Shards

As a mosaic artist, I look at pottery, glassware, dishes, mugs, glass and mirror differently than most people...I envision them broken. I get excited over a piece of broken pottery...just thinkin about what I can make from it. I start thinking of just how I can work it into a project that I'm designing.
I don't hunt animals...I hunt pieces of stuff!!
Linda, the blogger known as Blue Starr Gallery, offered to send me some of her broken shards...OMG!!! I got the package yesterday and to my delight was 3 bags of broken bits and pieces of her beautiful work. She is an incredible artist and shares her craft on her blog along with fun, delicious recipes and tidbits of her life. It's a fun blog to follow...please check it out if you get a chance. She also has an Etsy store, BlueStarrGallery, be sure to check that out...beautiful pottery!!! Her work can also be seen in several galleries in Florida.
Anyway, when I opened the box, there was a padded envelope enclosed. I assumed it was the bill to cover shipping all the shards...but nope!!! it was the necklace pictured below.

This was such a surprise and I am soooo delighted to have received a piece of her artwork. My picture simply doesn't do it justice... I am simply thrilled and will wear it often. Needless to say, that when I wear this, I will always think of my wonderful cyber friend. In fact, I think it will be a reminder of all my cyber friends... It seems that we've all become so close. We hurrah for each others successes and cry for their losses. We miss them when they don't post, in awhile, and understand when they don't... I love their rants and their raves. The stories are downright funny and sometimes sad. They have adventures or become bored. They post pictures of family, pets, art, places, or things that are just wonderful to look at. The different interests intrigue me and force me to stretch and learn.
Thank you to Linda!!!
...and thank you to all my new friends!!!

A Tropical Planter

I went with tropical plants.
The terrarium is designed to keep the humidity in. I could have done cactus, but the lid would have to be off most of the time.
I put a large piece of wood in the background, then built up the dirt behind it.
Added some rocks and angled them in different directions, hoping that would give it a more natural look.
I also added one small mushroom miniature. Just one... toward the front and slightly tilted.

In this picture, you can see that the Buddha is holding a bowl. I've got some of those battery operated, fake little vigil lights. It fits perfectly in the bowl. It is awesome when it's a little cloudy outside. (like this morning) I turned on the little light, and oooh...what a serene sight it was.

This is when the top is on.

Even tho it's not southwest, it seems to fit in just fine.
When I was meditating, this morning, I found myself looking at it...and enjoying it.
Not the purpose of meditation, but this was just the first day.
ommmm...

Decision Time

This terrarium is my latest find. I've got spring fever and think this might be a temporary fix.
I've cleaned it up and added rocks, charcoal, and a layer of sphagnum moss.
Here's my dilemma.
Dirt!
If I use potting soil...then the plants need to be tropical.
If I use cactus soil...then I will use succulents.
oooh what to do????
My house is southwest, so cactus is a natural...but that tends to defeat the purpose of the terrarium. Once I put the lid on, the humidity will build up and will kill all the cacti planted.

Here's some of the stuff I'm thinking about adding.
I've got all sorts of teeny cute stuff if I make it a cactus garden. Tiny kachina's, dreamcatchers, pottery, storytellers, etc.
If I go tropical, then I could make it a fairy garden or I could go more zen or I could go with crystals and the circle of friends. (that might be fun...the candle is a light, not really a candle, so it could be lit) Ohh, but wait...with that little candle, I could make a little campfire if I go with the cactus...hmmm or ommmm...

Swamp People

At work today, we welcomed the Swamp People.

The Swamp People came to Bass Pro today...
People camped out in the parking lot last night...all night at the store, just to be first in line.
Two ladies even spent the night in a duck blind...
It was 7 degrees last night.

There were no parking spots.
People parked waaaay up the street and walked to get to the store.
I wouldn't walk that far, in this cold, to even see the president, maybe to see Robert Redford...but, for the Swamp people???

I had no clue there were that many rednecks in the KC area, but I guess I was wrong.
Now, nothing against rednecks...BF is lying on the sofa (half asleep) listening to the Redneck Comedy Hour.
Welcome to my world...today.
Should I say "ommmmmmm"??? or should I say "Get er done"???

Bull !!!

Can you tell which picture is of a bull???
One is a flag used for cutting practice. Cutting, as in cutting horse competition.
The next picture is used for practice for roping competition.
The third and fourth pics are of actual live calves. They're called this till they are weaned.
Once weaned one is a bull calf, the other is a first time heifer.
OMG...baby bulls!!! Even I can tell which one is going to become a bull. Me, the city gal...
He looks cranky already, doesn't he???!!!
BF was up and gone early (as usual)...He's sorting cows today. Spring??? calving, this always makes me laugh, starts in 2 weeks.
This is his idea of spring...Mine is when I see flowers starting to bloom and it's warm!!!

Guilty

I worked quite a bit before Christmas. Gave me extra $$'s for holiday shopping, but cut into my shopping time and I became lax in my morning meditations. My practice suffered!
I had just won that kayak at the company party, the night before, and was extremely excited/happy, and was daydreaming of warmer weather. I saw the lake, my future new hat. (to keep the sun off me) I dreamed of early mornings with my camera. Fish jumping, birds flying...I was at the lake...Till I heard that loud sound! Saw those flashing lights! Came back to the NOW!!!
When did police officers become children? Ooh gosh, he was a teen...at least he looked like a teen to me. "Do you know why I stopped you?" I told him that I did... I thought I must have been speeding, but that wasn't it. At the last intersection there was a 4 way stop. I didn't come to a dead stop! I came to a rolling stop...
Handing him my license and insurance card, I figured I'd get by with a warning, but nope!!! When he came back to my car, he asked if I knew that my license had expired.?! My birthday was the previous week and I had simply forgotten to get it renewed. So...instead of a warning, I got two tickets. Driving with an expired license and failing to stop.
I immediately went to get my license renewed. Do you know that there are no scales at the DMV??? One must guess their weight when applying = > Then proceeded to go to pay my fines. Nope, criminals, like me, must appear before the judge. Never mind the crowded court system...the ole lady must go before the judge. The criminal with a 6 day expired license must be carefully and dutifully reprimanded.
BF seems delighted. He called me twice before court. Once to see if I was representing myself or if I had lawyer-ed up. The second time, reminding me to take at least a dime in cash, so I could make my one phone call. He also asked if I thought he should run by the bank for cash, so he could make bail if need be... Now here's a guy that has gotten two tickets in his life...and both of them for going tooo slow.
So off to court and here's what I learned:

There is no appropriate courtroom attire...anything goes.
Ringing cell phones really piss off the judge.
If your last name starts with a letter toward then end of the alphabet, you're gonna be there a long time.
Almost everyone (except me) was innocent.
There's a lot of people driving with no insurance and no drivers license.
You cannot judge people by their appearance in court.
Where does everyone get pot???
If you see anyone you know, nod only. (Guilt by association)
Do not leave your documentation and/or money at home??? they forgot???
You're really in trouble if the judge has "seen you in here many times".
Crying babies get you sent outside the courtroom and you end up going last.
No drinks or food...cept for all the authorities of the court.
You can tell an attorney when you see one.

The end result is that my expired drivers license ticket was dropped and $125 for the rolling stop. I guess that included court costs...and they do accept credit cards :)
Anyway, I think I learned my lessons and there were many. Most of all...this was really all my fault. Again...stay in the now...
ommmmm

Highlight the word "Sometimes"

While pondering "life" this morning, I thought of this quote...

"Never forget that everything Hitler did in Germany was legal." - Martin Luther King Jr.

My first thought was that this was simple. One's morals, ethics and values should rule. We should view laws/actions following our own code. Well that started me thinking of Pastor Phelps and his followers. (Westboro hate activists) My thoughts went from easy to...oooh my...how can we ever live in peace with so much intolerance, justified by laws, religion, politics, etc... ???
A difficult question indeed!!!

This quote, by the Buddha, helped my heavy heart...

"Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it." - Buddha

The part that most forget, when learning teachings, is the part about "conducive to the good and benefit of one and all".... Not just conducive to me, not just conducive to you, not just my friends, coworkers, relatives, race, sexual orientation...but all...

I'm a firm believer that "Silence is sometimes the best answer" - Dalai Lama
But "sometimes" should be highlighted. Silence is often taken as approval, or in agreement...

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that really matter."... another beautiful quote by Martin Luther King.
"Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend."
Thank you Dr. King