A day in the life of ...

Clouds!  Last Friday the was weather from South to North across the central US. I had a fairly straight flight path home which is unusual. 

Angel Choir - Good Morning Song

I was up at 5AM and sitting in a plane on the tarmac as the sunrise colored the sky.  I noticed a cloud that looked like a face with it's mouth open.  At first I thought the angel had a big nose then I realize that I was seeing a bushy eyebrow.  Can you see it singing, "Beautiful morning, beautiful day ....!" with continued praises to God.

Close up of the bushy brow angel

Later in the day, I saw the light creating a halo behind the clouds.  I love the outline of light on the edge of the clouds.

Light Halo

I turned the camera the other direction and zoomed out.  The storm cloud that we were turning to avoid the turbulence was a majestic sight with a lot of texture and variations in color tones.

Contrast in the Clouds

The sun played peek a boo and creating more drama in the clouds in the sky.  Look, the cloud almost looks like a dog.

Peek a boo

In another area the clouds almost looked like sand castles.  Needless to say we had a rough ride on both legs of the flight.

Cloud Castles

I flipped my phone to the fish-eye view.  It looks like a fat bird with a long beak doesn't it?

A twisted view

The dolphins started to jump in the heavens.  There may have been storms below and turbulence in the air but the clouds danced like dolphins.

More Fisheye view

When I arrived home I picked up the dogs.  Dale was working an evening shift so the girls and I went out in the country alone for a run. The early signs of sunset were colorful and captivating.

The field's back home

After leaving the country we stopped by to visit Dale at work.  There was one lone cloud raining in the area.   I have never seen such a thing.  Obviously the person who designed special effects for alien movies has seen it. Because this looks like beam used to abduct humans.  ...maybe it is? Did you see a UFO on Friday evening, August 31, 2014 over Meeker County, Minnesota?


Beam me up Scottie?



Rotating just a few degrees to the West gave an entirely different point of view although equally as gorgeous.  The deep blues and soft pinks to purples were a calming end to a busy day.

Blue Sunset

About ten minutes later the colors changed to a golden stripe and expanding oranges with grey low lights.  This was a day that took me from the Southern most area of the continental United States to the Northern most area of the continental United States and the clouds from sunrise and sunset were entertaining and exceptionally beautiful, don't you think?



The final light of day

Tillandsias

Huh? It is a flower commonly known as "Air Plants". They are part of the bromeliads family. Tillandsias account for 550 of the more than 2,500 species of bromeliads.

Decoration made with Air Plants

There was a woman at the Swappers Meet that made decorations with a variety of air plants,  California grape root/branches and resin characters.  Dale fell in love with them and we chose the bear shown below.

These plants actually flower and reproduce without being in soil.  The grow we chose had 8 different kinds of plants;  two in bloom and one ready to have pups. As they reproduce, we will be able to make more decorations. 

Example of Fairy Garden with Air Plants

So to get the creative juices flowing, I purchased another base and some things for a fairy garden (planning two future decorations.) We will continue to look for a creative branch, interesting stones and a resin eagle for Dale's next creation.  I am looking for a shallow bowl,  some interesting stones,  maybe some tiny resin fish to put in a stream. I will use one of my birdhouse gourds for a fairy house.
Now we need to make sure that we keep the plants alive and reproducing.  Patience and time are two key ingredients.  Keep watching for updates!

Creative ideas for future projects

Gathering small rocks

I Love IT!

What is IT? Spinning cotton.  I have been practicing since last Saturday.  I get quite a few thread breaks. But that means I am learning to patch two pieces of thread together well.

I have some thin spots and some thick spots. That means that my thread with have character when I am done with it.

During the week many people have walked up to me while I was in a public place spinning.  I have received a variety of comments including: that is so cool,
I thought you were working with bread dough for a minute but what are you doing? 
neat
You can do anything
You do a variety of things

What amazed me is some of the people that said the last two lines had just met me and this was the first thing that they said to me. I can remember thinking that they didn't know me well enough to say that. Maybe it was God's way of affirming me in a difficult week.

An added thought: I went swimming this evening. I am getting up at 5 AM to go to the airport. I hate packing a wet suit.  So I came up with a unique idea.  What do you think?

Delicious! Perry's in Houston, Texas

For supper tonight the implementation team went out to Perry's for supper.  Oh it was a delicious meal.  It was the type of place that takes several hours to eat the meal.  The ambience was fabulous even though it was a bit noisy.  In the front corner, they had a piano bar with live piano music that permeated the entire restaurant.  (And it was not a small restaurant.)


Bacon Wrapped Scallops

In the middle of the restaurant they had a wine vault with 4 ladders one on each side for removing and restocking the bottles of wine.

Wine Vault

As the evening progressed, the lights were lowered in degrees.  This art caught my eye.  Not only for the piece of art but for how the lights on either side and the light that highlighted the art created an artistic viewpoint itself.

Art

Then there was the meal!  it was Awesome!  I had a good low carb option.  With eight of us at the table there was also a lot of good conversation.  

Surf and Turf

There were several ala carte sides that were ordered. The Spinach was creamed in a rich cheese sauce so I am hoping that it was low carb.  Part way through the meal, nearly all the women's phones sounded with the standard emergency alert.  There was an Amber Alert fairly close to where we were located.  We all grabbed our phones and read the notice - like we were going to be able to do anything within the restaurant. 

Creamed Spinich

After such a large meal, they served either very large desserts or very rich desserts (or both?!) No she did not eat the whole thing.  Left overs ended up going home for the family.  I didn't order dessert but I ended up sharing 3-4 teaspoons of a cream brule with someone at the table.

Wow! This is HUGE dessert

A delicious, warm and welcoming evening with team members from both the my company and my clients company.  I walked out not feeling overly stuffed.  But as the food has settled I am feeling like I might burst!

Terminal illness

All of mankind suffers from the same terminal illness;  life.  For as soon as we are born the only thing that is for certain is that we will one day be dead. The thing that we don't know is when and how.

My sister is home from the hospital and doing better.  She has a high tolerance for pain so when she says that she is feeling sore, I interpret that she feels like a horse just kicked her.

My father had surgery today.  He had several growths show up on a recent scan. They took a biopsy of one today.  The doctor told him he thought it was a different kind of cancer.  (He has had lymphoma for several years.) They will find out more after the pathology report comes back.

Please pray for my sister and father that the do what is needed to heal and be healthy.

Dwarf Bottle Brush and my favorite place to eat!

First things first!  Please pray for my sister.  She had emergency surgery this afternoon after developing an infection following a surgery last month. She is feeling better already. But why when you tell the doctors that you are allergic to metal do they insist on using staples instead of old fashioned suters?

I sent Tabatha a get well text with a picture of the Dwarf Bottle Brush flower.  Since I couldn't get to the hospital to visit her.

This evening my coworker and I went out to supper at one of my favorite restaurants;  Cracker Barrel! I haven't been to a Cracker Barrel since I've stopped eating carbs.  It was challenging.  I was tempted and failed! 

I guess I was eating out of stress with a long day of travel and Tabatha being in the hospital when I am so far from home.  My failure was that I ate a cornbread muffin!   But they make the best cornbread muffins there!

I did fine with the rest of the meal.  A delicious house salad, steak and green beans. (I sprinkled the last two with cinnamon.)

Sensational Saturday!

First of all it was cooler than predicted (although still very humid). Then when I went to the post office my package had arrived. 

Research for a Future Book

I have been waiting to share this with you! The first part of research for a book I am working on "The Dead of Winter". I received a cotton spinning kit and instructions.  This new book will come out after the Goodwill Mystery Series third book, "Trusted Friends" is published.

It is being written in journal form in the viewpoint of the writer. She shares something in common with me. She is a vivid dreamer. She shares some exceptional dreams as God makes life changing requests of both her and her husband.

One thing she does is learns to card and spin cotton in her 80's.  It is never too late to learn if you really want to learn.  I learned that from an elderly English student when I was in Japan. 

"When you stop learning you start dieing." She told me.

This evening I had stir fry vegetables for supper.  I added store bought mushrooms and avocado to garden fresh zucchini and tomatoes seasoned with garlic.

Yes, I am still eating low-carb Ketogenic diet

Humidity

I officially say that it is too humid today.  I hung the clothes out on the clothesline this morning.  They didn't dry. Let me correct that statement slightly.  They dried to a point.  But I still need to put them into the dryer.

It was a good day today.  I took the day off (only monitoring email for client's questions.) I cleaned a few piles of paperwork, did laundy, rearranged the guest bedroom and worked on the bathroom.  I could have done more if it was less humid.

I had three outside tasks too but every time I walked outside I turned around and walked back inside.

An interesting meal

This evening I was craving an Italian taste.  I had planned to make bratwurst for supper but I needed more than that. The tomatoes are coming on full force. 

I decided to chop up two small tomatoes and top it with Balsamic Vinegar,  extra virgin olive oil and feta cheese.

If I would have been on chopped,  I would have had to chop up the bratwurst to make sure that it looked "prettier".

I was hoping to share some research for my next major book. Maybe it will arrive tomorrow!

A Special treat

I don't like to spend a lot of money on jewelry.  I have found out that you can get some fun bling very inexpensively.  I bought myself a ring, a necklace and matching ear rings on the trip without spending a fortune.

Northern Lights (Topaz) surrounded by Cubic Zirconia

The ring was referred to as "Northern Lights".  It is a low grade Topaz that is specially treated so that the light refracts in colors that simulate the real Northern Lights.  The main gem is surrounded by a ring of cubic zirconia, a synthetic gem. The combination makes a beautiful low cost ring.

Tanzanite Ear Rings and Necklace

The necklace and ear rings are Tanzanite.  High grade Tanzanite is a bright blue stone.  Yes, my favorite color.  When I went to the store, they had the necklace and ear rings in a light blue for a reasonable price.  Sure, it was a lower grade but that is the trade off for finding the gem at a price that I could afford.  To top it off, they were set in a silver/gold combination; the perfect compliment to a blue stone. I guess I would call these purchases as one small step up from costume jewelry.  They are real gemstones but not expensive.

Taiya River Arts

Made in Alaska

I found this fabulous shop in Skagway, Alaska.  Their contact information is taiyariverarts@yahoo.com www.wassman.com  Chris and Kathy Wassman, Artists and Proprietors of Fine Art located at 252 Broadway, Skagway, Alaska.


Wall hangings



Jewelry



More Jewelry



Gifts for the Guys



So many beautiful choices

I was drawn to it by my artistic side.  I had a difficult time choosing something to purchase because there were so many wonderful options.  I finally decided on a pair of ear rings. 



Alaskan Scrimshaw Ear Rings

Alaskan Scrimshaw on Ancient Ivory.  Handmade in Ninilchik, Alaska by Jack of Arts (Geoff and Sandy Olson.) The card they send with the ear rings describes Alaskan Scrimshaw as:
10,000 years ago, wooly mammoths roamed the Alaskan tundra. For thousands of years, walrus have lived in Alaska's icy seas.  After natural deaths, the ivory tusks were deposited in the earth. Today, gold miners and Eskimos dig up this ivory. We cut, grind and polish it to a high luster.  We then carefully engrave the surface by hand with designs of Alaskan wildlife and flowers.  Finally, we color the lines with oil paint to bring out the engraving, leaving a long-lasting image.  This is known as Alaskan Scrimshaw.  We are pleased to share the Alaskan spirit through this are with you.   Geoff and Sandy Olson, Ninilchik, Alaska

Spectacular Sunsets

I noticed that the sunsets over the ocean were so much more spectacular than anything that I've seen in a long time.  Part of it is that water always adds eye catching colors in the reflections.  Another part of it is that there were no telephone and electrical lines getting in the way.  A few weeks ago, I saw a fabulous sunset.  I tried to take a photo but there were too many high wires in the way. 


The Final Minutes of Sunshine

Notice in the final minutes of sunshine (above) how some of the clouds are consumed in the darkness that is waiting to come.  While some of the clouds that look more like a wisps are accenting yellow, pink and dark purple. The variety of clouds add a beautiful texture to the scene.


Sunbeams Over the Ocean

Anytime that I see the sun peeking through an opening in the clouds, I think of the majesty of God. The Bible teaches us that we can not look directly upon the brilliance of God because it would kill us.  So the photo is a symbol of God hiding his brilliance from us while still allowing us to be bathed in his Glory.

Purple Mountains Majesty

I love it when I hit just the perfect time of day with just the perfect cloud cover for the mountains to appear as "purple mountains majesty".  The clouds blend into the land and the land blends into the ocean in a perfect way that it is almost impossible to tell where one ends and the next begins.  In the foreground of the land-mass are some mountains (without a doubt).  Behind them is a combination between land and clouds that form so perfectly together, that I can't be sure which part is which.  It doesn't matter, the way the sun highlights in between the clouds and the land in variations of yellow-orange and purple make it a spectacular view.

Weeds?

My boyfriend asked me this evening why I was taking photos of the weeds. I wasn't.  I was trying to take photos of the bee.

But with the delay of the cell phone,  they weren't as clear as I would have liked.

I did notice the drainage ditch that the county dredged out spring of 2013 is already filling back in with weeds.  Hmmm, maybe nature knows best?