Thursday- as the week winds down-sort of

Ok, been plugging away to finish the first of my Ireland scrap books- so I can photo and display here- (well really am so close to being done and want to get into a few other projects as a change of pace, but since I am so close I can't just put the project aside to whenever I get back to it) but still the final page eludes me. Think I have just a few more pages to go- always seems the last pages of on of my scrap books (I am a story teller by nature- no- I am a novel writer by nature) never quite seem to happen. But they will-SOON! Then I am going to do a few other projects I have sketched out and will get back to some more scrap booking in the near future.

My pre-ordered Hero Arts stamps at Stamping Online are in- must pay for those so I can get them to play with!!!. All Stamping Online carries is Hero Arts stamps- and they make some pretty nice stamps. I'm not into the cutesy ones, but they always manage to make a few I just have to have- like several other stamping lines I can name but won't bore you with my list.

Speaking of lists- I am ordered some used travel guides for New England off of Amazon. Have lived here all my life, but I know there's lots of places I haven't visited or played tourist at, so think this summer if Ican make a day or 2 I shall have to take a road trip or several. I love road trips! They are such adventures. Anyhow- shall make a list of those places I want to visit in N.E. I haven't visited and will start working my way through it. What I hope is I find some places that are on my usual travel routes, those occassional road trips I make anyhow- like to LL Beans in Freeport, ME or on my way to visit Mom in Worcester, MA. so I can spice up those rides a bit. Never mind, maybe find some exciting visits in my museum a month project.

Alright, so I am a bit eccentric.

Speaking of road trips, this Saturday is the annual sale at Keepsakes Quilting in Center Harbor. The sale is actually tomorrow and Saturday- but tomorrow is the tent for serious supplies like fabric bolts, and Saturday is fat quarters day- which is what I drool over. That and scraps, love digging through scrap piles for those sensuous fabric pieces. Not that I need any fabric of any kind except maybe something gorgeous like velvet, but it is only once a year, and I am looking forward to going, have been for several weeks now, and its suppose to be a cloudy cool day- PERFECT!

A couple more garden shots as my irises and a few other flowers are in bloom...

Little brown bat

Here's a photo thanks to NH Fish and Game and the internet. Last night we had a bat in the house, which Leo spotted (well Leo eyeballed something but being a cat- it could have been anything from a moth to a mouse), I heard it trying to get out the screen on the skylight, and Katie spotted. (Twice, the first time she thought it was a big moth). Of course we didn't know it was a bat until katie saw it and recognized it. She comes into my room and says so matter-of-factly "There's a bat in my room." I tell her to close the door to her room, and then I decided to go in and open her windows so the bat can fly out. Now I'm not scared of bats- they swoop around otuside while we use hot tub and I don't even flinch, but this one was crawling out from under her door into the hall. Not what I expected in any way! I screamed and ran into my room, slamming the door. "Dave- get the net."

"Why me?"

"You're the animal man."

With Leo as the tracker, he eventually got the bat in a fishing net in my studio. It was stunned when he let it go, but this morning there was no bat to be found outside. I hope it flew off eventually. In the NH Fish and Game website it said these bats can live for 20-30 years and eat 50% of their body weight a night in insects- like those mosquitoes that are everywhere right now.

Of course, my screaming scared big old 90 pound Harley to death, and he sat on the couch with Katie and myself as we waited for Dave to make his catch, shaking, and then once caught and we were going to bed, Harley went outside and wouldn't come back in. I had to pull him by his collar. Poor baby boy. And Katie who was so calm earlier decided she had to sleep on our floor- just in case the bat was still around which he wasn't...

Wish I could be calm and not a screamer, and I'm ok afterwards because I will pull my courage together, but that initial unexpected action is what sets me off...

That was our Adventure at home at 10 p.m. on the Memorial day Monday!

More garden photos

Spend the morning out in the sun doing my container gardening out on the deck- now that they are done it is really summer. Today was beautiful-82 degrees but low humidity- and the week is suppose to be nice! I am so enjoying this weather.

Didn't quite finish Ireland book 1- I did a bunch of scrapping yesterday but today I gardened, grocery shopped, watched an old Naked Gun movie and took a nap. Enjoyed that.

Here's a few more photos of how the yard is shaping up.

Garden day

Today was gorgeous- though maybe not perfect sun all day but it was a work day- in the garden. Love to garden. Weeding, planting, thinning, bark - I worked hard most of the day but its looking great.

Here's a few photos both old and new of my gardens!

Getting Ready for Pirates 3

Ok, so I will admit it, I am a Johnny Depp fan. Watching Pirates 2- got to refresh my memory since I haven't seen this movie since last winter. Got to catch up so I can be really ready for number 3. If I didn't have to work tomorrow and if I wasn't so tired from our 90 degree weather (got to love it since the humidity is low), I'd go tonight to an early showing at 8. Guess Katie and I will have to go tomorrow after work/school- that is if Dave doesn't want to join us.

Was reading the reviews, not the best- but that's ok, it should be fun- and hopefully they don't try to do everything like Spider Man 3 did (Spiderman: get rid of the Sandman- especially since they changed the story of the uncle's death and that was old from movie 1- didn't need addressing in my opinion).

OK, so favorite Johnny Depp flicks-where I can actually gaze onto him-of course

My #1 Johnny Depp film: The 9th Gate

Then we will add, but not neccesarily in order since the next 3 are all pretty close to call-

Chocolat

Pirates

Secret Window

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Sleepy Hollow

Benny and Joon

Edward Scissorhand

I know I'm missing a few that are not hopping into my head right now, but this is a good start at least. The 9th Gate is a favorite, great story, a bit gothic/a bit spooky, chance to see some of Europe in glimpses, which is topper with me right now, has books in it-which of course books are GREAT...

Today and the last few days

Today is Wednesday- waiting to see who takes the American Idol final. Jordan I hope, though Melinda was my favorite and she left last week.

So haven't mentioned I am going to work a few mornings this summer- I am going to be a Lake Host, check boats for invasive weeds. Should be an interesting way to make a few $$$ to play with, a couple of mornings a week should be enough. Feel like its a great way to help the local environment, make some cash, not kill myself with too many hours.

Speaking of summer: Countdown to vacation-16 days of kids, 1 work day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love summer. I have lots of art ideas- more bags to make, more scrapping for all those hundreds of photos I have from Ireland, Bryce and the Grand Canyon, try to come up with a stash of cards, work on a book I want to make called Bella Luna, who knows what else may come into my head. Ready for some adventure, long days, reading lots of books...some day trips...this list can go on and on. Plus, not getting up at 4:30 a.m., even on the days I do my Lake Hosting Job.

Also it obvious I haven't had much art to post lately- seems like I have been taking a hiatus for a few too many weeks. Not that I haven't done anything- been working on Ireland photos, started an Ireland scrap book, and of course my journal from the trip. Got some card ideas I want to play with, and a new cloth book idea that combines geometrics and sealife...hmmm... but hopefully once all the yard work gets squared away and once all the end of the school year work gets wrapped up, I will get some photos and start posting more.

Here's a photo from last summer when we went on our vacation in August.

I love these 2 guys in the photo above- 2 ravens, which were just sitting there on a rock wall in Bryce National Park. They were watching me, and let me take several photos of them. I feel some great Halloween ideas for art projects coming on...never mind the Bryce Canyon scrap book I someday need to do.

Ok this blog tonight is rather random and jumping about, but that's kind of where my head is at...waiting for all the blab of the first 1 hour and 50 minutes of American idol to end...responding to an email about summer work, thinking about summer...what do they call this? Spontaneous Journaling?

A few hours later

And feeling perkier- more in the positive- ready to face the day. Between being tired and feeling stress over things I don't need to be stressed over-I do feel that summer opportunities are nice but NOT something people should feel pressured to do- by who ever for whatever reasons.

Helps to talk to someone and come to the realization it can be ok to say NO.

One of those mornings

I know everyone has those mornings on occassion- when you hate your job and having to be there. I want to do something different- I want to be able to do my art and have work be just work- NOT a CAREER. I have been teaching for 22 years now and I think it is enough. Things are just not working for me in a lot of ways. Problem is I expect too much from myself.


Can I just put in for a leave of absence? I will need to work but let Dave take care of the main things instead of me. I am tired of that. I don't have excitement for here now. What could I do instead? HMMMMM. I am careered out right now. I am thinking it is time- that the moment is now to go and make a change.

I wish I knew what. I am tired of feeling this way and this was suppose to be just atemporary hold over- yet it turned into a long temporary 22 years...not so temporary- time to find what it is I am suppose to do and what I can do that won't drive me constantly crazy and will get me off high blood pressure meds and give me some not so scheduled time- I am so tired of always a bell every 90 minutes...

I know- whine, whine, whine, but sometimes I just feels really good to whine.

Still playing with photos from Ireland

From the cliffs beyond Giant's Causeway.

Daulkey coast.
and then Cashel. From from inside looking out.

More of from our hike at Giant's Causeway and at Powerscourt Gardens. Of course, I played a bit.

I love it. I get to keep reliving the trip. Am still playing with photos in Photoshop Elements. Printed off a bunch- have gone through most of the cartridges of my first purchase of computer ink- need to get some more so I can print off another 30 pages. Here's a few more favorites that I really like.

Salem,MA

Had a fun day out yesterday with my friend Vicky. We went to Salem, Mass to the Peabody Essex Museum. I haven't been to Salem for ages, since before Katie was born- and she's 15. Maybe even longer. There are some very pretty parts and gorgeous old homes, and I loved the Peabody-Essex Museum. We went to the Chinese House which was fascinating and they have an interesting maritime art collection and items brought over in the old trading/whaling days of the 1800's. Didn't see the whole collection-will have to go back sometime and see some more.

Went to see the Josepj Cornell Exhibit there. His boxes are fascinating- and I enjoy them- though the whole exhibit also puts him somewhat into perspective. It made him appear a dark and slightly troubled man. I don't know if that's true, as I don't know much about him, but he had quite the sense of humor and seemed to spend a lot of time alone. I suppose an artist must in order to get work done...They had some of his tools, and photos of his boxes and storage- I can only imagine what his house looked like inside. The plain collage art wasn't overall as appealing as his boxes, and I picked up several themes. It wasn't as "fun" an exhibit as I hoped, but it made me think and respond, so that is good, and what some people what say- isn't that art?

Had a great time chatty with Vicky about Minders, Finders and Grinders- I am a minder- which bothers me. I don't have the best self image, and I want to be this wild adventurous person when I guess in a lot of ways I'm not. Minders take care of things, Finders go out and discover and start things, and Grinders are folks who get the work done. I take myself way too seriously sometimes. Anyh0w, Vicky mentioned some books on architecure which sounded interesting- you know, tickle the cerebral. I can't remember the names but am going to look them up on Amazon.

Was a fun today- especially since I didn't have to go to work. Today is a gorgeous Saturday morning- want to get that screen porch opened up!

Do art- that's a great way to spend the weekend.

the museum a month project

Tomorrow I am going to see Joseph Cornell Boxes at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, MA. I am so excited.

Remember my year's project, a museum a month- a few museums a month in some cases . To recap- in January I went to Harvard Natural History Museum, February- the Credit Union Museum of America, March-I saw 3! The Museum of Fine Arts Boston Paris Fashion Week Exhibit, The Darwin Exhibit at the Science Museum, and a field trip to the Aquarium. April- Back to the Harvard Natural History Museum on a field trip, and then all those places in Ireland- were they really museums? Lost of ruins, Cathedrals that might as well be museums, (Ireland was a trip about walking outside and seeing various historic buildings/ruins).

Tonight Katie and I went on a shopping adventure- really fun and nice change of pace. Got some shorts and some new short sleeve V necks at Eddie Bauer- great for our summer weather1

Fill you in on my adventure tomorrow.

BLACK FLIES

Finally some gorgeous very warm but not humid weather- and what has appeared in major droves- BLACK FLIES!!! There are billions of them out there- swarming all over the car and all over me if I step outside.

Owl

Was on the phone when Dave called out to check out the owl outside the front window. Wow! Took some photos quickly while chatting and through the glass- since I didn't want to open the window and scare her/him away. In fact when she did fly away- there was another owl a few trees down that flew off too. Wow! Wasn't even dark at that time.

New Header

Playing around with headers since I was tired of the canned one from this web site. Not sure I love the one I have- but I like it. What I really need up there is a piece of art, but its all part of the leaning curve. Also playing with my name- BioGal or BioArtGal. Not sure which is better since I am such a split personality- 1/2 of me is so scientific-biological- half of me is a sensitive artist- looking for beauty. Actually I think the biology part is that I love nature and how it works- but I am very visual- which makes something like natural history so appealing to me. Not exactly a small detail scientist though- that doesn't make me happy. However- my art is more about small details- isn't that strange? As I get older I am definately getting more artistic in temperment and getting more and more visual- or maybe its doing all the art that is just bringing out my visual sense. Anyhow, I love to analyse, and suppose I could be doing my work here at school rather than that. But I am so renewed inside right now- started up a project yesterday after work- scrap booking some of my Ireland photos. I love my scrap booking- its more like making a story book- and my style is NOT 12 x 12 paper or all the latest stickers. I love paint, photos, writing- the details to be complete. I think me work is definately me- rough, a bit messy but bursting with stories. (Do I give myself too much credit?) I love to make my pages more textured and 3D- though someday I will perfect the layering technique. It feels so good to have something up and going again- since in April I seemed to sink into a late winter hole- then the trip came and that consumed me so I really did very little new art that month. Now I'm back on a roll- Ireland pictures, Bryce, Grand Canyon and Chicago need to be printed or turned into a book. I am really antsy to get back into sewing too- haven't done a sewing book since December and the quilt I started needed to be backed and finished. Oh the ideas are flowing like some of the rivers around here after the big storm a few weeks back- flooding every recess of my head.

Summer Weather!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today 70's, tomorrow 80's. Finally some nice weather. Everything is greening up and popping out- my daffodils look great, the weeping cherry tree is in bloom. Time to pull down the screen windows, put up the storm windows, take the plastic off the screen porch, change the clothes in the closet, wash down the lawn furniture...man this nice weather is a lot of work.

But who's complaining?

30 Days of school left!!!!!!! (Then I get to be an artist full time for the summer- well, sort of full time, since everyone needs some summer to read a good book, kick back and relax.)

Week is flying by

Thursday night- watching Passport to Europe on the Travel Channel- I really love that show- wish I could hope back on a plane for another trip- even though I've been home less than a week. I have travel addiction in a major major way- even if its just driving a short distance to some place exciting. I think rather than dealing with teenagers- who drive me nuts too often- I should do my own travel show- though I think Europe is covered- and that would be a top spot for me.

Week is going fast. Put some small finishing touches on my travel journal- mainly filled the 3 pages that were empty. I had a hard time figuring out how to judge the space in the book-but did a great job keeping pages and making them varied- I should take some photos and blog them for your viewing.

Otherwise- been getting back into NH time- going through my pictures and adding some words or cropping. Its like reliving the trip again.

So commercial on tv- question- if you could drop it all for 3 months- where would you go?
My list:

1- England, Wales, Scotland
2- France
3- Barcelona
4- Back to Italy
5- West Coast of Ireland
6- Iceland
7-Prague
8-Greece
9- Siciliy, Capri
10-Maybe a quick buzz to Morocco
11- Norway, more of Sweden and Denmark
12- Brussels
13- Not to forget- Amsterdam/The Netherlands
Maybe I will find something not popping into my head right now-like do the whole continent-add Switzerland, Estonia...etc.

USA
I would do Monument Valley, Petrified Forest, Mesa Verde
Back to Vegas, then Death Valley
Grand Tetons
Key West
Charleston
Western N.C.
New Mexico
Of course back to California
Hawaii
and...
this list goes on and on

never mind Japan
Australia
New Zealand
Souht Africa

where would you like to take me-Dave?

Now the show is the Western Ireland- where we never got to unfortunately...think I'll focus on that. Goodnight.