Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Sisters Rock

Sorry, couldn't resist.  I love this picture, the lighting is beautiful.
This must be sometime in 1964, the little one was born the day after JFK was assassinated and she looks around one, who knows?  I was about seven. Sweet little harum-scarum, running like crazy, driving everyone nuts, so busy, so quick, so fearless, so full of life. She can make me laugh like no one else.

Peace

Monday, August 29, 2011

Dreamer

All successful people men and women are big dreamers. They imagine what their future could be, ideal in every respect, and then they work every day toward their distant vision, that goal or purpose.
Brian Tracy 


I admit that I'm a dreamer.  
I always have been.
Many of my dreams have come true.
Some are still in the dreaming stage.
I dream of loving and laughing and sharing rich sensuality.
Is it you?
Maybe.
Maybe not.
One step forward, two steps back.
Back away slowly, let it lie, the lie and the truth.
This dream dies.
Another takes its place.
Another year, older, alone.
Don't think of me then.
Think of me now.


A loving heart knows no obstacle.

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Lurking in the Ivy

Just when I think they can't get any goofier they surprise me.  Lately after a few frisbee tosses Dandy and Bode will run over and hop into the deep ivy and just hang out and chew grass, must be cool in there.


Dogs certainly know how to enjoy life, don't they?

I wish you a cool day too!

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Sleepy...

I don't feel really bad, not really good either.  Just sort of achy and tired, soooooo, what's wrong with getting less done and taking two hour naps anyway?

Not a damn thing.

It's kind of nice to putter around the mini Treehouse, do laundry, pick up things, organize some and so on.

My beloved books are still buried in boxes in storage, gotta do something about that eventually.  I'll worry about that tomorrow, or maybe not.

Peace

Monday, August 22, 2011

Friends, Family, Film

That's the weekend theme, my Dad's 85th Birthday, get togethers with several good friends and the Nevada City Film Festival.
.
I have to admit I haven't ever been to a film festival.  My attention span is limited, my tastes run to disaster flicks and shoot-em-ups and I had better things to do.  But, living two blocks from the Miners Foundry means I'm willing to try things just because it's so damn easy.  I jumped in with a couple of all event tickets and so far it's been excellent.  I find I really like shorts, being able to see three or four films in an hour is great.  If the film is really boring I know it's not going to last long.  So far none have been boring.  I really like documentary shorts too and last night we attended a set of comedy shorts and laughed our asses off for an hour or so.  

We ended up with another set of documentary shorts and another of animated shorts.  The documentaries (again) were really good.  There was one about a Japanese man's life in the porn industry.  The animated shorts were just weird and wonderful at the same time.  The two we liked the most were Star Shepard and Rumbleseat, both wonderfully animated delights that left you wishing you could see them again.  I don't know diddly squat about animation but I think there was some pretty amazing talent involved.  There was one that was quite disturbing, hard to describe why, except it was created so well it made the air seem gloomy and weird.

Here's my Pop on his birthday with his ice cream cake.  You can't see his eyes twinkling.
Being able to get together with my family is a dream come true.  The weather is stunningly fabulous, warm, sunny days in the upper 80's, the nights are in the 50's.  We got to sit and talk and drink beer in my sMom's beautiful garden, sing a birthday song and just relax.

I have to find a high necked top to wear to pistol league tonight, the burn marks have faded away from last week.  Going to spend a lot of time in my studio this week, lots of great things floating around in my head that need to come out. I spent last week worrying about things that didn't exist, more fool am I. When you put two people together and neither of them are trusting sorts you will inevitably have difficulties. I'm hopeful though.  It's going to be a great week, I know it.

Peace

Friday, August 19, 2011

Resigned and Redefined...

Fifteen years ago my daughter started skating and I've been heavily involved ever since.

In 2003 I started training to become an Accountant for US Figure Skating and up until last year I put in up to 500 hours a year in that volunteer position.  It was typical to work at least one weekend a month and if I was the Chief Accountant I would put in 30 to 40 hours preparing for the weekend.  Then we would often work 12 hour days during that weekend.  It was hard work but worth it to spend time with a terrific group of people, other officials, parents and skaters.  I loved every minute of it.  I defined myself as a part of US Figure Skating.  I continued my training to include set-up and operation of the electronic scoring system that arrived with the International Judging System.  It was technical, frustrating, intriguing and very interesting.

Now I'm done.  When I moved to the West Coast last summer I found that my services were not really needed.  It was also harder for me to arrange time away from my responsibilities here, being single means you can't really count on anyone to help.  And I truly believe that being skillful at something means you have to put time into training and perfecting those skills.  I don't want to be the rusty link in the chain.  I strive to be the best at whatever I do, it's part of being very competitive.

So I've decided to give it all up.  I'm going to miss my friends, luckily I see them everyday on Facebook.  I won't miss the stress and exhaustion.  I've got a lot of things to keep me busy and I'll be seriously looking into some other volunteer opportunities.

Life changes, things change, it's a good thing to realize when it's necessary to make that hard decision that it's time to move on.

Peace

Here and There...

It's been an interesting week.  Fun and productive with an undertone of sadness. I stepped out of my comfort zone and got burned again, which I knew was a possibility but did it anyway.  (Edited to remove unnecessary references to carnivorous animals.)

I do not readily accept that there are bad people out there, people who lie and manipulate and use others.  I actually find it fascinating that they find it necessary to go to those extremes when it's entirely possible that I'd be ok with the truth.  Or maybe not.  I was telling the truth when I said that my happiness is solid.  I'm not really even mad, just sort of amused with the whole deal.  I do know, however, that treating people badly will eventually come back to haunt you.  So be it.

So in all this I've made some positive changes, reevaluated relationships, taken a hard look at what might work and what won't, reminded myself of the good things in life, immersed myself in creativity and activity and generally taken a few days to myself.  It's all good.  How can it not be to live exactly where I belong, to have the best job in the world, to know and love the endless joy and laughter from my two furry friends, to have friends and family close, to feel the wellness of my mind and body, to rise each day to greet the sun and walk each night under the stars before bed, to participate in music, film, art, food and wine everyday, to love simply and completely?

There are so many things to love, fluffy white towels, grass sparkling with dew, salted caramel gelato, fresh peaches, kind neighbors, little girls singing, cold water on hot days, full blown roses scenting the air and on and on.  Here's my boy Dandy, he loves gelato too, can't you tell?
Here's my Dad and my friend D., discussing the finer points of tractor tires at the County Fair.
And the rocks down at the creek.
Tomorrow is my Dad's 85th birthday. Most people don't like birthdays but I say what's bad about a day that involves cake?

Peace

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

In the Garden

A new piece I've just added to the Riverwoman Design website:
It's a beautiful piece, heavy and lush with color and fine and sterling silver.

Ouch!

Note to self - Don't wear low cut tops to pistol league, especially when shooting next to a semi-auto.  Evidently, scrambling madly to get a hot shell out of your cleavage while holding a loaded .357 is frowned upon.

Oops!

We're headed to the river today, can't wait as I'm badly needing some cool water on my skin and my soul.

Peace

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Dreaming of the Future

Big Bear Lake, sometime in the 60's.

I don't know what I was thinking then but right now I'd be thinking, "Yeah, someday I'll be driving a car this kick-ass and I will not be wearing pink."

I still have a love affair with Corvettes.

Peace

Tuesday, August 09, 2011

Junkyard dogs...

Or rather they are studio pups, zonked out under a work table. 
First we went to the park and they did the usual, frisbee, pee, wade in the creek, pee, frisbee, sniff other dogs, romp a lot and so on.  It was fun and means they'll wait patiently for a long time.
I'm getting lots done in the shop.  Mostly inventory clean-up and control which is a huge pain in my behind but important too. 
I'm still trying to figure out what works.  Do I take things home or not? I would like to leave work at the studio and think its possible except for updating my inventory lists and website, all computer work that I can deal with comfortably from home with a glass of wine.
Peace

Saturday, August 06, 2011

Swoon...

Back in December of 2010 I posted an Aaron Neville Christmas song and said I thought he was one of the sexiest men alive.  Well, yeah, hell yeah he is.

Last night I got to sit thirty feet from the stage and watch that very man and his fine musicians.  The Nevada County Land Trust put on a gala night of fun at the North Star House in Grass Valley.  There was fine food, free drinks, a silent auction, a  NO style parade and then music under the stars.  First Dumpstaphunk which is Aaron's son's band and then the man himself accompanied by his extraordinary sax playing brother Charles.

Wow!  It just doesn't seem possible that he's 70 years old.  He's still powerful looking and the voice is skillful and true. It was great from start to finish and says a lot about this area that we have this type of entertainment available.


These last few weeks have a been a riot of street fairs, growers markets, movies, music, food and fun. I'm doing almost everything I want to do and loving every minute of it.  I'm starting to get the itch to travel someplace, maybe the beach or the big city is up ahead.  There are changes brewing, a chance, a dream, an unknown...time will only tell.  At this point my happiness is not dependent on someone else but can only be enhanced.  It's worth stepping out of my comfort zone to see what happens.

Peaceful dreams.

Wednesday, August 03, 2011

Restless and Reeling...

Didn't think he'd still be able to do that to me.  Wrong as usual.

We shall see.

Peace

Tuesday, August 02, 2011

Woot!

Shooting league got off to a great start.  I shot a 178 on the front section and a 153 on the back.  My first 178, two points off a perfect score.

There are lots of new folk in the league and we have a really nice woman who has joined our team, she's pretty darned good too.

Have a great day!

Monday, August 01, 2011

Gifts of the Goddess

She's done and is making her debut at the Art Works Gallery.

The lampwork goddess is by Teresa Laliberte of Lavendercreek Glass, the chain is handmade fine silver, the embellishments are either fine or sterling silver, the stones are citrine and hessonite garnet.

Some of the process for this piece is located here and there is this blog (See the May listing).

We start shooting again tonight, woohoo!  Nothing like a weekly aging gunslingers convention to do a girl good.

Peace