Art, Cats and Cars

6-8-10 resting brain
Art.... Cats.... and Cars.... could we have a more perfect Sunday?

Well, I suppose... since we didn't make it to church on Sunday, it didn't quite seem like a REAL Sunday, but it was full of the things Greg and I love. Since we both were moving slowly and still recuperating from Saturday's project day, we did sleep in a bit.

Then first off was the Prairie Village Art Show late morning. Going to art shows have begun to be a weird experience for me. I love going to see the all the different art and all the creative ideas.... it is very inspiring.... but at the same time I have a weird feeling about the whole selling and marketing of art.

I'm currently taking an online Art Business Class, which warned that an artist will spend about 25% of their time making art, and 75% of their time marketing their art. Hummmmmm.... art as "work" doesn't sound like what I had in mind.... but we'll see.

After lunch at our usual favorite weekend place (yes Molly, we went there yet again!).... we headed down south of KC to Belton, small town which was having a car show. We had been there before, so for this reason, I was familiar with the quaint main street area, and the Pet Shelter building on the corner. Since it was open and through the window I saw cats walking around, Greg and I went inside. We found cats eager for our attention and so we actually spent sometime there petting and playing with them.... but we left empty handed.

We left just in time to hear the car show winners being announced and took some time to look at the cars.


PS: There is nothing stopping us from visiting Belton again, and this time returning with a new "missy" cat????????? It could happen!

"Day of Caring" project

6-7-10 volunteering brain
Last weekend helping my folks with some home chores was nothing compared to the work Greg and I did this Saturday. We participated in a “Day of Caring“ here in KC with some of Greg‘s co-workers. Our assignment was to paint the old farm house at the Shoal Creek Living History Museum, which is about 30 minutes north of our KC house, up near Liberty, MO. It looks like a pretty cool place to visit.

When we arrive at 8:15AM, people were already on ladders scraping away. We jump into this activity too.


Greg on the upper roof.


After the west and south side were done being scraped, the primer painting team stepped up, while the rest of us finish scraping......
and running away from carpenter bees that were flying around. I was told they don't sting people... but they make holes in wood.

I assumed the color would remain white, but no, they had researched and found authentic colors from this period of time, thus came the next layer of paint, and time to start some of the trim work on the two porches, which I helped with, since I wasn’t up to climbing on ladders near the hornet’s nests.



Sometime along the way we were fed some great BBQ and we sat for half hour to rest, but most of the time between 8:15AM and 3:30PM we were on our feet working.

When Greg and I arrived home a little after 4:00PM, we showered and crashed for the rest of the day…. Worn out, but feeling good from a productive day of helping.

Experimental Art

6-4-10 accepting brain
When I was cleaning out all my art stuff from the guest room, and returning it to my small art room, which is just a side room off the guest room.... I had to let go of some of my "failures"....

In the big picture, nothing is really a failure.... if you learn from the experience. I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder.... but when I'm doing my experimental art... I never know for sure if something is going to turn out or not....

Over the last few months, there have been a few pieces which just didn't come together very well, so sadly, I placed in the trash..... and now I will remember in the future that certain combinations don't work well together.... AND THAT's OK!

My cleaning progress

6-3-10 cleaning brain

So I am making progress at cleaning... the guest room is shaping up. But as I clean, I ask myself...."what do I do with all this stuff I have accumulated over the years"?

Take this music box, given to me by my first high school boyfriend Bruce.... the music is "Love Story".... (side note: sad to hear about the Al and Tipper Gore)...



As I looked inside, the top drawn has miscellaneous stuff, much from the 70's. That's a Vietnam MIA bracelet my sister had.



Drawer two had shells I collected on our honeymoon, and a few necklaces.


The turquoise necklace is one my Grandparent's John and Juanita gave me when they lived in Arizona back in the mid 60's. I think I will polish this up and wear it! The other is a Rainbow Girl necklace.



The guest room will be re-painted at some point this summer, turns out our homeowners insurance will pay for the ice-dam damage which caused some paint damage in a few rooms. We are in the process of getting estimates for all this work. There was paint damage in one corner of this room.

NOTE: I still have yet to clean out the dresser drawers... which are backed full of stuff!

Summer "firsts"

6-2-10 amazed brain
Memorial Weekend, the unofficial start of summer.....Sunday evening Greg and I returned home to Des Moines after our few days up north visiting my parents.

It was a lovely evening and Greg suggested we sit out on the back patio and sip some "sweet wine"... total shock I know.... Greg and I aren't big drinkers, but I think he enjoyed it last weekend so much with Ann and Roy, he wanted to try it again.

We didn't have any of the Peach wine left, so we chose "Blue Moon" wine since this comes from Oregon and my cousins had introduced us to this wine a few years ago. Plus I like the blue colored bottle!

We were surprised to observe our FIRST firefly of the season May 30th. Greg also swatted at the FIRST mosquito.... but none bothered me.

Then the next day, May 31st, I was surprised when I observed my FIRST lily blooms of the season!



And we shared the hammock for the FIRST time of the summer season!



After the winter we had here in Iowa, enjoying summer to the fullest will be my goal! Although I didn't let myself relax too much on Monday, instead I worked on cleaning the guest room. Now I'm ready for summer company!

Kelley's Birthday

6-1-10 celebrating brain

This year I have several friends who turn 50. I keep telling them that turning 50 is a wonderful thing.... at least it was for me.

Today is Kelley's 50th birthday.
Last week we met for lunch in Beaverdale since I wanted some one on one time with her. Kelley loves to garden, so I gave her this cool gardening basket.



OK, I'll admit... the most frustrating thing about being 50 is keeping track of your reading glasses.



Today, I will meet for the official Birthday Celebration Lunch with Kelley and a few other friends. When you turn 50, you deserve several days of doing special things for yourself.

Memorial weekend pictures

5-31-10 memorial brain

Here are pictures.... narration might come later this week. For today, I need to relax and catch my breath before the start of June.

Friday evening in Charles City, 1st "Party in the Park" of the season.

Visited the cemetery with Mom. Paid respect and praying for peace.

Helping Mom and Dad with work around their house. AND playing with the cat.