First Snow

    It snowed last night. The heavy, branch breaking snow that we usually don't get as a first snow. Today the Jack O Lantern and Guardian Gargoyle wear hats of white.

Even though I am not ready for the deep, months long cold and snow, I have no choice in the matter so will just accept it for the beauty it offers. The snow did make a delightfully crunchy sound when walking on it. My late lettuce greens and radishes probably don't appreciate that sound though. In fact, they looked cold! I made a quick, make shift cold frame out of bent maple branches and heavy plastic. Better late than never....

Last 10 songs the i-Pod randomly played: 

Black Hole Sun--Stone Temple Pilots

Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy--Bette Midler

Bodies--Drowning Pool

Domino--Van Morrison

Dead and Bloated--Stone Temple Pilots

Dance Hall Days--Wang Chung

Dirty Deeds--AC/DC

Black Betty--Ram Jam

Animals--Nickleback

I Don't Like Mondays--Boomtown Rats

Can we say eclectic?

Journal Pages 10/18/11

  I'm counting the days until my new great-nephew arrives. He's due to make his first appearance in the world on November 10, but babies arriving on a specific date is like herding cats. There are no guarantees they'll do what you expect them to. 

  I'm still in cleansing and purging mode. The back of the truck is getting full of clothes, shoes, household goods and books to donate. Tomorrow I'll probably make the drive to the Salvation Army and drop off. I'll try to resist going in to see what vintage coats need rescuing, but as with babies and herding cats, there are no guarantees!

Done while sitting at Vincent's listening to the music.
Collage, Sparkling H2O's, Gellyroll pen, ink jet transfer

Done at Vincent's.
Collage and Gellyroll pen

Tuesday Night Journal & Music Fest

  I'm at my favorite Tuesday night journal spot, at My table, listening to the great acoustic music, soaking up the vibes and enjoying the atmosphere. Thought it would be cool to show a photo of the musicians I mention here so often, so here you go! Both guys are in many different bands and do a wide range of music. I like their originals the best. Missing tonight is Michael Thibodeau.

  Can you see some of the cool photos on the wall? There are tons of them, all from ages past and of local folks. There's a reason I love this place. totally inspiring atmosphere.

This is Scott Riccuti, one of the best songwriters, singers and acoustic guitarists around.
Scott has played with Jim Caroll, Shana Morrison and many others

This is John Donovan. Another great musician.

Journal Pages 5.7.10 and 5.8.10

I've been dreadfully neglectful of my blogging these past months. REAL LIFE decided it would interfere with the Virtual World in which I romp.  It happens to all of us from time to time. The things we must do get in the way of the things we want to do. 


However, no matter what twists and turns come at me the one thing I won't neglect is my art or my art journaling. For without those I would have no soul....


I'm trying to get back in the blogging groove so hopefully you'll all be hearing a lot more from me. Whether you want to or not!  


For your perusing pleasure, two recent journal pages. The first is on Censorship and how people try to censor me but just can't do it.  The second is on what I need in life to be happy. There's really very little I NEED.  Want and need are two very different things therefore, my needs are simple. My WANTS, well that's a different story....

Currently Reading: The Glassblower of Murano by Marina Fiorato 

(reviewing for Library Thing)

Currently Creating to: Stone Temple Pilots: Purple

Blog Love: 

Paris Daily Photo

The Altered Page

Kelly Kilmer (HI KELLY!!!!!!  HUGS!!!!)

Jet In Concert

JET!!!  One of my favorite hard rocking bands. And so close to the stage I could almost touch them.

This N That

Another day of total freedom!!!!! I slept late (again), walked the dogs, fed the cats, dogs, fish and hermit crab then sat myself down with a cup of coffee and my journals. After looking over what I'd done last night I finished up some pages that were half done then made a few phone calls.

After 2 hours on the phone to Raine (1 hour 56 minutes, but who's counting???) I decided I might as well go visit her instead of talking on the phone for another hour. I hopped in the shower, packed up an art bag, walked one of the dogs and went to get the other out of his pen (he's a Siberian husky and loves being out in the cold all day!!!!). As I was bringing him in he jerked the leash a bit hard and since I was standing on ice at the time I twisted a bit wrenching my back. OUCH!

Back in the house to call Raine and let her know I wouldn't be over after all. I settled myself on the couch with an ice pack, my journals and some pens and just chilled out.

Now, I honestly believe that everything happens for a reason. We might not always know what the reason is and we may not always like what the reason is, but there is a reason. Believe it, don't believe it, it doesn't matter. What matters is that I believe it and we're talking about me here, right?

Well, in the case of why I wrenched my back enough to make me want to stay home but not enough to put me in agonizing pain became pretty clear within a few hours of it happening.

I was in the kitchen when the dogs started barking like mad. Not so unusual for the Little Girl because she's half terrier, half chihuahua and has sonic hearing. Seriously, she does. You could be in your own house, two doors down and have your cat meow and she'd start barking. So, when she was barking it wasn't a big deal. What was a BIG deal is that the Siberian started barking and he doesn't generally bark. He'll do the husky howl on occasion, but otherwise is pretty quiet. I think it's a genetic survival thing seeing as they originally came from a place where polar bears would eat them for lunch if they were noisy enough to be found. But I digress.....

So, the dogs are barking, I look toward the front door and there are two punks out there who are obviously trying to get in. Even though there's a truck in the driveway I can see how someone would think no one is home. There has been a vehicle missing from here since late Thursday afternoon and I haven't been doing a whole lot of coming and going. Obviously these two decided we were all away and this would be the perfect time to break in. WRONG-O!

Me being me, I walked out of the kitchen onto the back porch, scooping up my cell phone and popping it in my pocket on the way. Once on the back porch I grabbed the crow bar that's laying around, and has been since I gutted the back hall a few months back, and marched out the back door. Up the driveway I go and around the corner to the front of the house. By the time I hit the front stairs I was already swinging. I managed to land a blow across the back of the knees on one punk and across the shoulder blades on the other. The one I hit on the shoulder blades took off running, obviously in pain, but running. The knee dude was doing more of a hobble so I came around the front of him and knee-capped him straight on. Which is when he hit the ground crying. It's also when I told him to stay there or I'd let the dogs out to finish the job.

A call to the police, a cruiser, an arrest, a lot of laughs from the police over my effectively taking these two punks on with a crowbar, a trip to the hospital for knee cap boy and my going back in the house were the end of the situation. The police were going to let the hospital know to look out for anyone in their early 20's coming in with shoulder injuries, but other than that it's done.

The moral of the story: Well, it's either everything happens for a reason or don't fuck with a woman who knows how to wield a crowbar. Maybe both!!!!!!!


Today's Music To Create By:
Robin Trower-Bridge of Sighs

Days of the New

Pink Floyd-Dark Side of the Moon (THE BEST FLOYD EVER!!!!!!!!!!)

Tonight's Movie Choices:
Mrs. Doubtfire (Every night with him was like the Bay of Pigs....)

The Bird Cage

Rocky Horror-Not as good at home as in the theater, but still pretty damned awesome! And, yes, I will be doing the Time Warp again!!!!!

I've been enjoying my time alone. I stayed up until about 3 AM this morning watching movies that I love. I slept late, until 10:30, which I wish I could do every day. After walking the dogs in the biting cold I had a nice cup of coffee on the back porch. I was snuggled in my chair, watching the birds, petting the cats and warming my bones by the pellet stove.

After a second cup of coffee and I was ready to get creative!!!!! I spent the better part of the day painting journal pages and a few journal covers. The music was cranked up obscenely loud. So loud in fact that if someone had walked in they would've been right next to me before I would notice. Which of course would make me jump, throw my hand over my heart and scream. Lucky for me no one walked in because I hate it when I have to jump and scream.

I was totally in the painting groove and ended up doing 17 pages. Tonight I started adding focal images and text so I'll have a nice batch of pages to show off soon.

I'm having another movie night, Young Frankenstein followed by Monty Python & the Holy Grail. Can you tell I love the comic classics????

My choice of music today:
Yngwie Malmsteen

Led Zeppelin-Mothership

Michael Schenker

Kick Ass Country--A compilation CD I made from my i-pod. No laid back country tunes allowed!!!!

A Few More Books I want:
Revolucion!: Cuban Poster Art

Soviet Posters: The Sergo Grigorian Collection

Badonkadonk

Last night I got together with the other Wild Women in my family & we went and had ourselves a grand old time at the Trace Adkins concert in Lowell, MA. There's nothing like a night of Honky Tonk Badonkadonk to chase away the winter induced blahs & kick start those creative juices. Music is essential to life. It keeps the soul alive.