Been through the desert…

 

in search of water.  Okay not quite the song lyrics you were expecting, but it fits what Tracy and I were up to on Tuesday.

This piece of art is entitled “Water Source” and is located at Goodyear’s Dog Park.  The artist Marta Thoma was inspired by the nearby Gila River. The art piece is made of recycled materials and has solar-powered illumination.  We’ll need to stop by some time after dark to see how it looks then.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was, of course, also at the dog park.  But it’s more what I would expect to see.  :)

Guess who turned two???

 

Remember the little man who stole my heart the minute he was born?

His name is  Justin Donald.  If you missed some of our fun times together, you can check out one such story here.

 

He so totally owns me and will get whatever he ever wants from his Aunt Nancy.

 

How could you say “no” to this little guy?

 

 

 

 

So HAPPY SECOND BIRTHDAY, JUSTIN DONALD….little love of my life.

 

Lazy days…

 

                                              of summer…

 

I need to get out and take some new pictures, but the heat is keeping me inside.  This picture was taken in Strawberry at Annie’s cabin and it makes me smile.

I have a long weekend planned with Annie to head back up north in September. I can hardly wait. Hopefully, before then I’ll venture out and get some new pictures.

Thank you all for your kind words and support. They do mean a lot to me.

Trying to push back….

 

the hands of time.

 

Mom and I play games and do puzzles to help keep her mind sharp.  Some days we see progress and some days – not so much. I’m still making that transition from seeing her as astute and focused all the time to confused and foggy more often now.  It’s a hard transition to make.

Friends who have been down this path tell me that there will come a time when I will want to just nod my head and agree with whatever she says.  I’m not ready for that.  I want to try and keep her memory and dignity intact for as long as possible.  It somehow feels less than honorable to “humor” her. I know I’ll need to make a shift in my thinking, but I’m just not there yet. 

The worms crawl in….

the worms crawl out….

well you know the rest of it. 

I have passed this huge pile of these “worms” for months along an area of our freeway that is being widened.  From the very first, they reminded me of a pile of worms and yesterday I finally had an opportunity to stop and take a picture or two.
This is what they are used for….

Puzzling around….

 

In an effort to keep Mom awake and entertained, I’ve resorted to jigsaw puzzles.  Unfortunately, this one seems to be beyond her ability to see clearly enough and beyond my ability to just put away.  So, myself and my OCD will complete this one and then move on to one easier for Mom.

"There are no extra pieces in the universe. Everyone is here because he or she has a place to fill, and every piece must fit itself into the big jigsaw puzzle." - Deepak Chopra

Hope you all had a relaxing weekend spent with family and friends.

Paradise Lost????

 

No!  Paradise found.

 

This is where you will find Paradise….

 

This is what you will find in Paradise….

This is a Caramel Cream Coffee Smoothie.  As a testament of just how good it is,  anyone who knows me well knows I don’t like coffee.  Don’t drink it – never have.  But this I love! 

 

This is the new picture ID that comes up on my cell phone when Tracy calls me.  Guess who goes to Tropical Smoothie Cafe with me all the time? 

Do you have a favorite smoothie place?

He’s the Most Interesting Wine Sock Monkey in the world….

           When he cliff dives in Acapulco, the water comes to him.


                             He CAN see the forest for the trees.


                                 When he reads a book, the pages turn themselves.


                 For him, the Wandering Gnome quit wandering.


               He IS the most interesting Wine Sock Monkey in the world.

See what too much time on your hands can do to a person?  :)
Dedicated to Tracy and Lisa.

Addendum:  My 16 year old corrected me...it's Roaming Gnome not Wandering Gnome.  But as Tracy pointed out, I'm sure I did that to avoid copyright infringement. :)  

Sisterhood of the Traveling….

 

                                                   Bottle of Wine.

 

On a trip to World Market, Tracy and I did some wine shopping. Go figure!  This was back in late June and this bottle of wine (chilled) has traveled back and forth between our two houses on numerous occasions. For whatever reasons we never cracked it open.

 

But yesterday Tracy invited Lisa and I over for a girl’s afternoon of munchies and movies.  So guess what I took with me?

 

So we have now gone from the Sisterhood of the Traveling Bottle of Wine to the Sisterhood of the Traveling Wine Bottle….no more wine in it. :)  I think it was Lisa who got “creative” and decided Twizzlers made good straws from which to drink wine.  I didn’t try it….I had already moved on to the Watermelon Martinis.

Randy, where were you?  We had a Moose Drool waiting.  :) 

Disclaimer:  In case you’re worried, we do not have drinking problems. In the five hours we were there the only alcohol consumed was this sole bottle of wine…by three of us…and one Watermelon Martini each.  Okay one of us had two Martinis, but I’m not telling who.  :) 

Yard….art….?

 

This sits in a the yard of a house in my brother’s neighborhood.  It is quite an unusual piece of yard art.  

Weird sky at night…

 

As the sun was setting tonight, the light outside got really weird.  I had decided to not get up and try to get any pictures, when Tracy gave me a call.  She was just the encouragement I needed.

It wasn’t just the sky above me that had the unusual light quality, it was everywhere.  Walking around the backyard, everything had this weird glow to it.

It was really quite beautiful and I’m so glad that Tracy called and nudged me off the couch.

Weird sky at night, picture taker’s delight.  :)

Do you ever find yourself….

 

                          between a rock and a hard place?

 

Hope that doesn’t happen to you this weekend and that you have nothing but fun and smooth sailing.

Unfolding….

 

I’m sure life is unfolding just as it should, but right now things are extra busy crazy.  I’ve been neglectful of my blog, but not of my thoughts of all of you.