Lots of Libras in our family.....2 aunts, my mother, my grandmother....a wonderful time of year for a birthday. Mom (below) had her birthday last Saturday. My aunt Ruby (above), myself and friend Cheryl (from high school years!)'s mother are celebrating today.

Nothing too wild here. We closed on the sale of Mom's house yesterday. Then today took her for a visit with her doctor. We decided to try physical therapy to strengthen her legs and improve balance. At the moment she is reading on the back porch where I have been playing with my watercolors [though I am supposed to be getting the garage sale organized for tomorrow! Yikes!]

I'm painting birds and pomegranates....

AND just opened this delicate garnet necklace which is rather like a pomegranate seed....reminiscent of Persephone....I do love it!

Truly, a very wonderful, though quiet, birthday!

A good friend, of many years, had a birthday this week. I had made this little English cottage quilt block with her in mind several years ago. It has now become one side of a tea cozy for her.

The other side has a little Kate Greenaway girl embroidered on it. I think it came together very nicely. Now for that pot of tea!

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I am working on some watercolors of pears and peaches...they are so gorgeous I have to paint them before I can eat them! Also copying some Mary Oliver poetry in long hand to use as collage backgrounds.

Our garden has lots of green tomatoes. I harvested a cucumber and large beefsteak tomato this week. I have planted some beets...a few only came up...and some turnips...lots of those came up. We will see if they produce any wonderful beets and turnips for me to watercolor! [There is always the farmer's market here!]

This is my day off, I really feel like hibernating with this cool cloudy fall weather we are having.

Perhaps just read a book, or do a collage, or cook something to go with the tea!

Happy Birthday, Andrew! [Our son]
Here he is as a 10 year-old at the rock gym and later on a climb somewhere in the Western hemisphere (below). Andrew is now in school to become a chiropractor, and is married to a wonderful woman, Mary. We love them both and are thinking of them today!

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Having a different schedule this week, I have the day off. So I headed down to my chair in the garden this morning, journals and coffee cup in hand. [Watercolor above from my garden journal of a yellow-shafted Northern flicker. I was delighted to see these "new" (to me) birds in my backyard a couple of weeks ago. I didn't know what that "polka-dot" bird with a red cap could be....so I did some research!]

Before I could sit and write, I had to lift and tie up heavy, fruit-laden branches of the tomato plants. Here is the garden about 9:00 a.m. after they were tied up to the bamboo and the wire cages.

While tying back the branches, I discovered two cucumbers hiding under the large leaves!
Here they are with dark coleus for accent.

I'm thinking that this garden is rather too shady for a vegetable garden, the large oak tree next door casts a long shadow. I think the garden is in sun barely 6 hours/day. If it were sunnier, I think I would be harvesting more. But is is fun and what we get is delicious!

I made another change in the garden, pulling out all of the purple plants, perilla, except those in the concrete "greenman" planter. I need the space they were taking.

Finally, here is a photo of the flowers beside my garden chair.

July Journal pages




When we aren't doing any "exciting" living, I spend time working (playing?) on collage pages in my art journal. The first page is based on the logo I designed for my "baby goods" ETSY store, "LILLY BEE". It features "BEing" and is built around a young woman who looks strong and happy.
Across the page is one about moving into August. The girl on a swing is a theme I have repeated throughout this particular art journal....sometimes up, sometimes down. The quote from Eudora Welty says, "All serious daring starts from within". [I remember learning to swing, how older people in my family would push me until I finally learned to "pump". That is an early memory!] The August page reflects my dilemma in making it to my high school reunion in a couple of weeks....and some other issues as well!
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We have two August birthdays coming right up this week.....my son, Andrew (on the 4th) and his lovely bride, Mary (on the 1st-tomorrow!)



This photo was taken before they were married, but shows both of them so well!

This is a photo from last August when they were married. The setting is in the San Francisco peaks outside Flagstaff, AZ.

With both birthdays and their wedding anniversary this month, they had to be in the blog! I am so happy to say that they will be coming for a visit at the end of the month....more about that (you may be sure!).

Happy Birthday to Carmen!




This is artwork from her blog today! Stop by over at Carmen's to wish her a lovely day and see more collages and artwork!
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I received some more photos of my grandchildren today...a treasured gift for me!!!!

Our "birthday girl", Laura, is 29+1, today!!!!!!!!


A few photos from the years when she was our little girl, and then a young lady and then a young bride (in Jamaica).

Laura is a travel agent specializing in the Caribbean. As a child she was extrememly interested in geography and other cultures....and in organizing and keeping us all on track...(the oldest child).
so now those skills help earn her a living!


This next photo was taken when I was visiting her last week!

We are more than a little proud of you, sweetie! Happy Birthday!!!!!