Do nothing

That is the task for this week in the Joy diet. A book written by Martha Beck

Jamie is hosting this book blog event at
The next chapter: Joy diet every Friday..


The first chapter of the book states you are to do NOTHING for 15 minutes a day.Sounds easy enough.Not.
I can do nothing, in fact I am very good at doing nothing now.
But she is talking about quieting your mind. Like meditation.
tai chi works for some people. I have not learned all the steps as yet.

This is some thing I have never achieved. My brain never shuts up.
It is always thinking, analyzing, planning.
In the past, I have read books on transcendental meditation, but I could not achieve that level of quiet. I have learned self hypnosis. But when my mind quiets. I go to sleep.
This week though I was looking on line for Mandalas and I found a you tube video that hit the spot on relaxation. Link After that I did the Life choices labyrinth below. It was like all the pieces of the life puzzle came together. I already knew we choose our path in life. Every choice puts us on a new path. But not till lately did I realize we can take a step back and choose a new path at any time. It too is our choice to get caught up in the maze of the lost. When we feel trapped and depressed. Because we choose not to let the issue go mentally or physically . And try hard to recover. It is all a positive attitude of I can do it. I can achieve any thing I put my mind to. You may think you did not choose what happened , but every decision we make puts us in a new event.
Sorry back to meditation. I think the creativeness that I have been experiencing with art has been a quieting of the mind. It to is relaxing and a joy.
I find swinging on a glider, a way to still the mind. A relaxing bath. Listing to water run. Listing to nature. The birds sing or frogs croak etc.
So give it a try. Do nothing for 15 minutes a day.

I am thankful I gave this book a try.
If you learn just 1 thing it is worth the price.
Thanks Martha Beck , & Jamie!

Have a wonderful day and remember to laugh and play.

Today was awesome!

This was defiantly a bucket list day.
Yes that is a real alligator.

We were at the Antique tractor show in Eldon.
It is held every year at Jozlyns great grandparents home.
This gator is a pet for one of the vendors.
This is the 2nd time we have seen this guy. , we first saw it 4 years ago.
The people take really good care of it.

This is how we started off our day.
We went to the strip in the Lake of the Ozarks area, and took a short helicopter ride.
The video was taken from the front seat by grandson Jeremy.
It was an early Birthday present for Jeremy,

Have a wonderful day and remember to laugh and play.

With all this fun I forgot to do my first post on the Joy diet. So I will have to wait till next Friday. Oops.

What I am up to

I have been watching allot of how to videos.
I found this pop up card and decided to make one.
Click on the photo to enlarge.
The colors, graphics and pink heart tung is my ideal.

If you want to make one too here are the links part 1 part 2 part 3

I kinda feel like a kid bringing home my art work.
And the blog is my Moms refrigerator. Where it is placed to view.
I have also been shopping on line.
There is nothing in my area in the way of buying what you want.
So now I am an online shopper.
I won a new set of Derwent 24 Graphic Pencils for $3.75
And PRISMACOLOR SOFT PASTELS 48 COLOR SET for $9.99.
Plus shipping. I am working on another bid for markers.
The last photo is a close up of my caricatures for my new book adventure.
This book requires allot of roll play and some things I am not going to do.
You are to act like an alien in public and ask people about this world.
I can just see the 911 calls now.
Crazy lady thinks she is an alien. LOL
I would be put into a rubber suite.

Have a wonderful day and remember to laugh and play.

words of wisdom from Reba

Have a wonderful day and remember to laugh and play.

My first show

This Is Not a Book take 1

Fabulos fall

This is my creation for fall.
If you would like.
You may click on the photo to enlarge then right click on the photo to save and print.
It is my gift to you.

What can I say, I like to play.

Have a wonderful day .

How has blogging enriched your life?

Nola @ the Alamo has asked me this question for my blogaversary.
This is a very deep question.
As some of you know from following me from early on. I started blogging as a way to heal my self. I was recovering from a severe depression. By blogging every day and finding something positive to post. I could see life was not so bad. In fact life got better every day. I also improved my memory and writing skills a bit.
I found friends who have some things in common. So I did not feel so alone in this world.
I will tell you a little bit about some of my 4 longest blog friends.

I know I have learned allot. From Wendy she is a writer. She motivated me to want to paint a picture with words. My words do not sing like hers. But I can now say some things with out bringing out all the negativity that was involved. She is an inspiration to me. As we walk a similar path,,and have a many things in common.

I get to see farm life with Gail. She too is an artist with both words and paint.
She is fun, and entertaining. She can paint pictures with words very well.
With her blog, I can virtually live a happy farm life, with out all the work.

Sue Has been my friend from the beginning. She lives in Australia, This is a country I have always dreamed of visiting. She has read many posts, that I have deleted. And encouraged me with loving words.

Carla, Came in a bit later, but she went back and read every post I had left up. She makes me feel encouraged. I even was able to meet her and her wonderful family.
So we took our friendship to the next level.

Every one here has added so much to my life. I am very thankful.

That too is why I started the Thankful Thursday post with Grace Alone.
I have learned it is very important to be grateful for what you have. And not worry about things that are not meant to be.
With this weekly post, people encourage each other with kindness. Even though no one is really of the same religion. They have no issue with each other. Because we all believe in the same God. So it is not important what denomination you belong to.


Jamie is a new addition to my life.
She is a a professional creative self-development coach from Canada.
She enveloped my life with artistic life. Just by working with the Wreck this journal book. But it was more than the book. It was the community of bloggers. The power of amazing fun, that was shared. And I found an amazing amount of special people like Kavindra, & Lawendula. They make my heart sing with joy.

But now the group is fading away. A new one for another book will start Friday, September 18th. With the Joy diet. This book is very deep. So I do not know how this will go.

Like wish casting. I am afraid if I allow my self to wish and want too much.
I may be be tempted to be in another life. Or it will improve this one. This is my intension.

I am so thankful you enjoy my silly antics of raising baby chickens and the squirrel.
It is kinda. like show boring baby pictures. LOL. I do that too.
Jeremy is with us this week end. And he is wearing my rose colored glasses because Cheep E is a pecker now.
I am glad you are enjoying me learn to draw & paint too.
These 2 pages started as practice on learning to draw eyes better. And one turned into a kissing alien.

The last photo is from my trip in march. This is my sister in law and me on the edge of a cliff in Fort Pain Alabama. This was my favorite place of all. We had a log cabin in the woods .with our own porch swing. When we got there. I called home and told every one. I was not coming home. But no one believed me. Hubby said I knew you could not afford to stay there forever.
But a person can dream, right! See I told you.I have to be careful what I wish for.
Or I may be living in the swamp in Louisiana. And I really don't want to be around so many snakes. As they think I am a mouse.

Please do not be offended .if I did not say something about each of you. As I so could. But this post would be a mile long if I went on. Just know you are very special to me. And your comment is so heart felt.

If you would like to ask me a question. Please feel free.

Have a wonderful day and remember to laugh and play.

This is the golf of Mexico as we drove down the highway in March.

Holy creation

This is my rendition of the Butterfly cabbage moth.
With her last meal.

She is personally responsible for the loss of all of my cauliflower in this years garden.
And every hole I find is the doing of this insect.
So "Why did I paint the picture"?
I don't know it was something to do. LOL
I painted it so big , it can not eat another bite.
And it makes me happy to say good bye to this bug as fall approaches.

This is a composite of both photos and painting.
The only place it exists is here in this photo.

Today is also my 1 year blog anniversary.
Have a piece of virtual cake. It has 0 calories.

Have a wonderful day and remember to laugh and play.

What do you wish to begin?

This is the question Jamie asks today on Wishcasting Wednesday.

I need to start a new bucket list.
As I have completed my list for 2009.
As some of you know already.
It was an awesome year. I traveled to Arkansas, Texas New Orleans. Alabama, Dolphin Island, & Tennessee. All this took 2 week in march.
The last thing on my list was the farm. And I so accepted the loss. And got over it so quickly. By looking at another one. And decided not to get it either.
I now have to continue,my path of happiness right where I am at.
I am learning more and more every day, on how to let my inner child out to play.
I came to the conclusion. "As a kid I did not get to play much. no fun no magic, no fairytale dreams.
So I am going to live my 2nd child hood for the first time.
I am drawing or painting every day now. And will start a journal of thoughts too.
My latest water color painting (above) is call the end of summer. I finished it today.

It is not easy for me to make wishes. As I learned to be content and happy with what I have for the sake of survival.
So do I dare to continue to wish?

Well I think my bucket list was a wish list so , "Yes!"
I need to find more things to achieve.
More places to visit.
More friendships to make.
More fun to be had.
But I will always be thankful for what I already have.
Have a wonderful day and remember to laugh and play.

A new book!

Kara at MotherHenna
Has lifted my spirits with her review of This Is Not a Book. I so wish I would have already ordered this one too. Please visit her and leave a comment too. She is awesome!


Have a wonderful day and remember to laugh and play.