Friday with a Cherry on Top!

Yesterday was a fantastic day!  Ro and  I met at the beach for our morning walk.  We headed down the shoreline in the opposite direction of our usual journey into territory yet uncharted by us.  We came across an enormous tree care worn by Lake Erie and given to the beach as a spectacular bench.  We indeed rested and enjoyed the calming waters gently kissing the sand.

I returned home, watered my flowers, made breakfast for myself and jumped back into the video project that I've been working on to share with you.  It's my first video and I'm having all kinds of problems with  it!  After my tech guy (my son, Mike) came over last weekend and installed a conversion program, I thought the rest would be a walk in the park.  I finally figured out how to insert some pics into my video, mute the video's audio and insert music.  As I finished my breakfast, I was quite pleased with my WMM project and hit the "Publish Movie" button.  I thought my problems were over, but NOOOooooooooo, not so quick there, Angelia.  It seems that now there are compression issues.  The bottom half of my video is now GREEN. What?  Really? An emergency call to Tech Guy and I find out there's MORE installing of programs to be done. 

OK. I'll admit it. I was PISSED OFF!  I knew the only thing I was going to upload was my butt into the car and OUT of here.  I was going on and on - WHY am I doing all this anyway?  Who cares? I could be outside goofing off and enjoying the beautiful weather! Plan B initiated.  I needed to go buy canvas for my commission anyway, and I really needed to step away from all things electronic.  I made up my mind to share the video with you anyway, so I began the "upload video" process here in Blogger.  After all, we're friends and friends share the crappy stuff, too.  I went to my blogger dashboard, and that's when I noticed that there was now a comment on Thursday's post!

I look for comments on my post several times a day and I read EVERY single one.  Your comments are what keep me posting and I want you to know how very much I appreciate each one.  You guys always make me laugh and smile, but yesterday's comment took me totally by surprise. It read,  " Angelia: I have given you an award on my blog...Hugs to you"  It was from Kelly, from Kellys Art Journaling, one of my very favorite blogs!

With a huge, dumb grin on my face, I rushed right over to Kelly's Art Journaling to see what kind of award I'd been given, and here it is, "Cherry On Top Award".  What an honor, and what TIMING! Pissed off? Who's pissed off? Ahhhh....synchronicity was at it again! Just when I was ready to pack it in and GIVE UP (at least for a day or two), I'm given the acknowledgment that I AM in the right place and I DO make a difference. So.....the rules for this award are:

1.  THANK THE PERSON WHO GAVE IT TO YOU.  Kelly, you and your blog are a huge inspiration to me.  Thank you so much for your continued support of my efforts.  I'm very touched that you thought of me for this award.

2.  POST IT WITH PRIDE ON YOUR BLOG.  Absolutely!

3.  POST THREE THINGS YOU LOVE ABOUT YOURSELF:  Just three? LOL - OK. 1. My dedication to LOVE - God, family, friends, all mankind regardless of race, creed, color or religious/sexual orientation. (The greatest illusion is that we are separate) 2. My sense of humor.  3. My passion for ALL of the fine arts & music. 

4.  POST A PIC YOU LOVE.  Keith took this pic of us Thursday night at the beach sunset. How cute are we! :o)

5.  TAG FIVE PEOPLE FOR THIS AWARD

1.  Connie Hozvicka @ Dirty Footprints Studio. Genuine, juicy and BIG. I love this gal and her vision.  Thanks for all your support, Connie. 

2.  Traci Bautista  Can you say "Eye Candy"?  I want to roll around in her art. WONDERFUL!

3.  Effy Wild   Wild AND Precious. And very supportive.  Thanks, Effy.

4.  Samantha Kira Harding  Journal Girl, AWESOME girl :o)

5.  Less Herger  Another supportive and wonderful creative. Thanks for welcoming me into your journaling community, Less!

I could list MANY more blogs that deserve this award.  I can't begin to tell you what a wonderful group of creatives it's been my pleasure to have met and to have become acquainted.  I hope you will find time to visit these wonderful blogs and show your love and support to these wonderful creatives.  Also check out the blogs that are included in the Blog Hops, and let these help inspire you on your own journey to "Happy Creating!"

Guest Artist

Today it's my pleasure to feature the artwork of God and my hubby, Keith.  It was so beautiful at Mentor Headlands Beach yesterday, that it crossed my mind to go back for sunset.  So, with Mugs -o- Coffee in hand, Keith and I headed out with my new Sony camera and the opportunity for some great shots.  I was a little stunned to realize that we haven't gone down to the beach for sunset all summer long.  Here are just a couple of the amazing shots that Keith captured.  Enjoy!

To Market, To Market

But No Fat Pig Purchased!

After an invigorating morning at the beach, I spent the late afternoon with my sons, Nick & Mike.  We walked from Mike's house to the Farmer's Market, per Google Maps, exactly 1 mile away from his house.  It was a HUGE challenge for me to walk there and back last week, but this week, I've got to say there was minimal whining from me. 

There's something very beautiful about seeing the produce so neatly displayed, and all those luscious colors!

All of the vendors were so friendly and eager to share their knowledge with everyone.  There was almost a carnival atmosphere present, and it was busy without being too crowded.

It was a lot of fun walking there and hanging out with "my boys" for the afternoon.  The bonus were the juicy peaches, huge summer squash & zucchini, and perfect ears of delicious sweet corn that filled my bag.  Home again, Home again, Jiggity Jig, and my "Happy Creating!" will be in the kitchen creating dinner from the beautiful bounty of the Farmer's Market.

DAYS ARE NUMBERED FOR THE SUMMER PARTY!  READ ABOUT IT HERE

"Let Your Art Shine All Over The World"

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Prehistoric Porn

So I'm trying to water my flowers and deadhead the spent blossoms while the grasshoppers are doing what they do....HOP!  And they're hopping EVERY where!  And of course, I can't see them as they're hidden beneath the foliage, so they get watered along with the flowers.  They don't like the water.  They freak out.  I freak out.  It's a giant freak show.  So as if all that freaking out isn't enough, I come across this little porn show going on in a pot of geraniums and petunias.

Being the inquisitive soul that I am, I was obligated to see if a little water would send the lovers scattering, but it didn't phase them.  There will be even more of the little prehistoric monsters hopping about soon.  There really is "power in numbers", because this mini plague of locusts is starting to creep me out.  All of a sudden, autumn seems like a pretty good idea about now.  Besides, I'll have more time for indoor activities like "Happy Creating!"

Meanwhile, I'll concentrate on the glimpses of goldfinch at the beach.  The number of days left for the SUMMER party are numbered - get those page links posted for a chance to win the *ARTtastic giveaway!

"Let Your Art Shine All Over The World"

Ya Gotta PLAY!

Today it's all about play!  Well, maybe just a tad of work, but mostly I'm gonna play!  I'm going to do some things I haven't done in a L O N G while. 1.  I'm going to the fabric store.  2.  I'm going to the bookstore.  Those are two of my favorite activities and I haven't done either in months. 

Play is good for the spirit and the mind.  Play erases fatigue, refreshes one's outlook, and trumps melancholia hands down! 

So take a break from your routine to enjoy some of the pleasurable activities that you haven't indulged in recently.  You'll revive your inner child and find your "Happy Creating!"

"Let Your Art Shine All Over The World"

There's still time to enter your page links for the SUMMER party and *ARTtastic giveaway!  Look HERE