re stuff

8 x 10 mixed media collage on coffee stained water colour paper - Susan Black

oh my ... today is supposed to be day 1 of a 7 day staycation - ya huh ! who am I kiddin'.

In hindsight it was kind of a silly idea, one I planned weeks ago as a physical & emotional prize/reward for drivin' it as hard as I have been for the last many months. Deadline after deadline after deadline - shocking myself to pieces honestly (who is that masked gal) with the stick to it, no dithering, cruisin' along like a jet plane on fire 'tude.

Perfectionism with a timeline - oops there's the bell ! hands up and walk away from the desk - it's as good as it gonna get girlfriend. Next !!

So here we are on the eve of August and I'm pretty close to being all caught up. My in-box is almost empty. I'm suffering a little from that doin' spell - you know the one where suddenly after the non stop-a-go-go cha-cha-cha of doin' winds down you don't really know quite how to put the breaks on and shift gears and even worse, shhhh ... I almost don't want to - yikes ... I've been using my super-power care (in a definite OCD* kinda way) at full capacity & my batteries are drained, my neck & shoulders are sore & I should have, I need, some re stuff in my life

some relaxin', some rehab, some rethinking - where am I going this last half of 2012 ? Where do I wanna go ? How 'bout some more reinvention, revolution, a lil' releasing, more renewal, a petite retreat - I've shown myself these last 6 months what I'm capable of  ... now I want these last 5 months of 2012 to absolutely kick ass  ... but with a little rest in between.

*OCD - an intense & obsessed attention to meticulous detail - a fatal flaw and a gift at the same time

& lastly the tres appropriate song stuck in my head on this morning's walk with the D girl ;-)

art attack

Such Love - 9x12 mixed media on coffee stained page - Susan Black (image size 7.5 x 9.5)


things ... my things, are looking so fantastic with a mat & frame - getting ready for Tuesday's Art Show ;-)
We're having a bit of an art attack Oliver, Missy D & me.

treats

handsome yes ?? / Missd's new collar / night time bathroom posing - always / through the fence strewn Virginia Creeper a Prince doth mow our lawn / poppies are my No.1 favourite / Sam & Winnie have new tres cool martingale collars from The Mod Dog / the ocean / beautiful wasp with amber wings / tiny, tiny white crysanthenum-like flowers /  peaches, raspberries & cream / fern

it’s really about stepping out of your past and trusting in a fresh, new life. It is freedom from past mistakes, past regrets, unfulfilled dreams. It is a release from immature expectations and old knee-jerk responses and the embrace of mature consciousness. 

It is forgiveness and acceptance – for others, for yourself. 

This week your success lies in looking back at how far you’ve come and finding the beauty in every step of the journey.

Cancer - Tarotscope - the card for this week - Judgement

Hey ! had a lovely long telephone chat this morning with Miss Ande - Chickory herself Shut ! Up !! it's true. We talked about life, art, making a living, art, nature, more about art & the art of being creative, about woods & creeks & dogs & gardens & silence ... and it was all very easy, breezy just like old blogging friends would chat - hoping we'll make a habit of it

Did you know I have a bit of a thang for wasps - beautiful mysterious creatures that they are - an entomologist wannabe am I - I own, and have read several times, this fascinating book about the hunting wasp

Raspberries & cream, peaches & cream ... cream & cream.

Spending the next few days getting ready for my first wee art show here at the village cafe The Chatterbox Opens July 31st - madly framing art & making new art stuff


Listening to Lyle Lovett wafting in my office window - there's a Fest goin' on in this little village - A HarbourFest. Lyle's playin' (not live unfortunately) on the main stage in the park that borders our little harbour and just steps away from where I sit. Love me some Lyle.

capturing snippets

capturing snippets of a life well loved

lil' C

I think of him almost everyday - lil C, little Cyrus, adorable, sweet-as-can-be gingerness - see more here + here + here

beware of people who don't like cats
Irish saying

He completely stole my heart. I fell madly in love in 21 days - I know he's enjoying his new home & 2 feline sisters but oh my ... I do miss him. Hey Lil' C hope your livin' the good life.

mock orange

love the light

 pink petunias & citrus yellow green creeping jenny hanging basket

Light makes photography. Embrace light. 

Admire it. Love it. But above all, know light. 

Know it for all your worth, 

and you will know the key to photography

George Eastman

If you missed yesterday's post I've finally got our Passionate Observer photo club blog up & running. Please visit (& sign up in the comments section) here. It's got me thinking, of course, of all things photography. Thinking about my own very unconscious photo taking process, my habits, dare I say my technique(s) ;-). I know for sure one habit I have is looking for light - I look for light more than I look for subject because amazing light transforms the most simplest scene or vignette into something magnificent - uh Huh ! 'tis true. So look for the light, love the light ... get to know the light (& take lots of shots from different vantage points up, down, sideways ...

here are 13 views of this morning's petunia filled hanging basket in gorgeous light on our front porch the last of the 13 I think the most expectant - the most regular view.

goosebumpily beautiful song  that I could not embed ;-(

mau kitty +

Egyptian Mau Cat - Virgil (with a wink to Kitty & her Mau kitty Lucy) / pinks / the dude Oliver brainstorming (uh huh) / the Prince's amazing Dremel drill kit / Samuel / Queen Anne's lace on the salt mine road / a crow / Sam & his under-the-picnic-table "big dig" / pansies / top secret upcoming project / raspberries from our back garden - Sam loves raspberries ;-) / and finally - herself Missy Winnie Sweet-As-Can-Be Dixon

check back later today for a link to A Passionate Observer