Friday Shoot Out Letter "M"

Here is..M for Maniac - not for the ride - which I soooo wanna do - but the water is snow melt and about 45 degrees! I think I'll wait till August thank you.

I told you this week was all about the camera, I promise more diversity next week. So I have joined the "Friday Shoot Out" this week is Letter M. Thank you Audrey.....so much fun!!!!

So last Sunday, I went out looking for "M" pictures....and I know this is in honor of sweet little peanut who's name starts with this wonderful letter (go see Lulu)but.....honestly I could not think of many "M's". Always wanting to be different, I had to really think about this one so I left the family at home with Jim and went tootling around town... here are a few "M's" I found around Coeur d Alene.....

Please click on the picture for a larger version....


Here is Mudgy the Moose..a local children's author wrote a delightful book about a walk around Coeur d Alene. Of course we are partial to moose here in the North West!

You cannot walk around Coeur d Alene with out seeing Maples - they are everywhere. Fall is stunning here!

This time of the year maple seeds are everywhere..especially attached to the cat and shoes, which all come into the house.....

Here is my beautiful "M" Miss Mhanon...peanut butter and all

A Map of my very favorite place to hike...Tubbs Hill.

Don't you love our city's NW porta potty decorations....see the Moon? That is the Coeur d Alene Resort behind the pottys.

Here are several Masts on our lovely Lake Coeur d Alene. We are a summer haven for boaters. The lake is large enough for sailing - I do love the sail boats.

A corner of Tubbs Hill...it offers a stunning, high up view of the lake...but ya have to hike around about half way.

The Marina...a small part of it anyway....

So...I hope you enjoyed my little tour of my town and a few "M's".

I'm off to see everyone else's! Namaste, Sarah

Alicia's Photo Challenge

Its official, it has been all about the photos this week. I have joined Alicia's Photo Challenge!! In hopes of learning a bit about photography. I do love a challenge & a challenge with the camera... well that just spelled way too much fun for me. I can't wait to go off and see what lovely pictures everyone else did.

So... the challenge was...Lighting .. playing with it and seeing how it effected your shots etc.... given I am new at all of this... really spent a great deal of time this week taking mainly outside shots. I focused on bright, filtered and full shade. I did some inside work, flash and not - but realized later they were of my kiddos who's pictures I do not post here. So... I did a collage of my favorites, but the top single shot was my favorite, done in filtered light. She works at this sweet little shop in our town and was kind enough to let me take several shots of her - isn't she just beautiful!!!!

I added a frame, but did not photoshop the picture I think that's why I was so pleased with the shot. Thanks for popping by and lookin'....Sarah

A Confession and a WIP

So.....I have a confession....not much artwork has gotten done in the last week. So thought I would explain why with a few pictures...of course the camera is to blame too - lol just too much fun. So.....

I did work on Red Riding Hood - only about half done....maybe and am not quite happy with my wolfish fellow yet...more fur I think....here is a WIP....but then I got distracted with well this....delicious sunshine calling us outside..


Then there were these....

And look at this beautiful face...guess whose sis this is...

or handsome brother this might be....


yup this preschooler's.......


Of course... there was also this one...



And this amazing face....

Isn't Lucy Lu sweet...Tink too!
So.....instead of making myself crazy about what I wasn't getting done.. I did this.....


Namaste, Sarah

Wishcast Wednesday

Jamie our wishcast Goddess has asked us...What do we wish for your body?.... this morning. Now this is a seemly simple question. I could say that I want it to be like it was when I was 25. I think realistically short of lots of surgical work mainly on the boobs....not gonna happen. Seriously even though I don't look "perfect" anymore, Jim seems to be fine with me just the way I am now. Nice thing that!!!

So... what do I really want, down in my heart at 48? I want to be able to keep doing yoga and meditation. I want my body & mind to be healthy for the next 45 or so years. I would like to be one of those amazing women who is still doing yoga at 80+. I want to be able to provide it with good health care as needed.

I would like to loose about 30 lbs so I feel better and it causes less stress on my body. There was a time that weight loss for me was just cosmetic. When you have a baby at 43 you discover the joys of how very hard it is to take weight off anymore. I'm working at it!!! I don't have any interest in being "thin", healthy would work for me.

I would dearly like to get my teeth fixed as much of my dental work from 20 years ago is not so happy anymore and needs attention. I am very aware that tooth issues create other issues.

So I guess my wish is to remain healthy and get my current issues in hand before they turn into more serious ones. Yup that is about it I think. Namaste, Sarah

Quilting Bee #12 !!!!

"Beach Quilt" by Emma How

Wow folks...a dozen...wow!!! It seems we may have some light rain today, so we are back inside for out time together today. But... the windows have been thrown open so we can hear the rain tip tapping on the metal roof and splashing in the puddles under the window. I do love the sound of the rain. I have a mix of things for you to snack on this morning... some lovely cheese and warm rolls, egg sandwiches - homemade mind you on the warmer, some homemade muffins, blueberry and almond poppy seed yummmmm & some wonderful melon chunks. As always a lovely selection of teas and coffee. I have racked a lovely summery quilt just because it fun!! A good reason for most anything. Cause it's fun!

I thought I might return to the main theme of Quilting Bees today...who we are here. In the last twelve weeks we have covered some light and some more serious topics. I want to thank each and every one of you for popping in and joining me, some of you every week!! Some of you have even posted my Bee Badge on your blogs. Every time I see one my heart smiles - well I smile all over - but you know what I mean!! I'm touched, thank you! I am still constantly amazed at what I see here.

I read an article the other day about the dangers of blogging. Well there is that, you do have to take a bit of care with what you share, content and personal information. But honestly.. isn't that life in the real world also, when you meet someone new, or interact with others at work or anywhere really? If you are always closed to others around you here or in the non internet world, how do you grow? Don't get me wrong, we have reason to take care with information, we do not have to share everything! I think most of us know what to keep to ourselves online, personal or financial information wise. Some things are better held close to the chest. Honestly it angers me that in this day and age, folks cannot share their belief system or sexual orientation without fear of persecution - but I'll save that for another post.

So.... what do we share here? So very much!! I often get asked why I blog. I think the concept is muddled by trashing blogs where people rant about work or other subject matter. Not so much here. What an amazing group of folks are here on Blogger. Honestly the diversity never fails to amaze me! Here in the community people are allowed to be themselves! With all of our faults and amazing gifts right there for the sharing. I have met oh... maybe 100 new folks since I wrote the first Quilting Bee and my feeling have not changed. This is a deeply supportive community of people. I said women in the first post, well... because only women were following me then. I do have a few brave guys following my blog now, how fun is that! I am still stunned everyday by what I read here, people supporting up each other through illness and sad event in their lives, big and small. Doing happy dances for folks with things to celebrate. Encouraging up folks life work and & gifts. May I just say...I am astounded by the talent I see here - every day! Sometimes by folks that do not even realize their gifted!! I watch folks here who have so much on their own plates, offering encouragement and guidance to others ...WOW folks! I have been blessed with all of these sweet gifts from you all. What do I get here on the blogs... blessed every day. Please share with us what you find here in the blogs!

So on our twelfth meeting let me just say... you all amaze me and I feel honored to know each and every one of you. Thank you for letting fly here in this amazing group of Quilters. Like in times past where women sat and supported each other up over a quilting rack, we meet here on these blogs for the same wonderful purpose, to share and care for each other. I hope you will join me for another twelve Quilting Bees. Hugs and Namaste, Sarah

Just a Fun Weekend.......

Welllll..it was one of those weekends, a wonderful mix of lots of different stuff. I drive myself pretty hard most weeks and that tends to continue into the weekend - art mostly. But that's like fun driving - not really stressful. But this weekend kinda just went it's own sweet ole' way.
The Cottage Garden

We had planned a family trip to a local Rock and Mineral show -as we are all rock hounds or pebble puppies. Well, I just needed a break and Jim decided to take the kids and let me stay home......ALL ALONE!!! OMG... so I took the offer even though I love the rock shows. So.... I had a seldom occurring much enjoyed 4 hours to myself. I sang, I danced, I played on the blogs, I helped a neighbor chase down a dog,then chatted with another, played a video game and I deep cleaned part of the living room. I know - WHY clean.. honestly - it was heavenly to not have people interrupting my flow every five seconds - I really enjoyed it and the music was really loud. Not to mention the main room looks great. I was also graced with another amazing award from an amazing gal - more of that to come tomorrow (Thank you hon)!



Aren't these two just too cute!!



Today, I took a lovely hike - again alone - whoo hoo - what luck!! It went on a little photo shooting hike. I have joined Audrey's photo shoot out group this week...how fun is that!! Me in a photo group!!!???!!! So the subject is "M' next Friday. I left the house thinking.... uhmmmm"M"??????!!! I hate being generic - so I wanted something different.... but M??? Well... it turned out to be great fun - I mean addicting kind of fun. I thought I would share a few shots that didn't involve the shoot outs. I was brave and asked a few beautiful young folks to snap them and a dog or too and I worked on my water shots a little. I will keep all my lovely m's till Friday.