You know, the immigration rallies around here have got me thinking...

How do you find out what rallies/protests/demonstrations are going on in your area?? 

I've always wanted to picket something...... LOL

Well, I survived the creative expo!  The area where my photo spread was at was kinda dark so it couldn't be seen well at all.  Then it was time to read the poem & story... and I did!  And I got SOOOOOOOOOO many compliments on my poem!!!  From people I never expected!!!! I was beyold thrilled!

And the talents of the other participants! I was IN AWE!!!! The lady I sit with EVERY Sunday morning as we work on the computers did a skit that was AMAZING!!!!! I never knew she liked to act! And one lady did a re-telling of Goldilocks the Klepto (Goldilocks & the Three Bears), and the 3 Brother Pigs and their escape from the town barbeque(3 Little Pigs).  It was tooooooo funny, she sat in a rocking chair to tell the story and kept yelling at Mary to keep her lamb on a leash, and Tom Thumb to get his hands out of the food!  LOL I loved it. 

Since we didn't have an evening service, I went home and sat down to relax a few, and then got the cleaning & art bugs!  So, I did a BUNCH of cleaning, finished my teddy bear sweater (pics coming soon!) and cut out some pics for future collages & mixed media stuffs!

Altogether it was an AWESOME weekend and definately just what I needed... that was my first time reading a poem in front of real people, and the positive feedback was amazing!  

I think I'm going to start making homemade greeting cards and sending them to people to surprise them.  Do any of you have any ideas how to do that?  My cousin Debby sent me one that was really neat, but I'm a little afraid of trying it on my own.  But, I guess maybe this is my time to do last weeks assignment for Contagious Creativity, and give myself "permission to fail"!!!! :)

Oddly enough, I'm not in the mood for blogging today!  I decided to blog about that though, just because it's so unusual and also because I'm afraid if I quit posting, people will quit coming to my blog and I'll get lonely. 

Anyway, I'll tell you all the wierd news in my life, just in case you were ever wondering! LOL

Well, do you all remember the man I told you about here who was arrested while we were at work a while back?  His trial is coming up and it seems like the case against him is VERY weak.  The cashier couldn't identify him, so I'm not sure how they can even charge him?  But then I worry... because... what if they hire him back here?  The man has a HUGE prison record!  Kidnapping, robbery,... Yikes!  Nice guy though... Enjoyed talking to him!

Did I tell you all about my poison ivy experience??  Well, it's spread.  I have a spots on my arm, right lower leg, left knee, left upper thigh (HOW THE HECK??!!!!!), and I think I have it on my neck.   *sigh*

I led the kids last night at Montezuma, and had fun.  Surprisingly I DO still have a voice left, all of them survived, and they seemed to have a good time.  HOWEVER next time I'm leading it, there will be some changes made.  I'm WAY too lax when it comes to making the older kids behave.  Gotta work on that next time.  Anyway, it was fun and the older kids loved it... they did the snacks for me, prepared the games, dug holes for the littler kids to plant flowers in,  helped clean up after the kids all ate, picked up all spare change on the floor of my car (cause I told them they could keep it LOL) and all kinds of other helpful things.  We planted flowers in the yard, and talked about weeds and flowers in our hearts.  I had fun. 

I planted flowers at home last night too... planted some morning glories & sweet peas by the fence.  I had planted some sweet peas already, and they are starting to come up.  Now I have about 1/3 of the fence left to weed and plant.  I have a BUNCH of the yard left. 

I'm thinking that I'm going to stay in the same house as long as possible.  

Got a busy weekend ahead of me... Tonight I have a meeting about the poetry part for Sunday.  I have to practice reciting it.  Tomorrow the youth are going out at 11AM to pray for our city.  In between those (which really doesn't sound like that much, until...) I have to arrange my pictures for my collage, cut them into interesting shapes, and then I also have to write and practice reading my story.  I have to find scriptures to go with the pics (I'm thinking I'll make the theme: "Creation, Earth's Extreme Makeover" Or something like that. )  and maybe take more pics if I don't have more that match the scriptures.  I'd like one of the sky. 

The big problem is that my story requires a PICTURE that goes with it to be scanned and burned to a disc to take to church.  Unfortunately... I still can't find my scanners installation CD.  *sigh*  Guess I'll be doing a LOT of cleaning this weekend!   Or maybe I'll just figure out how to do it without the pic?  Who knows, I'll figure out something!

Either way, I'm looking forward to opening up the doors of my house, letting light and fresh air in, and getting caught up on some cleaning.  :)

"Let no man imagine that he has no influence.  Whoever he may be, and wherever he may be placed, the man who thinks becomes a light and a power." - Henry George

Well, I had my third knitting class last night.  Everyone else finished their teddy bear sweater, but I'd only done one of the sleeves (she'd told us beforehand not to worry if we couldn't get both done, and I haddn't) so mine I have to finish at home.  It was pretty fun though!!!

I started a new project, and bought a pattern book I really really like.  I probably shouldn't have spent the money... especially now, with all the roomate craziness... but I am doing SOOOOO good with saving money! I deserved one little splurge. (Or maybe I DIDN'T, but either way, it's DONE so no guilt is allowed!)

So now I'm working on knitting a pillow! (Plus the zillion other knitting projects I have unfinished LOL)  It should be REALLY cute when it's done! 

I'm proud of myself...  I didn't really "click" with the lady teaching the class, but I've kept going.  Even when I felt like trash, or when I couldn't seem to get things right, I've kept going, and now I'm almost done!!!! :)

So, stay tuned for details on cool new things I'm knitting!!!

This one's for you G!

Well, this weekend I finally got a good chance to go mushroom hunting.  So how did I do it?  Well....

I drove out to the middle of nowhere (random roads) and looked for an interesting section of woods, without any "No Trespassing" signs.  Now, in the days where I knew people locally, we'd always call and ask permission to hunt on their land.  But those people are about an hour and a half away, and about half of them have passed away now. 

So I got out of my car, carrying my camera and a wal-mart sack in my pocket. 

I walked through the woods... snapping pics of assorted wildflowers along the way.
 
 

I snapped pics here and there, looking all the while for mushrooms.  But the area looked like lots of people had been there searching before I had, so I didn't really have much hope.   But as I was walking, I noticed something in the distance:

Mayapples!  Mayapples are some neat little plants that come up at the same time as mushrooms each year.  Underneath them, you can find some beautiful flowers on their stems. 

I remembered that we always seemed to find mushrooms in the areas where mayapples grew, so I drew closer... and closer...

And do you see what I saw??? Here, look just a little closer!

What's peeking up from beneath those mayapples?

Mushrooms!

Mushrooms!

And MORE MUSHROOMS!

So what did I do with these wonderful creations, you might ask.  Well, I picked all 11 of the mushrooms (leaving the roots in the ground so they'll come back next year)  and put them in my little sack.  

When I got home, I rinsed them really well, and cut them in half.  I rinsed them out again, and put them in a bowl of salt water to soak (kinda like how you do fresh brocolli from the garden... and for the same reasons LOL)

Sunday after church I RUSHED home, threw on old clothes (I was wearing black, which you'll see was a problem in just a sec) and got the bowl of mushrooms out of the fridge.  Took them out of the water, and put them in a bowl of flour (see now why black clothes were bad? LOL)  I made sure they were lightly coated in the flour, and then put them in a skillet of oil.  I made sure they were crispy on the first side, then turned them... used a fork to take them out when they were done, and I put them on a plate with paper towels (to drain the excess grease).  I salted them good, and then picked one up and ATE IT!!!!

I gave one to the roomate, and then put the rest on a clean paper towel.  I put them on a plate, covered the plate with more paper towels, wrapped that all in newspapers, and wrapped all that in a towel that was nice and hot from the dryer. 

I packed all that in a plastic sack, got in my car, and drove the 45 minutes to my dad's house, praying that the shrooms wouldn't get soggy or cold on the drive.  Gave them to my dad (he's in a nursing home at the moment, and can't hunt his own), he seemed happy and the nurses were entertained by how I'd kept them warm LOL    He told me that next time I just needed to bring more hahahaha 

Well, I had an interesting weekend.

Planted lots of things Friday evening, and tried to relax. 

Roomate got home, and we had a huge arguement... she's very agressive when she argues.  I took it this time but told her I wouldn't do it again... (She exploded at me again, but... that's beside the point.  I got my point across.  No more insults when we discuss a problem. Period.) 

She's disappointed... I didn't meet her expectations.  That hurts me.  We continued to argue and then started to talk like friends... but I don't trust her.  She lashes out when she's hurting... and it gets to me too badly. 

I suggested we wait 2 weeks and see how things go, if we aren't satisfied then I'll find a new place. 

Saturday I grabbed up my camera and went out to the woods.  I didn't have my regular camera, only my digital (well, okay, I HAD my real camera but it's batteries were dead LOL) but I took a bunch of pictures.  Really enjoyed it.  When I got home, I uploaded my pics, and some turned out really blah and colorless. But a few turned out PERFECTLY!!!!!!   I was excited!

I'm still looking for the software for my scanner, because I use it's photo program to edit all my pics, including the ones from my digital cam.   But even if I don't find it tonight, I'll still try to send some pics to you all tonight!  :)

Sunday was a much better day.  Went to church in the morning, came home to make my dad's birthday surprise.

Went to visit with my dad, chatted with him.  Left to go try and take some more pics with my real camera for my collage I want to make.  I used up two rolls of film, so hopefully at least some of those will turn out okay!   Rested and relaxed as I enjoyed nature... sat down and did an art journal page.  Got up, went to the car, and realized I was running late!  I drove to the one place I HAD to go and get pics of (I had taken a pic last week, but there wasn't enough light for my digital to really take a good pic of it.)  then changed shirts in a gas station (it was GROSS so I refused to change skirts!) and went in to church JUST in time to sit down quietly before church got started!  GO ME!!!!!  lol

"When we are unable to find tranquility within ourselves, it is useless to seek it elsewhere."- Francois de La Rochefoucauld  

Just wanted to take a sec and let you all know that I FINALLY have my computer back!!!! I have thousands of things to show you all, but right now I need to go wish my dad a Happy Birthday!

Adios!

Now you all know what a Peony looks like.  I wish I had one to show what the stupid things look like when the wind hits them.  But picture them.... flat! It's not pretty... you're supposed to build a cute little fence around them... but we never did, because of course we were trying to KILL them!  They did smell nice though, but for whatever reason I just didn't like them.  I think we have some in my new house too... *sigh* 

Tinker, ya wanna come over and look at them for me?????????  Hahahaha

Wasting My Life

I go about my day
Just as I have a thousand days before
Looking to accomplish
What I always have.

Giving no thought
To the dreams I once had
Or to the people who need
Those dreams to become a reality

I live in a daze
With glassy eyes
That look all around me
Seeing nothing

Numb to the pain
Not feeling any sadness
But also not feeling
My life

I need to wake up
From this dream I live in
To feel the hopes and the dreams
And make a difference in my day

To remember
My life makes an impact
Ripples that change the world
Words that change lives 

That's how I feel today... Kinda down, wondering why my life is such a waste... what happened to the woman I once was, who had worlds to conquer, dreams that reached the sky.   When did life slip her sleeping pills?

But the good is.... most of my "life-wasting" would be cured by simply being aware.  By experiencing my life instead of enduring... by really looking at my own potential, and tapping into it throughout my days. 

So.... now that you know all my deep innermost thoughts & feelings... and I'm sure you're feeling all warm & fuzzy... I must also tell you that...

IT'S ONLY 2 HOURS 45 MINUTES UNTIL THE WEEKEND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

And I am SOOOO ready! The bedroom looks like it's been hit by consecutive hurricanes.  The cats are high on the catnip they found on top of the fridge and then spread all over the kitchen floor.  I'm stressed, I'm depressed, and I have not had any Diet Coke since Monday!  I'm ready for a nice nap, a big diet coke, maybe some cheesesticks... and SCI FI Friday!!!!!  Some art, some writing, flower planting, .... and sleep.  Lots and lots of SLEEP!!!!