the path

Graycee

in bloom

...in my backyard...

rambling rose, redbud, camelia

vinton cemetery

Vinton Cemetery

August 2005, September 2008

it's over

Turn your face to the sun,

and the shadows fall behind you.

Maori Proverb

The trial is finally over. It was horrific...a murder case where the body was burned in order to hide the shooting death...horrific. The trial and jury process has changed me in ways I have yet to fathom. I am so, so glad to be back to my simple life where gangs and guns and death and destruction are not part of everyday life. I am so blessed to be able to live simply and joyfully. I have to trust in the Universe that this experience serves some higher purpose. There was one bright benefit, though. My fellow jurors are a wonderful group of people. It was a pleasure to get to know them.

table mountain

Today there was a break in the rain. Not just a break, but sunshine. Taking advantage, I piled J and my Mom - who is visiting for the week - into the car and headed up to Table Mountain in Oroville to see if the wildflowers were in bloom. They are only beginning, but J and I had a grand time tracking through the boggy land, climbing on fallen trees, and visiting cows. My Mom - who is arthritic - stayed in the car and napped! It was a lovely way to spend the afternoon. Tomorrow, it's back to school for J, back to crosswords and mystery novels for my Mom, and back to the jury box for me.

J's favorite part was splashing in the puddles...

My favorite part...the cows...

death of an image

Both images by Andrea Galvani via life according to celia

baby sweet baby

One-week-old leopard...Oh, my!!!

from Zoo Borns

retail therapy

A little out-of-sorts today - nothing important, just anxious, I embarked on what my niece calls "retail therapy." I've been looking for awhile for a couple of astrological inspired prints for J and me - one Scorpio, one Libra. I almost always dislike the artwork for both signs. Tonight I came across a couple of cards on Etsy with sweet designs - not too cutesy, just right. They're cards so the size is right and the price is right. I'll mat and frame them and they'll be perfect in our respective bedrooms.

Val Draws

wisdom and grace

Three things cannot long be hidden:

the sun, the moon, and the truth.

Buddha

Postings may be sporadic the next two weeks. I am on jury duty and must help decide a case that will affect the rest of a young man's life. What a huge responsibility. May I have the wisdom and grace to recognize and know the truth.

leprechauns

I am not crafty. Miss J isn't either. She would rather be doing other things - like dancing, running through the sprinklers, changing her clothes - over and over, or begging for chocolate. "Momma, what can I have that's chocolate?" We had to do a craft project for school. Apparently, leprechauns are a big problem at school, causing havoc on St. Patrick's Day. So, each child in J's class has to design and build a leprechaun trap. We can't call it that, though, because leprechauns are all around and might overhear. We're calling it a kitty trap. I have jury duty next week so we had to get our project done today. After a trip to the back shed to find a box the right size - not too big, but deep enough to trap the little guy, a trip to Cost Plus for bait - gold covered chocolate coins, and a trip to Michael's for green wrapping paper and something we could use for a ladder, J and I began our work. It was fun. J is proud of her work. Our trap turned out beautiful - aesthetically, at least. I'm not sure it would actually trap a leprechaun. Here's the result...

barbie and me

I just realized I've never written about barbierose. I sell my photos - animals, Nature, life-inspired - under brownrose on Etsy. I've always had a thing for Barbie. I played with Barbies until my pre-teens when my mother took them all away from me. "You're too old to play with Barbies!" Hmmm. Too old. Over the last few years, I've collected quite a few Barbie dolls and clothes - and shoes. Did you know there are Louboutin Barbie shoes??? Anyway, I've recently been taking photos of them. I don't feel I've quite found my vision yet with the dolls. I keep shooting away. The photos I like I post in a separate shop - barbierose. Here's a small selection...

 

lions, tigers, and bears - oh, my!

I'm a blog junkie. I admit it. Just like in all things, I have very eclectic and diverse tastes in blogs. One of my favorites is ZooBorns. The blog is dedicated to baby animals born into zoos the world over. The photos aren't always great, but the little animals are so so cute. Reading the blog never fails to bring a smile to my face.

All photos from ZooBorns

 I listen to the wind
to the wind of my soul
Where I'll end up
well, I think only God really knows

I sat upon the setting sun
But never never never
I never wanted water once
No never, never, never

I listen to my words
but they fall far below
I let my music take me
where my heart wants to go

I swam upon the Devil's lake
but never never never
I'll never make the same mistake
No never never never

 The Wind

Cat Stevens

My sister is nine years older than me. I worshipped her. Our tastes - in anything - are no longer similar, but when I was a kid I tried to be her and emulated her look, her likes, and her dislikes. One of the many things I adopted from her was her musical tastes - Joni Mitchell, John Denver, The Beatles, Maria Muldaur, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and...Cat Stevens. We both loooooved his music. His words and music had a profound influence on the development of my soul. It helped that my choir director - who I had a huge crush on - could be Cat Stevens' twin brother!

Today it is incredibly windy here - garbage cans rolling down the street, trees breaking, difficult to walk against the wind. Looking out the window in my nice warm house, I watched the wind and this Cat Steven song filled my mind.

beautiful day

What a beautiful day. The almond trees are in bloom. The sun was shining. The doors and windows could be open till evening. The kitties got to snooze in the sun. I got to take a couple of hours to sit outside and read, with Graycee curled napping in my lap. A truly lovely day. If only J were with me, it would have been perfect. Still, pretty close to perfect.

baby baby baby

I miss my baby. Okay, she's not a baby anymore. She's six. And I'll see her tomorrow. I still miss her - and, I admit, sometimes I miss the time when she was a baby.

passion

I seem to have lost my passion - for everything. I still feel awed by the beauty around me, but it doesn't lift my spirit. I haven't taken a photo in weeks - maybe longer. Nothing speaks to me. I feel completely disconnected from myself.

Me - a long, long, long time ago.

Ironically, I still play with Barbies,

although we no longer wear matching outfits.