Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Post with No Name

Don't ya love my title?   I do remember a song "Horse with No Name".  It was a cute song and  coe to find out it made it to the states in 1972 and in Europe in 1971 and became a gold record.  Here is the link to the song.  I liked the one with daily motion the best because I guess it had cars and horses in it.                                              Horse with No Name .

Sometimes when we mow, which we did this morning before it gets so blue blazing hot, I think.  I know that is scary at times but it just feels good to be outside on the lawn mower and just enjoying life.  We have chosen to divide the mowing duties into two days when it is so hot.   Good choice I think.  What came to mind you may ask?  I did think about my painting and my artsy things and looking at the clouds and all their beautiful shapes.   Of course the Horse with No Name also.   I guess it was just a summer day to enjoy.  I hope you all are enjoying the moment and just taking in what the day brings.   I have always tried to live in the now and Hubby does tell me that I do live in the now more than any person he knows.   So in my book if Hubby says so it is good for me.

There is a little quote I like and if OK I will share it with you.  Pretty true I think.   Worry does not take away tomorrow's troubles, it takes away today's peace.    So there you go my "Lawn Mowing" thoughts I guess.

I have been busy and oh did I say busy?  Being Relaxed Relaxed Retired is just pure hard work.  I thought it would be eazy peazy but no WORK it is.    A sweet friend did send me a link on Facebook and said Annette you might like this. Wow did I ever it was a pastel portrait by Cuong Nguyen originally from Vietnam.  He had an e-book and I purchased it.   It is teaching a method called Verdaccio that has been around since the 15th Century.  Now folks that is older than I am .

Here a couple I did with that method, now I warn you there are some boo boo's here on the drawing but I wanted to show you how the skin tones just pop.  I do want to go back and finish one of them and correct some things.  I was to lazy to drag out my soft pastels.  These are both done with pastel pencils.   I did these while watching the baseball game well two baseball games on TV so just a break from doing CQ.






What ya think?  He is an awesome teacher and I can remember being exposed to this method and I was not ready to receive it  and thought how is that going to help the skin?   You know  sometimes when you are learning things they just don't sink in until you are ready for it.  You can hear it and hear it and it just doesn't sink in and when you are ready wham it is like where has this been all my life.   

Well I won't overwhelm you but will be back soon with some Crazy Quilting how is that for a deal?  
Thanks for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world.

XOXO
Annette  

Friday, July 1, 2016

Dog Days of Summer with a little Yellow thrown in there

 Hello and Happy already July.   Now this month reminds me of what they, whoever they are, say the Dog Days of summer.   I am not sure where this little saying comes from.  I know it is now and just kind of a bum month.  Kind of a time to relax and play in lots of water sports and just enjoy the Summer.  An in-between month before school warm up activities start cranking up.    Now we are fortunate to have two Fur Babies and unless they are unusual dogs,they lay around a lot of the time.  They are bums most of the time but a perfect and lovable pets. They are always so happy to see you with the wagging tails and happy faces, be you gone 5 minutes or 5 hours.  Now they do keep the dreaded Dragons out of the yard and there isn't a critter around, that has any sense, come into our yard.  I mean even the birds know not to be down on the grass for very long.   The only critter that wins is  Pepie La Pew-aka a skunk.    I remember Jewel, in doggie heaven now, and Libby have gotten skunked twice.  Once we smelled it and thought OMG, lets get the girls in before they get the perfume of Pepie.   We let them in and they settled and then oh my did we ever smell it.  Oh our eyes burned and poor Libby had the cone of shame on  so you know her eyes were really hurting.   .     Well were politely sent them outside and kept the door open and sprayed Febreze and vinegar and anything and everything we could think of.  The carpet,furniture and the walls.    With the help of peroxide and something else we bathed them and finally got it all out of their coats.   Now the tomato juice thing didn't even phase it all.   Not one drop.

Ok back to the dog days of Summer.   Our babies sleep a lot and laze around.  So I guess that is why Summer is refered to the Dog Days of Summer.  



Our pretty Libby sporting a red bandana.   She is thinking I am wise and elderly and sitting here so regal and aren't I pretty?  I don't smile or wag my tail much but I get my point across.  Trust me.  I do rush to the back of the yard and make sure everything is like it should be. 

  I read where a human can wear a bandana around your neck or wrist or tied to your jeans outside with 3 drops of Lavender oil on it and it keeps the Mosquitoes away.  So I wear this when I work outside.  I called the vet and asked if the Fur Babies could do the same.   Why not?  They only get one drop of Lavender oil though.  I can't wear the mixture of Lavender and sort of a lotion because any kind of perfumed smell does ugly things to hubby. 
  


Our Charlie  has his bandana on but it is hidden.   Probably laying there thinking I have my fancy bandana on and now my human surrounds our pictures of us with a yellow border.  What is this?  Why does she do things like this to us?    Our fancy dog house  aka the air conditioned sun room is good.  We are spoiled so why does she do this to us?  She could be giving us a snack that they call a toothbrush to us.  But noooooooo, a yellow picture.   I know I am only 3 years old and busy as can be but a snack would be really nice.
    


I do share some of yellow flowers with you.  I love yellow and such a cheerful color.  Even the faerie garden's bike has yellow flowers in it. 
 



It is funny July's block of the month is even yellow, well parts of it.  So it just fits in with July's post.  I did some Brazilian roses on the yellow lace and played with Alice's block.  I have more to show of the CQ but will just tease you until the next post.  How's that?   

Well that is pretty much it for the start of July so thank you for stopping by and seeing what is going on in my world today. 

XOXOXO
Annette