FOTO FRIDAY: FENCES

 

FOTO FRIDAY: My neighbors to the east have chickens and a coyote had no problem having a quick escape from their yard into mine with his prey through the last section of picket fence. Feathers were strewn all through my backyard. Hence a new fence section to decorate.

Voila- 

My outdoor art gallery as the fence ages...

Last week's FOTO FRIDAY...THE AMEN CORNER

TBT: NATUREMAN 's BIRTHDAY

TBT: Today, the 21st of August was Natureman's birthday and he would have been 77 today.  It's a bittersweet day as this day was always filled with his preferred bike ride/ canoe trip/ both. 

Today, I will post justice sayings of the past with him in mind as these messages resonate even more in today's climate. As a birthday gift perhaps all of us could remember to do something kind for a stranger. It's one of those things money just can't buy.

Hugs to you all... 

MUSINGS COMBO: PROVIDENCE

 One might assume I have become a slacker in my 'old' age due to my inconsistent postings but reality is that life has been super full. In fact, Sunday was an example by participating in the Interfaith Volunteer Network cardmaking activity.

Different houses of worship were asked to send 4 volunteers to come help make cards for our community seniors, Arkansas Children's Hospital patients and the newly built Providence Park, a 50-acre plot of land with 50 small homes for the chronically homeless. 

A last-minute request for cardmaking supplies opened a can of worms in my workroom/study, as numerous bins had to be scoured for stuff to share.  It definitely was well worth it as the 2-hour workshop resulted in 330 handmade cards and 50 letters.  Unfortunately, it didn't make more of a dent in my supplies!

Truthfully, I was thrilled to be doing something creative, but alas, I made the mistake of raising my hand when asked who had good penmanship. My assumption was to be the one at the table who would write the script on the cards, but that assumption was WRONG. It was for helping write 50 welcome letters for the first residents moving into Providence Park. Our table couldn't really visit because we had to concentrate on these page-long letters. Two hours sped by.

Now, it will take a lot longer than 2 hours to consolidate those opened bins. If you don't see me, it's because I am lost in organizing - sorting what to keep, donate/toss. It will look like a tornado hit for a while. May the end result be some empty bins.

Bins that take up more space than the space allotted in the total area of each little home in Providence Park...  

FOTO FRIDAY:: THE AMEN CORNER, PERFORMANCES EXTENDED

 FOTO FRIDAY: James Baldwin's THE AMEN CORNER has been extended a week due to popular demand. How wonderful!

 I got the very last seat in last Sunday's powerful matinee. It was great to be in church!

Last week's FOTO FRIDAY was THE UNORDINARY CEMETARY

FOTO FRIDAY: tHE Unordinary Cemetary

FOTO FRIDAY: Dulce Tillie, my newest foster has been working ardently on creating her own space by the den couch in a corner.It's not just a space to remove herself from the action but for toys that are no longer living...

 

For last week's FOTO FRIDAY, check out Dog Days

TBT: 10 YEARS AGO ARCADIA ,WI

 TBT: FRANKIE VALLI

Shared with Public

They just don't make tunes nor singers like they used to ... Not only did I get to hear Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons tonight in concert but first got to hear them practicing and testing their mics this afternoon. The man's 81. Wow. Moving slow but we didn't care.

SO for any of you who love his music, looks what's happening here in Arkansas 10 years later on August 23rd in Hot Springs.

2705 Central Avenue.

TRAVIS CLOER is the longest-running Frankie Valli in the TONY® and GRAMMY® Award-winning smash hit Jersey Boys. With a voice that channels the spirit of a bygone era and a stage presence that electrifies, Travis brings the golden age of rock 'n' roll back to life in his brand new show, The Frankie Valli Songbook. Featuring unforgettable hits, vintage flair, and behind-the-scenes stories from Broadway, Las Vegas, and Travis' real-life friendship with Frankie Valli and the original Four Seasons, this show is a heartfelt tribute that is equal parts music, memories and magic! Experience the iconic sound of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons through the voice of the man who made it famous on stage at the Oaklawn Event Center on August 23! Oaklawn Rewards Presale is Thursday, May 8 from 9am - 9pm with code: VALLI25

MIDWEEK MUSING: THE BIGGER, THE BETTER? NOT

 MIDWEEK MUSING: Rumors were my childhood block held a BIG surprise.  Today I took a drive over to take a look, and at the stop sign, a block westward, there up in front of me, new construction towered over the houses and trees...

The last time I visited, cinder blocks were forming, obviously just part of the foundation.  On a block where originally most homes were ranches ( ramblers ) one floor homes, 3 have been remodeled into 2 floors over the last 3 decades and now this new one has 3 floors.

New structure view from our family bungalow

It's truly an eyesore being so out of place with no yard left, no less. UGLY. Those poor neighbors in front of this monstrosity. Fortunately, our small 3-bedroom family home has a huge tree blocking our large picture window from the new structure's view.

One would think there would be building codes, right? The front facade is so much closer to the street than any other home on the block. Where will the owners even park their cars? 

Reflections of a society that doesn't think about how their actions affect others and our environment. SAD, SO SAD!

TUESDAY TUNES:HONEY

TUESDAY TUNES: Who knew this guy was still around? And I think he's been working out. 

He certainly was off my radar until I heard this song  in Jazzercise..

Take a listen to Lenny Kravitz singing  HONEY

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azRue-MJppE

MONDAY MUSINGS: THE GOLDEN YEARS/ FOREVER YOUNG...

MONDAY MUSINGS: You might recognize these sexagenarians.  Mattel's Barbie, Ken, Midge, and Skipper.  They actually started living together in my childhood home when I was in grade school. Allowance monies helped me make these purchases. My parents would never have gifted me these.

Skipper

Midge

Ken

I had kept these childhood friends in pristine condition for these past 6 decades.  They all had their original hair styles. until I introduced them to a 6-year-old a couple of years ago.  The four suffered a different fate at the hands of this young girl's use of permanent black magic marker, scissors and a hair brush. 

Apparently, the young cosmetologist felt they needed an extreme makeover and they ended with a goth look with black lips, eyes laden with too much black makeup, piercings and coal black hair. 

Initially, when I saw the young beautician's work, tears formed in my eyes.  For a good hour, I tried to de-goth them.  I tired and decided to tackle them another day... Life intervened and I never got back to them...  

Here's as far as I got back then...

until I went to the toy closet today to find some dog toys for my newest foster. I was drawn to work on the Mattel crew again.

I never found Barbie's head who knows what her fate was or if the garbage can provided a good hiding place. 

So  Midge still has some fading bruises on her upper leg,  

Skipper's bangs still need to grow back and..

Ken.. well, he looks like his old self with darker highlights...

Isn't that the way that men seem to age better than women? LOL. 

Perhaps it's like life, we can try to recapture youth but it may be just in our spirit... Here's to the golden years!

FOTO FRIDAY: PLENTY OF DOG DAYS

 

FOTO FRIDAY: We certainly have had a lot of dog days with this heat. And when I returned from New York, I had a definitely different kind of dog days as my new foster arrived. She had just been given the name of Tillie.

Tillie certainly didn't know her name yet and as each day passed, her shy, cowering demeanor changed and she is just the sweetest dog ever, so I call her Dulce (Spanish for sweet).

Meet Dulce Tillie, my new buddy.  She has a lot of lab but much smaller. Her fur is so silky...

Traces of white on her snout, tip of her tail and paws besides her obvious white chest patch.

Dulce has made so much progress coming out of her shell this week. 

She'll be ready for a new family in no time!