Easter



Our little musician!!!



Griffin loves hunting for Easter Eggs!!! Heather made
his handsome vest!!!





 We had a beautiful Easter with our family. Heather, Lee and Griffin were here along with Jim and Joanna, Jennifer and me. We celebrated on Monday because Lee gets a little burned out from ministering on Easter and Christmas. That gives him a day to gently veg before hitting the road to come up here. And, it just makes these special times last a little longer!!
 Lee picked out the tulips I recieved and I photographed them this morning in the natural lighting in the back room. They are beautiful, and coming from Holland, I can never have to many Tulips!!
  Griffin is VERY frightened of our Conure, mainly her "voice". But Grampa "Jeeem" had him laughing and running so hard, he soon forgot he was frightened!
  I filed for Social Security yesterday. Thank goodness for Patty (Anna) Duke and her husbands video!! It IS a very emotional moment. I decided that after being layed off from this last job that I no longer want to be a pawn in any working situation again. It's taken me almost a year and a half to feel human again. The fear of what to do next, the not knowing , especially after finally buying our own home. No, I want to play, create...help others...spend time with my family. I started working when I was 12/13 years old.  Enough!! All the things I loved doing, the person I wanted to be.......this is my time. I will work, of course. Being a woman, unless we married wealthy, or were VERY successful, means having to work after retirement. But at least I'll have an income to use as a base as I find the next projects, etc.
  I'm still working on the "comment" problem!! 

Little Portraits By Me: Projects, Birds and Garden

Little Portraits By Me: Projects, Birds and Garden

Projects, Birds and Garden



I have two hummingbird feeders hanging on the old wash line, for now. We had hummingbirds around last year and I'm hoping to lure them back!




My paperclay doll is scarey as hell, but I'm sure it'll tell me who it is at some point!!!




Daffodills in the garden.



I'm Giving In..To Spring!

 

 These crocus have the most amazing lavender lines running up from the centers!

 

 Okay, I just spent the morning sweeping up leaves and debris outside, laying bricks and putting planks from the old picnic table on top. Two urn planters on top of those and now I just need to get soil and plants. I still can't get over all the crocus!! They're everywhere, just the way I like it!! Now, the daffodils are joining in and the birds are everywhere! My neighbor and I saw a woodpecker as we chatted. I haven't seen one here before, and I'm not positive which type, I'll look it up and TRY to get a photo. I have one hummingbird feeder up and another one to hang and , as you can tell, Spring has hit me!!

I find it amazing how flowers can work their way up through thick carpets of leaves!!





Crocus

We have crocus coming up and blooming, butterflies and wasps, daffodils and tulips coming up through the crisp fall leaves. What happened to winter??!! I have very mixed emotions about this. I need all the seasons to be who they are!! It's to weird!
 I will be signing up for Social Security today. It feels very strange and yet I know the only way I'll survive is with it and working, too. I've been told you can only make so much money and then they start holding the Soc. Sec. back. I've been working since I was 12. That's a lot of years. Having lost my job at the Book Warehouse was a shocker. There really is no such thing as job security, even if you care about the place and the customers. But, once again I will survive...it's really hard to not get hard and bitter. I want control of my life, what I do and what I deserve to be paid. Not some shmuck who decides to do away with my position .
I'm still trying to fix the "Comment" thingy here on the Blog.
  Now I will post some Crocus photos from the garden. Have a splendid day!



So beautiful!

 

Where Is Winter?



It's Me, Again!!!

 This is a portrait of my Grandson, Griffin. It's actually farther along now, so I will post a newer version soon, along with some other charcoal/pencil works.
 I love reading and looking at beautiful blogs. There is a magazine by Stampington called Artful Blogging that gives me goosebumps. Well, actually they have MANY publications that give me goosebumps!! I have seen snippets of my life coming together, I get the excitement when the ideas come....and then I fizzle out. Fear is damning and I'm filled with it. But, and this is the quest, I have to overcome the fear. I have become SO careful in every move I make, and I know that comes from having to keep myself and the girls alive and safe over the years. It's sad to say but there was always someone trying to manipulate, take from, or hurt us any way they could for their own greed. Add to that the abuse as a child...being told you were not good for anything but one thing. And it's really done some damage! But, I have been an adult for a long time, my girls are grown and beautiful strong women. I only have myself to blame if I don't chase the dreams now.
  I started this blog with the idea of it showing my art, and it will. But, I have many dimensions, and maybe by writing down the attempts, the wins and loses as I overcome these obstacles I will be able to help others, too.
 And, so, Dear Little Blog, I have returned to your pages.....may we have a strong and exciting bond as we go ahead with my life!!!