It is Wednesday and time for Jamie Ridler's Wishcasting Wednesday.  Today Jamie asked "What do you wish for your well being?"  On Sunday I participated in Jamie's Dreamboard Telecircle which was a wonderful experience.  I wanted to post my dreamboard, something I have not done before, and when I saw today's prompt it seemed like the perfect time.  My picture is not very clear but this month everything that spoke to me was full of energy, bright colors and smiles. The first word that caught my attention was abracadabra and the last word was magic.  So for my well being, I wish to add more magic to my life.  I want to smile more, laugh more and surround myself with bright colors and people with lots of energy. I want to open my arms wide like the girl on the slide and say to the world, with a huge smile on my face, "Bring it on. I am ready!!!"

It is Friday and time to reflect on what made me happy this week.  It's been a great week full of the usual ups and downs.  Chloe, our new puppy, is settling in and she is adding lots of laughs to our house.  She has also brought a new schedule for us to follow which can be difficult. It has been a very long time since I have had to get up at 3:00am to play.   So today my yoga class made me really, really happy.  We have a wonderful teacher who is so attuned to everyone's needs.  It is really hot in Georgia right now so she was really careful to do poses that not only gave us energy but we did them in the most cooling way possible.  Through yoga, I have met a wonderful group of friends and found a new way of life that is really inspiring and intriguing.  I have learned so much and I really hope to continue to grow in many many ways through my practice.  If it is not something you have tried, it is definitely worth exploring.  With the right teacher, it will change your life.  I know it has made a huge difference in mine.

PS:  As you probably know that is not my picture.  But who knows, maybe someday it could be me. 

It is Wishcasting Wednesday and today our good friend Jamie asked, "How do you wish to have fun?"  In Monday's post I explained a little about meeting a special lady who helped us decide it was time to get another dog.  Thus, Chloe entered our lives and with this tiny bundle of energy I think will come lots and lots of fun.
I also want to spend lots of time this summer in my car with the top down.  I love riding in a convertible and feeling the wind in my hair. It is something that has always made me feel lighthearted and free.
I want to spend time lots of time laughing.  I want to read things that are funny and see movies and shows that make me laugh.  I really do believe laughter is the best medicine. 
As I am creating my dreamboard (it always takes me several months to complete it) I have noticed the theme is fun.  The center picture shows a girl going down a slide with her arms open to the world.  I want to be open to new adventures, new people, and new ideas.  I want to laugh, and play, and find magic in everything I do.  I want to be me!!

This is a different subject but I just have to share something that I am very excited about.  Earlier this year I worked with Jamie and tomorrow she is featuring me on her blog.  Working with Jamie was an unbelievable experience and one that I hope I can do again soon. It was not only a very worthwhile experience but as you can imagine it was soooo much fun!!!

Yesterday we met our own Mary Poppins.  It was a beautiful Saturday morning and we decided to go to the local farmer's market.  When we got there it had already turned hot and the market was really crowded.  We did a little shopping and decided to go get a cup of coffee and just people watch.  The market is on the square of an old southern town.  The square is lined with shops and tall old oak trees.  In the middle of the small park is a beautiful white gazebo which is often used for weddings or at the very least wedding pictures. 
As we were sitting outside a small shop enjoying our coffee and talking about when we should get another dog, an older woman walked by with a small puppy in her arms. She said hello and we began to talk.  We have been trying to decide when to get another puppy and hers was one of the breeds we have been considering. She was a wealth of information about not only her dog but dogs in general. She let us hold her puppy but it was quickly obvious he was much happier in her arms. As she walked away, stopping to talk to everyone on the street, we talked about what a coincidence it was that she came by at the very moment we were trying to decide when to get another dog. We also watched her as she walked. She made everyone smile either as she walked by them or stopped to chat.  She was dressed very nicely although just a little eccentric.  She had on a long blue linen skirt, a crisp white linen jacket, and black patent leather ankle boots. Along with her purse and puppy she carried her umbrella.  My husband and I both agreed we had just met our own very kind and helpful, Mary Poppins.  It was a great way to start the weekend.

PS:  We brought Chloe, our new puppy, home today. 

It's Friday and time to reflect on my week and the things that make me happy for the Happy Book Mail Around Book Club.  This was one of those really nice weeks.  No great highs nor low lows. Just a week filled with lots of time with family and friends.  It was also a week where I really tried to take time each day to appreciate and be grateful for the people in my life and the opportunities I have to be happy.  As I reflect on the week, I find that the environment has a definite affect on my feelings.  I like to be in a fairly quiet place surrounded by nature.  Lots of high lights and noise is not my thing.  It is interesting to me to really take notice of things like this.  Not that I will avoid brightly lit noisy places all of the time but I think it is important to know ourselves so we can create (when possible) the environment that makes us happiest. 
Something that also makes me happy is that I am finally beginning to be comfortable adding pictures, badges, etc. to my blog.  I have mentioned wanting to be more comfortable with technology on Wishcasting Wednesday and on Happy Friday but it is finally happening.  The more I learn the more I want to learn!  This probably sounds so silly to someone who grew up using technology but for me it can be intimidating  and I am really excited that my confidence is growing in this area. 
So it has been a good week filled with time with family, lunches with friends, a little writing, a motorcycle ride, and lots of reading.  I couldn't ask for more.

It is Wednesday and that means Jamie of Jamie Ridler Studios has asked a thought provoking question once again.  This week I am pondering the question, "What do you wish to nourish?"  I wish to nourish the time I have each day.  I want to spend it in a meaningful way.  I want to give more time to my creative outlets and to flourish in those pursuits.  I want to continue to meet new people who inspire me with their creativity.  Each Tuesday I spend time with a woman who is writing a book  about the 1930s.  The people in the book are so real and the story is riveting.  It is so much fun to be able to work with her as the story unfolds.  I want to do more of this.  So what I most want to nourish is the life I have begun to create - a life that celebrates and enjoys the special moments that we all are presented with each day if we slow down enough to notice that they are there.

It's Monday and the beginning of a new week.  I have been doing a little painting, a little writing, and some art journaling.  I have also been reading about how to get people to visit your blog and keep returning.  They talk alot about finding your voice and being authentic so that people will know who you are.  They also say your blog should be consistent.  I think my blog is consistently inconsistent since my interests stay somewhat the same but I  change my focus.  I find that I love to write for awhile and then I put down the pen and begin to paint again and then I begin to work in my journal.  I usually finish what I am working on before I begin the next project but things are always changing as my interests change.  This may keep me from getting really good at one thing but it also keeps me learning.  What do you think?  Does your focus change?  When a blogger writes about different topics does it  keep you from returning to the blog or does it help you to know who the person really is and what they are interested in?  I'd love to know your opinion.

This was a week of great happiness and great sadness.  Our beloved puppy Tori (she was actually ten but always looked like a puppy) passed on.  Tori was an exceptional dog.  Everyone fell in love with her the moment they saw her and she quickly became part of their hearts.  She was the greatest friend and our family will miss her dearly.  We all feel very very lucky that Tori has been part of our lives and will always be with us in our hearts.
This week also brought two special days.  Last Friday was our 43rd wedding anniversary.  It seems unbelievable that we have been married this long.  I remember when I used to read the Sunday section of the paper that had wedding and anniversary announcements.  I loved to read about the people who had been married 30, 40, or 50 years.  They seemed so old and I wondered how they must feel. Well now I know.  They don't feel old (at least I don't).  But I do feel like I blinked and it is 43 years later.  Time goes so fast and it really is important to celebrate each and every minute.  For our anniversary we rented a boat and went out to lunch.  It was a relaxing, special day and we really enjoyed it.  We have always owned a boat until just two years ago.  Then we realized we weren't using the boat very much so decided to develop some new hobbies.  But it was fun cruising the lake again and checking out all of our special spots.
On Tuesday we celebrated our son's birthday with his family.  Nothing is more special to me than being with family.  My grandsons love parties and family gatherings and we are all making new memories each time we gather.  It was a wonderful day.
So I guess I will end this post as I started it.  This has been a week of great sadness and great happiness. But life can be like that and we just have to be as prepared as we can be to deal with it all. 

It is Wishcasting Wednesday and today Jamie asked,"What do you wish to leap over?"  I wish to leap over, with a great and powerful leap, anything that stands in my way of feeling free and happy.  I think visualizing this image everyday might make me use the power that I already have within me to live a life that is filled with smiles, and fun, and exciting moments that I will remember always. 

Wow, another week has gone by.  This was a quiet week but it was good.  I've started to use my watercolors again instead of just my watercolor pencils. I like the effect I am getting and I am going to continue trying different things.  I really enjoy working in my journal.  It is not only relaxing but very interesting as I go back over the month looking for patterns in the work I create or the feelings I express.  I definitely see patterns emerge and then change.  These are things I would never notice without my journals.  This is something new that I have been doing but something that I think can make a difference not only in my art but in my life.  I would love to know what you include in your art journals.