Focus on Life, Week 6 - Feel the Love

This is Samis (white with yellow) and Zelda (gray brindle)...Ben's 2 guinea pigs.  We got them in August, around his birthday.  They are great friends.  They are always snuggled up close in their cage...they love getting underneath the fleecy blanket  and hanging in a little curled-up heap.  Of course, when I went to take the photo, they separated  and played all stand-off'ish.

We named them after 2 of Ben's favorite female video heroines...Samis is a warrior soldier in the Metroid series, and Zelda is the goddess/princess in the Legend of Zelda series.

Wait, what?  Uh, oh...it seems Zelda needs a new name...maybe Mr. Zelda!  Turns out little Samis is going to be a mommy.  Didn't see that one coming.  I mean, really, we didn't see it.  They were sold as 2 females and I double checked.  Even after I realized that Samis was with piglet.  Mr. Zelda is one sneaky pig!

Focus on Life...Week 5 - Capture our Hearts

I cheated with this one, it is from this past summer at the beach!

Ben posing with his "heart hands"

Left over from an old Valentine that J tacked to an old mirror in the garage!

A stash of rhodochrosite and pink opal hearts I remembered I have...as well as some muscovite squares.

Wordless Wednesday...My 2 Loves!

My New Addiction!

I am in deep trouble!  A portion of my last 2 hauls from ArteBellaSurplus.  Part of me wants to curse Karen, but the other part wants to hug her!

The Art Bead Love Tour

Have you seen this gorgeous strand of handmade art beads?  I want every single one of them!

Go visit Love My Art Jewelry to see how you can get the chance to choose some of these for your very own!

Double Digits!

It is hard for me to believe that this cute pie,

this one,

or even this one...

have grown into this one!



Happy, happy birthday, my sweet Ben 10!  You totally rock! 

Just Because

Some of my daylilies and stargazer lilies before it got so freakin' hot this past week...

Roses that J got for me after I dropped over $200 at Costco the other day...I love it when there are enough blooms in a bouquet to split it up into little ones for around the house!  My Fenton milkglass vase is in the downstairs loo, and my beloved blue McCoy is right next to my bed!

Enjoy!

Thought for the day...

Today is the start of the busiest week in the year for some folks..Holy Week!  I probably won't be here too much this week as I sing in a professional choir for one of the only Catholic churches in the area to offer the "Tridentine Mass".  I have rehearsals and services most nights of this coming week, up to and including Easter Sunday.   So, I will leave you with this...I stole this from a blog I read....I don't think he would mind!  Totally appropriate for today and the coming week, I think!

"There is still good in the world and it is growing bigger and stronger and faster than ever...If you let it".

A blessed Palm Sunday to you all!  

Happy Snow Day!

So, we in the DC subs are in the middle of a winter storm ...B's school was closed today,  and it probably will be tomorrow as well.  I decided to work from home, which basically means taking a vacation day, but checking email and being available for anything that comes up that I can handle over my work laptop and a remote server.

The early snow was the perfect snowball/snowman snow.  We built this guy in record time!  Not sure what B was going to use his pool toy for?  That's my cool chenille hat on the snowman's head...I forgot the scarf.  Rocks for eyes, half-used carrot for a nose and for a mouth...holly berries!  Those things wouldn't stay in...I kept having to add fresh snow around them!

He is a bit leafy and dirty, as there wasn't much in the back yard when we built him, but it is really coming down now...

A few hours later, he was playing on the back porch...




Wow, I love this face!



Look at that face...wish I still had that outlook on a "snowed-in" day!  Instead of worrying about what is not getting done, all he is thinking about is the "here and now moment". 

No words...

Happy Labor Day!

Seems a bit anti-climactic since B. has already been back in school for 2 weeks!  I remember when Labor Day Weekend was the last hurrah before trudging back to school.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful, relaxing, safe long weekend :)  We are being very low-key; had a very nice visit with our extended family last night, enjoyed a cocktail and some tasty pork ribs and more.  J and his brother jammed on guitar and of course there was singing:) Fun had by all.

Hopefully, some new jewelry forthcoming...autumn/holiday shows are approaching, but also new classes!  Yay Artbliss!

Happy Valentine's Day...from my flying pig to yours :)

Jesse...

 Look at this beautiful human...

 

 

 

 

Happy Birthday, darling.   I love you!