THE WINNERS ARE-Drum roll please

Hello my dears the drawing has just been done.  Very scientifically.  Names written on a piece of paper, folded and put in a little tub.  See I told you it was scientific.  then I went to DH and said please draw two names so he  drew ---------

 

Introverted Art and Terry Daugherty. 

 

Congratulations young ladies.  I will try and contact you for the addresses.  Thanks so much for the comments  and I will have another drawing  soon.  I will find something to celebrate.  Even if it is first day of fall, the fur babies looked cute that day or some such even.

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world today.

xoxoxoxoxo

Annette

Do Hail and Glass Mix?

I think I have mentioned our hail storms and how damaging they are and sometimes it looks like it has snowed it is so thick.  Kind of hard snow but  it does looks like it has snowed but no snowmen made out of these.   Usually in the spring is when we get the hard stuff and we have seen it hail in July before, which if you have a crop is pretty heart breaking to see your crop be stripped of all of it's leaves and be gone after all that money and time put into the crop.  

You usually hear a thud, then more thuds and then a bunch of thuds.  Thank goodness it doesn't hail for long,  usually.  The size is from pea size to soft ball size incase anyone is not familar with the stuff.   Sometimes windows break, our windows, luckily have not broken but a lot here in the neighborhood did get broken.   Glass can only take so much pounding. 

Where in the world are you going with this story Annette?  You might be asking yourself. 

This late spring we went to Dallas and saw the grands and I had read in the paper where  the Chihuly exhibit at the Dallas Arboretum was on display.   Beautiful blown glass, big pieces of blown glass.   So "happily" we went to see it.   After we enjoyed the trip thru the Arboretum I suggested we go to Bass Pro Shop and eat, there is a great restaurant there and lots to see, so spirits were perked up and off we went.   There is a lake there now Lake Ray Hubbard that you can sit and eat and enjoy the scenery.   Now I have a special place in my heart for that lake.   This piece of land is where my Daddy use to have his horses and we would go ride them there.  Now I am not, by all means, a horse woman and I am sure when I got on the horse he thought ---"Oh no a city slicker who doesn't know how to ride."  He turned his head as I got on, not as easily as you see Cowboys in the movies get on their horses.  I did not try to do anything fancy except hang on and glad he knew what he was doing because I did not.   Of course he was right but I tried.     I do love horses though even the smell of them, such regal animals.    One day Daddy told us he had to move the horses because they were going to make a lake there.   So when we eat there I just like to look out and think of those good times we had there.

Chihuly has a studio in Vegas and we "forced" ourselves to go to it and was impressive and  got to see a video of how he makes the glass and how some of his students create the pieces.  I would love to own a piece of it but I would also like to buy lots of art supplies so sorry Chihuly art supplies win. 

Now Dallas did get a hail storm and some of the pieces got broken at the Arboretum but they were shipped off and repaired. 

I do have several pictures of some of what we saw so please enjoy them as we did.    Don't forget to click on them so you can see them larger.  This is just a dabbling of what we saw.  
ENJOY !!!!

 

I thought you might like a close up of this one. 

There you go breath taking aren't they?  They seem so fragile but the hail came right after we went there and was reported that there was very little damage to them.  That is some tough glass.

Well thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world today.
                                             
                                                XOXOXO
                                                Annette

Lawn Mower Thinking

I think I have visited with you about Car Talks with DH ( dear hubby) but sometimes I just have thougths or talks with myself when I mow.   Mowing to me is kind of like ironing, time to do a chore but still your mind can think of other things while doing the chore.  DH and I have our little pecking order on the yard.  I edge the front and he mows the front ( I think he does a better job of the mowing) and he edges the back and I mow the back.  I know you can't believe this but sometimes I don't mow the same way, which is good so it doens't have ruts but DH says he wonders what I am doing out there, but never asks. 

Now at times I have taken the camera with me  on the mower and even gotten a shot of the dogs digging for frogs.  The fur babies are always entertaining to us.  Right now their little past time is Jewel, the 8 1/2 inch tall dog  with her nose into a gopher hole all the way up to her eyes and Libby the fluffy bigger dog stands guard over her and wigs and wags the tail like here I am-- GUARD DOG.   Like who is going to bother Jewel  while she is buried eye deep in a hole ?  Certainly not the gophers, they haven't been around for years but the fur babies keep looking just in case.    Seems like every time the holes get wet the scent keeps popping back up but the fur babies don't understand that little trick of Mother Nature.  We have 4 burms in the back yard and if you take your life in your hands you could walk back there at night,  but I kid you not the holes are deep and plentyful.  Like mini grand canyons.    We don't mind it though, the grass basically covers them and it keeps the fur babies happy and we can't see them--EXCEPT when I mow.   It is bumpy back there and I do go slow as a turtle when mowing that part.  

I am happy to have a riding lawnmower and we are on best of terms.... the mower and I.  I ride and enjoy the scenery and it just perks along as long as it is fed gasoline.  Now we run the best gasoline we can in it, years ago we were told to do that.  The mowers run  and preform better with the higher octane.   So it gets fed well.

I think about the plants and how they are doing, watch the dragon flies, watch the birds fly around me as I mow.  Don't know why they fly around me unless the think I am Cinderella and are going to sing and help me but don't think that is why they do that.   Maybe when mowing I stir up bugs or seeds for them to eat.  Don't have a clue why they do it but it is peaceful to watch them fly in circles and dip and dive around.   I think about the art I am going to do that day after I drag myself in and clean up for the day ( like the day really gives it a thought if I clean up for it)  and  eat lunch.   All kinds of problems of the world get solved while I mow, at least in my mind they do.  

 

The evergreen Holley Fern just opening up one of it's beautiful green and shining leaves.  Love them because they just reward us all year with their color and just keeps growing. 

 

Our Elephant ears, this is our third year to enjoy them from the same gigantic bulb.  We only thought they lasted one year but this one is tough and rewards us even though our water has so much salt in it.  So a tough plant it is. 

I think these are Crotons, beautiful colors for full sun but alas it has not grown tall but still shows off the yellows, reds and greens with it's brother and sister.   have to plant in threes you know.

Speaking of red, the Humming bird feeder has to sparkle with all the reflections. 

 

Jewel after a hard morning on helping me mow and making sure the gophers don't come up to see what is going on.  Yes it is a hard life being a fur baby. 

 

 

Libby the protector of Jewel in her digging.  She protects us from dragons in the form of trash trucks also.   She is so kind hearted and good companion for Jewel and us. 

 

The lawn mower, I made a little collage of it to show it off.  We have had it nearly 6 years  and enjoyed every time we use it.  No really, try using a push mower on an acre.      On the right lower corner is the litttle know that revs it up aka makes it go faster.   It gets to stay in the back garage when not in use.   I forgot to get the loose grass off of it before putting it away.  

 

Oh if you would like don't forget to go to August 5th entry I am having a give a way and the drawing date is August 31, I am going to have to do it a little early though because I may be gone.  

 

There you go what is going on in my world today.  Thanks for stopping by .

 

XOXOXO

Annette 

There is more than one way to do it

I am sure you have heard that before,  that there are more than one way to do it.  Whatever it pertains to at the time.   Another saying is there is more than one way to skin a cat, but I think I like the first one better.  The cat skinning has been around forever though.

What in the world am I talking about?  Well, like when our daughters were small and tying shoes.   DH ( dear hubby) and I both are left handed and Taurus, scary isn't it?  Our oldest daughter is left handed and our middle daughter was right handed.  So we didn't know how to teach her right handed to tie her shoes, so she tied her shoes like a left handed person with the bow going up and down instead of sideways.    Never thought of that did you?

In doing photography for 24 years I did learn a lot and went sometimes different directions in what I learned and then went digital.   Oh please give me FILM !!!!  the color and depth is so much prettier but I won't get into that for now.   Digital has it's benefits though, you can play with the images and do some fun effects with them.   I thought if anyone was interested I could show a few techniques with Photoshop that I learned over the years.  Now there are several ways of doing any one task in Photoshop and I am not a wizard at it but have learned how to make it do a few things, my way but it does behave sometimes.     I am not a nerd, but at times wish I would have started the computer world earlier and I might have become one.  Can you see  me in little nerd glasses and a pocket protector?  I could do it, maybe even have to have some flowers painted on the pocket protector.

Now Photoshop has lots of do dads and tricks you can do and one is  to remember to keep things in layers and if you want to keep the layers always save in Photoshop then you can change the layers anytime.   Some projects may have 20 layers in it, but saved in PS you can change each and every layer with no harm to any of the the others. 

So if you have a question and would like to try something like resizing an image or changing the colors I will try to answer it in a way that a regular person can understand.   How does that sound?  Remember I am not a computer whiz though and only know about PC's to a point.  Although the other day I did play on a Mac and Photoshop Elements for the first time.  

Now below is a photo I did and then played with it in Photoshop and Painter the digital painting program that is awesome.  Now I do have to say Painter defiantly has lots of perks and when I print up a painting or have the lab print  it up I then go add some things like acrylic paint and have been known to add glitter ( remember I am a Texas girl and love bling).  If you look close, be sure and click on it to see bigger, you can see lots of layers here.   I know , being retired for 2 years now-nearly 3 that things have progressed but the basics are still the basics.  So I am open to try and tackle any subject in Photoshop with you. 

There you go and thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world today.    I am still doing art journaling and the good messy stuff and have a Crazy Quilt project in the works.  
                                                     xoxoxoxoxxo
                                                        Annette

Blooms of Feasting

Well the middle of August is upon us.  This time of year the flowers are still pretty and just blooming their little heads off.  Dancing in the breeze or here the  blowing wind, but dancing in the breeze sounds so much prettier.  The butterflies are flitting around and in the morning and later evenings the humming birds make their little trek to visit.   Love their little sound they make and they are busy little things, going from one flower to another, I guess like a smorgasbord or us being in a buffet line, which I am not fond of by the way.  Another story on that one thought, I don't mind them but don't like them.  Do you ever have a feeling like that about things?

When we purchase flowers  or trees in fact, we always try to think of the birds and what the little hummers will like.  

The Desert Willow, are these not the prettiest blooms, like little orchids.  The hummers love these and really work them over.  We have planted 3 of them.  They, whoever they are,  use to have them growing on the side of the road so you know they are hardy because they don't have water hoses or sprinkler systems on the roadways.   They would always be so pretty and bloom and they are not a thick tree just light and airey looking.  AND  when our hard water hits their leaves it doens't kill them.  We have some Oak trees we have to keep trimed up because the water hitting the leaves flat kills them.   

This year, even though we water big time for the trees, being so dry the desert willows  are not blooming this pretty.  I hope in the fall they get after it and give us a show like this again.  So do the hummers.

Oh I forgot what this one is called, but we have several of them.  They stay semi green in the winter also so that is a little perk besides being very humming bird friendly.  We can be sitting right next to these little bloomers and the hummers just come on up and feast away.  We have a humming bird feeder also just incase they don't get their fill.  I do take it down like late September or early October so they will go on down south and don't freeze to death.  Makes you tired to think about flying that far as tiny as they are. 

We have this non winter Hibiscus, guess you would call it tropical but it lives in the back tropical hideaway in the winter.   I can't remember how old it is, probably at least 1o years old.  That is what we call the back garage with the heaters and smoke alarms and baby monitors.  Just in case the flowers get to having a dance out there and I can hear it. 

Now if you look close you can see one of the hummers eating on this bloom, the blooms only last a day and usually in the summer there maybe  5 to 10 blooms open in a day.  Hope you can see him.   Be sure and click on the pictures and they will enlarge for you. 

Another view of the little feeder. 

Just before he flew off he cooperated and ate at the top bloom perfect shot, well as best as I could get and not scare him off. 

There you go for us today.  Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in our world today. 

Don't forget to sign up in the last post for my giveaway.  

xoxoxoxo

Annette

Dog Days of Summer and Creative Pieces of Fabric (GIVEAWAY)

The  Dog Days of Summer.  Do you suppose they were talking about August?  The month where it is hotter than blue blazes and summer is winding down?  Where we almost hang around like the dogs do, in our home they are called fur babies, and just sit on the porch and drink lemonade and iced tea and watch time go by?   I do believe in my humble opinion those days are just a memory in this old gal's eyes.   School starts earlier, and if your child is in fall sports or band that practice starts earlier and we are all so busy with life I am thinking that is indeed a memory.   Now since retiring DH and I do our own thing, whatever it is for the day, just living the moment of the day and we do enjoy our backyard and sitting under the shade tree until it gets toasty warm that you could fry an egg on the patio.

Baseball is gearing up to see who goes for the Pennant race, Professional football players are getting ready for their big opening days and the dragon flies are out.   Looks like it is indeed the ending of the summer to me, well unless we have and Indian summer but we never know about when that one comes to us.  

It is getting close to the end of my class with Pat Winter and the crazy quilting and quilters, but certainly not the end of my playing with this beautiful art.  There are odds and ends of fabric and pretties left over and certainly to pretty to just trash into the abyss of the dumpster.   So, Miss Use What I Have, I will play with these creative pieces of fabric that are left over.  Part of the fun is piecing them together and just see where they take me.   Telling me where to go with the beads and pretties.  Like a little muse  with her wings fluttering around.  My muse has little wings by the way, don't know if every one's does. 

Oh be sure and stop by the new blog and see what others are creating also with Crazy Quilt Passion, it is on my sidebar.  All are invited to follow that blog also but I am only giving away on this blog. 

Soooooooooo here is the deal, I just noticed that I now have over 100 followers YAHOOOOO and I do thank you from the bottom of my heart.   It feels good that y'all do follow me and my random stories.  THANK YOU !!!!    I thought what can I offer to y'all so I did two bookmarks of the Crazy Quilting and will offer them as two giveaways, and knowing me will make some more but so far I have two to give.    They are encrusted with pretties and has Sari silk ribbons on them.  

The rules?   Well, only to be a follower and comment on  this post that you would like to win one and which one in case you fall in love with one over the other.   That is it.    There is a date of  August 31 for the cut off.  Sorry have to do that part of an ending. 

I just found out I am going to be gone the 31st so will do the drawing a little early, just before we leave.   Good luck dear viewers.

August 28th

The winners have been drawn and Terry Daugherty and Introverted Art are the owners of the bookmarks.  Thanks for visiting  and playing.    

Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world today. 
                                               xoxoxoxoxo Annette