December Days

December seemed to ramble on at record speeds. We cancelled plans for a party. Mostly because it looked like the hubs would be out-of-town on business. The date to RSVP, came when his plans were still up in the air. So mid December, we had our own little party and did it up right with a nice little date, just the two of us.

The hubs seemed to be pulled in all directions. Work needed him. He traveled, worked weekends, was on call after hours and devoted his time where he was needed most. I admire his qualities and his urgency to get the job done right. His passion, attention to detail and his ability to remain calm while juggling so much, speaks volumes.

It was also that time of the year to take a Christmas picture. “It’s a thing” as the year draws to a close. This year, with the hubs beard, I wanted to take our time and have fun in the backyard. He obliged and didn’t bat an eye when I asked if he would put on his suit. He’s the best sport!

The sun was quickly dropping and we didn’t have as much time as I thought. But we made do with the time we had.

This photo was in the running. But I thought it could use a crop if we were to use it for our Christmas photo.

Cropped ever so slightly. But still, I was not feeling it.

We had little meetings as I worked through a few pose ideas with the hubs.

Oh the fun…It gets tricky when you are shooting your own photos. A camera and tripod are the two key tools. And the bonus is having a remote in hand such that you can snap without running back and forth to the camera for each shot. However, if a pause takes too long between shots, It’s necessary to run back to the camera to refresh the focus.

Between shots, I started to fix the windblown hair. While trying to fix my hair the hubs said, quick, take another shot so we don’t have to refresh. So I mashed the remote while fixing the hair and the hubs had his own fun in mind. I love this shot in so many ways.

While the image below wasn’t perfect for the Christmas photo, I thought it had potential.

There, much better cropped. Then turned to black and white. Hmmm…we were not so sure about the black and white.

Back to the original color. Next it was time to think of a background and how to come up with the Christmas card cover.

As thoughts began to swirl, and thoughts turned to action in Photoshop, I came up with this. It seemed the perfect complement for the photo. And so our 2018 Christmas photo was born.

While trying to come up with a little something for the back of the card. I thought this would go well. I believe this to be the last shot from our photo shoot. The warm glow from the setting sun was magical.

Next, the pic was cropped to a little square for the back of the card, with a little 2018 sentiment.

What a blessing and joy to share all of my days with the man who rocks my world.

Blessings – Debbie

Finding Joy

I choose to block out negative energy and fill my cup with joy. Those were my thoughts this morning as I saw some ugliness in the media. I choose to step aside and grab my joy cap.

The best voice of the morning, was when the hubs called, stating he left a couple of things at home. I jumped at the opportunity to run them over to him. I also jumped at the chance to put the camera in the car.

After I dropped the things off to the hubs, I went to the Lake, my playground. And found more joy than I can begin to express.

I made my way down the winding road and under the lush canopy I went. And somewhere on this little journey, I truly felt my heart sing.

What a glorious morning…

It was just the ticket to get my Monday off to a good start.

Once home, I felt a special nudge to get out there and take the long way home more often. Take that extra little step, adventure is out there. I was reminded of Yogi Berra: ‘When you come to the fork in the road, take it!’ Truly the best route home was the fork.

I soon busied myself with my Monday list of things to do. But the special little step over to the lake stayed with me all day.

Speaking of lists, I started journaling this past week. And I took quite a liking to it! I also brainstormed, compiling a list of dreams and decided on 2 that were at the top of the list. Goal exercises were assigned that relates to chosen dreams. Next, habits were developed to serve those goals. I like the way the big dreams have been dissected, creating a clear path to success. Each day is a new day to take the next step, do not stop.

My phrase for this week “CLEAR your mind of can’t”. “Dream Big” people, then make a realistic approach to accomplish those dreams.

Blessings – Debbie

While The Hubs Was Away

Hello World! I hope this finds you doing well. Hey, I’m posting a second post today. What’s up with that?

I suppose I’m in the mood to get caught up on things.

April 16th – 23rd

It’s that time of the year for new growth. And word is out that there are new baby egrets over at the nearby lake.

Which brings me to the reason our pond is still covered. This guy came for a visit last week, only to discover he was not able to reach the fish, thank you pond net for holding up.

It’s also a busy time in and around the pond.

The fish have spawned several times and I’m working double duty to keep the pond nice and clean. In the process, I think I’m getting a little extra vitamin D.

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Monday evening, the hubs called to see if I wanted to watch our show together. While we were worlds apart. Or so it seemed.

Note: If you are anyone that knows me well, you know I’m not a TV person. While I enjoy the shows we watch together, like survivor, Master Chef and Better Call Saul, I don’t bother turning on the TV when the hubs is away.

So on that particular night, he had to walk me thru instructions, just to get the TV on.

Once “we” (the me part of we) got to the right channel, we were all set to watch Better Call Saul.

The fun part was texting between commercials and even during the show. That was my favorite night, as he felt really close.

One day I picked roses from the garden. It makes me happy to bring the outdoors in.

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What makes my heart sing – Sometimes things grab our attention without trying to notice. Like this canister at the front of the store in the after Easter clearance sale. Several thoughts that ran thru my mind in like 1 second. 4 dollars and change? really? I love it! It’s cheerful and happy! For that price it’s ours. And so it was. Next year, I’ll have to make a cozy little spot for us to enjoy.

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One day the hubs sent a text…”How many pieces of fudge would you like?”

You see, he was in Ft Worth again, staying in the Stockyards next to the candy store where they sell my favorite fudge in the world. Of course not counting my mom’s fudge, her fudge is the best, but only made once a year. That’s another story for another time.

Back to the number of pieces I wanted. I responded “One piece baby, just one.” That was my fudge order.

Well fudge, I didn’t think another thing until he got home Friday afternoon with a couple of boxes of goodies. I wonder if he left enough fudge on the shelf for others. Obviously he was not concerned with sharing. That’s 8 huge pieces of fudge for me. Yeah, he’s not a fudge kinda guy, so it’s all mine.

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The best part about this fudge is, the decadence of peanut butter and chocolate in one smooth creamy bite. It is sure to satisfy the craziest of chocoholics.

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After the hubs busy week, we decided a laid back weekend was the ticket to rest up. We did enjoy a few dinners out, a quick stop at the ice cream store and a lot of relaxation.

And with that, my wish for you is a Happy New Week.

Blessings – Debbie

New Season New Projects

It’s such a pretty time of the year. A magical time when things begin to appear after a little nap. Like the gladiolas, day lilies and water lilies. The water-lily pads are leafing out and we look forward to the pink, white and yellow flowers to be on display any day now.

The backyard has been an ongoing project. A fun project. A labor of love. The arbors are fairly new but the one on the right is the latest edition.

See the bird houses up top? They’re not new, but I applied a new coat/color of paint to make them pop.  And each of them have been moved 3 times. I think I like the spots they’re in this time around.

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The yellow bird house, zoomed in a bit.

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And the green bird house with a new splash of paint. See the yellow dragonfly, flying thru the lavender? I painted him not too long ago as well.

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This arbor is the second (matching) arbor added to the upper terrace. I’m super excited about the little project that will complete the area. It’s probably weeks out, but still, exciting.

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After working several hours in the garden, I craved a nice tall glass of sweet tea, made with honey.

I took my nice cool beverage to the patio and sipped and thought about the next project I would like to tackle.

I “think” it involves paint.

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I’m happy to report that we had a glorious spring day. And I look forward to sharing as I go along the way.

Blessings – Debbie

Fort Worth Stock Yards

Hello peeps!  How are you? Yes, I’m here! Has it really been over a year since I had something to say on the blog? I find that hard to believe.

The blog’s been on my mind, it seems daily. And the weight of all the things left unsaid seemed to push me further away. Like a mountain of stuff piling up, and  not knowing where to begin. Things like 3 weddings in 3 different states, memories of my grandma, gardening projects, monthly book club fun dates, painting birdhouses, our trip to Hoover Dam, Meteor Crater and the Grand Canyon and little things like ducks adopting our pond and the hubs and I named them Mack and Daisy and we became Certified Kansas City BBQ judges! And other stuff that I would find blog worthy.

But at some point, it’s good to know that it’s ok to start blogging right where I am. And not fret trying to get things in chronological order.

So for now, I would like to post an update from two weeks ago.

On Monday, April 3rd, our alarm rang at 3:15am. The hubs had a business trip to Fort Worth and we decided that I should go too. Our bags were packed the night before and we were up and at it and out the door in record time.

Fort Worth was our destination. In fact, we stayed at the Hyatt, right smack in the middle of the heartbeat of Fort Wort, the Fort Worth Stock Yards.

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While the hubs worked, I found plenty to do, just steps away from our room.

One of the things I was excited about was the cattle drive.

The Old West comes to life during the Fort Worth Herd’s twice-daily cattle drive. Genuine Texas cowhands drive a herd of Texas Longhorns down Exchange Avenue in the Stockyards National Historic District every day at 11:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.

On Tuesday afternoon, I arrived exceptionally early to experience the excitement on the street as people started to arrive.

I found a nice shaded bench on the sidewalk and found myself in my own little world enjoying the passing moments.

A little while later, I heard a sweet voice coming from a gal (Genevieve) who found a  place to sit on the bench next to me.

In no time, we became friends and exchanged stories about our passion for art, photography and travel. Turns out, she is traveling the entire lower 48. How awesome and impressive is that folks!?! We also exchanged blogs and emails.

She also encouraged me to get back to blogging. Many thanks to her, the blog is back sooner than expected.

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Every detail of the cattle drive—from the saddles and chaps to the boots and hats – is authentic and historically true.

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On Wednesday, the next day, I watched the cattle drive again.

“Here comes the parade!” Ha! I got such a chuckle out of the gal behind me when she uttered those words. I guess you could argue that it’s a parade of Longhorns.

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It was sweet to see the baby. His little horns are adorbs.

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And that’s a wrap on the cattle drive. Till next time…

At the Cow Wash – I love how the hubs came up with the name cow wash. This was located just behind our hotel.

They didn’t enjoy getting sprayed in the face.

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But didn’t seem to mind the rest of the wash.

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Who knew Longhorns got the full service?

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While in the Stockyards, it was nice to get out and stroll.

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While on my stroll, It was nice to take the time to enjoy the finer things. Like this furniture store (Rios) located in the heart of the Stock Yards.

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Southwest flare is pretty cool.

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The Texan swagger is on.

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A cool statue I shot one bright sunny day.

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The hubs and I enjoyed a nice BBQ brisket meal at one of our old favorite places.

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It was a must to take a picture where our daughter used to work. Just for old times sake.

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Another evening, we went to Rodeo Goat for burgers.

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Overall, the two of us got to enjoy some special things. Like our favorite fried chicken establishment, Babe’s Fried Chicken. We took a side tour of our old homestead, visited with our old neighbor in passing and enjoyed the time when we were able to do things together.

I was also blessed to visit with a good friend Jan over lunch one day. What a delight it was seeing her again, after 10 years. It’s a wonderful feeling when we are able to catch up with old friends. And able to pick right back up where we left off and not miss a beat. Does my heart good.

Our time in Fort Worth was a treasure, I gained a new friend Miss Genevieve, we were able to experience old favorite places and visit with old long lost friends. What a blessing after 10 years of separation to the place we once called home.

I have so much more to share, and look forward to posting again soon. I think it’s safe to say that I’m back and ever so happy to be here.

Blessings – Debbie

Mama said there’ll be days like this

There’ll be days like this my mama said. Such a smart lady my mama.

Some days beg for a little vent, a shoulder to cry on, someone to listen as we share little challenges, all in a day. That was yesterday and today we’re still without water.

First things first, we woke to no internet. Ok, no biggie, the hubs can get to it later.

Next, I noticed our sprinklers were not turning off and water was pooling.  This is the second ordeal with the sprinklers in the last week. Turns out we have a bad valve and we look to replace them over the weekend. But in the meantime, we have the water turned off for the entire household. Luckily we can turn it on for showers and such and then right back off it goes. I told the hubs this morning as he was getting dressed for the outdoors that it was as though he had to make a run for the well before he could shower this morning. And then it took me back to the days before me, when folks really did have to pump their water. And then I thought of how thankful I am that all we need to do is turn a knob for running water. It’s not so bad after all.

Note: this issue it unrelated to the broken/repaired pipe I shared last week.

So last evening, the hubs insisted we go out for dinner. It was a nice treat with all that was going on at home.

But folks, the shoe dropped once again after dinner. As the hubs went to start the car, it would not start. We both grinned, looked at each other and agreed that we were ready for the nonsense and day to end.

We were also delighted to have AAA to the rescue. They were by our side in less than 30 min., they came equipped with new batteries and provided the best service on the spot. And our car was good as new and back on the road within 45 min of our first call.

While the internet was down, I painted in Photoshop (yesterday). It’s the image that so inspired me to shoot the other day. I can’t express the amount of joy that comes from painting. And I can say it was good for the body and soul. Amen.

The first image on the left is a underpainting. Image in the middle is the next layer, what I refer to as intermediate strokes and the last image is referred to as detail strokes.

While the layers are far from finished, it gives an idea of the steps taken while in the process of putting the layers together as one.

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And with that, I shall continue to move forward. And feel grateful that we have so much to be thankful for. Even if we have a mound of dirty clothes in need of washing.

Blessings – Debbie

October

Time is on the move. And I better do something on the blog, as time is not going to wait a moment.

So October rolled in with my friend wanting to use me as a subject in her photography class.

And 9 x’s out of 10 she asked me to take off my glasses. Something I would never do for a photographer or anyone. But for her and her assignment, I obliged. But I still can’t figure out if it was the way she bribed me or not. She kept telling me that I looked like a 12-year-old school girl. The bribe seemed to work. But looking at the image, it just doesn’t feel like the “real” me. I’m a glasses wearing gal from the time I rise and shine to the time I fall asleep. And if you are one of the few to catch me without glasses,  it’s a rare happening. So here ya go.

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No smiles she would say. Looking for that serious side of you. Here’s what she captured. We had such a fun day in her studio.

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We had a nice little rain early October. I captured an image between raindrops.

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I would say this past October was one of the warmer ones we’ve had since we moved here. Can you believe we’ve already been here 6 years this October?

My little mid October stroll in the garden one “cooler” morning.

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I got so excited this particular morning to see the orange rose-tree in full bloom. It’s a tree I hand-picked to sit next to the pond. There’s just something about the color of the fish and rose that makes me smile.

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Enjoying my new mugs from Costco and coffee as the sun comes up.

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In other October news. We had a little minor issue in our bathroom. Floor tiles needed replacing, toilet needed replaced (well not really, but we wanted a new one) and I decided while we were at it to go ahead and paint the baseboards and paint the bathroom. It’s great being on this end with all things fresh in our master bath.

Cheers to a wonderful season with the hubs and getting things back to normal around the homestead.

But wait. I still have a big project to finish this weekend. A reminder that there will always be something to do and there is no such thing as normal. Or is there?

Blessings – Debbie

7/52 – Pastel

Hey friends, I’m on a roll today! How about you? I hope things are well.

It’s time I get my weekly project finished early. I’m pretty excited about that.

So when pastel was given as our inspiration this week, all I could think about were the lovely roses in the garden.

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So today I took several images to show some of the pretty pastel colors in the backyard.

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This was such a fun assignment!

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This week is filled with all sorts of fun stuff:

  • I’ve been playing in the dirt.
  • Digging and planting new plants in one of our little cleared out areas in the backyard. Pictures to come when I finish that little project.
  • The roses were fertilized over the weekend. They are leafing out so nice this year and the buds are getting ready to pop!
  • I find it difficult to be indoors when all I want to do is enjoy the pretty outdoors.
  • The hubs and I enjoyed a fire in the fire-pit over the weekend.
  • Visited with our next door neighbors on the patio and then went over to their place and enjoyed a bit more afternoon patio sitting and visiting.
  • I’m excited about my lunch date with the hubs today.
  • And looking forward to my friend coming over tomorrow for coffee and a visit on the patio.

Can you take a guess at what I’m looking forward to? Well, the time change! That = a lot more outdoor activity during the evening hours. And that makes me so very happy!

Blessings – Debbie

4/52 – A Part of Me

So this week, our photography project was assigned. We are to shoot “A Part of Me”. I  wasn’t prepared to shoot another part of me, since I just shot my new frames for the “light” assignment last week. So I thought about doing an expressions collage to post as my shot.

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But the more I thought about it. The more I realized the part of me that has been my obsession since childhood, is my hair. From being able to sit on it, to cut up and over my ears. I still remember those High School years and mom saying to me “I think you got a little scissor happy”. Currently I’m growing it out, but on any given day I have the urge to cut it off again.

Shot yesterday with my iPad and played with (edited) in Photoshop by adding a filter.

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I wasn’t so sure about the process on the above shot, so I applied another filter and submitted the image below as my shot of the week.

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In other news:

I was back to my first book club meeting since last July. What a joy to see the girls again and discuss our good book Delicious by Ruth Reichl. There truly is a special wonderful warm feeling in our great group of ladies.

This my friends, is the hubs jalapeño plant from last spring. This guy received no love from us this winter, but look at it! I just noticed blossoms on his plants this week. Our tomato seeds from Burpee are on the way. Oh how we love to make this place home.

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My little succulent garden is thriving and I have plans to plant a few more this spring/summer.

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A Pretty Day For a Project – So the hubs and I hand-picked a few slate pieces (extra pieces left on the property) for a little path. Tuesday, the gardener buried the slate at ground level. Then he planted ground cover (around the slate) the hubs and I picked out over the weekend. The two old lights were removed but the electric left for a future lighting project. The after picture should be coming soon.

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And here it is Thursday. I find that I’m trying to keep the washing machine and dryer busy, a little cleaning around the house is in order. And truly looking forward to the hubs getting home this evening. As I get him for the next three days, it’s his Friday off work week. It should be a fun weekend packed with work, play, relaxation and rest.

If you don’t hear from me in the next few days, just know I will be back…Soon…Promise…

Blessings – Debbie

Happy New Year

I’m still here!

Whew tho, I have a lot of catching up to do over the last couple of months. So I’ll try to make it as brief as possible.

November was pretty packed, as I was learning a lot (in school) about using the paintbrush and tools in Photoshop. That’s when things began to fall off my plate. Like the blog, unfortunately.

And things were added to my plate.

I joined the girls for a day trip up to Rogers Gardens. It was great way to step away from my school work. It was the best distraction and just what I needed to kick off the Christmas season.

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After my much needed day away, it was time to refocus on school work. The image below is one of the two paintings I finished in Photoshop.

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Then Thanksgiving rolled around. We dined at the Hotel Del.

The view from our table.

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Everything was cooked to perfection.

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After dinner, we watched some ice skating beneath the blue sky and palm trees.

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And we took a selfie to remember the day.

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Then it was time to plan for our annual Christmas party. Hors d’Oeuvres, dinner, white elephant gift exchange, and a bonfire with s’mores – those were the highlights of the party. But it was our friends that made the party so special. If I remember correctly, we had 14 guests in all.

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Unfortunately, I didn’t take that many  pictures. But the Starbucks mug with gift card was a big hit.

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By this time, the month of December was in full swing. And the churn of my busy schedule kept right on churning.

We had a lot of rain and I found that to calm my nerves as I planned my next and final school project. I had to give a speech. There was a lot of planning and the hubs helped out so much with my powerpoint presentation. He’s the BEST! Then I rehearsed and rehearsed and rehearsed some more. Finally the day came (mid December) and I was ready to present to the class my evolution and passion for art From Crayons to Photography.

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And then, as time marched on, we only had one weekend to do our annual Christmas newsletter. I was inspired after all the rain to take an image of our ornament in a puddle. Turns out, we liked it so much that we made it our 2014 Christmas card. The only regret, we did not have a lot of time to review our newsletter and we found some type o’s. For shame!

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Finally, we got to relax while the December dust settled. And I found the time to put my nose in a book called Delicious by Ruth Reichl. What a great read!

Our dear neighbors brought the most delectable plate of homemade yumminess over on Christmas Eve. What a treat!

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Soon it was time to celebrate Christmas.

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The hubs and I, along with our friend went back to the Hotel Del for Christmas dinner.

The image below was taken on our stroll along the pacific after dinner.

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I kicked my shoes off to enjoy the soft sand between my toes.

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And to check out this sandcastle.

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A close up – it truly was a marvelous work of art, all the way around.

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Our friend came back to the house to spend the late afternoon and early evening visiting.  And we watched The Christmas Story together.

Then, the hubs and I found ourselves alone and made a mad dash for jammies!

Our Christmas picture later that evening.

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On the day after Christmas, we decided it was time to put all the decorations away for another year. It actually took 1.5 days to get everything put away, cleaned up and back to normal.

The only thing resembling Christmas, are the candy-canes tucked in the bud vase.

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I’m ready for the New Year. And ready to add more things to my plate. Like family/company coming from Alaska this weekend and the blog and other things of importance.

Until next time – Happy New Year and many blessings to you this year…

Blessings – Debbie

Playing Hooky

Wow, this has to be a first.

But it feels so good. Not something I would normally feel good about. But I do! And I’m oh so happy.

So the week started with this scene on campus when I arrived. The power on campus went out approx. 8 min before I arrived. Then we heard the campus was closed for afternoon classes. What did our cool photog class do? Carry on with class in the dark. Cause that’s how we roll.

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Painting in Photoshop – So, my next and last assignment for the semester is learning to paint in Photoshop.

We have two images to paint and one has to be a face. Hmmm… AND he does not want it looking like a photo. He wants to see where the brush has been. I have a lot to learn.

Currently, I’m studying brushes and angles, how to hold the Wacom tool for great technique and a whole bunch of other goodies. I’ll just say this “There is no possible way to achieve this with a mouse, impossible.”

I say all that to say, our professor signed our class up and paid for us to take 5 online classes in the next four weeks. Just one of the lessons is 8 hours. In the last two days I have devoted 16 hours learning how to paint and I’m not even two hours into the first of 5 online lessons. *Sigh* But, I’m  having so much fun!

I’ll say it takes me a while to follow the leader…When the instructor (online class) makes a stroke with a certain brush – I hit the pause, hop into Photoshop, reach for the Wacom tool, grab that brush (in Photoshop) and give it a try too… For me, That’s the way I learn, I can’t just sit thru a lecture and recall those steps at the end. If I follow along, I’m likely to remember when I’m off painting on my own.

I learned how to start the underpainting process this week.

The image on the left is the original image I took with my camera. The image on the right is my first spin for this lesson. I’m not so sure this is going to be one of my final images, as for now, it’s all about learning the ropes.

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That being said, I told the hubs last evening that I’m playing hooky “in school” for the rest of the week. While I love what I’m learning, I’m one of those people who can juggle so much, before something has to fall off the plate and the hubs comes first (I was on the computer ’til 9:45 last evening). Then I promised the hubs that there will be no more Photoshop going on in the evenings. Not that he complained – But he did ask in a chipper voice “where’s my wife?” – He’s the best!

And this morning as we were getting around for the day. I gleefully announced “I’m going on a field-trip with the girls (our neighbors) this week and playing hooky! The hubs said “why don’t you come meet me for lunch?” Now I have a lunch date this week and a field trip. Priorities people – I feel so guilty, but oh so good. Don’t judge.

And oh so happy I have the Christmas tree project behind me. Cause I have a feeling this is going to be one crazy fun ride in school this month. HOLD ON!

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“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” – John Fitzgerald Kennedy – Thank You doesn’t seem enough for our heroes and she-roes…Happy “Belated” Veterans Day!

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And a Very Happy Wednesday to you!

Blessings – Debbie

August

August 2014 was filled with so much. And I could not seem to get my act together on the blog. So I didn’t. And things snowballed. So here I am, ready to post at  bit about the month of August before it’s too late.

Painting – Guest Bedroom and Hallway

Actually, the painting project started the end of July and into early August. I was so excited to get another two rooms painted. Many thanks to the hubs for helping with the clearing and then the setting things back up in the rooms.

Paint color is BEHR – Summer Bliss – P280-1″

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Baby Brother and Sis-in-law visit –

Mid August, we had company!

This image has already been used on the blog. But for the sake of this post, I’m using it again.

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Another visit –

Our friend from Phoenix came to San Diego to cool off a bit. We enjoyed breakfast by the beach last weekend.

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Banana Banana Bread – 

This bread gets a slot for the month of August, because I made it three different times for family and friends.

2 1/3 cups or 5 bananas is the equivalent that went into my loaf. That’s a lot of bananas. Thus the title of the recipe – Banana Banana Bread. I love how moist and yummy it is right out of the oven. Or toasted the next morning. Either way, it holds that yummy moist soft texture, no matter how you slice it.

This loaf was made for my friend visiting from Canada. We still have another lunch get-together this week.

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Class – 

My photography class is in full swing. I’m happy to report it’s my absolute favorite class, ever.

I was a little nervous the dean would cancel our class due to a lack of students. As it turns out, we are good to go! I’m (selfishly) excited about having a small group, as we are able to get a lot more one-on-one time during the lab with the instructor.

Love the new Tervis set my bro gave us (from his company), I take this guy to class all the time.

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I got a bit overwhelmed when the instructor wanted us to get used to using the Wacom in class. I’ve heard about this cool tool, but it was my first hands on experience. For those of you who don’t know, it’s a graphics tablet you hook to the computer. You draw on the tablet and it creates the drawing in your computer program.

Basically, I had some major arguments going on with the tool. It was hard to get used to performing different functions when there seemed to be a lot to remember. So I put it right back on the shelf and went back to using my mouse in class. At least I was able to keep up in class.

When I told the hubs all about it and not being able to keep up in class, he dropped what he was doing and ordered one for me right there on the spot that evening. And I had it in my hands in less than 48 hours!

Believe me, by the time class rolls around this week, I won’t need anyone to twist my arm for a Wacom in class.

The features of my Wacom Intuos Pro Medium are mind blowing. I’ve listed some of the cool features below.

  • Quickly and professionally edit photos and create digital artwork using natural pen control
  • Wireless accessory kit included
  • 2048 levels of pen pressure sensitivity in both pen tip and eraser
  • 8 customizable application specific Express Keys
  • Multi-function touch ring with 4 customizable functions

And I’ve already taken some of the most amazing webinars this weekend and set up my tablet with the express key functions that gel with what I like to use the most. I’m sure in time, I’ll take the liberty to change those functions as I grow-up in Photoshop.

While I’m not a Wacom genius, I’m learning that I can take the art of photography to a level beyond my wildest dreams. I’m so pumped!

And I look forward to sharing my assignments with you this semester. Stay tuned!

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Labor Day Weekend – 

We’re taking this 4-day time off together and getting a few things accomplished around the house.

The key ingredient at the top of our list is rest. Lots of rest.

We’ve spent a lot of time in the kitchen with our dueling knives. Homemade guacamole is in the house! Served fresh daily…I don’t kid about stuff like this.

Friday evening, we checked out some old cars. I think these sort of things could be an interesting subject for an assignment due mid September. Who knows, we may go back next week for more fun and pictures.

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And for now –

  • I’m happy getting a few things from August on the blog.
  • Looking forward to un-labor-day tomorrow. Wait, I think we may spend a bit of time working. But if we’re doing what we love, it may cancel work altogether.
  • Loving on the plumeria our neighbors brought over for us today. What a special gift.
  • And I still can’t believe tomorrow is September 1st already! Somebody pinch me.

September 1st is my sign to start ringing in the season! It’s truly my favorite time of the year.

Then again, we had a glorious summer. Perhaps it’s that pumpkin spice latte time of the year that I begin to crave.

At any rate, I’m ready to embrace September, autumn and the season that I love so much. In fact, I had a little Christmas tree visit with the hubs today.

But first things first…Enjoy Autumn and that pumpkin spice latte. And the Holidays will unfold in due time.

Blessings – Debbie

Our Productive Weekend

It’s Monday! And as I reflect over the weekend, I gotta tell ya, it was a good one.

Some may question what two people do with over 20 tomato plants. Well, the short answer is this. It keeps us busy in the kitchen, side by side with our cutting boards and dueling knives.

So over the weekend, we made two different salsa recipes. The dutch oven below is getting piled high with a batch we were preparing to cook for 3.5 hours. It turned out really good!

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And we made tomato bisque + grilled cheese sandwiches.

I’ve despised tomato soup since childhood, but I could eat the entire batch of tomato bisque.

We’re certainly getting our fair share of vitamin C.

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Our drainage, pavers and retaining wall project is complete, all the way around to the front of the house. Happy JOY! It’s done folks, DONE! Truly hard for us to believe as we’ve been waiting for this day for a very long time.

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The clean-up crew has a few more things to tidy and there is some happy gardening and furnishings on the way…In time…

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We’re thrilled with the productive weekend and looking forward to this new week.

Blessings – Debbie

My To Do List is Shrinking – Or Is It

Happy Friday! I hope you’re having a delightful day.

News Flash – IT RAINED TODAY! That’s big news out here in Southern California.

So this week is flying at record speeds for me. And I’m thankful my to do list is shrinking.

  • Finished editing (our nephews) Sr Pictures – will have CD in the mail tomorrow
  • Harvest tomatoes – I had a count of 78 ripe tomatoes (in the kitchen) yesterday. Big things are happening with our bumper crop!
  • The hubs ordered a food mill last weekend = we’re making a large batch of tomato bisque this weekend.
  • Spent 2 + hours each morning in the garden, it’s what I love.

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One of the things crossed off the list, is a “hair-cut” appointment (yes, I’m cutting it off) scheduled for next week. Truth be told, I’m having second thoughts. That means I have plenty of time to change my mind another 10 – 20 times between now and then, right?

The little breakfast nook is coming right along. From the succulent pots in the window, the painted fork and spoon and the hubs hung the valances for me last weekend.

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Afternoon Labor of Love – So we made salsa last Sunday afternoon. It’s something we could not wait to make with our fresh tomatoes, bell and jalapeño peppers from the garden. Good stuff right there…In fact, another batch is in the works.

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Since this is not the hubs Friday off weekend, it’s my day to play catch-up in the house before the weekend.

Cheers to crossing a bunch of chores off the list such that I can have a nice weekend of rest with the hubs.

I suppose that means it’s time to add more things to the list of thing to do. Isn’t that the way it goes?

Blessings – Debbie

Back to School and Dropping Book Club

There is no easy way to say this as my heart tugs in both directions. And I’m bummed that I can’t have my cake and eat it too. But that’s the way things work and it’s all good.

So I received the fall college class schedule and the photography class I’ve been waiting to take, just so happens to conflict with the club day and time. And I was sad I couldn’t do both. But I also realize they only offer this class in the fall/once a year. So I did the only thing I knew to do. Drop the club and enroll for the class. I did ask our group leader if I could come back after my class this fall and she said “YES”! Makes me happy.

I’m really excited about my class though. I’ve already had the teacher and he’s Good with a capital G. So I already know it’s going to be packed with a lot of knowledge. I’m so excited and thrilled he didn’t retire as he mentioned he may be doing that soon. So it’s off to school I go, next month!

This summer is filled with fun little projects. Most of all, I’m having fun playing in the dirt, painting projects, photo shoots, eating tomatoes as fast as I pick them, creating little succulent gardens and weekend projects with the hubs…

This was my photo shoot yesterday…

The Tarantula Hawk Wasp – this is the specimen I found (on the ground) while gardening. I thought it was interesting enough to do a photo shoot. And then I had to google it to find out what it was. I mean really, he’s freaking 2″ long! And the first I’ve ever seen anything like it. I also learned it’s the state insect of New Mexico. I learn something new every day…

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Remember the wood fork and spoon (painting project) from last week? Well, I got around to hanging the set in the breakfast nook.

And this morning I put together 3 more miniature succulent gardens for the window. I’m smitten with all the free pickings in our backyard.

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A closer look.

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And this afternoon, I have household plans…Plans that don’t look so pretty in pictures. But I’m going to feel great having these things accomplished.

Happy Wednesday, Peeps!

Blessings – Debbie