Family

This weekend my mom and dad and siblings stayed in a cabin at a nearby lake.
Family ahh..... gotta love em, sometimes you can't stand them; but mostly I'm just glad that they love me even with all my quirks.

I know you probably can't tell very well, but this time next year there's gonna be a little addition to Torray and Erin and our family. (that means BABY!)
I'm just an itty bitty bit excited to be an Aunty!
So during this weekend we heard a sermon by Frances Chan (very cool preacher guy) and he highlighted this verse which I think is very helpful in family relationships.
James 1:19 This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger.
Think about that when you talk to the next person in your life. yep it quieted me right down. (for at least an hour or two (:)

In other news: ART is coming! Run and hide because it is crazy framing and matting time!

Here is a verse that helps me with the pre Artisan tour worries and jitters
John 14:27
"peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you: not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful"

And if you're in the area come see me at Rhoadside Blooming House on Friday evening , Sat, and Sunday afternoon.
Please be kind and buy all my paintings so I don't have to take them home! ( hehe just kidding ....sorta)

Take a walk with me

I love to walk.
I take a walk everyday if I can ,and when I'm working I walk at the park on my lunch break.
Today I brought along my camera ,so that you could walk with me.

God's creation is somehow calming and it makes me smile especially on a beautiful fall day like today.

Our life is kinda like one big walk,it's exhausting,beautiful,hard,sad and exciting . Here is a verse I like to remember when I'm tired of walking.

Isaiah 40:31 Yet those who wait for the Lord Will renew their strength;They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.

I hope you get a chance to go outside and take a walk not just for exercise ,but for peace and quiet and to enjoy the Creation God placed you in.

A.R.T.

The Artisans Road Trip is coming in a little over a week,so today is the rush day to get everything ready.

I need to finish this painting. And just so you don't get bored I'll show you some Art I get to do at work.

This painting won't be in the show because I sold it. I actually painted this a few years ago ,and forgot I had it .You never know what kinda treasures you can find in the art closet!

The house painting is not actually of any particular house it's kinda a combination of houses .It makes me think of fairy tales and hidden cottages in the the woods and Grandma's with warm cookies .Hmmmm ...yep when I grow up I want to be a Grandma no doubt about it.

So I must be off and frame pictures with my lovely Grandma . Maybe there will be warm cookies involved.(:

A chill in the air

Today it feels like Fall ,and it also feels like I need to make zucchini bread. Yes "need".

Eat it warm with a big smather of butter ,and go walk outside and crunch some leaves under your feet.

This is a basic recipe that you can easily alter to add any fruit you want.
Zucchini,cranberry,peach Bread
2 eggs
1/2 C. Veggie or olive oil
2 teas. vanilla
1/2 C. white sugar
1/2 C. brown sugar
1 C. Shredded zucchini
3/4 C. white flour
3/4 C. wheat flour
1/2 teas. Baking powder
1/8 teas. Baking soda
1 C. berries, or other fruit
mix the ingredients in order listed making sure to
wisk eggs and to get all the baking soda and baking powder mixed in.
bake in bread pans ( 2 smallish ones) at 350 for 50-60 min.

This is what's going on in the studio.... tomatoes.

The view from our front porch .I started this one after supper the other night ,it was so beautiful outside . I got it all sketched in before the bugs became too much for me.

weekend...

On Labor day weekend (why do they call it that?) the weather was ...just so perfectly beautiful.

I biked to mom and dad's ,

Played a serious game of crouquet,

And started a biker gang. Whew! I need to go back to work to get some rest!

the marathon

The 6 days before Labor day weekend ,I had the oportunity to do what could be compared to a wedding flower marathon.
1 week , 3 designers,3 weddings, 63 oh! wait 78 centerpieces, and only 2 tearful breakdowns.

The shop seemed to turn into a huge forest of twigs and flowers. Flowers to the right of me flowers to the left of me !
but never fear! we were never completely stumped.(that pun just never got old.) it's a week like this that makes you wish there really was a Super florist ....sigh.

Beeeeaaauuuutttiiifffuulll!