Is bigger always better?

Tumbleweed Tiny Houses

http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/

I came across these little home creations not quite a year ago. I have been enamoured by the compact domiciles ever since. There is maybe something freeing about the idea of them. A statement against the all too common overly complicated, bigger is better way of life. Most would consider living in such a tiny space an extreme lifestyle. I find it fascinating and intriguing. I can't say as a mom that I would be willing to forgo everything and move my family into one of these tiny houses right now. I would love of course to have one in my backyard as a guest cottage and personal retreat. Possibly one day when Evan has his own space in the world established, I could indulge in my tiny house lifestyle.

Friday Night Fun

adult night out tonight!

good music & good eats

Markas & I are going to a bluegrass/celtic music band's CD release party and then dinner. Both in nearby Johnstown, PA. We are going with two other couples.

random musings

The object is not to make art, it is to be in that wonderful state which makes art inevitable.

I arted yesterday for the first time in I'm afraid to count back how long. It felt cleansing. It is always difficult to get started, but once I do I don't want to stop. I am waiting awhile to share my creation. It is part of an ATC swap I am doing with my California Linda.

***

What a meany you've been, Winter. Bad winter! Your time on the calendar is over. No more snow and ice. It is Spring's turn. And now that I think about it, you encroached on Fall too... making your entrance a month early. The are three other seasons beside you. Fair is fair, Winter. Mother Nature needs to put you in time-out!

***

This momma is going to be Tae-ing, Kwon-ing, and Do-ing starting next week. I have a couple weeks to try it out before committing. I'm not sure if I am physically up to the challenge yet, but there is only one way to find out. And it is comforting to know that one of my cardiologists participates in the adult class that I will be in. At least one of my medical specialities will be covered ; )

Evan officially became a student of Tae Kwon Do tonight. He got his uniform (sorry, I can't remember what the proper name is) and his beginner patches. The focus, discipline and structure involved in learning TKD should be good for him. He is excited to earn his camouflage belt (who knew there was actually a camo belt to earn? The order is white, orange, yellow then camo... I think.) Earning a camo belt includes sparring with protective padding on. Evan thinks that is the bomb diggity ; ) Watch out, World!

the bane of my existence

I love my dogs. I like my house. I despise my carpet...

(and the black dirt in my yard that always seems to be wet)

Despite all the tricks I use to try to keep my off-white carpet... well off-white, it has occurred to me that this is a futile attempt. Trust me there are days that I fight a strong urge to rip up the carpet. The original wood floor is under that carpet. It might be a little too optimistic to think that it is in pristine condition after 90 years : )

one of the paw print culprits : )

Welcome Spring! It is nice to see you again. (you have no idea how nice)

I know that just because the Spring season has arrived doesn't ensure spring-like weather. We are already forcasted to receive more snow this week : / But the arrival of Spring on the calendar gives me hope and assurance that the long, dark winter stretch of weather is nearing its end.

Here is an interesting article about celebrating the Vernal Equinox. I find the traditions and history of solstices and equinoxes neat. (I didn't realize why eggs were so important.) It makes me want to wear a crown of flowers in my hair and a flowing pastel dress and frolic barefoot through a meadow ; )

***

Balancing of Planet Earth:
Vernal Equinox: March 20, 2011

By Kate Braun / The Rag Blog / March 14, 2011

Jewel of warmth, Jewel of the Sun/
And the blossoming of Spring has begun.

Sunday, March 20, 2011 is the Vernal (or Spring) Equinox, also named Ostara and Lady Day. The full moon of 3/19/11 will still be exerting her influence but Sunday is the Sun’s day and his growing strength is likely to overpower Lady Moon’s lingering energies.

Use any pastel shades of color in your decorations, but emphasize pink, yellow, and green hues. Also use eggs, crosses with equal arms (solar and Celtic designs), wildflowers, living plants, and rabbit-images. Rabbits were sacred to Diana, one of the goddesses honored on this day; eggs have an association with Eoster, a goddess of Springtime, whose name comes from the same Indo-European root (“Au) as Eos and Aurora (the Greek and Roman dawn goddesses).

Eoster, like Diana, is a maiden aspect of goddessness, signifying youth, new growth, beginnings, and spring. Eoster was fond of sweet things, so incorporating honey and chocolate into your menu will please her as well as your guests.

Eggs are the most important part of this celebration and should be used in the foods eaten, the activities pursued, the decorations for the celebration. One activity that encompasses all these areas is he use of hard-boiled and decorated eggs as place cards/party favors for your guests.

When all are seated, all should crack their eggs (symbolizing the cracking of winter’s ice), peel away the white (symbolizing the melting of winter’s snow), and expose the hard-cooked yolk (symbolizing Lord Sun in all his golden glory). Then all guests should share pieces of their egg with all other guests (symbolizing a sharing of Lord Sun’s glory).

While this is being done, it would be good for you as leader to remind your guests that the eggshell represents Earth, the egg’s membrane represents Air, its yolk represents Fire, its white represents Water; Earth, Air, Fire, and Water are the four elements that are required to create all things so an egg may be considered the symbol of all and everything.

Solstices and Equinoxes are times when we become more aware of the continual balancing and rebalancing of Planet Earth and of ourselves and our souls. Let the concept of balance in all things form the center of your plans, activities, and celebrations.

[Kate Braun's website is www.tarotbykatebraun.com. She can be reached at kate_braun2000@yahoo.com.]

color me happy... with black?

* The great debate*

It's a black & white issue.

Our front doors are currently white. I would like to remedy that situation.

I photo shopped a photo and made the doors black. (Ignore the white shutter I drew in please. I know I must pick my battles one @ a time. Door first. Possibly shutters later.) I am in favor of black for the doors. I think it stands out in all the right ways and gives a homey pop to the house. Black is classic and technically a neutral color so in theory it would go with everything.


Markas votes to keep the doors as is (as in plain white). However he mentioned a dark red door instead of black. I gave that a try as well. He says he can't 'see' the black. My husband is no dummy. He knows once I have a 'vision' about such matters it's more than likely going to happen eventually. So really at this point he is just stalling ; ) In fairness to other colors, I did also try blue, green and yellow. My vision still remains black.

any thoughts?

Irish Blessings

Happy St. Patrick's Day

May your troubles be less,

and your blessings be more,

and nothing but happiness

come through your door.

***

May you always find blue skies above your head,

shamrocks beneath your feet,

laughter and joy aplenty,

kindness from all you meet,

good friends and kin to miss you if you ever choose to roam,

and a path that's been cleared by angels themselves

to carry you safely home.

***

art print from weblo.com

sad little peep

I am so over the snow and ice thing! We got another round of it yesterday. When will it end? Locals insist that it often snows even in April. Not what I want to hear, people.

Easter merchandise is out in full force now. I came across this 'crying' chick and couldn't resist the opportunities it provided ; ) Doesn't everyone photograph peeps in the snow? It is a great form of expression ; )

Village of Heilwood, PA

Going through winter in PA has literally been a study in color deprivation. I would bet that part of the brain that responds to color goes on hiatus during the dark months. Only white, gray & brown. If scans were done on the brains of Western PAers, I would be willing to bet money that their color section is switched off. No need for it so might as well conserve brain energy, right?

Despite this I am trying to get my photo mojo going again, I jumped in the car yesterday and ventured to the nearby village of Heilwood. (I love that it is called a village)

old elementary school - center of village

(Now the village kids go to a nearby consolidated school.)

old secondary school - located next to elementary

the vines on the side of the building caught my eye - I wonder how it will look when the ivy returns this Spring

church on the hill - I didn't get the best pics so I played around with photo filters

above - box camera filter

below - negative color filter

barn windows
snapped this shot as I was driving by

cut trees near the village

I'm still not feeling the mojo. Hopefully soon I will. Come on Spring!

look what my mom made me

I asked my sweet and talented mom to make me an apron with fun fabric I found and these bucket bags with bright Springy colors. Thanks, Mom. I love them!

Shirley MacLaine Got Me Paroled

I have a theory. Not a new theory, but rather one that I have continued (unfortunately) to 'test' over the years.

My theory is different personalities receive different medical care. Let that marinate for a minute. Soak in nice and good. Maybe think back to your own medical experiences or those of loved ones.

If I had to describe myself when it comes to medical interventions, I would say that I come across as knowledgeable, articulate, calm, put-together, amusing, conscientious, polite. And my general consensus is these traits combined with my relatively young age leads to me getting too easily dismissed, overlooked, disregarded and too often misdiagnosed.

I am not one to yell, cuss, cry, demand bacon for breakfast, refuse to stay in bed despite being hooked up to a bed alarm, work myself up into a lather at the smallest instance of stress, or lay on the call nurse button like it dispensed hundred dollar bills. I don't have my doctors on speed dial.

But what kind of patient do you think gets the most medical attention?

So you ask 'where does Shirley MacLaine fit in to this'? Remember in the movie Terms of Endearment when the mom (Shirley) goes to the nurses station and demands her dying daughter's past due pain medication? She has to scream. I mean freak the heck out! That is what I refer to as a Shirley MacLaine/Terms of Endearment Moment.

I had to channel an albeit milder version of Shirley to finally get paroled... I mean discharged from the hospital. It involved among other things pulling every single one of my heart monitor leads off my body with one giant tug. Then tossing it on the nearest counter and announcing in no uncertain terms that I was done. Finished. Finito. Things started 'magically' happening on that my 6th and final day of incarceration. I got my first whiff of a neurologist in 4 days. I had a hospital manager hanging out in my room. Test results were read. So the moral to this story is that when the first 5 days of being the calm and reasonable patient gets you pretty much no where... channel your inner Shirley MacLaine.