Returning to work after a long week-end is difficult. I find that the more time I have off work the harder it is to work. And that the busier I am, taking no days off the easier it is to stay in the routine of work. Of course it does not make for a very happy life. Fortune smiled on me this week and I only worked two days, today is my Friday. To celebrate I stopped at the local Borders, hooked into their wireless(our internet is still out), and bought an iced coffee( I don't have to go to bed tonight). Tomorrow we take "Bambi" (trailer) to the mountains. We keep it in the desert in the winter and the mountains in the summer. This will take a few days so I had to take some extra time off. I'll be away from my blog for afew days. I'll miss you all. Don't forget me!!!

Memorial Day, a day set aside to honor the men and women who lost their lives serving our country. First used to honor the Union soldiers of the Civil War, it soon became a day to honor soldiers of every war. As time has gone on Memorial Day also has come to represent the end of spring and the first day of summer vacation for many people. I have been lucky and have never lost a loved one in the military. But I have lost loved ones and I honor them today. I think of my loved ones often, but today with extra thought and love. And cherish the moments I have with the loved ones who are with me still today, knowing that every moment is a precious gift.

Went to the Farmers Market today. No need to say anything more. The pictures say it all!

Ancient time associated cherries with virginity, representing all that was fresh and new. Being the first ripening fruits of spring, this could be the reason we refer to sweet and special things as being in "cherry condition." I love cherries and have a cherry  "stick". It is a tree that is mainly a trunk with tiny little branches that cherries grow out of. We don't get many cherries off of  the cherry "stick". What few it produces the birds pick before we get to them. This year I'm looking forward to a cereal bowl full. But they are some of the best cherries I've eaten and picking them off of your own tree makes them priceless!

For the past few years my husband has been pounding his head against a wall trying to find a job. He has answered want ads, filled out applications, sent out resumes, ect. ect. with no luck. Yesterday there was a crack in the wall and he actually had a job interview. The first I can remember in ages. In typical "man" reaction I got little feedback on how the interview went, but I have a good feeling about this. Anyway this is good practice for me for staying in the now. We will not hear anything for 4 weeks. So the wait begins. I'll keep you posted.

My back yard was a former garden, full of flowers, vegetables, and fruit trees. One of the only plants I have of that former paradise is an old fashion rose bush. I like to think  I honor the former owner by keeping it alive and enjoying its blossoms every year. Today is a day for me to practice just being in the now. My mind is anxious for things I can't control. I read a blog post yesterday about the ability to just "BE". That is my goal for the day to just be. Looking at something as simple yet as lovely as a flower helps center me and reminds me of the importance of the now. Time is so fleeting. Today just BE.

I am stuck. My creative process has been frozen. It has been days since I've created anything. When we went to the desert I forced myself to cut words out of books and create some poems but nothing felt like it came from the heart. For as hot as it was in the desert nothing could defrost the deep freeze in my mind. At home I've stamped some words on cloth and gotten out my embroidery floss thinking to create something with words and fabric. But nothing comes, I get up, wander from room to room, stare at the walls, pick something up put it down, stroll into the garden, make an excuse. Always thinking, thinking, thinking, could that be it? Maybe the creative process involves less thinking----.

We are home from our week end trip. It was HOT in the desert. So we cut our trip short. At one point on the way home the car thermostat measured 107 degrees! I was hoping to see some flowers in bloom but the desert was way beyond that point. I had to be satisfied with photos of drying plants and seed pods. When we got home our internet service was out so now I am sitting outside of a local cafe trying out the wonders of wireless. It is amazing. So now as I learn one more thing with my computer (how to hook up to wireless) I can go to bed with a sense of accomplishment. Of course it was quite easy to do, but an adventure just the same.

I wanted to show off my small collection of Julie Whitmore pottery that I have been collecting. The center of my collection is a Loving Cup that my sister gave me for Christmas (thank you Julie). The squirrel is the first animal I have. Julie makes wonderful birds that I would love to have fly into my collection someday. 

      The Lilylovekin family is busy getting ready to leave town for a few days. We are going to the desert to spend so quiet time in our camper, getting away from it all. I will miss reading my blogs but will have alot to catch up with when I return. Until then you all have a safe and happy weekend.

With spring here it is hard to take a walk and not notice flowers everywhere. They are so pretty and fun to photograph. I am finding as I look at more photos to post on this site I am drawn to the "mistake" photos. The pictures of the dying, dried out, or imperfect flower. That is what seems more interesting to look at. It is alittle like old buildings vs new buildings what is more interesting to look at? And then I take it further to people not necessarily old people but imperfect people. All of us who struggle every day to live a little better life, to try a little harder. All of us who do not have a "perfect" life but are trying to live a good life. Those are the people that I want to hang with and be a part of. And so I hope you enjoy the beauty of the imperfect as much as I do.

Yeah!! A package came in the mail. I love to shop by mail order. I know little about the computer yet I know how to bid on an ebay auction and shop the etsy site. After the purchase it is always like the anticipation I had as a child at Christmas-waiting for the package to arrive. This package was well wrapped, double boxed, bubble wrapped and bubble wrapped some more. Inside was a treasure well worth the wait and the unpacking. A pottery squirrel by Julie Whitmore. I love her work and have started a small collection. She has an etsy store by her name JulieWhitmore. If I knew more about computers and less about shopping I would be able to leave you a direct link. That will be a question I ask in my next lesson.

It was a lazy Saturday in the Lilylovekin home. But it was also a day for celebration. Lily's test results came back this am and she has a clean bill of health! That was worth many hugs and a few extra jerky treats during the day. I treated myself to a pedicure. It was a beautiful CA. spring day full of sunshine and warm breezes. I sat on my deck sipping an iced coffee and day dreaming about all the projects I was putting off for another time. I hope you all had an equally pleasant day.

Friday evening, there is nothing as wonderful after a long week at work. When I got home the outdoors was calling me so I took my camera and went for a stroll around the neighborhood. I am working hard at trying to stay in the "now". It is so easy for me to reflect on the past or to worry about the future. Focusing on the gardens  of my neighborhood helped keep my mind in the present. I was able to forget about the frustrations of the week, and the fears of the future for a short period of time. My mind enjoyed the rest. Staying present in the "now"  does seem to be a good place to be, it just takes a lot of practice for me to stay there. I'll just keep practicing.

Let me introduce Lilylovekin the name behind this blog. She is a 7 year old Bedlington Terrier. The "baby" of our family. We bought her 7 years ago at a yard sale. I stopped by to look and ended up with a puppy! She is quiet, shy, rather timid but oh so curious and the sweetest dog we ever could have hoped for. Tonight I'm trying not to be worried. She is being checked out for kidney disease. Research has shown that Bedlingtons have a high incident of kidney disease. I am hoping that everything is ok. She seems to feel fine and is acting normal. Finding the unusual lab results was just a lucky (or unlucky) fluke. We will know more in the next few days. All I want is for my Lily to feel good and have a happy dog life. 

It is raining today. Very unusual weather for Ca. in the month of May. Of course it is great for the gardens and so I am not complaining about that but I am ready for some sunshine and warm days. It makes for good nap weather, yesterday I spent a good part of the day looking at the inside of my eyelids!  Today I will make up for lost time. I have felt to dye. Furniture to dust. And an Artful Blogger that needs close inspection. Hum I wonder what to start first?

Yesterday was my every 6 week get together with a group of friends who create art. There are 5 of us who get together and spend the day creating, visiting, eating good food, and bonding. Everyone works on their own thing and there is no pressure to perform, it is low keyed and relaxed. I was tired and grumpy after a long hard week at work and was thinking of canceling. But I got up and dragged myself out the door. After spending the day cutting images out of magazines, words out of books and visiting with good friends I was much more revived then a quiet day could have done for me. It also left me inspired to continue with the creative process today because it is raining here and I am trapped inside the house!

I finally got my copy of Somerset Studio and was especially excited about it because I am in this copy. Page 52. My sister Julie Haymaker Thompson has an article about collage pieces she has done based on my poetry. My name is mentioned in the first paragraph!! When I make a poem I use a technique I learned from Nina Bagley, cutting words and phrases from books that call to me. I then put them together in a form that makes sense in my head. My husband does not get them and says they don't make sense or are depressing. Sometimes the message is sad, sometimes hopeful, sometimes a little crazy just like life.