Messy Ways, Cleaned Up: a Progress Report

I don't know how many of you are following my MESSY WAYS, CLEANED UP project / progress ... but a week or so ago I posted a photo of this same corner of my DESK ... and wanted to post this "in process" photo -- it DOES show progress, for sure. To remind you: there was a stack of paperwork over a foot high - I am not kidding - in the last photo. And NO, it has not just been shifted to another area in the office ;-) - although it's always tempting to do that! No, it has been sorted, sifted, mostly shredded, and filed away -- and YES, there is still work to be done.

Because not only is THAT corner not to my liking yet -- but there's THIS corner to be handled, too:

SO ... the project continues.

Remember my new mantra: "Home as My Hobby".

Wish me well !!!

-- Davielle

APPLES & PEARS, oh my

We visited the Pine Hills area on Saturday, just outside of Julian, CA, to do some PEAR and APPLE picking ... WOWEE, was it a fun experience. Our heartfelt thanks to Ken and Julie, who own the property - who generously & graciously opened their
orchards and home to us -- as guests of my 'sister', Sherri. We began with our own picnic (from home) underneath a pear tree that's pushing -- can it be? -- 100 years old. Imagine that -- and producing like crazy, without irrigation. I love it!
After we ate and after we picked the pears, we had Ken and his friends help us PRESS FRESH JUICE -- from both apples and pears -- and we brought home a precious quart bottle of each. Delicious nectar!
We THEN took a little property tour with Sherri and her friend, Debbie, and ended up near the pond - with this cool FROG FOUNTAIN -- isn't he charming? And THEN, as if Ken and Julie hadn't already been kind enough -- we were invited into their home to have JULIAN APPLE PIE and we sat on a verandah overlooking the orchards -- in the shade -- just being soothed by the fresh mountain air and the cool shade. QUITE A LOVELY DAY, all in all.

NOW it's time -- for fresh pear & walnut cake -- apple & pear cobbler, maybe with a bit of wild blueberries in -- pears eaten out-of-hand -- Cara's asking for cobbler FIRST ;-) -- of course.

With fruity thanks -- to Sherri and to Ken and Julie ...

-- D., 9-11-08

Floyd's Big News - YAY !!!!

Latest Cycling News, September 10, 2008
Edited by Gregor Brown
Landis signing with current Health Net-Maxxis team for 2009
By Cyclingnews staff

USA's Floyd Landis, 32, will make his return to professional cycling after a two-year suspension with the team currently sponsored by Health Net-Maxxis, under a new title sponsor for 2009, sources confirmed with Cyclingnews. The team, run by Momentum Sports Group, has also re-signed many of its current riders, including two-time NRC champion Rory Sutherland, current USA cyclo-cross champion Tim Johnson and Karl Menzies.
"I cannot confirm or deny it," said Momentum's sponsorship director, Thierry Attias, regarding Landis' signing. However numerous other sources familiar with the team confirmed that the agreement is in place, with the new title sponsor's agreement forthcoming. Sources have said the new sponsor is from the health care industry. This aligns with current speculation that Smith & Nephew, makers of Landis' artificial hip and sponsor of his mountain bike endurance racing, is a possible title sponsor.
Landis did not return multiple requests for confirmation. Sutherland and Johnson did confirm they have signed contracts with Momentum. "I have re-signed a contract with Momentum for the next two years," Sutherland told Cyclingnews. "I have been guaranteed there is title sponsor money there. I don't know who the title sponsor is but it's not like it's a big myth, saying there is money when there isn't. I trust Thierry on that."
Landis is currently serving a two-year suspension for a positive test of exogenous testosterone from stage 17 of the 2006 Tour de France. Landis went on to win the overall, but was stripped of that title after his appeal of the US Anti-Doping Agency's suspension was denied by the American Arbitration Association. The ASO and UCI named runner-up Oscar Pereiro as the official 2006 Tour winner soon after.
Landis lost his final appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport CAS) in June, but the CAS did uphold that his suspension should run from when he officially stated his voluntary non-compete status – meaning that Landis will be free to race again as of January 30, 2009.
Rumours circulated early in 2008 that Rock Racing owner Michael Ball was interested in Landis, either as a racer or team director. Landis confirmed he was "advising" the younger riders and was seen with the team.

I just adore KELLY RAE ROBERTS ...

How could anyone NOT adore the work of this inspiring, lovely woman ... Kelly Rae Roberts?

Her artwork is splendid, and with the release of her first book, TAKING FLIGHT: Inspiration & Techniques to Give Your Creative Spirit Wings ... she has ROCKED the creative souls of the world. Really. Visit her blogspot for more on this amazing gal: www.kellyraeroberts.blogspot.com is where you can find her!

Let me know what you think after you've seen her work ... and remember to DO SOMETHING CREATIVE EVERY DAY.

Yours in trying to find the balance, the energy, and the precious time to just make some art --

-- Davielle

LOST ...

" Lost, yesterday, somewhere between sunrise and sunset, two golden hours, each set with sixty diamond minutes. No reward is offered, for they are gone forever. " -- Horace Mann

Anyone have days like that? Where you just wonder ... 'what did I do all day? where did the day go? did I accomplish ANYTHING at all today?'

I have them - frequently.

Was I -- checking e-mail too often? goofing off? napping (too long - God knows, there's nothing wrong with a good nap, so long as one isn't sleeping the hours away)? ignoring a messy desk? avoiding an unpleasant chore? pretending to be puttering, while really, I was just ... puttering with no purpose, and no results?

For me - it's all the above, except for the long naps. I don't get those. I rarely get a nap! But all the others -- guilty as outlined.

-- Davi

HAMMY - R.I.P.

Today was a sad day for our youngest "grand" - her hamster, HAMMY, died. We had a proper burial this afternoon, and Hammy now rests beneath an old ash tree, with blooming things all around her. R.I.P., precious little pet. -- D.

Prayer of St. Francis

"Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
Where there is sadness, joy.

O, Divine Master, grant that I may not
so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life."

-- Francis of Assisi