Morning Glory Studio

simply a moment | january 2015...

  

1:15 pm est            2015 intentions

"My plan is to enjoy S*A*M with a cuppa tea and do something relaxing…instead, I'm sitting at the computer, surrounded by papers, notes, etc, cause I can't find a password…best laid plans…!!! So, I'm going to take: a deep breath, photos of what's on the desk, and… and... and resume looking for the password/s; sort papers to file, act on : do, toss, shred, etc; maybe use this as the seeds for blog posts - I'm woefully off schedule … and plan to take a walk. It's sunnier and warmer today! And I've not been out for a while. Slow down and it will all come together…deep breath! Relax. One thing at a time…"

 

7:26 pm                Daily Rock

Later that day I wrote:

"Well, I've spent all afternoon looking for the errant password- to no avail! I can see it sitting on the desk just as plainly but its not there now and I've searched through lots of bits of pieces of paper. It is somewhere…but where?
I'm hungry and it 's late and time for me to give it up…clean up my space and go downstairs. Maybe it'll come to me…and maybe not!

And, how do I feel about not taking a nap: that's OK with me. I am yawning now and perhaps had I taken a nap, I'd be wide awake. But on the other hand, I've accomplished a lot of sorting through stuff and I wouldn't have done that had I napped. And most importantly, I'm following up with the PM journaling for the Daily Rock! Way to go!"

 

29 jan 2015  4 pm         Post Script

Ever have one of these days? I realized I hadn't shared this month's Simply A Moment - or S*A*M, as I abbreviate it, so, here it is: better late than never. The neatest thing is I'd documented  this day in DayONE so all I needed to do was copy +paste. Too cool! Simple! Ah, life should be so simple everyday! And I guess it can be…it's an attitude thing!

 

Cheers~

wordless wednesday | 23...

Wordless? Well, almost. I couldn't resist taking this 'Selfie' of me on my walk this Sunday past. One never knows what one will find…

Have you found any unexpected treasures while out on a recent walk?

Cheers~

if the shoe fits...

 

 

I have narrow feet. I remember that as a child, it was difficult to buy me shoes. Often, we had to go to Chicago for my twice-yearly new shoes: at the beginning of the school year (always after Labor Day!) and generally around Easter. And, back in those days ( do I sound old?) -  the 40s & 50s - we didn't have the luxury of a DSW or Payless or even  a shoe rack at the local drugstore. I don't recall owning "tennis shoes," but I guess I may've...or did we just wear our 'last year's' school shoes to play in? I don't remember. However, I do remember the popular shoe when I entered junior high school: rock-n-roll shoes and they were black/white, like saddle oxfords but the soles were thinner. Oh how I lusted for a pair - and was overjoyed to get my very own for my 12th birthday! Oh happy day!

All of this is a preamble to today's Ten onTuesday prompt: 10 types of footwear I own:

1. my house slippers, accompanied by a pair of very soft and warm booties;
2. my Keen sandals: these are my outdoor shoe of choice but only when it's not snowing or very rainy. I have two pair: grey and turquoise and a sand and pink.
3. my walking shoes: I don't much like them but they serve the purpose ~perhaps I'll get a new pair this spring (again my narrow foot makes buying this type of shoe a challenge);
4. speaking of snow, I am still donning the boots I've had for years! Nothing stylish about them but they suffice when needed;*
5. in the hall closet is an old pair of crocks that I often wear for outside yard work; several years ago, I wore Crocks a lot;
6. When I was younger...and professional...I wore sandal style heels - not too high, mostly year round. I no longer wear panty hose and when I have to don a pair of heels, the one remaining pair I have are sandals. I wouldn't begin to purchase heels these days: they are for one, too high; two, too expensive and three: definitely not my taste;
7. taking inventory, I noted I have five.5. pairs of Tom's. I'm not especially enamored with them but they're easy to slip on and slip in a bag if I need to "dress up a bit" and they are inexpensive plus I like the company's ethos...

And I think that rounds up my shoe saga. What's on your feet?

Cheers~

*Last week, a friend and I were talking "boots;" we both have pretty much decided we're going to treat ourselves to a pair of Uggs and since I have to take Kayla to buy her pair ( Christmas and (14th)  birthday presents combined) this weekend, I may just buy a pair for me, too! 

 

currently | mon january 26 2015...

 11:15 am: We're having a 'snow day' : wet flakes here-n -here. The forecasted blizzard hasn't appeared but the threat of snow later this afternoon, especially in the north & western counties, caused my quilt association meeting to be cancelled 'cause the school system closed - that's our inclement weather policy: schools close -  our meeting is a no go. I was practically out the door (when I checked earlier about 7 am; schools were on a 2-hour delay); fortunately, a member emailed me - it showed up on my iPhone ~nice feature - that schools were closed or else I'd have been on my way, 25+ miles heading north west...so, I'm at the computer:

catching up on emails;

updating my planner/agenda;

contemplating - still - my goals/intentions for the next 90 days;

staring out the window, periodically - noting that the flakes are finer and the sky is greyer;  

creating this draft;

thinking I'll finish moving stuff out of this room;

wondering if our new rug will be delivered - guessing I'll check the status and entertaining a thousand other thoughts;

deciding that I'll save this draft and check back in about 3 PM...for who knows what other surprises this day will bring?  

4:30 pm: Shortly after I wrote the above entry, the doorbell rang: the new rug was delivered (and left outside the front door... as the driver scurried back to his van! I was a little miffed, to say the least. It's not that we were sitting at the door, waiting for a doorbell to ring!)

Be that as it may, we  struggled to get it in the house and spent the rest of the afternoon movin' furniture (again) to get the rug situated. It's a good thing I was home 'cause otherwise, were it not for the snow, I would not've been.

Everything's in order and so we sat down to relax, eat popcorn and be really thankful that we don't live in NJ, NYC or Boston, etc. The entire NE corridor is steeling for a blizzard. We may get snow overnight but the forecasters are predicitng the kiddles will have school tomorrow...and maybe life will return to some semblance of normalcy for most of us.

And that's the way it was/is on a snowy, somewhat wintry day in January. Hope you've had a great day. 

Cheers~

 

 

 

to linger...

 

 

If the truth be told, I've not  been taking my daily mileaday+ walk at all! This month I 've always managed some reason or excuse - mostly it's just been too cold. Today that changed, for a variety of reasons: impending snowstorm tonight/tomorrow; lovely, quiet Sunday morning; breakfast eaten earlier; a little self finger-shaking and encouragement from this book: Your Daily Rock - A Daybook of Touchstones for Busy Lives by Patti Digh.

Everyday this month, during MSQT,  after I take my first sip of tea,  I read the daily rock and then I write. Today's rock (word):  linger. As I wrote about lingering this morning , I decided to walk to my favorite oasis: The Franciscan Monastery, about 1.2 mile, one way, from my house. 

Along the way, I saw a woman putting a Christmas tree out to the curb for the city to pickup. I said to her: "It hardly seems possible that Christmas was a month ago." She responded: "Yes, I guess I just didn't want it to end." And we laughed...and I thought and said: "No, it really doesn't have to; the trappings maybe but not the spirit. " She nodded her head in agreement...and I walked on.

I enjoyed my mileaday+ (actually 2.83 mile) walk. The morning was lovely; the walk envigorating; the exercise rejuvenating; the sights seen and thoughts and memories  created  to and fro', inspiring.

It was good to just linger. 

movin' house...

 

Earlier this week, I mentioned that we bought new furniture as Christmas gifts from me to you to me...well, we like the furniture a lot but as we'd originally envisioned - and placed - the furniture, it wasn't quite working in the designated space - the Great Room (GR) .

When I came home from my quilting association meeting last week, Norman informed me that he'd been thinking and had come up with a new plan - one that necessitated switching the TV from the GR to what was then, the dining room (DR). "Fine," I responded because I'd had that thought too...

Making the switch required that we have the dining room wired for the cable...so we did. The DR is now the TV room and the GR now houses the DR table (seating for 8). We are really, really liking the table in  its new place. When we built the addition ten years ago, we just didn't think through how we were going to use the new space, other than to add a new kitchen and bring the washer/dryer upstairs from the basement. We wanted to have all necessities on one floor: kitchen, laundry, a bathroom, and family & friends space...plus, we opened up this then 65-year old house.

On Sunday past, we switched the DR and GR - needed Norman's son's help.

Didn't work!

The new furniture just didn't fit that space, either. Norman said he was fine with it...so I shrugged my shoulders and thought to myself: we'll see how long that lasts. 

Didn't take long!

When I came downstairs this morning, guess what? Last night Norman had moved the new furniture again: the couch was now in the LR -along with two love-seats that have occupied the space for 10 years and Norman was all game to talk about the new floor plan...basically he wasn't totally sold on it. Fortunately, the furniture is on gliders and after movin' it here-n-there between the former LR and the now-TV-but-once-was-the-Dining Room, we hit on an arrangement we like...we're both thinking that new arrangement is going to work out just fine!

A little tweak here, there: exchange the coffee tables; new area rug  (to be delivered Monday) and we'll probably buy a rug for the dining room; relocate the chandelier; and switch out a few odds-n-ends... Best of all: I now have a wall in the GR to hang my Flower Garden quilt, which when finished, measures 81"x 95."

But since I don't anticipate it'll be done for at least a year, who knows? Anything could happen. I might be in a whole different house. Yeah! Like I've been here 29 years, already! Time will tell!

 

Cheers~ 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

watercolor wednesday | zen...

Last Wednesday I had a dental appointment  Actually, a visit to my dentist's office is more of a zen experience: very modern furniture in the waiting room and the individual rooms with all the equipment and dental paraphanalia; lovely zen-like calming and soothing music. 

The image above was on the monitor in the exam room where I was and as I laid in the chair as those elephants roamed - I liken dental visits to elephants traipsing around my mouth...I'm sure you understand exactly what I mean - I kept thinking : this is perfect for a quilt...and a Waterlogue painting. So, the first chance I got, I whipped out my iPhone and took that photo. And this is what it looks like, Painted in Waterlogue:

Pretty neat; agreed? I think I'll print out these photos and see what fabrics in my stash might work. To be continued...

What do you think: Sunrise or Sunset?

Cheers~

PS. This is my 575th post!

…happy dancing, etc...

   

Thanks to Carol for moving me from being totally incommunicado these past 15 days...today's Ten on Tuesday prompt is 10 things I'm happy about, right now! So, here goes!

1. 20 days into the year and I'm on track with my chronicling; Yay Me! (Though I'm the first to admit you'd have a hard time finding any evidence, here!)

2. My plan to CHRONICLE  my story is begining to take shape, as in: I have a plan - not airtight - but it's actionable. 

3. Three months til I go back Sisters, OR for my annual week-long quilting workshop and reunion with friends; excitement is starting to build...

4. I found my  FitBit zip - my original stopped working, even with a new battery, so the retailer replaced it, no questions; this was in October and I'd very carefully hidden it from myself...I seem to have a penchant for doing that; hmmm...

5. My friend Margaret (knee surgery) continues to make progress. Every day is a little better. We celebrated her 75 th birthday on New Year's Day with brunch here. For her 5oth, I had a dinner party for her. I still have the apron I wore then so I wore it again. T'was fun and we enjoyed reminiscing...and talking to our longtime friend, Adele (Ohio) who wasn't able to join us. It's a blessing to have such long-standing friends.

6. New furniture: For Christmas, rather than exchanging gifts with each other, Norman and I chose to buy new seating...it's nice and we're making some routine/habit adjustments; change is good!

 

7. The bébé  is now 7 months' and changing everyday. Love this photo of him - those eyes! - taken last Friday (he went to doctor for a booster shot).

8. My niece Christian is doing an internship on Capitol HIll - her last three credits  before graduation from Rutgers in May; she's learning a whole lot!

9. I bought a keyboard/cover for my iPad mini and it looks like I can NOW post to Typepad using the mini. I can also draft posts during MSQT. I'm going to give it a try...at least prepare drafts... My intention is to resume posting on a regular basis, today,  tomorrow and Thursday and Friday and, and... No excuses, Honoré!

10. On December 12, 2014, I completed the 24th Flower Garden block! They are now all done! As you can see, I did a happy dance! I still have the borders to do; I figure that's going to take another two years, give or take a day...but that's quite alright! 

What's making you happy these days!

 

Cheers~

one day at a time...

 

Elise Blaha Cripe has for the past year been making/selling crafts and other things in honor of her twenty-ninth year - her #make29project. The December product was a chart to help one track progress on one chosen thing.

Since December 22, I've been mulling over in my mind what one thing I can/will do everyday (hopefully) in this year, 2015. My list of choices includes several options - as always - ranging from clocking a mileaday+ and/or 10,000 steps to practicing  embroidery stitches to creating a new evening routine. All are worthy intentions and I am in the process of impementing them...slowly. However, none of them quite grabbed me. 

Sunday, on my walk  (yep I got in my mileaday+!) I had an idea that maybe I'd come up with a list of  my choices  -  thinking I'd track whatever I managed to do on that day...so, in essence, I could/would do something and I'd also be keeping several charts. And of course, that is an option...

But,  then it occured to me that the one thing I can do is to do one thing everyday that contributes to my intention to CHRONICLE my story:

• write in my journal ;
• take/find or process a photo;
• draft a blog post;
• make an entry in my DayONE digital journal

DayONE will probably become my main collection bucket since it's available on the iMac, iPad and iPhone. The nifty thing about DayONE is I am already using it, tho' not as consistently as I intend and it makes it easy to add tags, photos, multiple entries, export as PDF, etc. And I can make entries via voice using the iPhone and iPad. And I've already committed to working on my CHRONICLE in 2015!

I'm feeling quite pleased with this aha! What ahas has the new year brought you?

Cheers~

chronicle...

Kinetic Sculptural Calendar by Ted Naos*

Over the past  5-6 years, if not longer, I and many others world wide, have selected  a word that serves as a guidepost/touchstone/ mantra for the year. This year, I am continuing my 2014 word story with a slightly different angle and definition. My 2015 word chronicle is, I hope, more proactive. My goal is  to create, develop and use a process that results in chronicling the stories of my 72 years. When 2015 comes to a close, I want to have a chronicle  that is 90% complete with the stories I have recalled, written down and illustrated...and illustrations can take many different formats.  I expect this chronicle will be manifested in many formats. For sure, this blog will be one...as was its original intent. 

Along the way, I am sure I will learn new skills and techniques; however, that is not my intention. Rather, my intentions are to be: 

•  mindful and committed to creating
• focused , on track and yet, playful
•  realistic with my expectations
• open to experimentation
• relaxed and kind to myself

I am still in the developmental stages of creating a process and building new habits and routines that support that process; in the meantime, my primary goal is to chronicle a story a day! Breathe deeply!

Have you chosen a word for 2015? What is it?

Cheers~

 

 

*I bought this calendar at the National Gallery of Art back in November and just happened to remember (see) I had it yesterday, 31 December 2014! You can learn more about the calendar and other similar items here and the designer,  here.