Enjoying an (un)planned summer

Wild Heart - found at the beach

For the first summer in a long time, I'm approaching the holiday without too many plans. I often teach or have big plans to write or travel or do other work. But this summer, I didn't sign up for any much of that. Sure, I've got a few things to do, here and there, but mainly I have time to do whatever I want or to do nothing at all. And I'm really enjoying it.

Wild Heart - found on the bluffs

So what have I been doing?

Cleaning out the garage and doing some light gardening - both feel very satisfying. 

A little reading, but not as much as I would like.

A lot of TV watching - binge watching Justified (OMG - this show is so good; I'll be sad when I finish it this weekend) and Bloodline (season 2 not as good as season 1, but I enjoy sharing this with Henry) and soccer, soccer, soccer (Euros and Copa Centenario)!

A little blogging (again not as much as I would like).

A lot of photo scavenger hunting (including my finds for item #1 a wild heart).

Some scrapbooking (traditional and photobook)

What am I still looking forward to this summer?

More scrapbooking, sketching and art journaling

Getting reacquainted with my camera and lightroom

More blogging and reading

More home improvement (hardwood floors downstairs and cleaning the upstairs rugs)

And, today, I'm heading to a class with Tim Holtz!

Enjoying this (un)planned summer so far. What about you? Did you make a summer plan? Or not? How's it going so far?

Winter Photo Scavenger Hunt Linky: Candlelight

February is over, and Joy is hosting a link-up for the Winter Photography Scavenger Hunt. Prior to this week, I had found 15 of the 21 items. And then today, I found another one - #15 Candlelight! Birthday candles, to be exact. 

Because today was my birthday, and my wonderful husband and daughter made me a home made cake, loaded it up with candles and sang me "Happy Birthday!" I had a very nice day - worked out, did some art journaling and enjoyed dinner and cake.

And now I have found 16 of the 21 items. Five more to find by March 21. I guess I better get to it!

1.   A robin redbreast

2.   Tinsel

3.   Outside lighting

4.   A star

5.   A snowman

6.   A puddle

7.   Berries and/or nuts

8.   A wreath

9.   A tree that has lost all its leaves

10.  A windy day

11.  Your favourite pudding

12.  A fancy button

13.  Street art

14.  Afternoon tea

15.  Candle light

16.  A chimney

17.  A ladder

18.  An arrow

19.  A fountain

20.  Cutlery

21.  Your own handwriting (this one is compulsory and cannot be substituted)

Me on Monday: An Entertaining Weekend

#21 My Own Handwriting

(for the Wintertime Photography Scavenger Hunt)

How was your weekend? I spent some time addressing Christmas cards and doing some online shopping. But mainly I spent time enjoying a wide variety of entertainment.

On Friday, I spent time in front of the TV waiting for my boy to come home for the holidays and watching my husband's favorite Christmas movie:

(I think I've mentioned before that my favorite Christmas movie is Die Hard, but I wait to watch that until Christmas Day). 

Then on Saturday, we headed over to Berkeley where we shopped, wandered around campus and checked out the place where we met 35 years ago!

Davis House Coop, where we both lived our last couple of years of college, looks exactly the same as I remember. Afterward, we went to see a play:

It was amazing! The best play I have seen in a long time and really made me want to get back to attending theater more regularly. 

And finally, went to an old fashioned tavern Sunday afternoon to listen to music.

An entertaining weekend, indeed!

How was your weekend? Check in with Sian at From High in the Sky to see who else is waving hi this Monday morning.

Me on Monday: Thanksgiving Weekend

 

My friend, Sian at From High in the Sky, hosts a place to check in from the weekend in a 

convenient list format. What kind of a weekend was it?

- It was a four days off from work Thanksgiving Weekend,

- a happy that the boy found a last minute ride home weekend,

- a relaxing dinner with friends on Thursday and drinks/left overs with friends on Friday weekend,

- a creating photo Christmas cards weekend,

- a starting to binge watch Jessica Jones on Netflix weekend,

- a hanging out with the boy, watching football and soccer kind of weekend; and

- It was a taking the dogs out for many walks in the beautiful weather kind of weekend.

What kind of weekend did you have?

Gratitude on Thanksgiving Day

Today is Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. I've been keeping a gratitude list this month. I posted week 1 a while ago, and today seems like a good day to post the rest!
The first few come from when I took a trip to Eugene at the beginning of the month to visit my son Henry in Eugene, Oregon.

6-grateful for an on time flight and a movie theater that serves beer

7 - grateful for a quiet room and comfy bed; grateful for my son's help

8- grateful for a dry place to sit while watching soccer; a hot shower; and a much needed nap

9 - grateful for plans coming together

10 - grateful for a new beginning 

11 - grateful for family

12 - grateful for a walk on the bluffs with Paul and the dogs - sunshine, cool air, beautiful views and exercise 

13 - grateful for upbeat music on the radio and my students 

14 - grateful for signs of progress and a good friend who listens  

15 - grateful for Shanghai soup dumplings and date night with Paul

16 - grateful for a crisp, sunny day; good health; and help from the high school

17- grateful for a full tuition grant and a smile from my daughter

18 - grateful for a friendly stranger with directions and a well-placed in and out burger.

19 - grateful for soccer victories and dinner with an old friend 

20 - grateful to be a soccer mom and the connection it gives me to my boy

21 - grateful for the boys winning the national championship in club soccer, Henry being named to the all tournament team and (most of all) being able to share it all with him.

22 - grateful for a safe trip home and a relaxing afternoon 

23 - grateful to hear Henry's coming home for thanksgiving and that Clara found a school.

24 - grateful for my comfy home and loving husband at the end of a long day.

25 - grateful for my children 

26 - grateful for my brothers and sisters, my parents in heaven and best friends who have become family 

Gratitude: Week 1

Thank you to all who sent hugs and left caring messages on my Monday post. We are continuing to work through some issues here at home. But in the meantime, I have been keeping a gratitude list.

Here's a list of the things I have noted this week:
1. Grateful for a day of peace, a good workout, finishing my casebook chapters and rain.
2. Grateful for the time change, being able to fit into my clothes, escaping to work, and cooler temperatures and so I can bundle up.
3. Grateful for good counsel and a college acceptance letter.

4. Grateful for a well-taught class and a good stretch.
5. Grateful for the feel of sunshine on my skin and to be living by the sea.
What are you grateful for this week?

Me on Monday: On Struggling and Gratitude

It's the Monday after the Halloween weekend and normally I would have a chirpy post full of how much fun we had this weekend and photos of the festivities. But, to be honest, it was a weekend of struggle. A struggle with work. A struggle with family. I may share more later; it depends how things play out. We didn't go to the annual Halloween party. We were not in the mood for a party. And I was, finally, making headway on my work project. So we stayed home. For now all I have to share are the photos I took of my Dias de los Muertos altar I put up, even though I took it down . . . a victim of the struggles.

And then, somewhere in the midst of the weekend, I came across this photo on instagram. That's my boy (#10 in midfield) playing soccer under a rainbow. His college team was playing in the regional club soccer tournament (they lost in the semi's to the eventual tournament champion). It made me smile.

And I started to notice people posting the intention to compile daily gratitude lists for November.

And, on Sunday night, as I was finally finishing up my work project to send, I heard rain begin to fall. 

And I realized that November 1 at least had not been a completely bad day. I did have things to be grateful for:

a day of peace;

a good workout;

finishing my casebook chapters; and

rain.

I'm not sure how often I will post my gratitude list, but I am going to try to find and note at least one thing to be grateful for each day in November.

Me on Monday: What's Happening in My World

I've seen several blog friends using an interesting meme recently, and I thought I would use it for my "Me on Monday" post, linking up with Sian over at From High in the Sky. The meme originated at All the Weigh but I changed a few of the questions to better suit me.

1.     What’s the title of the last book you read? 

I just finished "The Museum of Extraordinary Things" by Alice Hoffman for my book group. It is set in 1911 New York City (a pivotal year for that city, it turns out). It was a little slow starting, but overall I think it was worth reading. Some of the themes it raised about animals, nature, family, faith and fate will lead to an interesting discussion I think. It also gave a very good snap shot of 1911 NYC. Others have compared it to The Night Circus, but it reminded me more of The Golem and the Jinni. I listened to the story on Audible, and it went for thirteen hours. I think it would have been shorter if I read it myself, and I think the slowness of the reading contributed to my feeling that the book was a little slow.

2.     What is the last thing you cooked at home? 

Chicken cakes. I've been working on losing weight since the end of summer, and I've dropped about 15 pounds. It feels good to be back to a healthy weight. Chicken cakes are a recipe from my "Take Down Challenge" binder, and they are relatively quick, very tasty and filling.

3.      What is your favorite thing about Fall? 

I love the cooler temperatures and the ability to bundle up in a nice, warm soft blanket. I find it so comforting.

4.     Share one thing that challenged you at some point over the last week.

Clara. She is being incredibly challenging at the moment. Prayers and good thoughts for frazzled parents welcomed.

5.     List three hobbies that you actively pursue or want to pursue.

Working out (is that a hobby?), blogging and drawing mandalas are the ones I'm actually pursuing at the moment. Photography, scrapbooking and art journaling are what I want to be pursing. 

6.      What is the most recent sporting event  you watched? 

Watching the Manchester Derby (Manchester United v. Manchester City) right now.

7.     Besides watching "live TV," what service do you use to watch TV or films  (netflix, on demand, etc.)?

Mostly "on demand" which is part of our TV service that shows recently broadcast television shows (they generally have the current season for free and past seasons for a fee). I also watch Netflix for older shows and movies, but I will purchase/rent and download movies from itunes as well.

8.     Have you started Christmas shopping yet? 

I went to a "pop-up" boutique at a friend's house last week that sold socially responsible crafts and bought a few things. So I guess the answer is yes.

9.      Do you have any upcoming trips?

I've got two - I'm going to visit my son in two weeks. We'll go to a college football game, go to see Spectre (in its American release), and hang out. I'm hoping to also have a crafty afternoon with friends. Second, I'm going to Arizona near the end of November. I'm going to watch my son play soccer in the national club soccer tournament, but I'm also really, really looking forward to a visit with Deb! 

10.    Do you remember your dreams? 

Not usually... I wonder if it's because I don't dream?

In case you want to cut and paste the questions, I thought I'd list them here without answers to help you along. 

Here’s what’s happening in my world:

1.     What’s the title of the last book you read? 

2.     What is the last thing you cooked at home? 

3.      What is your favorite thing about Fall? 

4.     Share one thing that challenged you at some point over the last week.

5.     List three hobbies that you actively pursue or want to pursue. 

6.      What is the most recent sporting event  you watched? 

7.     Besides watching "live TV," what service do you use to watch TV or films (netflix, on demand, etc.)?

8.     Have you started Christmas shopping yet? 

9.      Do you have any upcoming trips?

10.    Do you remember your dreams? 

Well, hello there (Me on Monday)

It's been almost a month since the end of the Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt, and, like last year, I took a blog break. So, what have I been up to? Well, we brought this cute little kitten home from the kitten nursery (her name is Julie). The kitten nursery ended with us saving a record 230 kittens!

Went out to watch the lunar eclipse. Had my usual difficult time photographing the moon. And I'm still having camera-to-computer problems. I need to figure out how to get my photos from my camera to my computer. I'm thinking about diving in to lightroom, and I'm thinking about taking Jessica Sprague's class on it because I think she's very good at teaching this type of editing. I know that the inability to take photographs and share them has kept me away from my blog.

Work has been extraordinarily busy this semester, both my classes and my travel schedule. I did take an interesting work trip to Tulsa, Oklahoma. The amount of work has kept me away from my art desk and that has also kept me away from my blog.

I really want to get back to photography, making art and blogging. Hopefully I'll be able to fight through the various barriers and be back here more often.
***************************
Linking up with Sian at From High in the Sky

What I've Been Up to Lately

Hey all,
I've been a bit absent from blogland lately, but it's been busy around here. Hope to do some blog reading/commenting today and maybe even write a few posts! The biggest excitement was the start of school for Clara. That's her on the left. We've got a friend of hers staying with us for at least part of the school year. Her name is Carmen, and she is lovely and very low-impact. That's Carmen on the right, top. 
What else?

Went to Cleveland, Ohio for a quick business trip. Cleveland is home to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, so they had decorated guitars all about the airport. I've actually been quite busy with lots of work matters (finishing a couple of articles, getting my syllabi ready for the new school year - I start teaching on Wednesday, taking care of some administrative matters, etc.)
What else?

Still volunteering at the Kitten Nursery on Wednesday nights and at Guide Dogs for the Blind Sunday mornings. May have to bow out of one of those as the year progresses, although the nursery will start slowing down in the fall as "kitten season" ends.
What else?

Enjoying watching my boy (in the middle) enjoy his summer. He leaves in less than two weeks to return to school. Will definitely miss him!
Hope you're all doing well and hope to get around for some blog visits soon.

Me on Monday: Summertime Music Traditions and Where did summer go?

Happy Monday!
Waving hi and linking up with Sian at From High in the Sky to report on the kind of weekend I enjoyed. What kind of a weekend was it? It was a:
-going to Stern Grove with friends for our annual summertime music picnic; enjoying some funk (Morris Day and the Time), a little wine, fun conversation and relaxation kind of weekend;
-wondering where the heck summer went kind of weekend; in fact, wondering how a whole week went by since I posted the July linky for the Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt;
-the kids both going off to a different music festival in Golden Gate Park and loving listening to their stories of "Outside Lands" when they came home kind of weekend;
-a "uh oh, Clara registers for school on Thursday and starts school in less than two weeks!" kind of weekend.
How was your weekend?

Me on Monday

Happy Monday!
What kind of a weekend was it?
It was a celebrating 4th of July weekend with family and friends

Playing board games (wits and wagers; rumiko) and not just to pose for the #4 Someone playing a board game or card game for the 2015 Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt

 

Enjoying BBQ

 

And shooting off fireworks!
While my boy was off in another city, driving the float for his baseball team in the Vallejo 4th of July parade:

And my girl sent word that she made it to Machu Picchu in Peru:

It was also a taking the dogs for a walk on the hill to capture #16 a panoramic view from up high

And working away on an article and preparing for my final week of class, both of which have kept me from visiting blogs much but have an end in sight!
How was your weekend? Stop on over to Sian's blog From High in the Sky to wave hi.

Some Angels Wear Airline Uniforms

Last Thursday I dropped my just-barely-17 year old daughter off at the airport. She was scared and excited; traveling by herself for the first time and headed for Peru. The first leg of the trip was a short one - San Francisco to Los Angeles. From there, she would have to get over to the international terminal and get on a flight to Lima. And once in Lima, go through immigration and customs, go to the domestic terminal and find her flight to Cuzco. We went over it many times. I kissed her good-bye and waved as she headed off through security.
A few hours later, she called. She was in tears and just beside herself; filled with panic. She was in L.A. and had lost her wallet, which contained her passport and boarding passes. I tried my best to calm her down. She retraced her steps a bit, convinced security to let her into the international terminal to try to talk her way onto the Lima flight with her drivers license and copy of her passport. No go.
She called again; more panicked then ever because the clock was ticking and she knew she wouldn't make her flight. Just as I was trying to calm her down, the other phone rang. 
It was Laurie from American Airlines. They had found her wallet. She said she would leave it at the American Airlines ticket counter. Laurie stayed on the line while I tried to get Clara to calm down and go get her passport. By this point, Clara was so upset she couldn't find her way out of the international terminal. Laurie heard me on the line with Clara and said, "Tell her stay where she is, and I will bring it to her." Laurie imagined Clara - a 17 year old with a brand new passport, on her first trip, panicked and about to miss her flight - and went out of her way to cross LAX, convince international security to let her in and find Clara. All of this was above and beyond what she had to do. She was truly an angel, sent to help Clara in her time of need. 
Clara still ended up missing her flight and had to navigate her way to an airport hotel at 2:00 a.m. But she managed. And the next day, she returned to the airport, boarded the plane to Lima and then on to Cuzco, Peru.

I'm so proud of my girl for sticking with it and not giving up. And so grateful to Laurie, an angel in an airline uniform, who helped Clara on her way.

Art Journaling and Musing on Health

Way back in 2011, I selected "health" as my one little word. It served me well, as I got into shape and became stronger and healthier. I made this journal with several intentions to become healthier. I did pretty well on most of them, but there were two that I ignored: find a doctor I like and get caught up on my "tests."

Well,this year, a mere four years later, I finally got around to those two very important tasks. I found a doctor I like and trust, and she set me up with all those scary tests. I am happy to report that the mammogram, PAP, and sugar level tests all came back fine. My blood pressure, cholesterol and pulse rate are all great! Today I went to have all my odd looking moles checked and had one removed. I created an art journal page with Tim Holtz's crazy birds stamps to congratulate myself on overcoming my fears and getting these tests done. And I'm hoping that I won't let these tests go so long before I do them again. I'm wondering if I'm the only one who puts these tests off for fear of a bad result. I know it's irrational behavior at its worst, but I can't believe I'm alone. Am I?