Confession...

I have a confession to make.

...And this is not going to be easy.

But it's something that I really need to get off of my chest... I can only ask that you will forgive me.

A month or so ago, a friend of mine asked me what I watched on TV... And I really didn't have an answer. Seriously, I have been anti-TV for a while. I mean, don't get me wrong - if its on, I will watch it - or I will find  myself flipping through random paternity tests or finding out where Anthony Bourdain is this week... But I really can't say that I have A SHOW that I need to break my neck to get home to see - or would even seduce me into getting Tivo or DVR.

Also - please keep in mind that I am married to someone that LOVES tv and WILL break his neck to see any new show  that is science, news, or ufo related.

(I swear - sometimes, I just do not feel like learning at 10:00 at night)

(love you Deme...)

OK -  but yes - I have a confession to make...

Typically our "happy medium" shows are: The Golden Girls, Anything Food related, Family Guy, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, The news (If I can stomach it) - and most recently - Wrestling. 

Yeah...I said it.

I have fallen back in love with it and it has made my Monday nights wonderful and with something to look forward to. I can remember back to when i was younger and my Great Grandmother (Bamby) would sit and watch that stuff for hours!!!! No joke.... She LOVED it. I dunno - I guess its just something about seeing people fake beating each other up and having fake drama to make a story line. 

Monday Night Raw celebrated its 900th episode last night... (I know that my Bamby was watching in heaven...)

Here are a few photos of the wrestlers that I have liked in the past...And you KNOW you know who they are..... (....nope... really didn't care for Hulk-a-Mania)

 Currently - We know all about Randy Orton's RKO move and can probably sing all of the words to his theme song....(yeah - sorry about that babe...)

My Sunflower.

Faith is interesting.
Faith is mysterious.
Faith is unknown - doubtful - and just when you are at the cusp of giving up on it - it comes through and shows you why you MUST always keep it with you...

For the past five years I have been growing sunflowers somewhere in my yard. I LOVE them. They are these huge gentle giants that need nothing more than some sun, soil and a little love.

I started them as seeds this year...

Planted them...
And one by one they got blown over by wind, taken over by weeds, eaten - or just for some reason didn't make it.

UNTIL.

I cleared these ridiculously large weeds in front of my yard and found this - My one and only sunflower for the season.... humm - remember that little post about spiritual gardening?

"He who plants a seed beneath the sod - and waits to see believes in God."

Cacao's Photo Shoot...

It was a wonderful Sunday!

-The birds were chirping..

- The weather was behaving..

- Then Cacao came outside - so I decided that it was time for her to have a photo shoot.....

...........Until I looked up and noticed that there was a ginormous wasp nest, hive, house - whatever - in the ivy that is growing up the side of my garage.

OK- so yes! There is a story to tell...(there is always a story to tell :)

Demetrius has been threatening to kill that ivy for 5 years now... he hates it. 

So what - the ivy has seriously eaten through the mortar between the CMU and is growing inside the garage now... 

So what - I am scared to death to go into the garage because I always felt like something was going to jump out and land on my head.

So what - we sat on the patio one day and watched 4 birds fly out of it.

So what - I think it looks really nice on the side  :)

SO - needless to say - we will be going to war with it at sun down.... I will keep you posted.

Oh - and here are some photos from Cacao's Photo Shoot...

32.

On 8/1 I became another year older and I am still finding myself contemplating my existence.

I just LOVE the Daily OM... You will be hearing a lot more about this from me soon :)


Return and Reclaim
Returning to Creative Dreams Our creativity is an important part of being a well-rounded human being. For many of us, this has been shut down.

As children, many of us entertained fantasies or even goals of being an actor, singer, dancer, artist, or musician. In some cases, we received enough encouragement to develop our abilities in those creative arenas, but somewhere along the way we stopped. This stopping may have been due to circumstances beyond our control or to our own unconscious acts of self-sabotage. Being creative can be scary in a world that seems to value logic over imagination and practicality over dreaming. We can forgive ourselves for shutting down or turning our attention away from our inner artist, but perhaps we can also take steps to reclaim our dreams.

In certain times and places, developing a creative ability was considered an important part of being a well-rounded human being. It was not necessary to be a professional or a masterly genius, because the act of creativity was valued in and of itself. It gifts are manifold from the sheer pleasure of allowing our imaginations free reign to sharing and enjoying the fruits of our labor. Children share drawings and songs freely, without self-consciousness, and there is no reason why we cannot do the same thing. You may already be remembering some lost form of expression, such as making jewelry or writing songs. Your soul may be responding with an energetic lift as it feels its way back to a time when it was allowed to express itself freely. Your brain, on the other hand, may be throwing up obstacles, like the idea that you are too old or do not have the time.

The truth is, you are not too old, and if you have time to pick up a pen, you have time to make a doodle or write a haiku. Recognize that the obstacles you find before you have arisen from a place of fear and that they will wane in power every time you do something creative. Each creative act takes you deeper into a realm of beauty and magic, a realm that you have every right to return to and reclaim.

ode to architecture.

I stumbled upon this web post today... Couldn't have said it any better myself.

CLICK HERE.
What an architect actually is:

An architect is a........
Manager, facilitator, creative problem solver, manager, decision planner, decision maker, salesman/presenter, writer, draftsman, artist, designer, manager, analyst, organizer, scheduler, advisor, researcher, student, transcendent paradigm shifter, manager, prioritizer, manager, prioritizer, estimator, magician, pencil-pushing hardnose academic who has never worked a day in construction, arbitrator, explorer, manager, salesman/presenter, LISTENER, and manager.

What an architect actually does:

Tries to identify, analyze and solve 4 dimensional (space AND time) problems on the following levels and from simultaneously varying scales from microbes to planet:
1. UTILITY : what functions are needed and how and when will they be served. Aesthetics are a function too.
2. IMPACT : what will the initial and life-cycle impact be on economy, society, culture, physical environmental, human health, human mind, human spirit, and general resources and how and when will that be allocated and documented.
3. FEASIBILITY : can, how, when, and why will this endeavor take place and how will it meet the UTILITY and IMPACT parameters.
.....and does all this while managing clients, consultants, staff, communication, and information.

Garden Update #2

Ok - So after about 3 weeks of a steady heat wave...
- A wonderfully large water bill...
- Fighting off the pests...
- Expressing love and constant nurturing...

We were finally able to reap the fruits of our labor!! (Well, kind of...)

So - Here's the update:

• Tomatoes do not seem to be doing that well - at all. So far we ate one off of the patio tomato plant in the container - but NOTHING from the (4) plants in the ground. Apparently "something" has been robbing us - as i have found evidence of this in my hosta pot.(Yes - that is a half eaten green tomato... what is even funnier is that i went out there the next day and it was gone.)

• Green peppers - umm, yeah, they aren't doing anything either.

• Eggplant.....is very sad.

•   Cantaloupe- Well.... Its spreading like crazy - and I see evidence that we may actually get a couple of cantaloupes - if we do not get robbed.

 BUT the Cucumbers are doing excellent!!! So far we have eaten a couple of them AND I just picked this one off of the vine tonight.....

(Thanks for the cucumber salad recipe Marissa (& Martha)!!)











Quick Pickled Cucumber Salad
In a large bowl, combine 2 large cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced crosswise
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon of sugar
1/4 cup rice vinegar
Season with coarse salt and ground pepper and toss to combine.
(Salad can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 4 hours.)
Serves 4