the TRANSFORMATION of a SPACE, continues

With a window like this, who wouldn't want to work in this spot?

Okay, so if you've been following my blog for awhile now, you know that late last year, I got my heart set on a spot here at home to do MESSY ART STUFF. Things with paint and glue and such. After much deliberation, I settled on a nice corner of our garage, and although it's adjacent to our water heater {and thus causing me that niggling voice that says 'what if the water heater blows, or something?!'}, it's going to be just fine.

but it had to get from THIS, to something I could move into and work from ... I mean, seriously. is that the most UNDER-UTILIZED spot imaginable?!

So that was a photo taken months ago, of what the corner looked like for the last 5 years, ever since we finished the house and moved back to the property.

And then, I found an image in a magazine that inspired me -- it inspired me to really PUSH FORWARD and achieve this goal. It's just a simple shot, a vignette, really, of a tiny spot in someone's studio. But it made me smile and it hangs here next to my computer corner in the library {which doubles as my home office}.

this is that photo ...

Now for the piece de resistance ... a vintage pine armoire that I found last Friday at "etceteras" in La Jolla, that Mark saw on Sunday, and made an offer for just yesterday. And here it is, one day later, just waiting for me to get in there tomorrow and get my MAS {that's Messy Art Supplies} all organized and situated in their new cupboard.

fast forward to this afternoon, and the man who made this all happen for me ... my Marky Mark.

and this is a very happy me, with my new cupboard

just look at all that space -- drawers and shelves and hooks, all within a nice roomy 60" wide armoire.

And within the last month, Mark and I have been clearing that corner diligently, purging and tossing and re-assigning things to a more appropriate location. I've been hunting & gathering, nesting, basically; pulling together the little things that will make my Messy Art Space a real 'home' for my creative moments. Like a radio/CD player, and a braided rug, and a colorful seat cushion from Pier 1 Imports to tie onto the vintage painted stool that we've had since we lived in Leucadia.

All of us, especially our kids, have perched on that stool to have telephone conversations thru the years, and it's got sentimental value for me. I'd like to paint it, but I don't know yet if that will take away some of the 'heart' of the piece. We'll see.

that's the back of the painted stool - do you think I should paint it in more of "my" colors?

With another blissful sigh, I sign off for now .. we're headed up to San Clemente Art Supply for a quick walk-through, so I can show Mark where I've been taking HAPPY PLACE art classes. And then we're heading to Iva Lee's for dinner with our friends, Doug and Marian.

Another beautiful day in So Cal.

-- Davielle

P.S. So ... CAN a water heater blow up?! I'm just asking.

our OWLETS have fledged !!!

If you don't follow my other blog, http://iamprincessmagpie.blogspot.com ... then you haven't yet heard of or seen my BEST SHOT MONDAY (BSM) image for this week -- it's a photo I took on Monday evening, standing right beneath one of our two Great Horned Owlets :-) ... aka, Bubo Virginianus.

And I just learned that a GH owlet (as I refer to them; it's probably not the technical term for a baby GHO) is known as a "brancher" when it first leaves the nest - not a "fledgling". Interesting.

Owlet Number One {smaller of the 2}

So I thought I should post a number of the images I captured on Monday (and a couple from Tuesday evening, of one of the adults perched atop a nearby Torrey Pine tree), for you all to enjoy.


Owlet # 1, again

this is one of the proud parents - because it seems smaller than the Mama we've been seeing, we think this is Papa G.H. Owl


the adorable Owlet # 1 {again}

and yes, Owlet # 1 again !!!

So these last two shots were taken around 7:45 pm Tuesday, 5/26/09 - you can make out the silhouette of the Great Horned Owl atop the Torrey Pine tree -- right?

and I hope that if you click on this one, it will open up for you, because the eyes are bright on the owl atop the tree, caught by the flash of the camera !!

That's it for Owl Pics, friends.

If you want more information about the Great Horned Owl, check out these links:

http://www.owlpages.com/owls.php?genus=Bubo&species=virginianus

(this one has links to Owl Calls, but I could not get those to play ... if you do, great! the info is fantastic, though, so worth including this link)

http://www.iwrc-online.org/kids/Facts/Birds/ghow.htm

(another great link, especially for kids)

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Horned_Owl/id

(and this link will take you to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and the link here to the voice DOES work ... check it out!)

Hope this was informative and interesting, dear readers.

:-)

Davielle

How to Treat a Friendship

"I do not wish to treat friendship daintily, but with the roughest courage. When they are real, they are not glass threads or frost work, but the solidest thing we know."



... Ralph Waldo Emerson



I was recently 'introduced' to not only the blank journal designed by Jen Lee of New York, through my read-along with Dr. Brene Brown ... Brene also introduced us all to this amazing collection of short stories by Jen. Because I was so taken with the journal Jen had put together for people to write and discover themselves in, I placed my order for this gem of a CD right away. It is the best $10 I have ever spent on a recording, bar none.

Anyone who knows me, knows that is saying a lot, because I am a lifelong lover of music, and I have quite eclectic musical taste and quite an extensive collection.

But "books on tape" never appealed to me (I find that I can't stay 'involved' - my mind wanders when I am listening to a story out loud, so I read voraciously instead). But these SHORT stories captured me from the first word.

The CD is short, short enough to keep my attention span. But more than capturing my attention, Jen and her six soulful stories - they captured my essence. They captured my thoughts. They captured my interest. I'm held captive by the words!

“Solstice: Stories of Light in the Dark” is a collection of six short stories that are poetic and poignant. They engage and inspire, weaving a tapestry of the theme presented in the first track:
“We are all connected—even in the night.”

Blending stories with sound effects and music, “Solstice: Stories of Light in the Dark” brings to life a new kind of myth for the digital world.



You can visit Jen's site at this link, and see what you think:

http://jenlee.net/index.php/solstice-stories-of-light-in-the-dark-3/

While it may not be for everyone, it sure 'works' for me.

-- Davielle

Seeing by Faith

My Facebook friend, artist BERNIE BERLIN, had this amazing quote on FB this weekend:

“The way to see by Faith is to shut the Eye of Reason.”

-- Benjamin Franklin

This touched me so hard and so fast, I couldn't believe it.

We have friends and relatives who don't necessarily have a lot of FAITH, or who don't quite get comfortable with what FAITH they do have; or who just argue from their left-brain all the time when it would be nice, once in awhile, for them to just go to the right side and just "let things be" what they are ...

Thank you, Bernie, for this very powerful reminder - and from someone that I personally always thought of as a pure intellectual. :-)

-- Davielle

Neurological-Schmeurological

Okay, so this morning I had two tests done at the neurologist's office to try and find out what is happening with my hands. For those of you who don't know, they've been swollen since late March, and painful since April 8th. The pain started in just one finger, and within days, had spread to all fingers on that hand. Within 10 days, it had started in the other hand. Now, it's rather annoying, any way you look at it.

Haven't worn my wedding ring in 2 months; haven't worn my other rings, which are a little bigger (my "just for fun" rings) in weeks & weeks.

Initial bloodwork showed all normal levels (we were looking for low thyroid as a possibility - wouldn't that have been nice? having a GOOD REASON for gaining weight AND having puffy fingers that hurt?! but NO, it wasn't to be).

So my migraine specialist sent me to his associate to do nerve & muscle testing on my hands and arms (since the nerves that serve your hands, start in your arms - imagine that!). After you read this, you will understand WHY I am so darn happy that those nerves don't go any further UP the body.

HOLY CRAPPY COW, the shock part -- to test the nerves -- was a wee bit shocking (pun intended) and a little uncomfortable. But I got through that, and all was normal.

Then the doc comes in - we chat, he says "needles are involved", and offers me a lie-down while he does his testing. HECK YEAH, I'm lying down for this. (me, I hate needles)

I ask "will it be kind of like acupuncture needles?" (naive me). He says, after a quite pregnant pause, "well, sooooooooort of. not exactly, though." I thanked him for his honesty and closed my eyes.

First needle -- upper left arm -- you know, one has more fatty tissue up there, and it seemed to absorb the needle prick a lot. Then the little shock wave runs into the needle and I cringed, then he had me attempt something easy, like 'push against my hand'. I hear the machine buzzing and recording data.

Second needle -- further down my upper left arm -- OUCH -- and yes, I said it out loud. Then apologized. I usually don't verbalize like that when it comes to pain.

Third needle -- close to the inside of my elbow -- HOLY CRAP -- and YES, I said that out loud, too. Loud. Then apologized.

Fourth needle -- down in the tender skin near my wrist -- by now, I'm gritting my teeth so no words will come out. I made it without saying anything.

Fifth needle -- right in the tender skin on my hand, somewhere. By this time, I was A LITTLE FREAKED that he might stick a needle in my eye or something -- :-) -- and again, I said OUCH out loud. And gave a big sigh.

"Good", he says. "Now move the pillows to the other end of the table and we'll do the other side."

Yes, they have to check both sides. I wonder if only one had was in trouble, if they would have had to check the other one? Doesn't matter, 'cause both hands are messed up these days.

Now I'm thinking, 'okay, I know what to expect - I can do this. I can let him do this to me (again).'

RIIIIIGGGGGGHHHHTTT. That stinking first needle in my upper arm - hurt more than the first one on the other arm. But not SO bad.

It was downhill from there.

There were more "OUCH"es voiced, and a really loud "HOLY CRAP" (again). And then I apologized, and told the nice Doctor that I hope their other patients didn't think I was in a torture chamber or anything. He just laughed and said "oh, we've had worse.".

That made me feel SO MUCH BETTER. (yeah, sure; whatever you say, Doc).

And then -- all done. The results: ALL NORMAL. Hmmm. Cool beans; yet, frustrating. Not having an answer (yet). You know?

We chatted about our mutual problem with migraines -- he told me I should read the book MIGRAINE by Oliver Sacks (Sachs?) - they guy who wrote AWAKENINGS (which Robin Williams starred in, playing Dr. Sacks/Sachs). I plan to get that book at the library, MIGRAINE. It sounds good. My very nice doctor studied under Dr. Sacks, a neurologist of some renown on the East Coast.

Yup, I'll find that book.

Just as soon as my bee-sting-feeling arms recover from this morning's adventure.

That, and after I get done at the LAB this afternoon, where they'll take MORE BLOOD to look for charming things like "all things rheumatological" ... you know, like arthritis. And rheumatoid arthritis. And lupus.

Oh, yeah, and after I have my acrylic nails REMOVED this afternoon. Yup, they have to go - we have to rule out ANY and ALL possibilities for this malady. But when one's hands are so fat you can't wear your rings - who the freak cares if you have pretty nails? I mean, without rings, who's going to gaze at my hands anyway? Right? Right.

:-) but I'm still smiling. And I'm still here.

-- Davielle

Ah, Youth

At last, the season finale of DANCING WITH THE STARS has come and gone, with a new, oh-so-youthful winner crowned - er, Mirror Balled ??

Congratulations to Olympic gymnastic GOLD MEDALIST Miss Shawn Johnson, and her professional dance partner, Mark Ballas - you might recall, Mark won an earlier season with former Olympic medalist Kristi Yamaguchi. :-)
{those Olympians sure do well on DWTS - this is the third overall winner, if I'm not mistaken - Apollo Anton Ono - then Yamaguchi - and now, Shawn Johnson}


To read a nice little write-up on the winner and the season overall, follow this link:


http://www.planetc1.com/cgi-bin/n/v.cgi?c=1&id=1242795252

And remember - KEEP ON DANCING. Be a dancing, dancing, dancing ... be a dancing machine.

:-)
Davielle

Show Jumping - Requiem For A Dream

This sport has always been a passion of mine, and always will be:

SHOW JUMPING

Thanks to Patti Digh for posting this video clip on Facebook this morning, because my granddaughter Kaia and I just viewed it and enjoyed it oh-so-much.

http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=83160719778&h=666e5&u=RUbJj&ref=nf

:-)

-- Davi