Music Monday - Annie's Song

I loved John Denver growing up and there are a handful of his songs that I never get tired of. Annie's Song always reminds me of my cousin Julie and her husband, Kelley. Their friends sang Annie's Song acapella at their wedding and it was beautiful.

It's simply a lovely song. And, John Denver is still one of my favorites artists.

Fifth Sunday

Never lose a chance of saying a kind word.

- William Makepeace Thackeray

Journal - Just Because You're Alone

I work at a very lovely office building in uptown Dallas. The front of our building has an ellipse with benches and a garden. This is a sketch I did at lunch time on March 18, 2009 using pencil and Letraset graphic pens.

It says: You don't have to feel lonely just because you're alone.

While I love to be with my friends, I cherish the time when I can be alone.

This weeks Yellow Envelope Project nominee won't be alone if you peek in at House of Shine and commit to sending them a quick note. 10 minutes and 44 cents- go ahead! You'll shine!

On the Fence - See the Beauty

For Jessie

Guitars - Pink Rose

12" x 12" acrylic

Flying Hearts - I Promise Never to Tattoo Your Name

12" x 12" acrylic

Photo: Tractor Wheel

Taken at my parents ranch
Fall of 2008

Music Monday - Maria

I love me some Willie and this songs always makes me feel good.

I'm still looking for the opportunity to tell someone to shut up and kiss me.

And, Luke Wilson is hot! Just sayin'.

Fourth Sunday

Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.

- Confucius

Journal - Cat Fish Poetry

That post title is complete nonsense.

Page 6 of my journal had a cat - a CAT- doodle on it. And an ugly cat at that. So I painted a fish over it.

Page 7 is some poetry. I didn't say good poetry but I didn't hate it so much that I felt the need to redact it from the page.

I long for the sun
to beat down on me
heating my body to a glistening
shimmer...tanning me....
I can gaze across the sand
and see the waves of heat
my thin body walking bare foot
my hair tangling in the wind
my ears tuned to the waves
and the birds... i long for
----------------
i love the
sound of
children
laughing,
their twisted
thoughts when they
take you so literally.
i love how they discover
and their little touches.
----------------
a first kiss
a first love
and falling in love
after the first
heart break
a first child.
---------------
a little girls eyes, her smile
that's what poetry is.
a little girls giggle, her wiggle
that's what poetry is.

Still with me all the way down here? Well, take a moment and click on over to House of Shine and commit to nominating someone for the Yellow Envelope Project. All you need to know is on today's post.

On the Fence - Abstract Horizontal

12 x 12 acrylic

Guitars - Caramel

6" x 9" acrylic/collage

This piece began in my Bob Burridge Workshop.

Flying Hearts - Our Love Has Wings

Photo: Windmill

Taken at my parents ranch in south Texas
Fall of 2008

Music Monday - Texas in My Rear View Mirror

I was born and raised in Texas. Texas equals home.

I'm not sure when I fell in love with this 1980 country song by Mac Davis but I do just love it. I love that it's a sing-along song. I love that it tells a story. I love that it mentions Buddy Holly. I love that it says "bury me in my jeans".

I couldn't find a link to a youtube video originally but Tim found this video of Trent Willmon singing it. It's a little bit slower than Mac's version and like the original better but I'll give Trent a break because he's so darn cute.



Here are the lyrics:

I was just fifteen and outta control
Lost to James Dean and rock and roll
I knew down deep in my country soul
That I had to get away
Hollywood was a lady in red
Who danced in my dreams
As I tossed in bed
I knew I'd wind up
In jail or dead
If I had to stay
I thought happiness
Was Lubbock, Texas
In my rear view mirror
My momma kept calling me home
But I just did not want to hear her
And the vision was getting clearer
In my dreams
So I laid out one night in June
Stoned on the glow of the Texas moon
Humming an old Buddy Holly tune
Called Peggy Sue
With my favorite jeans
And a cheap guitar
I ran off chasing a distant star
If Buddy Holly could make it that far
I figured I could too
And I thought happiness
Was Lubbock, Texas
In my rear view mirror
My momma kept calling me home
But I just did not want to hear her
And the vision was getting clearer
In my dreams
But the Hollywood moon didn't
Smile the same old smile
That I'd grown up with
The lady in red
Just wanted my last dime
And I cried myself to sleep at night
Too dumb to run, too scared to fight
And too proud to admit it at the time
So I got me some gigs on Saturday nights
Not much more than orchestrated fights
I'd come home drunk and I'd try to write
But the words came out wrong
Hell bent and bound for a wasted youth
Too much gin and not enough vermouth
And no one to teach me
How to seek the truth
Before I put it into song
I still thought happiness
Was Lubbock, Texas
In my rear view mirror
My momma kept calling me home
But I just could not, would not hear her
And the vision was getting clearer
In my dreams
Well, I thank God each and every day
For giving me the music and words to say
I'd-a never made it any other way
He was my only friend
Now I sleep a little better at night
When I look in the mirror
In the morning light
The man I see was both wrong and right
He's going home again
I guess happiness was Lubbock, Texas
In my rear view mirror
But now happiness is Lubbock, Texas
Growing nearer and dearer
And the vision is getting clearer
In my dreams
And I think I finally know
Just what it means
And when I die you can bury me
In Lubbock, Texas, in my jeans

Third Sunday

And in the end it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.

- Abraham Lincoln

Journal - Love is All You Need but Buckle Up!

Above is the full spread of pages 4 and 5.

How do you feel about love? Is it really all you need? Does love really make the world go round? Does love really conquer all? Do you still believe in love?


The writing on page 5 is from my actual 30 birthday- August 12, 1999. You can see I really wanted to cover some of the words up. In 1999, I was reflecting on my 30th birthday and a lot about my friendship with the Linney's. You can see the sections that I felt did not need to be remembered as they are covered up as much as possible.

And so, just like that, one day you're a kid spending time with your friends, then you're married, and the next you have two kids of your own and then you're divorced still trying decide what you're going to be when you grow up.

My life is possibly half over- give or take some years. Do I still believe in love? Yeah. I do. But I'm going to wear my seat belt just in case.

Don't forget! Today at House of Shine another nominee has been nominated for the Yellow Envelope Project. Go on over and see who it is. Then, commit to sending them a brief note of appreciation. 10 minutes and 44 cents- that's all it takes for you to SHINE!

On the Fence - Abstract Veritcal

12 x 12 acrylic

Guitars - Blue Heart

6" x 9" acrylic/collage

Look familiar? This piece started in the Bob Burridge Workshop.

Happy Birthday, Daddy! I love you.

Flying Hearts - To Receive

12" x 12" Acrylic

Poem of the Day: e e cummings

i thank You God for most this amazing
by e e cummings


i thank You God for most this amazing
day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes

(i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun's birthday; this is the birth
day of life and of love and wings: and of the gay
great happening illimitably earth)

how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any--lifted from the no
of all nothing--human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?

(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened)

Photo: Strawberries and Champagne

Nancy and I toasting to friendship. Or, something like that.
Photo taken on November 24, 2010.

Music Monday - Harvest Moon

I love music. It has a huge influence on my art. On some pieces you can you see lines of lyrics in my art. In others, I may converse with the lyrics.

Music Monday is for spot lighting the songs and artists that influence me. Or, it could just be a song I like.

This week's song is the song that I would add to Dock of the Bay if I could only have two songs to listen to for the rest of my life- Harvest Moon.

Harvest Moon was written and performed by Neil Young. It was released in 1972 on his Harvest album. I was 3.

When we were strangers, I watched you from afar. When we were lovers, I loved you with all my heart. Love those lines.



The Harvest Moon is the September Moon.
I wish it was September right now.
This song always makes me think of having a Harvest Party in someones barn. Does anyone have a barn where we can have a Harvest Party? Anyone?

Second Sunday

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.

-Henry David Thoreau

Journal - Covering Up the Past

These are the ugly pages 2 and 3 of my journal. Page 2 is just a random mess. I had doodled with the Letraset pens a nickname, Chica and a maze around that on page 3.

So- Chica was the nickname given to me by the ex-husband. My nieces and nephews call me Aunt Chica. Uh-

The End.

These pages don't shine but you can! It's easy. Just pop on over to House of Shine and see who was nominated for the Yellow Envelope Project. Then, commit to sending a note to the nominee. It only takes 10 minutes and 44 cents!

On the Fence - How Far is Heaven

anywhere with you

12 x 12 acrylic

There are many layers to this painting. And in person, I don't think you notice the under-layer that you can see in this photo.

Guitars - Gold Guitar

6" x 9" acrylic

This piece started in the my Bob Burridge Workshop. It began as strictly a black and white piece that was a study in composition.

Flying Hearts - Give it Away

12" x 12" acrylic

Photo: Champagne Stems

At Rockin' Rhonda's Thanksgiving Girl Gathering
Photo taken on November 24, 2010.

Music Monday - (Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay

I love music. It has a huge influence on my art. On some pieces you can you see lines of lyrics in my art. In others, I may converse with the lyrics.

Music Monday is for spot lighting the songs and artists that influence me. Or, it could just be a song I like.

If I only had one song to listen to for the rest of my life it would be (Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay. Written by Otis Redding and Steve Cropper, recorded by Otis Redding shortly before his death in 1967. Redding died in a plane crash at the age of 26 on December 10, 1967. A month later, The Dock of the Bay was released and shot to the top of the charts in 1968.

I wasn't even born yet. I do like to sit in the morning sun. I'd love to live on the dock of the bay someday. Here's the perfect day: Wake up. Put bathing suit on. Make coffe. Sit in morning sun. Drink coffee. Paint. Listen to Dock of the Bay.



If on any Music Monday, the links to the songs don't work just go over to YouTube and google the song title and artist.

First Sunday

do not fear

what you

do not know

Journal - I was 30 and Now I'm 40 - One

I purchased this journal for my 30th birthday present to myself. I believe in giving myself a birthday present every year. Sometimes more than one, depending on the cost. I was hesitant to draw in my new journal. I had used journals for writing not drawing or painting. I was in a phase of using Letraset graphic pens and while they soaked nicely into the page they didn't blend very well and they left lines I didn't want.


It such a beautiful journal. I just love it.

On August 10, 1999 I reflected on my past, present and my hopes for the future. And though I did doodle and write in the journal, it mostly sat empty for the next 10 years. Actually 11 but who's really counting.

Bob introduced the workshop to Derwent Inktense pencils. Pencils that you draw with and then take a brush and add water to them to push around more like paint. I purchased a set after the workshop to try out. I actually had another brand of these same type of pencils that were a gift from my mom. They sat unopened for a long time. So now I have two sets of watercolor pencils and summer was upon us.

This past summer I would wake up, throw my bathing suit on, make some coffee and set up my lawn chair by the pool with my journal and my watercolor pencils and I painted. I had found a new love. I could enjoy the day by the pool, listening to my iPod and paint.

So, here I was with these pages documenting my life. A life that had changed. The words, "Stupid girl" were said more than once while shaking my head and rolling my eyes. Why did I feel the need to document some of those feelings? They were my feelings so I guess they are valid but so much has changed. So, I started covering the words up with my watercolor pencils. Some pages are better than others as are the days of our lives (ha, ha - soap opera) but I have really enjoyed rediscovering this journal. It's like a brand new gift all over again.

Something else I'd like to highlight. I am a member of House of Shine. A blog that promotes positivity and SHINE. Every Saturday at House of Shine, we nominate someone new for the Yellow Envelope Project. Click on over to the site and commit to sending someone that SHINES a note of appreciation. You'll shine in the process.

It only takes ten minutes and .44 cents.