Lark Art and Smiles on a Plate

I am still playing with the pictures we took of our Sedona, Arizona trip.  I don't take as many of Sedona as I use to, not because we like it less but sometimes I just flat get lazy about photo taking.  I mean it really wears you out to push the little button and snap you have a picture and we were on vacation you remember.   Not really, but sometimes I do get lax on taking them.  I guess all of the years of doing it I suppose.  

Now you will have to excuse this next picture.  It is a camera that hides in my purse.  It is not much of a camera and every time I use it I think- throw this thing away.  Then I put in my purse again and it just hides thinking --WHEW !!!  I missed the trash one more time.  I won't mention the make but think it is really going to the trash this time.  Had a great "purse" camera but after two days, on a bench, outside and sitting under a sprinkler systen for two days just didn't want to work again.  I mean it was good, Eldon took it to Brazil and all it just kept perking along before the bench sprinkler incident.  

When were were in Sedona, enjoying the beautiful scenery, we forget about all the art galleries.  So this trip we played sort of tourist and went to some galleries.  One in particular was Lark Art.  One talented ladie's work is hanging there and that was a goal to check it out.  Now the name of the gallery is Lark Art.  Loved the name and has some of the most unusual animal paintings and art work I have ever seen.   No here I am with the owner, who was so kind to pose with me.  Oh, I am the one on the left, I know you thought I was taller, but nope no such luck.  One good thing is I am not shrinking so here I am in all my 5'1".   The painting is one of Elizabeth Nelson's.  The paper painting lady.  I purchased one of her DVD's, so well put together, and just am having a good time doing her style of painting.  

Elizabeth's painting is so colorful and the pictures just don't do it justice.  We got to view several of them that were on display there.  Felt like it was such a treat to see them in the reals.    

  Here you go, the Rooster of Elizabeth's.   I just thought it needed to stand out and we are just the adjectives in the picture.  Like the  "thes" and "ors".  

On another note :

Coming back we did stop at a Johnny Rockets to eat and when your order comes out they have this cute little plate on your order.  Just to give you a good day or evening smile.  Just thought it was cute and here I am turning into one of the ladies that take pictures of everything.   

We didn't really order three things, but they had to redo from scratch Eldon's burger.  They put onions on it and you may remember he is deadly allergic to them.   So the good side of this was we got three smiles that evening and got to see the servers dance.  Hey it was a win win situation. 

There you go and more to come.   Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world. 

Roses, Zinnias, and Fun oh my

Now in my adventure of finding what I want to do in my life  and after a couple of careers.   I am still exploring.   So much out there and so little time.  Well,  you could not sleep I suppose but I don't know about you but I get pretty grumpy if I don't get sleep.  We won't talk about the dark circles under the eyes will we ?  

A sweet friend of mine, Bev, who I have never met but I do believe she would fight a buzz saw for me.    She lives in Australia and I have "played " with her for I don't know how many years.  Now the ones that know me, know I have kind of hard headed.  A shocker isn't it ?  Well, Bev kept saying you need to join this group you will love it.  So finally I did and what a sweet group of artists it is.   I am involved with the group of art journaling journey.   I thought what is this ?   Fun, just pure fun and I can use all my scrapbooking supplies I already have plus getting to buy more supplies.   You know that is half of the fun.  Shopping for thing that you have to have.

I have posted some of my beginner journaling art here on the blog  and if you are lucky will get to see more. 

So I just wanted to share Zinnia's banner with you on her blog.  Just check out all the goodies going on there.   That is part of the fun I do belive.   I think, jokeingly my grandson called me a trash digger and hubby never throws anything away now without me checking it out and seeing if I can use it.   We use to call that making do but nowdays it is recycling and art.  

Now I know I may sound like an ad or something but nope just Annette loving what she is doing right now and wanting to share with you.  I can't share my cooking, litteraly with you but I can share my art goodies. 



 Here you go, the banner from Zinna's blog.  Zinnia's web site for the groups is Roses on my Table.   
                                                            http://zinniasart.blogspot.com

There you go,  and thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world. 

Our Beautiful West Texas

Hi, this is short and sweet.  Please click on the link my EX son-in-law sent to me for Mother's Day.  It has beautiful photographs and music. 

Enjoy !!


http://www.wymanmeinzer.com/west-texas/

Warning Will Robinson-this is not good for you

We have been gone for a while and have returned rested and ready to tackle the world again.  sometimes you just have to do that. For our birthdays, Anniversays, and holiday gift doings we just back out the drive and tell each other Happy everything.  Sometimes even not knowing where we are going.  Our trusty steed, aka our automobile, and map in hand.  

 I have a few posts to do to catch up and some are about our little trip.   Some of the titles will be Lark Art and Cardboard, Wood and Batteries.   Now that one will be a fun on for you I hope,  it was certainly fun to watch.  

Where did we go you may ask ?  To  Sedona,Arizona, it was snowing and sleeting around Albuquerque, New Mexico. On the way to Arizona for us, being as we live in Texas.    Now this is the first of May and this Texas gal is not use to weather like this in May.  What is Mother Nature trying to tell us ?  Hope she isn't just clearing her throat, with all the floods, tornadoes and fires that have been happening.

There use to be a TV series called Lost In Space.   I hope some remember it, a family stranded in space and they had this giant robot.  Everytime Will Robinson, the son, would get into trouble or there was danger around he would say Warning or Danger Will Robinson.  So this is a little warning to what is coming in the next few pictures.   The pictures may not be good for your health.  I think calories just wander in the air and jump on any unsuspecting soul.  Sooooooooo  Warning !!

Eldon's birthday is April 30,  time does fly by when you are having fun.  So I am thinking what kind of cake can I make him that won't kill us, you know like a good giant yummy chocolate cake that you have to eat ever bite of it and every single crumb.  I mean it would be ashame to let any of it go to waste and I am sure the neighbors are tired of me sharing goodies with them.  The last time I brought something over the husband said oh no, we are on diets.   So that in mind, I made a Pinapple Upside Down Cake.  One layer of goodness and probably no calories at all.   Right ?   This is one of his favorite cakes.  We went to the store to get the goodies to make it and lo and behold there was this cute little pan for Pinapple Upside Down Cakes.  Now I know I can make it without the pan but it was there on the shelf lonely.  Several big bundt pans around it so off it went home with us. 

One of the views of the cake.  It is pretty delicious, even if I say so myself.

Just a little close up, just incase you couldn't see it really good.  Mean aren't I ?  I think you can smell the pineapple and the brownsugar.

Here you go a birds eye view of the Pinapple Upside Down Cake.   Happy Birthday Eldon.   the recipe ?  I would be glad to share it if anyone would like it.

There you go, thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world.  

We had the dryest March ever !!

I am posting this wonderful photograph taken by Frank Cianciole.  It is in the Davis Mountains and the Hobby-Eberly Telescope dome is in the right side of it.  The fires combined with our terrible winds, it and the fires are  just playing havoc with our wonderful state. 

 I didn't want to be very wordy with this blog I thing the photographs certainly speak for themselves.   Our nephew and his friend sent these to me.  I will not say enjoy but just wanted you to see what is going on here in our state.  We live in Lubbock Texas and in our backyard the other day there was smoke and the smell of it when the wind shifted.   We give thanks for all of the volunteer firemen, firemen and firemen from all over the country risking their lives to help these fires go by the wayside.   Thank you so much you brave guys.

We also have a link for more photographs of several fires in our wonderful state.
It is  

http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2011/04/texas-wildfires/100050/

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

Potatoes falling from a Wagon

My mother had a saying when it thundered that potatoes were falling out of God's wagon.   We were very young and the loud noises thunder made would scare us. That was a fun way to calm down the fears a child would have of the noices of thunder.  Now thinking today, wonder what kind of wagon would it have been and those had to be some big potatoes to make some noises like that.    

I just like to think of laying on your back and looking at the clouds imagining what shapes were in them.  A dog, a rocket ship a kitty or a bear ?  Maybe even a clown with a big and fluffy round nose.    They were just so fluffy and soft looking.  Like cotton candy even.   Today when Eldon and I are on a driving trip, our favorite kind, I look out the window and see shapes and image all kinds of stories about the clouds.  I see the shapes and then in a few seconds they have changed into something else. 

It is coming to the time of year when we have thunder heads. I mean some big and fluffy clouds that say I AM A CLOUD.  You have no doubt what they are, not the little wispy "scouts" as I call them   The little ones that seem to be out looking for other clouds and then they all gather together and tada ---- a thunder head. 

                     So here you go a couple of picture of West Texas thunder heads  

Now this cloud says I AM A CLOUD, no doubt in your mind that it means business

There you go I just wanted to share some of our clouds with you.      I do have one more saying mother use to say.    You know when it rains, it will one day, and the sun is shining?  Well that is the devil beating his wife.  Just thought you might like to know that little tidbit of info there.

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

Spring Feelings

Spring always means freshness and revival to me.  What is the new year bringing and just trying new things and adventures. 

Blooms from our Bradford Pear tree, so fresh and the bees really love it .

I have several friends that are eating healthy for various reasons and I thought maybe we should, well to a point you know.   Eldon is definitely a meat and potatoes man and he is not eating very many potatoes but the meat ?  I just cooked a brisket  yesterday and it was yummy even if I do say so myself.    Marilyn and Mikey are one couple that first come to mind about eating well and healthy.  So I wanted to share this recipe with you all, it is a salad and very good.  Sometimes when you try a new recipe you have to make it a couple of times and tweak it to your liking but this one was pretty well right on.   I did half it, there are only two of us.  Well, the furbabies but they didn't get to share with us.

                                       Artichoke and asparagus salad 

2 bunches asparagus, ( I snapped the bottoms off of them )
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar   ( I used rasberry balsamic vinegar)
1 teaspoon of  lemon zest  ( did't have it so used some orange zest )
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1/4 cup olive oil
two 14 oz cans drained artichoke hearts ( I cut them up)
1/2 cup of crumbled feta cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Set a large bowl of ice water next to the stove.  No, not to put out the fire you might start, it does have a good purpose.

Place the asparagus in the boiling water and blanch until bright gree and just tender, about 4 minutes.  Transfer the asparagus to the ice water to cool and stop the cooking .   Drain well.

In a large bowl, whisk together the mustard, sal, pepper, lemon juice, vinegar, lemon zest, thyme and oil.  Gently toss the drained asparagus spears and the artichoke hearts in the dressing.  Serve sprinkled with the feta cheese.

There you go, I think a healty dish.   Well, it is more healthy than potato salad but I love that also, a good southern dish.

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