 1920's apartment. But, when I moved into my current place which was only 5 years old at the time. I remember thinking how easy it was to keep clean! Now, 14 years later I was thinking about my brother Michael's place which is only a year or two old and easier to keep clean than this place. So, here's the epiphany... if I moved into a NEW place every 5 years I wouldn't have to clean as much!! Brilliant isn't it??

Ok, if that isn't feasible then check out http://flylady.net to help you keep things organized and clean. My friend Laura sent this site to me, bless her heart!

This is making me...

so very, very happy!

Isnt This True?

...Happiness is having a sense of self...not a feeling of being perfect but of being good enough and knowing that you are in the process of growth, of being, of achieving levels of joy... L. Buscaglia