Swan Lake

the wood duck 

Spring is in full force here now. The air has that wonderful cool nip in the mornings, but it grows hot during the day. I usually get my work and exercise in early while its still cool. This morning Im meeting my neighbor we are going to walk our dogs together...thats always fun.

Yesterday I took my Mom and we went to Swan Lake, not too far from us a wonderful spot to see swans, and other waterfowl along with some birds. I enjoyed it very much. Mom got a bit tired so we didnt stroll the Iris garden, but we still had a great time, I mentioned getting a used wheel chair for this type occasion, she was not too happy with that!Ouch, well she will be 85 on her next birthday and she is still recovering from a broken and repaired hip...but if determination is money she is Filthy Rich!..

On the way we had to travel along I-20 for a short distance. At the exit where we got off there was a Huddle House. Ive eaten in these a few times, but this one had the best energy Ive felt in a long while so I enjoyed my breakfast, so did Mom! Much of the time I dont enjoy eating out due to the low to poor energy of some of these spots...Im not a psychic but I do feel energy and vibrations. I guess when you open up to the world around you, you have to be ready for all of what may come your way!

Here is a link to the more of the photos I took yesterday.

SWAN LAKE

Life is Art~

I see art in my surroundings, mother nature is an artist. She has painted the perfect world for us, and we are the stewards of that world. I love to get my hands in the dirt, like an artist who enjoys finger painting...when I was 5 I loved to finger paint. So dipping my hands into the warm Earth gives me the power to create. This morning I spent some time doing the following:

 1. Made a repair of the vent boots on the roof!...While up there on the roof I got a birds eye view of my garden, I enjoyed the gallery of plants.

 2. Later, I took my dogs for a nice long walk in the cool morning air, and I enjoyed the free concert of songs performed by such artists as the White Eyed Vireo, the Pine Warbler, along with Mr. Blue 'n the Jays.

 3. Late morning found me in my garden pulling weeds, then I stroked the ground with the rake creating patterns and texture in the loam.

 4. My work done, I relaxed on the screen porch with a glass of iced tea and reflected on my morning spent in artful endeavors. My Little Garden Patch:

 

Art to eat

Listen to and follow the guidance given to your heart. Expect guidance to come in many forms; in prayer, in dreams, in times of quiet solitude, and in the words and deeds of wise Elders and friends.

From the Archives of Blue Panther

THE Future!

Wow its getting quite warm, yesterday it was 80 degrees, today 90!..I took my bike for yet a longer ride, Im up to 5 miles a day now without any problems--except DOGS!..Yesterday it was a pack of 4...and 2 of them were quite large!..HUGE in fact. When I looked back over my shoulder all I saw was TEETH...must develop a new strategy.
My friend and I walk together some evenings, we take our dogs, on a leash..and we enjoy a good chat...recently her toe became infected!..She had no idea why..but she sent me a message and she will be ready to start walking again this weekend. So Im looking forward to getting back to Walking dogs instead of being chased by them!

Im planning my vacation-s for this year...and my sister who lives in the Rocky Mountains area says she wants to hook up and lets go together....so I know I will be going to Aspen, CO and driving from there down to the Navajo Indian Reservation and visiting Monument Valley as well as many of the other fantastic spots in the deserts between Flagstaff AZ, and Albuquerque NM. We also hope to get in a 1/2 day water cruise and hike to the Rainbow Bridge via Lake Powell in Southern Utah. IM SO excited! Those of you who read my blog know I love the desert and feel a connection to it that goes beyond normal...almost abnormal or maybe paranormal.

NO Date has been set..but its just the best to know I will soon be back in the land Im so enchanted with. I wont be visiting Mesa Verde I had the pleasure of spending time there on a previous trip to the area. There is so much to see, its hard to see it all in one trip. Last time I also visited the Little Colorado Navajo Reservation, the Four Corners Monument, the Ute Indian Reservation, Cameron, and The Grand Canyon!... Yes that's me looking sort of silly in that hat...it started to rain, and well...

I am currently working on some seasonal artwork for Halloween!..BOO~ simple things that I hope will be purchased to help me keep my travel plans on the front burner!.. I will post some of that work when its finished.

Happy Blogging to all.

Blessed Mother

What an awesome day it has been...the sky is blue the wind is whippy, the air is warm and I feel the connection even more on a day such as this. I had chores to do- early Spring cleaning in the yard-...the tool shed was such a mess I couldnt get to my tools! My garden enjoyed a spring shower this morning that saves a bit on the water bill...which can go up in dry spells. I really enjoy having some plants around and my veggie garden-- so it has to be watered...One thing I do is keep a barrel by the drip edge of the roof and collect rain water to use. IT helps out quite a bit! I would love one of the fancy ones that has a tap on it and all but for now the large 10 bushel plastic tub will do. I wonder how many gallons it holds, at least 20..maybe!

Today I took my bike for a long ride after the work was finished...I needed to work some kinks out of my mind and my body. Life throws "fools gold" at you many times over and you have to pick it up, inspect it, and then ever so gently & sometimes harshly toss it back...not a keeper. Catch n release, or throw the hook from your mouth in the unlikely event you end up being the one who needs to get away.

Earth day in one more day...and I usually pick up cans along my favorite country road on that day...Its a 2 mile stretch....and Im all ready for it this year I purchased one of those Grabbers!..to save my back~ Here in my house we deal seriously with Trash! Very seriously and Im the kind who will ridicule someone I see not doing their part...hey it's part of my commitment to the Planet, its between me and Her...if not me then who?? Ive seen enough one legged gulls, and I dont ever want to see another Pelican with a soda bottle plastic strap entangled in his beak to the point that he will die a slow death of starvation...

Too many Gulls and other water fowl loose a limb thanks to careless or non caring people who dont know how to deal with their trash! Ive chased gulls down, had other beach goers yell at me to "leave that bird alone", they couldnt see the dangling line from where they stood, but after finally grabbing that dangling line and holding onto a bird struggling to fly on the other end, I reeled him in... hands quickly bloodied from the sharp bites he gave me, When the bystanders saw what I was attempting to do they all pitched in to help get that TIGHT line off his nearly dead leg...and they applauded when the poor blood starved leg was massaged and the bird released...Some people embraced me while we cried together People who I had never seen before or will never see again but for that one time we were Brothers and Sisters crying...tears of joy --- what a release it was JOY in my heart and in the hearts of perfect strangers who went that extra mile for just an ordinary ring bill gull...(there is no such thing as ONLY a gull, he has a life same as you or me) IT WAS GOOD!! After all I was a paramedic, it was my job to save the dying.

It took me three days to catch that GULL...and I barely slept until he was saved. I cried over the ones I couldnt catch...broke my heart. OH boy you would have been embarrassed to take a walk with me among the fishermen..who cut the line that got entangled in the rocks...I gave them a tongue lashing they probably recall to this day...But its ok, someone has to do it...I dont mind mixing it up a bit, for something I see worth the effort and worth the "bad Press" I get because of it. I always pick up fishing line when I see it and put it in the proper place..and MAKE sure you cut it into bits, short bits that can't make a loop, lots of BIRDS hang out at landfills too.

We recycle everything!..We reuse, refashion, reassign, until its almost ridiculous. We keep our porch a mess trying to keep it all sorted, the cans, cardboard, plastic, etc. We are vegetarians so its only dog food cans we have and we dont do the plastic bottle or soda can thing..we drink tea we make at home...we try to eat fresh foods and some frozen, and fish-- so there is little to no food package waste.

We (there are 2 of us) have one tall kitchen bag of household trash to take to the trash center about every 2 weeks. The rest is recycled or reused. Since I lost my out of the home job, we drive only when necessary and save up "in town" errands and try to make one trip do...so now we drive the car about 12-20 miles per WEEK, during an average week. I dont burn waste in the field any more after reading that it is the burning of timber and such that really puts a lot of greenhouse gas into the air, so I pile it up, compost what I can and toss the rest around on the wooded areas of our land. Let it rot naturally.

So what are you doing to improve your carbon footprint? If you havent been please begin recycling, using less water, and be proactive about protecting our Planet, your little bit added to my little bit adds UP!

Flying Jewels

In many cultures the butterfly is identified with rebirth -- a new beginning. Last week I found myself busy with some butterfly art. I guess I was infected with Spring Fever and needed to create Rebirth...a fresh start, a new beginning... of my own. Some say one flap of the wings of a butterfly can cause an air disturbance on the other side of the world... It could be a welcome breeze-- a sign of change. Maybe you have an idea or can start a movement that will make change in the world?

Tid Bits

I took this photo of a train on a recent trip out of town. Its a pano 3 frames stitched and I like the curve effect. I used HDR filters to process it and I like 3D look it gives the photo. - Photo Missing Satisfied with the results.

                                                 

 Spring is here and its official today is our frost date, so I finished planting my veggie garden..I have lettuce, tomato, onions, cucumbers, snow peas, green beans, yellow squash, green squash, butternut squash, green peppers, banana peppers, radish, and beets!...and a few white potatoes. It happens to be tax day also for us in the USA.

 I did mine already and e-filed and got my refund direct deposit. It was not so bad this year...not so for my son. I did his taxes and I think this will be the last time, I just cant get myself involved in his affairs, its too distressing to me as he had to pay last year and this year. It upsets me terribly. I have no art projects ongoing currently..so Ive been playing with some photographs.

I love photography and creative editing. Most of my photos are of nature, birds, landscapes, trees, flowers, insects such as that, or anything I see outside. Today the Blue Grosbeak came to the feeder the first time this year...very good to see that stunning fellow again, of course I had no time to get his photo..if he hangs around I'll give it a try..but its hard to sneak up on a bird!...

The hummingbirds have also arrived as have the Summer Tanagers, and the Purple Martins. They checked out my martin condos but chose the neighbors pasture...I have no horses in mine now. The blue birds will nest there probably and the Great Crested Flycatchers as well so Im not bothered. A small flock of cattle egrets showed up in the corn field nearby, they landed in the pine tops before deciding to glide down to the ground.

Photo missing.

                                                          


  Last night we saw bats swooping in the front yard, probably gobbling up mosquitoes since we have had a fair bit of rain as late. Last year when I visited Utah, we took an evening dip in the pool and the bats began to swoop just over the surface of the pool with us in it!..Kinda freaky~they came very close. That was a new experience. It reminded me of when I went to the Bahamas, a lizard climbed up on my pool chair and was waiting on my towel when I got out of the pool...Gave me a quick startle for sure...Im cool with everything except SPIDERS, so no harm done.

Canyon Moon Serenade

Graceful Coyote spots the desert hare
Nose low to sandstone amber eyes stare
Quiet is Coyote near the cactus flower
Behind the pinion pine creeping ever near
Swift is Coyote sprinting past the sage
Sunning lizards scurry scattered away
Strong is Coyote he lives another day
Resting Coyote under sky of night
Full Moon above him basking in starlight
Singing Coyote chorus oh lonely serenade
Oh wild Coyote Spirit show me your way

Coat of Many Colors

I was thinking of the online people I keep track of and realized they are like a weaving. Bits n pieces of a life here a life story there each woven into a very complex and intricate pattern we call life. For instance this guy I follow on Blogspot is walking across America...something I had always wanted to do but didnt..YET anyways, who knows what tomorrow holds for us.

So through his blog I found another guy who is hitch hiking across the land, another who just got back from a camping out of a van trip cross country with his gf and yet another who was walking but has now joined the circus in Maryland...for a while. I follow the blogs of quilters, hikers, photographers, birders, writers, crafters, on variuos blog hosting sites from all over the web...and all sorts of people who make up the fabric of life.

It's made of wool, and it was lined but the lining had been removed...

Speaking of threads in a weaving, I finally found out where my Vintage Woven Coat came from although I dont know the exact Loomer--the loom of the Triujillo family which is still active today most probably wove this coat or it was made from a RUG they wove! In the Land of Enchantment, New Mexico near Santa Fe is a small village called Chimayo. Im not going to give a history lesson, but a bit of background...the name comes from a local landmark -a hill- called Tsi Mayoh. Chimayó is also known for the weaving traditions of the Ortega and Trujillo families, who have been weaving in the Spanish Colonial tradition for many generations and now operate weaving businesses near the Plaza del Cerro and in the placita of Centinela.

So Ive had this coat since like 1974 and I always thought it was a Navajo coat..but the weavers of this coat have a history that goes farther back than that of the Navajo. It was amazing to find this out, and my coat is vintage according to Ms. Jamie Way of Shiprock Trading Post in Farmington NM. Probably from the 30's or 40's thats what I really want to find out. It once had a lining but that lining was missing when I got the coat I paid $20 for it, Im not certain of the value now...probably no more $500. I dont want to sell the coat it has been with me constantly since I purchased it off the hood of a dirty chevy belonging to some guy who was at the rummage sale one day. He had a NY plate on that dirty Chevy and he had other artifacts that I now wish I had purchased, he had a pipe, a rattle, and other hand made native crafts.

So ASA I get all my duckies in a row and get that Delta Sky Miles mileage up to 25,000 miles Im head to the 4 corners with my coat...just to take it home again and see if the Triujillo weavers can tell me more about it.