Spring update

Sophie with the llamas @ the Earth Day event

Our Maypole for Beltane

The newly created patio decked out for Beltane



Enjoying the sun on our new patio

My momma and I on Mother's Day.











Sophie in front of her pumpkin painting at the Willow Brook Elementary Art Show

Katy and I at the SARG Charity Dog Walk

David and Katy watching the performances of dog tricks

I apologize for the long stretches between posts. I am without internet service at home and I have to go to the library or somewhere else that has free wifi. Anyway, things are going ok for us. Financial difficulties abound still, there are just no jobs in this area.
On the bright side, I am wrapping up with this semester of school, finishing up my honor's program project this week and helping the kids ready for the end of school. We are getting geared up for our annual School's Out Party! The kids are getting excited about summer break, if only we could have some summer weather. Its been in the forties at night this past week and only hitting the 60's during the day. Damn that global warming!

Anyway, I am taking the summer semester off of school so I can relax and gear up for my last semester, I plan to graduate in the spring. Woo Hoo! I will be carrying a full course load come fall.

Here are some photos of the highlights of the last few weeks. Enjoy!

Halloween Highlights

Our gorgeous Samhain fire.....thanks to David for being fire keeper.

A ninja and an angel......

Insane Clown Posse? No, it's our friend Skylar and her hubby, Brad and friend Christina.

A gorgeous belly dancer, Mari and her man, Rob

Friend Jonathan as a zombie...

Mare the friendly ghost

Skull in the blood...punch I mean...

Two lovely ladies...er...men....

Our cemetery.....

Freaky vamp, Josh

Sam......the man.....uh, girl......

Creeping ghouls

Emily in her self designed and made Mad Hatter

And this one is just too cute not to share....Sophie dressed as a pirate girl to go to school on the Friday before Halloween, then decided on an angel for the party and trick or treating.

Fun with Friends

Sophie has a never ending stream of friends coming over to play with her this summer. Our home, as I've said before, seems to have acquired the 4 star rating in kid ville. We seem to always have at least one extra kid at our house and often times it is several extra.

The new, bigger pool has really reeled them in. The other one got the small kids, but this one is big enough for the teenagers too. So we have had 5 kids in there at any given time. :)

The trampoline has always been a hit. With all ages, and in all weather. If not for jumping and practicing acrobatic skills, then for resting and drying, and sitting and talking. It is the most popular item we have.

I am thankful that we can provide this home for so many.

Art, A Birthday, and My Beautiful Friend

Since I signed up to be in this month's Art Walk, I have been working on a few new pieces to put up for sale. The first one is of Mary Magdalene. She has always been fascinating to me because of the Gnostic text's indication that she was the wife of Jesus. I love that story and that is why I chose to paint her. The egg is a symbol of rebirth and new life, it is also traditionally a symbol of the boulder in front of the tomb of Jesus. In more recent times it has become the symbol of Mary Magdalene carrying the "seed" or egg of Jesus's lineage. I really like this painting.

The next one is of a goddess or female figure in the style of the old neolithic cave paintings. The spirals are symbols of the cycles of life and the seasons. The triple spiral is a symbol of the Triple or Three-fold Goddess, the Maiden, Mother, and Crone. I am really happy with the colors in this one.

I hope they are well received at the Art Walk. :)

Saturday was David's birthday, his mom and step father came up from Atlanta to visit. It was good for Sophie to get to see her grandparents.

And this is my beautiful friend, Mari. We had a fun day at the lake last week and I snapped this shot of her relaxing. Just lovely.

Birthday Weekend Celebration~Part 3

Saturday night was part three of my birthday weekend celebration. My friend Mare and I met up with Laura at the Carousel club for the drag show. Oh what fun! I was brought on stage to dance with the host, because Mare announced that it was my birthday. What a lot of fun! I can't believe I danced on stage at a drag show! Woo! I only wish we had gotten photos. These are some that David took of us before we left.

Happy Birthday to me!

Birthday Weekend Celebration~Part 2

On Friday night we had a belly dance birthday party at my house. As my regular readers know I have been belly dancing for many years, but haven't done a lot since having Sophie. My friends have been asking me to show them some dancing and they all wanted to dance too, so we put together a Middle Eastern themed belly dance party!

What a lot of fun. We had costumes and veils for everyone to try and lots of jingly things. One friend applied Egyptian style eye makeup to everyone.


My lovely daughter Laura, brought some great Arabic music and had everyone's name written in Arabic as a party favor.

We had many photo ops and every one really got into the spirit of performing.

I really have such lovely friends.

Even my poppet, Sophie got into the belly dance act, she has been dancing since she could walk.

Friends are the best, they are what make life worth it all.

We had lovely henna, a gift from Laura, and applied by Mare. This is my foot design...love it.

Laura also brought a hookah, this is a Middle Eastern flavored tobacco, that is sweet and quite tasty even if you are a non smoker like me.

Yummy Middle Eastern food, fattoush and fried pita.

Baked pita chips

Tabbouleh and Hummus

Ooooh....presents

It is so nice when your friends know you so well. My best friend, Mari, gave me my birthday presents yesterday and they are so perfectly, ME.







First, knowing my penchant for all things Egyptian, she gave me this little gilded Egyptian cat statue. Who now resides on my living room altar.











Then, oh how I love peace symbols! This tote is fabu, and at first I intended to carry my school books in it come the fall, but then decided that I like it so much it is now my purse!

And finally, I have been coveting Mari's hair sticks since the first time she ever wore some...now I have a pair of my own. I just have to learn how to put them in properly. :)

Thank you so much, Mari.

Happy Birthday Mare!

Happy Birthday my dear friend! I feel truly blessed to have you in my life.