Wednesday, April 24, 2013

On Vacation


Anyone else get exhausted trying to get ready for a vacation?  My head is spinning from all the instructions I've had to pull together to make sure my husband and our four-legged friends are sorted while I'm away (not to mention all the pre-planning that comes with it).
 
By the time you read this post I should be up in the air making my way to the UK on a early morning flight.  See you all in three weeks when I'll be back to bore you with some holiday snaps.
 
Have fun (but not too much fun) without me.

Monday, April 22, 2013

Friday, April 19, 2013

Sleepwalking


thwack, thwack, thwack
like a cold hard slap
the rain wakes me
 
the wind howls
I listen intently
its message incoherent
 
my vision blurred
by water soaked windows
yet I rub my eyes
 
at four in the morning
a cat purrs loudly
 as I sleepwalk into the day

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

The Countdown Begins


I'm excited that in just one week I will be travelling home to the UK.  This visit will be all the more special because my brother (Chris) and his partner (Sara) will be tying the knot after twenty years together.
 
My husband always laughs at the fact that I pack a week in advance (he usually packs the day of) but it has to be done otherwise I'd forget my own head.  So I'm all packed and ready to go, just counting down the days.

The only aspect I don't like is the actual travel itself.  I find it extremely stressful and wish they'd invent some kind of time travel so that I could be there in an instant instead of two airports, two car rides and 11 hours of flights later.

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

No Words


Sometimes there are no words, just confusion and sadness where hope and beauty should reside.
 
My thoughts are with all those affected by the Boston Bombings. xoxox

Monday, April 15, 2013

Messing About In The Water

Yesterday was the perfect day and we finally got to christen our new pool.
 

As you can see we weren't the only ones splashing about in the water.
 

Joey was content drinking from the water's edge, not fully convinced about the whole swimming thing . . . . .


. . . . while Ravyn needed no coaxing at all.

 
Unfortunately Ravyn succeeded in knocking Joey into the deep end of the pool.  Poor little thing was traumatized after his sudden introduction and has been hugging the pool fence ever since.

 
I think it was a ploy for Ravyn to have the pool to herself.
 
 
Today my husband and I celebrate our 14 year wedding anniversary.  He's a truly amazing guy and there's no one I'd rather spend my life with.
 
What did you get up to this weekend?

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Then The Rain Came

 
The sun blazes with such heat it's as though it just can't contain it any more.  A soft breeze whispers through the trees which seem to suppress a giggle as though being tickled.  There's the flapping of birds wings as they flit from branch to bird feeder and back again.  Buds burst open, giving life to old limbs . . . . .
 
. . . . . and then the smell of wet grass fills the air and I continue to smile, for the rain is as much a part of Spring as the sun.  I know it's story for I've heard it before . . . there's talk of green lushness, of growth, of new life, of all the wonderful things to come.
 
As I look to the clouds drifting lazily across the sky, witnesses to all the magic happening below, my grudge against Spring for arriving late is soon forgotten.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

A Promise

 
searching in the sunlight
she found what she was looking for
 
a promise
 
anxiously she tucked it away
ready to pull out on a rainy day

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

I Wish

 
I wish
 
to walk hand in hand
to hear the roar of the sea
 
I wish
 
to feel the wet sand
to feel how it used to be
 
I wish
 
to feel salt air on my face
to feel the waters pull
 
I wish
 
to feel your soft embrace
to hear the cries of a gull
 
I wish
 
that for just one minute
you could be here with me
 
I wish
 
life wasn't empty without you in it
but I guess it wasn't meant to be

Monday, April 8, 2013

The View From Our Porch


A stress dream woke me yesterday morning.  I groaned when I saw that it was just five o'clock and still dark outside.  Fed up and little grumpy I shuffled through the morning routine of feeding the animals and flicking the switch on the kettle.  Normally I'd curl up on the sofa with a blanket and my mug of tea but when I opened the door to let the dogs out I just couldn't resist the beautiful sky that greeted me.
 
Sitting outside on our porch I was transfixed by the changing light as dawn turned to morning.  The bird song that filled the air was so loud I'm surprised it hadn't woken all the neighbors.  Sitting there in the dark, in the ever changing light listening to nature's orchestra was a truly magical experience that is hard to put into words.

Friday, April 5, 2013

Self Portrait Series

I don't usually remember to take photos while I'm creating but as I did this piece in several sittings, and the camera was in the room at the time, I actually managed to capture some of the steps.
 
 
I knew I wanted to incorporate a snake with a face, interestingly a piece of wood molding I saw was the inspiration.
 
 
I always have to start by painting a piece black, I just can't seem to work from a white one.
 
 
I was beginning to think there was a brush thief in the house until I found the rest of my brushes lying next to the sink where I'd left them.
 
 
As you can see I added some texture to the face and applied the first coat of paint.  There will be several more layers of paint before it's finished but it's on its way.
 
What have you been working on lately?

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Sloth

Many of you will have realised that this past month has been a tough one pain wise.  What makes it harder is knowing that there is no cure, it's all about trying to control it with medication.
 

When the pain is bad it can be hard to work through it and I often find myself curled up in a ball on the sofa.  I'm starting to feel like this guy (although I have to say my nails are a whole lot shorter).


I'm hoping that April is a better month, not only for me but for others too.

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Aaaaaahhhhhh

 
Spent an hour this morning having all my knots and kinks worked out (and I seem to have a lot of them).  There's nothing like a great massage to make you feel like a new person.