The Blessings Jar

I have a blessings jar by me. Every few days I scribble down some of my blessings, so that even in dark times I can keep my mind focused on good things. Then on New Year's Day I will sit down and read them all. It is not my usual state of mind to be positive so this takes work. Whatever you focus on grows stronger, so I'd rather focus on my blessings. It's a choice. And I have to keep making it. Otherwise the negative is overwhelming.

Signs of Spring

Signs of spring: Buds leafing out on trees and bushes. One crocus pushing little leaf tips through the soil. Two doves nesting. Nicer weather. Ants coming out of their ant hills. Holes revealed where gophers and chipmunks and snakes live. Grass showing up in the sandy yard. It’s our first spring here and I’m keeping notes.

Crushed Velvet Ghawazee Coat

I want this so bad I can taste it. It's custom made. I love the coat, but I'd also want the blouse and the skirt. And I'd be hard-pressed to decide if I wanted it in red or purple crushed velvet.The blouse is called a 'vampire blouse' but I don't see it listed in the store anymore. Of course it wouldn't look the same on me because I'm shaped like a potato. I tried to make one once, and the buttons strained from neck to hips. I think I wore it once, and threw it in a box.

Source: goodsie.com via Theodora on Pinterest

Beauty and Confidence

My healing affirmation for today is 'I am beautiful and confident.' I think I need to say it about a million times.

Right now though my black shirt looks like it's sprouting wings because I'm covered in little white feathers from my down comforter. I feel more like big bird than Mila Kunis. She was so hot in the Black Swan. I miss ballet class. Such an amazing work-out. I always felt like I accomplished something amazing when I left the studio after class.

Source: at-le-petit-cafe.tumblr.com via Cinnamon on Pinterest

Source: google.com via Rachel on Pinterest

I Feel Like a Kite

The wind came about 12 hours earlier than predicted. I heard it outside my bedroom about 3 AM. And it's been blowing ever since. So much for working outside today. The temperature is perfect. I tried to read out there and my hat kept blowing off. So I spent the day indoors sorting through boxes, posting things to my Etsy shop, reading and cooking.

Little Green Buds

Daylight Savings Time is about a week away. Can spring be far behind? I'm so ready for spring. I'd love to do some spring sewing. Not to mention spring planting. We moved here in the autumn, so I've never even seen what this yard looks like in the other seasons. A tree I thought was dead is now covered with little buds. The buds were black before but now if you look carefully you can see some green in there. I saw a woodpecker today. I saw two rabbits making out. I saw a pair of doves nesting. Spring fever can't be far away. I can't wait to see baby quail. Also, one of my bulbs has sprouted little green leaf tips. I hope it's the first of many and not the only one that grew out of the 50 or so that I planted.  Too soon to give up yet.  The butterfly bush, still in it's nursery pot, seems healthy.  The gardenia lost half her leaves to frost. I hope she pulls through. The Marguerite daisy up and died on me. The peacock lily had have it's leaves turn brown, but I'm hoping it will recover when it stops freezing overnight.

I was on the Burpee website. If you type in your zip code, and then click on a seed you'd like to try, the site tells you when to plant it in your area. Since I've never lived in the Mojave desert before, that site is going to be a huge help to me as I figure out what to grow and when to plant it for best results. Does anyone have a butterfly bush that is mostly dead? The one that was here when we moved in only has one branch that is growing. Is it okay to trim off the obviously dead branches? Will it help new branches to grow if I prune it way back?

 

 

Can you see the green in the buds?

I have no idea what kind of tree this is. 

The Daily Grind and Making a Living Freelance Style

I'm greatly relieved that a new month is here and we somehow managed to pay our rent on time. Now I just have to save another $140 to pay for our 'garage' which consists of two containers like you pull on the back of a shipping truck. If you don't pay on time, they just come get it, with all your stuff inside. And we don't want that, now do we. That bill is not due until the 10th, so I'm crossing my finger that money finds its way to me.

I'm trying to get some classes going again now that the dust has settled on our new home and I can get back to the business of being in business. I remember my high school art teachers telling me that being a freelance artist wasn't a good career choice. Obviously it wasn't for them, because they got jobs as teachers. But I'm stubborn and refuse to give up. Sometimes freelance artists do make it, and I hope to be one of them.