dancing as the sun sets

dancing in the clouds

bear hugs

to all my Michigan relatives....a big bear hug for you!

dancing in the street light

Along with the photo inspiring strip mall I also found myself parked near this orange tree nicely lit by the street lamp.

dancing in color

the second dance

Sunday evening our mitzvot took us into the city shuttling cabinets and personal belongs here and there for two of our friends. One stop was at a strip mall of consignment/antique shops. It was a photographers bonanza with plethora of interesting object to capture. This is the black and white version for those who enjoy line, texture, and shadow.

dancing in the sunday

It was a beautiful sunny Sunday after several days of rain and a "monster storm"....in the 70's....perfect for working in the yard/garden or if you happen to be a chicken just right for sun bathing.

dancing in the storm

Eeeeek-Uuuuug... the sound of the emergency broadcasting system.....hey, I realize....I haven't heard that sound since Michigan.

Arizona is being hit by repeated storms causing flash flooding and high winds.

Yesterday morning the clouds descended down to touch the mountain.

By late afternoon the wind had picked up so much dust it was nearly impossible to see the mountain from our back stoop.

color dance for betsy

Betsy,
Lily put on some colored socks so she could match you!
Hope your day has many bright spots.
Praying continually for you.
Love you,
Aunt Carolyn

trail of tears

Last night the rain poured down in sheets. This morning when I went outside there was a winding trail through the driveway where the water had cut into the soil. It felt like an appropriate reflection of how I'm feeling inside....wanting to be in Michigan to be able to hold Betsy's hand or rub Julie's feet or spend the night by Aaron's side so that my battered and bruised family could get a much needed rest in their own beds tonight.

http://www.themorningsun.com/articles/2010/01/19/news/srv0000007364262.txt

http://acooker.blogspot.com

dancing with someone someday

One of the ways that my husband resembles my dad is his delight in finding a bargain. His favorite place to be on a Monday is a Savers store. Monday is the day that everything with the past weeks colored tag goes on sale for a dollar. Jay enjoys finding Hawaiian shirts as well as other treasures for only a buck. He frequently comes home with bargains too good to pass up, sometimes with a certain friend in mind but more often with the thought that the garment will fit "someone" "someday". Well, thankfully, someone and someday, seem to be just around the corner as we prepare for a four day mission trip to Mexico the first weekend in February. This weekend we went through some "someday" boxes and packed suitcases for our trip. I estimated we packed between 70 and 80 shirts in the suitcase pictured.

dancing with laughter

In memory of my father who loved to make people laugh...

Two sisters, one blonde and one brunette, inherit the family ranch. Unfortunately, after just a few years, they are in financial trouble. In order to keep the bank from repossessing the ranch, they need to purchase a bull so that they can breed their own stock.

Upon leaving, the brunette tells her sister, "When I get there, if I decide to buy the bull, I'll contact you to drive out after me and haul it home."

paintbrush promenade

I have been meaning to paint...I really have....but I get overwhelmed by the amount of painting that needs to be done. Part of the problem is the previous paint job was done so poorly so that color that was intended to be on the wall ends on the ceiling as well as on the woodwork. I finally decided to start with the walls and ignore the ceiling even though they need attention too.


I started with the bright white living room wall on a Monday morning. I had tested some Dry Clay on the wall over the weekend but decided that was to dark so made a quick trip to the hardware store and came back with Old Salem Tan. The muted color was a dramatic improvement over the stark white but it still felt a bit off balance with the darker colors of the fireplace and the Artisan Pottery color on the slump block wall.


On Tuesday I took the "Dry Clay" and did a cross-hatch of brush strokes over the Old Salem Tan. The textured walls caught some but not all of the paint leaving an interesting pattern.


By Wednesday morning I decided that the lines that the paintbrush made were too strong. I took a rag and used circular motions to add more Dry Clay in order to disguise the lines. By the time the lines were gone the wall had too much color so I again used the rag technique and the Old Salem Tan to lighten the total effect.


Thursday and Friday I continued the Old Salem Tan around into the kitchen. I'm on a roll and things feel so clean and new with fresh paint.


Monday morning...time to get rid of the unflattering pale yellow in the upstairs bathroom. This time I'm going to use the Dry Clay and I think it will look great in this room with plenty of light.


Tuesday I paint the door jams (that had been painted the same yellow as the walls) with Old Salem Tan and then experiment ragging the lighter color on top of the dark. I decide this doesn't look so good so Wednesday I repaint over the experiment.


By Thursday morning everything is cleaned up and put back in order...just in time for company. As I painted, I decided that the bathroom would be used to display some of the many wonderful sunrise/sunset/mountain/moonlight photos we have take.


Muscles are sore and complaining but I'm happy with the results and ready to take on the laundry room and the worship room next chance I get.

if you ain't dutch

I bought a frame at a rummage sale last week with this print in it. I took the print out and used the frame with another image. The more I looked at this print the more I was sure it was the same print as one Grandma Perry had. It's in great shape. On the right corner it says made in USA and the left corner says 2610 The Old Mill. I don't know that it has any value but thought I would put it up for grabs if there are any Cookies out there who might like it before it gets recycled.

blue

Thesaurus

Blue:

depressed

down

sad

low

dejected

melancholy

unhappy

desolate

wretched

downcast

hieroglyohic hop

After a long day of packing up our former house guest and organizing in preparation for our new house guests.....we took a late afternoon hike on a new trail a few miles south of us. It was a perfect afternoon for a hike, a easy but scenic trail, and an amazing golden color display on the mountains as the sun was setting. However, in my haste to get out of the house, I left my camera behind and the little pocket camera Jay brought along ran out of battery power before we reached the hieroglyophics....next time I'll have some great shots for you to see.

tumbleweed and cacti baby

adapted to the southwest

Tumbleweed rolled carelessly through the desert, whistling as he went. As he was coming up over a hill Tumbleweed spotted the cute little Cacti Baby. Tumbleweed was surprised.

Tumbleweed stopped and stared at this strange creature. He had never seen anything like it before! "Good Morning," said Tumbleweed. "Nice weather we're having." The Cacti Baby said nothing.

Tumbleweed tried again. "And how are you feeling this fine day?" The Cacti Baby, she said nothing. Tumbleweed frowned. This strange creature was not very polite. It was beginning to make him mad.

"Ahem!" said Tumbleweed loudly, wondering if the Cacti Baby were deaf. "I said 'HOW ARE YOU THIS MORNING?" The Cacti Baby said nothing.

"Are you deaf or just rude?" demanded Tumbleweed, losing his temper. "I can't stand folks that are stuck up! You say 'Howdy-do' or I'm going to give you such a lickin'!"

The Cacti Baby just sat in the middle of the road looking as cute as a button and saying nothing at all.

"I'll learn ya!" Tumbleweed yelled. He took a swing at the cute little Cacti Baby and his paw got stuck in the needles.

"Lemme go or I'll hit you again," shouted Tumbleweed. The Cacti Baby, she said nothing.

"Fine! Be that way," said Tumbleweed, swinging at the Cacti Baby with his free paw. Now both his paws were stuck in the needles.

"I'm gonna kick the stuffin' out of you," Tumbleweed said and pounced on the Cacti Baby with both feet. They sank deep into the Cacti Baby. Tumbleweed was so furious he head-butted the cute little creature until he was completely covered with needles and unable to move.

He was stuck fast. And there he stayed.

why i love arizona #5

Winter weather so inviting it lures me outside with my latest good read to bask in the sun.